Patent Publication Number: US-9883761-B2

Title: Rotary food server assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Field of the Disclosure 
     The disclosure relates to rotary food server devices and more particularly pertains to a new rotary food server device for rotatably serving a selected food item. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a bottom disk that may be positioned on a support surface. An upper disk is movably coupled to the bottom disk so the upper disk may support a food item. A processor is coupled to the bottom disk. An actuator is coupled to the bottom disk. The actuator is operationally coupled to the processor so the processor may selectively actuate the actuator. The actuator is operationally coupled to the upper disk so the actuator may selectively move the upper disk. A keypad is coupled to the bottom disk so a user may touch the keypad. The keypad is operationally coupled to the processor so the actuator may move the upper disk to a selected position. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a rotary food server assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a right side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2  of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 6  thereof, a new rotary food server device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , the rotary food server assembly  10  generally comprises a bottom disk  12  that may be positioned on a support surface  14 . The bottom disk  12  may have a diameter between 1 m and 2 m. A foot  16  is coupled to a bottom  18  of the bottom disk  12  proximate an outer edge  20  of the bottom disk  12 . In addition, the foot  16  abuts the support surface  14  so the foot  16  supports the bottom disk  12  above the support surface  14 . The support surface  14  may be a table. Continuing, the foot  16  is one of a plurality of the feet  16  that is evenly distributed around a perimeter of the bottom  18  of the bottom disk  12 . 
     An upper disk  22  is provided that has a diameter that is less than a diameter of the bottom disk  12 . The upper disk  22  forms a concentric circle with respect to the bottom disk  12 . Additionally, the upper disk  22  is movably coupled to the bottom disk  12  so the upper disk  22  may support a food item  24 . The food item  24  may be one of a plurality of food items  24  evenly distributed around an exposed portion  26  of a top  28  of the upper disk  22 . 
     The upper disk  22  is one of a plurality of vertically stacked upper disks  30  that is each movably coupled to one another. The plurality of vertically stacked upper disks  30  each has a diameter that is less than a lower one of the vertically stacked upper disks  30 . In addition, the plurality of vertically stacked upper disks  30  forms a plurality of concentric circles with respect to the bottom disk  12 . Continuing, the plurality of food items  24  may each be positioned upon and evenly distributed around an exposed portion  26  of the top  28  of each of the plurality of vertically stacked upper disks  30  and an exposed portion  32  of a top  34  of the bottom disk  12 . The plurality of vertically stacked upper disks  30  may each have a diameter ranging between 1 m and 50 cm. 
     A bearing track  36  is coupled between the upper  22  and bottom  12  disks so the upper disk  22  is rotatably coupled to the bottom disk  12 . The bearing track  36  forms a closed loop so the bearing track  36  has a diameter that is less than a diameter of the upper disk  22 . Additionally, the bearing track  36  comprises a top portion  38  of the bearing track  36  coupled to a bottom  40  of the upper disk  22  and a bottom portion  42  of the bearing track  36  coupled to the top  34  of the bottom disk  12 . The bottom portion  42  of the bearing track  36  insertably receives the top portion  38  of the bearing track  36 . 
     A plurality of ball bearings  44  is positioned between each of the top  38  and bottom  40  portions of the bearing track  36 . The ball bearings  44  reduce a rotational friction of the bearing track  36 . Continuing, the bearing track  36  is one of a plurality of bearing tracks  36  each coupled between each of an associated one of a plurality of vertically stacked upper disks  30 . The plurality of bearing tracks  36  each has a diameter that is less than a diameter of a lower one of the plurality of bearing tracks  36 . 
     A processor  46  is coupled to the bottom disk  12 . An actuator  48  is coupled to the bottom disk  12 . The actuator  48  is electrically coupled to the processor  46  so the processor  46  may selectively actuate the actuator  48 . Continuing, the actuator  48  is mechanically coupled to each of the plurality of vertically stacked upper disks  30  so the actuator  48  may selectively rotate a selected one of the plurality of vertically stacked upper disks  30 . The actuator  48  may comprise an electric actuator of any conventional design. 
     A keypad  50  is coupled to and extends laterally away from the outer edge  20  of the bottom disk  12  so a user  52  may touch the keypad  50 . The keypad  50  comprises a plurality of keys  54  and each of the plurality of keys  54  is labeled with a corresponding one of a plurality of alpha-numeric characters  56 . The keypad  50  is electrically coupled to the processor  46  so the actuator  48  rotates a selected one of the plurality of vertically stacked upper disks  30  to a selected position. 
     A power supply  58  is coupled to the bottom disk  12 . The power supply  58  is electrically coupled to the processor  46 . Additionally, the power supply  58  comprises a power cord  60 . A free end  62  of the power cord  60  may be selectively electrically coupled to a power source  64 . The power source  64  may comprise a female electrical outlet. 
     In use, the user  52  actuates a selected one of the plurality of keys  54  on the keypad  50 . The selected alpha-numeric characters  56  on the keys  54  corresponds to a selected one of the plurality of food items  24 . In addition, the processor  46  actuates the actuator  48  to rotate the selected one of the plurality of vertically stacked upper disks  30 . The selected one of the vertically stacked upper disks  30  is rotated until the selected foot item  24  is positioned proximate the keypad  50 . Continuing, the user  52  removes the selected food item  24  from the associated one of the plurality of vertically stacked disks  30  or the bottom disk  12 . 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure.