Patent Publication Number: US-2022225829-A1

Title: Stackable, rechargeable dish warming system and assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is directed towards a dish warming system and assembly. More specifically, and without limitation, this invention relates to a stackable, rechargeable dish warming system and assembly configured to maintain a warm temperature of cooked or heated foods. 
     Various methods are known to maintain the temperature of cooked or heated food. For example, it is known to place aluminum foil over dishes to contain the heat of the food therein. However, aluminum is a poor insulator and provides limited advantage in maintaining the warmth of food. 
     Various bags and enclosures have been developed to increase the amount of insulation provided. Each of these enclosures, including the general use of aluminum foil fails, prevents the consumption of the food. 
     Additionally, the use of such devices is not aesthetically pleasing and has limited usefulness in a restaurant setting where dishes are often placed on a shelf for delivery to a patron visiting the restaurant who may not immediately eat the food due to engaging conversation or waiting for an accompanying patron to receive their food, which is viewed as polite. 
     Thus it is a primary objective of this invention to provide a dish warming assembly and system that improves upon the art. 
     Another objective of this invention is to provide a dish warming assembly and system that keeps food warm when uncovered. 
     Yet another objective of this invention is to provide a dish warming assembly and system that is stackable. 
     Another objective of this invention is to provide a dish warming assembly and system that is rechargeable. 
     Yet another objective of this invention is to provide a dish warming assembly and system that is operational while being mobile. 
     Another objective of this invention is to provide a dish warming assembly and system that is easy to use and user friendly. 
     Yet another objective of this invention is to provide a dish warming assembly and system that is safe. 
     These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the specification and claims. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In general, the present invention relates to a dish warming system and assembly. The dish warming system includes at least one dish warming assembly that is configured to receive a dish on a plate of the dish warming assembly. Upon placement of the dish, an activation switch is activated turning on a heat element that maintains a warm temperature of the food on the dish. 
     To recharge, a recharging unit is attached to a power source of the dish warming assembly. In some embodiments of the present system, multiple dish warming assemblies are included that are stackable. When stacked, the multiple dish warming assemblies are rechargeable with a single connection to a recharging unit. This is accomplished by charging contacts on the power source of each dish warming assembly that are in electrical communication such that the electricity from the recharging unit received by one dish warming assembly is passed to a second, third, fourth, (etc.) dish warming assembly. 
     In certain arrangements of the present invention, a bottom surface of the plate of the dish warming assembly has one or more protrusion, a recess, or both that are configured to prevent the activation of the activation switch, which would otherwise occur upon stacking the dish warming assemblies. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a dish warming system; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of a dish warming assembly; 
         FIG. 3  is a side cut-away view of a dish warming assembly; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of a dish warming assembly; and 
         FIG. 5  is a side cut-away view of a dish warming assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to the figures a dish warming system  10  is shown having a dish warming assembly  12  having a plate or tray  14 , one or more power sources  16 , a heat element  18 , an activation switch  20 , and a recharging unit  22 . In some embodiments of the present invention, dish warming system  10  is configured to stack multiple dish warming assemblies  12  on top of each other while recharging, such as a first dish warming assembly  12 A and a second dish warming assembly  12 B. 
     In some iterations of the present invention, the plate  14  has a top surface  24  and a bottom surface  26  with at least one side wall or edge  28  positioned between the top surface  24  and the bottom surface  26 . For instance, in embodiments in which the plate  14  is circular, the side wall or edge  28  would extend around the circumference of the plate  14 . In some embodiments, the plate  14  is shaped such that a lip  30  is formed such that the top surface  24  and bottom surface  26  are elevated adjacent the side wall  28  in relation to a central portion  32  of the plate  14 . In such a configuration, the lip  30  facilitates stacking of multiple dish warming assemblies  12  as the central portion  32  of each dish warming assembly is restricted from moving laterally. The presence of the lip  30  in some embodiments further provides the advantage of maintaining the position of a dish  34  (such as a dish plate, bowl, saucer, cup, mug, and the like) (not shown) placed on the top surface  24  of the plate  14 . 
     In some arrangements of the present invention the bottom surface  26  of the plate  14  has at least one protrusion  36  that extends away from the top surface  24  and the bottom surface  26  of the plate  14 . For instance, the protrusion  36  in some embodiments is shaped as a circle that generally encircles the central portion  32  of the plate  14 . In other embodiments, multiple protrusions  36  can extend from the bottom surface  26  such that the protrusions  36  provide a stable contact with a surface such as a table  38  (not shown) thereby preventing or limiting the dish warming assembly from wobbling during use. 
     In addition or alternatively, the bottom surface  26  has a recess  40  such that the shape of the bottom surface  26  extends upwards towards the top surface  24 —in this way the thickness of the plate  14  is less than the thickness of the remainder of the central portion  32  of the plate  14 . In some embodiments, the recess  40  has a dome shape and in others a cylindrical shape. The configuration of the recess  40 , as well as the at least one protrusion  36  in various arrangements, enhances the safety and recharging of the dish warming system  10  as disclosed in further detail below. 
     In some embodiments of the present invention, the power source  16  includes one or more rechargeable batteries  42  contained within a housing  44 . In some embodiments, the housing  44  includes at least one charging contact  46  that is attached to a top wall  48  and a bottom opposing  50  of the housing  44 . The charging contact  46  is configured to pass electrical current between power sources  16  of multiple dish warming assemblies  12  such that charging can occur when multiple dish warming assemblies  12  are stacked upon each other. In some arrangements, one or more magnet  52  is connected to the housing  44  to provide for a magnetic connection between the housing  44  of multiple dish warming assemblies when stacked. In some embodiments, the charging contacts  46  are one or more set of mating male connection member  46 A, such as prongs, and female connection members  46 B, such as input jacks. 
     As shown in the illustrative embodiments, the housing  44  is positioned to the exterior of the plate  14 . In particular arrangements, a first power source  16 A is attached to a first side  54  of the side wall  28  of the plate  14  and a second power source  16 B is attached to a second opposing side  56  of the side wall  28  of the plate. This configuration permits the housing  44  of the first power source  16 A and second power source  16 B to function as handles  58 . Such a configuration also limits the likelihood that food, such as a soup, will come into contact with the charging contacts  46  that could impeded charging. In other embodiments, the power source  16  is contained within the plate  14  rather than the housing  44 . 
     The one or more power source  16  is in electrical communication with the heat element  18 , such as by way of wiring  60 . The heat element  18 , in some embodiments, is attached to the top surface  24  of the plate  14  such that the heat element  18  is not enclosed by the plate  14  but rather exposed for direct contact with the dish  34 . In other embodiments, the heat element  18  is positioned entirely within the plate  14  such that direct contact with heat element  18  is prevented by the plate  14 . While useful, positioning the heat element  18  within the plate  14  will result in some of the heat from the heat element  18  dissipating or dispersing through the plate  14  thereby providing less direct heating to the dish  34 . In particular arrangements, the heat element  18  is circular and is smaller than the central portion  32  of the plate  14 , which permits foods that do not need to have a warm temperature to be positioned on the dish  34  in a position outside of occupancy of the heat element  18  to limit the warming effect of the heat element  18 . 
     In some embodiments, the heat element  18  is configured to produce a predefined temperature. In some arrangements, the predefined temperature is 115° F., which provides the unique advantage of keeping food warm without cooking high price items, such as steak that at internal temperatures above 115° F. increases the doneness of the steak beyond what some patrons may prefer. The use of a static, predefined temperature also provides the advantage of making the dish warming assembly  12  easy to use and avoids the potential for the temperature to be set incorrectly. In other embodiments, the heat element  18  is configured to produce a range of selectable, definable temperatures. 
     Connected to and in communication with the heat element  18  is the activation switch  20 . As seen in the illustrative embodiments, the activation switch  20  is configured to activate upon the application of pressure. In some such arrangements, the activation switch  20  has a button, pressure plate, or pressure switch  62  that protrudes from the top surface  24  of the plate  14 . In such embodiments, the placement of the dish  34  on the top surface  24  engages and presses the pressure switch  62  thereby activating the heat element  18 . Upon removal of the dish  34 , the pressure switch is released and the heat element is deactivated. 
     In some embodiments of the present invention that include the bottom surface  26  having one or more protrusion  36 , the one or more protrusion  36  is configured to elevate the bottom surface  26  of the first dish assembly  12 A above the top surface  24  of the second dish assembly  12 B when the first dish assembly  12 A is stacked atop the second dish assembly  12 B, thereby preventing the activation of the activation switch  20  through engagement between the dish warming assemblies  12 . Additionally or alternatively, some arrangements of the dish warming system  10  having the recess  40  in the bottom surface  26  of the first dish warming assembly  12 A prevents engagement with the activation switch  20  of the second dish warming assembly  12 B when the first dish warming assembly  12 A is stacked on the second dish warming assembly  12 B. In these ways, the dish warming assembly  10  prevents activation of the heat element  18  when multiple dish warming assemblies  12  are stacked upon each other, which could pose a safety risk and prevent or limit recharging efficiencies. 
     Alternatively or in addition to such arrangements, some embodiments of the present invention have an activation toggle  64  that toggles between a fixed ON position and a fixed OFF position that is not determined by pressure being applied to the activation toggle  64 . The presence of an activation toggle  64  limits accidental activation of the heat element  18 . 
     The power sources  16  described herein are configured to electrically connect to the recharging unit  22 . In some embodiments, the recharging unit  22  is an AC adapter that is inserted and connects to the power source  16 , which in turn charges each dish warming assembly  12  in the stack of dish warming assemblies  12 . In other embodiments, the recharging unit  12  is configured to provide wireless charging to the dish warming assembly  12  positioned in immediate alignment with the recharging unit  12 , which in turn charges each dish warming assembly in the stack of dish warming assemblies  12 . 
     In operation, the dish  34  is placed on the top surface  24  of the first dish warming assembly  12 A. Upon placement of the dish  34 , the activation switch  20  is triggered and the heat element  18  is activated. As long as the dish  34  remains on the top surface  24 , the heat element  18  will continuously warm any food placed on the dish  34 . 
     When the food is consumed, the dish  34  is removed from the first dish warming assembly  12 A and the heat element  18  is deactivated. If an insufficient amount of power is left in the power source  16 , the recharging unit  22  is connected to the power source  16 . If the second dish warming assembly  12 B needs to be charged, the second dish warming assembly  12 B is placed atop the first dish warming assembly  12 A and the contact or connection between the power sources  16  of the respective dish warming assemblies  12  provides an electrical charge to the second dish warming assembly  12 B that is passed from the recharging unit  22  and through the power source  16  of the first dish warming assembly  12 A and into the power source  16  of the second dish warming assembly. 
     The presence of the protrusion  36 , the recess  40 , or both prevents activation of the activation switch  20 , which prevents a stack of dish warming assemblies  12  from causing a safety issue. Likewise, charging is facilitated as the respective heat elements  18  remain deactivated when multiple dish warming assemblies  12  are stacked. 
     Therefore, a dish warming assembly  10  has been provided that maintains food warmth when not covered, is stackable, rechargeable, operational while being mobile, easy to use, user friendly, safe, and improves upon the art. 
     From the above discussion and accompanying figures and claims it will be appreciated that the dish warming system  10  offers many advantages over the prior art. It will be appreciated further by those skilled in the art that various other modifications could be made to the device without parting from the spirit and scope of this invention. All such modifications and changes fall within the scope of the claims and are intended to be covered thereby. It should be understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changes in the light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and are to be included in the spirit and purview of this application.