Enhancements of the food cooking capabilities of food containers to be used in a microwave oven.

Abstract

A microwaveable food container that incorporates at least one microwave-obstructing movable object. An actuator-induced controlled movement of at least one said movable object serves to controllably vary the microwave power density reaching a material which is located within said food container

1 . A microwaveable food container incorporating at least one microwave-obstructing movable object; where an actuator-induced controlled movement of at least one said movable object serves to controllably vary the microwave power density reaching a material which is located within said food container. 
     
     
         2 . The food container of  claim 1 , where said material is one or more items or portions of food provided in said food container; and where said actuator-induced controlled movement of said at least one movable object causes a change in the microwave power density reaching at least one item or portion of food provided in said food container. 
     
     
         3 . The food container of  claim 2 , where said at least one movable object is located adjacent to at least some portion of an aperture of said food container, or to an aperture of a food compartment provided within said food container. 
     
     
         4 . The food container of  claim 2 , where an actuator-induced change in the location, angle, shape, dimensions or other properties of at least one said movable object located adjacent to an aperture of said food container or an aperture of a food compartment provided within said food container serves to controllably vary the microwave power density reaching at least one item or portion of food provided in said food container or food compartment. 
     
     
         5 . The food container of  claim 2 , where at least one item or portion of food provided in said food container, or in at least one food compartment provided within said food container, is shielded from microwaves by at least one said movable object for some portion of the period of time during which a microwave oven containing said food container is switched-on, and is not shielded from microwaves for some other portion of said period of time. 
     
     
         6 . The food container of  claim 2 , where at least one said movable object is located adjacent to at least some portion of an aperture of said food container; and where the proportion of the area of said aperture of said food container which is occupied or covered by said movable object is controllably changed, thereby changing the microwave power density reaching one or more items or portions of food provided in said food container. 
     
     
         7 . The food container of  claim 2 , where said food container incorporates within its volume two or more food compartments; where at least one said movable object and at least one actuator is provided adjacent to each of at least two of said compartments; and where the
 microwave power density reaching food in each of said at least two food compartments is separately controllably varied.   
     
     
         8 . The food container of  claim 2 , where said food container incorporates within its volume at least two food compartments; and where at least one item or portion of food in each of at least two of said food compartments is heated by microwaves for different controllable portions of the time during which said food container is exposed to microwaves in a microwave oven. 
     
     
         9 . The food container of  claim 1 , where said material is susceptor material provided adjacent to one or more items or portions of food provided within said food container; and where said controlled movement of said at least one movable object serving to controllably vary the microwave power density reaching said susceptor material serves to vary the intensity of the heat generated by said susceptor material which reaches one or more items or portions of food provided within said food container. 
     
     
         10 . The food container of  claim 1 , where said material is susceptor material incorporated in or adjacent to heat-shrinkable polymer material provided in said food container; and where said controlled movement of said at least one movable object serving to controllably vary the microwave power density reaching said susceptor material causes said heat-shrinkable polymer material to heat up and shrink, and to serve as an actuator. 
     
     
         11 . The food container of  claim 1 , where said food container incorporates at least one antenna, and where said material is said at least one antenna; where said at least one movable object is provided adjacent to said at least one antenna, and where said actuator-induced controlled movement of said at least one movable object serves to controllably vary the microwave power density reaching said at least one antenna, thereby controllably varying the amplitude of electrical power generated by said at least one antenna. 
     
     
         12 . The food container of  claim 1 , where the actuator used employs the controlled release of a pre-stressed, stressed or tensioned material, device or item to cause said actuator-induced controlled movement of said at least one movable object. 
     
     
         13 . A microwaveable food container, where the actuator-induced controlled movement of at least one movable object incorporating a distribution of susceptor material serves to controllably vary the intensity of the heat generated by microwave-exposed said susceptor material which reaches at least one portion or item of food provided in said food container. 
     
     
         14 . The food container of  claim 13 , where said controlled movement of said at least one movable object serves to controllably vary the distance between microwave-exposed susceptor material incorporated in said movable object and at least one said portion or item of food provided in said food container, thereby varying the intensity of heat generated by said microwave-exposed susceptor material which reaches one or more said portions or items of food. 
     
     
         15 . The food container of  claim 13 , where at least one item or portion of food provided within said food container is heated by said microwave-exposed susceptor material incorporated in said movable object for some controllable portion of the time that said food container is exposed to microwaves in a microwave oven, and is not heated by said susceptor material for some other controllable portion of the time that said food container is exposed to microwaves. 
     
     
         16 . The food container of  claim 13 , where at least one item or portion of food within said food container is primarily heated by microwaves for some portion of the time period within which said food container is exposed to microwaves, and is primarily heated by infrared heat generated by said microwave-exposed susceptor material for some other portion of that time period. 
     
     
         17 . The microwaveable food container of  claim 1 , further incorporating:
 at least one microwave-shielded enclosure, area or container;   at least one antenna located outside said at least one microwave-shielded enclosure, area or container;   one or more areas of resistive heating material provided within said at least one microwave-shielded enclosure, area or container;   where said one or more antennas are connected to one or more said areas of resistive heating material, and where electrical energy generated by said at least one antenna due to microwaves heats at least one said area of resistive material, which in turn heats or cooks one or more food items or portions of food provided within said microwave-shielded food cooking enclosure, area or container.   
     
     
         18 . A microwavable food container or food compartment incorporating an actuator which serves to controllably change the shape, angle, dimensions, location or other properties of at least one movable object located adjacent to at least some portion of an aperture of said food container, where said movable object incorporates a distribution of either microwave-obstructing material, or susceptor material. 
     
     
         19 . The food container or food compartment of  claim 18 , where said at least one movable object incorporates a distribution of microwave-obstructing material, and where said change in the shape, angle, dimensions, location of other properties of said movable object serves to change the microwave power intensity which reaches one or more items or portions of food within said food compartment. 
     
     
         20 . The food container of  claim 18 , where said actuator uses the controlled release of a pre-stressed, stressed or tensioned material, device or item, thereby causing said change in the location, angle, shape, dimensions or other property of at least one said movable object.