PRIORITY CLAIM

This application claims the benefit of the filing date of United States Provisional Patent Application Serial Number 61/510,925, filed July 22, 201 1, for "DISH FOR WARMING DEVICE."

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to dishes for containing food items, and, more particularly, to dishes that may sit atop a warming device for warming food within the dishes, and to assemblies that include such a warming device and dish.

BACKGROUND

Candle warmers have become popular in recent years. A candle warmer is a warming device (e.g. electric plate or the like) that melts a candle or scented wax to release its scent. Candle warmers provide many of the benefits of scented candles, but without the need for an open flame. Candle warmers are used with jar candles or candles in cups or other containers that can hold the melted wax. Use of a candle warmer avoids the open flame and soot that can result from the actual burning of scented candles. When a scented candle (having a wick) is used with a candle warmer, the later-cooled and solidified candle can also be burned in the normal manner. On the other hand, so-called "wickless" candles have also been developed for use with candle warmers. A wickless candle is a quantity of scented candle wax in a container (e.g. a glass jar or other package) with no wick. These are designed to be placed on a candle warmer to release the scent, but unlike true candles, cannot be burned in the normal manner otherwise.

There are a variety of types of candle warmers. Some involve a simple electrically-heated plate, upon which ajar candle (wickless or otherwise) is placed. On the other hand, decorative candle warmers that use an electric light bulb as a heat source have also been developed. Electric bulb-type candle warmers provide heat for melting the wax of the scented candle, and because of the light bulb can also provide a desired candle-type ambiance, without the need for a flame. Some candle warmers of this type provide an open-top decorative base, made of ceramic or other decorative material, with a container or dish specially designed to sit atop the base and hold the scented wax. The electric light bulb is contained within the base, and sits just below the dish, thus heating it, while some quantity of light may shine through holes or openings in the side of the base, for the desired ambiance.

This sort of configuration is desirable in part because of the way that candle warmers and related supplies are sold. Candle warmers and related products are often marketed specifically through multi-level marketing organizations, and are frequently sold via parties or group demonstrations in private homes. These candle warmer parties are social events that can become somewhat elaborate, involving food, music, and other elements along with the candles and warming devices that provide the ambiance for the event. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It has been recognized that it would be advantageous to develop other uses for flameless candle warmers.

It has also been recognized that private marketing events for candle warmers and related products can benefit from the introduction of food-related uses for candle warmer products.

In some embodiments, the present invention includes a warming dish for use with a flameless warming device. The warming dish includes a main body and a heat spreader. The main body includes a base portion and side walls integral with and upwardly extending from the base portion. The base portion is sized and configured to rest upon a base of a flameless warming device, and the side walls and the base portion together define an interior volume of the warming dish for containing a volume of liquid. The main body of the dish comprises a material that exhibits a relatively low thermal conductivity, and the heat spreader comprises a material that exhibits a relatively high thermal conductivity. The heat spreader is in direct physical contact with the base portion of the main body such that thermal energy generated by a base of a flameless warming device is transmitted by the heat spreader to the base portion of the main body to regulate and moderate a temperature of the base portion during use. In additional embodiments, the present invention includes a flameless warming device that comprises a decorative base including at least one of an incandescent light bulb and a heating element for generating thermal energy; and a warming dish configured to rest atop the decorative base. The warming dish is removable from the decorative base, and includes a main body and a heat spreader. The main body includes a base portion and side walls integral with and upwardly extending from the base portion. The base portion is sized and configured to rest upon a base of a flameless warming device, and the side walls and the base portion together define an interior volume of the warming dish for containing a volume of liquid. The main body of the dish comprises a material that exhibits a relatively low thermal conductivity, and the heat spreader comprises a material that exhibits a relatively high thermal conductivity. The heat spreader is in direct physical contact with the base portion of the main body such that thermal energy generated by a base of a flameless warming device is transmitted by the heat spreader to the base portion of the main body to regulate and moderate a temperature of the base portion during use.

In yet further embodiments, the present invention includes methods of manufacturing such warming dishes and flameless warming devices. For example, a main body of a warming dish may be formed that includes a base portion and side walls integral with and upwardly extending from the base portion. The base portion may be sized and configured to rest upon a base of a flameless warming device. The side walls and the base portion together may define an interior volume of the warming dish for containing a volume of liquid. The main body may comprise a material selected to exhibit a relatively low thermal conductivity. A heat spreader comprising a material exhibiting a relatively high thermal conductivity may be provided in direct physical contact with the base portion of the main body such that thermal energy generated by a base of a flameless warming device is transmitted by the heat spreader to the base portion of the main body to regulate and moderate a temperature of the base portion during use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description which follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which together illustrate, by way of example, features of the invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of flameless warming device includes a warming dish resting upon a decorative base configured to heat the warming dish and food or other matter contained therein in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the warmer dish of the flameless warming device of

FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the warming dish of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the warming dish of FIGS. 2 and 3; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a warming dish for use with a flameless warming device in accordance with the present disclosure, similar to the warming dishes shown in FIG. 1 and FIGS. 2 through 4.

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The illustrations presented herein are not meant to be actual views of any particular warmer dish, warmer device, or components thereof, but are merely idealized representations that are employed to describe certain disclosed

embodiments. Thus, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and relative dimensions may have been exaggerated for the sake of clarity or simplicity.

Additionally, elements common between figures may retain the same or similar numerical designation.

Electric flameless candle warmers typically include a decorative base having an open top, and an incandescent light bulb (e.g., a 25 W light bulb) contained within the base. The incandescent light bulb is used both to generate light and to generate heat. The light generated by the incandescent light bulb is permeated out through apertures formed in the base or through at least partially transparent sidewalls provided on the base to provide a desirable ambiance. The heat generated by the incandescent light bulb is used to warm scented wax provided in a warming dish configured to rest upon and over the open top of the decorative base. Such warming bases are referred to herein as "incandescent warming bases." In additional embodiments, one or more light-emitting diodes (LED's) may be provided within the decorative base and used to generate light, and a separate warming device, such as a resistive heating element, also may be provided within the decorative base and used to generate heat for warming the warming dish. Such warming bases are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2012/0024837 Al, which published February 2, 2012 in the name of Thompson, and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 13/160,842, which was filed June 15, 2011 in the name of Juarez, each of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference. Such warming devices are referred to herein as "LED warming bases."

An electrical cord may be provided for connecting the warming device to an electrical power source, and a switch may be provided to allow a user to turn the warming device on and off. The decorative base may be made of a variety of materials and have a variety of shapes and configurations. For example, such devices are often generally rectangular in shape and made of ceramic. On the other hand, bulb-type candle warmers can have many different shapes, such as circular, and can be made of a variety of different materials in addition to ceramic.

The open top of the decorative base of a flameless candle warmer may be configured with features that are complementary to features of a warming dish configured to rest thereon, in which scented wax can be melted by the heat of the incandescent light bulb or other heating element contained within the decorative base. For example, the warming dish may include a ridge or recess sized and configured to mate with a complementary recess or ridge, respectively, at an upper end of the base, thereby holding the warming dish in a relatively stable position in close proximity to the incandescent bulb or other heating element.

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, assemblies that include a warming device and a warming dish configured to rest upon the warming device, like those previously known for use as flameless candle warmers, may be used to heat food products, such as chocolate, cheese and other sauces, etc. Thus, in some embodiments, a flameless candle warmer may be used for fondue-type foods.

In some embodiments, the assemblies may be configured to heat food within the warming dish to temperatures that are more desirable for foods. Previously known candle warmers typically warm scented wax in the warming dish to a temperature in a range extending from about 73.9° C (165° F) to about 93.3° C (200° F). In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, the assemblies may be configured to heat food within the warming dish to temperatures of about 80° C (175° F) or less, as discussed in further detail below.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an flameless warming device 100 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, which includes a decorative base 102 and a warming dish 104 configured to rest upon the decorative base 102. In some embodiments, the decorative base 102 may comprise an incandescent warming base as described above in relation to decorative bases for flameless candle warming devices. Thus, in such embodiments, the decorative base 102 may include an Edison-type light bulb socket configured to receive an incandescent light bulb therein, which may be used both to generate light and to generate heat for warming the warming dish 104 and any food contained therein.

