Food serving system

• US 4,093,041 A
• Filed: 04/19/1976
• Issued: 06/06/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sweethart Cup Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sweetheart Plastics Incorporated
• Inventors: Schneider, David, Davis, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Halvosa, George E. A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Application Number:
  US05/677,972
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 186/1 D, 186/1 R, 186/28, 126/268, 126/261, 126/246, 219/386, 219/387, 219/214, 296/22, 206/72, 206/562, 206/563, 206/564, 220/23.8, 220/20, 220/21
• US Class Current: 186/45
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2031/026 having warm and cold compartments
• 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 serving system for delivering prepared meals to locations remote from the point of preparation which includes a mobile cart having its own low voltage rechargeable power pack that may be utilized to make the cart self powered. The cart has a tier of shelves for carrying removable, generally flat, individual, food serving trays. Each shelf is provided with one or more thermally isolated heat transfer devices which may be energized when a tray is placed on the shelf in the cart. The heat transfer devices are intended to maintain the food in selected dishes and bowls at the desired serving temperature for extended periods without affecting the temperature of the foods and beverages in other dishes, bowls and cups on the trays, so that the food remains at the proper serving temperature. In one embodiment the trays have holes at selected locations which allow the dishes directly to engage the heat transfer devices, while in another embodiment the trays have plates of high thermal conductivity, which support the dishes and engage the heat transfer devices.

Claims

1. A food serving system comprising

a mobile cart constructed and arranged to be rolled about the floor of an institution such as a hospital.

a low voltage rechargeable power pack on the cart,

an array of racks for food serving trays arranged in the cart,

a plurality of substantially identical food serving trays constructed and arranged to fit on and be removed from the racks,

at least one localized food container supporting area in each tray for orienting a container in a prescribed position on the trays,

electric heaters fixed to the cart and positioned to be in heat exchange relation with containers on the food container supporting areas on the trays when the trays are on the racks,

and an opening in each tray at the container supporting area for enabling the container on the area to directly engage the heater.

2. A food serving system comprising

a mobile cart constructed and arranged to be rolled about the floor of an institution such as a hospital,

a low voltage rechargeable power pack on the cart,

an array of racks for food serving trays arranged in the cart,

a plurality of substantially identical food serving trays constructed and arranged to fit on and be removed from the racks,

at least one localized food container supporting area in each tray for orienting a container in a prescribed position on the trays,

electric heaters fixed to the cart and positioned to be in heat exchange relation with containers on the food container supporting areas on the trays when the trays are on the racks,

and a good heat conducting plate forming part of the supporting area in each tray, and adapted to engage a heater when the tray is placed on a rack,

said trays being formed of a heat insulating material.

3. A food serving system comprising

a housing and a food tray supporting means carried by the housing,

a heat transfer device mounted on the housing,

a food serving tray constructed and arranged to fit on the supporting means and adapted to be carried about and transport a plurality of food containers,

at least one localized food container supporting area on the tray for supporting a food container in heat exchange relationship with the heat transfer device when the tray is disposed on the support means,

an opening in the tray at the container supporting area for causing the container on the supporting area to engage the heat transfer device when the tray is on the support means.

4. A food serving system comprising

a housing and a food tray supporting means carried by the housing,

a heat transfer device mounted on the housing,

a food serving tray constructed and arranged to fit on the supporting means and adapted to be carried about and transport a plurality of food containers,

at least one localized food container supporting area on the tray for supporting a food container in heat exchange relationship with the heat transfer device when the tray is disposed on the support means,

a heat conducting plate forming part of the supporting area and positioned to engage a container disposed in the area in heat exchange relationship,

said plate engaging the heat transfer device when the tray is on the support means,

said tray being formed of a heat insulating material,

5. A food serving system comprising

a mobile cart constructed and arranged to be rolled about the floor of an institution such as a hospital,

food serving trays having selected food supporting areas on which food to be heated is to be placed and other areas where food to remain unheated is to be placed,

shelves in the cart for supporting the trays,

at least one localized heater mounted in each shelf and registering with the food supporting areas of the trays when the trays are properly oriented on the shelves,

said trays and shelves being made of low heat conducting material so as to retard the transfer of heat laterally on the shelves and trays to foods on said other areas of the trays,

said heaters including a supporting disc made of a material having high thermal conductivity,

at least one multi-modal resistance heater bonded to the lower surface of the discs,

said food supporting areas including openings in the trays for enabling the containers for the foods in the areas in the tray to engage the heater supporting discs when the trays are on the shelves.

6. A food serving system comprising

a mobile cart constructed and arranged to be rolled about the floor of an institution such as a hospital,

food serving trays having selected food supporting areas on which food to be heated is to be placed and other areas where food to remain unheated is to be placed,

shelves in the cart for supporting the trays,

at least one localized heater mounted in each shelf and registering with the food supporting areas of the trays when the trays are properly oriented on the shelves,

said trays and shelves being made of low heat conducting material so as to retard the transfer of heat laterally on the shelves and trays to foods on said other areas of the trays,

said heaters including a supporting disc made of a material having high thermal conductivity,

at least one multi-modal resistance heater bonded to the lower surfaces of the discs,

said food supporting areas including discs made of material having high thermal conductivity,

said food supporting area discs engaging the heater discs when the trays are on the shelves.

7. A food serving tray comprising a body of heat insulating material defining a lower surface and an upper surface for carrying hot and cold food in serving containers,

said body having a first food supporting area on said upper surface and carrying means for positioning a food serving container thereon and a second food supporting area on said upper surface laterally spaced from said first area,

said first food supporting area comprising a metallic insert extending from said upper to said lower surface and having high thermal conductivity properties to enable direct heat transfer through said body by conduction.