Serving container system

• US 9,510,699 B1
• Filed: 10/15/2014
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sabine S. Miller
• Original Assignee: Sabine S. Miller
• Inventors: Miller, Sabine S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pickett, J. Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEINERTH, GIDEON R
• Application Number:
  US14/514,781
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 220/573.2, 220/574.3, 220/9.1, 220/9.4, 220/912, 220/400, 220/780, 220/647, 220/648, 220/649, 220/573.1, 229/232, 229/903, 229/906, 426/115, 426/119, 426/128, 426/113, 426/124, 994/26, 993/40, 994/27, 994/48, 994/49, 994/50, 206/565, 206/562, 206/499, 164/35, 219/732, 294/31.2, 294/33
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A21B 3/13 Baking-tins; Baking forms
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/02 Plates, dishes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/12 Vessels or pots for table use
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2023/0691 with a cover
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 23/04 Containers with means for keeping food cool or hot A47G19/027, A47G19/127, A47G19/2288, A47G19/285, A47G23/0313 take precedence; for butter or cheese A47G19/26 ; thermally insulated vessels A47J41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 23/06 Serving trays service tables A47B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 23/0633 Attachments to trays A47G19/04, A47G23/0225 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 23/0683 with means for keeping food cool or hot
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/34 Supports for cooking-vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/04 Roasting apparatus with movably-mounted food supports or with movable heating implements; Spits
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 39/006 for either storing and preparing or for preparing food on serving trays, e.g. heating, thawing, preserving
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 45/07 of detachable type separate handles, devices for gripping hot cooking utensils A47J45/10
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 45/10 Devices for gripping or lifting hot cooking utensils, e.g. pincers, separate pot handles, fabric or like pads
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/34 Trays or like shallow containers B65D81/3813 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/14 Linings or internal coatings of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/56 ; linings for domestic water storage heaters F24H1/183
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/24 for spacing bases of containers from supporting surfaces, e.g. legs for pallets B65D19/40
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/2888 provided near to or at the upper edge or rim
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/0214 secured only by friction or gravity B65D43/0204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/0218 on both the inside and the outside of the mouth of the container B65D43/0216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/022 only on the inside, or a part turned to the inside, of the mouth of the container B65D43/0216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/0222 : only on the outside, or a part turned to the outside, of the mouth of the container B65D43/0216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 53/02 : Collars or rings

Abstract

A decorative serving container system that includes a serving dish and a ring element having a ring element lip with a shape that substantially corresponds to a shape of a serving dish lip, wherein portions of the ring element lip are formed to be positionable around at least a portion of the serving dish lip to provide frictional engagement between portions of said ring element lip and at least a portion of said serving dish lip, such that said ring element is capable of securing a foil pan within said serving dish.

Claims

1. A decorative serving container system, comprising:

a serving dish, wherein said serving dish includes a bottom wall, a pair of opposing, upwardly extending side walls, and a pair of opposing, upwardly extending end walls, wherein said upwardly extending side walls and said upwardly extending end walls extend upwardly from around an outer periphery of said bottom wall and are continuous at four corners, wherein a continuous serving dish lip extends outwardly from an upper edge of said upwardly extending side walls and said upwardly extending end walls, and wherein at least two serving dish handles extend outwardly from said continuous serving dish lip on opposing sides of said serving dish; and

a ring element, wherein said ring element includes a ring element lip having a shape that substantially corresponds to said shape of said serving dish lip, wherein portions of said ring element lip are formed to be positionable around at least a portion of said serving dish lip to provide frictional engagement between portions of said ring element lip and at least a portion of said serving dish lip, wherein at least two ring element handle portions extend outwardly from said ring element lip, wherein each ring element handle portion has a shape that substantially corresponds to said shape of said serving dish handles, wherein each ring element handle portion includes a handle skirt portion extending downwardly from said handle portion, wherein each handle skirt portion is formed so as to be positionable around at least a portion of a serving dish handle and provide frictional engagement of said handle skirt portion with at least a portion of said serving dish handle, and wherein when said handle skirt portions are in frictional engagement with at least a portion of each of said serving dish handles, at least a portion of said ring element is secured around and over at least a portion of said serving dish lip, but wherein said ring element does not entirely cover said serving dish.

