Some embodiments provide a multi-layered exothermic microwave cooking apparatus. The apparatus includes an inner cooking plate shell having top and bottom faces. The apparatus also includes an exothermic plastic outer shell to generate heat from microwave radiation. The outer exothermic shell of the vessel has a bottom surface and at least one side wall, and the inner cooking plate shell closes the vessel to create a cooking surface, and to form an inner space between the bottom surface and the plate. The apparatus also includes a safety valve, which is installed on the side wall of the vessel, to release excess pressure from the inner space during microwave cooking.

A device for microwave heating with inversion has a base and a cover defining a heating chamber. Both the base and the cover include a susceptor heatable by microwave energy and the cover includes an aperture to vent steam. With a food product in the heating chamber, the device is placed in a microwave oven resting on the base. During an initial heating period, the lower surface of the food product is browned or crisped due to conduction and steam escapes from the heating chamber via the aperture. After the initial heating period, the device in inverted and the food product comes into contact with the cover. The device is placed in the microwave oven resting on the cover during a secondary heating period in which the food product is heated further, and the upper surface of the food product is browned or crisped due to conduction.

A construct for heating a food product or other item is disclosed. The construct includes at least one wall that at least partially defines an interior of the construct, and which includes a susceptor structure. The susceptor structure includes a carrier layer, a reinforcing layer that includes a fibrous material, a susceptor disposed between the carrier layer and the reinforcing layer, and a support secured to the reinforcing layer.

Apparatuses and methods for releasing agents are described. In some examples, apparatuses may be provided for releasing a releasable agent in a microwave. The apparatus may have a capsule at least partially containing a phase change material and a releasable agent, wherein releasable agent is configured to be released from enclosure responsive to a phase change of the phase change material. The phase change may occur responsive to heating, which may be promoted using microwave energy in some examples.

A microwave oven is provided herein and includes a cavity. A first microwave supply system is configured to supply microwaves to a bottom of the cavity for energizing a crisp function. A second microwave supply system is configured to supply microwaves to the cavity for exciting cavity modes. A heating system is configured to provide a broiling function to the cavity. A control unit is configured to control the first microwave supply system, the second microwave supply system, and the heating system based on a mode of operation selected via a user interface.

A liner for a crisp plate includes ceramic nanoparticles and a polymer material combined with the ceramic nanoparticles to provide a mixture. A network of carbon nanotubes is embedded within the mixture to form a composite matrix, wherein the carbon nanotubes are unidirectionally aligned within the composite matrix.

Carriers suitable for transporting a plurality of articles through a microwave heating zone are provided. Carriers as described herein may include an outer frame and upper and lower support structures vertically spaced from one another to provide a cargo volume into which the articles are loaded. At least a portion of the upper and/or lower support structures may be formed of an electrically conductive material. Additionally, the carrier may include removable article spacing members, such as vertical spacing members and dividers, that can be selectively inserted to adjust the size and/or shaper of the cargo volume. Carriers as described herein may be configured to receive a variety of different articles, including trays and pouches, and the articles may be loaded into the carrier in a nested or overlapping manner.

A microwave packaging material for forming a construct for holding a food item. The microwave packaging material can include a film at least partially secured to a substrate by a pattern of adhesive. A plurality of closed cells can extend between the film and the substrate, each closed cell of the plurality of closed cells can be at least partially defined by the pattern of adhesive, and each of the closed cells can be configured to expand during heating to form respective expanded cells. The microwave packaging material further can include a bonded region extending along at least a portion of the microwave packaging material. The film can be secured to the substrate along the bonded region, and the bonded region can be for forming at least one recess among the expanded cells and can be for extending along the food item when the microwave packaging material is heated.

Some embodiments provide a microwaveable vessel that can quickly and evenly heat or cook different types of food. In some embodiments, the vessel includes a metallic body adapted to hold food or drinks. The outer portion of the body is coated with a layer of heat-generating glaze. In some embodiments, the vessel also includes a heat-resistant outer cover that covers the heat-generation layer. The vessel of some embodiments has a multi-layered structure with inner and outer shells that are joined together to form a cavity between the shells.

The present invention relates to a method for heating or cooking a frozen food product with a susceptor in a solid state microwave oven wherein the method comprises a first heating step at a low absorption frequency and a second heating step at a high absorption frequency.