Food receptacle for microwave cooking
First Claim
1. A laminate for use in a disposable container adapted to heat the surface of a quantity of food when exposed to microwave energy, said laminate comprising(a) a continuous microwave interactive layer of electrically conductive metal having a thickness which is sufficiently small to cause said microwave interactive layer, when subjected to microwave energy, to heat up to a temperature which is sufficient to heat the surface of food in heat transfer relationship therewith,(b) protective means for said microwave interactive layer, said protective means including a smooth surfaced plastic film having sufficient stability at high temperature that it will not degrade when the laminate is subjected to sufficient microwave energy to heat the surface of the quantity of food, and(c) support means for providing structural support for said interactive layer and said plastic film, said support means being formed of paper stock material having sufficient structural stability at the high temperature necessary for heating the surface of the quantity of food to maintain its physical shape;
- wherein said laminate is formed by the process including the successive steps of vacuum depositing said microwave interactive layer onto a smooth surface of said plastic film followed by the step of bonding directly said plastic film upon which said microwave interactive layer has been vacuum deposited to one side of said paper stock material in a manner to cause said plastic film and said microwave interactive layer to be held in bonded relationship with said support means to cause the surface of a quantity of food, when in heat transfer relationship therewith, to be heated when the laminate is subjected to microwave energy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A disposable food receptacle for use in microwave cooking is disclosed which includes a provision to brown the exterior of the food in the receptacle. A thin layer of an electrically conductive material, such as an elemental metal is incorporated into the receptacle on the food contacting surfaces thereof, so that the conductive layer will become heated by the microwave radiation and will, in turn, brown the exterior of the food in the receptacle. The conductive layer is formed as an extremely thin film deposited on a substrate protective layer by a process of vacuum vapor deposition.
142 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A laminate for use in a disposable container adapted to heat the surface of a quantity of food when exposed to microwave energy, said laminate comprising
(a) a continuous microwave interactive layer of electrically conductive metal having a thickness which is sufficiently small to cause said microwave interactive layer, when subjected to microwave energy, to heat up to a temperature which is sufficient to heat the surface of food in heat transfer relationship therewith, (b) protective means for said microwave interactive layer, said protective means including a smooth surfaced plastic film having sufficient stability at high temperature that it will not degrade when the laminate is subjected to sufficient microwave energy to heat the surface of the quantity of food, and (c) support means for providing structural support for said interactive layer and said plastic film, said support means being formed of paper stock material having sufficient structural stability at the high temperature necessary for heating the surface of the quantity of food to maintain its physical shape; - wherein said laminate is formed by the process including the successive steps of vacuum depositing said microwave interactive layer onto a smooth surface of said plastic film followed by the step of bonding directly said plastic film upon which said microwave interactive layer has been vacuum deposited to one side of said paper stock material in a manner to cause said plastic film and said microwave interactive layer to be held in bonded relationship with said support means to cause the surface of a quantity of food, when in heat transfer relationship therewith, to be heated when the laminate is subjected to microwave energy.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A laminate for use in a disposable container adapted to heat the surface of a quantity of food when exposed to microwave energy, said laminate comprising
(a) a continuous microwave interactive layer of elemental metal having a thickness which is sufficiently small to cause said microwave interactive layer, when subjected to microwave energy, to heat up to a temperature which is sufficient to heat the surface of food in heat transfer relationship therewith, (b) protective means for said microwave interactive layer, said protective means including a smooth surfaced plastic film having sufficient stability at high temperature that it will not degrade when the laminate is subjected to sufficient microwave energy to heat the surface of the quantity of food, and (c) support means for providing structural support for said interactive layer and said plastic film, said support means being formed of microwave transparent stock material having sufficient structural stability at the high temperature necessary for heating the surface of the quantity of food to maintain its physical shape; wherein said laminate is formed by the process including the successive steps of vacuum depositing said microwave interactive layer onto a smooth surface of said plastic film followed by the step of bonding directly said plastic film upon which said microwave interactive layer has been vacuum deposited to one side of said stock material in a manner to cause said plastic film and said microwave interactive layer to be held in bonded relationship with said support means to cause the surface of a quantity of food, when in heat transfer relationship therewith, to be heated when the laminate is subjected to microwave energy. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 27)
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19. A laminate for use in a disposable container adapted to heat the surface of a quantity of food when exposed to microwave energy, said laminate comprising
(a) a continuous microwave interactive layer of elemental metal having a thickness which is sufficiently small to cause said microwave interactive layer, when subjected to microwave energy, to heat up to a temperature which is sufficient to heat the surface of food in heat transfer relationship therewith, (b) receiving means for said microwave interactive layer, said receiving means including a smooth surfaced plastic film having sufficient stability at high temperature that it will not degrade when the laminate is subjected to sufficient microwave energy to heat the surface of the quantity of food, and (c) support means for providing structural support for said interactive layer and said plastic fillm, said support means being formed of paper stock material having sufficient structural stability at the high temperature necessary for heating the surface of the quantity of food to maintain its physical shape; wherein said laminate is formed by the process including the successive steps of laminating said microwave interactive layer onto a smooth surface of said plastic film followed by the step of bonding directly said plastic film upon which said microwave interactive layer has been placed to one side of said paper stock material in a manner to cause said plastic film and said microwave interactive layer to be held in bonded relationship with said support means to cause the surface of a quantity of food, when in heat transfer relationship therewith, to be heated when the laminate is subjected to microwave energy. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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28. A laminate for use in a disposable container adapted to heat the surface of a quantity of food when exposed to microwave energy, said laminate comprising
(a) a continuous microwave interactive layer of elemental metal having a thickness which is sufficiently small to cause said microwave interactive layer, when subjected to microwave energy, to heat up to a temperature which is sufficient to heat the surface of food in heat transfer relationship therewith, (b) a protective means for said microwave interactive layer, said protective means including a smooth surfaced microwave transparent layer having sufficient stability at high temperature that it will not degrade when the laminate is subjected to sufficient microwave energy to heat the surface of the quantity of food, and (c) a support means for providing structural support for said interactive layer and said microwave transparent layer, said support means being formed of paper stock material having sufficient structural stability at the high temperature necessary for heating the surface of the quantity of food to maintain its physical shape; wherein said laminate is formed by the process including the successive steps of vacuum depositing said microwave interactive layer onto a smooth surface of said microwave transparent layer followed by the step of bonding directly said microwave transparent layer upon which said microwave interactive layer has been vacuum deposited to one side of said paper stock material in a manner to cause said microwave transparent layer and said microwave interactive layer to be held in bonded relationship with said support means to cause the surface of a quantity of food, when in heat transfer relationship therewith, to be heated when the laminate is subjected to microwave energy. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A laminate for use in a disposable container adapted to heat the surface of a quantity of food when exposed to microwave energy, said laminate comprising
(a) a continuous microwave interactive layer of metal having a thickness which is sufficiently small to cause said microwave interactive layer, when subjected to microwave energy, to heat up to a temperature which is sufficient to heat the surface of food in heat transfer relationship therewith, (b) receiving means for said microwave interactive layer, said receiving means including a smooth surfaced microwave transparent layer having sufficient stability at high temperature that it will not degrade when the laminate is subjected to sufficient microwave energy to heat the surface of the quantity of food, and (c) support means for providing structural support for said microwave interactive layer and said smooth surfaced, microwave transparent layer, said support means being formed of microwave stability at the high temperature necessary for heating the surface of the quantity of food to maintain its physical shape; wherein said laminate is formed by the process including the successive steps of laminating said microwave interactive layer onto the smooth surface of said smooth surfaced, microwave transparent layer followed by the step of bonding directly said smooth surfaced, microwave transparent layer upon which said microwave interactive layer has been placed to one side of said microwave transparent stock material in a manner to cause said smooth surfaced, microwave transparent layer and said microwave interactive layer to be held in bonded relationship with said support means to cause the surface of a quantity of food, when in heat transfer relationship therewith, to be heated when the laminate is subjected to microwave energy. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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40. A food package for carrying and heating food including means for surface heating food being exposed to microwave energy, said surface heating means including a laminate having
(a) a continuous microwave interactive layer of elemental metal having a thickness which is sufficiently small to cause said microwave interactive layer, when subjected to microwave energy, to heat up to a temperature which is sufficient to heat the surface of food in heat transfer relationship therewith, (b) receiving means for said microwave interactive layer, said receiving means including a smooth surfaced layer having sufficiently stability at high temperature that it will not degrade when the laminate is subjected to sufficient microwave energy to heat the surface of the quantity of food, and (c) support means for providing structural support for said interactive layer and said smooth surfaced layer, said support means being formed of stock material having sufficient structural stability at the high temperature necessary for heating the surface of the quantity of food to maintain its physical shape; wherein said laminate is formed by the process including the successive steps of placing said microwave interactive layer onto the smooth surface of said smooth surfaced layer followed by the step of bonding directly said smooth surfaced layer upon which said microwave interactive layer has been placed to one side of said stock material in a manner to cause said smooth surfaced layer and said microwave interactive layer to be held in bonded relationship with said support means to cause the surface of a quantity of food, when in heat transfer relationship therewith, to be heated when the laminate is subjected to microwave energy.
Specification