Patent Application
20140353307
This disclosure relates to food preparation, and, more specifically, to packages that may be used to prepare foods in a microwave oven.
Microwave ovens commonly are used to cook food in a rapid and effective manner. To optimize the cooking performance of microwave ovens, various packaging configurations have been developed to block, enhance, direct, and otherwise affect microwave interaction with food.
An aspect of this disclosure is the provision of a container with a window through which food within the container may be seen. The window may include a hole in a base material of the container, and at least one substantially clear polymeric film that is mounted to a portion of the container and obstructs (e.g., covers) the hole. Microwave energy interactive material (“MEIM”) may be mounted to the polymeric film for influencing the effect of microwave energy on the food within the container. Typically (e.g., optionally), the film extends beyond the hole, and the MEIM may be segregated to portions of the film that do not obstruct the hole, so that the MEIM does not interfere with the view through the window.
In one example, the container is at least generally in the form of a clamshell, paperboard carton; however, the container may be in any other suitable form. In the clamshell carton example, the carton has a receptacle and a lid, and the window may extend into both the receptacle and the lid. More specifically, the receptacle may be in the form of a tray, and the tray and lid may be pivotably connected to one another by at least one hinge line. The window may extend across the hinge line(s) and into the tray and/or the lid.
Another aspect of this disclosure is the provision of a carton that may optionally include a window for viewing contents in the carton, wherein any window may be as discussed above. The carton may have a tray and a lid that may be hingedly connected to one another. The carton may include a sidewall positioned between, and connecting, the tray and the lid to one another. The sidewall may be characterized as being a portion of the tray and/or the lid, and/or the sidewall may be characterized as being part of a compound hinge assembly for pivotably connecting the tray and the lid to one another. The sidewall may be perforated for at least partially defining a hole of the window.
In one aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a carton for heating a food product. The carton comprises a lid comprising a central lid panel and at least one lid side panel foldably connected to the central lid panel. A tray comprises a central tray panel and at least one tray side panel foldably connected to the central tray panel. A side panel is foldably connected to the central tray panel and the central lid panel, and an aperture is in at least a portion of the side panel.
In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a blank for forming a carton for heating a food product. The blank comprises a lid portion for forming a lid in the carton formed from the blank. The lid portion comprises a central lid panel and at least one lid side panel foldably connected to the central lid panel. A tray portion is for forming a tray in the carton formed from the blank. The tray portion comprises a central tray panel and at least one tray side panel foldably connected to the central tray panel. A side panel is foldably connected to the central tray panel and the central lid panel, and an aperture is in at least a portion of the side panel.
In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a method of forming a carton. The method comprises obtaining a blank comprising a lid portion having a central lid panel and at least one lid side panel foldably connected to the central lid panel, a tray portion having a central tray panel and at least one tray side panel foldably connected to the central tray panel, a side panel foldably connected to the central tray panel and the central lid panel, and an aperture in at least a portion of the side panel. The method comprises forming a lid of the carton by positioning the at least one lid side panel relative to the central lid panel, and forming a tray of the carton by positioning the at least one tray side panel relative to the central tray panel. The tray being foldably connected to the lid by way of the side panel.
The foregoing presents a simplified summary of some aspects of this disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding. The foregoing summary is not an extensive summary of the disclosure and is not intended to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure or to delineate the scope of the disclosure. The purpose of the foregoing summary is to present some concepts of this disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. For example, other aspects will become apparent from the following.
Having described some aspects of this disclosure in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale. The drawings are exemplary only, and should not be construed as limiting the disclosure.
Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are described below and illustrated in the accompanying figures, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views. The embodiments described provide examples and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the disclosure. Other embodiments, and modifications and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art and all such other embodiments, modifications and improvements are within the scope of the present disclosure.
Referring now in greater detail to the drawings,
The blank 12 has a compound hinge assembly 16 connected between tray and lid assemblies 18, 20. The hinge assembly 16 includes a laterally extending side panel that may be referred to as a perforated side panel 22 since it may at least partially contain a round hole 24 in the blank. The hole 24 divides the perforated side panel 22 into two parts, although the hole may be configured and/or positioned differently. The hole 24 may be part of the viewing window, as will be discussed in greater detail below. The perforated side panel 22 has opposite tapered ends that may be referred to as tabs 26.
The hinge assembly 16 further includes laterally extending hinge lines 28, 30 (e.g., fold lines) at opposite edges of the perforated side panel 22. Each of the hinge lines 28, 30 is interrupted by the hole 24, although the hole may be configured and/or positioned differently, as indicated above. The hinge lines 28, 30 of the hinge assembly 16 may be referred to as a tray hinge line 28 and a lid hinge line 30, since these hinge lines foldably connect the hinge assembly to the tray and lid assemblies 18, 20, respectively. The hinge assembly 16, like other features of this disclosure, may be configured and/or positioned differently. For example, the tray and lid assemblies 18, 20 may be hingedly connected to one another by a single hinge line (e.g., fold line) which may, or may not, be interrupted by the hole 24, or the like.
The tray assembly 18 has a central tray panel 32 foldably connected to the perforated side panel 22 by the tray hinge line 28. The tray assembly 18 further includes tray side panels 34, 36, 38 respectively foldably connect to peripheral edges of the central tray panel 32 by fold lines 40, 42, 44. The oblique tray side panels 36 connected by the oblique fold lines 42 have tapered flaps 46 connected to their apposite ends by fold lines 48. The flaps 46 are respectively separated from the other tray side panels 34, 38 by cuts that are more specifically in the form of slits 50. Optional annular tear lines 52, or the like, may be formed in the opposite tray side panels 34, wherein the portions of the tray side panels 34 that are at least partially circumscribed by the tear lines 52 may be manually struck (e.g., at least partially struck) from the carton erected from the blank 10. Alternatively, reference numeral 52 may designate holes, cut-outs, or the like.
The lid assembly 20 has a central lid panel 54 foldably connected to the perforated side panel 22 by the lid hinge line 30. The lid assembly 20 further includes lid side panels 56, 58, 60 respectively foldably connect to peripheral edges of the central lid panel 54 by fold lines 62, 64, 66. The oblique lid side panels 58 connected by the oblique fold lines 64 have tapered flaps 68 connected to their apposite ends by fold lines 70. The flaps 68 are respectively separated from the other lid side panels 56, 60 by cuts that may more specifically be in the form of slits 72. For each of the opposite lid side panels 56, a corner thereof may be truncated or chamfered, such that these panels each have an oblique edge 74 that transitions to a 76 convex edge.
As shown in
The patch 12 may be fixedly mounted to each of the hinge, tray and lid assemblies 16, 18, 20 through the use of adhesive material and/or other suitable fastening mechanisms. Even more specifically, the patch 12 is fixedly mounted to each of the panels 22, 32, 54, and the patch extends across each of the hinge lines 28, 30. For example, the patch 12 may be fixedly mounted to the blank 14 with adhesive material that substantially circumscribes the hole 24, so that the patch completely covers the hole 24, and the patch and the adhesive material cooperatively hermetically seal closed (e.g., substantially hermetically seal closed) the hole. In the first embodiment, the patch 12 comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of one or more polymeric films (e.g., polymer film(s)) that are preferably (optionally) transparent (e.g., substantially transparent), or may be translucent. Like other features of the blank 10, the patch 12, hole 24 and/or window may be configured and/or positioned in any other suitable manner, and they may optionally be omitted.
The above-discussed first embodiment and a below-discussed second embodiment of this disclosure are alike, except for variations noted and variations that will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. The second embodiment is shown in
Referring to
Referring also to
Referring also to
The carton 84 with the food 86 closed therein may be exposed to microwave energy in a microwave oven so that the MEIM 80 influences the effect of the microwave energy on the food within the container. The MEIM 80 may comprise one or more of a susceptor, shield, and/or resonating patch antenna, as will be discussed in greater detail below. More specifically and in the version of the second embodiment illustrated in
In the second embodiment, the food 86 may be in the form of a generally cylindrical biscuit, sandwich, or the like, and the carton 84 may have truncated corners at least partially formed by the formed by the oblique side panels 36, 58. Accordingly, the portion of the carton 84 located opposite the perforated side panel 22 have a generally rounded shape. The rounded shape and/or the tabs 26 may allow the carton 84 to be easily manually handled, although one or more of these features may be omitted or configured differently. The closed carton, with the food 86 therein, may be displayed as shown in
Further regarding the above-discussed MEIMs (e.g., MEIM 80), a susceptor is a thin layer of MEIM that tends to absorb at least a portion of impinging microwave energy and convert it to thermal energy (i.e., heat) through resistive losses in the layer of MEIM. The remainder of the microwave energy is either reflected by or transmitted through the susceptor. Typical susceptors comprise aluminum, generally less than about 500 angstroms in thickness, for example, from about 60 to about 100 angstroms in thickness, and having an optical density of from about 0.15 to about 0.35, for example, about 0.17 to about 0.28.
The MEIM may comprise an electroconductive or semiconductive material, for example, a vacuum deposited metal or metal alloy, or a metallic ink, an organic ink, an inorganic ink, a metallic paste, an organic paste, an inorganic paste, or any combination thereof Examples of metals and metal alloys that may be suitable include, but are not limited to, aluminum, chromium, copper, inconel alloys (nickel-chromium-molybdenum alloy with niobium), iron, magnesium, nickel, stainless steel, tin, titanium, tungsten, and any combination or alloy thereof
Alternatively, the MEIM may comprise a metal oxide, for example, oxides of aluminum, iron, and tin, optionally used in conjunction with an electrically conductive material. Another metal oxide that may be suitable is indium tin oxide (ITO). ITO has a more uniform crystal structure and, therefore, is clear at most coating thicknesses, so that the MEIM (e.g., ITO) may extend across the above-discussed window.
Alternatively still, the MEIM may comprise a suitable electroconductive, semiconductive, or non-conductive artificial dielectric or ferroelectric. Artificial dielectrics comprise conductive, subdivided material in a polymeric or other suitable matrix or binder, and may include flakes of an electroconductive metal, for example, aluminum.
In other embodiments, the MEIM may be carbon-based, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,943,456, 5,002,826, 5,118,747, and 5,410,135.
The MEIM may interact with the magnetic portion of the electromagnetic energy in the microwave oven. Correctly chosen materials of this type can self-limit based on the loss of interaction when the Curie temperature of the material is reached. An example of such an interactive coating is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,427.
MEIMs may be combined with polymer films (e.g., film(s) 82), such as to create microwave susceptor structures that may be referred to as susceptor films. Such polymer films may be clear, translucent, or opaque, as needed for a particular application. The thickness of the film may typically be from about 35 gauge to about 10 mil. In one aspect, the thickness of the film is from about 40 to about 80 gauge. In another aspect, the thickness of the film is from about 45 to about 50 gauge. In still another aspect, the thickness of the film is about 48 gauge. Examples of polymeric films that may be suitable include, but are not limited to, polyolefins, polyesters, polyamides, polyimides, polysulfones, polyether ketones, cellophanes, or any combination thereof. Other non-conducting substrate materials such as paper and paper laminates, metal oxides, silicates, cellulosics, or any combination thereof, also may be used.
According to one aspect of this disclosure, the polymeric film may comprise polyethylene terephthalate. Examples of polyethylene terephthalate film that may be suitable for use as the substrate include, but are not limited to, MELINEX®, commercially available from DuPont Teijan Films (Hopewell, Va.), and SKYROL, commercially available from SKC, Inc. (Covington, Ga.). Polyethylene terephthalate films are used in commercially available susceptors, for example, the QWIK WAVE® Focus susceptor and the MICRO-RITE.® susceptor, both available from Graphic Packaging International (Marietta, Ga.).
Susceptor film may be laminated or otherwise joined to another material, such as, but not limited to, a surface of a wall of a package or other suitable structure (e.g., blank 14). In one example, the susceptor film may be laminated or otherwise joined to paper or paperboard to make a susceptor structure having a higher thermal flux output than conventional paper or paperboard based susceptor structures. The paper may have a basis weight of from about 15 to about 60 lb/ream (lb/3000 sq. ft.), for example, from about 20 to about 40 lb/ream, for example, about 25 lb/ream. The paperboard may have a basis weight of from about 60 to about 330 lb/ream, for example, from about 80 to about 140 lb/ream. The paperboard generally may have a thickness of from about 6 to about 30 mils, for example, from about 12 to about 28 mils. In one particular example, the paperboard has a thickness of about 14 mils (0.014 inches). Any suitable paperboard may be used, for example, a solid bleached sulfate board, for example, Fortress® board, commercially available from International Paper Company, Memphis, Tenn., or solid unbleached sulfate board, such as SUS® board, commercially available from Graphic Packaging International.
If desired, the susceptor base film may undergo one or more treatments to modify the surface prior to depositing the MEIM onto the polymer film. By way of example, and not limitation, the polymer film may undergo a plasma treatment to modify the roughness of the surface of the polymer film. While not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that such surface treatments may provide a more uniform surface for receiving the MEIM, which in turn, may increase the heat flux and maximum temperature of the resulting susceptor structure. Such treatments are discussed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0213192A1 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/804,673, filed Mar. 14, 2013, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Also, if desired, the susceptor film may be used in conjunction with other microwave energy interactive elements and/or structures. Structures including multiple susceptor layers are also contemplated. It will be appreciated that the use of the present susceptor film and/or structure with such elements and/or structures may provide enhanced results as compared with a conventional susceptor.
By way of example, the susceptor film may be used with a foil or high optical density evaporated material having a thickness sufficient to reflect a substantial portion of impinging microwave energy. Such elements typically are formed from a conductive, reflective metal or metal alloy, for example, aluminum, copper, or stainless steel, in the form of a solid patch generally having a thickness of from about 0.000285 inches to about 0.005 inches, for example, from about 0.0003 inches to about 0.003 inches. Other such elements may have a thickness of from about 0.00035 inches to about 0.002 inches, for example, 0.0016 inches.
In some cases, microwave energy reflecting (or reflective) elements may be used as shielding elements where the food item is prone to scorching or drying out during heating. In other cases, smaller microwave energy reflecting elements may be used to diffuse or lessen the intensity of microwave energy. One example of a material utilizing such microwave energy reflecting elements is commercially available from Graphic Packaging International, Inc. (Marietta, Ga.) under the trade name MicroRite® packaging material. In other examples, a plurality of microwave energy reflecting elements may be arranged to form a microwave energy distributing element to direct microwave energy to specific areas of the food item. If desired, the loops may be of a length that causes microwave energy to resonate (e.g., a resonating patch antenna), thereby enhancing the distribution effect. Examples of microwave energy distributing elements are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,204,492, 6,433,322, 6,552,315, and 6,677,563, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
In still another example, the susceptor film and/or structure may be used with or may be used to form a microwave energy interactive insulating material. Examples of such materials are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 7,019,271, U.S. Pat. No. 7,351,942, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0078759 A1, published Apr. 3, 2008, each of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
If desired, any of the numerous microwave energy interactive elements described herein or contemplated hereby may be substantially continuous, that is, without substantial breaks or interruptions, or may be discontinuous, for example, by including one or more breaks or apertures that transmit microwave energy. The breaks or apertures may extend through the entire structure, or only through one or more layers. The number, shape, size, and positioning of such breaks or apertures may vary for a particular application depending on the type of construct being formed, the food item to be heated therein or thereon, the desired degree of heating, browning, and/or crisping, whether direct exposure to microwave energy is needed or desired to attain uniform heating of the food item, the need for regulating the change in temperature of the food item through direct heating, and whether and to what extent there is a need for venting.
By way of illustration, a microwave energy interactive element may include one or more transparent areas to effect dielectric heating of the food item. However, where the microwave energy interactive element comprises a susceptor, such apertures decrease the total microwave energy interactive area, and therefore, decrease the amount of MEIM available for heating, browning, and/or crisping the surface of the food item. Thus, the relative amounts of microwave energy interactive areas and microwave energy transparent areas must be balanced to attain the desired overall heating characteristics for the particular food item.
As another example, one or more portions of a susceptor may be designed to be microwave energy inactive to ensure that the microwave energy is focused efficiently on the areas to be heated, browned, and/or crisped, rather than being lost to portions of the food item not intended to be browned and/or crisped or to heating the environment. Additionally or alternatively, it may be beneficial to create one or more discontinuities or inactive regions to prevent overheating or charring of the food item and/or the construct including the susceptor.
As still another example and as mentioned above with reference to
It will be noted that any of such discontinuities or apertures in a susceptor may comprise a physical aperture or void in one or more layers or materials used to form the structure or construct, or may be a non-physical “aperture”. A non-physical aperture is a microwave energy transparent area that allows microwave energy to pass through the structure without an actual void or hole cut through the structure. Such areas may be formed by simply not applying MEIM to the particular area, by removing MEIM from the particular area, or by mechanically deactivating the particular area (rendering the area electrically discontinuous). Alternatively, the areas may be formed by chemically deactivating the MEIM in the particular area, thereby transforming the MEIM in the area into a substance that is transparent to microwave energy (i.e., so that the microwave energy transparent or inactive area comprises the MEIM in an inactivated condition). While both physical and non-physical apertures allow the food item to be heated directly by the microwave energy, a physical aperture also provides a venting function to allow steam or other vapors or liquid released from the food item to be carried away from the food item.
In general, the blank 14 may be constructed from paperboard having a caliper so that it is heavier and more rigid than ordinary paper. That is, the base material of the blank may be paperboard. The blank can also be constructed of other materials, such as cardboard, or any other material having properties suitable for enabling the carton to function at least generally as described above. The blank can be coated with, for example, a clay coating. The clay coating may then be printed over with product, advertising, and other information or images. The blanks may then be coated with a varnish to protect information printed on the blanks. The blanks may also be coated with, for example, a moisture barrier layer, on either or both sides of the blanks. The blanks can also be laminated to or coated with one or more sheet-like materials at selected panels or panel sections.
As an example, a line of disruption in the form of a tear line can include: a slit that extends partially into the material along the desired line of weakness, and/or a series of spaced apart slits that extend partially into and/or completely through the material along the desired line of weakness, or various combinations of these features. As a more specific example, one type tear line is in the form of a series of spaced apart slits that extend completely through the material, with adjacent slits being spaced apart slightly so that a nick (e.g., a small somewhat bridging-like piece of the material) is defined between the adjacent slits for typically temporarily connecting the material across the tear line. The nicks are broken during tearing along the tear line. The nicks typically are a relatively small percentage of the tear line, and alternatively the nicks can be omitted from or torn in a tear line such that the tear line is a continuous cut line. That is, it is within the scope of the present disclosure for each of the tear lines to be replaced with a continuous slit, or the like. For example, a cut line can be a continuous slit or could be wider than a slit without departing from the present disclosure.
A line of disruption in the form of a fold line (e.g., hinge line) can be any substantially linear, although not necessarily straight, form of weakening that facilitates folding therealong. More specifically, but not for the purpose of narrowing the scope of the present disclosure, fold lines include: a score line, such as lines formed with a blunt scoring knife, or the like, which creates a crushed or depressed portion in the material along the desired line of weakness; a cut that extends partially into a material along the desired line of weakness, and/or a series of cuts that extend partially into and/or completely through the material along the desired line of weakness; and various combinations of these features. In situations where cutting is used to create a fold line, typically the cutting will not be overly extensive in a manner that might cause a reasonable user to incorrectly consider the fold line to be a tear line.
In the foregoing, all values, relationships, configurations and other features may be approximate. Also, fold, hinge and tear lines may be more generally referred to as lines of disruption.
The above examples are in no way intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that while the present disclosure has been discussed above with reference to exemplary embodiments, various additions, modifications and changes can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/956,215, which was filed on Jun. 3, 2013. U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/956,215, which was filed on Jun. 3, 2013, is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if presented herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61956215 | Jun 2013 | US |
