Serving container and associated ring element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Foil pans are not decorative and lack rigidity, making them unsuitable for presentation, while ornamental serving dishes are inconvenient for leftover food and difficult to clean.
Innovation Solution
A serving container system comprising a bottom element for supporting and insulating a foil pan, a middle element for decorative purposes, and a top element that serves as a cover and handle, allowing the foil pan to be nested and secured within a serving dish for improved aesthetics and ease of transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a foil pan is used for cooking and serving, then convenience and ease of disposal are improved, but aesthetic appearance and rigidity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing a decorative ceramic or glass serving dish inside a foil pan. The inner decorative container holds the food for presentation, while the outer foil pan provides structural support and facilitates easy disposal. This nested arrangement allows both the aesthetic qualities of the decorative dish and the convenience of the foil pan to coexist.
2Shape
If an ornamental serving dish is used instead of a foil pan, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but convenience for leftover food and ease of cleaning deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the serving system into two distinct components: a decorative inner container for food presentation and an outer foil pan for structural support and disposal. This segmentation allows the decorative dish to be removed and used separately for serving aesthetics, while the foil pan remains as a convenient disposable base for leftovers and easy cleanup.
3Ease of manufacture
If a foil pan is used, then ease of disposal is improved, but rigidity and difficulty of carrying deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses nesting to place a rigid decorative container within the flexible foil pan. The inner decorative dish provides the necessary rigidity and structural integrity for carrying and serving, while the outer foil pan maintains its advantage of ease of disposal. The combined structure solves the rigidity problem without sacrificing disposability.
Data Source
AI summary
A serving container and associated ring element that includes a serving dish and a ring element having a ring element lip with a shape that substantially corresponds to a shape of a serving dish lip, wherein portions of the ring element lip are formed to be positionable around at least a portion of the serving dish lip to provide frictional engagement between portions of said ring element lip and at least a portion of said serving dish lip, such that said ring element is capable of securing a foil pan within said serving dish.