In additional embodiments, the decorative base 102 may comprise an LED warming base, such as those disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Patent

Application Publication No. US 2012/0024837 Al and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 13/160,842, which have been previously incorporated by reference.

Thus, in such embodiments, the decorative base 102 may include one or more light-emitting diodes (LED's) for generating light, and a separate warming device, such as a resistive heating element, for heating the warming dish and any food contained therein.

In some embodiments, the warming dish 104 may differ from warming dishes previously used with typical flameless candle warmers, and may have particular thermal properties desirable for heating food within the warming dish 104.

FIGS. 2 through 4 illustrate different views of the warming dish 104 of

FIG. 1, separate from the decorative base 102. As shown in FIGS. 2 through 4, the warming dish 104 comprises a base portion with integral, upwardly oriented side walls enclosing an interior volume suitable for containing a volume of liquid. The bottom side of the base includes a ridge, configured to allow the warming dish 104 to rest securely atop the candle warmer device in close proximity to the electric bulb. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the bottom side of the warming dish 104 includes a ridge defining a generally square shape, which nests inside the top edge of the candle wanner base 102. This ridge is best viewed in FIGs. 3 and 4. It will be apparent that dishes of other shapes can also be used. For example, while the warming dish 104 shown in the figures is generally square in the horizontal dimension, suitable dishes can be provided for candle warmers of other shapes (e.g. circular, hexagonal, etc.).

The warming dish 104 may have a main body 106 defining at least the food-contacting surfaces of the warming dish 104. The main body 106 of the warming dish 104 may comprise a material suitable for use with food products, which material may exhibit a relatively low thermal conductivity. For example, the material of the main body 106 may exhibit a thermal conductivity in a range extending from about 0.12 W/mK to about 0.40 W/mK (at room temperature). In one particular embodiment, the main body 106 of the warming dish 104 may comprise a polymer, such as silicone (e.g., a food grade silicone). Various suitable silicone materials are commercially available, and may be injection molded or otherwise formed into any desirable shape, and may have any desirable color. Other materials that have suitable thermal properties may also be used. The warming dish 104 may also be provided with a variety of decorative features, as desired.

Advantageously, food grade silicone is flexible and resistant to both high and low temperatures. For example, food grade silicone materials may be suitable for use throughout a temperature range extending from about -23.3° C (- 10.0° F) to as high as 260° C (500° F). In embodiments in which the warming dish 104 is flexible, the warming dish 104 may be resistant to breaking if dropped, and may not be damaged by long-term proximity to a heat source, such as an incandescent light bulb or another type of heating element.

A heat spreader 108, such as a generally planar plate-like structure, may be disposed within or on a base portion 1 10 of the warming dish 104. The heat spreader 108 may comprise a material that exhibits a relatively high thermal conductivity, such as about 100 W/mK or more, about 200 W/mK or more, or even about 250 W/mK or more (at room temperature). As a non-limiting example, the heat spreader 108 may comprise a metal or metal alloy, such as aluminum. In some embodiments, the heat spreader 108 may be encased within the base portion 1 10 of the warming dish 104. This can be accomplished by injection molding the warming dish 104 material around the heat spreader 108. In this configuration, a layer of the material of the main body 106 (e.g., silicone) having a thickness of about 0.38 cm (0.15 inch) may be provided above the heat spreader 108, and a layer of the material of the main body 106 (e.g., silicone) having a thickness of about 0.20 cm (0.08 inch) may be provided below the heat spreader 108. While the metal heat spreader 108 is embedded or encased within the base portion 1 10 of the wanning dish 104 in the illustrated embodiments, other configurations also may be used. For example, a metal heat spreader 108 may be attached to an exposed lower surface of the base portion 1 10 of the warming dish 104, or a heat spreader 108 may be attached to an exposed upper surface of the base portion 1 10 of the warming dish 104 within the volume of the warming dish 104 that holds the food product, such that an exposed surface of the heat spreader 108 defines a food-contacting surface of the warming dish 104.

