Microwavable Tray with Contoured Surface for Food Browning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Microwave ovens struggle to evenly heat and brown food items with irregular surfaces, such as dough-based and potato-based frozen convenience foods, as existing packages fail to maintain contact and achieve a crispy exterior.

Innovation Solution

The development of microwave energy interactive trays with elevated portions and venting channels that accommodate irregular surfaces, allowing for closer proximity of microwave-enhancing features to the food and facilitating moisture release, thereby enhancing heating, browning, and crisping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If standard microwave packages are used, then heating can be performed, but insufficient contact with contoured food surfaces prevents thorough heating and browning

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating effectivenessVSAvoidsurface contact

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies curvature by forming the microwave package with a contoured surface that matches the dome shape of frozen food items. This curved surface maintains intimate contact with the food throughout the microwave heating process, enabling effective heating and browning of the entire food surface including previously unreachable areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Reliability

If elevated portions are added to accommodate food contours, then surface contact improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface contactVSAvoidpackage structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Rather than adding separate elevated portions or complex mechanical structures, the patent simplifies the design by forming the entire package with a contoured surface that naturally adapts to the food shape. This single curved surface accomplishes what would otherwise require multiple components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Reliability

If venting channels are incorporated to remove moisture, then browning and crisping improve, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebrowning and crispingVSAvoidpackage fabrication

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates venting channels directly into the contoured package structure, creating a porous or channelled surface that allows moisture to escape during heating. These channels are integrated into the molding process, enabling moisture removal and browning without requiring separate venting components or complex assembly steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The trays effectively brown and crisp food items with irregular surfaces by maintaining contact and venting moisture, resulting in improved cooking outcomes compared to standard microwave packages.

Implementation Method 1

heating or cooking a food item in a microwave oven

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMicrowave radiation: Microwave Radiation

Data Source

PatentUS8803050B2Microwavable construct with contoured heating surface

Publication Date: 2014.08.12 GRAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL LLC

AI summary

A tray for heating, browning, and/or crisping a food item in a microwave oven includes a substantially planar base, a platform extending upwardly from the base, and a microwave energy interactive element overlying at least a portion of the platform.