Multi-Temperature and Multi-Texture Frozen Food Microwave Heating Tray
AssigneeH. J. Heinz Company
InventorsDaniel C. JACKSON, Christopher P. ROWOTH, Beth A. RITCHEY, William J. RODGERS, Amber Fisher Koehler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multi-temperature and multi-texture frozen food microwave heating tray includes a first integral compartment defined by at least one sidewall and an upwardly convex bottom, and a second integral compartment defined by at least one sidewall and a bottom and comprising a microwave energy access modulating structure for one of the first and second compartments.
Claims37
A microwave heating support comprising:
- a tray having a smoothly contoured peripheral shape and formed of a microwave safe material, said tray including:
- a first integral compartment defined by at least one sidewall and an upwardly convex bottom;
- and
- a second integral compartment defined by at least one sidewall and a bottom,
- wherein the first integral compartment is spaced from the second integral compartment by a distance ranging from about 0.125 inch to about 0.75 inch.
The microwave heating support of claim 15, wherein the domed central portion is offset from the lower, outer edge by about 0.1 inch to about 1.0 inch.
A microwave container comprising:
- a tray having a smoothly contoured peripheral shape and formed of a microwave safe material, said tray including:
- a first integral compartment defined by at least one sidewall and an upwardly convex bottom;
- a second integral compartment defined by at least one sidewall and a bottom;
- a first quantity of food contained in the first integral compartment;
- and
- a second quantity of food contained in the second integral compartment,
- wherein the first integral compartment is spaced from the second integral compartment by a distance ranging from about 0.125 inch to about 0.75 inch;
- and
- wherein at least one of the first and second compartments includes microwave energy limiting structure.
A method of packaging multiple foods for microwave heating to different temperatures comprising the steps of:
- providing a microwavable tray having a smoothly contoured peripheral shape, multiple food receiving compartments spaced from one another, a first food-receiving compartment having an upwardly convex bottom surface;
- placing a first food in a first food-receiving compartment of the tray such that the first food has a greater thickness at peripheral portions thereof than at central portions thereof, so that upon exposure to microwave energy for a predetermined time period the temperature of the first food reaches a corresponding first temperature;
- placing a second food in a second food-receiving compartment of the tray;
- at least partially covering at least one of the first and second food-receiving compartments with a microwave modulating structure, so that upon exposure to the microwave energy for the predetermined time period the temperature of the second food reaches a corresponding second temperature which is different than the first temperature;
- and
- covering one of the first and second food-receiving compartments with a substantially microwave transparent structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.