Granted Patent B2

US 8,604,401 · App. 12/952,559 · Granted Dec 10, 2013

Abstract

Claims (81)

1. A microwave heating construct for preparing a food item having a periphery that is desirably browned and/or crisped, the construct comprising:

a substantially planar base;

a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from a periphery of the base, the base and side walls defining an interior space for receiving the food item,

wherein

the base includes a plurality of oblique fold lines and a plurality of movable portions,

each movable portion is at least partially defined by an oblique fold line of the plurality of oblique fold lines and a tear line of a plurality of tear lines,

each movable portion is configured for being moved out of the plane of the base into the interior space towards the periphery of the food item, comprising each movable portion being pivotably connected to a remainder of the base by an oblique fold line of the plurality of oblique fold lines, and

the base and the movable portions comprises microwave energy interactive material that is operative for converting at least a portion of impinging microwave energy into heat.

2. The construct of claim 1 , wherein the construct is configured so that moving the movable portions out of the plane of the base into the interior space defines a plurality of venting apertures extending through the base.

3. The construct of claim 1 , wherein:

the base includes the plurality of tear lines; and

the plurality of tear lines is a plurality of oblique tear lines, so that each movable portion is at least partially defined by

an oblique fold line of the plurality of oblique fold lines, the oblique fold line extending substantially between a pair of adjacent side walls of the plurality of side walls, and

an oblique tear line of the plurality of oblique tear lines, the oblique fold line extending substantially between the pair of adjacent side walls.

4. The construct of claim 3 , wherein for each movable portion of the plurality of movable portions, the movable portion is further defined by lines of disruption extending substantially between respectively adjacent endpoints of the oblique fold and tear lines that partially define the movable portion.

5. The construct of claim 4 , wherein the lines of disruption extending substantially between respectively adjacent endpoints lie substantially along the periphery of the base.

6. The construct of claim 4 , wherein the lines of disruption extending substantially between respectively adjacent endpoints comprise tear lines.

7. The construct of claim 4 , wherein the movable portions are substantially trapezoidal in shape.

8. The construct of claim 3 , further comprising a second plurality of tear lines, so that each movable portion is at least partially defined by an oblique fold line of the plurality of oblique fold lines, an oblique tear line of the plurality of oblique tear lines, and a second tear line of the second plurality of tear lines, wherein:

the plurality of side walls includes a first side wall connected to the base at a first fold line; and

for a movable portion of the plurality of movable portions, the second tear line that partially defines the movable portion is collinear with the first fold line.

9. The construct of claim 8 , further comprising a third plurality of tear lines, so that each movable portion is at least partially defined by an oblique fold line of the plurality of oblique fold lines, an oblique tear line of the plurality of oblique tear lines, a second tear line of the second plurality of tear lines, and a third tear line of the third plurality of tear lines, wherein:

the plurality of side walls further includes a second side wall connected to the base at a second fold line; and

for the movable portion of the plurality of movable portions, the third tear line that partially defines the movable portion is collinear with the second fold line.

10. The construct of claim 1 , wherein the base is substantially square in shape and the movable portions are disposed adjacent to corners of the base.

11. The construct of claim 1 , wherein the microwave energy interactive material is further joined to at least a portion of the side walls.

12. The construct of claim 1 , wherein:

the plurality of side walls includes a first side wall connected to the base at a first fold line; and

for a movable portion of the plurality of movable portions, the tear line that partially defines the movable portion is collinear with the first fold line.

13. A blank for forming a microwave heating construct, the blank comprising:

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

a base panel,

a first side panel joined to the base panel along a first fold line, the first fold line extending in the first direction, and

a second side panel joined to the base panel along a second fold line, the second fold line extending in the second direction,

wherein the base panel includes a pair of lines of disruption extending obliquely substantially from the first side panel to the second side panel, the pair of lines of disruption at least partially defining a movable portion of the base panel, the pair of lines of disruption comprising an oblique fold line an oblique tear line, the movable portion being pivotably connected to a remainder of the base panel by the oblique fold line; and

a microwave energy interactive material joined to at least a portion of both the remainder of the base panel and the movable portion, the microwave energy interactive material being operative for converting at least a portion of impinging microwave energy into heat.

14. The blank of claim 13 , wherein the movable portion is further defined by a third line of disruption and a fourth line of disruption respectively extending substantially between adjacent ends of the oblique fold line and the oblique tear line.

