Electric heating – Heating devices – Combined with container – enclosure – or support for material...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-15
2002-03-05
Pelham, Joseph (Department: 3742)
Electric heating
Heating devices
Combined with container, enclosure, or support for material...
C126S400000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06353208
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a delivery apparatus for keeping food product warm during transport, and methods for heating food product in a delivery apparatus. In particular, the delivery apparatus includes a heater having a high watt density output and a heat sink in thermal communication with the high watt density heater for release of thermal energy to the food product.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Food products, such as pizza, are frequently prepared and cooked at a store location. The prepared food product is then delivered to a customer at a home or place of business.
A freshly cooked food product may be stored at the store location awaiting a delivery person's transportation of the food product to the customer. It is common to prepare pizza and store it in a cardboard box. The cardboard box is placed under a heat lamp awaiting pickup by a delivery person. The delivery person then stores the cardboard box in a thermally insulated carrying case for delivery to the consumer. Despite these methods, the product may lose heat during storage and transportation and the temperature of the product may decrease. If the product becomes too cool, it may become unacceptable to a customer. As a result, attention has been directed at techniques for keeping a food product warm after it has been cooked.
The prior art describes delivery apparatus which can be used to keep food items warm during transportation. For example the following U.S. Patents describe such prior art delivery apparatus: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,999,699 to Hyatt; 5,932,129 to Hyatt; 5,892,202 to Baldwin et al.; 5,880,435 to Bostic; 5,884,006 to Frohlich et al.; and 5,750,962 to Hyatt.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A delivery apparatus for delivering heated items is provided. The delivery apparatus includes a container for holding an article in thermally conductive contact with a heater. The container includes a plurality of walls forming an interior area and an opening. The interior area is constructed for receiving the article and the heater. The opening is constructed for movement of the article in and out of the interior area. The container also includes a flap covering the opening and enclosing the interior area. The heater includes a heating grid constructed to provide an output watt density of at least 2.5 watts per square inch. The heater also includes a heat sink for receiving and storing heat energy from the heating grid. The heater is also provided with a cover and a power cord.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention a delivery apparatus having a controller is provided. The controller includes a central processing unit. A temperature sensor provides information to the central processing unit about the temperature of the heating grid. The controller includes a light source having first and second states of light intensity for providing information to the user about the status of the heating grid. The controller is also provided with an energy storage device for providing electrical energy to the light source.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention a heater constructed for placement within an interior area of a container of a delivery apparatus is provided.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention a lighting system constructed to be received by a delivery apparatus is provided.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention a method of delivering food is provided.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1377092 (1921-05-01), Phaneuf
patent: 1439094 (1922-12-01), Gingras
patent: 1558278 (1925-10-01), Phillips
patent: 1683889 (1928-09-01), Hayne
patent: 2114396 (1938-04-01), McFarlan et al.
patent: 2298299 (1942-10-01), Joy et al.
patent: 2479268 (1949-08-01), Sarria
patent: 2577870 (1951-12-01), Aston
patent: 2584302 (1952-02-01), Stein
patent: 2640478 (1953-06-01), Flournoy
patent: 2767563 (1956-10-01), Picascia
patent: 2771754 (1956-11-01), Winkler
patent: 2980881 (1961-04-01), McKee
patent: 3017493 (1962-01-01), Cooke
patent: 3019783 (1962-02-01), Clarke
patent: 3051582 (1962-08-01), Muckler et al.
patent: 3079486 (1963-02-01), Winchell
patent: 3084241 (1963-04-01), Carrona
patent: 3118560 (1964-01-01), Cornelius
patent: 3148676 (1964-09-01), Truog et al.
patent: 3202801 (1965-08-01), Saluri
patent: 3273634 (1966-09-01), Snelling
patent: 3292628 (1966-12-01), Maxwell et al.
patent: 3322113 (1967-05-01), Simjian
patent: 3356828 (1967-12-01), Furness
patent: 3470944 (1969-10-01), Segal
patent: 3521030 (1970-07-01), Maahs
patent: 3549861 (1970-12-01), Trachtenberg et al.
patent: 3557774 (1971-01-01), Kreis
patent: 3596059 (1971-07-01), Hager, Jr.
patent: 3603106 (1971-09-01), Ryan et al.
patent: 3608627 (1971-09-01), Shevlin
patent: 3608770 (1971-09-01), Naimoli
patent: 3613933 (1971-10-01), Pilz et al.
patent: 3665939 (1972-05-01), Laing
patent: 3721803 (1973-03-01), DiStefano
patent: 3734077 (1973-05-01), Murdough et al.
patent: 3739148 (1973-06-01), Ryckman, Jr.
