US4989419A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Chill-retention food service tray
Assignee: Sierra Housewares Inc
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Filing: 1990-06-08
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Granted: 1991-02-05
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Expires: 2010-06-08
Abstract
Abstract A chill-retention food service tray, capable of keeping its contents chilled for an extended time (e.g., several hours) in a warm environment, comprises a bottom tray member including a bottom panel having an upwardly projecting peripheral rim wall and a plurality of upwardly projecting stiffening ribs onto which a top tray member fits; the top tray member includes a support panel at the upper level of the reinforcing ribs and a peripheral rim wall engaging and adhesively secured to the bottom rim wall, as well as a closed configuration hollow wall defining a cup for a dip, sauce, or the like. The two tray members conjointly define a chamber filled with a various chilling gel; the gel has a high heat of fusion. A plurality of removable divider members may divide the top panel support surface, around the cup, into a series of storage compartments.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael Brando
- 👤 Anthony E. Fiello
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 10:23
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25D; F25D3/00; F25D3/02; F25D3/06; F25D3/08; F25D2331/00; F25D2331/80; F25D2331/812
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
A chill-retention service tray capable of keeping its contents chilled for an extended time in a warm environment, comprising: a bottom tray member including a bottom panel of given size and configuration, a bottom rim wall projecting upwardly from the periphery of the bottom panel, and at least one stiffening rib projecting upwardly to a predetermined level above a medial portion of the bottom panel; a top tray member interfitting with and affixed to the bottom tray member, the top tray member including a service support panel positioned immediately above the top of the stiffening rib, a top rim wall projecting upwardly above the service panel and engaging the bottom rim wall around the periphery of the two panels, and an internal hollow wall, of closed configuration, projecting upwardly above the service panel; the top and bottom tray members defining a main gel chamber, between them; and a chilling gel filling the main gel chamber, the chilling gel having a high heat of fusion and a viscosity high enough to limit the gel sloshing about in the service tray when warm, yet liquid enough to be poured into the gel chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
191 words
A chill-retention service tray capable of keeping its contents chilled for an extended time in a warm environment, comprising: a bottom tray member including a bottom panel of given size and configuration, a bottom rim wall projecting upwardly from the periphery of the bottom panel, and at least one stiffening rib projecting upwardly to a predetermined level above a medial portion of the bottom panel; a top tray member interfitting with and affixed to the bottom tray member, the top tray member including a service support panel positioned immediately above the top of the stiffening rib, a top rim wall projecting upwardly above the service panel and engaging the bottom rim wall around the periphery of the two panels, and an internal hollow wall, of closed configuration, projecting upwardly above the service panel; the top and bottom tray members defining a main gel chamber, between them; and a chilling gel filling the main gel chamber, the chilling gel having a high heat of fusion and a viscosity high enough to limit the gel sloshing about in the service tray when warm, yet liquid enough to be poured into the gel chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 1 and further comprising: a plurality of divider members, each extending across the support panel for the top tray member from the internal wall to the top rim wall, dividing the space between the internal wall and the top rim wall into a plurality of storage compartments.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 2 in which each divider member is a resin panel having mounting means at opposite ends removably engageable in any one of a series of pairs of retainer means, one retainer means of each pair being formed in the internal wall in alignment with the other retainer means of that pair, formed in the top rim wall.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 3 in which each retainer means, in the internal wall and in the top rim wall, is a slot in the top of the wall.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 3 in which each divider member panel has a concave bottom surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 1 in which one of the tray member walls is hollow defining a further gel chamber in communication with the main gel chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 6 in which the hollow wall is the internal wall of the top tray member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 6 in which the hollow wall is one of the rim walls.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 6 in which the hollow wall is the top rim wall.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 6 in which both rim walls are hollow and a further gel chamber is defined between them.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 1 in which all of the components of the service tray, other than the gel, are of molded resin.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 11 and further comprising: a plurality of divider members, each extending across the support panel for the top tray member from the internal wall to the top rim wall, dividing the space between the internal wall and the top rim wall into a plurality of storage compartments.