2. The decorative serving container system of claim 1, further comprising a cover element, wherein said cover element includes a top wall, a pair of downwardly extending side walls, and a pair of downwardly extending end walls, wherein said downwardly extending side walls and said downwardly extending end walls extend downwardly from around an outer periphery of said top wall and are continuous at four corners, wherein a continuous cover element lip extends outwardly from a lower edge of said downwardly extending side walls and said downwardly extending end walls, wherein one or more cover engagement tabs extend from portions of said cover element lip to provide frictional engagement between said one or more cover engagement tabs and at least a portion of said ring element lip, and wherein at least two cover element handles extend outwardly from said continuous cover element lip on opposing sides of said cover element.

3. The decorative serving container system of claim 2, wherein said ring element lip further comprises one or more ring element lip extensions that extend downwardly from said ring element lip and wherein said cover engagement tabs extend from portions of said cover element lip to provide frictional engagement between said one or more cover engagement tabs and at least a portion of said ring element lip and said ring element lip extensions.

4. The decorative serving container system of claim 2, wherein said cover engagement tabs only extend from portions of said side walls of said cover and not from said end walls of said cover.

5. The decorative serving container system of claim 1, further comprising a foil pan having a shape that substantially corresponds to said shape of said serving dish, such that said foil pan can be substantially nested within said serving dish, such that said ring element secures said foil pan between said ring element and said serving dish.

6. The decorative serving container system of claim 5, wherein said foil pan comprises a bottom wall, a pair of opposing, upwardly extending side walls, and a pair of opposing, upwardly extending end walls, wherein said upwardly extending side walls and said upwardly extending end walls extend upwardly from around an outer periphery of said bottom wall and are continuous at four corners, and wherein a continuous foil pan lip extends outwardly from an upper edge of said upwardly extending side walls and said upwardly extending end walls.

7. The decorative serving container system of claim 1, wherein said handle skirt portions extend downwardly from said handle portions, below said ring element lip.

8. A decorative serving container system, comprising:

a serving dish, wherein said serving dish includes a bottom wall, a pair of opposing, upwardly extending side walls, and a pair of opposing, upwardly extending end walls, wherein said upwardly extending side walls and said upwardly extending end walls extend upwardly from around an outer periphery of said bottom wall and are continuous at four corners, wherein a continuous serving dish lip extends outwardly from an upper edge of said upwardly extending side walls and said upwardly extending end walls, and wherein at least two serving dish handles extend outwardly from said continuous serving dish lip on opposing sides of said serving dish;

a ring element, wherein said ring element includes a ring element lip having a shape that substantially corresponds to said shape of said serving dish lip, wherein portions of said ring element lip are formed to be positionable around at least a portion of said serving dish lip to provide frictional engagement between portions of said ring element lip and at least a portion of said serving dish lip, wherein at least two ring element handle portions extend outwardly from said ring element lip, wherein each ring element handle portion has a shape that substantially corresponds to said shape of said serving dish handles, wherein each ring element handle portion includes a handle skirt portion extending downwardly from said handle portion, wherein each handle skirt portion is formed so as to be positionable around at least a portion of a serving dish handle and provide frictional engagement of said handle skirt portion with at least a portion of said serving dish handle, and wherein when said handle skirt portions are in frictional engagement with at least a portion of each of said serving dish handles, at least a portion of said ring element is secured around and over at least a portion of said serving dish lip, but wherein said ring element does not entirely cover said serving dish; and

a cover element, wherein said cover element includes a top wall, a pair of downwardly extending side walls, and a pair of downwardly extending end walls, wherein said downwardly extending side walls and said downwardly extending end walls extend downwardly from around an outer periphery of said top wall and are continuous at four corners, wherein a continuous cover element lip extends outwardly from a lower edge of said downwardly extending side walls and said downwardly extending end walls, wherein one or more cover engagement tabs extend from portions of said cover element lip to provide frictional engagement between said one or more cover engagement tabs and at least a portion of said ring element lip, and wherein at least two cover element handles extend outwardly from said continuous cover element lip on opposing sides of said cover element.

