Abstract:
A collapsible chafing dish stand includes a rim that holds the chafing dish pan; a first leg formed into a first geometric shape having two ends each pivotally coupled to the rim; a second leg similarly formed with two ends each pivotally coupled to the rim; a first cross bar and a second cross bar each formed into a select geometric shape, and pivotally coupled to the first leg and the second leg, respectively; and a hook to releasably couple the first cross bar to the second cross bar to secure the first and second legs in a support position. The improved configuration permits manufacture of a stand with fewer wire bends, simplified hinges and hook, simplified coupling of cross bars, and simplified geometric shapes, all of which combine to minimize material usage, and be more economically producible in a highly competitive marketplace, while retaining structural integrity.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to stands for a chafing dish, and more particularly to a folding stand having a locking feature between the legs which prevents the inadvertent collapse of the stand when in use, which stand is structurally efficient such that it minimizes material utilized with a simplified construction to be more cost effective in a competitive marketplace. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Traditional chafing dishes are typically comprised of a stand, a water pan, a dish, and heat source. The stand holds the water pan over the heat source which heats the water. A dish or dishes containing food are then suspended in the water pan to keep the food warm. 
     Chafing dishes are commonly used by caterers, who transport the equipment to different locations, assembling the chafing dishes for use, and then, dismantling and storing the equipment for later use. Although a chafing dish is not considered standard household kitchen equipment, chafing dishes are often uses in private homes for an occasional large party. Therefore, it is desirable to have a chafer stand that is easy to transform between its stowed compact configuration, and its extended support position 
     As the marketplace is increasingly competitive, it is just as necessary that the stand or rack be constructed to be as structurally efficient as possible, to minimize the use of raw materials (e.g., a reduced weight rack), without simply reducing a gauge of any wire materials that may be utilized. Structural efficiency herein may also be obtained by minimizing the number of bends or connections of the structural members, and by simplifying the hinging and pivotal couplings as much as possible, and reducing the amount of material that is used overall. 
     There are a number of chafing dish stands found in the prior art, each of which fails to address those issues relating to its structural efficiency, as disclosed within this specification. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,903 to Kaufman is for a portable chafing dish rack having a collapsible stand formed of four rigid plates. The plate are rotatably coupled together by piano hinges. Upon removal of one hinge pin, the plates of the stand will collapse into a compact and substantially flat configuration for storage of the device. But the pin is a separate part from the stand itself, and is subject to being misplaced or permanently lost. Also, the four-sided stand requires use of a rigid rectangular tray. The numerous separate components of this stand are very inefficient with respect to minimizing material and reducing costs. 
     U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2005/0167381 is for a Folding Rack for a Chafing Dish, and its configuration is also inefficient with respect to minimizing material utilized and reducing the per-unit cost of production. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,697 to Hunziker discloses a foldable chafer stand that includes a top frame having a substantial width, that is supported by legs. The legs can pivot from an extended position into proximity with the top frame. Cantilevered rings extend from the frame to hold the heat sources, and may be swung to a desired position beneath the pan supported by the frame. This chafer stand, however, has no stabilizing member to restrain the legs. Therefore, if one leg were to be pushed, it could collapse and permit the pan to topple over, causing steaming water or hot food to spill out. and possibly causing burning fuel to spill onto a surface that may be flammable. The Hunziker chafer stand is also very inefficient with respect to minimizing material and reducing the per-unit cost of production. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,800 to Orednick discloses a caterer&#39;s food display system that includes a plurality of bent wires and separate plastic legs that can be attached to the wire supports. This device suffers from some of the same disadvantages as the prior addressed above, requiring attention to the multiplicity of pieces, and its construction is not very efficient. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,068 to Sherman discloses a collapsible food service tray. However, the disclosed legs are unsecured, which is similarly susceptible to the same danger associated with an unintentional collapse of one or both of its legs, and its construction is also not very efficient. 
     The chafer stand of the present invention provides a significant improvement over each of those invention, and other prior art inventions. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a stand for a chafing dish that is collapsible. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a collapsible stand for a chafing dish having legs that are easily moved between a stowed position and a support position. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a collapsible stand for a chafing dish that includes simplified geometric shapes with fewer bends, and which are cheaper to manufacture. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a collapsible stand for a chafing dish that minimizes material usage. 
     It is also an object of the invention to provide a collapsible stand for a chafing dish that is more economically producible in a highly competitive marketplace, while retaining structural integrity. 
     Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     A stand for a chafing dish disclosed herein may require no assembly, and the moveable components of the one-piece stand may permit it to occupy a stowed, stackable position, and also an extended, support position. The stand is very stable in the extended support position due to a locking feature of its construction, which prevents the movement of the legs that could otherwise permit collapse of the device when in use. 
     In accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention, the collapsible stand may include a rim configured to hold at least one chafing dish pan; first and second legs; first and second cross bars; and a latch. 
     The first leg may be formed into a first geometric shape, and may be configured for a first end to be in proximity to a first, portion of a first side of the rim, and for a second end to be in proximity to, a second portion of the rim at a second side thereof. The second leg may be formed into a second geometric shape configured for a first end of the second leg to be in proximity to a third portion of the rim being on the first side of the rim, and for a second end of the second leg to be in proximity to a fourth portion of the rim, being on the second side of the rim. The first and second geometric shapes may be the same. or may be slightly different. 
     The first and second ends of the first leg and the first and second ends of the second leg may each be pivotally coupled to the rim using a simple hinge arrangement, for each the leg to be able to pivot between a collapsed, storable position, and an extended support position. 
     The first cross bar may be pivotally coupled to the first leg; and the second cross bar may be pivotally coupled to the second leg. 
     The latch may be in the form of a hook member. The hook member may have a first portion secured to the first cross bar, and may have a second portion configured to be releasably coupled to a portion of the second cross bar, when the first and second legs are in the extended support position. 
     In one embodiment, the first leg may be formed of a first wire member bent into the first geometric shape, and the second leg may be formed of a second wire member bent into the second geometric shape. The first cross bar may be formed of a third wire member that may be bent into a third geometric shape, and the second cross bar may be formed of a fourth wire member that may be bent into a fourth geometric shape. 
     In one embodiment, the pivotal coupling of the first cross bar to the first leg may be with at least one end of the third wire member being bent about a portion of the first wire member forming the first leg. Similarly, the pivotal coupling of the second cross bar to the second leg may be with at least one end of the fourth wire member being bent about a portion of the second wire member forming the second leg. 
     The improved configuration disclosed herein permits manufacture of a stand with fewer wire bends, simplified hinges and a simplified latch arrangement, simplified coupling of the cross bars to the legs, and simplified geometric shapes, all of which combine to minimize material usage, and be more economically producible in a highly competitive marketplace, while retaining structural integrity. 
     The collapsible stand may also include a fifth wire member selectively shaped and bent to support a fuel canister holder, where the shaped and bent fifth wire member may be secured to the first cross bar. A sixth wire member may be selectively shaped and bent to support another fuel canister holder, where the shaped and bent sixth wire member may be secured to the second cross bar. 
     In addition, the collapsible stand may also include a seventh wire member shaped and bent to form a first handle member, where the first handle member may be secured to a portion of the rim, which may be at one end. Also, an eighth wire member may be similarly shaped and bent to form second handle member, which may be secured to another portion of the rim, which may be at an opposite end of the rim. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The description of the various example embodiments is explained in conjunction with appended drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of a collapsible stand for a chafing dish pan, in accordance with one embodiment the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of a collapsible stand for a chafing dish pan, in accordance with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a bottom view of a collapsible stand for a chafing dish pan, in accordance with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an end view of a collapsible stand for a chafing dish pan, in accordance with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an enlarged detail view of a hinge for pivotal coupling of the ends of the legs to the rim, for a collapsible stand for a chafing dish pan in accordance with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a side view of the hinge arrangement of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an enlarged detail view of an alternate hinge arrangement for pivotal coupling of the legs to the rim of a collapsible stand for a chafing dish pan, in accordance another embodiment; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a side view of the hinge arrangement of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates the side view of the collapsible stand for a chafing dish pan, in accordance with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , but is shown with the one of the cross bars have been unlatched and pivoted part-way between the extended support position and the retracted position; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates the side view of the collapsible stand for a chafing dish pan, in accordance with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . but is shown with both of the cross bars and both of the les have been pivoted into the retracted position; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates the side view of the collapsible stand for a chafing dish pan, in accordance with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , but is also shown with a chafing dish pan received and supported by the stand; and 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a side view of a collapsible stand for a chafing dish pan, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As used throughout this specification, the word “may” is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include”, “including”, and “includes” mean including but not limited to. 
     The phrases “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and/or”, are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C”, “one or more of A, B, and C”, and “A, B and/or C” mean all of the following possible combinations: A alone; or B alone; C alone; or A and B together; or A and C together; or B and C together; or A, B and C together. 
     Also, all references (e.g., patents, published patent applications, and non-patent literature) that are cited within this document are incorporated herein in their entirety reference. 
     Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of any particular embodiment disclosed herein, may be combined in any suitable manner with any of the other embodiments disclosed herein. 
     It is further noted that any use herein of relative terms such as “top,” “bottom,” “upper,” “lower,” “vertical,” and “horizontal” are merely intended to be descriptive for the reader, based on the depiction of those features within the figures for one particular position of the device, and such terms are not intended to limit the orientation with which the device of the present invention may be utilized. 
