Food warming and holding device construction and method

• US 8,061,266 B2
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haven Innovation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Track Corp.
• Inventors: Plumert, Terry L., Wisner, Donald W., Rupar, Dennis V.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US12/040,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20080213449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 99326-333, 99467-479, 994/83, 99444-450, 210400-401, 210385-396, 210411-414, 210492-493, 219/394, 219/395, 219/392, 219/385, 219/386, 219/389, 219/214, 219/413
• US Class Current: 99/333
• 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 device for heating food includes a housing and a plurality of heated shelves or trays supported on the housing. Each tray includes a heater and a temperature sensor. The heater is operable to heat the tray and the temperature sensor is capable of sensing the temperature of the tray. A controller is coupled to each heater and each temperature sensor, and the controller is configured to operate the heater as a function of the tray temperature.

Claims

1. A device for heating food comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of trays supported on said housing, each of said trays including a heater and a temperature sensor associated with said tray, said heater operable to heat said tray, said temperature sensor capable of sensing the temperature of said tray; and

a controller electrically coupled to each of said heaters and each of said temperature sensors, wherein said controller automatically determines an amount of time to operate said heater to heat food on said tray, said controller including a timer capable of measuring a first time period, wherein said first time period is an amount of time to raise said tray temperature to a predetermined cook temperature value, said controller configured to operate said heater to heat said tray for a second time period that is greater than said first time period, wherein the duration of said second time period is determined as a function of said tray temperature and said first time period, said controller configured to operate said heater on a first duty cycle to maintain said tray temperature at a hold temperature, wherein said first duty cycle utilizes less power than said operation of said heater to heat said tray for said second time period, said controller configured to automatically deactivate said first duty cycle and operate said heater on a rethermalization cycle to raise said tray temperature to a cook temperature when said tray temperature falls below a lower limit temperature, said controller configured to automatically deactivate said rethermalization cycle and to operate said heater on a second duty cycle when said tray temperature reaches said cook temperature, wherein said first time period measured by said controller is a cook time that is measured during said rethermalization cycle, said controller further configured to measure a loop time during said second duty cycle.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said controller is configured to restart said heater on said second duty cycle a plurality of times as a function of said cook time and said loop time as measured by said controller.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said tray includes a frame extending around a periphery of at least a portion of said frame, and an indicator mounted within said frame, and wherein said controller is configured to activate said indicator upon completion of said second duty cycle.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said controller is further configured to remotely communicate the completion of said second duty cycle.