Humidity controlled food warming cabinet

• US 8,132,500 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2008
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Linskens, Michael Peter, Guindon, Richard Allen Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US12/062,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20090249963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 994/73, 994/74, 994/75, 994/67, 994/87, 219/401, 219/400, 126/21.A
• US Class Current: 99/473
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/001 Devices for lighting, humidifying, heating, ventilation
• 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 humidified food warming apparatus is disclosed having a cabinet, a humidity sensor configured to measure a humidity level in the cabinet and a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature level in the cabinet. A humidity and a temperature controller is also included. A warming element warms the cabinet as well as a warming element cover configured to rest adjacent to the warming element. A water dispensing device controllably releases a quantity of water onto the warming element cover when the humidity sensor senses that the humidity level within the cabinet has decreased and when the warming element cover is sufficiently warm to evaporate the quantity of water released onto the warming element cover.

Claims

1. A humidified food warming apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a cabinet;

a humidity sensor configured to measure a humidity level in the cabinet;

a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature level in the cabinet;

a humidity and a temperature controller;

a warming element configured to warm the cabinet, the warming element being a gas burner;

a warming element cover adjacent to the warming element that has a top surface and at least two side surfaces, with the side surfaces having a plurality of openings; and

a water dispensing device configured to controllably release a quantity of water onto the warming element cover when the humidity sensor senses that the humidity level within the cabinet has decreased and when the warming element cover is sufficiently warm to evaporate the quantity of water released onto the warming element cover,

wherein the warming element cover is heated by the warming element.

2. The humidified food warming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cabinet is an insulated, stainless steel cabinet having a quantity of shelves, the quantity of shelves configured to hold food.

3. The humidified food warming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the humidity sensor signals the humidity controller of the humidity level in the cabinet and the humidity controller determines the quantity of water to be released.

4. The humidified food warming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor signals the controller of the temperature level in the cabinet and the temperature controller determines whether to turn the warming element on or off.

5. The humidified food warming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portion of water is not released unless the warming element is on.

6. The humidified food warming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the warming element cover is metal.

7. The humidified food warming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the warming element cover is ceramic.

8. The humidified food warming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the water dispensing device comprises a water retaining device, a water pump, and a tube.

9. The humidified food warming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the water dispensing device is comprised of a water pressure regulator and a tube.

10. The humidified food warming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the water dispensing device sprays the quantity of water into the cabinet.

11. The humidified food warming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the water dispensing device sprays the quantity of water into the cabinet, the quantity of water falls onto the warming element cover and the quantity of water is evaporated.

12. The humidified food warming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the water dispensing device sprays the quantity of water directly onto the warming element cover.