US5391864A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Patterned susceptor for microwavable cookie dough
Assignee: Van den Bergh Foods Co
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Filing: 1992-12-14
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Granted: 1995-02-21
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Expires: 2012-12-14
Abstract
Abstract A novel microwavable susceptor used for cooking expandable dough in a microwave oven is disclosed. Specifically, the susceptor comprises an inner region and an outer region, the inner region having a pattern of metalized and/or non-metalized portions wherein the intensity of the inner region is about from about 25% to about 75% and the outer region has an intensity arbitrarily set at about 100%. A cookie dough composition having desirable spreadable characteristics useful for baking in a microwave is also disclosed. The susceptor is reusable.
Inventors
- 👤 Janos Bodor
- 👤 Girish Desai
- 👤 Morteza Nematollahi
- 👤 Ravinder Reddy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 22:14
CPC Classifications
A; A21; A21D; A21D10/00; A21D10/02; A21D10/025; A21D8/00; A21D8/06; B; B65; B65D; B65D81/00; B65D81/34; B65D81/3446; B65D2581/00; B65D2581/34; B65D2581/3401; B65D2581/3402; B65D2581/3405; B65D2581/3437; B65D2581/3439; B65D2581/344; B65D2581/3486; B65D2581/3494; Y; Y02; Y02W; Y02W30/00; Y02W30/50; Y02W30/80; Y10; Y10S; Y10S99/00; Y10S99/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
243 words
A microwave product for cooking an expandable dough by microwave radiation comprising: (a) a susceptor means having a first surface, a second surface and a film layer of metal deposited on said first surface, the film layer having an inner region and an outer region and the susceptor means is used to absorb a portion of a microwave field energy and convert said portion to thermal heat, the inner region of the film layer being substantially encompassed by the outer region and having an intensity of the deposited metal in a range of from about 25% to about 75%, relative to an intensity of about 100% of the outer region, the intensity of the inner region increasing in a continuous manner from a center point of the inner region to a circumference point of the inner region; (b) an expandable dough having a surface area in contact with a surface area of the inner region, the dough increasing nonlinearly as cooking time increases so that a portion of the expandable dough surface area is continuously exposed to a portion of the inner region surface area while another portion of the expandable dough surface area is exposed to a different surface area portion of the film layer: and (c) support means adjacent to the second surface of the susceptor means for stabilizing the susceptor means and supporting the expandable dough, the product cooking the expandable dough by the thermal heat without charring or undercooking.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
243 words
A microwave product for cooking an expandable dough by microwave radiation comprising: (a) a susceptor means having a first surface, a second surface and a film layer of metal deposited on said first surface, the film layer having an inner region and an outer region and the susceptor means is used to absorb a portion of a microwave field energy and convert said portion to thermal heat, the inner region of the film layer being substantially encompassed by the outer region and having an intensity of the deposited metal in a range of from about 25% to about 75%, relative to an intensity of about 100% of the outer region, the intensity of the inner region increasing in a continuous manner from a center point of the inner region to a circumference point of the inner region; (b) an expandable dough having a surface area in contact with a surface area of the inner region, the dough increasing nonlinearly as cooking time increases so that a portion of the expandable dough surface area is continuously exposed to a portion of the inner region surface area while another portion of the expandable dough surface area is exposed to a different surface area portion of the film layer: and (c) support means adjacent to the second surface of the susceptor means for stabilizing the susceptor means and supporting the expandable dough, the product cooking the expandable dough by the thermal heat without charring or undercooking.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The product according to claim 1 wherein the inner region of the film layer has a radius in the range of about 0.7 to about 5 cm from the center point to the circumference point of the inner region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The product according to claim 1 wherein the inner region has a plurality of metalized and non-metalized sectors, each sector being substantially radially symmetrical to another sector and arranged so that a metalized sector is adjacent to a non-metalized sector in the inner region.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The product according to claim 3 wherein the total number of metalized and non-metalized sectors is in a range of from about 8 to about 6.0.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The product according to claim 4 wherein the ratio of metalized sectors to non-metalized sectors is from 0.25 to 3.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
The product according to claim 1 wherein the inner region of the film layer comprises a plurality of concentric areas, each concentric area substantially encompassing another of the concentric area, in a direction from the center point to the circumference point of the inner region.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The product according to claim 1 wherein the intensity of the inner region continuously increases from the center point to the circumference point in a substantially linear manner.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The product according to claim 1 wherein the intensity of the inner region continuously increases from the center point to the circumference point in a substantially non-linear manner.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The product according to claim 1 wherein the intensity of the inner region is about 50% intensity relative to the intensity of the outer region.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The product according to claim 1 wherein the dough is cookie dough.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The product according to claim 10 wherein the cookie dough comprises a humectant and a hydrocolloid.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The product according to claim 1 wherein the cookie dough further comprises a browning agent selected from the group consisting of dark brown sugar or cocoa powder.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The product according to claim 1 wherein the humectant is selected from the group consisting of high fructose corn syrup, glycerol and polydextrose.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The product according to claim 11 wherein the cookie dough further comprises added fiber selected from the group of pea fiber, oat fiber, sugar beet fiber and soya fiber.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The product according to claim 11 wherein the hydrocolloid is a gum selected from the group consisting of xanthan, locust bean gum, guar, carageenan and mixtures thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
The product according to claim 1 further comprising baking sheet means positioned between the first surface of the susceptor means and the dough and used for minimizing damage to the susceptor means to provide multiple uses of the susceptor means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The product according to claim 16 wherein the baking sheet means is made of woven glass fibers coated with a tetrafluoroethylene polymer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The product according to claim 1 wherein the support means is formed in a shape of a closure means for closing the product.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
184 words
A method for using a microwavable product comprising: (a) selecting a susceptor means having a first surface, a second surface and a film layer of metal deposited on said first surface, the film layer having an inner region and an outer region and the susceptor means is used to absorb a portion of a microwave field energy and convert said portion to thermal heat the inner region of the film layer being substantially encompassed by the outer region and having an intensity of the deposited metal in a range of from about 25% to about 75%, relative to an intensity of about 100% of the outer region, the intensity of the inner region increasing in a continuous manner from a center point of the inner region to a circumference point of the inner region; (b) placing a cookie dough on substantially an entire surface of the inner region of the film layer; and (c) baking the cookie dough in a microwave oven for a sufficient time to brown a surface of the cookie dough in contact with the inner region of the film layer.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
184 words
A method for using a microwavable product comprising: (a) selecting a susceptor means having a first surface, a second surface and a film layer of metal deposited on said first surface, the film layer having an inner region and an outer region and the susceptor means is used to absorb a portion of a microwave field energy and convert said portion to thermal heat the inner region of the film layer being substantially encompassed by the outer region and having an intensity of the deposited metal in a range of from about 25% to about 75%, relative to an intensity of about 100% of the outer region, the intensity of the inner region increasing in a continuous manner from a center point of the inner region to a circumference point of the inner region; (b) placing a cookie dough on substantially an entire surface of the inner region of the film layer; and (c) baking the cookie dough in a microwave oven for a sufficient time to brown a surface of the cookie dough in contact with the inner region of the film layer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 19 wherein the baking step (c) is less than about 2 minutes.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method according to claim 19 wherein the selecting step (a) comprises selecting an inner region of the susceptor means having a plurality of metalized and non-metalized sectors, each sector being substantially radially symmetrical to another sector and arranged so that a metalized sector is adjacent to a non-metalized sector.
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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) | 1998-02-20 | 1998-08-22 | 1999-02-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-02-20 | 2002-08-22 | 2003-02-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-02-20 | 2006-08-22 | 2007-02-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |