Patent ID: 6841764

Claim:
A heat retention system for keeping meals warm, said system comprising: a heat retention device ( 4 , 202 ) and at least one receptacle ( 5 , 55 , 103 ) for accommodating meals, said device being adapted to accommodate said at least one receptacle and containing a control unit ( 102 , 212 ), a plate ( 9 , 59 , 209 ) for supporting the at least one receptacle, a plurality of active elements ( 2 , 210 ) and a plurality of temperature sensors ( 16 , 18 , 56 , 215 ) disposed on or in the plate, wherein one of the temperature sensors is allocated to each of the active elements, each of said at least one receptacle comprising at least one passive, inductively heatable element ( 3 , 53 ) and said at least one receptacle ( 5 , 55 , 103 ), individually or collectively, may be brought into interactive connection with the device ( 4 , 202 ) such that each of said at least one receptacle ( 5 , 55 , 103 ) is heatable by way of the at least one passive, inductively heatable element ( 3 , 53 ) as a result of induction by way of one or more of the active elements ( 2 , 210 ) of the device, wherein the temperature of the at least one receptacle ( 5 , 55 , 103 ) may be kept to a settable value by way of one or more of the temperature sensors ( 16 , 18 , 56 , 216 ) and the control unit ( 102 , 212 ) independently of the extent of filling, wherein the device is adapted to accommodate different sets of dimensions for each of the at least one receptacle, such that when each of the at least one receptacle has a first set of dimensions, each of the at least one receptacle covers a plurality of the active elements; wherein the heat retention device consists of several modules ( 101 , 102 , 104 , 121 , 124 , 142 ), said modules ( 101 , 102 , 104 , 121 , 124 , 142 ) comprising fastening means ( 105 - 108 , 126 , 135 , 138 , 145 - 148 , 155 , 158 ) in the form of active and counter means for the releasable connection of the individual modules ( 101 , 102 , 104 , 121 , 124 , 142 ); and wherein one module is a covering ( 104 , 124 ), a second module is a control module, and a third module is a mounting.