Apparatus and method for maintaining cooked food in a ready-to-serve condition using a freestanding cover for food trays

• US 20030118706A1
• Filed: 12/02/2002
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prince Castle LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Prince Castle LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Veltrop, Loren J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,878,391 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/418
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/2483 with electrical heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 39/02 Dish-warmers; Devices to keep food hot

Abstract

A freestanding cover for a food tray has a flange section and a support section extending downwardly from the flange section. The support section supports the cover independently of the tray, with the flange section positioned above the tray opening. The freestanding cover is inserted into a heated compartment in a food warming cabinet and is supported on a retaining mechanism positioned on the shelf of the food warming cabinet. The retaining mechanism, in the form of a wire rack, prevents the cover from moving forward or backward. With the cover retained by the wire rack, a tray containing previously cooked food portions may be inserted into and removed from a receiving space in the cover, leaving the cover inside of the compartment.

Claims

1. A food warming apparatus for maintaining previously cooked food portions in a ready to use condition, said food warming apparatus comprising in combination:

a cabinet having a heated compartment therein and further having at least an open front side providing access to said heated compartment, said heated compartment having an upper compartment surface and a lower compartment surface; and

a covered tray disposed in said heated compartment, said covered tray comprising;

a tray for holding said previously cooked food portions, said tray having a tray lip defining a tray opening, and

a freestanding cover having a flange section and a support section, said support section supporting said cover independently of said tray, such that at least a portion of said flange section is positioned above said tray opening.

2. The food warming apparatus of claim 1, wherein said flange section blocks at least a portion of said tray opening so as to restrict evaporation of liquid from said previously cooked food portions when said previously cooked food items are held in said tray.

3. The food warming apparatus of claim 2, wherein said flange section has a flange surface, said flange surface being substantially flush with said tray lip.

4. The food warming apparatus of claim 3, wherein said flange section has a raised section extending upwardly from said flange surface, said raised section defining an upper space above said flange surface.

5. The food warming apparatus of claim 4, wherein said flange surface encircles said raised section.

6. The food warming apparatus of claim 4, wherein said flange section has an uppermost surface defined by at least one protrusion formed in said raised section, said at least one protrusion contacting said upper compartment surface.

7. The food warming apparatus of claim 1, wherein said support section comprises a left bent section connected to said flange section and a right bent section connected to said flange section.

8. The food warming apparatus of claim 7, wherein said left and right bent sections defining a receiving space therebetween.

9. The food warming apparatus of claim 7, wherein first and second left support legs each extends downwardly from the left bent section to terminate at left terminal edges, and first and second right support legs each extend downwardly from said right bent section to terminate at right terminal edges.

10. The food warming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flange section includes a front lip and a rear lip, the rear lip being opposite the front lip.

11. The food warming apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a retaining mechanism positioned on the lower compartment surface for retaining the covered tray within the compartment.

12. The food warming apparatus of claim 11, wherein the retaining mechanism comprises a wire rack that includes a rectangular frame and a plurality of channel members spaced equally along the frame from one another and extending transversely from one end of the frame to the opposite end of the frame.

13. The food warming apparatus of claim 12, wherein the channel members define cavities within the rack for accommodating covered trays.

14. The food warming apparatus of claim 12, wherein each channel member includes a front edge, a rear edge, and two side members extending therebetween, the channel member defining a channel in which support edges of a cover may be accommodated.

15. A method for maintaining previously cooked food portions in a ready to use condition in a food warming apparatus comprising a cabinet having a heated compartment which has an upper compartment surface and a lower compartment surface, said method comprising the steps of:

placing said previously cooked food portions in a tray, said tray having a tray lip defining a tray opening; and

inserting said tray into a receiving space defined by a freestanding cover, said cover being disposed in said heated compartment, said cover having a flange section and a support section extending downwardly from said flange section, said support section substantially defining said receiving space, at least a portion of said flange section being positioned above said receiving space.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

positioning said tray in said receiving space such that said flange section blocks said tray opening to restrict evaporation of liquid from said previously cooked food portions.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said flange section has a flange surface, and wherein said step of positioning said tray in said receiving space includes the step of positioning said tray lip to be substantially flush with said flange surface.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said cover defines a front opening providing access to said receiving space, and wherein said step of inserting said tray into said receiving space includes the step of inserting said tray into said receiving space through said front opening.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said cover defines a rear opening providing access to said receiving space, and wherein said step of inserting said tray into said receiving space includes the step of inserting said tray into said receiving space through said rear opening.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of removing said tray from said receiving space through said front opening.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of removing said tray from said receiving space through said rear opening.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of inserting a wire rack into said compartment and placing it on the lower compartment surface.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of inserting said cover into said compartment and into engagement with the wire rack.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the wire rack includes a rectangular frame and a plurality of channel members spaced equally along the frame from one another and extending transversely from one end of the frame to the opposite end of the frame, wherein the support section of the cover includes a plurality of support legs, and wherein the step of inserting said cover into said compartment and into engagement with the wire rack includes placing the support legs of the cover into the channel members of the wire rack and supporting the legs on the rectangular frame of the wire rack.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the channel members define cavities within the wire rack for accommodating trays, and wherein the step of inserting the tray into the receiving space includes placing the tray into a cavity defined by the channel members.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the rectangular frame of the wire rack includes at least one front frame member, and wherein the step of inserting the tray into the receiving space includes sliding the tray over the front frame member.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of inserting the tray into the receiving space includes providing a tactile indication that the tray has been placed within the cavity.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of providing a tactile indication includes sliding the tray over the wire rack and moving the tray downwardly into the cavity.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the cover includes a front lip and a rear lip, and further comprising engaging the front lip and the rear lip of the cover with the tray opening, thereby providing a seal to restrict the evaporation of liquid from said previously cooked food portions.