DE29513039U1 - Device for keeping dishes and dishes, drinks and the like warm and / or cool. - Google Patents

Description

"Device for keeping warm and/or cool of
dishes, food, drinks, etc."

The invention relates to a device for keeping dishes, food, drinks and the like warm and/or cool.

In modern kitchens, whether in commercial or private areas, the setting up of cold and warm buffets is becoming more and more popular. In addition, there is an ever-increasing take-away and party service
(so-called catering). More and more amateur chefs are also creating more and more elaborate, sometimes multi-course meals at home or in specially created kitchens and catering areas. However, professional
Equipment, such as in a stationary restaurant or hotel kitchen, is available. For example, electric plate warmers are usually missing, so that even freshly and hotly prepared meals, especially if they are prepared for several people,
cool down quickly on the unheated or insufficiently preheated plates, so that the quality of the food and the
Enjoyment of food may suffer as a result.

Sometimes the plates are made makeshift in the oven of a
The disadvantage of this is that the oven is blocked, although it is designed for
the actual frying or (over-)baking work is required
If this work and the heating of the plates

one after the other, the dishes are often already cooled down before the food is served on them.

The food itself is often difficult to keep warm, especially if it is served on a buffet or similar for a long time. So-called chafing dishes are known for keeping food warm, but these are very expensive and laborious and are very heavy. The same problems that arise when keeping dishes and food warm also occur when keeping desserts, ice cream, cakes and drinks cool.

The object of the invention is therefore to create a solution with which dishes, food, drinks and the like can be kept warm or cool as required without great effort, especially in the out-of-home and semi-professional, as well as hobby areas. This object is achieved with a device of the type described at the beginning according to the invention by means of a box-shaped element with heat-insulating side and ceiling wall elements.

Such a box-shaped element can be easily stored, transported and used. It is simply built around an existing heat source, such as an electric heating plate, or in the shape of a hood.

put over it. The crockery, for example, is heated all around the box-shaped element on the hotplate within the closed space created in this way. Shortly before the crockery is used, the box-shaped element can be removed and stored elsewhere so that the crockery can be accessed unhindered. The same procedure can be used with food that needs to be kept warm. Conversely, food and drinks that need to be kept cool can also be insulated from the warmer ambient air using the box-shaped element. An additional cooling element, such as those found in cool bags, can be added to the food and/or drinks in the box-shaped element.

Especially for buffets and the like that have to be prepared over a longer period of time, several box-shaped elements can be used until shortly before the buffet opens, in order to keep different types of dishes, food and drinks warm or cool as required.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the box-shaped element is designed in several parts that can be put together or folded. This has the advantage that only a small amount of space is required to store the device, since the parts can be folded flat.

It is also provided that the box-shaped element is open in the position of use on its downward-facing support surface for the engagement of a known heating or cooling element or the like. This has the advantage that the box-shaped element can be very easily put over the food, drinks or dishes to be insulated, like a cake cover. At the same time, existing heating or cooling elements can be used. In this way, a very inexpensive insulation device is created.

Finally, the invention also provides that the box-shaped element has a lid that can be put on or inserted and has a handle recess. This means that the box-shaped element does not have to be completely removed along with its side wall areas for loading and emptying, but rather it is also possible to remove only individual plates, cups, drinks or the like from the box-shaped element and then close it again without losing the warming or cooling effect.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. This shows:

Fig. 1 a box-shaped element with several

pluggable side panels,

Fig. 2 shows a partially illustrated lid with a handle recess.

A device for keeping dishes and the like warm and/or cool, generally designated 1, consists of a box-shaped element 1 with several side wall areas 2 and a top wall element or a top-mounted or insertable lid 3. Two adjacent side wall elements 2 each have corresponding plug-in elements 4 with which, for example, the long and narrow sides of the box-shaped element 1 can be connected to one another. The lid 3 has an overlap area 5 on its upward-facing side, while its downward-facing side 6 is set back. The external dimensions of the lower lid area 6 are expediently matched to the internal dimensions of the assembled box-shaped element 1, indicated by the arrow 7, while the external dimensions of the upper top wall area 5 expediently match the external dimensions of the box-shaped element 1. The lid 3 has a handle recess 8 to facilitate handling.

In the position of use, the box-shaped device 1 is placed around an existing heating plate, a cooling element or the like.

and connected to the object to be heated or cooled.
Good loading from above with the lid 3 removed. Then the lid 3 is closed. After using the device, the box-shaped element 1 can be removed after the
Lid 3 is disassembled and stored in a space-saving manner until the next use or can be easily and inexpensively transported away
become.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment shown. Further embodiments are
possible without leaving the basic idea. This way, the
The device can of course have a different shape than the cuboid shape shown and the like.

Claims (4)

• * Claims: 1. Device for keeping dishes, food, drinks and the like warm and/or cool, marked by, a box-shaped element (1) with thermally insulated side and ceiling wall elements (2,3). 2. Device according to claim 1,
characterized, that the box-shaped element (1) is designed in several parts that can be plugged or folded together. 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the box-shaped element (1) is open in the position of use on its downward-facing support surface for the engagement of a known heating or cooling element or the like. 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the box-shaped element (1) has an insertable lid (3) with a handle recess (8).