Hot water pan for a chafer
AssigneeThe Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
InventorsMelvin F. Roberts, Christopher Stern
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hot water pan for warming food in the food pan of a chafing dish. The hot water pan includes a central well for holding a volume of heated water and maintaining a warm food pan temperature. The hot water pan further includes a lip formation creating a water barrier with the edge of the food pan so that condensing water droplets do not flow from the hot water pan but are directed to return to the well.
Claims16
A chafer comprising, in combination:
- a cover and a supporting base, the supporting base including shoulder support means extending therefrom and inwardly of the cover;
- a food pan having a supportively engageable peripheral upper edge;
- and,
- a hot water pan containing a predetermined volume of water and including a well means for the retention of the entire predetermined volume of water therein and means for supporting the food pan therein, said means for supporting the food pan formed with means for supportively engaging the shoulder support means of said base and including means for forming a water barrier to direct any water condensing on the food pan to the well means.
A hot water pan for containing a predetermined volume of water for use in chafing dishes of the type having a base and support means extending inwardly of the base, said hot water pan comprising a continuous side wall extending around an integrally formed bottom wall sloping to at least one well means, the well means having a depth whereby to accommodate the entire predetermined volume of water in said hot water pan;
- said side wall terminating in an upper lip means for the supportive engagement thereupon of a food pan and for resting engagement on support means of a chafing dish base.
A hot water pan for containing a predetermined volume of water for use in chafing dishes of the type having a base and support means extending inwardly of the base, said hot water pan comprising a continuous side wall extending around an integrally formed bottom wall sloping to at least one well means, the well means having a depth whereby to accommodate the entire predetermined volume of water in said hot water pan;
- and a holder means attached beneath the well means for supporting a heat source.
The combination of a food pan for a chafer and a hot water pan for the heating of food in the food pan, the food pan and hot water pan forming water barrier means therebetween whereby any water vapor condensing on the food pan is directed back to the hot water pan and prevented by said water barrier means from flowing outwardly therefrom, said water barrier means comprising edge means of the food pan supportively resting atop a first flange portion of said hot water pan, the first flange portion of said hot water pan being part of an upper lip configuration of the hot water pan, the upper lip configuration extending from a side wall of the hot water pan, said first flange portion of the upper lip configuration extending at a lower elevation than a second flange portion thereof, whereby any condensing water droplets formed at said edge means of the food pan or first flange portion of the hot water pan upper lip configuration are prevented from flowing outwardly of the upper lip configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.