EP0174188A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Self-venting vapor-tight microwave oven package and method for producing
Assignee: 3M Co
•
Filing: 1985-09-04
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2005-09-04
Abstract
Abstract A vapor-tight package (17) having a deposit (16) comprising nonmetallic, microwave-absorbing particles such as graphite dispersed in nonmetallic binder. When heated in a microwave oven, heat built up in the particles may soften and weaken the underlying packaging material (18), thus venting the package (17).
Inventors
- 👤 Gary A. C/O Minnesota Mining And Isakson
- 👤 Curtis L. C/O Minnesota Mining And Larson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 08:45
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D81/00; B65D81/34; B65D81/3446; B65D81/3461; B65D2205/00; B65D2581/00; B65D2581/34; B65D2581/3437; B65D2581/3439; B65D2581/3445; B65D2581/3471; B65D2581/3483; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S229/00; Y10S229/902; Y10S229/903; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/28; Y10T428/2848
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
A vapor-tight package including means for automatically venting through the package upon heating in a microwave oven, characterized by the feature that the venting means is a deposit (16, 24, 44, 54) which is adhered to the package (17, 30, 40, 50) and comprises nonmetallic, microwave-absorbing particles dispersed in a nonmetallic binder which deposit (16, 24, 44, 54) has a thickness within the range from 10 to 300 micrometers, said particles comprising at least 10% by weight of said deposit (16, 24, 44, 54).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
A vapor-tight package including means for automatically venting through the package upon heating in a microwave oven, characterized by the feature that the venting means is a deposit (16, 24, 44, 54) which is adhered to the package (17, 30, 40, 50) and comprises nonmetallic, microwave-absorbing particles dispersed in a nonmetallic binder which deposit (16, 24, 44, 54) has a thickness within the range from 10 to 300 micrometers, said particles comprising at least 10% by weight of said deposit (16, 24, 44, 54).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A package (17, 30, 40, 50) as defined in claim 1 further characterized by the feature that the microwave-absorbing particles are graphite.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A package (30, 50) as defined in claim 1 further characterized by the feature that the package (30, 50) comprises a plastic film (34, 52), said deposit (24, 54) covering a weakness (36, 58) in the plastic film (34, 52).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A package (30) as defined in claim 1 further characterized by the feature that the binder is an adhesive which adheres the deposit (24) to the package (30).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A package (40) as defined in claim 1 further characterized by the feature that the deposit (44) is printed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
A package (17, 30, 40, 50) as defined in claim 1 further characterized by the feature that said deposit (16, 24, 44, 54) has a thickness from 50 to 75 micrometers and a minimum breadth of 5 mm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
95 words
A tape (10, 20) for use in making the package of claim 1 characterized by a carrier web (12, 22, 56) adhered to the carrier web a layer (16, 24, 54) of particles selected from graphite and carbon black dispersed in aonmetallic binder, said particles comprising at least 10% by weight of the layer, the layer having a thickness with the range from 10 to 300 micrometers, and means (14, 24, 56) for adhering a piece of said layer to a package (17, 30, 50) to provide self-venting of the package in a microwave oven.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
A tape (10) as defined in claim 7 further characterized by the feature that the carrier web (12) has a low-adhesion surface from which said particle-containing layer (16) is readily separated.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A tape (10, 20) as defined in claim 7 further characterized by the feature that the microwave-absorbing particles are graphite.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A tape (20) as defined in claim 7 further characterized by the feature that the binder is an adhesive (24) which functions as said means for adhering.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A tape (10) as defined in claim 7 further characterized by the feature that the adhering means is a layer of unfilled adhesive (14) covering the layer of particles.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
A tape as defined in claim 7 further characterized by the feature that said carrier web is a thermoplastic film (56) to which the particle-containing layer (54) is permanently adhered, which thermoplastic film (56) is softened and weakened by heat generated in the particles when they absorb microwave energy.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
78 words
A method for venting in a microwave oven a vapor-tight package (17, 30, 40, 50), said method characterized by comprising the sequential steps of: (1) dispersing nonmetallic microwave-absorbing particles in a binder to provide a dispersion (16, 24, 44, 54), of which said particles comprise at least 10% by weight and (2) depositing a piece of the dispersion (16, 24, 44, 54) onto said package, which piece has a thickness within the range from 10 to 300 micrometers.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
78 words
A method for venting in a microwave oven a vapor-tight package (17, 30, 40, 50), said method characterized by comprising the sequential steps of: (1) dispersing nonmetallic microwave-absorbing particles in a binder to provide a dispersion (16, 24, 44, 54), of which said particles comprise at least 10% by weight and (2) depositing a piece of the dispersion (16, 24, 44, 54) onto said package, which piece has a thickness within the range from 10 to 300 micrometers.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as defined in claim 13 further characterized by the feature that the binder is an adhesive (24) which adheres strongly to the plastic film.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
65 words
A method as defined in claim 13 further characterized by the feature that prior to step (2) the dispersion is formed into a strip (16, 54), there is an additional step of applying an adhesive layer (14, 56) to the strip (16, 54), and a piece of the adhesive-bearing strip (10) is adhered by said adhesive layer to the package (17, 50) in step (2).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.