US5338921A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of distributing heat in food containers adapted for microwave cooking and novel container structure
Assignee: Graphic Packaging International LLC
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Filing: 1993-02-16
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Granted: 1994-08-16
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Expires: 2013-02-16
Abstract
Abstract An improved technique for uniformly distributing crisping or browning heat supplementation in disposable paper food carton or containers and the like used for microwave cooking, in which a metallized susceptor film is employed mounted to but intermediately spaced from the adjacent inner wall of the container to define and seal an air pocket which, in heating, improves the uniformity of the browning result through convection into air pocket and responsive flexing of the film.
Inventors
- 👤 David Maheux
- 👤 Robert Tomich
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 06:27
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D81/00; B65D81/34; B65D81/3446; B65D81/3453; B65D2581/00; B65D2581/34; B65D2581/3437; B65D2581/3439; B65D2581/3455; B65D2581/3463; B65D2581/3466; B65D2581/3471; B65D2581/3472; B65D2581/3486; B65D2581/3494; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S99/00; Y10S99/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of uniformly distributing the heat generated by microwave interaction with a thin, flexible and non-self-supporting metallized film carried adjacent and co-extending over a substantial area of an inner wall of a disposable container for food to be exposed to microwave energy, as in an oven, that comprises, adhering the periphery of said metallized film to said wall peripherally to mount the film with substantially its major intermediate area loosely and flexibly spaced from said wall to define an air pocket between the film and said wall, and exposing the container with food therein to microwave-interacting heat generated along the metallized film, as it flexes in response to such convection, more uniformly to heat, crisp and/or brown the food in the container.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of uniformly distributing the heat generated by microwave interaction with a thin, flexible and non-self-supporting metallized film carried adjacent and co-extending over a substantial area of an inner wall of a disposable container for food to be exposed to microwave energy, as in an oven, that comprises, adhering the periphery of said metallized film to said wall peripherally to mount the film with substantially its major intermediate area loosely and flexibly spaced from said wall to define an air pocket between the film and said wall, and exposing the container with food therein to microwave-interacting heat generated along the metallized film, as it flexes in response to such convection, more uniformly to heat, crisp and/or brown the food in the container.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 and in which the adhering is effected by heat-sealing a border of the film to the container wall.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 and in which the adhering is effected by adhesively securing a border of the film to the container wall.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in claim 3 and in which the metallized film is laminated to a backing sheet and the border of the backing sheet is adhesively secured to the container wall.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 and in which the metallized film comprises a plastic sheet having a metallized layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 and in which the metallized film comprises a composite of a metal layer laminated to a backing sheet.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 and in which the air pocket is totally sealed between the film and said wall.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 and in which the metallized film comprises an insulating carrier that, together with the container wall, insulates the sealed air pocket.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of uniformly distributing the heat generated by microwave interaction with a thin, flexible and non-self-supporting metallized film carried adjacent and co-extending over a substantial area of an inner wall of a disposable container for food to be exposed to microwave energy, as in an oven, that comprises, adhering a limited region of said metallized film to said wall to mount the film with substantially its major intermediate area loosely and flexibly spaced from said wall to define an air pocket between the film and said wall, and exposing the container with food therein to microwave-interacting heat generated along the metallized film, as it flexes in responses to such convection, more uniformly to heat, crisp and/or brown the food in the container.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of uniformly distributing the heat generated by microwave interaction with a thin, flexible and non-self-supporting metallized film carried adjacent and co-extending over a substantial area of an inner wall of a disposable container for food to be exposed to microwave energy, as in an oven, that comprises, adhering a limited region of said metallized film to said wall to mount the film with substantially its major intermediate area loosely and flexibly spaced from said wall to define an air pocket between the film and said wall, and exposing the container with food therein to microwave-interacting heat generated along the metallized film, as it flexes in responses to such convection, more uniformly to heat, crisp and/or brown the food in the container.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as claimed in claim 9 and in which said adhering is effected over a plurality of limited regions to provide a plurality of said air pockets over the film.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
122 words
A method of uniformly distributing the heat generated by microwave interaction with a thin, flexible metallized plastic film carried along a co-extensive wall of a container for food to be exposed to microwave energy, as in a oven, that comprises, adhering said metallized plastic film to only limited regions of said wall to mount the film thereon loosely and flexibly with intermediate air pocket (s) between the adhering regions of the film and said wall, and exposing the container with food therein to microwave energy simultaneously to heat the air in said pocket(s) and cause convection-spreading of the microwave-interacting heat generated along the metallized film, as it flexes in response to such convection, more uniformly to heat, crisp and/or brown the food.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
122 words
A method of uniformly distributing the heat generated by microwave interaction with a thin, flexible metallized plastic film carried along a co-extensive wall of a container for food to be exposed to microwave energy, as in a oven, that comprises, adhering said metallized plastic film to only limited regions of said wall to mount the film thereon loosely and flexibly with intermediate air pocket (s) between the adhering regions of the film and said wall, and exposing the container with food therein to microwave energy simultaneously to heat the air in said pocket(s) and cause convection-spreading of the microwave-interacting heat generated along the metallized film, as it flexes in response to such convection, more uniformly to heat, crisp and/or brown the food.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
84 words
In a container for food to be exposed to microwave energy, as in an oven, the combination of a thin, flexible metallized plastic film; a container wall co-extensive with the film throughout its extent and means for adhering the periphery of the film to and closely adjacent the container wall while maintaining substantially the major intermediate area of the film loosely and flexibly spaced from though adjacent said wall throughout the film to define an included air pocket between the film and said wall.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
84 words
In a container for food to be exposed to microwave energy, as in an oven, the combination of a thin, flexible metallized plastic film; a container wall co-extensive with the film throughout its extent and means for adhering the periphery of the film to and closely adjacent the container wall while maintaining substantially the major intermediate area of the film loosely and flexibly spaced from though adjacent said wall throughout the film to define an included air pocket between the film and said wall.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
A container as claimed in claim 12 and in which the adhering means comprises a border heat-sealed to said wall.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
A container as claimed in claim 13 and in which said border is offset from the edges of the sheet.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
A container as claimed in claim 12 and in which the adhering means comprises an adhesive border.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
A container as claimed in claim 15 and in which the film is laminated to a backing sheet and the adhesive border is provided peripherally of the backing sheet.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
40 words
A container as claimed in claim 12 and in which the container walls are formed of coated paper stock, the plastic film is a polyester sheet, and the metallizing of the film is by one or more thin metal layer(s).
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
A container as claimed in claim 12 and in which the said container wall is the inner wall of the container cover.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
41 words
A container as claimed in claim 18 and in which the area of the metallized film is a substantial portion of the area of the said inner wall of the container cover and corresponds to the top surface of the food-to-be-cooked.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
88 words
In a disposable foldable-wall container for food to be exposed to microwave energy, as in an oven, the combination of a thin, flexible metallized layer, a container wall co-extensive with and adjacent the layer throughout its extent, and means adhering limited regions only of the layer to the inner surface of the container wall, while maintaining the substantially major intermediate area of the layer loosely and flexible spaced from though adjacent said wall throughout the layer to define an included air pocket(s) between the layer and said wall.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
88 words
In a disposable foldable-wall container for food to be exposed to microwave energy, as in an oven, the combination of a thin, flexible metallized layer, a container wall co-extensive with and adjacent the layer throughout its extent, and means adhering limited regions only of the layer to the inner surface of the container wall, while maintaining the substantially major intermediate area of the layer loosely and flexible spaced from though adjacent said wall throughout the layer to define an included air pocket(s) between the layer and said wall.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of forming a disposable foldable-wall container for food to be exposed to microwave energy, as in an oven, that comprises, forming paper stock container blanks and feeding the same successively along a belt with the portion of each blank forming an inner surface of a container wall and successively passing a predetermined region; feeding a thin, flexible, non-self-supporting metallized film to a vacuum-holding station disposed above said predetermined region; providing heatable means shaped to define the periphery of the successive container walls of successive container blanks passing said region; overlaying said successive sections of the film upon the corresponding inner surfaces of the container walls, while activating said heatable means to heat-seal the film sections along their peripheries to the corresponding inner walls of the successive container blanks to define and seal air pockets between the respective film sections and the corresponding container blank walls.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of forming a disposable foldable-wall container for food to be exposed to microwave energy, as in an oven, that comprises, forming paper stock container blanks and feeding the same successively along a belt with the portion of each blank forming an inner surface of a container wall and successively passing a predetermined region; feeding a thin, flexible, non-self-supporting metallized film to a vacuum-holding station disposed above said predetermined region; providing heatable means shaped to define the periphery of the successive container walls of successive container blanks passing said region; overlaying said successive sections of the film upon the corresponding inner surfaces of the container walls, while activating said heatable means to heat-seal the film sections along their peripheries to the corresponding inner walls of the successive container blanks to define and seal air pockets between the respective film sections and the corresponding container blank walls.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 21 and in which a peripheral adhesive boarder is applied to the container blank inner wall before heat-sealing the film to such border.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-08-15 | 1998-02-14 | 1998-08-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-08-15 | 2002-02-14 | 2002-08-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-08-15 | 2006-02-14 | 2006-08-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |