US6204492B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Abuse-tolerant metallic packaging materials for microwave cooking
Assignee: Graphic Packaging International LLC
•
Filing: 1999-09-20
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Granted: 2001-03-20
•
Expires: 2019-09-20
Abstract
Abstract An abuse-tolerant microwave food packaging material includes repeated sets of metallic foil or high optical density evaporated material segments disposed on a substrate. Each set of metallic segments is arranged to define a perimeter having a length equal to a predetermined ratio of the operating, or effective wavelength of a microwave oven. The repeated sets of segments act both as a shield to microwave energy and as focusing elements for microwave energy when used in conjunction with food products yet remaining electrically safe in the absence of the food products.
Inventors
- 👤 Neilson Zeng
- 👤 Laurence Lai
- 👤 Anthony Russell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 19:44
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D81/00; B65D81/34; B65D81/3446; B65D2581/00; B65D2581/34; B65D2581/3437; B65D2581/3439; B65D2581/344; B65D2581/3471; B65D2581/3472; B65D2581/3486; B65D2581/3494; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S99/00; Y10S99/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
60 words
An abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material comprising a continuously repeated first set of metallic foil segments on a substrate, wherein each first set of metallic segments defines a first perimeter having a length approximately equal to a predetermined ratio of an operating wavelength of a microwave oven, and wherein each segment in each first set is spaced apart from adjacent segments.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
60 words
An abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material comprising a continuously repeated first set of metallic foil segments on a substrate, wherein each first set of metallic segments defines a first perimeter having a length approximately equal to a predetermined ratio of an operating wavelength of a microwave oven, and wherein each segment in each first set is spaced apart from adjacent segments.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 1 wherein the length of the first perimeter is approximately equal to a multiple of one-half of the operating wavelength of the microwave oven.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 1 wherein the operating wavelength of the microwave oven comprises an effective microwave wavelength for a food product, and wherein the length of the first perimeter is approximately equal to one-half of an effective microwave wavelength for frozen food products.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 1 wherein the operating wavelength of the microwave oven comprises an effective microwave wavelength for a food product, and wherein the length of the first perimeter is approximately equal to an effective microwave wavelength for thawed food products.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
75 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 1 comprising a continuously repeated second set of metallic foil segments on the substrate, wherein each second set defines a second perimeter enclosing one of the continuously repeated first sets of metallic segments, the second perimeter having a length approximately equal to the predetermined ratio of the operating wavelength of the microwave oven, and wherein each metallic segment of each second set is spaced apart from adjacent segments.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 5 wherein the length of the second perimeter is approximately equal to a multiple of one-half of the operating wavelength of the microwave oven.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 5 wherein the operating wavelength of the microwave oven comprises an effective microwave wavelength for a food product, and wherein the length of the second perimeter is approximately equal to one-half of an effective microwave wavelength for frozen food products.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 5 wherein the operating wavelength of the microwave oven comprises an effective microwave wavelength for a food product, and wherein the length of the second perimeter is approximately equal to an effective microwave wavelength for thawed food products.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 5 wherein each second set of metallic segments defines a hexagonal shape.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 5 , wherein each of the second sets of metallic segments is nested with adjacent second sets of metallic segments.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
74 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 5 comprising a continuously repeated third set of metallic foil segments on the substrate, wherein each third set defines a third perimeter enclosing one of the repeated second sets of metallic foil segments, the third perimeter having a length approximately equal to the predetermined ratio of the operating wavelength of the microwave oven, and wherein each segment of each third set is spaced apart from adjacent segments.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 11 wherein the length of the third perimeter is approximately equal to a multiple of one-half of the operating wavelength of the microwave oven.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 11 , wherein the operating wavelength of the microwave oven comprises an effective microwave wavelength for a food product, and wherein the length of the third perimeter is approximately equal to one-half of an effective microwave wavelength for frozen food products.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 11 , wherein the operating wavelength of the microwave oven comprises an effective microwave wavelength for a food product, and wherein the length of the third perimeter is approximately equal to an effective microwave wavelength for thawed food products.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 11 wherein each third set of metallic segments defines a hexagonal shape.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 11 wherein each of the third sets of metallic segments is nested with adjacent third sets of metallic segments.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 1 wherein each of the repeated first sets of metallic segments defines a multi-lobe shape.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 17 wherein the multi-lobe shape is a five-lobe flower shape.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claims 1 , 5 , or 11 wherein each metallic segment has an area less than 5 mm 2 .
