Electric heating – Heating devices – Combined with container – enclosure – or support for material...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-14
2003-05-27
Pelham, Joseph (Department: 3742)
Electric heating
Heating devices
Combined with container, enclosure, or support for material...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06570133
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to food containers and more particularly pertains to a new portable food warming system for keeping food warm while traveling in a vehicle having a power socket.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of food containers is known in the prior art. More specifically, food containers heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,646; U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,215; U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,401; U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,534; U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,814; U.S. Pat. No. 2,577,870; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 315,249.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new portable food warming system. The inventive device includes a container that has an opening extending into an interior of the container. A cover may be provided for selectively closing the opening in the container. A heating assembly is provided for selectively heating a bottom wall of the container. The heating assembly preferably includes a housing that has an aperture extending into a cavity of the housing. In one embodiment of the present invention, the bottom wall of the container selectively closes the aperture of the housing. A heating element is mounted in the cavity of the housing for heating the bottom wall of the container when the container is mounted on the housing.
In these respects, the portable food warming system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of keeping food warm while traveling in a vehicle having a power socket.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of food containers now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new portable food warming system construction wherein the same can be utilized for keeping food warm while traveling in a vehicle having a power socket.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new portable food warming system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the food containers mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new portable food warming system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art food containers, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a container that has an opening extending into an interior of the container. A cover may be provided for selectively closing the opening in the container. A heating assembly is provided for selectively heating a bottom wall of the container. The heating assembly preferably includes a housing that has an aperture extending into a cavity of the housing. In one embodiment of the present invention, the bottom wall of the container selectively closes the aperture of the housing. A heating element is mounted in the cavity of the housing for heating the bottom wall of the container when the container is mounted on the housing.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new portable food warming system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the food containers mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new portable food warming system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art food containers, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new portable food warming system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new portable food warming system which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new portable food warming system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such portable food warming system economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new portable food warming system which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new portable food warming system for keeping food warm while traveling in a vehicle having a power socket.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new portable food warming system which includes a container that has an opening extending into an interior of the container. A cover may be provided for selectively closing the opening in the container. A heating assembly is provided for selectively heating a bottom wall of the container. The heating assembly preferably includes a housing that has an aperture extending into a cavity of the housing. In one embodiment of the present invention, the bottom wall of the container selectively closes the aperture of the housing. A heating element is mounted in the cavity of the housing for heating the bottom wall of the container when the container is mounted on the housing.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new portable food warming system that can save a user money by allowing the user to avoid eating in restaurants while traveling by keeping food from home warm.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new portable food warming system that allows restaurants that deliver food
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