GB2408094A

GB2408094A - Heated serving stand

Info

Publication number: GB2408094A
Application number: GB0326344A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graeme Alexander Marshall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-11-12
Filing date: 2003-11-12
Publication date: 2005-05-18
Also published as: GB0326344D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a heated serving stand including supported serving dishes 9, and has a base 3, a support 7, 13, for supporting the plurality of serving dishes and a heater 31 such that in use at least one of the serving dishes can be heated by the heater. The stand also includes a pivot mechanism 5a arranged such that the support can rotate relative to the base. The heater may be a candle, enclosed within a housing 27 which includes a grill 29. The stand may include an additional support frame and heater, arranged in a tiered relationship (fig 3) with respect to the first support frame and heater arrangement.

Description

HEATED SERVING STAND

This invention relates to a stand for supporting serving dishes, and in particular, to a heated serving stand.

In restaurants such as Chinese and Indian restaurants food is delivered to diners at their tables in serving dishes. The food arrives with serving implements so that diners can serve themselves with a desired quantity of'food. Since the temperature of the food is much higher than the ambient temperature of the restaurant the food can quickly cool which affects the diners' eating experience. Food that was served at the correct temperature when delivered Kit the table and which provides a satisfactory gastronomic experience may minutes later have cooled sufficiently to change the taste and texture of the food. Tllis is a particular problem when food is served in the dishes in which it is cooked since those dishes tend to be metallic and therefore conduct heat away from the food at a higher- i ate.

To solve this problem dishes are usually placed on heaters located on the table. The heaters typically consist of a plastic base plate with an aluminimn grill mounted thereon. 'I'he grill Is heated from below by candles mounted on the base plate. This arrangement is generally sufficient to keep food warm for the duration of the meal thereby ensuring that the last portion of food consumed is as tasty as the first portion.

When eating in Chinese, Indian and similar restaurants, diners often share food so that each person can try a variety oftaste sensations. However, existing heaters are static units. This means that the diner nearest a particular dish has to lift it from the heater and pass it to the diner who wants food from the dish. 'T'his is potentially hazardous as both diners risk burning themselves when handling the heated dish. Alternatively, the second diner has to pass Esther plate to the first diner to be served thus disturbing the first diner.

Accordingly, the invention seeks to mitigate at least some ofthe aforementioned problems According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a stand for supporting serving dishes, including a base member, support means for supporting a plurality of serving dishes and a heater means such that, in use, at least one of the serving dishes can be heated by the heater means, and a pivot mechanism arranged such that the support means can rotate relative to the base member.

The heated stand keeps the food wanm throughout the meal. Since the stand is able to rotate each diner sat around the table can gain easy access to any of the dishes mounted on the stand. This is particularly usefu] since it obviates the need to reach across a substantial part of the table to reach a dish or to disturb other diners to pass the food. It also obviates the need to touch the dish to gain access to the food which prevents diners from burning themselves by handling the dishes. Furthermore, the dishes are elevated above the table surface thus creating more space on the table to accommodate plates, glasses, cutlery and other dishes.

Advantageously the support means includes a plurality of frames for supporting the serving dishes and a plurality of heater support members for supporting the heater means, wherein the pivot mechanism is arranged such that the frames can rotate relative to the base member. Alternatively, a single frame can be arranged to support a plurality of serving dishes.

Advantageously the frames and the heater support members are angularly distributed. The heater support members support the heater means in a position between the base member and the frames.

Preferably the stand includes a support member having a longitudinal axis mounted on the base member for supporting the support means. The support member can rotate relative to the base member and is arranged substantially perpendicular to the base member. l he 2() frames can be Goodly attached to the support member and can be rotated as the support member rotates relative to the base. Alternatively, the frames can he pivotally mounted on the support member and the support member fixedly attached to the base.

Preferably the frames and the heater support members rotate as a unit about the longitudinal axis. In one embodiment each heater support member is attached to a frame. Altennatively, each heater support member can be attached to the support member.

Preferably the heater means is a candle and the stand includes a heater housing for each heater attached to the support means for housing the heater means. 1-Iowever, the heater means is not to be considered to be limited to candles but can include any suitable fonm of heater.

The stand may further include a second support means for supporting a plurality of serving dishes and a second heater means such that, in use, the serving dishes can be heated by the second heater means. Preferably the second support means includes a plurality of second frames for supporting a plurality of serving dishes and a plurality of second heater support members for supporting the second heater means, wherein the second support means is arranged to rotate relative to the base member. Preferably the second heater support members are located between the frames of the first and second support means such that, in use, the second heatermeans can heat the serving dishes supported by the second fi ames.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with JO reference to the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate equivalent features, wherein: Figure I is a side view of a first embodiment ofthe invention supporting a plurality of serving dishes; Figure 2 is a plan view of a first embodiment of the invention without serving 1 5 dishes; Figure 3 is a side view of a second embodiment of the invention supporting a plurality of serving dishes; Figure 4 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the invention without serving dishes; and Figure 5 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the invention supporting a plurality of serving dishes.

Figure I shows a side view of stand I having a crucifonn base 3, an elongate support member 5 mounted on the base 3, four frames 7 attached to the elongate support member 5, each frame 7 being arranged to support a serving dish 9 such as a balti dish, four heaters 11 disposed beneath the frames 7 for heating food in the serving dishes 9, and four heater support anus 13 for attaching the heaters] I to the frames 7. The stand 1 also includes a handle 15 for lifting the stand I and tabs 15 for rotating the serving dishes 9.

The crucifonn base 3 comprises two feet 17. The feet 17 are ananged substantially perpenaiculai t; each other and intersect each other approximately half way along thcii lengths. The support member 5 is pivotally attached to the base 3 at 5a. The support member 5 is arranged substantially perpendicular to the base 3. The base 3 can pivot relative to the support member 5 about the longitudinal axis of the support member 5.

A plan view of the stand I can be seen in figure 2. Each frame 7 includes an annular dish support l 9 and an am1 21 that attaches the dish support 19 to the support member 5. The am1 2 l and the dish support] 9 are arranged substantially parallel to the base 3. The tab 15 is attached to the dish support 19 substantially diametrically opposite to the aria 21. The frames 7 are angularly distributed about the support member 5 at approximately ninety degrees. In use, a serving dish 9 is placed onto a support frame 7 wherein the dish support 19 engages with the outer wall of the serving dish or with handles 23 attached to the outer wall of the dish, and supports the dish above the dining table. 'I'he inner diameter of the annular dish support 19 is complementary to the outer diameter of the serving dish 9.

Each heater I I includes a housing 27 and a grill 29. Each heater 1 1 is attached to the frame and 2 l by the heater support and 13 and is located directly below the dish support 19. In use, the housing 27 supports a candle 31 that when lit heats the grill 29 to provide heat to the food contained in the serving dish 9 supported above the heater 11.

Ta] use, the stand 1 is located on a dining table and candles 31 are placed in each of the heater housings 27 and lit. This action is typically performed by a waiter when the stand Is used in a restaurant. The candles 31 are usually lit a few minutes before the serving dishes 9 are mounted on the stand I to allow time for the grills 29 to heat up. When the food is ready, each meal is served In a serving dish 9. Each dish 9 is placed onto the stand I directlyabove one oftheheatersll andissupportedbyoneoftheframes7. Adinerthen serves him/herselfwith a portion offood from one ofthe serving dishes 9. If another diner wishes to take some food from the same serving dish 9 he/she rotates the serving dishes 9 relative to the base 3 by using one of the tabs 15. The support member 5 rotates about its longitudinal axis relative to the base 3. Since the frames 7 and heaters I 1 are attached to the support member 5 they rotate relative to the base 3 as a unit. The diner can then serve him/herself and then further rotate the stand I If he/she wants to take food from another of the serving dishes 9.

The heated stand I keeps the food wand throughout the duration of the meal by supplying heat to the serving dishes 9 fr em tl,e heaters I 1. hilst allowing the diner case; access to each of the dishes 9 without having to reach across a substantial part of the dining table, or disturbing one of the other diners. This can have an impact on hygiene as when diners reach across the dining table there is a possibility that contamination may fall from their clothing/body onto another diner's plate. This risk is minimised by the present invention as none of the diners will have to reach across adjacent diners' plates to gain access to the food in the servingdishes 9. Furthermore, theriskofadinerburninghm/herselfis reduced since the serving dishes 9 do not have to be touched by any of the diners to gain access to the food contained therein. The present invention also frees up a considerable amount of space on a dining table as the serving dishes 9 are elevated above the surface of the table and there is no need for separate heating units. This means that the diners can eat more comfortably or alternatively, it may mean that smaller tables can be used and therefore a larger number of diners may be seated in a given restaurant.

It will be appreciated by the skilled person that the stand can he arranged in a number of ways to achieve the same el'fect. For example, the support member 5 can he fixed to the base 3 and the frame 7 can be pivotally mounted to the support member 5. The heaters I I can be fixedly or pivotally attached to the support member 5, or fixedly attached to the frame member 7. 'Idle pivoting movement can also be provided by splitting the support member 5 into two separate parts; a first part fixed to the base 3 and a second part pivotally mounted to the first part. The frames 7 can be integrated into a single frame that can support a plurality of serving dishes 9. Likewise the heater support arms 13 could be integrated into a second frame to support all of the heaters I] . Alternatively, the frames 7 and heater support anus 13 can be integrated into a single frame for supporting the serving dishes 9 and the heaters I I. A second embodiment of the invention can be seen in figures 3 to 5. The design is very similar to the first embodiment of the invention, however the stand includes two tiers of support frames 7 and heaters I I. Preferably the arrangement is such that the upper tier of the frames 7 can rotate relative to the lower tier of frame 7 about the longitudinal axis, though this Is not necessary. It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that any practicable number of tiers of frames 7 and heaters I I can be included in the stand I.

Claims

A stand for supporting serving dishes, including a base member, support means for supporting a plurality of serving dishes and a heater means such that, in use, at least one of the serving dishes can be heated by the heater means, and a pivot mechanism arranged such that the support means can rotate relative to the base member.
2. A stand according to claim 1, wherein the support means includes a plurality of frames for supporting the serving dishes and a plurality of heater support members for supporting the heater means, wherein the pivot mechanism is arranged such that the flames can rotate relative to the base member.
3. A stand according to claim 2, wherein the frames are angularly distributed.
4. A stand according to claim 2, wherein the heater support members are angularly distributed.
5. A stand according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the heater support members support the heater means in a position between the base member and the frames.
6. A stand according to any one of the preceding claims, including a support member having a longitudinal axis mounted on the base member for supporting the support means.
7. A stand according to claim 6, whereinthcsupportnemberisarrangedsubstantally perpendicular to the base member.
8. A stand according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the support member can rotate relative to the base member.
9. A stand according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the frames are pivotally mounted on the support member.
10. A stand according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the frames and the heater support members rotate as a unit about the longitudinal axis.
A stand according to any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein each heater support member is attached to a frame.
12. A stand according to any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein each heater support member is attached to the support member.
13. A stand according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heater means is a candle.
14. A stand according to any one of the preceding claims, including a heater housing attached to the support means for housing the heater means.
15. A stand according to any one of the proceeding claims, including a second support means for supporting a plurality of serving dishes and a second heater means such that, in use, the serving dishes can be heated by the second heater means.
16. A stand according to claim IS, wherein the second support means includes a plurality of second frames for supporting a plurality of serving dishes and a plurality of second heater support members for supporting the second heater means, wherein the second support means is arranged to rotate relative to the base member.
17. A stand according to claim 16, wherein the second heater support members are located between the frames of the first and second support means such that, in use, the second heater means can heat the serving dishes supported by the second frames.
18. A stand substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.