초록 ▼

An apparatus carries and stores foodstuffs in a desired ambient temperature, and comprises a primary tray, a shroud, and a lid. The primary tray comprises an inner support platform portion and an outer shroud-receiving portion. The shroud comprises an inner cover portion and an outer wall portion co

An apparatus carries and stores foodstuffs in a desired ambient temperature, and comprises a primary tray, a shroud, and a lid. The primary tray comprises an inner support platform portion and an outer shroud-receiving portion. The shroud comprises an inner cover portion and an outer wall portion contiguous with the inner cover portion. The inner cover portion defines a downwardly open matter-receiving space for covering matter supported by the support platform portion. The outer wall portion and the inner cover portion define an upwardly open medium-receiving space for receiving and positioning a heat transfer medium adjacent the matter-receiving space. The lid is seatable upon the shroud for covering the medium-receiving space. A series of fastening mechanisms removably fasten the primary tray to the shroud. A heat transfer medium is receivable in the medium-receiving space for effecting heat transfer intermediate the medium-receiving and matter-receiving spaces.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for carrying and storing matter in a desired ambient temperature, the apparatus comprising: a circular primary tray structure, the circular primary tray structure comprising a circular inner support platform portion and a circular outer shroud-receiving portion, the circular inner su

1. An apparatus for carrying and storing matter in a desired ambient temperature, the apparatus comprising: a circular primary tray structure, the circular primary tray structure comprising a circular inner support platform portion and a circular outer shroud-receiving portion, the circular inner support platform portion having a support surface and a peripherally-located matter-receiving depression, the support surface being at a first elevation, the matter-receiving depression being at a second elevation lower than the first elevation, the circular outer shroud-receiving portion having a peripherally-located, dual-groove, shroud-junction construction, the peripherally-located, dual-groove, shroud-junction construction being in radially outer adjacency to the matter-receiving depression and having a circular, radially inner groove and a circular, radially outer groove, the radially inner groove having an inner groove trough and the radially outer groove having an outer groove trough, the inner groove trough being at a third elevation and the outer groove trough being at a fourth elevation, the third elevation being lower than the second elevation and the fourth elevation being lower than the third elevation, the (1) matter-receiving depression, (2) inner groove trough and (3) outer groove trough thus forming a stepped, peripherally-located, series of platform-based depressions relative to the first elevation of the support surface;a circular shroud structure, the circular shroud structure comprising an inner cover portion, and an outer wall portion contiguous with the inner cover portion, the inner cover portion defining a primary matter-receiving space for covering matter supported by the support platform portion, the outer wall portion and the inner cover portion defining a medium-receiving space, the medium-receiving space for receiving and positioning a heat transfer medium adjacent the primary matter-receiving space, the primary matter-receiving space being separated from the medium-receiving space via the inner cover portion, the outer wall portion having a peripherally-located, dual-ridge, platform junction construction, the peripherally-located, dual-ridge, platform-junction construction having a circular, radially inner ridge and a circular, radially outer ridge at a bottom portion thereof, the radially inner ridge being elevated relative to the radially outer ridge, the radially inner and outer groove troughs for respectively receiving the radially inner and outer ridges;a lid structure, the lid structure being seatable upon the shroud structure for covering the medium-receiving space; andfastening means for removably fastening the primary tray structure to the shroud structure, a heat transfer medium being receivable in the medium-receiving space for effecting heat transfer intermediate the medium-receiving and primary matter-receiving spaces for maintaining matter received within the primary matter-receiving space in a desired ambient temperature. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inner cover portion comprises an upwardly extending handle, the upwardly extending handle for enabling a user to carry the shroud structure. 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the lid structure is annular, the upwardly extending handle being extendable through the annular lid structure for enabling the user to simultaneously carry the lid and shroud structures. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inner cover portion comprises a medium support portion and the outer wall portion comprises an upper terminus, the medium support portion having a lesser structural distance from the radially inner and outer ridges than the upper terminus, the medium support portion thus for supporting a received and positioned heat transfer medium inwardly of the upper terminus in superior adjacency to the primary matter-receiving space. 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the inner cover portion is sloped at the medium support portion, the sloped inner cover portion for maximizing the primary matter-receiving space. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lid structure, outer wall portion, and inner cover portion together define a heat transfer sourcing compartment, the sourcing compartment having a longitudinal cross-section, the longitudinal cross-section of the sourcing compartment comprising opposed inverted L-shaped portions for maximizing the heat transfer area surrounding the primary matter-receiving space. 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fastening means interconnect the radially outer groove trough of the peripherally-located, dual-groove, shroud-junction construction to the outer wall portion, the outer wall portion thus for bearing a load inherent to the primary tray structure and matter-received thereupon via the fastening means. 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the fastening means comprise a series of pivotable male structures pivotable about pivot axes tangent to portions of the radially outer groove trough of the peripherally-located, dual-groove, shroud-junction construction, the shroud structure at the outer wall portion comprising a series of female structures, the female structures for simultaneously receiving and concealing the male structures when the fastening means fasten the primary tray structure to the shroud structure. 9. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising at least one secondary tray structure, the secondary tray structure for supporting foodstuffs in superior adjacency to the primary tray structure, the secondary tray structure comprising at least one tray foot, at least one tray foot being receivable by the matter-receiving depression for positioning the secondary tray structure relative to the primary tray structure. 