Microwave energy interactive structure with venting microapertures
A microwave energy interactive structure comprises a layer of microwave energy interactive material supported on a polymer film. A plurality of microapertures extend through the layer of microwave energy interactive material and the polymer film. The microapertures have a major linear dimension of from about 0.05 mm to about 2 mm.
1. A microwave energy interactive structure comprising:
a layer of microwave energy interactive material supported on a polymer film, wherein
the polymer film has opposite first and second sides,
the first side of the polymer film is for facing a food item,
the microwave energy interactive material has opposite first and second sides,
the first side of the microwave interactive material faces toward the second side of the polymer film;
a support layer joined to the second side of the microwave energy interactive material so that the microwave energy interactive material is positioned between the support layer and the polymer film; and
a plurality of microapertures extending through the layer of microwave energy interactive material and the polymer film, the microapertures having a major linear dimension of from about 0.05 mm to about 2 mm, a microaperture of the plurality of microapertures having opposite first and second ends, the first end of the microaperture comprising an opening located at the first side of the polymer film, and the support layer extending across the second end of the microaperture so that the second end of the microaperture is obstructed by the support layer, so that the microaperture extends from the first side of the polymer film to the support layer.
2. The structure of claim 1 , wherein:
a microwave energy transparent area is positioned in the layer of microwave energy interactive material; and
the microaperture is circumscribed by the microwave energy transparent area in the layer of microwave energy interactive material.
3. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the first side of the polymer film is in communication with the support layer by way of the microaperture.
4. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the support layer comprises paper.
5. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the support layer includes a plurality of apertures.
6. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the structure is at least a portion of a microwave heating construct having an interior space for receiving a food item.
7. The structure of claim 1 , wherein for each microaperture of the plurality of microapertures:
the microaperture has opposite first and second ends,
the first end of the microaperture comprises an opening located at the first side of the polymer film, and
the second end of the microaperture is obstructed by the support layer, so that the microaperture extends from the first side of the polymer film to the support layer.
8. The structure of claim 3 , wherein:
the microaperture is configured for allowing at least one of water vapor and exudates to pass therethrough from the food item to the support layer, and
the support layer is operative for absorbing at least one of water vapor and exudates from the food item.
9. The structure of claim 4 , wherein at least one aperture in the support layer is in register with a microaperture extending through the layer of microwave energy interactive material and the polymer film.
10. The structure of claim 2 , wherein the microaperture extends through the microwave energy transparent area in the layer of microwave energy interactive material.
11. The structure of claim 2 , wherein the microwave energy transparent area is at least partially coplanar with the layer of microwave energy interactive material.
12. The structure of claim 6 , wherein the microapertures at least partially define a removable portion of the construct.
13. The structure of claim 12 , wherein the removable portion of the construct is operative for accessing the food item within the interior space.
14. A microwave energy interactive structure comprising:
a polymer film having a first side and a second side opposite one another, and a thickness between the first side and the second side;
a layer of microwave energy interactive material disposed on the second side of the polymer film; and
a plurality of microapertures extending through the layer of microwave energy interactive material and into the second side of the polymer film, the microapertures extending only partially through the thickness of the polymer, the microapertures having a major linear dimension of from about 0.05 mm to about 2 mm.
15. The structure of claim 14 , wherein the polymer film serves as a barrier layer.
16. The structure of claim 14 , wherein the microwave energy interactive structure is configured for being responsive to microwave energy so that upon sufficient exposure of the microwave energy interactive structure to microwave energy, a plurality of voids automatically form between the microapertures and the first side of the polymer film.
17. The structure of claim 14 , wherein:
a microwave energy transparent area is positioned in the layer of microwave energy interactive material; and
at least one microaperture of the plurality of microapertures extending through the layer of microwave energy interactive material is circumscribed by the microwave energy transparent area in the layer of microwave energy interactive material.
18. The structure of claim 14 , further comprising a support layer joined to the layer of microwave energy interactive material on a side of the layer of microwave energy interactive material opposite the polymer film.
19. The structure of claim 14 , wherein the structure is at least a portion of a microwave heating construct having an interior space for receiving a food item.
20. The structure of claim 18 , wherein the support layer includes a plurality of apertures.
21. The structure of claim 18 , wherein the support layer comprises a paper-based material.
22. The structure of claim 19 , wherein the microapertures at least partially define a removable portion of the microwave heating construct.
23. The structure of claim 17 , wherein the microwave energy transparent area is at least partially coplanar with the layer of microwave energy interactive material.
24. The structure of claim 20 , wherein the plurality of apertures of the support layer includes at least one aperture in register with one of the microapertures extending through the layer of microwave energy interactive material.
25. The structure of claim 22 , wherein the removable portion of the microwave heating construct is operative for accessing the food item within the interior space.
26. A microwave energy interactive structure comprising:
a polymer film having a first side and a second side opposite one another, and a thickness between the first side and the second side;
a layer of microwave energy interactive material deposited on the second side of the polymer film;
a plurality of micro apertures extending through the layer of microwave energy interactive material and into the second side of the polymer film, the microapertures extending only partially through the thickness of the polymer; and
a support layer joined to the layer of microwave energy interactive material,
wherein the microwave energy interactive structure is configured for being responsive to microwave energy so that after sufficient exposure of the microwave energy interactive structure to microwave energy, the microapertures automatically become extended so that the microapertures extend through the layer of microwave energy interactive material and through the thickness of the polymer film, so that the first side of the polymer film is in communication with the support layer by way of the microapertures.
27. The structure of claim 26 , wherein the microapertures have a major linear dimension of from about 0.05 mm to about 2 mm.
28. The structure of claim 26 , in combination with a food item, wherein the food item has a surface that is desirably at least one of browned and crisped.
29. A method of using the combination of claim 28 , comprising
positioning the food item on the first side of the polymer film of the structure, so that the surface of the food item is proximate to the layer of microwave energy interactive material, and
exposing the food item on the first side of the polymer film of the structure to microwave energy, so that the layer of microwave energy interactive material generates heat and softens the polymer film adjacent to the microapertures, such that the microapertures extend through the layer of microwave energy interactive material and through the thickness of the polymer film.
30. The method of claim 29 , wherein after exposing the food item on the first side of the polymer film of the structure to microwave energy, the first side of the polymer film is in communication with the support layer by way of the microapertures, so that the microapertures are operative for carrying moisture away from the food item.
31. A microwave energy interactive structure comprising:
a polymer film having a first side and a second side opposite one another;
a layer of microwave energy interactive material disposed on the second side of the polymer film;
a microwave energy transparent area positioned in the layer of microwave energy interactive material; and
a plurality of microapertures extending through the layer of microwave energy interactive material and the polymer film so that the first side of the polymer film is in communication with the layer of microwave energy interactive material by way of the microapertures, the microapertures having a major linear dimension of from about 0.05 mm to about 2 mm,
wherein at least one microaperture of the plurality of microapertures extending through the layer of microwave energy interactive material is circumscribed by the microwave energy transparent area in the layer of microwave energy interactive material, wherein the microwave energy transparent area comprises the microwave energy interactive material in a chemically deactivated condition.
32. The structure of claim 31 , further comprising a support layer joined to the layer of microwave energy interactive material on a side of the layer of microwave energy interactive material opposite the polymer film, wherein the support layer is operative for absorbing at least one of water vapor and exudates released from the food item.
33. The structure of claim 31 , wherein the microapertures at least partially define a removable portion of a microwave heating construct comprising the structure.
34. The structure of claim 31 , wherein the microapertures have a major linear dimension of from about 0.08 mm to about 1.5 mm.
35. The structure of claim 31 , wherein the microapertures have a major linear dimension of from about 0.15 mm to about 0.5 mm.
36. The structure of claim 31 , wherein the microapertures have a major linear dimension of from about 0.1 mm to about 0.3 mm.
37. The structure of claim 31 , wherein the microwave energy transparent area is at least partially coplanar with the layer of microwave energy interactive material.
38. The structure of claim 32 , wherein the support layer includes a plurality of apertures.
39. The structure of claim 38 , wherein the plurality of apertures of the support layer includes at least one aperture in register with one of the microapertures extending through the layer of microwave energy interactive material.