BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of holders or containers for storing, warming and serving food.
Flat food items such as tortillas, flatbreads such as nan and pita are ubiquitous in their respective food cultures and the equipment for serving, storing and warming them has remained unchanged for thousands of years. Known container include a bottom resting on a support surface. When such containers are stored in a refrigerator, the direct contact of the container bottom with the surface may results in condensation inside the container and harm to food inside the container. An improved container is needed to reduce or eliminate such condensation.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing a holder for storing, warming and serving flat food items such as tortillas and flatbreads. The food holder includes two or more round shelves spaced apart vertically in a food storage area within a generally cylindrical housing. The holder is suitable for use in the refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher. The holder may also include a removable top cover or lid and/or an opening door to enclose the food items on the shelves.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a food holder supported above a support surface by at least three legs. Such legs provide a gap between a bottom of the holder and a refrigerator surface to reduce or eliminate condensation in the holder.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a food holder having an open front and a lift off or rotating door. The open front spans about 180 degrees to allow removing food item, for example tortillas, without bending and possibly tearing the tortillas.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a front view of a storing, warming and serving holder according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front and top perspective view of the storing, warming and serving holder according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the storing, warming and serving holder according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a top view of the storing, warming and serving holder including a sliding door according to the present invention.
FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the storing, warming and serving holder including a sliding door according to the present invention taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the storing, warming and serving holder including a second sliding door according to the present invention taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a top view of the storing, warming and serving holder including a pivoting door according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a front view of a lift off door of the storing, warming and serving holder according to the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a side view of the lift off door of the storing, warming and serving holder according to the present invention.
FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the storing, warming and serving holder having three grooves for holding shelves according to the present invention.
FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of the storing, warming and serving holder with a middle shelf in one of the three grooves according to the present invention.
FIG. 11 shows a bottom shelf having grooves for positioning a door and a wall according to the present invention.
FIG. 12 shows a wall according to the present invention closing a bottom portion of the storing, warming and serving holder.
FIG. 13A shows a front view of the wall according to the present invention.
FIG. 13B shows a top view of the wall according to the present invention.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims.
Where the terms “about” or “generally” are associated with an element of the invention, it is intended to describe a feature's appearance to the human eye or human perception, and not a precise measurement.
FIG. 1 a front view of a storing, warming and serving holder 10, FIG. 2 shows a front and top perspective view of the storing, warming and serving holder 10, and FIG. 3 is a side view of the storing, warming and serving holder. The holder 10 is formed by a generally circumferential housing 12 having housing walls 12c having an exterior surface 12d and two or more generally circular shelves such a bottom shelf 14a and adjustable center shelf 14b which are removably attached to the housing 12. The bottom shelf 14a may be recessed upward into the housing 12 or at the bottom 12a of the housing 12. Legs 18 support the holder 10 above a support surface, for example, above a refrigerator shelf.
The storing, warming and serving holder 10 includes an open front 11. The open front 11 preferably has a span S (see FIG. 4) between 170 and 185 degrees and is more preferably about 180 degrees. Optionally, housing 12 may include three or more feet 18, or other suitable structures reaching down from the bottom 12a, reaching a height H2 below the bottom 12a to permit air circulation between holder 10 and the surface that is supporting it. An optional cover, top or lid 14 may be permanently or removably attached to a top 12b of the housing 12. The holder 10 has a height H1. The height H1 is preferably between 10 inches and 12 inches and more preferably 11 inches. The height H2 is preferably between 3/16 inches and ½ inches and more preferably ¼ inches.
A food space 16 is enclosed by the lid 14, the bottom shelf 14a and the housing 12. Various food items may be supported by shelves 14a and 14b in the food space 16, for example, tortillas or pies. The housing 12 and/or the bottom and center shelves 14a and 14b may be solid, or woven or perforated material to enable air circulation through the food space 16. The holder 10 is preferably formed of materials suitable for use in a refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher.
FIG. 4 shows a top view of the storing, warming and serving holder 10 including a sliding door 40a to enclose the food space 16 and FIG. 5A shows a cross-sectional view of the storing, warming and serving holder including a sliding door according to the present invention taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4. The sliding door 40a slides between slots 42a and 42b at the bottom and top of the storing, warming and serving holder 10. The sliding door 40a is shown in solid lines in an open position and in dashed lines in a closed position. The sliding door 40a slides along an arc 46 until a leading edge 44 reached a housing edge 20. The bottom slot 42a may be a ring attached to the housing 12 or may be part of the housing 12. The top slot 42b may be part of the lid 14 or part of the housing 12. The holder 10 has a inside radius R. The radius R is preferably suitable for holding pies and/or tortillas, and is preferably between 9 inches and 10 inches and more preferably 9½ inches.
FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the storing, warming and serving holder including a second sliding door 40a including a top 41, taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 shows a top view of the storing, warming and serving holder 10 having a pivoting door 40b to enclose the food space 16. The door 40b is sized and configured to rotate along arc 50 about a hinge 44 from an open position to a closed position with the edge 45 adjacent to the housing edge 20.
FIG. 7 is a front view of a lift off door 40c of the storing, warming and serving holder 10 and FIG. 8 is a side view of the lift off door 40c. A storing, warming and serving holder 10 including the lift off door 40c may or may not includes the lid 14, and may or may not include the bottom slot 42a helping to position the door 40c and allowing the door 40c to be rotated on the storing, warming and serving holder 10. A recessed knob 55a or handle 55b facilitates rotating or removing the door 40c. The recessed knob 55a does not interfere with placing a pie pan or the like on top of the holder.
A perspective view of the storing, warming and serving holder 10 having three grooves for holding middle shelves 14b is shown in FIG. 9 and a perspective view of the storing, warming and serving holder 10 with a middle shelf 14b in one of the three grooves is shown in FIG. 10. A first groove 62a is a height H3 above the bottom shelf 14a, a second groove 62b is a height H4 above the first groove 52a, and a third groove 62c is a height H5 above the second groove 52c. The height H3 is preferably between 5 and 6 inches and more preferably about 5¾ inches, and the height H4 and H5 are preferably between 2 and 3 inches and more preferably about 2½ inches. The housing 12 overlaps both the doors 40a, 40b and 40c and the wall 60 a Lateral Overlap (LO) of preferably between ½ inches and 1 inch, and more preferably about ¾ inches.
The bottom shelf 14a having grooves for positioning the door 40c (see FIGS. 7 and 8) and a wall 60 (see FIGS. 12, 13A, and 13B) is shown in FIG. 11. An outer groove 64b is provided for the door 40c, an intermediate groove 64b is provided to position the housing 12, and an inner groove 64c is provided for a wall 60.
The wall 60 closing a bottom portion of the storing, warming and serving holder 10 is shown in FIG. 12, a front view of the wall 60 is shown in FIG. 13a, and a top view of the wall 60 is shown in FIG. 13B. The wall 60 has a height H6 is preferably between 2 and 3 inches and more preferably about 2¼ inches.
Those skilled in the art will recognize other door configurations, and a storing, warming and serving holder as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with other doors is intended to come within the scope of the present invention.
While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.
Patent Grant
10709272
