초록 ▼

A food container insert for holding tacos upright in a food container includes a plurality of pockets, oriented at a minor slope, to facilitate drainage of grease and juices from the taco filling away from the taco shell. Slits along the bottom of the pockets also facilitate the drainage of grease a

A food container insert for holding tacos upright in a food container includes a plurality of pockets, oriented at a minor slope, to facilitate drainage of grease and juices from the taco filling away from the taco shell. Slits along the bottom of the pockets also facilitate the drainage of grease and juices from the taco filling away from the taco shell. The insert is suitable for both take-out food containers and chafing pans.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A taco holding insert sized and dimensioned for a food container having a lower dish section with a relatively flat floor, sidewall, and a peripheral rim, the taco holding insert comprising: a sloped bottom support section extending along a longitudinal dimension of the taco holding ins

I claim: 1. A taco holding insert sized and dimensioned for a food container having a lower dish section with a relatively flat floor, sidewall, and a peripheral rim, the taco holding insert comprising: a sloped bottom support section extending along a longitudinal dimension of the taco holding insert for supporting the bottom of a folded or U-shaped taco; a first side support section extending upwardly from the bottom support section for supporting one side of a folded or U-shaped taco; a second side support section extending upwardly from the bottom support section for supporting the other side of the folded or U-shaped taco; and at least two coplanar flanges adapted to rest upon opposite sides of the peripheral rim of the lower dish section of the food container and support and elevate the taco holding insert above the floor of the lower dish section; wherein the sloped bottom support section is sloped at a non-zero angle along the longitudinal dimension of the taco holding insert with respect to the plane of the flanges wherein the angle is sufficient; to drain juices from any ingredients filling the taco outside the taco shell and onto the floor of the lower dish section of the food container whereby the taco holding insert is adapted to hold a taco inside the food container above any juices that may collect along the floor of the lower dish section. 2. The taco holding insert of claim 1, wherein the slope of the bottom support section is such that the front of the bottom support section is vertically displaced between ¼ and ¾ of an inch above or below the back of the bottom support section. 3. The taco holding insert of claim 1, wherein the bottom support section and first and second side support sections are comprised of metal. 4. The taco holding insert of claim 1, wherein the bottom support section and first and second side support sections comprise a continuous, unitary sheet of paper or plastic material. 5. The taco holding insert of claim 4, wherein the continuous, unitary sheet of material comprises polystyrene, whereby the polystyrene helps to retain the warmth of the taco. 6. The taco holding insert of claim 4, wherein the continuous, unitary sheet of material comprises cardboard. 7. The taco holding insert of claim 4, wherein the first and second side support sections curve upwardly from the bottom support section, thereby forming a concave-shaped channel or trough for supporting the taco. 8. The taco holding insert of claim 4, wherein the first and second side support sections lie within planes that intersect each other at an angle of between 15 and 60 degrees. 9. The taco holding insert of claim 8, wherein the plane bisecting the intersection angle of the planes tangent to the first and second side support sections is perpendicular to the plane of the flanges, whereby the taco holding insert is operable to hold the taco in a substantially upright position. 10. The taco holding insert of claim 8, wherein the plane bisecting the intersection angle of the planes tangent to the first and second side support sections intersects the plane of the flanges at an angle of between 45 and 75 degrees. 11. The taco holding insert of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of bottom support sections extending along a longitudinal dimension of the taco holding insert for supporting the bottoms of a plurality of folded or U-shaped tacos; a plurality of first side support sections extending upwardly from the bottom support section, each first side support section adapted to support one side of a folded or U-shaped taco; and a plurality of second side support sections extending upwardly from the bottom support section, each second side support section adapted to support the other side of the folded or U-shaped taco. 12. The taco holding insert of claim 11, wherein each of the bottom support sections are sloped at an angle along the longitudinal dimension of the taco holding insert with respect to the plane of the flanges; whereby the multiple taco holding insert is adapted to drain juices from any ingredients filling the tacos outside the taco shells and onto the floor of the lower dish section of the food container. 13. A taco holding insert sized and dimensioned for a food container having a lower dish section with a relatively flat floor, sidewall, and a peripheral rim, the taco holding insert comprising: a bottommost section extending along a longitudinal dimension of the taco holding insert; a slit along the bottommost section of the taco holding insert dimensioned for seating the bottom of a folded or U-shaped taco slightly below the bottommost section and above the floor of the lower dish section and for facilitating the drainage of juices away from the taco and taco holding insert and onto the floor of the lower dish section of the food container; a first side support section extending upwardly from the bottommost section for supporting one side of a folded or U-shaped taco; a second side support section extending upwardly from the bottommost section for supporting the other side of the folded or U-shaped taco; and at least two coplanar flanges adapted to rest upon opposite sides of the peripheral rim of the lower dish section of the food container and support and elevate the taco holding insert above the floor of the lower dish section; whereby the taco holding insert is adapted to drain juices from any ingredients filling the taco outside the taco shell and onto the floor of the lower dish section of the food container and to hold a taco inside the food container above any juices that may collect along the floor of the lower dish section. 14. The taco holding insert of claim 13, further comprising front and back wall sections that are joined to the first and second side support sections, whereby the front and back wall sections comprise the ends of a trough-shaped enclosure formed by the first and second side support sections. 15. The taco holding insert of claim 14, wherein the bottommost section is sloped from the front wall section to the back wall section, the slope being at a non-zero angle along the longitudinal dimension of the taco holding insert with respect to the plane of the flanges; whereby the taco holding insert is adapted to drain juices from any ingredients filling the taco outside the taco shell and onto the floor of the lower dish section of the food container. 16. A chafing dish insert for holding crispy tacos, the chafing dish insert being sized and dimensioned to fit into a chafing dish having a lower dish section with a relatively flat bottom, a sidewall, and a peripheral rim, the chafing dish insert comprising: a metallic support structure for supporting a plurality of tacos in a relatively upright position; the metallic support structure including a plurality of bottom support sections extending along a longitudinal dimension of the taco holding insert for supporting the bottoms of a plurality of folded or U-shaped tacos; the metallic support structure including one or more rigid coplanar portions having sufficient spatial extent to reach and rest upon opposite sides of the peripheral rim of the lower dish section of the chafing dish to support and elevate the chafing dish insert above the bottom of the lower dish section; and each of the bottom support sections being sloped at a non-zero angle along the longitudinal dimension of the taco holding insert with respect to the plane of the peripheral rim wherein the angle is sufficient to drain juices from any ingredients filling the tacos outside the taco shells and onto the floor of the lower dish section of the chafing pan; whereby the chafing dish insert is adapted to hold a taco inside the chafing dish above the floor of the lower dish section. 17. The chafing dish insert of claim 16, wherein the metallic frame comprises a plurality of rigid stainless steel rods. 18. The chafing dish insert of claim 17, wherein the metallic frame comprises wire mesh hanging from the stainless steel rods.