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 12 in which the divider member panels are removably mounted in the service tray and in which each divider member panel has a concave bottom surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 11 in which one of the walls is hollow, defining a further gel chamber, and the further gel chamber is in communication with the main gel chamber.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 1 in which the top and bottom tray members each include a peripheral flange and the two flanges are adhesively joined to seal the periphery of the gel chamber.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 15 in which all of the components of the service tray, other than the gel, are of molded resin.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 1 in which the internal wall is located in the central portion of the service panel.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 17 in which the internal wall has a height substantially greater than the top rim wall above the service panel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
54 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 18 and further comprising: a plurality of divider members, each extending across the support panel for the top tray member from the internal wall to the top rim wall, dividing the space between the internal wall and the top rim wall into a plurality of storage compartments.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
64 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 19 in which each divider member is a resin panel having mounting mean at opposite ends removably engageable in any one of a series of pairs of retainer means, one retainer means of each pair being formed in the internal wall in alignment with the other retainer means of that pair, formed in the top rim wall.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 20 in which each divider member panel has a concave bottom surface.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 18 in which one of the walls is hollow, defining a further gel chamber, and the further gel chamber is in communication with the main gel chamber.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 18 in which all of the components of the service tray, other than the gel, are of molded resin.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 1 in which the chilling gel is a water base gel including a quantity of cornstarch sufficient to afford a high viscosity precluding sloshing.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
53 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 1 in which the filling gel is: ______________________________________
Constituent Minimum Maximum
______________________________________
water 75% 85%
acrylic polymer 1% 5%
potassium sorbale 1% 5%
sodium tetraborale
0.1% 0.5%
carboxymethylcellulose
1% 5%
propylene glycol 10% 20%
cornstarch 5% 10%
triethanolamine 1% 5%
______________________________________ all stated percentages by weight.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
184 words
A chill-retention service tray capable of keeping its contents chilled for an extended time in a warm environment, comprising: a bottom tray member including a bottom panel of given size and configuration, a bottom rim wall projecting upwardly from the periphery of the bottom panel, and at least one stiffening rib projecting upwardly to a predetermined level above a medial portion of the bottom panel; a top tray member interfitting with and affixed to the bottom tray member, the top tray member including a service support panel positioned immediately above the top of the stiffening rib, and a top rim wall projecting upwardly above the service panel, the top rim wall engaging and being adhesively joined to the bottom rim wall around the periphery of the two panels; the top and bottom tray members defining a gel chamber, between them; and a chilling gel filling the gel chamber, the chilling gel having a high heat of fusion and a viscosity high enough to limit the gel sloshing about in the service tray when warm, yet liquid enough to be poured into the gel chamber.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
184 words
A chill-retention service tray capable of keeping its contents chilled for an extended time in a warm environment, comprising: a bottom tray member including a bottom panel of given size and configuration, a bottom rim wall projecting upwardly from the periphery of the bottom panel, and at least one stiffening rib projecting upwardly to a predetermined level above a medial portion of the bottom panel; a top tray member interfitting with and affixed to the bottom tray member, the top tray member including a service support panel positioned immediately above the top of the stiffening rib, and a top rim wall projecting upwardly above the service panel, the top rim wall engaging and being adhesively joined to the bottom rim wall around the periphery of the two panels; the top and bottom tray members defining a gel chamber, between them; and a chilling gel filling the gel chamber, the chilling gel having a high heat of fusion and a viscosity high enough to limit the gel sloshing about in the service tray when warm, yet liquid enough to be poured into the gel chamber.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
53 words
A chill-retention serving tray according to claim 26 in which the filling gel is: ______________________________________
Constituent Minimum Maximum
______________________________________
water 75% 85%
acrylic polymer 1% 5%
potassium sorbale 1% 5%
sodium tetraborale
0.1% 0.5%
carboxymethylcellulose
1% 5%
propylene glycol 10% 20%
cornstarch 5% 10%
triethanolamine 1% 5%
______________________________________ all stated percentages by weight.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-02-04 | 1994-08-06 | 1995-02-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-02-04 | 1998-08-06 | 1999-02-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-02-04 | 2002-08-06 | 2003-02-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |