Apparatus and Method for Maintaining Cooked Food in a Ready-to-use Condition

• US 20080302778A1
• Filed: 06/08/2007
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marmon Foodservice Technologies Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Prince Castle LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Guasta, Jack, Veltrop, Loren J., Hartfelder, Charles, Schroeder, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 7,858,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/385
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 39/006 for either storing and preparing or for preparing food on serving trays, e.g. heating, thawing, preserving

Abstract

A food warming apparatus includes a heating compartment that can hold one or more trays containing previously cooked food portions. A rack in the heating compartment includes a support member, a channel, and a stop that blocks the front end of the channel. A cover that includes a horizontal section and a vertical section is mounted on the support such that the horizontal section is supported on one side by the support member and on the other side by the vertical section, which is positioned in the channel behind the stop. When a tray is inserted into the receiving space defined by the cover and support member, the cover is lifted up so that the horizontal section rests on the tray and at least partially blocks the open top of the tray, thereby restricting evaporation of liquids from the previously cooked food portions contained in the tray.

Claims

1. A food warming apparatus for maintaining previously cooked food portions contained in at least one tray in a ready-to-use condition, said at least one tray having a lip defining a tray opening, said food warming apparatus comprising:

a cabinet having at least one heating compartment therein;

at least one support member disposed in said at least one heating compartment; and

at least one cover removably mounted on said at least one support member, said at least one cover having a horizontal section and a vertical section extending downwardly from said horizontal section, said horizontal section being supported on a first side by said vertical section and being supported on a second side by said at least one support member,

said at least one cover and at least one support member cooperatively defining at least one receiving space for receiving said at least one tray.

2. The food warming apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one cover is movable between a first position, in which said horizontal section rests on said at least one support member, and a second position, in which said horizontal section rests on said lip of said at least one tray.

3. The food warming apparatus of claim 2, wherein in said second position, said horizontal section of said at least one cover at least partially blocks said tray opening so as to restrict evaporation of liquid from said previously cooked food portions contained in said at least one tray.

4. The food warming apparatus of claim 3, wherein said at least one cover is configured to move from said first position to said second position when said at least one tray is inserted into said at least one receiving space, and wherein said at least one cover is configured to move from said second position to said first position when said at least one tray is removed.

5. The food warming apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

at least one stop that retains said at least one cover in said at least one heating compartment when said at least one tray is removed.

6. The food warming apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a plurality of channel members defining a channel in which said vertical section is disposed, said channel having a front end and a back end.

7. The food warming apparatus of claim 6, wherein said at least one stop blocks at least said front end of said channel.

8. The food warming apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a frame disposed in said at least one heating compartment, said at least one support member extending upwardly from said frame.

9. The food warming apparatus of claim 8, wherein said at least one support member comprises a bracket extending between a front of said frame and a back of said frame.

10. The food warming apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one cover comprises a first cover and a second cover, and wherein said at least support member comprises a first support member supporting a first horizontal section of said first cover and a second support member supporting a second horizontal section of said second cover.

11. The food warming apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a plurality of channel members defining a first channel and a second channel between said first and second support members, a first vertical section of said first cover being disposed in said first channel and a second vertical section of said second cover being disposed in said second channel.

12. The food warming apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one cover is metal.

13. The food warming apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one heater plate for heating said at least one heating compartment.

14. A method for covering a tray in a food warming apparatus, said food warming apparatus including a heating compartment, said tray having a lip defining a tray opening, said method comprising:

providing a support that fits into said heating compartment, said support including a support member;

providing a cover for said tray, said cover having a horizontal section and a vertical section extending downwardly from said horizontal section;

mounting said cover on said support such that said horizontal section is supported on a first side said by said vertical section and is supported on a second side by said support member;

inserting said support with said cover mounted thereon into said heating compartment; and

inserting said tray into a receiving space cooperatively defined by said cover and said support until said horizontal section of said cover rests on said lip of said tray and at least partially blocks said tray opening.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said support includes a frame, and wherein inserting said support with said cover mounted thereon into said heating compartment comprises:

mounting said frame in said heating compartment so that said support member extends upwardly from said frame.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said support defines a channel for receiving said vertical section of said cover, and wherein mounting said cover on said support comprises:

fitting said vertical section into said channel.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said support includes a stop that blocks at least one end of said channel, and wherein fitting said vertical section into said channel comprises:

positioning said vertical section behind said stop.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising withdrawing said tray from said heating compartment such that said stop prevents said cover from being withdrawn from said heating compartment as said tray is being withdrawn.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein withdrawing said tray from said heating compartment comprises lowering said horizontal section of said cover onto said support member.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein inserting said tray into a receiving space cooperatively defined by said cover and said support comprises:

lifting said horizontal section of said cover off of said support member.