As a non-limiting example embodiment, the metal heat spreader 108 comprises a generally planar aluminum plate having an average thickness of approximately 0.33 cm (0.13 inch), a length of about 5.08 cm (2 inches), and a width of about 5.08 cm (2 inches), and is positioned approximately at a center of the base portion 1 10 of the warming dish 104. The interior food-contacting lower surface of the warming dish 104 may have a length and width, each of which may be about 8.26 cm (3.25 inches), thus leaving a border region about 1.588 cm (0.625 inch) wide extending around a perimeter of the metal heat spreader 108. Thus, the metal heat spreader 108 is not disposed directly below this border region. It is to be appreciated that this is only one possible configuration for the metal heat spreader 108. Other metals and other shapes and sizes can also be used.

The metal heat spreader 108 in the base portion 1 10 of the warming dish 104 may allow thermal energy from the incandescent bulb or other heating element within the decorative base 102 to be transmitted by the heat spreader 108 to the material of the main body 106 of the warming dish 104, which may exhibit a relatively lower thermal conductivity. This may regulate and moderate a temperature of the warming dish 104 during use. Previously known warming dishes for use with flameless candle warmers are frequently made of ceramic porcelain or other material. Such materials may exhibit thermal conductivities between those of metal and those of many dielectric polymers, such as silicone. As previously mentioned, typical flameless candle warmers may heat scented wax therein to a temperature in the range extending from about 73.9° C (165° F) to about 93.3° C (200° F). Such temperatures may be too high for melting chocolate, cheese, or other sauces. At such high temperatures, these types of foods may decompose or degrade in a manner affecting the consistency and/or flavor of the foods. For example chocolate may begin to scald at about 70° C (158° F), which is why chocolate is often melted using indirect heat (e.g., using a double boiler configuration).

Advantageously, a warming dish 104 that comprises both a heat spreader 108 that exhibits relatively high thermal conductivity and a main body 106 that exhibits a relatively low thermal conductivity may regulate and moderate a temperature of the warming dish 104 and any food therein to maintain a lower peak and/or steady-state temperature. In testing, a warming dish 104 as disclosed herein was placed above a 25 watt incandescent light bulb for 45 minutes. During this time of heating, an infrared thermometer was used to measure the temperature of the interior exposed lower surface of the warming dish 104 (the surface which would contact the food product) at the center of the warming dish 104 (above the metal heat spreader 108), approximately designated point A in FIG. 3, and in the perimeter region slightly away from the metal heat spreader 108, at a point approximately designated point B in FIG. 3. The following temperature readings were found:

This temperature data shows that the low thermal conductivity material of the main body 106 of the warming dish 104 maintains the overall temperature relatively low and stable. As can be seen, the warming dish 104 reached a maximum temperature of about 80° C (175° F) in a region adjacent to the heat spreader 108, and a maximum temperature of about 66° C (150° F) in a region away from the heat spreader 108. These become relatively steady state temperatures, allowing the wanning dish 104 to function well for chocolate, cheese, sauces, fondue -type foods, etc.

The warming dish 104 shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 is generally square in shape. In other embodiments warming dishes according to embodiments of the present invention may have any shape configured to rest upon a decorative base 102 of a flameless warming device 100. For example, FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of a warming dish 104' of the present invention that has a generally rectangular shape. Any other shapes may also be employed.

Warming dishes 104, 104' disclosed herein can be provided as part of a candle and food warming system. For example, in additional embodiments, a candle and food warming system may include a flameless warming device 100 like that previously described, which includes a decorative base 102 and a warming dish 104 for warming food above the decorative base 102, but further including one or more additional warming dishes for heating scented wax. Such an additional warming dish may have a size and shape similar to that of the warming dish 104 so as to be usable with the same decorative base 102, but may comprise porcelain or other ceramic material. In additional embodiments, a warming dish 104 for warming food as described herein may be manufactured and sold as an accessory for use with conventional flameless candle warmers. The warming dish 104 may provide a useful accessory that allows a flameless candle warmer to also be used for heating foods. This provides additional utility to conventional flameless candle warmers and provides an additional device for use in social gatherings.

Additional non-limiting example embodiments are set forth below.

Embodiment 1 : A wanning dish for use with a flameless warming device, comprising: a main body including a base portion and side walls integral with and upwardly extending from the base portion, the base portion sized and configured to rest upon a base of a flameless warming device, the side walls and the base portion together defining an interior volume of the warming dish for containing a volume of liquid, the main body comprising a material exhibiting a relatively low thermal conductivity; and a heat spreader comprising a material exhibiting a relatively high thermal conductivity in direct physical contact with the base portion of the main body such that thermal energy generated by a base of a flameless wanning device is transmitted by the heat spreader to the base portion of the main body to regulate and moderate a temperature of the base portion during use.

Embodiment 2: The warming dish of Embodiment 1 , wherein the material of the main body exhibits a thermal conductivity in a range extending from about 0.12 W/mK to about 0.4 W/m .

Embodiment 3: The warming dish of Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, wherein the material of the main body comprises a polymer.

Embodiment 4: The warming dish of Embodiment 3, wherein the polymer comprises a flexible polymer.

Embodiment 5: The warming dish of Embodiment 3 or Embodiment 4, wherein the polymer comprises silicone.

Embodiment 6: The warming dish of Embodiment 5, wherein the silicone comprises food grade silicone.

Embodiment 7: The warming dish of any one of Embodiments 1 through 6, wherein the material of the heat spreader exhibits a thermal conductivity of at least about 100 W/mK.

Embodiment 8: The warming dish of Embodiment 7, wherein the material of the heat spreader exhibits a thermal conductivity of at least about 200 W/mK.

Embodiment 9: The warming dish of Embodiment 8, wherein the material of the heat spreader exhibits a thermal conductivity of at least about 250 W/mK.

Embodiment 10: The warming dish of any one of Embodiments 1 through 9, wherein the heat spreader comprises a metal or metal alloy.

Embodiment 1 1 : The warming dish of Embodiment 10, wherein the metal or metal alloy comprises aluminum.

Embodiment 12: The warming dish of any one of Embodiments 1 through 1 1, wherein the heat spreader comprises a generally planar plate.

Embodiment 13: The warming dish of any one of Embodiments 1 through 12, wherein the heat spreader is embedded within the base portion of the main body.

Embodiment 14: The warming dish of any one of Embodiments 1 through 13, wherein a first layer of the material of the main body having a thickness of about 0.38 cm (0.15 inch) extends above the plate, and a second layer of the material of the main body having a thickness of about 0.20 cm (0.08 inch) extends below the plate.

Embodiment 15: The warming dish of any one of Embodiments 1 through 14, wherein the base portion of the main body is configured to reach a maximum temperature of about 80° C (175° F) or less in a central region of the base portion over the heat spreader, and to reach a maximum temperature of about 66° C (150° F) or less in a peripheral region of the base portion.

Embodiment 16: A flameless warming device, comprising: a decorative base including at least one of an incandescent light bulb and a heating element for generating thermal energy; and a warming dish as recited in any one of

Embodiments 1 through 15, the warming dish configured to rest atop the decorative base, the warming dish being removable from the decorative base.

Embodiment 17: A method of manufacturing a warming dish for use with a flameless warming device, the method comprising: forming a main body including a base portion and side walls integral with and upwardly extending from the base portion and sizing and configuring the base portion to rest upon a base of a flameless warming device, the side walls and the base portion together defining an interior volume of the warming dish for containing a volume of liquid, the main body comprising a material exhibiting a relatively low thermal conductivity; and providing a heat spreader comprising a material exhibiting a relatively high thermal conductivity in direct physical contact with the base portion of the main body such that thermal energy generated by a base of a flameless warming device is transmitted by the heat spreader to the base portion of the main body to regulate and moderate a temperature of the base portion during use.

Embodiment 18: The method of Embodiment 17, wherein forming the min body comprises injection molding the main body at least partially around the heat spreader.

Embodiment 19: The method of Embodiment 18, further comprising:

selecting the material of the main body to comprise silicone; and

selecting the material of the heat spreader to comprise metal.

Embodiment 20: The method of Embodiment 19, further comprising selecting the metal to comprise aluminum. It is to be understood that the particular embodiments described herein are only illustrative of the various embodiments of the present invention, which is defined by the claims set forth below. Numerous modifications and alternative arrangements in form, usage, and details of implementation can be devised without the exercise of inventive faculty, and without departing from the principles, concepts, and scope of the invention as defined by the claims below.