     The chafer stand disclosed herein may be made of a plurality of component parts that form a one-piece chafing dish support stand, which may easily be manipulated between its collapsed position that permits storing and even stacking of multiple such stands (see e.g.,  FIG. 10 ), and an extended support position that may be used to support one or more chafing dish pans. The chafer stand is also particularly stabile because of a locking feature that prevents the movement of the legs which can cause a collapse of the device when in use. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a first embodiment of a chafer stand formed in accordance with the present invention. As seen in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , chafer stand  191  may include a rim  105 . The rim  105 , as well as other component parts of chafer stand  101  described hereinafter, may each be formed of an elongated member which inlay have a uniform cross-sectional shape. The cross-sectional shape utilized may be rectangular, or circular, or any other shape. To create a member with a cross-section that is efficient with respect to maximizing its moment of inertia and minimizing the amount of material utilized for the stand, the cross-sectional shape used may be square or circular. Use of wire produced from a circular cross-sectional shape may be optimal for making the stand disclosed herein, due to its ease of forming desired geometric shapes/bends and due to other manufacturing consideration. 
     The rim  105  is configured to circumscribe an open area that may be sized and shaped to receive a portion of the chafing dish pan through the open area thereby formed, in one embodiment, the rim  105  may have two short straight sides  110 A and  110 B, and two long straight sides  110 C and  110 D, which may be connected by curved portions  110 E. The shape of rim  105  being so formed may correspond to a typical elongated chafing dish pan, and may thus support at least a portion of an outer periphery of the chafing dish pan. 
     The chafer stand  101  may also have a first leg  110  and a second leg  120 . The first leg  110  may be formed into a desired geometric shape that ultimately will contribute to minimizing the material used to make the stand, and reduce its per-unit cost, and which is further disclosed hereinafter. The first leg  110  may be formed of a wire member that may have a first end  111  and a second end  112 . The wire may be bent into the desired geometric shape such that its first end  111  may be in proximity to a first portion of a first side (e.g., side  110 A) of the rim  105 , and the second end  112  may be in proximity to a second portion of the rim, with the second portion being on a second side of the rim (i.e., side  110 B), for each end to be pivotally coupled to the rim  105 . The first leg  110  may be formed to generally have three sides—side  113 , side  114 , and side  115 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , with each side being formed so as to be substantially orthogonal to an adjacent side. The side  113  may transition into side  115  using a bend  113 B, and side  114  may transition into side  115  using a bend  114 B. Bends  114 B and  115 B may be formed with small radii (e.g., minimum bend radii for the material type), to maximize the extent of the contact provided with the surface upon which the chafer stand  101  rests, to improve stability. The transition may also be a welded joint that may eliminate the radius altogether. 
     Side  115  may be formed to be straight, and the pivotal coupling thereto of first and second cross beams  130 / 140  may be generally centered thereon, and which coupling may he inhibited from sliding laterally towards one side of the stand or the other, by using at least one stop (e.g., a small welded member) on the side  115 . 
     To improve the stability of the chafer stand  101 , rather than using a straight side  115 , a series of bends may be utilized to produce side portion  115 A, side portion  115 B, side portion  115 C, side portion  115 D, and side portion  115 E. This may permit coupling of the first and second cross beams  130 / 140  to the side portion  115 C such that the side portions  115 A and  115 E remain in contact with the table or other surface that the chafer stand is placed upon (i.e., the stand does not rock about that pivotal connection). The distance D that the side portion  115 C may be offset from the side portion  115 A may be selected to elevate the fuel canister holders  150 / 160  attached to the cross beams  130 / 140  into desired proximity to the bottom of the chafer tray when it is supported by the rim  105  (see  FIG. 11 ). In another embodiment, the distance D may generally be minimized so as to be sufficient to permit free pivotal movement of the cross-beam attached thereto and also provide some additional clearance, but does not unnecessarily extend upward, which would entail additional material being utilized for the legs  110 / 120 , and additional material also being utilized for the cross beams  130 / 140 , adversely affecting the per-unit cost of the stand. For proper proximity of the fuel canisters, other adjustments may be made (e.g., reducing a height used for the legs which would also reduce material usage, and/or adjusting the fuel canister holder configuration, etc.). 
     The second leg  120  may be formed substantially the same as first leg  110 , and may be formed into a geometric shape configured for the first end of the second leg to be in proximity to a third portion of the rim being on the first side of the rim (e.g., side  110 A), and for the second end of the second leg to be in proximity to a fourth portion the rim on the second side (i.e., side  110 B) of the rim  105 . 
     Each of the ends of the first and second legs  110 / 120  may be pivotally coupled to the rim  105  using any suitable hinge configuration, of which there are numerous known in the art. To minimize material usage, the end of each leg  110 / 120  may be pivotally coupled to the appropriate point on the rim  105  using a pin with a head on each end. In another embodiment a plate  170  with a hole formed therein may be secured to the rim (e.g., by being welded thereto), for each of the first and second ends of the first and second legs, as shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 . Proximate to the end of each leg a bend may be formed (e.g., bend  114 Bii), and the end of the leg may also be upset to form a head (e.g., head  114 H), such that the plate is trapped between the bend and the head, with the leg being pivotally coupled thereto. One or more washers  114 W may also be used to facilitate improved pivotal movement. 
