Food heating and serving appliance

A food heating and serving appliance is provided including generally circular upper and base portions with the upper portion being rotatably mounted to the base portion. The upper portion has a plurality of independently controlled heated food containers mounted in cavities on the upper portion. The upper portion is freely rotatable relative to the base portion for rotating a preferred heated container to the front of the appliance for serving convenience. Each of the food containers may include a lid with a handle for covering the heated containers. A pivoting cover attached to the base portion may be folded to engage a pocket on a sidewall of the housing when in alignment for preventing relative rotation between the upper and base portions. The pocket may also serve to store the cord plug when the power cord is retracted into the base portion and the cover is folded into the pocket.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to food heating appliances, and in particular, to a food heating appliance which has a plurality of heated containers disposed in cavities on a rotating carousel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Food heating and serving appliances are generally known and typically include a container such as a ceramic or stoneware container received in a housing. A transparent glass or plastic lid may be removably mounted on the container. An electrically-operated control and heating element may be provided for heating food stuffs placed within the container. The housing may include handles extending therefrom to allow a user to transport the heating appliance.

Food heating appliances and food warmers having more than one container disposed in a housing are also known. For example, it is known to have food heating and appliances having two, three and four containers disposed in a metal housing. The container may be arranged in various arrangements but typically some of the containers wind up being disposed more towards the rear of the housing. As such, it is not always convenient to serve food from these containers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an embodiment, there is provided an appliance including a first portion, a second portion rotatably mounted to and rotatable relative to the first portion, an electrical power cord which when connected to a source of electrical power supplies the electrical power to at least one electrical component associated with the first portion, a pocket in the first portion, and a cover pivotally connected to the second portion that folds between unfolded and folded positions, said cover that when aligned with the pocket is foldable into the pocket and snaps into therein, said cover enclosing the pocket and preventing relative rotational movement of the upper portion when folded into and snapped into the pocket.

In another embodiment, there is provided a food heating appliance including an upper portion, at least one container removably mounted in a cavity of the upper portion for holding foodstuff, at least one heating element associated with each at least one container for heating the foodstuffs in the associated at least one container, a base portion, said upper portion rotatably mounted on and rotatable relative to the base portion, and a rotary electrical joint that transfers electrical power from an electrical power cord in the base portion to the at least one heating element associated with the at least one container in the rotatable upper portion.

In another embodiment, there is provided a latching arrangement for an appliance including a pocket formed in a first portion of the appliance, a cover pivotally connected to a second portion of the appliance rotatably connected to the first portion, the cover folding between unfolded and folded positions, the cover that when aligned with the pocket is foldable into the pocket and snaps into therein, and the cover enclosing the pocket and preventing relative rotational movement of the first portion when folded into and snapped into the pocket.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawing figures in which like reference designators refer to like elements, there is shown inFIGS. 1-2an embodiment of a food heating and serving appliance10. It should be noted that in the illustrated embodiment that the appliance10is a food heating and serving appliance but this is not meant to be limiting as the appliance10may be virtually any kind of appliance or device.

In this embodiment, the appliance10includes a generally circular cooker housing50and three heated containers14which are independently heated as described below. In another embodiment, there is a plurality of at least two heated containers14but this is not meant to be limiting as there could be many different variations of the number of heated containers14. Each of the heated containers14may have a removable lid15with a handle or knob16for grasping the lid15. The lid15is for covering an interior volume of the heated container14were food items are placed during heating the container14for cooking and/or warming provided by heating elements (not shown) in the housing50. The lid15aids in keeping heat and moisture inside the container14during and after heating. The containers14may be comprised of stoneware materials as is known to one of ordinary skill in the art or other suitable materials.

