Collapsible and disposable chafing stand

Abstract

A collapsible and disposable food chafing stand may be formed of any suitable fibrous material such as corrugated cardboard or any other suitable paper product. The chafing stand may be folded flat for transportation and storage and opened for use. In use the chafing stand secures one or more heat sources below any suitable pan or other food container to heat or maintain the heat of the food within. The chafing stand may include any suitable ornamentation and or advertisement printed or otherwise secured on the chafing stand.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional patent application 60/872,227 filed Nov. 30, 2006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTIONS

The inventions described below relate to the field of food service and more specifically to disposable articles for serving and maintaining the temperature of food.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS

Food catering often requires the use of conventional chafing stands for supporting, presenting and heating food. Conventional chafing stands require significant storage space and are cumbersome to transport.

SUMMARY

A collapsible and disposable food chafing stand may be formed of corrugated cardboard or other suitable fibrous material such as any paper product. The use of corrugated cardboard permits recycled material to be used and provides improved heat retention over conventional chafing stands. Thus, the disposable chafing stand requires less fuel to keep a given amount of food warm compared to a conventional chafing stand and may be made from recycled material thus providing a more environmentally friendly device than conventional devices.

The chafing stand may be folded flat for transportation and storage and opened for use. In use the chafing stand secures one or more heat sources below any suitable pan or other food container to heat or maintain the heat of the food within. The chafing stand may include any suitable ornamentation and or advertisement printed or otherwise secured on the chafing stand.

A collapsible and disposable food chafing stand for supporting a container of food includes a sheet of disposable fibrous material precut and folded to form a heat source support for engaging one or more heat sources and a sheet of disposable fibrous material precut and folded to form a main food support, the main food support having a top opening and a bottom opening, the top opening operable to engage a container of food, the bottom opening engaging the heat source support to keep the one or more heat sources secure within the main food support beneath the food container.

A method of presenting food for a buffet includes providing food in a food tray, providing a sheet of cardboard that is precut and creased to form a heat support and a main support, separating the sheet of cardboard into a first portion and a second portion, folding the first portion of cardboard to form a heat support, folding the second portion of cardboard to form a main support, engaging the heat support to the main support to form a collapsible and disposable chafing stand having an open top when the heat support is on the bottom, orienting the collapsible and disposable chafing stand with the heat support on the bottom, placing one or more heat sources in the heat support, and supporting the food tray in the open top of the collapsible and disposable chafing stand to be warmed by the one or more heat sources.

A business method for a restaurant or catering company includes providing one or more collapsible and disposable food chafing stands formed from a sheet of disposable cardboard precut and folded to form a heat source support for engaging one or more heat sources, and a sheet of disposable cardboard precut and folded to form a main food support, the main food support having a top opening and a bottom opening, the top opening operable to engage a container of food, the bottom opening engaging the heat source support to keep the one or more heat sources secure within the main food support beneath the food container, affixing advertising messages to each of the one or more collapsible and disposable food chafing stands, and providing food and at least one collapsible and disposable food chafing stand to a customer, the food to be presented in the at least one collapsible and disposable food chafing stand to permit a person desiring food to view the advertising message.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a layout view of the main support of a collapsible and disposable chafing stand.

FIG. 2 is a layout view of the heat support element of a collapsible and disposable chafing stand.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the heat support element of FIG. 2 partially folded.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the heat support element of FIG. 2 fully folded.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the main support of FIG. 1 partially folded.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the main support of FIG. 5 partially folded.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the initial engagement of the heat support element of FIG. 4 to the bottom of main support of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the final engagement of the heat support element of FIG. 4 to the bottom of main support of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a completely configured collapsible and disposable chafing stand engaging a food service tray.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONS

A collapsible and disposable chafing stand includes main support 10 and heat support element 20 of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 respectively. Main support 10 and heat support element 20 may be formed of any suitable fibrous material such as any paper product such as for example, cardboard or corrugated cardboard and may be treated with any suitable flame retardant or heat treatment to render them fireproof.

Main support 10 may be formed from a single sheet of material and a template is shown in FIG. 1. Creases 11, 13, 15 and 17 define four sides 12, 14, 16 and 18. When folded, edge 19 is brought adjacent crease 11 permitting flap 10A to be secured to side 18. Main support 10 also includes heat support tabs 30 and 32 for engaging and securing heat support element 20. Air circulation vents such as vents 36 may be provided through any side such as sides 14 and 18. An optional access port such as port 34 may be provided to permit access to the interior of the main support 10 when a food tray is in place. Access port 34 may include a reclosable door such as door 34D to retain heat within the main support and limit access to the space and heating elements. Holes 38 may also be provided to permit the engagement of one or more handles such as handle 39 as shown in FIG. 5. Handles such as handle 39 may be removable and or collapsible.

Heat support element 20 may also be formed from a single sheet of suitable material and a template is shown in FIG. 2. Heat support element 20 is folded as shown in FIG. 3, along creases such as creases 20A, 20B, 20C and 20D to form a three-dimensional support as shown in FIG. 4. Creases such as creases 20A, 20B, 20C and 20D may be pre-folded, creased, scored or otherwise prepared to enable the material to be accurately folded. Tabs such as tabs 22 and 24 engage slots such as slots 22S and 24S respectively to retain the three-dimensional shape of heat support element 20. One or more heat ports such as ports 35 and 37 may be formed in a surface such as side 28. A heat port such as heat port 35 may engage any suitable source of heat such as an alcohol or gel fuel burner.

Referring now to FIG. 5, main support 10 is folded along creases 13 and 17 with flap 10A secured to side 18. In this configuration, main support 10 is generally flat and may be easily transported. By applying opposite forces at crease 13 and crease 17 directed toward the center of main support 10, the sides of main support 10 may be urged into a generally rectangular three-dimensional form as shown in FIG. 6.

Engagement of heat support element 20 to heat support tab 32 is illustrated in FIG. 7. Rotation of heat support element about edge 14B will bring heat support element 20 coplanar with bottom plane 10B of main support 10 as shown in FIG. 8. Heat support tab 30 may also engage and secure heat support element 20 to main support 10 forming chafing stand 40.

Orienting chafing stand 40 to rest on bottom 40B and expose top 40T permits a food tray such a tray 42 to be supported by sides 12, 14, 16 and 18.

Main support 10 may also include advertising and or public service messages printed or otherwise affixed to sides 12, 14, 16 and 18 as well as to heat support element 20. The presence of the advertising and or public service messages permits the collapsible and disposable food chafing stand to be provided by a restaurant or catering company to a customer to present food at the customers event. The advertising and or public service messages may then be viewed by attendees at the event providing advertising benefit to the restaurant or caterer.

While the preferred embodiments of the devices and methods have been described in reference to the environment in which they were developed, they are merely illustrative of the principles of the inventions. Other embodiments and configurations may be devised without departing from the spirit of the inventions and the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A collapsible and disposable food chafing stand for supporting a container of food comprising:

a sheet of disposable fibrous material precut and folded to form a heat source support for engaging one or more heat sources; and

a sheet of disposable fibrous material precut and folded to form a main food support, the main food support having a top opening and a bottom opening, the top opening operable to engage a container of food, the bottom opening engaging the heat source support to keep the one or more heat sources secure within the main food support beneath the food container.

2. The collapsible and disposable food chafing stand of claim 1 further comprising:

one or more removable handles engaging the main food support.

3. The collapsible and disposable food chafing stand of claim 1 wherein the main food support further comprises:

one or more ventilation ports.

4. The collapsible and disposable food chafing stand of claim 1 wherein the main food support further comprises:

a reclosable access port with a door.

5. The collapsible and disposable food chafing stand of claim 1 wherein the disposable fibrous material comprises:

corrugated cardboard.

6. The collapsible and disposable food chafing stand of claim 1 wherein the disposable fibrous material comprises:

paperboard.

7. A method of presenting food comprising:

providing food in a food tray;

providing a sheet of cardboard that is precut and creased to form a heat support and a main support;

separating the sheet of cardboard into a first portion and a second portion;

folding the first portion of cardboard to form a heat support;

folding the second portion of cardboard to form a main support;

engaging the heat support to the main support to form a collapsible and disposable chafing stand having an open top when the heat support is on the bottom;

orienting the collapsible and disposable chafing stand with the heat support on the bottom;

placing one or more heat sources in the heat support; and

supporting the food tray in the open top of the collapsible and disposable chafing stand to be warmed by the one or more heat sources.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

opening one or more ventilation holes in the main support.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

opening an access port in the main support to enable tending the one or more heat sources.

10. The method of claim 7 further cardboard comprises:

corrugated cardboard.

11. A business method for a restaurant or catering company comprising:

providing one or more collapsible and disposable food chafing stands;

affixing advertising messages to each of the one or more collapsible and disposable food chafing stands; and

providing food and at least one collapsible and disposable food chafing stand to a customer, the food to be presented in the at least one collapsible and disposable food chafing stand to permit a person desiring food to view the advertising message.

12. The business method of claim 11 wherein the collapsible and disposable food chafing stand comprises:

a sheet of disposable cardboard precut and folded to form a heat source support for engaging one or more heat sources; and

a sheet of disposable cardboard precut and folded to form a main food support, the main food support having a top opening and a bottom opening, the top opening operable to engage a container of food, the bottom opening engaging the heat source support to keep the one or more heat sources secure within the main food support beneath the food container.