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US 8,445,043 B2Granted
Multi-temperature and multi-texture frozen food microwave heating tray
AssigneeH.J. Heinz Company
InventorsDaniel C. Jackson, Christopher P. Rowoth, Elizabeth Ritchey, William J. Rodgers, Amber Fisher Koehler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims35
A microwave heating support comprising:
- a tray having a smoothly contoured peripheral shape substantially free of sharp corners and formed of a microwave safe plastic or paper material, said tray including at least:
- 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 generally planar bottom,
- wherein the first integral compartment is spaced from the second integral compartment by a distance sufficient to provide thermal insulation between the compartments the shape and spacing of the compartments resulting in uniform heating within each individual compartment.
2 more elements
A microwave container comprising:
- a tray having a smoothly contoured peripheral shape substantially free of sharp corners and formed of a microwave safe plastic or paper material, said tray including at least:
- 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 agenerally planar 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 sufficient to provide thermal insulation between the compartments, the shape and spacing of the compartments resulting in uniform heating within each individual compartment, and
- wherein at least one of the first and second compartments includes a microwave energy limiting structure.
5 more elements
A method of packaging multiple foods for microwave heating to different temperatures comprising the steps of:
- providing a microwavable plastic or paper tray having a smoothly contoured peripheral shape substantially free of sharp corners, multiple food receiving compartments spaced from one another sufficient to provide thermal insulation between the compartments, a first food-receiving compartment having an upwardly convex bottom surface;
- the shape and spacing of the compartments resulting in uniform heating within each individual compartment
- 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.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.