Patent ID: 7866503

Claim:
A steam-table pan comprising: a generally planar base having an upper surface for supporting a food product; first and second pairs of sidewalls integrally formed with the generally planar base, wherein the base and the sidewalls collectively define a food receiving cavity; a gripping skirt formed along an upper surface of the first and second pairs of sidewalls, the gripping skirt integrally formed with the sidewalls and generally defining an upper periphery of the food receiving cavity, and wherein the gripping skirt includes a first upper portion, a second upper portion parallel to and spaced from the first upper portion, and a bridge portion interconnecting the first and the second upper portions, and wherein the second upper portion includes a lower end configured to engage a tabletop to support the steam-table pan on the tabletop, wherein the gripping skirt is configured in a manner that allows the steam-table pan to be lifted from the tabletop by a user grasping the first and the second upper portions of the gripping skirt and then applying a lifting force; and wherein adjacent sidewalls intersect at a corner area, and wherein the corner area is constructed such that the corner area remains substantially free of deformations when the steam-table pan is subjected to a seven pound drop test at thirty-six inches.