Package with removable portion
View Patent ↗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.
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, wherein the adjoined panels define a plurality of peripheral edges of the blank including a first peripheral edge extending in the second direction; and
a microwave energy interactive element overlying at least a portion of at least one of the adjoined panels,
wherein the blank includes a removable portion defined at least partially by
a transverse tear line extending in the second direction substantially across the adjoined panels,
an oblique tear line substantially abutting the transverse tear line, and
a cutout adjacent to the oblique tear line.
2. The blank of claim 1 , wherein the cutout extends inwardly from the first peripheral edge.
3. The blank of claim 2 , wherein the cutout at least partially defines a tab.
4. The blank of claim 3 , wherein the tab is adjacent to the first peripheral edge.
5. The blank of claim 4 , wherein the oblique tear line extends substantially between the tab and the transverse tear line.
6. The blank of claim 4 , wherein
the plurality of 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, and
the cutout is disposed at least partially within the second minor panel.
7. The blank of claim 6 , wherein the cutout extends substantially between the tab and the second major panel.
8. The blank of claim 6 , wherein
the second minor panel includes a fold line extending in the second direction, and
the cutout extends substantially between the tab and the fold line.
9. The blank of claim 6 , 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.
10. The blank of claim 1 , wherein the cutout is disposed distal from the first peripheral edge within at least one panel of the plurality of adjoined panels.
11. The blank of claim 10 , wherein
the oblique tear line is a first oblique tear line, and
the removable portion is further defined by a second oblique tear line.
12. The blank of claim 11 , wherein the first oblique tear line and the second oblique tear line extend convergently towards the cutout.
13. The blank of claim 12 , wherein
the first oblique tear line extends substantially between the cutout and the transverse tear line, and
the second oblique tear line extends substantially between the cutout and the first peripheral edge of the blank.
14. The blank of claim 11 , wherein
the plurality of 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 at least partially disposed within the second minor panel, and
the main panel includes at least a portion of each of the first oblique tear line and the second oblique tear line.
15. The blank of claim 14 , wherein the cutout is further disposed within the main panel.
16. 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.
17. The blank of claim 1 , wherein the microwave energy interactive element comprises a susceptor, a foil, a segmented foil, or any combination thereof.
18. The blank of claim 1 , wherein the microwave energy interactive element converts at least a portion of impinging microwave energy into thermal energy.
19. A construct for heating, browning, and/or crisping a food item therein, comprising:
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 to at least partially define an interior space; and
a microwave energy interactive element overlying at least a portion of at least one of the first main panel, second main panel, first minor panel, and second minor panel on a side of the respective panel facing the interior space,
wherein the construct includes a removable portion comprising at least a portion of at least one of the first main panel, the second main panel, the first minor panel, and the second minor panel, the removable portion being defined at least partially by
a transverse tear line extending substantially across the respective panel,
an oblique tear line substantially abutting the transverse tear line, and
a cutout adjacent to the oblique tear line.
20. The construct of claim 19 , wherein the cutout extends inwardly from a first end of the construct.
21. The construct of claim 20 , wherein the cutout at least partially defines a tab.
22. The construct of claim 21 , wherein the tab is disposed adjacent to the first end of the construct.
23. The construct of claim 22 , wherein the oblique tear line extends substantially between the tab and the transverse tear line.
24. The construct of claim 22 , wherein
the cutout is disposed within the second minor panel, and
the oblique tear line is disposed within the first main panel.
25. The construct of claim 24 , wherein the cutout extends substantially between the tab and the second major panel.
26. The construct of claim 24 , wherein the cutout extends partially between the tab and the second major panel.
27. The construct of claim 26 , wherein
a fold line extends along a length of the second minor panel, and
the cutout extends substantially between the tab and the fold line.
28. The construct of claim 19 , wherein the cutout is disposed within at least one of the first main panel, second main panel, first minor panel, and second minor panel distal from a first end of the construct.
29. The construct of claim 28 , wherein
the oblique tear line is a first oblique tear line, and
the removable portion is further defined by a second oblique tear line.
30. The construct of claim 29 , wherein the first oblique tear line and the second oblique tear line extend convergently towards the cutout.
31. The construct of claim 30 , wherein
the first oblique tear line extends substantially between the cutout and the transverse tear line, and
the second oblique tear line extends substantially between the cutout and the first end of the construct.
32. The construct of claim 31 , wherein
the cutout is at least partially disposed within the second minor panel, and
the first main panel includes at least a portion of each of the first oblique tear line and the second oblique tear line.
33. The construct of claim 32 , wherein
a fold line extends along a length of the second minor panel, and
the cutout extends substantially between the first main panel and the fold line.
34. The construct of claim 32 , wherein the cutout is further disposed in the main panel.
35. The construct of claim 19 , further comprising:
a first end panel foldably joined to a second end of the first main panel opposite the first end; and
a second end panel foldably joined to a second end of the second main panel opposite the first end,
wherein the first end panel and the second end panel are in a substantially opposed, facing relationship.
36. The construct of claim 35 , wherein the first end panel and the second panel are foldably joined to the first main panel and the second main panel along respective arcuate fold lines.
37. The construct of claim 35 , wherein the first end panel and the second panel are adapted to be folded toward the interior space in a superposed configuration.
38. The construct of claim 19 , wherein the microwave energy interactive element comprises a susceptor, a foil, a segmented foil, or any combination thereof.
39. The construct of claim 19 , 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.