Cross Reference to Related Applications

[0001 ] The present application claims the benefit of priority to the US Provisional

Patent Application of the same title that was filed on Oct. 5, 2012, having application serial no. 61/710,581, and is incorporated herein by reference.

Background of Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a food warming article, method and device and in particular to a method of maintaining the warmth of a plate of food after serving.

[0003] The use of pre-heated insert are known for institutional food service on

platters or in insulated cases for transporting food from the kitchen to the consumer. For example, US Pat. No. 2,598,995 issued to Graff on June 3, 1952 discloses a soapstone plate wrapped in metal as a heat storage medium. The heat storage media is disposed below the intended serving plate in an insulated carrier box.

[0004] US Pat. No. 3,019,783 issued Oct. 14, 1957 to Houghton teaches a pre-heated glass plate as a heat storage media in an assembly of a covered serving plate. The glass plate is covered at the edge by a metallic rim. The plate is inserted in a large tray, so that a serving plate with food set on the plate can be covered with a dome like lid.

[0005] US Pat. No. 3,148,676 issued to Troug et al. on Sept. 15, 1954 utilized a sealed metal honeycomb plate as the heat storage media, which can be filled with liquids that storage and release energy from the heat of fusion, such as crystalline wax material. Troug also disclose this heat storing plate being formed within and surrounded by a rimmed serving plate. A food serving plate is set within the rimmed serving plate having the sealed metal honeycomb plate integrated therein.

[0006] US Pat. No. 5,611,328 issued to McDermott on March 18, 1997 teaches a serving plate of plastic with a solid metal core that is capable of heating with induction coils.

[0007] US Pat. No. 4,982,722 issued to Wyatt on Jan. 8, 1991 teaches a heat storage media for warming food that utilizes a sealed plastic cavity with a meltable heat storage media.

[0008] However, none of the prior art appears to teach the objective of the invention, which is to provide a heat storage media in combination with a serving system that is compatible with restaurant service, where the heat storage media can be brought in contact with the serving plate at the time of food service, yet the heat storage media can be readily separated from the serving wear after use for re -heating to prepare it for use with another guest.

Summary of Invention

[0009] In the present invention, the first object is achieved by providing a food

service kit comprising a receiving plate having a central cavity, a planar food warming member having a rubber gasket covering at least the bottom and top edge surface thereof, and a serving plate,wherein the planar food warming member is adopted to reside within the central cavity on the receiving plate and the serving plate is adapted to rest above the planar food warming member.

[001 0] A second aspect of the invention is characterized in that the edge of the planar warming member is recessed for receiving a gripping tool.

[001 1 ] Another aspect of the invention is achieved by providing planar warming member having a rubber gasket covering at least the bottom and top edge surface thereof and includes a means for gripping and transporting the warming plate member with a tool when hot.

[001 2] The above and other objects, effects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of Drawings

[001 3] FIG. 1A is an expanded cross-sectional elevation view of a portion of the food warming member, whereas FIG. IB is a cross-sectional elevation of the entire food warming member. FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional elevation of the food warming member in FIG.'S 1A and IB inserted into a receiving plate that also contains a serving plate. FIG. ID is an exterior elevation view of the receiving and serving plate combination shown in FIG. 1C.

[001 4] FIG. 2A is an expanded cross-sectional elevation view of a portion of an alternative embodiment of the food warming member, whereas FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional elevation of the entire food warming member. FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional elevation of the food warming member in FIG.'S 2A and 2B inserted into a receiving plate that also contains a serving plate.

[001 5] FIG. 3A is an expanded cross-sectional elevation view of a portion of another alternative embodiment of the food warming member, whereas FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional elevation of the entire food warming member. FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional elevation of the food warming member in FIG.'S 3A and 3B inserted into a receiving plate that also contains a serving plate.

[001 6] FIG. 4A is an expanded cross-sectional elevation view of a portion of another alternative embodiment of the food warming member, whereas FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional elevation of the entire food warming member. FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional elevation of the food warming member in FIG.'S 4A and 4B inserted into a receiving plate that also contains a serving plate.

[001 7] FIG. 5A-C illustrate an assembled kit in which FIG. 5 A is a plan view from above the serving and receiving plate combination of the previous figures, FIG. 5B is a partial cut away exterior elevation view thereof, and FIG. 5C is a plan view from below the receiving plate. FIG. 6 A is an exterior elevation view of the first embodiment of a tool for manipulating the warming plate of FIG. 's 2-4. FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional elevation of a portion of a warming plate 116 having alternatively a grip receiving channel 114 or recessed knob 112.

FIG. 7 A and 7B are portions of cross-sectional elevations schematically illustrating additional embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 8 A is an expanded cross-sectional elevation view of a portion of the food warming member in another embodiment of the invention, whereas FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional elevation of the entire food warming member. FIG. 8C is a cross-sectional elevation of the food warming member in FIG.'S 8A and 8B inserted into a receiving plate that also contains a serving plate. FIG. 8D is an exterior elevation view of the receiving and serving plate combination shown in FIG. 8C.

FIG. 9 is an expanded cross-sectional elevation view of a portion of the food warming member in another embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 9, wherein like reference numerals refer to like components in the various views, there is illustrated therein a new and improved Food Warming Device, generally denominated 100 herein.

In accordance with the present invention, the food warming device 100 comprises a generally planar food warming member 110 that consists essentially of a heat storage disc 116 having at the periphery thereof elastic and resilient gasket member 105 that covers both the edge 116a and the adjacent periphery of the upper and lower surfaces 116b and 116c.

The food warming member 110 is received within a cavity 125 formed within a larger receiving plate 120. The height of the food warming member 116 is preferably at least slightly less than the depth of the cavity 125 so that at least a portion 126 of the gasket remains below the top the cavity 125. The bottom of the serving plate 130 preferably provides a second or lower cavity 135 on the bottom surface, below the lower rim 133, which receives this portion 126 of the gasket, such that serving plate 130 is preferably disposed to rest on at least one of the gasket member 105 and/or the warming plate 110.

In a method of use, the warming plate 110 is heated prior to insertion in the receiving plate 120; such that the decrease in temperature of the cooked food placed on the serving plate 130 will be minimized, as additional is heat received by radiation and upward convection from the hot warming plate 110.

In a more preferred embodiment shown in FIG.'S 2-5, the warming plate 116 has an inward facing cavity 106 on edge 116a. Likewise the gasket 105 in the embodiments shown in FIG. 2-5 conforms to the non-planar shape of edge 116 so that the inward facing cavity profile is replicated on the external surface 107 of the gasket 105. [0027] In the embodiments shown in FIG.'s 3A-C, heat storage disk 116 is preferably metal, so it can be heated in restaurant kitchen stoves or oven that are maintained at a very high temperature, as well as to provide durability. More preferably heat storage disk 116 comprises aluminum body having anodized aluminum upper 113a and lower surfaces 113b, which are primarily alumina or aluminum oxide. However, nothing precludes the heat storage disk form being a composite, such as a laminated or clad structure that includes metallic and non-metallic materials, as well as an outer encapsulating structure or honeycomb that contains phase change material, including materials that are liquid a elevated temperatures.

[0028] In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4A-C a metal mesh 108 is embedded into the upper surface of the metallic warming plate 116. The metal mesh is preferably copper, or alloy thereof to provide good heat transfer.

Alternatively, the metal mesh can be magnetic steel, preferably stainless steel, so the entire plate 110 can be heated with an induction burner range.

[0029] As the receiving and serving plate's are conventionally ceramic material, and hence good thermal insulators, in comparison to metal, heat from the warming plate 116 will be dissipated slowly as it is transferred by radiation and convection to these members, with the intent to reducing heat loss from cooked food resting on the top surface 136a of the serving plate 130.

[0030] However, as ceramic materials are also subject to thermal mechanical shock, the placement of gasket 105 on the edges of warming plate 116 helps preclude both of these occurrences by preventing direct thermal contact and mechanical impact of the harder metal plate 116, with either ceramic receiving or serving plate's 120 at 130 respectively. Precluding thermal and or mechanic shock allows the use of relatively thin ceramic serving plate 130, so that the transfer of heat to warm food is more rapid. The relatively small preferred thickness of circa 1 mm of gasket edge 105a and 105b above on at least the top and bottom portions of the warming plate 110 moderates such heat transfer to a functionally useful level for maintaining the warmth of the food of the serving plate 130, while also precludes thermal and mechanical shock, which in the latter case might occur absent the gasket 105 if the warming plate 116 were dropped into the cavity 125 from to higher height or otherwise without sufficient care. The gasket is preferably silicone or another high temperature resistant elastomeric material to avoid degradation during heating or storing at elevated temperature.

