Cooking package

• US 7,824,719 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2007
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Krablean, Eric, Cole, Lorin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dye; Rena L
• Assistant Examiner(s): LATHAM, SAEEDA MONEE
• Application Number:
  US11/751,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20070275130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: 426/106.107, 426/113, 426/114, 219/678, 219/730, 229/103.11, 229/120.18
• US Class Current: 426/107
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/344 Geometry or shape factors influencing the microwave heating properties
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/349 attached to the lid
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3495 attached to the lid
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3453 Rigid containers, e.g. trays, bottles, boxes, cups

Abstract

A package for heating a food product. The package has a tray with a central panel for supporting the food product and a flexible flap containing a layer of microwave insulating material for heating the food product. The flexible flap has independently movable sections, wraps around the food product, and forms an open ended cooking sleeve.

Claims

1. A package for heating a food product in a microwave oven, the package comprising:

a single food product having a shape;

a tray being formed from a blank of rigid material, the tray comprising a central panel for supporting the food product and two side panels foldably connected to the central panel and positioned relative to the central panel to form the tray, the central panel having a width between the two side panels; and

a flexible cover for at least partially covering the tray and the food product and for at least partially conforming to a shape of the food product in the tray, wherein the flexible cover is formed from the blank of rigid material and comprises a flap foldably attached to one of the side panels at a fold line, and a microwave interactive material attached to the flap, the flap is sized to wrap around the food product and form an open ended cooking sleeve, the flap has spaced apart lateral fold lines forming independently moveable sections that form a C-shaped wrap that wraps around the food product and at least partially conforms to the shape of the food product, the C-shaped wrap having a bottom portion in contact with a bottom surface of the food product and is in face-to-face contact with the central panel, the flap has a length from the fold line to a free edge of the flap opposite the fold line, the length of the flap being at least about 50% greater than the width of the central panel.

2. The package of claim 1 wherein the flap is generally rectangular.

3. The package of claim 1 wherein the package further comprises a lid foldably attached to the tray.

4. The package of claim 3 wherein the lid comprises a central panel and a plurality of side panels foldably attached to the central panel of the lid, the lid being for cooperating with the tray to close the package.

5. The package of claim 1 wherein the tray and the flexible cover are made from paperboard material.

6. The package of claim 1 wherein the length of the flap is at least about 100% greater than the width of the central panel.

7. The package of claim 1 wherein the flap comprises a surface in contact with the food product, the surface being free from openings.

8. The package of claim 1 wherein the C-shaped wrap comprises a generally flat upper portion extending from one of the side panels and a curved portion extending between the upper portion and the bottom portion.

9. A package, the package comprising:

a single food product having a shape;

a tray being formed from a blank of rigid material, the tray comprising a central panel for supporting the food product and two side panels foldably connected to the central panel and positioned relative to the central panel to form the tray, the central panel having a width between the two side panels; and

a flexible cover at least partially covering the tray and the food product, wherein the flexible cover is formed from the blank of rigid material and comprises a flap foldably attached to one of the side panels at a fold line, the flap has a plurality of fold lines that are substantially parallel to one another so that the flexible cover is adapted for at least partially conforming to the shape of the food product in the tray, the plurality of fold lines comprise spaced apart lateral fold lines forming independently moveable sections that form a C-shaped wrap that wraps around the food product and at least partially conforms to the shape of the food product, the C-shaped wrap having a bottom portion in contact with a bottom surface of the food product and is in face-to-face contact with the central panel, the flap has a length from the fold line to a free edge of the flap opposite the fold line, the length of the flap being at least 50% greater than the width of the central panel.

10. The package of claim 9 wherein the plurality of fold lines comprises at least three fold lines.

11. The package of claim 9 wherein the plurality of fold lines comprises more than ten fold lines.

12. The package of claim 9 wherein the flap is generally rectangular.

13. The package of claim 9 further comprising a microwave interactive element attached to the tray and the flexible cover, wherein the microwave interactive element is continuous over an entire inner surface of the central panel and an entire inner surface of the flexible cover.

14. The package of claim 9 wherein the package further comprises a lid foldably attached to the tray.

15. The package of claim 14 wherein the lid comprises a central panel and a plurality of side panels foldably attached to the central panel, the lid being for cooperating with the tray to close the package.

16. The package of claim 9 wherein the tray and the flexible cover are made from paperboard material.

17. The package of claim 9 wherein the length of the flap is at least about 100% greater than the width of the central panel.

18. The package of claim 9 wherein the flap comprises a surface in contact with the food product, the surface being free from openings.