patent: 3746837 (1973-07-01), Frey et al.
patent: 3754640 (1973-08-01), Bridges
patent: 3780262 (1973-12-01), Rudd
patent: 3805018 (1974-04-01), Luong et al.
patent: 3823089 (1974-07-01), Ryan et al.
patent: 3916872 (1975-11-01), Kreis et al.
patent: 4035606 (1977-07-01), Browder
patent: 4134004 (1979-01-01), Anderson et al.
patent: 4147921 (1979-04-01), Walter et al.
patent: 4158126 (1979-06-01), Seitz
patent: 4182405 (1980-01-01), Hysen et al.
patent: 4198559 (1980-04-01), Walter et al.
patent: 4199021 (1980-04-01), Thoma
patent: 4201218 (1980-05-01), Feldman et al.
patent: 4246884 (1981-01-01), Vandas
patent: 4258695 (1981-03-01), McCarton et al.
patent: 4335725 (1982-06-01), Geldmacher
patent: 4419568 (1983-12-01), Overloop
patent: 4505252 (1985-03-01), Wada et al.
patent: 4510919 (1985-04-01), Benmussa
patent: 4528439 (1985-07-01), Marney, Jr. et al.
patent: 4533061 (1985-08-01), Herbst
patent: 4559921 (1985-12-01), Benmussa
patent: 4561441 (1985-12-01), Kolodziej
patent: 4567877 (1986-02-01), Sepahpur
patent: 4578814 (1986-03-01), Skamser
patent: D287921 (1987-01-01), Skamser
patent: 4672178 (1987-06-01), Wada et al.
patent: 4702235 (1987-10-01), Hong
patent: 4743726 (1988-05-01), Hughes et al.
patent: 4777346 (1988-10-01), Swanton, Jr.
patent: 4777931 (1988-10-01), Ziegler et al.
patent: 4802233 (1989-01-01), Skamser
patent: 4806736 (1989-02-01), Schirico
patent: 4816646 (1989-03-01), Solomon et al.
patent: 4817704 (1989-04-01), Yamashita
patent: 4868898 (1989-09-01), Seto
patent: 4894931 (1990-01-01), Senee et al.
patent: 4904846 (1990-02-01), Oscadal
patent: 4907750 (1990-03-01), Seifert
patent: 4916290 (1990-04-01), Hawkins
patent: 4917076 (1990-04-01), Nadolph et al.
patent: 4920964 (1990-05-01), Francis, Jr.
patent: 4929094 (1990-05-01), Becker
patent: 4933534 (1990-06-01), Cunningham et al.
patent: 4979923 (1990-12-01), Tanaka
patent: 4982722 (1991-01-01), Wyatt
patent: 4983798 (1991-01-01), Eckler et al.
patent: 5009228 (1991-04-01), Clark
patent: 5016756 (1991-05-01), Wischhusen et al.
patent: 5050595 (1991-09-01), Krafft
patent: 5052369 (1991-10-01), Johnson
patent: 5062414 (1991-11-01), Grim
patent: 5078050 (1992-01-01), Smith
patent: 5125391 (1992-06-01), Srivastava et al.
patent: 5128522 (1992-07-01), Marx et al.
patent: 5150707 (1992-09-01), Anderson
patent: 5151578 (1992-09-01), Phillips
patent: 5159177 (1992-10-01), Kinberger
patent: 5183994 (1993-02-01), Bowles, Sr. et al.
patent: 5184725 (1993-02-01), Reinheimer et al.
patent: 5211949 (1993-05-01), Salyer
patent: 5220954 (1993-06-01), Longardner et al.
patent: 5254380 (1993-10-01), Salyer
patent: 5293583 (1994-03-01), Chudgar
patent: 5300105 (1994-04-01), Owens
patent: 5314005 (1994-05-01), Dobry
patent: 5329096 (1994-07-01), Suematsu
patent: 5336255 (1994-08-01), Kanare et al.
patent: 5339541 (1994-08-01), Owens
patent: 5357693 (1994-10-01), Owens
patent: 5404808 (1995-04-01), Smith et al.
patent: 5405671 (1995-04-01), Kamin et al.
patent: 5423996 (1995-06-01), Salyer
patent: 5424519 (1995-06-01), Salee
patent: 5442156 (1995-08-01), Westerman et al.
patent: 5454471 (1995-10-01), Norvell
patent: 5470002 (1995-11-01), DiStefano et al.
patent: 55
Bostic William M.
Owens Byron
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Pelham Joseph
Vesture Corporation
LandOfFree
Apparatus and method for heated food delivery does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus and method for heated food delivery, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus and method for heated food delivery will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2883782