The edge cavity 106 shown in FIG.' s 2-5 allows for the grasping and asportation of heated warming plates 110 with a range of special tools, such as a 3 prong gripping tool 600 illustrated in FIG. 6A. It should also be appreciated that the warming plate 116 can have additional features below the planar surface (illustrated in FIG. 6B) that allow grasping and manipulation with the other types of tools, such as a surface penetrating lateral channel 114 for receiving prongs and/or a recessed knob 112 for picking up with a pliers and the like.

It may be appreciated that when a circular receiving plate 120 holds a serving plate 130 in the center thereof, the receiving plate is typically known as a "charger" in the restaurant trade. However the receiving plate 120 can have a range of sizes and shapes so as to be useful as a platter component for either food preparation and/or serving, that is such as the cutting or carving of warm cooked meat, fowl or roasts on a corresponding serving plate 130 providing an oversize plate as a serving or carving platter. In such a case of the receiving plate and the serving plate can be rectangular, oblong or elliptical and the like.

Further, at least one of the serving and receiving plate is optionally formed of glass as well as class ceramic materials, in addition to any conventional ceramics used in serving wear.

In a kit consisting of the receiving plate 120, serving plate 120 and planar food warming member 120 it is preferable that the cavity in the serving plate 120 have sufficient width and height relative to the warming member to provide an annular sub-cavity region (701 in FIG. 7A) after insertion of the warming member 110, as illustrated in FIG. 7A and 7B. The sub-cavity is adopted for receiving the annular lower base of the serving plate 120 so that the bottom rests on the gasket member 105. When the warming member is shorter than the depth of the cavity, the sub-cavity (702 in FIG. 7B) has an inverted U-shape. In either case, the serving plate will be centered in the receiving plate without a substantial gap so that heat is efficiently transferred to the serving plate to the arming plate, without heating the edge of the receiving plate.

[0035] In another embodiment of the kit consisting of the receiving plate 120, serving plate 120 and planar food warming member 120, illustrated in FIG. 8A-D, the food warming member 110 is received within a deeper cavity 125 formed within a larger receiving plate 120. The height of the food warming member 110, which is the core 116 and the gasket 105 is greater than the depth of the cavity 125 so that at least a portion 826 of the gasket 105 remains above top the cavity 125.

[0036] The bottom of the serving plate 130 preferably provides a second or lower cavity 135 on the bottom surface, below the lower rim 133, which receives this portion 826 of the gasket and warming plate 110, such that serving plate 130 is preferably disposed to rest on at least one of the gasket member 105 and/or the warming plate 110.

[0037] More preferably, it is possible to provide a gasket 105 that is thicker at the bottom 105b than the thinner portion at the top 105a at upper surface of plate 116, so that the top of the warming plate 110 is closer to the bottom of the serving plate 130 to facilitate upward heat transfer to food while at the same time minimize heat loss to the receiving plate 120.

[0038] In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the serving plate 130 has a footing or bottom rim 133 spaced away from the bottom, so that the cavity there between fully accommodate the portion of the warming plate 110 that extends above horizontal annular ledge 123 that support the rim 133.

The gasket 105 can also be continuous or semi-continuous on the lower surface, providing further thermal insulation from the receiving plate 120, and thus more highly favor heat transfer to the foodstuff on the serving plate 130.

To the extent that the gasket 105 is non-symmetrical with respect to a center line that bisects the warming plate 110 within a plane parallel to the face thereof, it is preferable that the warming plate have indicia to indicate which side should face up to provide more efficient heating the serving plate 130. Such indicia can be the mesh embedded in the upper surface, a gripping means on the upper surface, markers on the upper surface, or markers on the gasket 105, as well as the gasket 105 being provided as a gasket on a single side or two differently appearing gaskets on opposing sides.

In FIG. 8A and 9A, the cavity in the receiving plate 120 has a lower portion 127 for receiving and centering the heat storage plate 110 followed by an inverted frusto-conical annulus 124 or other wide ledge that allows a tool to be inserted when plate 110 is held at the edge exterior groove 107. The frusto- conical annulus 124 is in turn surrounded by the horizontal annular ledge 123. The inverted frusto-conical annulus 124 aids in sliding a slightly misplaced heat storage or warming plate into the bottom of the cavity of the receiving plate for centering therein.

While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.