Patent ID: 7726296

Claim:
A drywell table, comprising: a top frame defining at least one opening configured to receive a serving pan therethrough; a heating plate disposed below the top frame; a liner disposed between the top frame and the heating plate, the liner comprising a circumferential outer wall that defines a cavity above the heating plate; and at least two heating fins extending between the heating plate and the top frame, the heating fins defining at least three rows within the cavity defined by the circumferential outer wall, each row configured to receive the pan therein, wherein heat is transferred from the heating plate and heating fins to the serving pan primarily via conduction through stagnant air in an air gap defined between the heating plate, heating fins and the serving pan, the air gap comprising a generally uniform gap between a surface of the fin and a surface of the serving pan disposed adjacent to and facing the fin, said air gap allowing for generally uniform heating of the serving pan to maintain food in the serving pan above a desired food serving temperature even when the level of food in the serving pan falls below one inch, and configured to minimize convection and radiation heat transfer between the heating plate and heating fins and the serving pan.