Microwave food package

Claim 2

A package (10, 30, 50) adapted to be used to enclose a substance (12, 32, 52) containing a substantial amount of water and solidified grease during cooking of the substance in a microwave oven, said package (10, 30, 50) comprising: a pad (14, 34, 54) adapted to be placed adjacent said substance (12, 32, 52) comprising microwave radiation transparent and generally hydrophobic grease adsorbing materials capable of at least holding the amount of grease in the substance (12, 32, 52) when it is melted; a microwave radiation transparent enclosure (16, 36, 56) surrounding the pad (14, 34, 54), and adapted to receive the substance (12, 32, 52) and to be closed.

Claim 3

A package (10, 30, 50) according to claim 1 further including means (20, 40, 60) for venting said enclosure (16, 36, 56) during use of the package (10, 30, 50) to cook the substance (12, 32, 52) in a microwave oven.

Claim 4

A package according to claim 1 wherein said pad (14, 34, 54) comprises blown microfibers of polymers selected from the group consisting of polyolefin and polyester.

Claim 5

A package according to claim 2 wherein said enclosure (16, 36) comprises heat softenable polymeric film (17, 37) and said means for venting comprises a layer (20, 40) of microwave radiation absorbing material adhered to said polymeric film (17, 37), said polymeric film (17, 37) being softenable by heating of said layer (20, 40) to allow rupturing of said polymeric film (17, 37) during cooking of the substance (12, 32, 52) within the enclosure (16, 36, 56) by microwave energy.

Claim 6

A package (50) according to claim 1 wherein said enclosure (56) comprises face to face sheets (57, 58) of material having distal edges defining one end (62) of said package (50), a vapor tight seal (59) between said sheets (57, 58) at a position spaced from said end (62), and a layer (60) of microwave radiation absorbing material adhered to one of said sheets (57) of material along said seal (59), said seal (59) being softenable by heating of said layer (60) of microwave radiation absorbing material to allow rupturing of said seal (59) during cooking of the substance (12) by microwave energy and being adapted to be manually opened after such cooking by manually pulling apart said sheets (57, 58) adjacent said end (62).

Claim 7

A package (30) according to claim 1 wherein said enclosure (36) comprises a sheet (37) of heat softenable polymeric film and has a side edge (41) defined by said sheet (37) of polymeric film, said means for venting comprises an elongate layer (40) of microwave radiation absorbing material adhered to said sheet (37) of polymeric film generally parallel to and closely spaced from said side edge (41), and said sheet (37) of polymeric film includes a projecting flap (46) generally parallel to and spaced from the side of said elongate layer (40) of microwave radiation absorbing material opposite said side edge (41), said flap (46) and side edge (41) being adapted to be manually peeled apart to form an opening along the elongate layer (40) of radiation absorbing material after the film (37) has been weakened and perforated by heating of said radiation absorbing material during exposure of the package (30) to microwave energy.

Claim 8

A vapor-tight package (20, 40, 60) including means (20, 40, 60) for automatically venting through the package upon heating in a microwave oven, wherein the venting means (20, 40, 60) is a deposit which is adhered to the package (20, 40, 60) and comprises aluminum vapor coating having a surface resistivity in the range of 50 to 300 ohms per square.

Claim 9

A vapor-tight package (20, 40, 60) including means (20, 40, 60) for automatically venting through the package upon heating in a microwave oven, wherein the venting means (20, 40, 60) is a deposit which is adhered to the package (20, 40, 60) and comprises aluminum vapor coating having a surface resistivity in the range of 50 to 300 ohms per square.

Claim 10

A package as defined in claim 7 wherein the vapor coating has a surface resistivity of about 100 ohms per square.