Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
  • B65D81/38—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents with thermal insulation
  • B65D81/3848—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents with thermal insulation semi-rigid container folded up from one or more blanks
  • B65D81/3858—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents with thermal insulation semi-rigid container folded up from one or more blanks formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper
  • B65D5/02—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper by folding or erecting a single blank to form a tubular body with or without subsequent folding operations, or the addition of separate elements, to close the ends of the body
  • B65D5/0209—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper by folding or erecting a single blank to form a tubular body with or without subsequent folding operations, or the addition of separate elements, to close the ends of the body the tubular body having a curved or partially curved cross-section
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper
  • B65D5/18—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper by folding a single blank to U-shape to form the base of the container and opposite sides of the body portion, the remaining sides being formed primarily by extensions of one or more of these opposite sides, e.g. flaps hinged thereto
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
  • B65D81/34—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents for packaging foodstuffs or other articles intended to be cooked or heated within the package
  • B65D81/3446—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents for packaging foodstuffs or other articles intended to be cooked or heated within the package specially adapted to be heated by microwaves
  • B65D81/3453—Rigid containers, e.g. trays, bottles, boxes, cups
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
  • B65D81/38—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents with thermal insulation
  • B65D81/3848—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents with thermal insulation semi-rigid container folded up from one or more blanks
  • B65D81/386—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents with thermal insulation semi-rigid container folded up from one or more blanks formed of corrugated material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2581/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
  • B65D2581/34—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents for packaging foodstuffs or other articles intended to be cooked or heated within
  • B65D2581/3437—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents for packaging foodstuffs or other articles intended to be cooked or heated within specially adapted to be heated by microwaves
  • B65D2581/3471—Microwave reactive substances present in the packaging material
  • B65D2581/3479—Other metallic compounds, e.g. silver, gold, copper, nickel
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2581/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
  • B65D2581/34—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents for packaging foodstuffs or other articles intended to be cooked or heated within
  • B65D2581/3437—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents for packaging foodstuffs or other articles intended to be cooked or heated within specially adapted to be heated by microwaves
  • B65D2581/3486—Dielectric characteristics of microwave reactive packaging
  • B65D2581/3494—Microwave susceptor

