Apparatus for cooling, storing and reheating food using induction heating

Claim 1

Apparatus for cooling, storing and reheating multi-part meals arranged on a serving tray including at least one type of container for a food component to be served in heated state and at least one other type of container for a food component to be served at about ambient temperature and comprising: a cabinet adapted for insertion therein of multi-part meal laden trays disposed, one above the other, said cabinet having associated therewith refrigeration means adapted to cool all contents of the multi-part meal laden trays inside said cabinet to a below ambient temperature chilled state, and an induction heat generator, said cabinet having therein a multiplicity of induction coils operatively connectable to said induction heat generator with at least one induction coil being adjacent each tray positionally related thereto so that such induction coil is in close proximity to a container thereon for a food component to be served in heated state; and at least one means for heating the container contents of said one type of container and for warming other food components on each tray from said chilled state to about ambient temperature, said heating and warming means being electrically conductive and inductively heatable and being situated on an outer surface of each said one type of container and having at least a portion of said one type of container exposed to surrounding air; whereby all food components of multi-part meals on the serving trays may be cooled and stored in said cabinet in a chilled state and be selectively heated through operation of said induction heat generator.