# US 8,540,108 B2 · Bowl holder > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,540,108 B2 - Document ID: US8540108B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/143,736 - Filed: 2008-06-20 - Published: 2009-12-24 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2008-06-20 - Assignees: CJ America, Inc. - Applicants: Jin Won Kim - Inventors: Jin Won Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540108B2 ## CPC - A47J 36/34: Supports for cooking-vessels - A47G 19/08: Plate-holders (holders for kitchen pots A47J45/10) - A47J 36/36: Shields or jackets for cooking utensils minimising the radiation of heat, fastened or movably mounted - A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES - A47G: HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT (book-ends A47B5/00; knives B26B) ## Abstract A bowl holder for a bowl adapted for serving a hot meal includes a top structure configured for a removable placement of the bowl into the bowl holder, a bottom plate, and sidewalls disposed between the top structure and the bottom plate near perimeters thereof. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A food containment system, comprising: a bowl; a bowl holder, wherein said bowl holder comprises: a top flat structure consisting of two substantially identical minor image plates, the two plates forms a circular cutout having a rim, the cutout removably receive the bowl into an interior space of the bowl holder, wherein the rim is disposed away from an outside surface of the bowl by a predetermined lateral distance W when the bowl is received in the bowl holder; wherein the two substantially identical minor image plates are disposed away from each other by a distance X; a plurality of side walls coupled to the top structure, wherein the top structure has a flat underside that perpendicularly adjoins an inside wall surface of each side wall; wherein the closest distance from a center point of each side wall to the rim is distance Y, and the center point of each side wall is defined as a point on a line adjoining said side wall to said top flat structure, equal-distance to both lateral terminal ends of said side wall; wherein each of said plurality of side walls has one through hole fluidly interconnecting the interior space of the bowl holder to an exterior of the bowl holder, wherein the one through hole has a diameter no larger than a thickness of the side wall; a bottom plate coupled to the plurality of side walls, wherein the plurality of side walls are disposed between said top structure and said bottom plate; and the thickness of each side wall is as same as a thickness of each of said plates, and is as same as a thickness of the bottom plate; wherein distance W is about 1/2 the diameter of the through hole, and is less than 1/2 the distance Y; wherein the bowl has a thickness larger than distance W; wherein the closest distance from the inside wall surface of any of the side walls to the bowl is larger than distance Y; and wherein distance X is larger than the diameter of the through hole. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein an top surface of the top flat structure is disposed below an outer rim of the bowl, when the bowl is received in the bowl holder. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the top flat structure and the bottom plate has a form factor of a square, an octagon, or a circle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein at least the top flat structure is fabricated from a thermo-insulating material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein at least portions of the top flat structure, the bottom plate, and the side walls are fabricated from wood, plywood, ceramic, stone, plastic, composite, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5 further comprising a removable thermo-insulating spacer disposed between said bowl and said bottom plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the bowl is made of stone. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the bowl is to serve a hot meal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the bowl is to prepare a hot meal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein each side wall only has one through hole. ### Claim 11 A food preparation system comprising: a heated stone bowl having a temperature hazardous to touch by a person; a thermo-insulating bowl holder to contain the heated stone bowl; wherein when the heated stone bowl is contained within the bowl holder, the only portion of the heated stone bowl that makes direct contact with the bowl holder is a bottom portion of the heated stone bowl; wherein the bowl holder is comprised of a flat top structure coupled to a plurality of side walls, which couple to a bottom plate, and wherein the plurality of side walls defines a perimeter of the bowl holder's interior space; wherein the flat top structure is made of two identical minor image plates, and the two identical mirror image plates are disposed away from each other at a distance X, forming a circular cutout in between the two identical mirror image plates to receive the heated stone bowl, wherein the cutout has a rim smaller than the perimeter of the bowl holder's interior space; wherein the heated stone bowl is disposed away from the rim by distance W; wherein when the heated stone bowl is received within the bowl holder, an unoccupied and enclosed space S remains within the interior of the bowl holder, wherein the unoccupied and enclosed space S is enclosed by the side walls, the bottom plate, and the flat top structure; and wherein the space S at its narrowest section has a width at least twice as long as distance W. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein each of the side walls has a through hole having a diameter larger than distance W; and space S is in fluid communication with an exterior environment only via said through holes and a gap defined by distance W disposed between said heated stone bowl and the rim. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein distance X is longer than said distance W. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein a thickness of the heated stone bowl is larger than distance W. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the bowl holder has a uniform thickness throughout.