Definitions

• FIG. 2 depicts the package of FIG. 1 in an upright position with a food item contained therein;
• FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary blank for preparing the package of FIGS. 1 and 2
• FIG. 4 depicts the package of FIGS. 1 and 2 in a partially opened condition
• FIG. 9 depicts the package of FIG. 7 with a closed bottom panel
• FIG. 17 depicts the various layers of an exemplary susceptor used in the exemplary package of FIG. 16;
• FIG. 18 depicts an exemplary package including a susceptor sleeve formed from a thermal insulating bubble material, and without a paper layer, in accordance with the present invention;
• the microwave energy interactive material may comprise an electroconductive or semiconductive material.
• the microwave energy interactive material may comprise a metal or a metal alloy provided as a metal foil; a vacuum deposited metal or metal alloy; or a metallic ink, an organic ink, an inorganic ink, a metallic paste, an organic paste, an inorganic paste, or any combination thereof.
• metals and metal alloys that may be suitable for use with the present invention include, but are not limited to, aluminum, chromium, copper, inconel alloys (nickel- chromium-molybdenum alloy with niobium), iron, magnesium, nickel, stainless steel, tin, titanium, tungsten, and any combination thereof.
• the microwave interactive energy material may comprise a metal oxide.
• metal oxides that may be suitable for use with the present invention include, but are not limited to, oxides of aluminum, iron, and tin, used in conjunction with an electrically conductive material where needed.
• ITO indium tin oxide
• ITO can be used as a microwave energy interactive material to provide a heating effect, a shielding effect, or a combination thereof.
• To form the susceptor ITO typically is sputtered onto a clear polymeric film. The sputtering process typically occurs at a lower temperature than the evaporative deposition process used for metal deposition.
• the susceptor optionally is laminated to a support.
• the support may comprise a partial or complete layer of the susceptor.
• the support may be formed from paper, paperboard, a low shrink polymer, or any other suitable material.
• a metallized polymer film may be laminated to a paper, for example, a kraft paper, or alternatively, a low shrink polymer film, for example, a cast nylon 6 or nylon 6,6 film, or a coextruded film containing such polymers.
• the insulating material may be the outermost layer of the packaging and may be in direct contact with the hand of the user.
• the insulating material may not be the outermost layer of the packaging and may not be in direct contact with the hand of the user.
• the insulating material may not be the outermost layer of the packaging and may be in direct contact with the hand of the user.
• the insulating material serves as the support for the susceptor, all or a portion of the insulating material may be in direct contact with the food item, and all or a portion of the insulating material may be in direct contact with the hand of the user.
• the insulating material may be provided as a separate construct from the susceptor.
• the insulating material may be provided as a pouch into which a susceptor material is inserted by the user.
• the insulating material may alternatively be provided as unitary construct in which the components are joined together by adhesive bonding, thermal bonding, mechanical bonding, mechanical fastening, or by any other method technique, or by any combination thereof, prior to use by the consumer.
• the overall dimensions of the insulating material are substantially equal to the overall dimensions of the susceptor so that the entire surface of the susceptor is enclosed by the insulating material.
• the overall dimensions of the insulating material are less than the overall dimensions of the susceptor, so that the insulating material covers only a portion or portions of the susceptor.
• the insulating material may be positioned to correspond to the locations that a user typically would contact when handling the packaged food item.
• the insulating material may be present to cover the bottom edge and some lower portion of the susceptor.
• the insulating material may serve as the support for the susceptor, as is shown and described herein.
• bubble materials are contemplated by the present invention, including bubble materials having multiple layers with multiple configurations, and laminates and alternate constructions thereof.
• a non-raised area is present between the bubbles.
• the flat surface of the bubble material is positioned in the package proximal to the susceptor.
• the flat surface of the bubble material is positioned in the package distal from the susceptor. If desired, the bubble may be formed in a single ply of flexible film, which then may be adhered to the exterior surface of the susceptor or optional support.
• the susceptor may be formed by laminating a metallized polymer film directly to a flexible film or by extrusion coating the metallized surface with a polymer film.
• This highly flexible susceptor then may be used in combination with the bubble material concepts described herein, thereby obviating the need for a separate support such as paper for the susceptor.
• a transparent package may be constructed according to this aspect of the present invention by using ITO as the microwave energy interactive material.
• the overall dimensions of the insulating bubble material are substantially equal to the overall dimensions of the susceptor, so that the bubble material substantially surrounds the susceptor.
• the height of the bubbles may be modified as desired for each food item.
• a greater volume of air within the bubble generally corresponds to greater insulation of the food item.
• the thickness of the bubble material is about 1/16 in., 1/8 in., 3/16 in., !4 in., 5/16 in., 3/8 in., V% in., or any thickness therebetween.
• corrugated materials may be used in accordance with the present invention in a variety of manners.