     In another embodiment, rather than using flat plate  170 , a plate  175  may be formed into a channel section, and each side of the pate may he secured (e.g., may be welded) to the rim  105 . To facilitate easier introduction of the bent end of the leg into the hole, with nesting of the leg portion  114  between the sides of the plate  175 , one side of the plate may have a slot  175 S formed therein at a suitable orientation. 
     As seen in  FIG. 1  the first crossbar  130  may be pivotally coupled to the first leg, by having its first end being bent into substantially a part-circular shape  130 C when seen in that side view. Note that other shapes would also permit pivotal movement with respect to the wire forming that leg portion (e.g., a square shape), however, the circular shape may work best and provide for minimal material usage. In theory, that curved shape would be a portion of a torus. The second end of the first cross bar  130  may be bent to form a right-angle section  130 R, which may have a length comparable to that of offset distance D, to permit the cross beam to be substantially parallel to the surface upon which the stand  101  will rest. The second cross bar  140  may be similarly formed, with a right-angle section  140 R. The lengths of the cross beams  130 / 140  may be such that the right-angle section  130 R and the right an section  140 R may be in contact with each other with a modest friction fit therebetween, when the legs are in the support position, or they may merely be in close proximity to each other (e.g., separated by a distance of roughly 0.010-0.080 inches). 
     A latch may he used to releasably secure the right-angle section  130 R to the right-angle section  140 R. In one embodiment, the latch may be a hook member  180 , where a first portion of the hook may be fixedly secured to the first cross bar, and a second portion may be configured to be releasably coupled to the second cross bar, when the first and second legs are in the support position. The hook may be sized and shaped to engage the second cross bar (e.g., the right-angle section  140 R) with a slight friction fit therebetween. 
     In one embodiment, cross-beams  130 A and  140 A may be configured to be a single wire member that spans the distance. To provide for torsional stability of the support provided to the stand  101 , the cross beams  130  and  140  shown in  FIG. 2 and 3  may be used, and the wire may be bent into the geometric shape shown therein. The geometric shape used for the first cross beam  130  and the second cross beam  140  may be the same, or they may be slightly different. 
     In one embodiment, the first and second legs  110 / 120  may be pivotally coupled to the sides  105 C/ 105 D of the rim  105  at a slightly farther distance, respectively, from the sides  105 A/ 105 B of the rim, and the legs may also be locked in the extended positon by the cross beams  130  and  140  at an angle that is closer to ninety degrees. This may serve to reduce the length of the cross-beams, and save additional material usage (compare the cross beams  130  and  140  of chafer stand  101  herein, as show. in the collapsed position of  FIG. 10 , where the beams do not reach the rim sides  105 A/ 105 B, with the chafer stand of U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2005/0167381, as particularly seen in  FIG. 3B  of that publication, in which the cross beams extend well beyond the corresponding sides of the rim). 
     The collapsible stand  101  may also have a wire member  150  shaped and bent to support a fuel canister holder, which wire may be secured to the first cross bar  130 . The collapsible stand  101  may also have another wire member  160  shaped and bent to support another fuel canister holder, which wire may be secured to the second cross bar  140 . 
     The collapsible stand  101  may also have a wire member  191  shaped and bent to serve as a first handle, which wire may be secured to one end of the rim  105 . The collapsible stand  101  may also have a wire member  192  shaped and bent to serve as a second handle, which wire may be secured to the opposite end of the rim  105 . 
     The material savings alone, apart from the other improvements, may be seen in a weight comparison of the chafer stand  101  disclosed herein, and the “chafing dish rack  10 ” taught in 2005/0167381, as follows: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 CHAFER STAND TYPE 
                 WEIGHT 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 chafer stand 101 
                 23.8 ounces 
               
               
                   
                 chafing dish rack 10  
                 17.9 ounces 
               
               
                   
                 (2005/0167381) 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Another collapsible stand embodiment  201  is shown in  FIG. 12 , which includes a secondary rim that may provide additional structural rigidity, and which may be coupled to the first rim using an extension of the handles, and additional connector members. 
     While illustrative implementations of one or more embodiments of the present invention are provided hereinabove, those skilled in the art and having the benefit of the present disclosure will appreciate that further embodiments may be implemented with various changes within the scope of the present invention. Other modifications, substitutions, omissions and changes may be made in the design, size, materials used or proportions, operating conditions, assembly sequence, or arrangement or positioning of elements and members of the exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of this invention. 
     Accordingly, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described example embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.