Patterned microwave susceptor
AssigneeGraphic Packaging International, Inc.
InventorsLorin Cole, Terrence Lafferty
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The heating effect of a microwave susceptor can be improved by providing a pattern of microwave transparent areas in the susceptor. The transparent areas are preferably circles having a diameter of about 0.5 inch. The distance between adjacent circles is preferably about 0.5 inch. The susceptor may be used to brown and crispen the crust of frozen pizza heated in a microwave oven. The crust of the pizza is browner, especially at its central area, than the crust of pizza heated using a conventional susceptor.
Claims20
A microwave susceptor comprising:
- a dimensionally stable substrate;
- a plastic film supported by the dimensionally stable substrate;
- and
- an electrically continuous layer of metal deposited on the plastic film, the metal layer of a thickness that it absorbs microwave radiation and converts microwave radiation into heat, the metal layer defining a plurality of apertures within the metal layer only,
- wherein each of the plurality of apertures is spaced apart from the others;
- and each of the plurality of apertures is formed by preventing the deposition of metal on an area of the plastic film.
A microwave susceptor comprising:
- a dimensionally stable substrate;
- a plastic film supported by the dimensionally stable substrate;
- and
- an electrically continuous layer of metal deposited on the plastic film, the metal layer of a thickness that it absorbs microwave radiation and converts microwave radiation into heat, the metal layer defining a plurality of apertures within the metal layer only,
- wherein each of the plurality of apertures is spaced apart from the others;
- and each of the plurality of apertures is formed by etching an area of the metal layer.
A microwave susceptor comprising:
- a dimensionally stable substrate;
- a plastic film supported by the dimensionally stable substrate;
- and
- an electrically continuous layer of metal deposited on the plastic film, the metal layer of a thickness that it absorbs microwave radiation and converts microwave radiation into heat, the metal layer defining a plurality of microwave transparent areas within the metal layer only, wherein each of the plurality of microwave transparent areas is spaced apart from the others.
A microwave interactive structure comprising:
- an electrically continuous layer of metal selectively deposited on a plastic film, the layer of metal including a plurality of spaced apart, circumscribed microwave transparent areas, wherein the microwave transparent areas are concentrated at a central portion of the film.
A construct for heating, browning, and crisping a circular food item in a microwave oven, comprising:
- a metallized film supported on and at least partially joined to a dimensionally stable substrate, the metallized film being generally electrically continuous and imperforate, the metallized film including a plurality of microwave inactivated areas, at least some of the microwave inactivated areas being located in a central area of the construct and at least some of the microwave inactivated areas being located in a peripheral area of the construct, wherein the inactivated areas each have a major linear dimension of from about 0.6 to about 2.5 cm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.