Hot/cold food container

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of application Ser. No. 10/016,936 filed Dec. 13, 2001 and entitled CONFECTION PARTY SYSTEM, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates to a turntable or lazy susan-type appliance which provides a modular system for dispensing food and attendant fixings such as those that may be dispensed for hot or cold foods.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] While the use of lazy susans or rotatable trays themselves are relatively known in the art and have been used for long periods of time, particularly in Chinese restaurants, as far as known none have been associated with a various food, including a yogurt, ice cream, hot food, etc. food server. While U.S. Pat. 6,186,055 B1, of which the current inventor is a co-inventor therein, describes a turntable cooking and serving appliance, none of the known prior art discloses or teaches a modular system for serving food and attendant food stuffs that acts as an accompaniment to the food.

[0006] The problem with serving foods at party functions or circumstances where there are a plurality of people has always been to be able to maintain the food, whether hot, cold or frozen, in a servable condition in proximity to the fixings that would go along with it. The prior art, as far as known, has never combined a modular system, exposed to the ambient surroundings, that would enable cold, frozen, or hot foods to be served and held at an adequate temperature for some period of time to allow service therefrom, for example, ice cream, chili, etc. and the attendant fixings that would go along with it and still allow for easy clean-up after the service has been completed.

[0007] It is an object of the invention to provide a relatively low maintenance, easily manufactured turntable-type modular assemblage for the keeping and dispensing of hot, frozen or cold foods, and accompaniments that would normally be associated for serving, for example, crackers for chili and toppings for ice cream.

[0008] It is another important object of the invention to provide a modular assemblage of economic construction that lends itself to be utilized at gatherings comprising parties and celebrations.

[0009] It is another object of the invention to provide a modular turntable device that is capable of holding and maintaining hot or cooled foods at appropriate temperatures and allows for the easy dispensing thereof along with associated accompaniments.

[0010] It is still another important object of the invention to provide an easily constructed, easily cleanable confection dispensing assembly which is easy to use and provides for easy clean-up after use.

[0011] It is still another important specific object of the invention to provide an insulated hot or cold food holder that may be either heated in an oven or stored in a freezer after which the same may be removed therefrom and into which hot food or a frozen confection container may be placed and by reason of the insulated material maintains the heated food or frozen confection for a time period to allow serving thereof at ambient temperatures and wherein the container is associated with a plurality and array of containers from which accompaniments such as crackers, chopped onions, grated cheese or toppings and fixings and the like may be dispensed.

[0012] It is still a more important, specific object of the invention to provide a hot/cold food container holder which is capable of acting as an insulating or cooling device and wherein it is modularly assembled into a serving assembly which is easy to use, easy to clean up and allows for use by a plurality of individuals regardless of where the assembly is placed.

[0013] In its most basic form, the invention is directed to a hot/cold food keeping and serving device comprising a base, an insulating container mounted on the base wherein the insulating container includes a heating or cooling means which most generally takes the form of a gel or other substance that is capable of being heated or frozen so as to keep the heated or frozen food therein at appropriate temperatures, and wherein an annular compartment surrounds the insulating container and is located adjacent to the insulating container and further has a ring mounted within the annular compartment so as to better stabilize and hold a food carton of the conventional type in a secure relationship within the insulating container and which further includes a bearing assembly located between the ring and the annular compartment, with the ring being freely rotatable relative to the base section and the insulating container, much like a lazy susan of the ubiquitous-type provides. A plurality of trays or containers are located within the annular compartment resting on the ring and are rotatable therewith with each of the trays or containers being adapted to contain accompaniments such as, for example, ice cream fixings or toppings where ice cream is the cold or frozen food to be dispensed or, for example, onions, grated cheese, oyster crackers, etc. where chili is the hot food to be dispensed.

[0014] These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the hereinafter following commentary taken in conjunction with the drawings.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the modular assembly of the invention;

[0016] FIG. 2 is a top view of the assembly depicted in FIG. 1;

[0017] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly depicted in FIG. 1 illustrating more detailed construction thereof;

[0018] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the modular assemblage depicted in FIG. 1 and showing more detailed construction of the invention; and

[0019] FIG. 5 in an enlarged view of one of the dispensing trays or containers of the modular assembly of the invention.

[0020] The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently-preferred embodiments of the invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed and/or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. However, it is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0021] Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate like elements throughout, it will be noted that the modular assemblage or system 2 of the invention comprises a lazy susan base 4, in this instance of molded plastic, having an annular configuration with an interior recess 6. As is usual, the lazy susan base 4 has a central rotatable means 10 supported for rotative relationship relative to lazy susan base 4 by means of ball bearings 12. Lazy susan base 4 has in this particular instance depending circumferential flange 14 to provide an aesthetic appearance to the overall modular assemblage 2.

[0022] It is clear that the flange 14 extends downwardly to the depth of rotatable member 10 so that anything placed on the surface 6 of lazy susan base 4 may be easily moved in rotatable fashion.

[0023] Super positioned within the recess 6 of lazy susan base 4 is congruently shaped base plate 16 having a central recess 18 with surrounding ridge 20 of a size to receive the base of the insulating container as will become apparent. The base plate 16 has a circumferential configuration which is congruent to the recess 6 of lazy susan base 4 so that the same may nest or mate therein. The underside of base plate 16, and more specifically the circumferential ridge 22, is provided with spaced rubber feet 24 so as to provide traction between base plate 16 and lazy susan base 4 so that base plate 16 is rotatable with respect to lazy susan base 4 and rotates therewith. Annular ring member 26 is congruently configured to the outer ring portion 28 of base plate 16 and is adapted to mate or seat thereover in congruent relationship therewith and is provided with aperture 30 which circumscribes recess 18 and acts as a guard or shield to prevent toppings and ice cream fixings and the like where a frozen confection is to be dispensed as will be described from fouling the base plate 16 which rests upon lazy susan base 4 and also provides a support for a plurality of containers or trays as will be described. Obviously, where a hot food is to be dispensed, such as curry, the accompaniments will be melon slices, grated coconut, etc. The annular ring 26 has an interior depending flange or portion 32 that circumscribes the inner opening 30 and has an outer depending circumference 33 forming a rise or abutment surface 34 by which the trays or containers 42 may be supported therefrom, as will be more fully described.

[0024] Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 it will be seen that the plurality of containers 42, which may be compartmentalized by reason of partition 44, are of aesthetic configuration and are of molded plastic as are the elements previously described for ease of manufacturing and ease of clean-up. Each of the containers 42 are configured to have an open or flowing entry or opening 46 defined by a rear curvilinear wall 48, side walls 50 and 52 with bottom wall 54. The compartments or containers 42 are configured and shaped to have depending locating wall portions 56 and 58, which engage the outer circumference 32 of ring member 26 so as to hold the individual containers 42 in secured relationship therewith and because the modular assemblage is rotatable the containers holding accompaniments such as for example ice cream fixings, syrups and the like, not shown, may be easily made accessible to people attending the celebration, party, etc. where the confection party system of the invention is utilized.

[0025] Completing the modular assemblage is aesthetically shaped insulated holder 70 in this instance having double wall construction formed by outer wall 72 and inner wall 74 forming space 76 therebetween which may contain water or freezable gel or a heat retaining material of the conventional type such that the insulated container 70 may be placed in the freezer or oven in order to obtain the maximum cooling or heating of the insulative material 76 prior to the device 2 of the invention being utilized. It will be noted that inner wall 74 has an inclined circumferential wall portion 75 forming space 77 so that a carton 80 containing the food to be dispensed may be easily removed.

[0026] It should be noted that the insulated holder 70 is of an internal volume or configuration to receive the conventional gallon-size frozen confection or ice cream carton 80 within which product, not shown, may be contained. Obviously other foods, especially chili, curry, etc., may be placed directly in the interior chamber of the insulated holder 70.

[0027] Completing the modular assemblage is cover 90 of the type that may or may not have an insulative material within the wall construction thereof. However, in this particular instance the cover 90 is shown of double wall construction having a gel, water for freezing therein (or heat retaining material) which gel 76 may act to keep the confection or other food, not shown, contained within the insulated container 70 at an appropriate temperature during the use of the hot/cold food party system 2.

[0028] Thus, in use of the modular system 2 of the invention in preparation for party dispensing of cold foods and/or ice cream or hot foods for example, the container 70 with the cover 90 may be placed in the freezer for several hours or until such time as the gel or water within the double walled construction is frozen or where a heat retaining material is used for hot foods, the container 70 and cover 90 may be placed in an oven, micro wave, etc. Thereafter, the container 70 with lid 90 is removed and placed in position in the modular assembly as illustrated, for example in FIG. 3, and the food container placed within the insulated container 70 and the lid 90 placed thereon. Thereafter, with the plurality of containers 42 in position, a number of fixings or toppings are placed within the various compartments and suitable spoons or dispensers, not shown, placed therein. At the time of dispensing of the food, the lid is removed and what is particularly pleasing of the assemblage of the invention is the fact that party goers may conveniently serve themselves by removing food from the container and thereafter rotating the lazy susan-like assemblage to access and place various fixings and toppings on the food in a festive manner. Because of the easy use of the food dispenser system 2 of the invention, hot or cold or frozen foods may be dispensed and toppings or condiments put thereon in an easy manner.

[0029] Because of the molded plastic construction, the modular assemblage 2 is of relatively low cost and of generally fault free operation. It should be understood that various modifications and changes can be made to the disclosed invention as by, for example, the elimination of the annular ring 26 which is preferable for sanitary and clean-up purposes, in which event the plurality of containers 42 may be directly positioned onto base plate 16 because of their co-acting configurations.

[0030] Additionally, while the rear wall 48 of the containers 42 has been shown as being curvilinear so as to more conform to the external surface or configuration of the insulated holder 70, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the containers 42 may take various shapes. Additionally, while the various elements comprising the modular assemblage 2 of the invention are being shown as being circular or annular, other polygonal shapes are contemplated and may in certain instances be preferred to those configurations and shapes shown. Ideally where plastic construction is used, the same should be micro-waveable and/or oven proof so as to allow for heating of the insulative material to be achieved. Like considerations should be considered for the cold or freezing aspect of the utilization of the system.

[0031] All of the foregoing modifications, as well as others, will make themselves apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art and all such changes or modifications are intended to be encompassed within the scope of the appended claims.

[0032] While the present invention has been described with regards to particular embodiments, it is recognized that additional variations of the present invention may be devised without departing from the disclosed inventive concept.