Microwave steam cooking container system

• US 8,772,685 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2009
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dart Industries Incorporated (Tupperware Brands Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dart Industries Incorporated (Tupperware Brands Corporation)
• Inventors: Backaert, Dimitri M. C. J., Demuynck, Maartkin
• Primary Examiner(s): Chambliss, Alonzo
• Application Number:
  US12/562,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20100163553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,754 Days
• US Class Current: 219/682
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 27/04 for cooking food in steam; Devices for extracting fruit juice by means of steam ; Vacuum cooking vessels steam-heated vessels for hotels, restaurants or canteens A47J27/16
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/027 Cooking- or baking-vessels specially adapted for use in microwave ovens; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3423 Packages shrinking in hot water, e.g. for boiling hams
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3446 specially adapted to be heated by microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/804 Water heaters, water boilers

Abstract

A microwave steam cooking container system for cooking foodstuff, comprising a water reservoir, a food container comprising a plurality of apertures on a bottom thereof, an outer wall portion and an inner wall portion, and a microwave shielding material encapsulated between said inner and outer wall portions, a cover comprising an inner wall portion and an outer wall portion, and a microwave shielding material encapsulated between said cover inner and said cover outer wall portions, wherein said food container is stacked and removably placed within said water reservoir, wherein in the assembled position the foodstuff to be cooked is shielded from cooking by direct exposure to microwave energy.

Claims

1. A microwave steam cooking container system for cooking foodstuff, comprising:

a water reservoir;

a food container comprising a plurality of apertures on a bottom thereof, an outer wall portion and an inner wall portion, and a microwave shielding material encapsulated between said inner and outer wall portions;

a strainer stacked and removably placed within the food container, said strainer comprising a bottom portion having a plurality of apertures extending completely through the bottom portion to allow liquid in the strainer to travel therethrough, and a wall portion extending upwardly from said bottom portion; and

a cover comprising an inner wall portion and an outer wall portion, and a microwave shielding material encapsulated between said cover inner and said cover outer wall portions, wherein said food container is stacked and removably placed within said water reservoir, wherein in the assembled position, the foodstuff to be cooked is shielded from cooking by direct exposure to microwave energy;

wherein the water reservoir comprises a bottom, a first wall section extending upwardly from the bottom, a support ledge at the upper edge of the first wall section and a second wall section extending upwardly from the support ledge; and

wherein the second wall section and the support ledge of the water reservoir include one or more channels extending from the interior of the water reservoir to the upper edge of the water reservoir.

2. The microwave steam cooking container system of claim 1, wherein said wall portion of said strainer is positioned inwardly of the food container inner wall portion.

3. The microwave steam cooking container system of claim 1, wherein a pair of oppositely disposed portions extends upwardly from the second wall section and a pair of handles extends outwardly therefrom.

4. The microwave steam cooking container system of claim 1, wherein the number of channels is from two to four.

5. The microwave steam cooking container system of claim 1, wherein said wall portion of said strainer terminates in an outwardly extending flared portion.

6. The microwave steam cooking container system of claim 5, wherein said flared portion comprises a second plurality of apertures for directing steam into the strainer to envelop foodstuff contained therein.

7. The microwave steam cooking container system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of apertures extend across a substantial portion of said bottom portion.