Food serving and pan system
AssigneeThe Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
InventorsJeffrey T. Zank, Jeffrey C. Mittmann, Rebecca J. Schreiber-Pethan, Cory R. Boudreau, William C. Lindeman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pan for use with a well for receiving the pan is disclosed herein. The pan includes a bottom panel, a plurality of walls, and a ramp. The plurality of walls extend upwardly from the bottom panel and define a cavity. The plurality of walls also have an upper end which defines a top opening. The upper end has an extension away from the cavity which defines a rim. The ramp is proximate the rim and exterior to the cavity, whereby the pan rides up on the ramp when the pan is drawn up against the well.
Claims48
A pan for use with a well for receiving the pan, the well being surrounded by a platform, the pan comprising:
- a bottom panel;
- a plurality of walls extending upwardly from the bottom panel, the plurality of walls including a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall joined to the first and second walls at first and second corners, respectively;
- and
- a rim outwardly extending from the third wall;
- wherein the third wall includes:
- a first lower portion proximate the bottom panel and extending at a first angle relative to the bottom panel;
- and
- a ramp portion extending between the lower portion and the rim at a second angle oblique to the lower portion and between about 105 degrees and about 150 degrees relative to the bottom panel, the ramp portion extending across a midpoint of the third wall between the first and second corners.
A pan system for serving food, the system comprising:
- a plurality of identical pans, each pan adapted for use with a well for receiving the pan, the well being surrounded by a platform, each pan including:
- a bottom panel;
- a plurality of walls extending upwardly from the bottom panel, the plurality of walls including a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall joined to the first and second walls at first and second corners, respectively;
- and
- a rim outwardly extending from the third wall;
- wherein the third wall includes:
- a first lower portion proximate the bottom panel and extending at a first angle relative to the bottom panel;
- and
- a ramp portion extending between the lower portion and the rim at a second angle oblique to the lower portion, wherein the first angle at which the lower portion extends relative to the bottom panel is oblique to the bottom panel such that the plurality of pans are nestable within one another.
A food serving system comprising:
- a series of pans, each pan including:
- a bottom panel;
- a plurality of walls extending upwardly from the bottom panel, the plurality of walls including a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall joined to the first and second walls at first and second corners, respectively;
- and
- a rim outwardly extending from the third wall;
- wherein the third wall includes:
- a lower portion proximate the bottom panel and extending at a first angle relative to the bottom panel;
- and
- a ramp portion extending between the lower portion and the rim at a second angle oblique to the lower portion;
- wherein the series of pans includes a first rectangular pan having a width dimension X and a length dimension Y;
- a second rectangular pan having a width dimension X and a length dimension one-half Y;
- and
- a third rectangular pan having a width dimension one-half X and a length dimension one-half Y.
A pan for use with a well for receiving the pan, the well being surrounded by a platform, the pan comprising:
- a bottom panel;
- a plurality of walls extending upwardly from the bottom panel, the plurality of walls including a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall joined to the first and second walls at first and second corners, respectively;
- and
- a rim outwardly extending from the third wall;
- wherein the third wall includes:
- a lower portion proximate the bottom panel and extending at a first angle relative to the bottom panel;
- and
- a ramp portion extending between the lower portion and the rim at a second angle oblique to the lower portion and between about 105 degrees and about 150 degrees relative to the bottom panel, wherein the ramp portion has a linear length such that the ramp portion has a vertical height of at least about 0.375 inches (9.5 mm).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.