Food holder for a food holding unit

Abstract

A food holder for holding food heated by gas from a food holding unit. The food holder includes a food container and a food support. The food container has a food container interior. The food support is removeably disposed in the food container interior. The food support includes a floor for supporting the food. The food container and food support define a food holding space for receiving the cooked food and define a gas supply plenum. The gas supply plenum is disposed below the floor and the food holding space is disposed above the floor. The floor includes a plurality of openings that permit gas from the gas supply plenum to flow through the plurality of openings into the food holding space. The food support has ductwork in fluid communication with the gas supply plenum that guides gas from the food holding unit toward the gas supply plenum.

Description

FOOD HOLDER FOR A FOOD HOLDING UNITCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 579,654, filed August 30, 2023, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to food preparation equipment, and more particularly to a food holder for use with a food holding unit.BACKGROUND

[0003] This disclosure is directed to a food holder for a food holding unit that uses hot gas to maintain pre-cooked food in the food holder at proper temperatures before serving. Such food holding units are often referred to as food warmers. Such equipment is used in the quick service food service industry to heat food or maintain cooked food at a desired temperature prior to the food being served.SUMMARY

[0004] In one aspect, a food holder for holding cooked food in a food holding unit comprises a food container having a food container interior. A food support is removeably disposed in the food container interior. The food support includes a floor configured to support the cooked food. The food container and food support define a food holding space configured to receive the cooked food and define a gas supply plenum. The gas supply plenum is disposed below the floor. The food holding space is disposed above the floor. The floor includes a plurality of openings arranged to permit gas from the gas supply plenum to flow through the plurality of openings into the food holding space. The food support comprises ductwork including a duct in fluid communication with the gas supply plenum and defines first gas passaging configured to guide gas from the food holding unit toward the gas supply plenum.

[0005] Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective of a food holder according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, with portions thereof shown translucent to show interior details;

[0007] FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective of the food holder, with portions thereof shown transparent to show interior details;

[0008] FIG. 3 is a lengthwise cross-section of the food holder; and

[0009] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective of the food holder, with portions thereof shown translucent to show interior details.

[0010] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] The present disclosure relates to a food holder for a food holding unit or oven (e.g., holding oven, food warmer) that uses hot gas or air to maintain cooked food at a proper temperature before serving. The food holder holds and supports the food in the food holding unit (not shown). The food holding unit supplies heated gas (e.g., air) to the food holder to heat or keep warm various types of food (e.g., cooked food), such as fried foods (e.g., potato fries, onion rings, chicken, etc.) and non-fried foods, contained by the food holder.

[0012] Referring to Figs. 1-4, a food holder according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is generally indicated by reference numeral 10. The food holder 10 holds cooked food in a food holding unit and receives heated gas (e.g., air) from the food holding unit to keep the cooked food in a warm condition (broadly, proper serving temperature) before it is served. The food holder 10 may be used for holding various types of food, such as potato fries, onion rings, and other fried foods or non-fried foods. The food holder 10 includes a food support 12 and a grease collector or catch 14 (broadly, "food container"). The food support 12 is removeably received by grease collector 14.

[0013] The food support 12 and the grease collector 14 define a food holding space 16. The food holding space 16 is sized and shaped to receive and hold the food. In the illustrated embodiment, the food holding space 16 is sized and shaped to hold several (about 24) pieces of fried chicken breasts, although other sizes may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The food support 12 includes a base or floor 18 and duct portions orductwork 20 (broadly, "ducting") on opposite sides of the base. The base 18 is configured to support the food. The base 18 has an upwardly facing food support surface. The base 18 includes a bottom wall having a plurality of openings 22. The illustrated bottom wall is a sheet metal wall having a plurality of perforations. Other configurations can be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Food can be moved into and removed from the food holding space 16 through a food opening (mouth) or open top of the food holding space (broadly, food holder 10). When food is in the food holding space 16, it rests on the food support surface of the food support 12. The food support 12 is free of any internal walls or partitions in the food holding space 16 for separating the cooked food held therein, thereby maximizing the amount of food that can be held in the food holding space. Other configurations can be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0014] The grease collector 14 catches and holds grease and other debris from the food that may drip or fall through the openings 22 in the food support 12. The grease collector 14 has a grease collector interior 26 (food container interior) sized and shaped to receive the food support 12. The grease collector interior 26 collects the grease. The grease collector 14 removably receives the food support 12 (broadly, the food container is a food support holder). The grease collector includes an opening (at the upper end thereof) sized and shaped to allow the food support 12 to be inserted into the grease collector (the interior thereof) and rest therein. The opening is an open top of the grease collector interior 26. In the illustrated embodiment, the opening of the grease collector is generally coextensive with the food opening of the food holding space 16. The grease collector 14 includes a body 30 having a bottom wall or floor 30A, opposite front and back walls 30B, 30C extending upward from the bottom wall, and opposite left and right side walls 30D, 30E extending upward from the bottom wall. Each of the bottom, front, back, left side, and right side walls 30A-E are solid (e.g., non-perforated), to hold grease and crumbs. The bottom, front, back, left side, and right side walls 30A-E bound the grease collector interior 26. The grease collector 14 includes a rim (flange) 32 (e.g., grease collector rim) extends around the upper edges of the front, back, left side, and right side walls 30B-D. The rim 32 defines the opening of the grease collector 14. In the illustrated embodiment, the grease collector 14 has a generally planar bottom wall 30A. In other embodiments, the bottom wall may be arcuate and / or sloped, or include a plateau or other raised portion(s). Interior comers of the grease collector 14 may be rounded. This reduces the number of sharp comers making iteasier to clean and improves airflow. In the illustrated embodiment, the grease collector 14 is standardized (e.g., standard size) food pan, such as a 6-inch deep food pan. For example, the grease collector 14 can be a 6-inch deepv / i size food pan or a 6-inch deep 2 / 3 size food pan. Other configurations of the grease collector may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0015] The food support 12 is sized and shaped to be removeably disposed in the grease collector interior 26 of the grease collector 14 when the food support is removeably received by the grease collector. In this position, the food support 12 is supported by the grease collector 14 and is removeably disposed in the grease collector interior 26. In the illustrated embodiment, the food support 12 simply rests on the rim 32 of the grease collector 14. The food holder 10 is free of any mechanical connection between the food support 12 and grease collector 14 that secures the two components together. This makes it easy to insert and remove the food support 12 from the grease collector 14, such as for cleaning, and simplifies manufacturing and construction.

[0016] The food holding unit directs gas (e.g., heated air) into the food holder 10 to keep the food in the food holder warm. The food holder 10 receives the gas and directs the gas into contact with the food in the food holding space 16 to keep the food warm. To this end, the food holder 10 includes a gas supply plenum 34 (Fig. 3) disposed below and underlying the food holding space 16. The gas supply plenum 34 and the food holding space 16 are disposed in the grease collector interior 26. The grease collector 14 and the food support 12 define the gas supply plenum 34. The bottom wall 30A of the grease collector 14 and the base 18 of the food support 12 are spaced apart from one another to form the gas supply plenum 34. The gas supply plenum 34 is disposed below the base 18, and the food holding space 16 is disposed above the base. The gas supply plenum 34 is in fluid communication with the food holding space 16. A bottom of the food holding space 16 and an upper portion of the gas supply plenum 34 are bounded (e.g., separated) by the base 18 of the food support 12, which has openings 22. The openings 22 fluidly couple the gas supply plenum 34 and the food holding space 16, thereby permitting gas from the gas supply plenum to flow upward through the openings into the food holding space.

[0017] The food holder 10 includes two inlets 36 (broadly, at least one inlet), one on the left side and one on the opposite right side of the food holder, that receive the heated gas from the food holding unit and permit the heated gas to flow into the gas supply plenum 34. The inlets36 (e.g., gas inlets) are fluidly connected to the gas supply plenum 34 such that the gas received by the inlets flow to the gas supply plenum (Fig. 3). The heated gas then flows from the gas supply plenum 34, through the openings 22 in the base 18 of the food support 12, and into the food holding space 16 to heat the food therein. It has been found that heating the food holding space 16 from the bottom creates a more even distribution of the heated gas over the food holding space and therefore keeps all the food at a more uniform temperature. Representative gas flows F are illustrated by the dashed lines in Fig. 3. As illustrated, the inlets 36 are arranged or oriented to receive gas from the food holding unit being directed laterally or generally horizontally into the food holder 10. The first or left inlet 36 is oriented to receive gas delivered in a first lateral direction from the food holding unit and the second or right inlet 36 is oriented to receive gas delivered in a second lateral direction from the food holding unit. The first and second directions are different. In the illustrated embodiment, the second direction is generally opposite the first direction. The left or first ductwork 20 bounds the first or left inlet 36 and the right or second ductwork bounds the second or right inlet.

[0018] Together, the food support 12 and the grease collector 14 define the inlets 36, the gas supply plenum 34, and ducts 38 (Fig. 3) extending from the inlets to the gas supply plenum. Each duct 38 defines gas passaging is in fluid communication with the gas supply plenum 34 and guides the heated gas from the inlets 36 (broadly, the food holding unit) toward (e.g., to) the gas supply plenum 34. The food holder includes two ducts 38, one along the left side and one along the right side of the food holder 10. Each duct 38 fluidly connects and extends from one of the inlets 36 to the gas supply plenum 34. The food support 12 and / or the grease collector 14 defines the ducts 38. In the illustrated embodiment, both the food support 12 and grease collector 14 form the ducts 38. The left inlet 36 and left duct 38 are generally defined by the left ductwork 20 of the food support 12 and a left rim portion of the rim 32 and left side wall 30D of the grease collector 14. Similarly, the right inlet 36 and right duct 38 are generally defined by the right ductwork 20 and of the food support 12 and a right rim portion of the rim 32 and right side wall 30E of the grease collector 14. The left ductwork 20 of the food support 12 bounds the left duct 38 and the right ductwork 20 of the food support bounds the right duct 38. The left side wall 30D of the grease collector 14 bounds the left duct 38 and the right side wall 30E of the grease collector 14 bounds the right duct 38. The left duct 38 delivers gas to the left side of the gas supply plenum 34 and the right duct 38 delivers gas to the right side of the gas supplyplenum. Therefore, as illustrated in Fig. 3, gas received by the left inlet 36 flows into a left side of the gas supply plenum 34 and gas received by the right inlet 36 flows into a right side of the gas supply plenum. These two gas flows F meet in the gas supply plenum 34, thereby forcing the gas to move or flow upward through the openings 22 in the base 18 of the food support 12.

[0019] The food support 12 is located with respect to the grease collector 14 by engagement of the ductwork 20 with the rim 32 of the grease collector and engagement of the edges of the base 18 with the front, back, left, and right side walls 30B-E of the grease collector. The arrangement is such that the base 18 of the food support 12 is spaced above the bottom wall 30A of the grease collector 14 to define the gas supply plenum 34. The ductwork 20 rests on the rim 32 of the grease collector 14 to support the food support 12 in the grease collector and suspend the base 18 in the grease collector interior 26. The left ductwork 20 rests on the left rim portion of the rim 32 and the right ductwork 20 rests on the right rim portion of the rim.

[0020] Referring to Fig. 4, in the illustrated embodiment, the food support 12 is an assembly comprising the perforated base 18 and the left and right ductwork 20. The left and right ductwork 20 are connected (e.g., welded or otherwise secured) to and extend upward from the base 18. The left and right ductwork 20 are identical and mirror images of one another. Each ductwork 20 includes an upstanding side wall 20A that serves as a barrier to prevent food from the food holding space 16 from entering or blocking the duct 38. The side wall 20A serves to separate food in the food holding space 16 from the duct 38 to permit flow of gas down the duct to the gas supply plenum 34. In addition to the side wall 20A, each ductwork 20 includes a forward wall 20B, a rear wall 20C, a top wall 20D, and a slanted transition wall 20E. Other configurations of the ductwork can be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The bottom of the ducts 38 are in fluid communication with the gas supply plenum 34. As a result, heated gas enters the inlets 36 and flows (via the side ducts 38 and gas supply plenum) into the food holding space 16 above the food support surface of the food support 12. This results in a heated gas flow generally passing through the food, thereby keeping the food at a desired temperature while also reducing moisture build up in and around the food holding space 16, which would be detrimental to the texture of fried foods.

[0021] Suitable food holding units that the food holder 10 of the present disclosure is useable with include the food holding units shown and described in U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 583,358, filed February 21, 2024, and PCT Application No. PCT / US24 / 44606, filed August30, 2024, the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference. It is understood the gas outlets of these food holding units would be repositioned and / or reoriented in order to align with and direct the heated gas into the inlets 36 of the food holder 10.

[0022] When introducing elements of the present disclosure or the preferred embodiments(s) thereof, the articles "a", "an", "the" and "said" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms "comprising", "including" and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.

[0023] In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the present disclosure are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

[0024] As various changes could be made in the above constructions and methods without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A food holder for holding cooked food in a food holding unit, the food holder comprising: a food container having a food container interior; and a food support removeably disposed in the food container interior, the food support including a floor configured to support the cooked food, the food container and food support defining a food holding space configured to receive the cooked food and defining a gas supply plenum, the gas supply plenum disposed below the floor, the food holding space disposed above the floor, the floor including a plurality of openings arranged to permit gas from the gas supply plenum to flow through the plurality of openings into the food holding space, the food support comprising ductwork including a duct in fluid communication with the gas supply plenum and defining first gas passaging configured to guide gas from the food holding unit toward the gas supply plenum.

2. The food holder of claim 1, further comprising an inlet configured to receive gas from the food holding unit, the inlet being fluidly connected to the gas supply plenum by the duct such that gas received by the inlet flows to the gas supply plenum.

3. The food holder of claim 2, wherein the inlet is oriented to receive gas delivered laterally from the food holding unit.

4. The food holder of claim 2 or 3, wherein the inlet is defined by the food support.

5. The food holder of claim 4, wherein the ductwork of the food support bounds the inlet.

6. The food holder of claim 5, wherein the duct extends from the inlet to the gas supply plenum.

7. The food holder of any one of claims 2-6, wherein the ductwork is a first ductwork, the duct is a first duct, and the inlet is a first inlet, wherein the food support comprises second ductwork including a second duct in fluid communication with the gas supply plenum and defining second gas passaging configured to guide gas from the food holding unit toward the gas supply plenum, the food holder further comprising a second inlet configured to receivegas from the food holding unit, the second inlet being fluidly connected to the gas supply plenum by the second duct such that gas received by the second inlet flows to the gas supply plenum.

8. The food holder of claim 7, wherein the first and second inlets are defined by the food support.

9. The food holder of claim 8, wherein the first ductwork of the food support bounds the first inlet and the second ductwork of the food support bounds the second inlet.

10. The food holder of claim 9, wherein the first duct extends from the first inlet to the gas supply plenum and the second duct extends from the second inlet to the gas supply plenum.

11. The food holder of claim 10, wherein the food container is a 6-inch deep food pan.

12. The food holder of any one of claims 7-11, wherein the first inlet and the first duct are disposed on one side of the food holder and the second inlet and the second duct are disposed on an opposite side of the food holder.

13. The food holder of any one of claims 7-12, wherein the first inlet is oriented to receive gas delivered in a first lateral direction from the food holding unit and the second inlet is oriented to receive gas delivered in a second lateral direction from the food holding unit, the second lateral direction being different from the first lateral direction.

14. The food holder of any one of claims 7-13, wherein the first and second ductwork are configured to rest on a rim of the food container to support the food support when the food support is in the food container.

15. The food holder of any one of claims 7-14, wherein the food container includes first and second side walls, the first side wall bounding the first gas passaging and the second side wall bounding the second gas passaging.

16. The food holder of any one of claims 1-14, wherein the food container bounds the first gas passaging.

17. The food holder of any one of claims 1-16, wherein the food holding space and the gas supply plenum are disposed in the food container interior.

18. The food holder of any one of claims 1-17, wherein the food container is a 6-inch deep food pan.

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