• a corrugated material is used as the support for a susceptor.
• the corrugated material has overall dimensions that are substantially equal to that of the susceptor.
• the food item to be heated is inserted into the package, or sleeve, for heating.
• a corrugated material sheath partially receives the susceptor, which is supported by, for example, paper or flexible paperboard.
• the sheath has a first open end for receiving the susceptor and, optionally, a second open end distal from the open end of the susceptor.
• a polymer may be applied in a colored or textured pattern, to indicate how to handle the product (e.g., an arrow to indicate how to handle the product or to indicate which end is up), what the product is (e.g., a sandwich design on a sleeve for a microwave sandwich product, an apple design for a microwaveable apple pie product, and so forth), or to provide some aesthetically pleasing visual image (e.g., the sun, flowers, smiley faces, cars, sailboats, and so forth).
• the insulating polymer is applied between layers of material that form the sleeve, shell, or other packaging construct.
• the polymer may be applied in stripes, circles, or otherwise as described above between two layers of film, between a layer of film and paper, between a layer of film or paper and the susceptor, or in any other manner as desired.
• the shape of the package may be determined largely by the shape of the food item, and it should be understood that different packages are contemplated for different food items, for example, sandwiches, pizzas, French fries, soft pretzels, pizza bites, cheese sticks, pastries, doughs, and so forth. Additionally, it should be understood that the present invention contemplates packages for single-serving portions and for multiple-serving portions, and is not restricted to hand-held packages. It also should be understood that various components used to form the packages of the present invention may be interchanged. Thus, while only certain combinations are illustrated herein, numerous other combinations and configurations are contemplated hereby. Turning to FIGS. 1 and 2, a package 10 for a microwaveable food item 100 is provided.
• a package 120 comprising a susceptor sleeve 130 and a sheath 125 is provided.
• the susceptor sleeve 130 may be formed as above, with sealed side edges 135a and 135b and a sealed bottom edge 140 (not shown).
• the flexible sheath 130 is formed from a material having a longitudinal direction Y and a transverse direction X, for example, a corrugated material. The corrugated material is folded over from a side 122 and affixed adhesively or otherwise to the surface of the sleeve 130 to form the sheath 125.
• FIG. 8 An exemplary blank 210 for forming the package 155 is provided in FIG. 8.
• the back panel 170 is brought towards a side flap 215 so that the susceptor is on the interior of the package 155.
• the side flap 215 is tucked under the back panel 170 and adhered thereto using an adhesive or other suitable method.
• Flap 180 is then folded towards the back panel 170, and tab 190 is inserted into slot 195.
• the package 155 remains in a locked position at this closed end 200 and open at an open end 225 for receiving the food item (not shown).
• the package 325 includes an open end 327 and a closed end 329.
• a susceptor 330 is laminated to a bubble material 335.
• the susceptor comprises a metal 340 deposited on a polyester film 342 and laminated to a paper 344, as provided in FIG. 15.
• the susceptor alternatively may include a metal or a metal alloy provided as a metal foil; a vacuum deposited metal or metal alloy; or a metallic ink, an organic ink, an inorganic ink, a metallic paste, an organic paste, an inorganic paste, or any combination thereof.
• the bubble material 335 may be positioned in a direction towards or away from the susceptor 330. In the example depicted in FIG.
• FIG. 19 depicts still another aspect of the present invention.
• a package or sleeve 450 includes an open end 455 and a closed end 460, and is formed from a material comprising two layers of flexible nylon film having nylon insulating strips 465 laminated therebetween.
• the nylon film layers are laminated to a metallized PET film, such that the metallized side of the PET film is positioned in a direction away from the food item (not shown).
• the nylon strips act as the insulating material to protect the consumer from the heat generated during the cooking process.
• the metallized layer could be positioned in a direction toward the food item.
• the packages of the present invention provide superior heating, browning, and crisping.
• the packages are sufficiently flexible to provide intimate or proximate food contact, thereby permitting the susceptor to remain in intimate or proximate contact with irregular and inconsistent food shapes, including rising dough food formulations, for maximum heat flux from the susceptor to the food surface.
• various packages of the present invention provide features that increase the contact between the susceptor and the food item, thereby increasing the rate of heat transfer to the food.
• the packages of the present invention are vented to evacuate moisture, which in turn provides even browning and crisping over the entire food item.
• the packages of the present invention are adapted readily to include susceptor technologies, such as the QWIK WAVE ® Focus Susceptor or the MICRO-RITE ® susceptor, that provide and enhance uniform product heating.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=35502601

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (24)

Citations (1)

Family Cites Families (10)

• 2005
  • 2005-09-22 CA CA002586472A patent/CA2586472A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2005-09-22 WO PCT/US2005/034008 patent/WO2006052326A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2005-09-22 EP EP05800210A patent/EP1814803A2/de not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events