Abstrict
Disclosed herein is a hanging assembly for supporting an electric
heater below a chafing dish or chafing pan. The removable electric
chafing dish heater is supported by two identical hanging assemblies
each with an elastic component to provide a constant thermal interface
to the underside of a typical chafing dish. The hanging assembly
provides a bent and curved device for holding the hanging assembly
fast to a typical chafing frames that typically accompanies all
chafing dishes. The chafing dish heater includes an electric flat
plate element in a rectangular housing that is connected to a power
assembly. The power assembly has an on/off switch, a power cord,
and a visual indicator for representing the power is on/off.
Claims
Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired
to be secured by letters patent is:
1. A hanger assembly for supporting an electric heater below a
chafing dish, the chafing dish being received in a support frame;
the support frame including a top band on which the chafing dish
sits; the hanger assembly including a pair of opposed bands having
a bottom end and an upper end; the upper ends of the bands being
formed to be removably mounted to the top band of the support frame;
the lower ends of the bands being connected to opposite sides of
a resilient member; the resilient member being sized to have a width
at least as wide as the electric heater; the bands being sized,
such that the resilient member is spaced below a bottom of the chafing
dish a distance approximately equal to the height of the electric
heater; the resilient member urging the heater to positively contact
the bottom of the chafing dish to provide a constant thermal interface
between the heater and with the bottom underside of the chafing
dish.
2. The hanger assembly of claim 1 wherein the heater is removable
from the hanger assembly.
3. The hanger assembly of claim 1 wherein two of said hanger assemblies
are used to support the heater below the chafing dish.
4. The hanger assembly of claim 1 wherein the upper end of the
hanger band is bent over, said band upper portion being slidably
received on the frame band.
5. The hanger assembly of claim 1 wherein the hanger band extends
under the resilient member; the hanger band being bent upwardly
at its bottom end to form a sloped surface on said resilient member.
6. A hanger assembly for supporting an electric heater below a
chafing dish and in thermal contact with the a chafing dish; the
chafing dish being supported on an upper edge of a support frame;
the hanger assembly including a pair of spaced apart hangers; each
hanger including a pair of hanger bands having connected at their
bottoms by a resilient member and being formed at their tops to
be removably mounted on the frame upper edge; the heater extending
between, and being supported by, the resilient members of the two
hangers; the hanger bands being size such that the resilient members
hold the heater in positive contact with an underside of the chafing
dish.
Description CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to Provisional Application
Ser. No. 60/207,262, entitled "Electric Heater For Chafing
Dishes", filed May 26, 2000, and which is incorporated herein
by reference.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention relates generally to chafing dishes
and the means of heating such chafing dishes. Specifically, the
present invention relates to a removable electric heater that is
suspended by hanging assemblies on a typical frame of a chafing
dish, and provides thereby a contiguous heat transfer surface to
the bottom of a resting chafing dish, for food or beverage warming.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0004] A chafing dish, chafing pan, or chafing dish is a portable
container for warming, presenting, and serving a food or beverage.
Chafing dishes are widely used in food service establishments, restaurants,
hotels, dining halls, and in buffet service outlets. Chafing dishes
offer the benefit of keeping a food or beverage warm for prompt
and appetizing consumption, allow for attractive and immediate access
to prepared food or beverages, and allows for presentation or serving
of the food or beverage in remote or isolated areas not typically
set-up for food service.
[0005] Typically, a small metal can with a flammable chemical fuel
heats chafing dishes. A popular brand is the "Sterno"
brand. One (or two) metal cans are set in an aperture(s) in the
shelf provided and disposed below the chafing dish. Such means of
heating chafing dishes are typical and of long-standing manufacture
by a number of different manufacturers.
[0006] However, this method of heating with metal cans of flammable
fuel has several problems for the food preparer and the consumer.
