Granted Patent B2

US 8,686,322 · App. 13/761,411 · Granted Apr 1, 2014

Abstract

Claims (86)

1. A microwave heating construct, comprising:

a top panel and a bottom panel opposite one another, the top panel and the bottom panel each comprising microwave energy interactive material,

wherein the bottom panel includes lines of disruption that extend between pairs of adjacent peripheral edges of the bottom panel to define a movable portion of the bottom panel, the movable portion of the bottom panel including the microwave energy interactive material, wherein the movable portion of the bottom panel is for being moved towards the top panel to bring the movable portion of the bottom panel closer to the microwave energy interactive material of the top panel.

2. The construct of claim 1 , wherein the movable portion of the bottom panel is further defined by fold lines extending substantially between adjacent pairs of lines of disruption of the bottom panel.

3. The construct of claim 2 , wherein the fold lines lie substantially along the peripheral edges of the bottom panel.

4. The construct of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of side panels extending upwardly from the bottom panel, wherein the side panels each include a hingeable portion foldably joined to the movable portion of the bottom panel.

5. The construct of claim 4 , wherein the hingeable portion of each side panel is foldably joined to the movable portion of the bottom panel along a respective one of the peripheral edges of the bottom panel.

6. The construct of claim 5 , wherein the hingeable portion of each side panel is defined at least partially by lines of disruption in the respective side panel.

7. The construct of claim 6 , wherein the lines of disruption in the respective side panel includes

a pair of lines of disruption extending upwardly from the respective one of the peripheral edges of the bottom panel, and

a fold line extending between respective ends of the pair of lines of disruption extending upwardly from the respective one of the peripheral edges of the bottom panel.

8. The construct of claim 1 , wherein

the top panel includes a removable portion defined by a line of disruption in the top panel, wherein the removable portion is for being removed to define an opening in the top panel, wherein the opening is for overlying a portion of a food item that is not desirably browned or crisped, and

the microwave energy interactive material of the top panel extends around the removable portion of the top panel.

9. The construct of claim 1 , in combination with a food item, wherein

the food item has a lower surface and an upper surface that are each desirably at least one of browned and crisped,

the microwave energy interactive material of each of the top panel and the movable portion of the bottom panel is operative for converting microwave energy into heat, and

the food item is positioned on the movable portion of the bottom panel so that the microwave energy interactive material of the movable portion of the bottom panel is proximate to the lower surface of the food item.

10. A method of using the combination of claim 9 , comprising

moving the movable portion of the bottom panel towards the top panel, so that the upper surface of the food item is brought closer to the microwave energy interactive material of the top panel, and

exposing the food item positioned on the movable portion of the bottom panel to microwave energy, so that the microwave energy interactive material of each of the top panel and the movable portion of the bottom panel converts microwave energy into heat, so that the lower surface and the upper surface of the food item are each at least one of browned and crisped.

11. A microwave heating construct, comprising:

a top panel and a bottom panel in an opposed relationship with one another, the top panel and the bottom panel each comprising microwave energy interactive material operative for heating in response to microwave energy; and

a plurality of side panels extending upwardly from peripheral edges of the bottom panel,

wherein

the bottom panel includes a movable portion defined at least partially by

a breachable line of disruption extending across the bottom panel between each pair of adjacent peripheral edges of the bottom panel, and

a fold line extending between each adjacent pair of breachable lines of disruption,

wherein breaching each breachable line of disruption is for allowing the movable portion of the bottom panel to move towards the top panel to bring a food item positioned on the movable portion of the bottom panel into closer proximity with the microwave energy interactive material of the top panel, and

the side panels each include a hingeable portion foldably joined to the movable portion of the bottom panel, wherein the hingeable portion of each side panel is for being moved with the movable portion of the bottom panel.

12. The construct of claim 11 , wherein the hingeable portion of each side panel is foldably joined to the movable portion of the bottom panel along a respective one of the peripheral edges of the bottom panel.

13. The construct of claim 12 , wherein the hingeable portion of each side panel is defined at least partially by

a pair of lines of disruption extending from the respective one of the peripheral edges of the bottom panel towards the top panel, and

a fold line extending between respective ends of the pair of lines of disruption extending from the respective one of the peripheral edges of the bottom panel towards the top panel.

14. A method of using the construct of claim 13 , comprising

breaching each breachable line of disruption at least partially defining the movable portion of the bottom panel,

moving the movable portion of the bottom panel towards the top panel, and

exposing a food item positioned on the movable portion of the bottom panel to microwave energy, the food item having an upper surface and a lower surface that are each desirably at least one of browned and crisped, so that the microwave energy interactive material of each the top panel and the movable portion of the bottom panel heats so that the lower surface and upper surface of the food item are each at least one of browned and crisped.

15. The construct of claim 11 , wherein

the top panel includes a removable portion defined by a line of disruption in the top panel, and

the microwave energy interactive material of the top panel extends around the removable portion of the top panel.