The containers14are spaced evenly apart one another 120° circumferentially on a circular plate that forms the upper housing55of the housing50. Both the upper housing55and the housing50may be formed from sheets of stainless steel or other suitable material. In an embodiment, the housing50and the upper housing55collectively form a carousel that is mounted on a base60. The carousel is selectively rotatable 360° in either clockwise or counter-clockwise directions for serving convenience of each the containers14. The containers14are removably fitted into a cooking container cavity comprised of preferably an aluminum or stainless steel insert17inserted into an opening56in the carousel or upper housing55. Each of the inserts17may include a lip17awhere a rim14aof the containers14may be seated when the containers14are fitted into the inserts17. In an embodiment, there may be dispersed between each of the containers14a non-heated container19provided for holding sauces, dips and the like for serving with the food items being cook and/or warmed in the containers14. The containers19likewise may be fitted into a cavity56in the upper housing55with or without a liner comprised of aluminum or stainless steel (not shown).

In an embodiment, each of the containers14may include a heating element25attached to its outer sidewall for heating the contents therein. The heating element25may be attached to the sidewall of the individual container14with a spring biased metal band or other attachment meats. Each of the heating elements25is independently controlled and receives electrical power via wiring connected to a respective rheostat27. Each rheostat27may include a control knob26that is disposed on the front face of the housing50. The rheostats27receive electrical power via a power cord70connected to an electrical plug75. The electrical plug75may be connected to a conventional source of electrical power such as household current 120 vac or other current source. In another embodiment, the rheostats27may be replaced with electronic controls (not shown) including electronic switches (not shown) and a microprocessor (not shown) including logic for controlling the heating elements25in pre-programmed sequences selected through the electronic switches (not shown).

In an embodiment, a pair of thermally insulated handles52are disposed on opposite sides of the housing50for transporting the appliance10even while hot to the touch. The handles52have a curved inner surface that generally conforms to the curvature of the housing50. The handles52may be comprised of heat-resistant materials such as bakelite and the like known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

As described above, the housing50and the upper housing5550may be freely rotatable about the base60so that the containers14may be rotated into a desired serving position manually. In another embodiment, the housing50and the upper housing55may be rotated by a motor (not shown) controlled by the electronic controls (not shown). The electronic controls (not shown) may rotate the housing50and the upper housing55in a desired sequence such as a pre-determined number of degrees of rotation so that a desired container14containing a food item is rotated into a desired serving position.

Referring now also to FIGS.3and3A-3C, the appliance10may include a locking feature65that is pivotally connected to the base60for locking the housing50and the upper housing55relative to the base60for storage and transport. The locking feature65is pivotally attached to a flange59extending from the bottom of the base60. The locking feature65snaps into a pocket66formed in the sidewall of the housing50when the locking feature56is aligned with the pocket66. The pocket66is formed from a cutout in the sidewall of the housing50and has a pocket liner66attached thereto. The locking feature65may include ears65bwith a detent that snap-fit into recesses66aon the interior wall of the pocket liner66. The pocket66may also serve to provide storage to the power cord plug75on the distal end of the power cord70. In the storage configuration, the plug75may be stored in the pocket60and the locking feature65moved to the closed position to cover the plug75.

In order to utilize the power cord70and the cord plug75, the locking feature65may be moved from the closed position (FIG. 3A) in the direction of arrow410to the open position (FIG. 3B). The cord plug75may now be pulled from within the pocket60in the direction of the arrow430and the power cord70extended from within the body of the housing50through the pocket60. Upon moving the locking feature65to the open position, the housing50may freely rotate in the direction of arrow400. When a desired amount of the power cord70is extended from within the housing50(as designated by70′ and the plug75′), it may be desired to lock the rotation of the housing50during use. This is done by moving the locking feature65in the direction of arrow420(FIG. 3C) to the closed position. A specially formed cutout65aon the end of the locking feature65allows the power cord70to extend from the pocket66while the locking feature56is in the closed position. After use, the power cord70may be retracted within the housing50by moving the locking feature65to the open position and rotating the housing50. This causes the power cord70to wind internally inside a cavity (not shown) formed between the bottom housing cover45and the base60. The power cord70may be wound into this cavity (not shown) in this manner until the plug75is again seated within the pocket66. Upon alignment of the locking feature65with the pocket66, the locking feature65may be folded into the pocket66and locked therein to prevent relative rotational movement of the housing50with respect to the base50.

