Patent Publication Number: US-2012043322-A1

Title: Temperature maintenance system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/375,723, filed Aug. 20, 2011, by Jerry Glenn Peters, entitled TEMPERATURE MAINTENANCE SYSTEM, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference for all that it discloses and teaches. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Plates are often heated or cooled when food is placed on them before the plates are served to a consumer. The desired increase or decrease in temperature of the plate is useful when food is prepared and later served to a customer. The increase or decrease in temperature of the plate is decided by the type of food being served. For example, ice cream is most desired to be served cold, and steak is most desired to be served hot. 
     When food is on a plate to be served, a dome can be used to cover the plate to help maintain a desirable temperature of the food. Domes can be used in settings where the food is prepared, and then delivered to a patron receiving room service such as in hospitals, nursing homes, and hotels. 
     SUMMARY 
     An embodiment of the present invention may therefore comprise a dome for maintaining the temperature of food comprising: a cover having a plastic shell comprising a first inside portion and a second outside portion; a reflective insulated layer adjacently disposed in the inside portion of the plastic shell; a transparent inner shell capable of radiating infrared radiation, the transparent inner shell adjacently disposed over the reflective insulated layer so that heat is reflected from the reflective insulated layer causing the first cover to retain heat within an inside portion of the cover when the first cover is disposed on a surface. 
     An embodiment of the present invention may further comprise a method for maintaining the temperature of food comprising: providing a cover having a plastic shell having an inside portion and an outside portion; providing a reflective insulated layer adjacently disposed in the inside portion of the plastic shell; providing a transparent inner shell capable of radiating infrared radiation adjacently disposed over the reflective insulated layer so that heat is reflected from the reflective insulated layer; placing said cover over said food so that the cover retains heat in the cover when the cover is disposed on a surface. 
     An embodiment of the present invention may further comprise a temperature maintenance system for maintaining the temperature of food comprising: a ceramic plate containing heat activated materials to help retain heat within the ceramic plate so that the ceramic plate assists in providing a substantially constant temperature of the food disposed on the ceramic plate; a dome cover having a plastic surface that does not melt when exposed to an increase in temperature that is approximately equal to the temperature of the food disposed on the plate; a reflective insulated layer disposed adjacent to the plastic surface; a transparent inner shell capable of radiating infrared radiation disposed adjacent to the reflective insulating layer so that the reflective insulating layer radiates heat towards the ceramic plate. 
     An embodiment of the present invention may further comprise a method of maintaining the temperature of food comprising: providing a ceramic plate containing heat activated materials to help retain heat within the ceramic plate so that the ceramic plate assists in providing a substantially constant temperature of the food disposed on the ceramic plate; providing a dome cover having a plastic surface that does not melt when exposed to an increase in temperature that is approximately equal to the temperature of the food disposed on the plate; providing a reflective insulated layer disposed adjacent to the plastic surface; providing a transparent inner plastic shell that radiates infrared radiation, the transparent inner plastic shell disposed adjacent to the reflective insulating layer so that the reflective insulating layer radiates heat towards the ceramic plate. 
     An embodiment of the present invention may further comprise a method for transporting food on a tray comprising: providing a plate having a protruding foot located on a rear portion of the plate; providing a dome cover having edges so that the edges rest on the tray; providing elevated portions on the tray so that the protruding foot of the plate prevent the plate from sliding on the tray when the plate is disposed within the elevated portions and the elevated portions prevent the dome cover from shifting on the tray during transit when the dome cover is disposed on an outer portion of the elevated portions of the tray. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric assembly view of an embodiment of a temperature maintenance system. 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the tray and plate of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric view of  FIG. 2  with a dome cover. 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric rear view of the plate illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is an isometric front view of a plate illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the dome cover of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the dome cover of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  is another cross-sectional view of the dome cover of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is another cross-sectional view of the dome cover of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of multiple dome covers that are stacked. 
         FIG. 11  is another cross-sectional view of stacked dome covers of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 12  is an isometric view of an embodiment of stacked dome covers. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric assembly view of temperature maintenance system  100 . Temperature maintenance system  100  eliminates the cost and maintenance of an induction heater. An induction heater is an electronic device that sits under a plate while a customer or patient is eating so that the plate will remain warm, thereby keeping the customer or patient&#39;s food warm. Temperature maintenance system  100  allows virtually no maintenance and does not create the danger of a hot and heavy induction system base for a customer to juggle. 
     It should be noted that the term heat is defined as energy transferred between objects due to a temperature difference. In other words, the term heat is not limited to warmth but encompasses a broad range of temperatures including temperatures that are considered to be cold. For example, temperature maintenance system  100  assists in substantially maintaining a desired temperature for an extended period of time by retaining heat which may include hot, cold, and temperatures in between hot and cold. The temperature maintenance system is capable of substantially retaining heat for at least ninety minutes, thus eliminating the need to prepare a customer another meal due to food not having an appropriate temperature to serve to a customer. 
     Temperature maintenance system  100  comprises tray  102 , plate  104 , and dome cover  106 . In use, temperature maintenance system  100  allows plate  104  and dome cover  106  to remain in place during transit as a result of elevated portions  108  located on tray  102 . For example, (referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 ), plate  104  is placed inside elevated portions  108 , and dome cover  106  is placed on tray  102  so that elevated portions  108  fit inside the circular edge  302  ( FIG. 3 ) of dome cover  106 . Elevated portions  108  on tray  102  prevent the dome cover and plate from sliding during transit. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , elevated portions  108  are located in the front portion of tray  102  so that when a customer receives their meal, the plate is positioned as an appealing presentation and is located a convenient distance, allowing the customer easy access to their meal. In other words, the customer does not have to reach a far distance on tray  102  to retrieve their meal on plate  104 . This can be important in certain settings such as hospitals and nursing homes wherein a patient may have limited mobility. Additionally, tray  102  and dome cover  106  may be constructed of plastic and be of any color or design. For example, hotels or hospitals may have a certain logo or color scheme that they may wish to employ temperature maintenance system  100 . Any hard plastic may be used such as polypropylene. 
     In accordance with the temperature maintenance system  100  of  FIG. 1 , temperatures of food are maintained by heating or cooling plate  104 , i.e., increasing or decreasing the temperature of plate  104 . Plate  104  has special heat retaining properties (hot and cold), and can be used in a microwave. Plate  104  has an increased amount of aluminum oxide added which adds to the mass as well as the density and hardness of plate  104  and thus assists in the heat retaining properties of plate  104 . Plate  104  is approximately forty three percent heavier than standard plates and may have as much as eight times the amount of aluminum oxide present in the plate in comparison to standard plates containing aluminum oxide. Plate  104  can be purchased from Niagara Ceramics located at 75 Hayes Place Buffalo, N.Y. 14210. In use, the temperature of plate  104  can be increased or decreased (heated or cooled) to maintain the temperature of the food placed on plate  104 . Plate  104  can then be placed on tray  102  and dome cover  106  can then cover plate  104  on tray  102 . Dome cover can optionally be heated or cooled before being placed over plate  104 . Heating dome cover  106  is not essential for temperature maintenance system to maintain temperature properly. However, heating the dome cover  106  can assist in reducing condensation inside dome cover  106  while the temperature maintenance system  100  is waiting to be delivered to a customer. This is mainly the case when the delivery time for meals is extended due to delivering food in a large facility, such as in a large hospital or large hotel such as a conference hotel. 
       FIG. 4  is an isometric rear view of plate  104 . Foot  402  is an elevated portion that holds the weight of plate  104 , in addition to prevent sliding of tray  102  ( FIG. 3 ). In other words, elevated portions  108  of tray  102  prevents plate  104  from sliding off of tray  102  by elevated foot  402  of plate  104  being impeded by elevated portions  108  of tray  102 , thus preventing plate  104  from sliding around tray  102 . 
     Plate  104 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , employs an extra hard glaze that is twice fired that can help prevent the accumulation of metal on foot  402  when plate  104  slides across a metal surface such as those commonly found in industrial kitchens. When plates slide across a metal surface, it is common for the foot of a plate to accumulate metal, thus ruining the metal surface. Hence, the extra hard glaze on foot  402  of plate  104  helps prevent metal counter tops in kitchens from becoming destroyed over time. Plate  104  can be an appealing ivory color, but may also be various different colors, or have multiple colors and logos (including words) if desired. 
       FIG. 5  is a front isometric view of plate  104 . Plate  104  is in a general coupe shape  502  to allow generous portions of food to be disposed on plate  104 . In other words, the coupe shape  502  of plate  104  assists in retaining food on plate  104  but also allows additional space on tray  102  ( FIG. 3 ). For example, an eight inch plate  104  will give the same eating and plating surface as a traditional nine inch plate, while saving space on tray  102  (illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 ). In addition, if plate  104  is constructed to be eight inches, plate  104  is constructed to accommodate standard nine inch plate heaters, thereby saving the consumer money. 
       FIG. 6  is a side view of dome cover  106 . Dome cover  106  has a layer of reflective insulation material  604  that is breathable which reduces condensation on the inside surface of hard plastic material  602 . Reflective insulation material  604  can be made out of a material such as Temptrol® which can be purchased from innovative insulation packaging at 6200 West Pioneer Parkway, Arlington, Tex. 76013. Below the reflective insulation material  604 , there is a groove  606  for a silicone o-ring.  FIG. 6  also illustrates a snap ring  608  used to hold an inner layer that covers reflective insulation material  604 , as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a partial cross sectional view of dome cover  106 . Snap ring  608  holds transparent inner shell  702  in place over reflective insulation material  604 . Transparent inner shell  702  is capable of transmitting infrared radiation frequencies between the plate  104  ( FIG. 4 ) and reflective insulation material  604 . In other words, infrared radiation is synonymous with heat radiation. As plate  104  ( FIG. 7 ) radiates heat, transparent inner shell  702  allows infrared radiation from plate  104  ( FIG. 7 ) to radiate through transparent inner shell  702 , and thus reflect off of reflective insulation material  604 , thereby radiating back through transparent inner shell towards plate  104  ( FIG. 4 ), thus maintaining a substantially constant temperature of the food (not shown) on plate  104  ( FIG. 7 ). Dome cover  106  is constructed so there a void of space between hard plastic  602  and transparent inner shell  702  which allows room for reflective insulation material  604 . O-ring groove  606  has a void space to accommodate a silicone o-ring (not shown) that has some elasticity to properly hold transparent inner shell  702  inside dome cover  106 . 
       FIG. 8  is a close up view of  FIG. 7  illustrating o-ring groove  606  and snap ring  608 .  FIG. 8  also illustrates void space  802  created between transparent inner shell  702  and hard plastic  602 . 
       FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view of dome cover  106 . Dome handle  902  is inserted into an opening in hard plastic  602  so that hooks  904 ,  906  get caught on lip  908 ,  910 , thereby fixing dome handle  902  to hard plastic  602 . Dome handle  902  is optional and does not have to be employed. In the case that dome handle  902  is not used, hard plastic  602  is a smooth, solid surface. 
       FIG. 10  is a cross sectional view of stacked dome covers  1000 . Dome covers  1004 ,  1006  are capable of being stacked upon one another, thus saving space in a work area. Dome cover  1006  is supported by edge  1002  of dome cover  1004 . A space  1008  is provided between dome cover  1004  and dome cover  1006  so that dome cover can be easily lifted from dome cover  1004 . 
       FIG. 11  illustrates stacked dome covers  1100 . Dome covers  1106 ,  1104 , have a dome handle  902  (illustrated in  FIG. 9 ). Dome cover  1104  is supported by edge  1102  of dome cover  1106 . Space  1108  is provided between dome cover  1106  and dome cover  1104  so that dome cover  1104  can be easily lifted from dome cover  1106 . Space  1108  also allows room for the employment of dome handle  902 . 
       FIG. 12  is an isometric view of stacked dome covers  1200  illustrating how closely dome covers are stacked together. There is a great benefit to having additional space in a work area, such as a food preparation area. Thus, stacked dome covers can provide space, allowing more surface area for food preparation and presentation. 
     The foregoing description of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and other modifications and variations may be possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the appended claims be construed to include other alternative embodiments of the invention except insofar as limited by the prior art.