Microwave food heating package with removable portion

• US 7,893,389 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2008
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International LLC (Graphic Packaging International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Fitzwater, Kelly R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Van; Quang T
• Application Number:
  US12/228,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20080308614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 219725-735, 219/759, 219/762, 99D/IG.14, 426/107, 426/109, 426/113, 426/234, 426/241, 426/243, 229/101.1, 229/242, 229/128, 229/903, 229/938
• US Class Current: 219/730
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/001 Holders or wrappers as eating aids for fast food, e.g. hamburgers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3471 Microwave reactive substances present in the packaging material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3472 Aluminium or compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3477 Iron or compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3479 Other metallic compounds, e.g. silver, gold, copper, nickel
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3481 Silicon or oxides thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3489 Microwave reflector, i.e. microwave shield B65D2581/3487 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3494 Microwave susceptor B65D2581/3487 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0209 the tubular body having a curved or partially curved cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/04 the tubular body having no end closures
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/42 Details of containers or of foldable or erectable container blanks
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4266 Folding lines, score lines, crease lines
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/54 Lines of weakness to facilitate opening of container or dividing it into separate parts by cutting or tearing B65D5/06, B65D5/5233, B65D5/5253 take precedence ; break-in flaps, or members adapted to be torn-off, to provide pouring openings B65D5/70
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/542 the lines of weakness being provided in the container body
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5888 Tear-lines for removing successive sections of a package for separating package into individual packages B65D75/527
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3446 specially adapted to be heated by microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3453 Rigid containers, e.g. trays, bottles, boxes, cups
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/903 Ovenable, i.e. disclosed to be placed in an oven
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 99/14 Induction heating

Abstract

Various blanks are provided for forming sleeves, containers and other constructs for heating, browning, and/or crisping of a food item in a microwave oven, and for holding and/or transporting the food item after heating. The various blanks, sleeves, containers and other constructs include a removable portion defined by one or more lines of disruption that enable the removable portion to be separated from the remainder of the blank, sleeve, container, or other construct.

Claims

1. A blank for forming a construct, comprising:

a plurality of adjoined panels, each panel having a first dimension extending in a first direction and a second dimension extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction;

a microwave energy interactive element overlying at least a portion of at least one of the adjoined panels; and

a transverse tear line extending in the second direction across the plurality of panels, the transverse tear line defining a removable end of the blank, wherein the removable end of the blank includes

a cutout in at least one of the plurality of adjoined panels, and

an oblique tear line extending substantially from the cutout substantially to the transverse tear line.

2. The blank of claim 1, wherein

the plurality of adjoined panels includes a first panel and a second panel joined along a first fold line extending in the first direction,

the oblique tear line is disposed at least partially within the first panel, and

the cutout is disposed at least partially within the second panel.

3. The blank of claim 2, wherein the oblique tear line extends substantially between the transverse tear line and the first fold line.

4. The blank of claim 2, wherein

the plurality of panels further includes a third panel joined to the second panel along a second fold line extending in the first direction, and

the cutout extends substantially between the first panel and the third panel.

5. The blank of claim 2, wherein

the second panel includes a longitudinal fold line extending in the first direction, and

the cutout extends substantially between the first panel and the longitudinal fold line.

6. The blank of claim 2, wherein the cutout is disposed partially within the first panel and partially within the second panel.

7. The blank of claim 6, wherein the oblique tear line extends substantially between

the cutout at a point substantially along the first fold line, and

the transverse tear line.

8. The blank of claim 1, wherein

the removable end of the blank includes a peripheral edge extending in the second direction, and

the cutout extends inwardly from the peripheral edge.

9. The blank of claim 8, wherein the cutout at least partially defines a tab.

10. The blank of claim 9, wherein the tab is adjacent to the first peripheral edge.

11. The blank of claim 1, wherein

the removable end of the blank includes a peripheral edge extending in the second direction, and

the cutout is disposed distal from the peripheral edge.

12. The blank of claim 11, wherein

the oblique tear line is a first oblique tear line, and

the removable end of the blank further includes a second oblique tear line extending between the cutout and the peripheral edge.

13. The blank of claim 12, wherein the first oblique tear line and the second oblique tear line extend convergently towards the cutout.

14. The blank of claim 1, wherein

the plurality of adjoined panels includes

a main panel,

a first minor panel joined to the main panel,

a second minor panel joined to the main panel,

a first major panel joined to the first minor panel, and

a second major panel joined to the second minor panel,

the main panel, the first minor panel, the second minor panel, the first major panel, and the second major panel are joined respectively to one another along a plurality of respective substantially parallel fold lines extending in the first direction,

the cutout is disposed at least partially within the second minor panel, and

the oblique tear line is disposed within the main panel.

15. The blank of claim 14, wherein the plurality of panels further includes

a substantially lentiform end panel joined to the main panel along a substantially arcuate fold line,

a first partial end panel joined to the first major panel along a first curved fold line, and

a second partial end panel joined to the second major panel along a second curved fold line.

16. The blank of claim 1, wherein the microwave energy interactive element comprises a susceptor, a foil, a segmented foil, or any combination thereof.

17. A construct for heating, browning, and/or crisping a food item, comprising:

a plurality of adjoined panels that define an interior space, each of the adjoined panel having a first end at a first end of the construct and a second end at a second end of the construct;

a microwave energy interactive element overlying at least a portion of at least one of the adjoined panels on a side of the respective panel facing the interior space; and

a transverse tear line extending substantially around the construct, the transverse tear line defining a removable end of the construct, wherein the removable end of the construct includes

a cutout in at least one of the plurality of adjoined panels, and

an oblique tear line extending substantially from the cutout substantially to the transverse tear line.

18. The construct of claim 17, wherein

the plurality of adjoined panels includes a first panel and a second panel joined along a first fold line extending substantially between the first end and the second end of the construct,

the oblique tear line is disposed at least partially within the first panel, and

the cutout is disposed at least partially within the second panel.

19. The construct of claim 18, wherein the oblique tear line extends substantially between the transverse tear line and the first fold line.

20. The construct of claim 18, wherein

the plurality of adjoined panels further includes a third panel joined to the second panel along a second fold line extending substantially between the first end and the second end of the construct, and

the cutout extends substantially between the first panel and the third panel.

21. The construct of claim 18, wherein

the second panel includes a longitudinal fold line extending substantially between the first end and the second end of the construct, and

the cutout extends substantially between the first panel and the longitudinal fold line.

22. The construct of claim 18, wherein the cutout is disposed partially within the first panel and partially within the second panel.

23. The construct of claim 22, wherein the oblique tear line extends substantially between

the cutout at a point proximate to the first fold line, and

the transverse tear line.

24. The construct of claim 17, wherein

the removable end of the construct includes the first end of the construct, and

the cutout extends inwardly from the first end of the construct.

25. The construct of claim 24, wherein the cutout at least partially defines a tab.

26. The construct of claim 25, wherein the tab is disposed adjacent to the first end of the construct.

27. The construct of claim 17, wherein the cutout is disposed within the removable end of the construct distal the first end of the construct.

28. The construct of claim 27, wherein

the oblique tear line is a first oblique tear line, and

the removable end of the construct further includes a second oblique tear line extending between the cutout and the first end of the construct.

29. The construct of claim 28, wherein the first oblique tear line and the second oblique tear line extend convergently towards the cutout.

30. The construct of claim 17, wherein

the plurality of adjoined panels includes

a first main panel and a second main panel in an opposed configuration,

a first minor panel and a second minor panel in an opposed configuration, the first minor panel and the second minor panel being joined to the first main panel and the second main panel along respective fold lines extending substantially between the first end and the second end of the construct to at least partially define the interior space,

the cutout is disposed at least partially within the second minor panel, and

the oblique tear line is disposed within the first main panel.

31. The construct of claim 30, wherein the plurality of adjoined panels further includes an end panel for at least partially closing the second end of the construct.

32. The construct of claim 30, wherein the plurality of adjoined panels further includes

a first end panel foldably joined to the second end of the first main panel, and

a second end panel foldably joined to the second end of the second main panel, the first end panel and the second end panel being in a substantially opposed, facing relationship.

33. The construct of claim 32, wherein the first end panel and the second end panel are foldably joined to the first main panel and the second main panel along respective arcuate fold lines.

34. The construct of claim 32, wherein the first end panel and the second end panel are adapted to be folded toward the interior space in a superposed configuration.

35. The construct of claim 30, wherein

the microwave energy interactive element comprises a susceptor, and

the susceptor overlies substantially all of the first main panel, second main panel, first minor panel, and second minor panel on the side of each respective panel facing the interior space.

36. The construct of claim 17, wherein the microwave energy interactive element comprises a susceptor, a foil, a segmented foil, or any combination thereof.