MXPA06005021A - Microwave cooking container with separate compartments for crisping and steaming - Google Patents

Abstract

A microwave cooking device (10) for crisping and steaming food is described. The device (10) includes at least one crisping compartment (14) and at least one steaming compartment (12). The crisping compartment (14) has a susceptor film incorporated in the volume defined in the interior of the crisping compartment (14). The steaming compartment (12) has at least one venting mechanism (22) to enable steam to escape at a certain pressure. The crisping and steaming compartments (12, 14) are surrounded by an outer packaging (30) including at least one aperture to enable moisture released from the compartments (12, 14) to escape the microwave cooking device (10). One embodiment has an outer packaging (30) including at least one peal away strip (32) to form an aperture in the outer packaging (30).

Description

CONTAINER OF COOKING BY M1CRONDAS WITH SEPARATE COMPARTMENTS FOR TOAST AND VAPORIZE CROSS REFERENCES RELATED TO THE APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of United States Provisional Application No. 60 / 516,896, filed on November 3, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of cooking devices, and more particularly, to cooking vessels for use in a microwave oven, for cooking meats, vegetables and other food products.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Consumers often prefer to cook food in a microwave oven, rather than in conventional ovens, because in a microwave oven, the cooking time required to heat food is reduced. Consumers also want to have the opportunity to cook pre-packaged food products, in the packaging in which they purchased the food, without the hassle of transferring food from one container to another. In addition, consumers want to have pre-packaged foods for microwave ovens, which allow them to prepare a meal with several different dishes at the same time. It is unfortunate that when foods are cooked in a microwave oven, the foods that are preferably served soft and moist, such as vegetables, tend to dry out or harden in texture and consistency, while foods that are golden or toasted, such as breaded fish, tend to soak. In addition, microwave ovens do not distribute heat to the product that is cooking evenly. This results in a cooked food product being able to be very hot in one area, but cold in another area. Because of these problems, many people find it problematic and generally undesirable to cook in a microwave oven. With respect to the foods that are preferably served soft and moist, there is a method that, when cooked by means of a microwave oven, allows to improve its texture and its consistency, which consists of using the steam generated by heating of the food product, to help cook the food. Steaming not only adds moisture to the food when it is cooking, but also provides a more consistent heating throughout the food product. Specifically, a container that uses the steam generated by the heat of the food product to aid in the cooking of the food, takes advantage of the law of ideal gases, a distillation of several theories of kinetics that include Boyle's law and Gay Lussac's law. More specifically, such containers take advantage of the proportional relationship between pressure and temperature, when the volume and the number of gas molecules remain constant. This proportional relationship can be expressed as a mathematical equation, t where Pi is the initial pressure, P2 is the final pressure, T-, is the initial temperature and T2 is the final temperature. Therefore, any increase in pressure will result in an increase in temperature, which could not occur at ambient pressures. For example, if the pressure was increased by a ratio of 1.2 (for example from 1 to 1.2 atmospheres), the temperature should also increase by a ratio of 1.2 (for example from 275 ° K to 330 ° K, which is an increase from 17.22 ° C to 116 ° C). In order to steam cook a food product in a microwave oven, the steam is retained within a cooking vessel; therefore, the container must be partially sealed. When a sealed container is used to heat a food product contained therein, the pressure builds up as fast as steam is generated by the heat of the food product. As the warming continues, the pressure will continue to increase, until the container breaks, which releases the pressure. This release often occurs in the form of an explosion, which forces the container to open, this causes the food to be expelled from it. The explosion not only causes dirt, but also undermines the attempt to use steam to cook the food product, because the explosion causes a rapid release of the steam collected in the cooking environment no longer sealed. To avoid this problem, ventilation mechanisms allowing the controlled release of steam and pressure from the container can be provided. With respect to the foods that are preferably served golden and roasted, there is a method to improve its texture and consistency , when a microwave oven is used to cook them, which consists in using susceptors to aid in the cooking of the food, as described in U.S. Patent No. 5,614,259, which is incorporated herein by reference. The susceptors are used in the preparation of food products in microwave ovens, to convert part of the microwave energy into heat, so as to help the cooking of the food by conduction, convection and / or heat radiation, as well as microwave radiation. Specifically, susceptores are often used to help in the preparation of food, which, when cooked, is palatable, having a golden or toasted outer surface. The susceptores are applied to the surface of the kitchen utensils, to the portions of the packing of the alimentary products and to the wraps of a food product. Because the susceptors are put in contact with food intended for human consumption, it is necessary to encapsulate the material that interacts with microwaves, with film or something similar that is approved to make contact with the food, which results in a layer multiple susceptor product (sometime later, it will be referred to as "susceptor film"). It is customary that, the susceptor product is composed of a base sheet, which can be paper or cardboard, a thin film or sheet of material that interacts with microwaves. Such as aluminum or other metallic materials of selected alloys, and a heat resistant barrier coating the metal film or sheet. The multi-layer sheet can then be wrapped around or placed next to the food, which will be packed in a microwave cooking container, to facilitate the cooking of the food product. Some microwave cooking vessels have been designed to cook food by steam, and other microwave cooking vessels have been designed to brown and toast food with the help of susceptor products. However, none of these containers can be used to prepare, in an appetizing manner, a pre-packaged food for the microwave oven, for example, a vegetable dish and a breaded fish dish. In case of using a steaming pot, the breaded fish would end up soaked and if a browning and roasting pan was used, the vegetables would harden and dry.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is therefore the objective of the present invention to provide a microwave cooking vessel, having separate compartments for evaporation and toasting. This and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view, of one embodiment of a container, made in accordance with the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a container made in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a microwave cooking vessel, which has multiple compartments for toasting and evaporating. Specifically, the container includes at least one evaporator compartment and at least one toaster compartment. In the embodiment of the present invention described in Figure 1, the container 10 includes a tray 16, which has an evaporation compartment 12 and a toast compartment 14. In consideration of the evaporating compartment 12, a food product will be used for steam cooking, the steam must be retained within the compartment 12, during the cooking process. Therefore, the compartment 12 must have a sealed cooking environment, such that it substantially has a fixed volume. There are several ways in which the compartment 12 can be sealed, after the food product has been deposited therein. For example, as shown in Figure 1, a cover 18 can be sealed to an upper peripheral edge 20 of the compartment 12. The evaporation compartment 12 of the present invention is designed to maintain the fixed volume while it is heating, such that, the pressure accumulated within the volume, allows an efficient steam for the cooking of the food product. However, as the heat continues, this pressure will continue to increase until the pressure is released. Without a controlled ventilation mechanism, this release will cause an explosion, forcing the cover 18 of the compartment 12 and with the possibility that the food is expelled from the compartment 12. The compartment 12 of the present invention, avoids this problem with the inclusion of at least one vent mechanism 22, to facilitate the controlled release of steam, when a predetermined temperature and pressure have been reached. No matter what type of ventilation mechanism is used, as long as it allows controlled ventilation of the compartment 12. For example, the ventilation mechanism described in US Pat. No. 6,559,431 can be used, which is incorporated herein by reference . With respect to the toasting compartment 14, the susceptor film is incorporated within the volume defined by the compartment 14, to facilitate browning and roasting. For example, at least a portion of its anterior surface (not shown) may be coated with susceptor film. Alternatively, at least a separate part of the susceptor film may be placed within the volume defined by the compartment 14. Unlike the evaporator compartment 12, the toast compartment 14 preferably has an open cooking environment, for allow moisture to escape from compartment 14, which prevents the food product from soaking during preparation. An open cooking environment is one that has no fixed volume while the product is to be prepared (for example, while using the container 10 of the present invention, so that the food product is cooked in the microwave oven). After the food product has been placed in the roasting compartment 14, it is preferable that it is also sealed, to maintain the integrity of the food product during storage. Nevertheless, an opening (not shown) is created in the compartment 14 just before preparation to allow the moisture generated by the food product to escape. For example, as shown in Figure 1, a cover 26 can be sealed to an upper peripheral edge 28 of the toast compartment 14, after the food product has been introduced. However, prior to the preparation, a portion 24 of the formed opening (not shown), of the cover 26, is preferably removed, such that an opening is created (not shown) formed by the cover 26, to allow moisture to escape from the compartment 14. Optionally, as shown in Figure 1, the container 10 can also include an outer package 30. The outer package 30 preferably includes a first peel-off tape 32 associated with the opening-forming portion 24 of the cover 26. Specifically, it is preferable that the first peelable tape 32 be connected to the forming portion 24 opening of the cover 26, such that, when the first releasable tape 32 is gripped and detached from the outer package 30, the opening-forming portion 24 of the cover 26, also peels off. In this way an opening (not shown) is created defined by the cover 26 and the outer pack 30. Additionally, it is preferable that the outer package 30 includes a second removable tape 34 associated with at least one vent mechanism 22 of the evaporation compartment 12. Specifically, it is preferable that, when the second releasable tape 34 is gripped and detached from the outer package 30, one or more openings 36, defined by the outer package 30, each opening 36, is associated with a mechanism 22 of ventilation, in such a way that, when ventilation occurs, steam can escape through the opening 36. In accordance with the present invention, the container can take various forms, as long as the evaporation compartment allows, having a medium sealed cooking environment, a ventilation mechanism and a toasting compartment, which has an open cooking environment and incorporates a susceptor film within the volume defined by the compartment. For example, Figure 2 describes an alternative embodiment of the present invention. In the container 110 described in Figure 2, the evaporation compartment 112 is separated from the compartment 114 of the toaster 15 and includes a cover 118 sealed to the base 138 and with at least one ventilation mechanism 122. The roasting compartment 114 includes a cooking bag 140, at least partially lined with the susceptor film, and has one or more openings 124 defined therethrough. As described in Figure 2, the compartments 112, 114 are preferably enclosed within an external package 130 press fit with a first peelable tape 132, associated with at least one mechanism 114 of the toasting compartment, and a second one. detachable tape 134 associated with at least one vent mechanism 122 of the vaporizer compartment 112. The first detachable tape 132 can be grasped and detached from the outer pack 130, forming an opening (not shown) defined by the outer pack 130. The second detachable tape 132, similar to that of the container embodiment described in Figure 1, can be peeled away to reveal one or more openings 136, each associated with a vent mechanism 122 of the vaporizer compartment 112. According to the embodiments described in the figures, they are exclusively exemplary and it is contemplated that the containers have a variety of structural advantages that can be constructed without detracting from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that other modifications to the invention described herein can be made., without affecting the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims (17)

1. A microwave cooking device for steaming and toasting food, characterized in that it comprises: at least one vaporizer compartment, which has a sealed cooking environment and includes at least one ventilation mechanism; and at least one toasting compartment, which has an open cooking environment and includes a built-in susceptor film within a defined volume, by at least one toasting compartment.

2. The device according to claim 1 characterized in that at least one toasting compartment and at least one vaporizer compartment are formed in a tray.

3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that it also includes a cover sealed on the tray on the at least one vaporizer compartment.

4. The device according to claim 3 characterized in that the cover is sealed to a peripheral upper edge of the tray surrounded by the at least one vaporizer compartment.

The device according to claim 1 characterized in that the susceptor film covers at least a portion of an interior surface of the volume, defined, by at least one toasting compartment.

6. The device according to claim 1 characterized in that at least a part separated from the susceptor film, can be placed within the defined volume, by at least one toasting compartment.

The device according to claim 1 characterized in that, in addition includes a cover, for at least one toasting compartment, the cover defines an opening.

The device according to claim 2 characterized in that at least one toaster compartment, also includes a sealed cover for the heat of the tray, the cover defines an opening.

The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it also includes an external package that surrounds at least one toaster compartment and at least one vaporizer compartment.

10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the outer packaging further includes at least one detachable tape. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the release strip defines an opening when it is gripped and detached from the outer packaging. 12. The device according to claim 1 characterized in that at least one toaster compartment is a cooking bag. 13. The device according to claim 12, characterized in that the cooking bag defines a plurality of openings. The device according to claim 13, characterized in that the cooking bag includes an inner surface and an outer surface, in which the inner surface is covered with a susceptor film. 15. A microwave cooking device for steaming and toasting food, characterized in that it comprises: a tray defined by at least one toasting compartment having an open cooking environment and at least one vaporizing compartment having an environment of closed cooking, with at least one toaster compartment incorporating a susceptor and at least one vaporizer compartment that includes a ventilation mechanism; and an outer package surrounding the tray, in which the outer package is constructed and arranged, to allow moisture to escape from the compartments of the microwave cooking device. 16. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that the moisture of the external package comes out from an opening formed by a detachable tape. 17. A microwave cooking device for steaming and roasting food, characterized in that it comprises: a cooking bag defined by a plurality of openings, wherein the cooking bag is covered with a susceptor film; a tray defining a compartment covered with a sealed cover, wherein the cover includes a ventilation mechanism; and an outer package that surrounds the tray and the cooking bag, the outer package that includes at least one peelable tape, wherein when releasing at least one peelable tape an opening is formed in the outer package. SUMMARY A microwave action device 10 for toasting and vaporization is described. The device 10 includes at least one toast compartment 14 and at least one vaporization compartment 12. The toast compartment 14 has a susceptor film incorporated in the defined volume, in the front of the toast compartment 14. The vaporization compartment 12 it has at least one vent mechanism 22 to allow the steam to escape at a certain pressure. The toasting and vaporizing compartments 12, 14 are surrounded by an outer package 30 that includes at least one opening to allow moisture to be released from the compartments 12, 14 to escape the microwave cooking device 10. One mode has an outer package 30 including at least one strip 32 detachable to form an opening in the outer package 30. 2/2 co o