15. The blank of claim 14 , wherein

the third line of disruption extends substantially along the first fold line joining the first side panel to the base panel, and

the fourth line of disruption extends substantially along the second fold line joining the second side panel to the base panel.

16. The blank of claim 14 , wherein the third line of disruption and the fourth line of disruption each comprise a tear line.

17. The blank of claim 14 , wherein the movable portion is substantially trapezoidal in shape.

18. The blank of claim 14 , wherein

the third line of disruption comprises a fold line that is collinear with the first fold line joining the first side panel to the base panel, and

the fourth line of disruption comprises a fold line that is collinear with the second fold line joining the second side panel to the base panel.

19. The blank of claim 13 , wherein the base panel is substantially square in shape and the movable portion is disposed adjacent to a first corner of the base panel.

20. The blank of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of adjoined panels further includes

a third side panel joined to the base panel along a third fold line, the third fold line extending in the first direction, and

a fourth side panel joined to the base panel along a fourth fold line, the fourth fold line extending in the second direction.

21. The blank of claim 13 , wherein the movable portion is a first movable portion of a plurality of movable portions of the base panel.

22. The blank of claim 13 , wherein the microwave energy interactive material is further joined to at least a portion of the side panels.

23. A microwave heating construct, comprising:

a substantially planar base;

a plurality of exterior walls extending upwardly from a periphery of the base, the plurality of exterior walls including a first exterior wall and a second exterior wall, the first exterior wall and the second exterior wall being adjacent to one another, wherein the base and the exterior walls at least partially define a first interior space; and

a plurality of interior walls positioned in the first interior space, the base and interior walls defining a second interior space for receiving a food item, the plurality of interior walls including a microwave energy interactive material operative for converting at least a portion of impinging microwave energy into heat, wherein the plurality of interior walls includes

a first interior wall that extends substantially along a portion of the first exterior wall,

a second interior wall that extends substantially along a portion of the second exterior wall, and

a third interior wall extending obliquely between the first interior wall and the second interior wall.

24. The construct of claim 23 , wherein the first interior wall and the second interior wall are joined respectively to the first exterior wall and the second exterior wall.

25. The construct of claim 23 , wherein the first interior wall and the second interior wall are not joined to the first exterior wall and the second exterior wall.

26. The construct of claim 23 , wherein the plurality of interior walls defines a microwave energy interactive ring for surrounding the periphery of a food item.

27. The construct of claim 23 , wherein the base includes a microwave energy interactive material operative for converting at least a portion of impinging microwave energy into heat.

28. A blank for forming a microwave heating construct, the blank comprising:

a base panel;

a plurality of side panels connected to and extending from a periphery of the base panel,

wherein

the base panel includes a plurality of oblique fold lines and a plurality of movable portions,

each movable portion is at least partially defined by an oblique fold line of the plurality of oblique fold lines and a tear line of a plurality of tear lines,

each movable portion is configured for being moved out of the plane of the base panel, comprising each movable portion being pivotably connected to a remainder of the base panel by an oblique fold line of the plurality of oblique fold lines, and

the movable portions comprise microwave energy interactive material that is operative for converting at least a portion of impinging microwave energy into heat.

29. The blank of claim 28 , wherein:

the base panel includes the plurality of tear lines; and

the plurality of tear lines is a plurality of oblique tear lines, so that each movable portion is at least partially defined by

an oblique fold line of the plurality of oblique fold lines, the oblique fold line extending substantially between a pair of adjacent side panels of the plurality of side panels, and

an oblique tear line of the plurality of oblique tear lines, the oblique fold line extending substantially between the pair of adjacent side panels.

30. The blank of claim 29 , further comprising a second plurality of tear lines, so that each movable portion is at least partially defined by an oblique fold line of the plurality of oblique fold lines, an oblique tear line of the plurality of oblique tear lines, and a second tear line of the second plurality of tear lines, wherein:

the plurality of side panels includes a first side panel connected to the base panel at a first fold line; and

for a movable portion of the plurality of movable portions, the second tear line that partially defines the movable portion is collinear with the first fold line.

31. The blank of claim 30 , further comprising a third plurality of tear lines, so that each movable portion is at least partially defined by an oblique fold line of the plurality of oblique fold lines, an oblique tear line of the plurality of oblique tear lines, a second tear line of the second plurality of tear lines, and a third tear line of the third plurality of tear lines, wherein:

the plurality of side panels further includes a second side panel connected to the base panel at a second fold line; and

for the movable portion of the plurality of movable portions, the third tear line that partially defines the movable portion is collinear with the second fold line.

Assignments (10)