Elevated microwave heating tray
View Patent ↗Various blanks and constructs formed therefrom are provided. The various constructs include features for supporting a food item at an elevated position to enhance the heating, browning, and/or crisping of the food item in a microwave oven.
1. A microwave heating construct for a food item, comprising:
a platform;
a layer of microwave energy interactive material overlying at least a portion of the platform;
a pair of side panels extending substantially downwardly from a first pair of opposed edges of the platform along respective first fold lines extending in a first direction, each side panel of the pair of side panels including a pair of substantially vertical lines of disruption defining at least a portion of an adjustable wall portion between the respective first fold line and a respective peripheral edge of the side panel opposite the first fold line, wherein each of the vertical lines of disruption of the respective pair of vertical lines of disruption extends in the respective side panel of the pair of side panels, and each of the adjustable wall portions extends in at least the respective side panel of the pair of side panels and is foldably connected to the platform; and
a pair of end panels extending substantially downwardly from a second pair of opposed edges of the platform along respective second fold lines extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
2. The construct of claim 1 , wherein the layer of microwave energy interactive material further overlies each side panel of the pair of side panels between the respective pair of vertical lines of disruption.
3. The construct of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable wall portions are adapted to be transformed into walls for the platform by tearing along the vertical lines of disruption in the side panels and rotating the adjustable wall portions upwardly along the respective first fold lines.
4. A microwave heating construct for a food item, comprising:
a platform;
a layer of microwave energy interactive material overlying at least a portion of the platform;
a pair of side panels extending substantially downwardly from a first pair of opposed edges of the platform along respective first fold lines extending in a first direction, each side panel of the pair of side panels including a pair of substantially vertical lines of disruption defining at least a portion of an adjustable wall portion between the respective first fold line and a respective peripheral edge of the side panel opposite the first fold line; and
a pair of end panels extending substantially downwardly from a second pair of opposed edges of the platform along respective second fold lines extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction;
wherein for each adjustable wall portion, the adjustable wall portion is further defined at least partially by a pair of tear lines extending in the second direction from the respective first fold line into the platform, the pair of tear lines being substantially aligned with the pair of vertical lines of disruption in the respective side panel.
5. The construct of claim 4 , wherein for each adjustable wall portion, the adjustable wall portion is further defined at least partially by a line of disruption extending in the first direction substantially between endpoints of the respective pair of tear lines extending from the respective first fold line into the platform.
6. The construct of claim 5 , wherein for each adjustable wall portion, the respective first fold line divides the adjustable wall portion into
a proximal section disposed between the respective line of disruption extending in the first direction and the respective first fold line, and
a distal section disposed between the respective first fold line and the respective peripheral edge of the adjustable wall portion.
7. The construct of claim 6 , wherein each adjustable wall portion is adapted to be transformed into a wall for the platform by
tearing along the vertical lines of disruption in the respective side panel and along the respective tear lines extending into the platform, and
rotating at least one of the proximal section and distal section of the adjustable wall portion upwardly along at least one of the respective first fold line and the respective line of disruption extending in the first direction.
8. The construct of claim 7 , wherein
the platform is adapted to receive the food item, and
the walls are adapted to hinge along the respective lines of disruption and respective first fold lines to bring the proximal section and distal section of each wall into proximity with the food item.
9. The construct of claim 7 , wherein for at least one wall, the proximal section of the wall forms an angle with respect to the platform of from about 90° to about 180°.
10. The construct of claim 7 , wherein for at least one wall, the distal section of the wall forms an angle with respect to the respective proximal section of from about 90° to about 180°.
11. The construct of claim 1 , further comprising a respective pair of end flaps foldably joined to respective opposite ends of each side panel along respective oblique fold lines.
12. The construct of claim 11 , wherein the end flaps of each respective pair of end flaps are in a substantially contacting, facing relationship with the respective end panel.
13. The construct of claim 11 , wherein the end flaps are adhesively joined to the respective end panel.
14. The construct of claim 1 , wherein the microwave energy interactive material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, indium tin oxide, and any combination thereof.
15. The construct of claim 1 , wherein the layer of microwave energy interactive material has a thickness of from about 60 to about 100 angstroms.
16. A microwave heating construct for a food item, comprising:
a platform including
a central portion having a first dimension extending in a first direction and a second dimension extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and
a pair of end portions at opposite ends of the central portion, each end portion having a first dimension extending in the first direction and a second dimension extending in the second direction, the second dimension of each end portion being greater than the second dimension of the central portion;
a plurality of support elements extending downwardly from each end portion of the platform;
a pair of adjustable side walls, each adjustable side wall of the pair of adjustable side walls including
a proximal panel hingedly joined to the central portion of the platform along a first fold line extending in the first direction, and
a distal panel hingedly joined to the proximal panel along a second fold line extending in the first direction; and
a layer of microwave energy interactive material overlying at least a portion of the platform and the side walls.
17. The construct of claim 16 , wherein for each adjustable side wall of the pair of adjustable side walls,
the proximal panel has a first dimension extending in the first direction and a second dimension extending in a crosswise direction transverse to the first direction, and
the first dimension of the proximal panel is approximately equal to the first dimension of the central portion of the platform.
18. The construct of claim 16 , wherein for each adjustable side wall of the pair of adjustable side walls,
the proximal panel has a first dimension extending in the first direction and a second dimension extending in a crosswise direction transverse to the first direction, and
the second dimension of the proximal panel is approximately equal to one-half of the second dimension of the end portions of the platform minus one-half of the second dimension of the central portion of the platform.
19. The construct of claim 16 , wherein for each adjustable side wall of the pair of adjustable side walls,
the distal panel has a first dimension extending in the first direction and a second dimension extending in a crosswise direction transverse to the first direction, and
the first dimension of the distal panel is approximately equal to the first dimension of the central portion of the platform.
20. A blank for forming a construct, comprising:
a plurality of adjoined panels, each having a first dimension extending in a longitudinal direction and a second dimension extending in a transverse direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the plurality of panels including
a main panel,
a pair of substantially opposed side panels foldably joined to the main panel along respective substantially opposed longitudinal fold lines, and
a pair of substantially opposed end panels foldably joined to the main panel along respective substantially opposed transverse fold lines; and
a pair of substantially opposed side portions adapted to be at least partially separated from a remainder of the blank, each side portion of the pair of side portions being defined by
a pair of substantially opposed transverse tear lines extending substantially across the respective side panel into the main panel, and
a longitudinal line of disruption extending between the respective pair of substantially opposed transverse tear lines.
21. The construct of claim 1 , wherein each of the vertical lines of disruption extends from the respective first fold line to the respective peripheral edge of the respective side panel of the pair of side panels.
22. A microwave heating construct, comprising:
a platform;
a side panel foldably connected to the platform along a first fold line, at least a portion of the side panel extending generally downwardly from the platform;
an end panel foldably connected to the platform along a second fold line, at least a portion of the end panel extending generally downwardly from the platform; and
an adjustable wall portion extending in at least the platform and the side panel, the adjustable wall portion being foldably connected to the platform along a third fold line and being at least partially separable from the side panel along a line of disruption.
23. The construct of claim 22 , wherein the line of disruption is a first line of disruption, and the adjustable wall portion is at least partially separable from the platform along a second line of disruption extending from an end of the first line of disruption to an end of the third fold line.
24. The construct of claim 23 , wherein the adjustable wall portion is further at least partially separable from the side panel along a third line of disruption and from the platform along a fourth line of disruption, and the third line of disruption and the fourth line of disruption are spaced apart from the respective first line of disruption and second line of disruption.
25. The construct of claim 23 , wherein the first line of disruption and the second line of disruption are tear lines.
26. The construct of claim 22 , wherein the side panel is a first side panel, the adjustable wall portion is a first adjustable wall portion, and the line of disruption is a first line of disruption, and the construct further comprises a second side panel foldably connected to the platform along a fourth fold line and a second adjustable wall portion extending in at least the platform and the second side panel, the second adjustable wall portion being foldably connected to the platform along a fifth fold line and being at least partially separable from the second side panel along a second line of disruption.
27. The construct of claim 22 , wherein the third fold line extends generally parallel to the first fold line and is spaced apart from the first fold line, and the line of disruption is generally perpendicular to the first fold line.
28. The construct of claim 22 , wherein the second fold line extends generally perpendicular to the first fold line.
29. A blank for forming a microwave heating construct, the blank comprising:
a main panel for forming a raised platform when the construct is formed from the blank;
a side panel foldably connected to the main panel along a first fold line;
an end panel foldably connected to the main panel along a second fold line; and
an adjustable wall portion extending in at least the main panel and the side panel, the adjustable wall portion being foldably connected to the main panel along a third fold line and being at least partially separable from the side panel along a line of disruption.
30. The blank of claim 29 , wherein the line of disruption is a first line of disruption, and the adjustable wall portion is at least partially separable from the main panel along a second line of disruption extending from an end of the first line of disruption to an end of the third fold line.
31. The blank of claim 30 , wherein the adjustable wall portion is further at least partially separable from the side panel along a third line of disruption and from the main panel along a fourth line of disruption, and the third line of disruption and the fourth line of disruption are spaced apart from the respective first line of disruption and second line of disruption.
32. The blank of claim 30 , wherein the first line of disruption and the second line of disruption are tear lines.
33. The blank of claim 29 , wherein the side panel is a first side panel, the adjustable wall portion is a first adjustable wall portion, and the line of disruption is a first line of disruption, and the blank further comprises a second side panel foldably connected to the main panel along a fourth fold line and a second adjustable wall portion extending in at least the main panel and the second side panel, the second adjustable wall portion being foldably connected to the main panel along a fifth fold line and being at least partially separable from the second side panel along a second line of disruption.
34. The blank of claim 29 , wherein the third fold line extends generally parallel to the first fold line and is spaced apart from the first fold line, and the line of disruption is generally perpendicular to the first fold line.
35. The blank of claim 29 , wherein the second fold line extends generally perpendicular to the first fold line.