In an embodiment, the bottom housing40is rotatably connected to the base60via an upper rotation ring41that rests on top of an upper rotation ring41with a plurality of circumferentially spaced ball bearings42seated in pockets sandwiched therebetween. The upper rotation ring41is attached to the lower side of the bottom housing40with fasteners such as screws and the like. The lower rotation ring43is sandwiched between a securing ring44and the upper rotation ring41and fastened to the bottom housing40using fasteners such as screws and the like. A bottom housing cover45is attached to the lower rotation ring43such that the securing ring44is sandwiched between the bottom housing cover45and the lower rotation ring43. In addition, the bottom housing cover45is attached to the bottom housing40such that the lower rotation ring43, securing ring44and the upper securing ring41are sandwiched between the bottom housing cover45and the bottom housing40. The housing50and the upper housing55is attached to the bottom housing40with fasteners such as screws and the like. The resulting assembly allows the housing50and upper housing55to rotate relative to the base60in either clockwise or counter-clockwise directions.

Referring now also toFIGS. 4 and 4A, a rotary electrical joint assembly connects electrical power from the end of the electrical power cord70that terminates in the cavity (not shown) between the bottom housing cover45and the base60to the rheostats27and the electrical heating elements25in the housing50. The rotary electrical joint assembly is comprised of an upper rotary joint portion46disposed above the bottom housing40that interconnects with a lower rotary joint47disposed beneath the bottom housing cover45. The lower rotary joint47fits into a socket in the upper rotary joint46and is rotatable therein. The lower rotary joint47has an outer circular wall47a, an inner circular wall47bconcentric with the outer wall47a, a central post47cand a circular recess47dbetween the outer and inner circular walls47a,47hand a recess47ebetween the inner circular wall47band the central post47c. An electrical contact sits on the bottom of each of the circular recesses47d,47eand on top of the central post47c. The electrical contacts (not shown) are interconnected to the electrical power cord70. The upper rotary joint46has a circular sidewall46aand two inner metallic concentric circular rings46h,46c. The outermost of the inner metallic rings46bis separated from the outer sidewall46aby a recess. The innermost of the metallic rings46cis also separated from the inner metallic ring46bsidewall by a recess. The metallic rings46b,46care connected to the electrical wiring connected to the supply side of the rheostats27. An electrical contact (not shown) is disposed at the center on the inner side of the upper rotary joint portion46. The electrical contact is also connected to electrical wiring attached to the supply side of the rheostats27.

As a result, when the lower rotary joint portion47is inserted into the upper rotary joint portion46the upper edges of the inner metallic concentric circular ring46cof the upper rotary joint portion46contact the electrical contacts (not shown) disposed in the concentric circular recesses of the lower rotary joint portion47. In addition, the electrical contact (not shown) in the top of the upper rotary electrical joint portion46makes electrical contact with the electrical contact on the post of the lower rotary joint portion47. Thus, electrical contact is maintained from the electrical contacts (not shown) in the lower rotary joint portion47to the concentric inner metallic rings46h,46cin the upper rotary joint portion46and the electrical contact (not shown) at the top of the upper rotary joint portion46as the upper rotary joint portion46is rotated relative to the lower rotary joint portion47. This enables the bottom housing40and the housing50to rotate relative to the base60while maintaining electrical power from the power cord70to the rheostats27,27,27and the heating elements25,25,25.

Referring now toFIG. 5, shown is an embodiment of a food heating and serving appliance10. The appliance10may include a cover80of transparent material or opaque material such as thermoplastic but this not meant to be limiting. The cover80secures the lids15to the containers14and the containers14to the housing15for storage and transport. The cover80urges against the knobs16on the lids15which hold the lids15securely to the containers14. The cover80may be secured to the housing80with fasteners such as clips, fastening straps and slings, or a snap-on fit. When not in the storage position shown in the illustration, the cover80may be used as a bowl for serving food items including potato chips, nachos, vegetables and the like.

All references cited herein are expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety.