Segmented Chafing Dish Tray for Selective Humidity Warming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional chafing dishes using the bain-marie method for food warming generate excessive humidity, which is not suitable for all dishes, affecting taste and consistency.
Innovation Solution
A chafing dish with a tray that has at least two areas for containing water, allowing for selective filling to achieve high humidity, controlled humidity, or dry warming environments without removing or replacing components, using barrier elements or removable partitions to delimit these areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If water is used as heat transmission element in bain-marie method, then food warming homogeneity and duration are improved, but humidity content becomes excessive affecting taste and consistency
Solution Approach 1:
The water holding vat is divided into multiple independent water containment areas (first area, second area, third area) that can be selectively filled with water. This segmentation allows control over the total water volume and heat transmission, enabling homogeneous warming while avoiding excessive humidity by using only the necessary amount of water for each specific dish type.
2Stability of the object's composition
If fixed bain-marie method is used, then food warming homogeneity is achieved, but versatility for different dish types is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The chafing dish system transitions from a fixed bain-marie configuration to a dynamic system where water can be selectively added or removed from different containment areas. Users can adjust the water configuration based on dish requirements: full water for humid dishes, partial water for controlled humidity, or no water for dry warming, making the system adaptable to various cooking needs while maintaining homogeneous heating where water is present.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If water holding vat is always filled with water, then long-lasting warming is achieved, but humidity control is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The water holding vat is segmented into multiple independent containment areas that can be selectively filled. This allows the system to maintain water in the heating areas for long-lasting thermal energy storage and heat transmission, while controlling the total water volume to prevent excessive humidity. The segmented design enables precise humidity control through selective water placement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables selective warming environments to match the required taste and consistency of dishes, providing homogeneous and long-lasting food warming while adjusting humidity levels.
Implementation Method 1
the water holding vat is provided with a base for being coupled to the heat source
Implementation Method 2
the presence of water as heat transmission element has the advantage of making the food warming homogeneous and long-lasting over time
Data Source
AI summary
Tray (10, 10′) for a chafing dish (100) of the type comprising a base (11, 11′) for coupling to a heat source (101, 102, 103), side containment walls (12, 12′) and an upper opening (13, 13′) for directly receiving dishes or a further dish tray (104), characterized in that said tray (10, 10′) comprises at least two independent areas (16, 16′, 17) for containing water (15) which can be selectively filled so as to selectively allow a high humidity warming, should both said at least two areas (16, 16′, 17) be filled with water (15), a controlled humidity warming, should at least one of said at least two areas (16, 16′, 17) be not provided with water (15), and a dry warming, should both said at least two areas (16, 16′, 17) be not provided with water (15).