Patent Publication Number: US-2017367536-A1

Title: Stainless steel food service vessels

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation in part application and claims the benefit of priority of the following U.S. design patent applications: 29/568,912, filed Jun. 22, 2016; 29/568,915, filed Jun. 22, 2016; 29/573,043, filed Aug. 2, 2016; 29/574,920, filed Aug. 19, 2016; 29/584,129, filed Nov. 11, 2016; 29/585,144, filed Nov. 21, 2016; 29/587,988, filed Dec. 16, 2016; 29/588,001, filed Dec. 16, 2016; 29/588,006, filed Dec. 16, 2016; 29/588,010, filed Dec. 16, 2016; 29/588,018, filed Dec. 16, 2016; and 29/601,915, filed Apr. 27, 2017; the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to food service vessels and, more particularly, to vessels for containing and serving food items providing thermal insulation to the hot or cold food items carried therein. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a stainless steel food service vessel, includes a vessel body formed of stainless steel. The vessel body has a top opening and a dual wall construction formed by an interior wall and an exterior wall. The interior wall defines an internal cavity for containing a food item. An insulating cavity is defined in a void between the interior wall and the exterior wall, and the void is contained by a joining seal between the interior wall and the exterior wall. An annular rim is defined by a juncture of the interior wall and the exterior wall surrounding the top opening. 
     A lid may be received within the annular rim and is configured to seal around the annular rim to contain food items within the internal cavity. In some embodiments the lid includes a cylindrical constriction to be received within the annular rim. The cylindrical constriction is formed to have a diameter dimensioned to receive one of a beverage can or a beverage bottle. In other embodiments, the lid may be configured as a serving dish that is configured to be received within the annular rim of the top opening. In other embodiments, the lid is threadingly received within the top opening by a plurality of internal threads defined in the interior wall around a periphery of the top opening. Alternatively, a plurality of external threads are defined in the exterior wall around a periphery of the top opening. 
     Preferably, the exterior wall and the interior wall are substantially parallel throughout a majority of the vessel body. The insulating cavity may be filled with an insulating fluid. Alternatively, the void within the insulating cavity may comprise a vacuum. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the food service vessel. 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the first embodiment of the food service vessel. 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom plan view of the first embodiment of the food service vessel. 
         FIG. 4  is a side cross sectional view of the first embodiment taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a can or bottle cooler embodiment of the food service vessel. 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the can or bottle cooler embodiment of the food service vessel. 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom plan view of the can or bottle cooler embodiment of the food service vessel. 
         FIG. 8  is a side cross sectional view of the can or bottle cooler embodiment taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a serving dish embodiment of the food service vessel. 
         FIG. 10  is a bottom plan view of the serving dish embodiment of the food service vessel. 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded perspective view of the serving dish embodiment of the food service vessel. 
         FIG. 12  is a side cross sectional view of the serving dish embodiment of the food service vessel taken along line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 13  is a side elevation view of a liquid containment bottle embodiment of the food service vessel. 
         FIG. 14  is a bottom plan view of the liquid containment bottle of the food service vessel. 
         FIG. 15  is a side cross sectional view of the liquid containment bottle taken along line  15 - 15  of  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 16  is a top plan view of the liquid containment bottle. 
         FIG. 17  is a detail sectional view of an external thread liquid containment bottle lid. 
         FIG. 18  is a side cross sectional view of an embodiment of a stemmed drinking vessel. 
         FIG. 19  is a perspective view of the embodiment of the stemmed drinking vessel. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     Broadly, embodiments of the present invention provide an improved food service vessel for containing food items, such as liquid beverages, sauces, dips, yogurt, ice cream, and the like. The food service vessel is formed of a double walled stainless steel construction to insulate the food items carried by the vessel. 
     As seen in reference to the drawings of  FIGS. 1-17 , the stainless steel food service vessel  10  includes a vessel body  12  formed of stainless steel. The vessel body  12  has a top opening  14  and a dual wall construction formed by an interior wall  16  and an exterior wall  18 . The interior wall  16  defines an internal cavity  20  for containing a food item. The vessel body  12  may also have a base, or bottom  15 , which may be configured with an interior portion that extends inwardly towards the internal cavity  20 . 
     The vessel body may  12  may be formed in a variety of shapes and styles such that the interior wall  16  and the exterior wall  18  are defined substantially parallel to each other throughout the shape of the vessel body  12 . By way of non-limiting example, the body may be configured as a bottle, a glass, a dish, a holder for another food service vessel, such as a beverage can or bottle. The vessel body  12  may also include a carrying or holding handle extending from the exterior wall  18 . In other embodiments, the vessel body  12  may include a stem support  17  extending from the base  15 . 
     An insulating cavity  22  is defined by a void between the interior wall  16  and the exterior wall  18 . The void is contained by a joining seal between the interior wall  16  and the exterior wall  18 . An annular rim  24  is defined by a juncture of the interior wall  16  and the exterior wall  18  that surrounds the top opening  14 . The joining seal may be defined around the annular rim  24  or around the base  15 . 
     A lid  26  may be received within the annular rim  24 . The lid  26  is configured to seal around or within the annular rim  24  to contain food items within the internal cavity  20  without leakage. The lid  26  may be configured for an interference fit for frictional engagement with the annular rim  24  and or the interior wall  16  proximal to the top opening  14 . 
     As seen in reference to  FIGS. 5-8 , in some embodiments the food service vessel  10  is configured as a can or bottle carrier. In this case, the lid  26  may include at least one cylindrical constriction  28  having a top opening  29  and an interior opening  30  formed therein. The cylindrical constriction  28  has a diameter dimensioned to receive one of a beverage can or a beverage bottle. The internal cavity  20  is also dimensioned to receive the beverage can or bottle therein. 
     As seen in reference to the drawings of  FIGS. 9-12 , the lid  26  may be configured as a serving dish  32 . The serving dish  32  has an annular lip  34  that is dimensioned to be supported by the annular rim  24 . The serving dish  32  may be utilized to serve food items such as dips, sauces, ice cream and the like. In this case the internal cavity  20  may be filled with chilled water and/or ice to keep the food item chilled, while the double wall construction of the vessel body  12  provides insulation for the ice. Alternatively, the internal cavity  20  may be filled with hot water or the like to keep the food item carried in the dish  32  warm. 
     In yet other embodiments of the food service vessel, such as shown in reference to  FIGS. 13-17 , the lid  26  may be configured to be threadingly received within the top opening  14 . The interior wall  16  may be configured with a plurality of internal threads  36 , while the lid  26  may be provided with a threaded extension  40  having a plurality of external threads  38 . Alternatively, as seen in reference to  FIG. 17 , the lid  26  may have a plurality of internal threads  36 , while the outer wall  18  is provided with a plurality of external threads. These embodiments are preferred for containing a larger volume of liquids and beverages for pouring into a glass or mug. 
     The exterior wall  18  and the interior wall  16  may be defined in a wide variety of profiles such that they are substantially parallel throughout a majority of the vessel body  10 . The superior insulating properties of stainless steel are improved with an insulating cavity  20 , which may be filled with an insulating fluid. Alternatively, the void within the insulating cavity  20  may be evacuated under a vacuum before the interior wall  16  and the exterior wall  18  are sealingly joined, such as by a weld, to one another. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.