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 1 wherein the substrate includes a susceptor film.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 1 wherein the substrate is microwave transparent.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 21 wherein the substrate is a paper based material.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claims 1 , 5 , or 11 wherein the metallic segments are formed of aluminum.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
72 words
An abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material comprising a continuously repeated first set of segments formed of a high optical density evaporated material, the repeated first set of segments located on a substrate, wherein each first set of segments defines a first perimeter having a length approximately equal to a predetermined ratio of an operating wavelength of a microwave oven, and wherein each segment in each first set is spaced apart from adjacent segments.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
72 words
An abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material comprising a continuously repeated first set of segments formed of a high optical density evaporated material, the repeated first set of segments located on a substrate, wherein each first set of segments defines a first perimeter having a length approximately equal to a predetermined ratio of an operating wavelength of a microwave oven, and wherein each segment in each first set is spaced apart from adjacent segments.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 24 wherein the length of the first perimeter is approximately equal to a multiple of one-half of an operating wavelength of the microwave oven.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
47 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 24 wherein the operating wavelength of the microwave oven comprises an effective microwave wavelength for a food product, and wherein the length of the first perimeter is approximately equal to one-half of an effective microwave wavelength for frozen food products.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
45 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 24 wherein the operating wavelength of the microwave oven comprises an effective microwave wavelength for a food product, and wherein the length of the first perimeter is approximately equal to an effective microwave wavelength for thawed food products.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
86 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 24 comprising a continuously repeated second set of segments formed of the high optical density evaporated material, the repeated second set of segments located on the substrate, wherein each second set defines a second perimeter enclosing one of the continuously repeated first sets of segments, the second perimeter having a length approximately equal to the predetermined ratio of the operating wavelength of the microwave oven, and wherein each segment of each second set is spaced apart from adjacent segments.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 28 wherein the length of the second perimeter is approximately equal to a multiple of one-half of the operating wavelength of the microwave oven.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
47 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 28 wherein the operating wavelength of the microwave oven comprises an effective microwave wavelength for a food product, and wherein the length of the second perimeter is approximately equal to one-half of an effective microwave wavelength for frozen food products.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
45 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 28 wherein the operating wavelength of the microwave oven comprises an effective microwave wavelength for a food product, and wherein the length of the second perimeter is approximately equal to an effective microwave wavelength for thawed food products.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
18 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 28 wherein each second set of segments defines a hexagonal shape.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 28 wherein each of the second set of segments is nested with adjacent second sets of segments.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
84 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 28 comprising a continuously repeated third set of segments formed of a high optical density evaporated material, the third set of segments located on the substrate, wherein each third set defines a third perimeter enclosing one of the repeated second sets of segments, the third perimeter having a length approximately equal to the predetermined ratio of the operating wavelength of the microwave oven, and wherein each segment of each third set is spaced apart from adjacent segments.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
31 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 34 wherein the length of the third perimeter is approximately equal to a multiple of one-half of the operating wavelength of the microwave oven.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
47 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 34 wherein the operating wavelength of the microwave oven comprises an effective microwave wavelength for a food product, and wherein the length of the third perimeter is approximately equal to one-half of an effective microwave wavelength for frozen food products.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
45 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 34 wherein the operating wavelength of the microwave oven comprises an effective microwave wavelength for a food product, and wherein the length of the third perimeter is approximately equal to an effective microwave wavelength for thawed food products.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
19 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 34 , wherein each third set of segments defines a hexagonal shape.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
25 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 34 , wherein each of the third sets of segments is nested with adjacent third sets of segments.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
20 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 24 wherein each of the repeated first sets of segments defines multi-lobe shape.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
17 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 40 wherein the multi-lobe shape is a five-lobe flower shape.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
26 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claims 24 , 28 , or 34 wherein each metallic segment has an area less than 5 mm 2 .
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
15 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 24 wherein the substrate includes a susceptor film.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
14 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 24 wherein the substrate is microwave transparent.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
16 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 44 wherein the substrate is a paper based material.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
25 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claims 24 , 28 or 34 wherein the segments of high optical density evaporated material are formed of aluminum.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
26 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 5 wherein each of the seconds sets of metallic segments is nested with adjacent second sets of metallic segments.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
24 words
The abuse-tolerant microwave packaging material of claim 34 wherein each of the third set of segments is nested with adjacent third sets of segments.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-03-19 | 2004-09-18 | 2005-03-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-03-19 | 2008-09-18 | 2009-03-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-03-19 | 2012-09-18 | 2013-03-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |