Microwave Food Sleeve With Tear-Off Access and Crisping Panels

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need for a package or construct that facilitates transportation and consumption of food items while enhancing browning and crisping of food items when heated in a microwave oven.

Innovation Solution

The development of various blanks and constructs, including sleeves and pouches, with features such as removable portions defined by tear lines and microwave energy interactive elements like susceptors, foils, or segmented foils, which allow for enhanced browning and crisping of food items and provide convenient access during consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a package is designed to facilitate transportation and consumption of food items, then ease of operation is improved, but the ability to enhance browning and crisping in microwave oven is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of access during consumptionVSAvoidbrowning and crisping capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The package is divided into multiple panels with defined tear lines that allow selective removal of portions. This segmentation enables the package to provide easy access during consumption while maintaining the structural integrity and microwave interactive elements needed for browning and crisping.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the package are designed with different properties - some areas have microwave energy interactive elements for browning and crisping, while other areas are designed for easy tearing and access. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and browning capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If removable portions are added to facilitate access during consumption, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to food itemVSAvoidpackage structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The package uses simple segmented panels with tear lines rather than complex mechanisms. Each panel can be independently removed, providing easy access without requiring complex opening mechanisms, thus improving ease of operation while minimizing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of designing a complex mechanism to open the package, the invention uses pre-defined tear lines that allow the package to be opened by simple pulling action. This inversion of the approach - making the package open itself through predetermined weak points - reduces complexity while improving ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Reliability

If microwave energy interactive elements are included to enhance browning and crisping, then reliability of cooking function is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebrowning and crisping functionVSAvoidpackage production

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The microwave energy interactive elements are integrated directly into the package panels during manufacturing. By merging the cooking function elements with the structural panels, the invention achieves reliable browning and crisping capability while simplifying the manufacturing process, as both functions are produced in a single integrated structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The package uses composite materials that combine the structural properties of the panel material with the microwave interactive properties of the browning elements. This composite approach allows both functions to be achieved simultaneously without requiring separate manufacturing steps, thus improving reliability while maintaining ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite 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

These constructs effectively enhance the browning and crisping of food items in a microwave oven while allowing for easy access and handling, improving the overall consumer experience.

Implementation Method 1

a microwave energy interactive element overlies at least a portion of at least one of the opposed surfaces... The microwave energy interactive element may comprise a susceptor, a foil, a segmented foil

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMicrowave radiation absorption and dielectric heating: Dielectric Heating

Data Source

PatentUS7928349B2Microwave food heating package with removable portion

Publication Date: 2011.04.19 GRAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL LLC

AI summary

Various blanks are provided for forming sleeves, containers, and other constructs for heating, browning, and/or crisping of a food item in a microwave oven, and for holding and/or transporting the food item after heating. The various blanks, sleeves, containers, and other constructs include a removable portion defined by one or more lines of disruption that enable the removable portion to be separated from the remainder of the blank, sleeve, container, or other construct.