Patent ID: 8499683

Claim:
A food holding appliance for holding food at a desired temperature, comprising: a food holding compartment for support of food holding pans, said food holding compartment defining a boundary of a heat transfer space; a heat transfer plate having a heat transfer surface for transfer of heat energy to and from stored food products; a heat transfer fluid passage thermally coupled to said heat transfer plate for directing a flow of hot or cold heat transfer fluids; a thermal insulation space between adjacent food holding compartments; a heat transfer module housing for support of said heat transfer plate, said heat transfer module housing defining a boundary of said thermal insulation space, said heat transfer module housing regulating heat transfer from said food holding compartment to an adjacent food holding compartment, said heat transfer module housing encircling said heat transfer module, said heat transfer module housing being rigidly connected to said heat transfer plate; a rigid support structure for support and location of a plurality of heat transfer modules, said rigid support structure defining a boundary of said food holding compartment; wherein said heat transfer surface is integrally conformed to said heat transfer plate; a heat transfer fluid passage manifold fluidly coupled to said heat transfer fluid passage; a fluid control valve for heat transfer fluid distribution to said heat transfer modules; a temperature control for temperature control of said heat transfer surface; at least one heat conductive removable heat transfer partition assembly including removable heat transfer partitions, said removable heat transfer partition assembly hanging from said heat transfer surface, said removable heat transfer partition assembly being slidably coupled to said heat transfer surface; means for controlling compression of heat transfer fluids fluidly connected to said means for heat transfer fluid distribution to said heat transfer modules; means for the control of the heat transfer fluid; means for temperature control of said heat transfer surface; means for temperature control of said heat transfer module electrically connected to said means for temperature control of said heat transfer surface, and electrically connected to said means for the control of the heat transfer fluid; means for generating heat energy from electricity thermally connected to said removable heat transfer partitions; and means for control of electric heat elements electrically connected to said means for generating heat energy from electricity, and electrically connected to said means for temperature control of said heat transfer surface.