The problems with this approach include: frequent odor from the
burning fuel is unappetizing; the fuel cans make it difficult to
control the temperature of the chafing dish; smoke and heat is generated;
it is difficult to know when the metal can is about to deplete fuel
and food becomes cold; the positioning of the heat source in two
fixed locations in the shelf apertures provided causes the concentration
of the heat in two places under the chafing dish, producing a discoloration
and distortion of the chafing dish; the heat transfer from the fuel
in the metal can to the chafing dish is uneven on the bottom of
the chafing dish; the metal cans with flammable fuel are expensive
to operate versus an electric source; and, the fuel in the cans
presents a fire hazard in many environments.
[0007] There have been attempts to address the drawbacks to the
above-described method of heating a chafing dish. For example, some
chafing dish manufacturers have designed into their chafing dish
an electric heating source that is integral and fixed to the bottom
of a chafing dish. This approach has the disadvantage of being costly
to manufacture, is not removable and thus is not universally applicable.
It can also present a problem when cleaning or submerging the chafing
dish in water for cleaning. Another attempt to address the problem
is with a removable electric heater with power cord that must be
held fast to the bottom of a chafing dish by the addition of opposing
welded shelf brackets to the underside of a chafing dish that will
accept a particular type of electric chafing dish heater. A popular
model of this type is the "Stego" heater. The problem
with this approach is the chafing dish manufacturer must modify
his chafing dishes with two opposing welded brackets especially
designed just to hold the "Stego" heater. This increases
costs and inventory, and chafing dishes made with the two opposing
welded brackets cannot use the heater, so food service operators
must maintain separate inventory of chafing dishes to accommodate
this type of electric heater
[0008] Another attempt to overcome the drawbacks of metal fuel
cans is an electric heater that fits into the aperture of the shelf
provided for acceptance of metal fuel cans disposed below the chafing
dish. An example of this type of the model made by the Vollrath
Company of Wisconsin. This electric heater for chafing dishes has
the disadvantage of requiring two electric heaters to provide the
heat transfer necessary for attaining the food warming temperature
desired, and such electric heaters are positioned at two fixed location
under the chafing dish thereby promoting excessive heat at these
locations and promoting distortion of the chafing dish, and this
approach does not apply the heat required evenly across the bottom
of the chafing dish, and since this approach requires two heat sources,
it can be more expensive to purchase and operate.
[0009] Other similar attempts have been made to address the drawbacks
of metal fuel cans by various manufacturers in the U.S. and Japan,
but all such known methods use designs that rely on the shelf support
disposed below the chafing dish.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] One embodiment of the invention is an electric heater for
a chafing dish that includes a chafing dish, a chafing pan, or a
chafing dish, with a circumscribed top flat band on edge for suspending
the chafing dish with a shelf disposed below, whereby the electric
heater is suspended by two hanging assemblies, each with an elastic
component for assuring the electric heater is contiguous against
the bottom of the heater.
[0011] Another embodiment of the invention is the two hanging assemblies
are held fast to the circumscribed top flat band on edge by a bent
and curving device that includes an elastic component. The hanging
assemblies are sized so as to maintain the electric heater for a
chafing dish next to and contiguous with the underside of the chafing
dish.
[0012] Another embodiment of the invention is the electric heater
is manufactured with an element in a conductive metal housing made
of a refractory pad with serpentine looped nichrome wire to provide
a very uniform and coherent heat distribution across the electric
heater and for effective and even heat transfer to the underside
of the chafing dish.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is an end view of the electric heater for chafing
dishes supported below a chafing dish by a hanger assembly of the
invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a side view of the electric heaters for chafing
dishes supported below the chafing dish by the hanger assembly;
and
[0015] FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the hanger assembly.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] In referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a chafing
dish 10, which sits on a support 12. The support 12 includes a pair
of legs 14 separated by a shelf 16 at the bottom of the legs. A
band 18 extends around the outside of the legs 14 and defines an
opening through which the chafing dish can slidably fit. The chafing
dish 10 includes a flange 20 which sits on the upper edge of the
band 18 to be supported above the shelf 16.
[0017] A heater unit 22 is suspended below the chafing dish by
a hanger assembly 24. The heater is preferably an electric heater
having a power supply and a power cord. The heater preferably includes
a refractory element with a close proximity filament wire in a serpentine
design, imbedded in a refractory pad, set inside and directly against
a thermal conducting metal housing with insulation behind, connected
to input power at a power assembly box. The filament wire is preferable
a nichrome filament wire stretched in a serpentine design to yield
a power wattage so as to provide thermal transfer to a chafing dish
at a predetermined and required temperature without further inputs
or controls. The use of such a heating element provides for an even
and coherent distribution of heat over the thermal conducting metal
housing and thereby against the underside of a chafing dish. This
substantially prevents and inhibits discoloration and distortion
of the chafing dish.
[0018] The hanger assembly 24, shown in FIG. 3, includes a pair
of curved metal bands 26 spaced apart at their bottoms by an elastic
or resilient support 28 that spans the distance between the ends
of the two bands. The spanning elastic support 28 can be formed
of silicone rubber, or any related material. The metal bands 26
are crimped to the support 28 and held in position by means of clamps
30, as can be seen, secured to the lower ends of the bands 26. In
the crimping, the ends of the metal band are crimped upwardly, as
at 32, to induce an upward or sloped surface 34 of the elastic support
28, for support purposes, and to facilitate a direct contact of
the heater element 22 with the underside of the chafing dish 10.
[0019] The upper ends of the bands 26 are bent, as at 36 to define
an inverted U-shaped upper end to the arms. This bent portion 36
of the bands 26 is sized to slidably fit over the band 18 of the
chafing dish support 12.
[0020] The chafing dish 10 includes a generally flattened bottom
38, as can be noted. At least one, perhaps two, electrical heaters
22 are arranged in proximity with the chafing dish bottom 38, supported
fully by the hanger assembly 24. The electrical heaters 22 are connected
by a power supply or assembly 40, to provide for the conduct of
electrical charge to the heater. A power cord 42 extends from the
power supply 40 for connection into an electrical outlet.
[0021] In this embodiment, the electrical heater 22 is suspended
by means of one or more hanging assemblies 24, two of which are
shown in the shape and form of curved metal bands 26 that suspend
the heater 22 beneath the chafing dish 10 to be in heating contact
with the chafing dish 10. The two hanging assemblies are identical,
and, as noted above, each includes an elastic support or tray 28,
generally at the vicinity underneath of the supported heater. The
distance between the elastic support 28 and the bottom 38 of the
chafing dish 10 is approximately equal to the height of the heater
22. Thus, the resilient or elastic nature of the support 28 will
positively hold the heater positively against the underside of the
chafing dish 10, providing for a constant thermal interface with
the underside of the chafing dish, when in use. This provides for
an even and coherent distribution of the heat over the thermal conducting
metal housing, and thereby against the underside of the chafing
dish, during its usage and application.
[0022] Using the heaters 22 suspended in the manner as described
and shown herein, prevents the underside of the chafing dish from
attaining discoloration, even during constant usage. The curved
bands 26 extend upwardly along the sides of the chafing dish, to
support it from the upper edge of the support band 18. The hanger
assembly bands 26 are formed of metal, and the elastic component
28 is generally fabricated from silicone, and integrated into the
structure of the curved metal bands, as described above.
[0023] Thus, as shown and described herein, this invention depicts
a chafing dish/pan, or chafing dish 10, that may contain a food
or beverage to be warmed, and a frame support 12 with a shelf 16
disposed therebelow. There is a removable electric heater 22 for
the chafing dish, supported by two hanging assemblies 24 which are
suspended from the top of the band 18 on the edge of the supporting
frame. Thus, contiguous heat is continuously transferred to the
underside of the chafing dish, when set within its frame, to provide
for the heating and warming of the chafing dish's contained food
product.
[0024] Variations or modifications to the subject matter of this
invention may occur to those skilled in the art upon review of the
invention as described herein. Such variations, if within the spirit
of this development, are intended to be encompassed within the invention
as shown and described. The description of the preferred embodiment,
as also disclosed in the drawings, is set forth for illustrative
purposes only.
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