# US 8,785,826 B2 · Even heating microwavable container > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,785,826 B2 - Document ID: US8785826B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/493,486 - Filed: 2009-06-29 - Published: 2009-12-03 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2007-01-22 - Assignees: Graphic Packaging International, Inc. - Applicants: Laurence M. C. Lai; Neilson Zeng; Bing Liu - Inventors: Laurence M. C. Lai; Neilson Zeng; Bing Liu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785826B2 ## CPC - B65D 81/3453: {Rigid containers, e.g. trays, bottles, boxes, cups} - H05B 6/6494: {for cooking} - B65D 2581/344: Geometry or shape factors influencing the microwave heating properties - B65D 2581/3472: Aluminium or compounds thereof - B65D 2581/3477: Iron or compounds thereof - B65D 2581/3479: Other metallic compounds, e.g. silver, gold, copper, nickel - B65D 2581/3491: attached to the side walls - B65D 2581/3493: attached to the base surface - B65D 2581/3497: attached to the side walls - B65D 2581/3498: attached to the base surface - Y10T 428/1225: Symmetrical - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A construct for heating a food item in a microwave oven includes a base, a wall extending upwardly from the base, a microwave energy shielding element overlying at least a portion of the wall, and a microwave energy diffusing element circumscribed by the microwave energy shielding element. The microwave energy diffusing element includes a plurality of microwave energy reflective elements within a microwave energy transparent area. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A microwave heating construct, comprising: a base; and an upstanding wall, wherein the wall comprises a microwave energy shielding element, and a plurality of microwave energy diffuser elements, wherein each of the microwave energy diffuser elements comprises a microwave energy transparent area circumscribed by the microwave energy shielding element, and a plurality of microwave energy reflective elements spaced apart from one another and positioned in the microwave energy transparent area, wherein for each of the microwave energy diffuser elements, the microwave energy transparent area of the microwave energy diffuser element is contiguous with and surrounds each of the microwave energy reflective elements of the microwave energy diffuser element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The construct of claim 1, wherein the microwave energy transparent areas and the microwave energy reflective elements each have a shape independently selected from the group of shapes consisting of a regular shape and an irregular shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The construct of claim 1, wherein the microwave energy transparent areas are substantially elliptical in shape. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The construct of claim 1, wherein the microwave energy reflective elements each independently have a hexagonal shape or a partial hexagonal shape. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The construct of claim 1, wherein for at least one of the microwave energy diffuser elements: the microwave energy reflective elements of the at least one microwave energy diffuser element are arranged in a staggered configuration within the microwave energy transparent area of the at least one microwave energy diffuser element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The construct of claim 1, wherein for at least one of the microwave energy diffuser elements: the microwave energy reflective elements of the at least one microwave energy diffuser element are spaced a distance of from about 1 to about 5 mm from one another. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The construct of claim 1, wherein for at least one of the microwave energy diffuser elements: the microwave energy reflective elements of the at least one microwave energy diffuser element are arranged so that each microwave energy reflective element is spaced about the same distance from an adjacent microwave energy reflective element. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The construct of claim 1, wherein for each of the microwave energy diffuser elements: the microwave energy reflective elements of the microwave energy diffuser element are configured to be operative for decreasing the intensity of microwave energy passing through the microwave energy transparent area of the microwave energy diffuser element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The construct of claim 1, wherein the microwave energy shielding element extends substantially continuously from the wall onto a peripheral margin of the base. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The construct of claim 1, wherein the base includes a plurality of metallic segments arranged to define a plurality of interconnected rings. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The construct of claim 10, wherein the plurality of metallic segments arranged to define the plurality of interconnected rings is operative for directing microwave energy toward a center of the base. ### Claim 12 A microwave heating construct, comprising: a base; and a plurality of walls, wherein the walls comprise a substrate, a microwave energy shielding element mounted to the substrate and comprising a metallic foil patch operative for reflecting microwave energy, wherein the metallic foil patch includes a plurality of apertures, and each aperture defines a microwave energy transparent area surrounded by the metallic foil, and a plurality of microwave energy diffuser elements, wherein each of the microwave energy diffuser elements comprises the microwave energy transparent area defined by a respective aperture of the plurality of apertures in the metallic foil patch, and a plurality of metallic foil elements mounted to the substrate, wherein the metallic foil elements are spaced apart from one another and positioned in the microwave energy transparent area of the microwave energy diffuser element, wherein for each of the microwave energy diffuser elements, the microwave energy transparent area of the microwave energy diffuser element is contiguous with and circumscribes each of the metallic foil elements of the microwave energy diffuser element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The construct of claim 12, wherein the metallic foil elements have a hexagonal shape, a partial hexagonal shape, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The construct of claim 12, wherein for at least one of the microwave energy diffuser elements: the metallic foil elements of the at least one microwave energy diffuser element are spaced about 1 to about 5 mm from one another within the microwave energy transparent area of the least one of the microwave energy diffuser elements. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The construct of claim 12, wherein the plurality of walls includes a first pair of walls opposite one another and a second pair of walls opposite one another, each wall of the first pair of walls includes three apertures of the plurality of apertures, and each wall of the second pair of walls includes four apertures of the plurality of apertures. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The construct of claim 12, wherein the plurality of walls each independently have a height and a width, and the apertures are substantially evenly spaced along the height and width of the respective wall. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The construct of claim 12, wherein the metallic foil patch extends substantially continuously from the plurality of walls onto a peripheral area of the base. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The construct of claim 12, wherein the base includes a plurality of metallic segments arranged as a plurality of interconnected rings. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The construct of claim 18, wherein the plurality of interconnected rings is operative for directing microwave energy toward a center of the base. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The construct of claim 12, further comprising a susceptor. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The construct of claim 12, wherein the substrate comprises paperboard. ### Claim 22 A blank for forming a microwave heating construct, the blank comprising: a peripheral region being substantially transparent to microwave energy; a medial region bounded by the peripheral region; and a central region bounded by the medial region, wherein the medial region comprises a microwave energy shielding element comprising a metallic foil patch operative for reflecting microwave energy, wherein the metallic foil patch circumscribes apertures that define microwave energy transparent areas, and a plurality of microwave energy diffuser elements, wherein each of the microwave energy diffuser elements comprises the microwave energy transparent area defined by a respective aperture of the apertures circumscribed by the metallic foil patch, and a plurality of metallic foil elements spaced apart from one another and positioned in the microwave energy transparent area of the microwave energy diffuser element, wherein for each of the microwave energy diffuser elements, the microwave energy transparent area of the microwave energy diffuser element is contiguous with and extends around each of the metallic foil elements of the microwave energy diffuser element. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The blank of claim 22, wherein the microwave energy transparent areas and the metallic foil elements each have a shape independently selected from the group of shapes consisting of a regular shape and an irregular shape. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The blank of claim 22, wherein the microwave energy transparent areas are substantially elliptical in shape. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The blank of claim 22, wherein the microwave energy reflective elements are each independently shaped as a hexagon or a truncated hexagon. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The blank of claim 22, wherein for at least one of the microwave energy diffuser elements: the metallic foil elements of the at least one microwave energy diffuser element are arranged in a staggered configuration within the microwave energy transparent area of the at least one microwave energy diffuser element. ### Claim 27 (depends on 22) The blank of claim 22, wherein for at least one of the microwave energy diffuser elements: the metallic foil elements of the at least one microwave energy diffuser element are spaced a distance of from about 1 to about 5 mm from one another. ### Claim 28 (depends on 22) The blank of claim 22, wherein for at least one of the microwave energy diffuser elements: the metallic foil elements of the at least one microwave energy diffuser element are arranged so that each metallic foil element is spaced about the same distance from an adjacent metallic foil element. ### Claim 29 (depends on 22) The blank of claim 22, wherein for each of the microwave energy diffuser elements: the metallic foil elements of the microwave energy diffuser element are for reducing the intensity of microwave energy passing through the microwave energy transparent area of the microwave energy diffuser element. ### Claim 30 (depends on 22) The blank of claim 22, wherein the metallic foil patch has an inner edge and an outer edge, and the microwave energy transparent areas are each positioned substantially equidistant from the inner edge and the outer edge of the metallic foil patch. ### Claim 31 (depends on 22) The blank of claim 22, wherein the central region comprises a microwave energy directing element including a plurality of metallic segments that define a plurality of interconnected rings. ### Claim 32 (depends on 22) The blank of claim 22, further comprising a susceptor. ### Claim 33 (depends on 22) The blank of claim 22, wherein the substrate comprises paperboard.