16. A method of using the construct of claim 15 , comprising

removing the removable portion of the top panel to define an opening in the top panel,

breaching each breachable line of disruption at least partially defining the movable portion of the bottom panel,

moving the movable portion of the bottom panel towards the top panel, and

exposing a food item seated on the movable portion of the bottom panel to microwave energy, the food item having a lower surface and an upper peripheral surface that are each desirably at least one of browned and crisped, and an upper central surface that is not desirably browned or crisped, wherein the food item is seated on the movable portion of the bottom panel so that the opening in the top panel overlies the upper central surface of the food item and the microwave energy interactive material of the top panel overlies the upper peripheral surface of the food item, wherein the food item seated on the movable portion of the bottom panel is exposed to microwave energy so that the microwave energy interactive material of each the top panel and the movable portion of the bottom panel heats, and the lower surface and upper surface of the food item are each at least one of browned and crisped.

17. A microwave heating construct, comprising:

a top panel and a bottom panel opposite one another, wherein the top panel and the bottom panel each include microwave energy interactive material operative for converting microwave energy into thermal energy, wherein the bottom panel includes a movable portion defined at least partially by

a plurality of lines of disruption extending across the bottom panel between pairs of adjacent peripheral edges of the bottom panel, and

a plurality of fold lines extending between adjacent pairs of the plurality of lines of disruption,

wherein the movable portion of the bottom panel is for being moved towards the top panel, so that

a food item seated on the movable portion of the bottom panel is brought closer to the microwave energy interactive material of the top panel, and

a void is defined beneath the movable portion of the bottom panel; and

a plurality of side panels joined to the bottom panel, wherein the side panels each include a hingeable portion joined to the movable portion of the bottom panel along a respective one of the peripheral edges of the bottom panel, wherein the hingeable portion of each side panel is for being moved with the movable portion of the bottom panel.

18. The construct of claim 17 , wherein the hingeable portion of each side panel is defined at least partially by

a pair of lines of disruption extending upwardly from the respective one of the peripheral edges of the bottom panel, and

a fold line extending between respective ends of the pair of lines of disruption extending upwardly from the respective one of the peripheral edges of the bottom panel.

19. The construct of claim 17 , in combination with a food item, wherein

the food item has a lower surface and an upper surface that are each desirably at least one of browned and crisped, and

the food item is positioned on the movable portion of the bottom panel so that the microwave energy interactive material of the movable portion of the bottom panel underlies the lower surface of the food item.

20. A method of using the combination of claim 19 , comprising

moving the movable portion of the bottom panel towards the top panel, so that the upper surface of the food item is brought closer to the microwave energy interactive material of the top panel, and

exposing the food item positioned on the movable portion of the bottom panel to microwave energy, so that the microwave energy interactive material of each of the top panel and the movable portion of the bottom panel converts microwave energy into thermal energy, so that the lower surface and the upper surface of the food item are each at least one of browned and crisped.

21. A microwave heating construct, comprising:

a top panel and a bottom panel opposite one another, wherein at least one of the top panel and the bottom panel includes microwave energy interactive material operative for generating heat when sufficiently exposed to microwave energy, wherein the bottom panel includes a movable portion defined at least partially by

a plurality of lines of disruption extending across the bottom panel between pairs of adjacent peripheral edges of the bottom panel, and

a plurality of fold lines extending between adjacent pairs of the plurality of lines of disruption,

wherein the movable portion of the bottom panel is for being moved towards the top panel, so that

a void is defined beneath the movable portion of the bottom panel, and

venting gaps are defined adjacent to the lines of disruption extending across the bottom panel; and

a plurality of side panels extending upwardly from the bottom panel, wherein the side panels each include a hingeable portion foldably joined to the movable portion of the bottom panel, wherein the hingeable portion of each side panel is for being moved with the movable portion of the bottom panel.

22. The construct of claim 21 , wherein the hingeable portion of each side panel is defined at least partially by

a pair of lines of disruption extending from the respective one of the peripheral edges of the bottom panel towards the top panel, and

a fold line extending between respective ends of the pair of lines of disruption extending from the respective one of the peripheral edges of the bottom panel towards the top panel.

23. A method of using the construct of claim 21 , comprising

moving the movable portion of the bottom panel towards the top panel, so that

the void is defined beneath the movable portion of the bottom panel, and

the venting gaps are defined adjacent to the lines of disruption extending across the bottom panel, and

exposing a food item seated on the movable portion of the bottom panel to microwave energy, the food item having an upper surface and a lower surface that are desirably at least one of browned and crisped, so that the microwave energy interactive material of each the top panel and the movable portion of the bottom panel generates heat, wherein the heat at least one of browns and crisps a lower surface and an upper surface of the food item.

24. The construct of claim 21 , wherein

the top panel includes a removable portion defined by a line of disruption in the top panel, and

the microwave energy interactive material of the top panel circumscribes the removable portion of the top panel.

25. A method of using the construct of claim 24 , comprising

removing the removable portion of the top panel to define an opening in the top panel,

moving the movable portion of the bottom panel towards the top panel, and

exposing a food item seated on the movable portion of the bottom panel to microwave energy, the food item having a lower surface and an upper peripheral surface that are each desirably at least one of browned and crisped, and an upper central surface that is not desirably at browned or crisped, wherein the food item is seated on the movable portion of the bottom panel so that the opening of the top panel overlies the upper central surface of the food item and the microwave energy interactive material of the top panel overlies the upper peripheral surface of the food item, wherein the food item seated on the movable portion of the bottom panel is exposed to microwave energy so that the microwave energy interactive material of each the top panel and the movable portion of the bottom panel generates heat, wherein the heat at least one of browns and crisps the lower surface and the upper surface of the food item.

Assignments (9)