9. The decorative serving container system of claim 8, wherein said ring element lip further comprises one or more ring element lip extensions that extend downwardly from said ring element lip and wherein said cover engagement tabs extend from portions of said cover element lip to provide frictional engagement between said one or more cover engagement tabs and at least a portion of said ring element lip and said ring element lip extensions.

10. The decorative serving container system of claim 8, wherein said cover engagement tabs only extend from portions of said side walls of said cover and not from said end walls of said cover.

11. The decorative serving container system of claim 8, further comprising a foil pan having a shape that substantially corresponds to said shape of said serving dish, such that said foil pan can be substantially nested within said serving dish, such that said ring element secures said foil pan between said ring element and said serving dish.

12. The decorative serving container system of claim 11, wherein said foil pan comprises a bottom wall, a pair of opposing, upwardly extending side walls, and a pair of opposing, upwardly extending end walls, wherein said upwardly extending side walls and said upwardly extending end walls extend upwardly from around an outer periphery of said bottom wall and are continuous at four corners, and wherein a continuous foil pan lip extends outwardly from an upper edge of said upwardly extending side walls and said upwardly extending end walls.

13. The decorative serving container system of claim 8, wherein said handle skirt portions extend downwardly from said handle portions, below said ring element lip.

14. A decorative serving container system, comprising:

a serving dish, wherein said serving dish includes a bottom wall, a continuous, upwardly extending side wall, wherein said upwardly extending side wall extends upwardly from around an outer periphery of said bottom wall, wherein a continuous serving dish lip extends outwardly from an upper edge of said upwardly extending side wall; and

a ring element, wherein said ring element includes a ring element lip having a shape that substantially corresponds to said shape of said serving dish lip, wherein portions of said ring element lip are formed to be positionable around at least a portion of said serving dish lip to provide frictional engagement between portions of said ring element lip and at least a portion of said serving dish lip, such that when said portions of said ring element lip are in frictional engagement with at least a portion of said serving dish lip, at least a portion of said ring element is secured around and over at least a portion of said serving dish lip, but wherein said ring element does not entirely cover said serving dish.

15. The decorative serving container system of claim 14, wherein said ring element lip further comprises one or more ring element lip extensions that extend downwardly from said ring element lip and wherein one or more cover engagement tabs extend from portions of said cover element lip to provide frictional engagement between said one or more cover engagement tabs and at least a portion of said ring element lip and said ring element lip extensions.

16. The decorative serving container system of claim 14, further comprising a cover element, wherein said cover element includes a top wall, a continuous, downwardly extending side wall, wherein said downwardly extending side wall extends downwardly from around an outer periphery of said top wall, wherein a continuous cover element lip extends outwardly from a lower edge of said downwardly extending side wall, wherein one or more cover engagement tabs extend from portions of said cover element lip to provide frictional engagement between said one or more cover engagement tabs and at least a portion of said ring element lip.

17. The decorative serving container system of claim 14, wherein at least two serving dish handles extend outwardly from said continuous serving dish lip on opposing sides of said serving dish.

18. The decorative serving container system of claim 17, wherein at least two cover element handles extend outwardly from said continuous cover element lip on opposing sides of said cover element.

19. The decorative serving container system of claim 18, wherein at least two ring element handle portions extend outwardly from said ring element lip, wherein each ring element handle portion has a shape that substantially corresponds to said shape of said serving dish handles, wherein each ring element handle portion includes a handle skirt portion extending downwardly from said handle portion, wherein each handle skirt portion is formed so as to be positionable around at least a portion of a serving dish handle and provide frictional engagement of said handle skirt portion with at least a portion of said serving dish handle, and wherein when said handle skirt portions are in frictional engagement with at least a portion of each of said serving dish handles.

20. The decorative serving container system of claim 14, further comprising a foil pan having a shape that substantially corresponds to said shape of said serving dish, such that said foil pan can be substantially nested within said serving dish, such that said ring element secures said foil pan between said ring element and said serving dish.