Multi-temperature and multi-texture frozen food microwave heating tray
View Patent ↗A multi-temperature and multi-texture frozen food microwave heating tray includes a first integral compartment defined by at least one sidewall and an upwardly convex bottom, and a second integral compartment defined by at least one sidewall and a bottom and comprising a microwave energy access modulating structure for one of the first and second compartments.
1. A microwave heating support comprising:
a tray having a smoothly contoured peripheral shape substantially free of sharp corners and formed of a microwave safe plastic or paper material, said tray including at least:
a first integral compartment defined by at least one sidewall and an upwardly convex bottom; and
a second integral compartment defined by at least one sidewall and a generally planar bottom,
wherein the first integral compartment is spaced from the second integral compartment by a distance sufficient to provide thermal insulation between the compartments the shape and spacing of the compartments resulting in uniform heating within each individual compartment.
2. The microwave heating support of claim 1 , wherein the smoothly contoured peripheral shape is selected from the group consisting of round, elliptical, and oval contours.
3. The microwave heating support of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second integral compartments further includes a microwave energy limiting structure.
4. The microwave heating support of claim 3 , wherein the microwave energy limiting structure includes a material selected from the group consisting of foil, microwave absorbing material, microwave transmitting material, microwave reflecting material, and combinations thereof.
5. The microwave heating support of claim 3 , wherein the microwave energy limiting structure includes at least one opening.
6. The microwave heating support of claim 1 , wherein the first integral compartment contains a first quantity of food and the second integral compartment contains a second quantity of food.
7. The microwave heating support of claim 6 , wherein the first quantity of food and the second quantity of food have different densities and/or heating characteristics.
8. The microwave heating support of claim 6 , wherein one of the first quantity of food and the second quantity of food is in the form of pellets.
9. The microwave heating support of claim 8 , wherein the pellets are individually quick frozen food ingredients.
10. The microwave heating support of claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second compartments contains first individually quick frozen ingredients.
11. The microwave heating support of claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second compartments contains at least two individually quick frozen ingredients.
12. The microwave heating support of claim 1 , wherein the second compartment contains individually quick frozen ingredients.
13. The microwave heating support of claim 1 , wherein the second compartment contains at least two individually quick frozen ingredients.
14. The microwave heating support of claim 1 , wherein the upwardly convex bottom has a domed central portion and a lower, outer edge and the food located at the lower, outer edge is thicker than the food located at the domed central portion.
15. The microwave heating support of claim 14 , wherein the domed central portion is offset from the lower, outer edge by about 0.1 inch to about 1.0 inch.
16. The microwave heating support of claim 1 , wherein adjacent portions of the sidewalls of the first integral compartment and the second integral compartment diverge in a downward direction.
17. The microwave heating support of claim 1 , further including at least three compartments.
18. A microwave container comprising:
a tray having a smoothly contoured peripheral shape substantially free of sharp corners and formed of a microwave safe plastic or paper material, said tray including at least:
a first integral compartment defined by at least one sidewall and an upwardly convex bottom;
a second integral compartment defined by at least one sidewall and agenerally planar bottom;
a first quantity of food contained in the first integral compartment; and
a second quantity of food contained in the second integral compartment,
wherein the first integral compartment is spaced from the second integral compartment by a distance sufficient to provide thermal insulation between the compartments, the shape and spacing of the compartments resulting in uniform heating within each individual compartment, and
wherein at least one of the first and second compartments includes a microwave energy limiting structure.
19. The microwave container of claim 18 , wherein the microwave energy limiting structure includes a material selected from the group consisting of foil, microwave absorbing material, microwave transmitting material, microwave reflecting material, and combinations thereof.
20. The microwave container of claim 18 , wherein the microwave energy limiting structure includes at least one hole therein.
21. The microwave container of claim 18 , wherein the first quantity of food and the second quantity of food have different densities and/or heating characteristics.
22. The microwave container of claim 18 , wherein one of the first quantity of food and the second quantity of food is in the form of pellets.
23. The microwave container of claim 18 , wherein one of the first quantity of food and the second quantity of food comprises individually quick frozen ingredients.
24. The microwave container of claim 18 , wherein one of the first quantity of food and the second quantity of food comprises at least two individually quick frozen ingredients.
25. The microwave container of claim 18 , wherein the upwardly convex bottom has a domed central portion and a lower, outer edge and the food located at the lower, outer edge is thicker than the food located at the domed central portion.
26. The microwave container of claim 25 , wherein the domed central portion is offset from the lower, outer edge by about 0.1 inch to about 1.0 inch.
27. The microwave container of claim 18 , wherein adjacent portions of the sidewalls of the first integral compartment and the second integral compartment diverge in a downward direction.
28. The microwave container of claim 18 , wherein the microwave energy limiting structure is removable.
29. The microwave container of claim 18 , further including lidding material covering at least the first and second compartments, and being sealed to the tray so as to substantially isolate the first and second integral compartments from one another.
30. The microwave container of claim 29 , wherein the lidding material is sealed to the tray substantially along the smoothly contoured peripheral shape thereof and offset from the periphery toward the center of the container.
31. A method of packaging multiple foods for microwave heating to different temperatures comprising the steps of:
providing a microwavable plastic or paper tray having a smoothly contoured peripheral shape substantially free of sharp corners, multiple food receiving compartments spaced from one another sufficient to provide thermal insulation between the compartments, a first food-receiving compartment having an upwardly convex bottom surface; the shape and spacing of the compartments resulting in uniform heating within each individual compartment
placing a first food in a first food-receiving compartment of the tray such that the first food has a greater thickness at peripheral portions thereof than at central portions thereof, so that upon exposure to microwave energy for a predetermined time period the temperature of the first food reaches a corresponding first temperature;
placing a second food in a second food-receiving compartment of the tray;
at least partially covering at least one of the first and second food-receiving compartments with a microwave modulating structure, so that upon exposure to the microwave energy for the predetermined time period the temperature of the second food reaches a corresponding second temperature which is different than the first temperature; and
covering one of the first and second food-receiving compartments with a substantially microwave transparent structure.
32. The method of claim 31 , wherein the microwave modulating structure reduces the microwave energy entering the second food-receiving compartment by at least about 25%.
33. The method of claim 31 , including the further step of providing at least one of the first food and the second food in pelletized form.
34. The method of claim 31 , including the further step of providing at least one of the first food and the second food as individually quick frozen ingredients.
35. The method of claim 31 , including the further step of providing at least one of the first food and the second food as a plurality of individually quick frozen ingredients.