10. An apparatus for carrying and storing matter in a desired ambient temperature, the apparatus comprising: a primary tray structure, the primary tray structure comprising an inner support platform portion and an outer shroud-opposing portion, the inner support platform portion having a support surface and a peripherally-located matter-receiving depression, the support surface being at a first elevation, the matter-receiving depression being at a second elevation lower than the first elevation, the outer shroud-opposing portion having a peripherally-located dual-groove, shroud-junction construction, the peripherally-located, dual-groove, shroud junction construction being in radially outer adjacency to the matter-receiving depression and having an inner groove and an outer groove, the inner and outer grooves being concentric, the inner groove having an inner groove trough and the outer groove having an outer groove trough, the inner groove trough being at a third elevation and the outer groove trough being at a fourth elevation, the third elevation being lower than the second elevation and the fourth elevation being lower than the third elevation, the (1) matter-receiving depression, (2) inner groove trough and (3) outer groove trough thus forming a stepped, peripherally-located, series of platform-based depressions relative to the first elevation of the support surface;a shroud structure, the shroud structure comprising an inner cover portion, and an outer wall portion contiguous with the inner cover portion, the inner cover defining a primary matter-receiving space for covering matter supported by the support platform portion, the outer wall portion and the inner cover portion defining a medium-receiving space, the medium-receiving space for receiving and positioning a heat transfer medium adjacent the primary matter-receiving space, the outer wall portion having a peripherally-located, dual-ridge, platform junction construction, the peripherally-located, dual-ridge, platform-junction construction having an inner ridge and an outer ridge, the inner and outer ridges being concentric, the inner ridge being elevated relative to the outer ridge, the inner and outer groove troughs for respectively receiving the inner and outer ridges;a lid structure, the lid structure being seatable upon the shroud structure for covering the medium-receiving space; andfastening means for removably fastening the primary tray structure to the shroud structure, a heat transfer medium being receivable in the medium-receiving space for effecting heat transfer intermediate the medium-receiving and primary matter-receiving spaces for maintaining matter received within the primary matter-receiving space in a desired ambient temperature. 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the inner cover portion comprises an upwardly extending handle, the upwardly extending handle for enabling a user to carry the shroud structure. 12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the lid structure is annular, the upwardly extending handle being extendable through the annular lid structure for enabling the user to simultaneously carry the lid and shroud structures. 13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the inner cover portion comprises a medium support portion and the outer wall portion comprises an upper terminus, the medium support portion being lesser in height relative to the upper terminus, the medium support portion thus for supporting a received and positioned heat transfer medium inwardly of the upper terminus in superior adjacency to the primary matter-receiving space. 14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the lid structure, outer wall portion, and the inner cover portion together define a heat transfer sourcing compartment, the sourcing compartment having a longitudinal cross-section, the longitudinal cross-section of the sourcing compartment comprising opposed inverted L-shaped portions for maximizing the heat transfer area surrounding the primary matter-receiving space. 15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the fastening means interconnect the tray structure to the outer wall portion, the outer wall portion thus for bearing a load inherent to the primary tray structure and matter-received thereupon via the fastening means. 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the fastening means comprises a series of pivotable male structures pivotable about pivot axes tangent to portions of the outer shroud-opposing portion, the shroud structure at the outer wall portion comprising a series of female structures, the female structures for simultaneously receiving and concealing the male structures when the fastening means fasten the primary tray structure to the shroud structure. 17. The apparatus of claim 10 comprising at least one secondary tray structure, the secondary tray structure for supporting foodstuffs in superior adjacency to the primary tray structure, the secondary tray structure comprising at least one tray foot, at least one tray foot being receivable by the matter-receiving depression for positioning the secondary tray structure relative to the primary tray structure. 18. An apparatus for carrying and storing matter in a desired ambient temperature, the apparatus comprising: a primary tray structure, the primary tray structure comprising an inner support platform portion and an outer shroud-opposing portion, the inner support platform portion having a support surface and a peripherally-located matter-receiving depression, the support surface being at a first elevation, the matter-receiving depression being at a second elevation lower than the first elevation, the outer shroud-opposing portion having a peripherally-located, dual-groove, shroud junction construction, the peripherally-located, dual-groove, shroud junction construction being in radially outer adjacency to the matter-receiving depression and having an inner groove and an outer groove, the inner and outer grooves being concentric, the inner groove having an inner groove trough and the outer groove having an outer groove trough, the inner groove trough having a differing elevation relative to the outer groove trough, the matter-receiving depression, inner groove trough and outer groove trough forming a stepped, peripherally-located, series of platform-based depressions relative to the first elevation of the support surface;a shroud structure, the shroud structure comprising an upwardly open medium-receiving space, a downwardly open matter-receiving space, a peripherally-located, dual-ridge, platform junction construction, the peripherally-located, dual-ridge, platform-junction construction having a downwardly extending inner ridge and a downwardly extending outer ridge, the upwardly open medium-receiving space being positioned about the downwardly open matter-receiving space, the medium-receiving space for receiving and positioning a heat transfer medium in adjacency to the matter-receiving space, the inner and outer ridges being concentric, the inner ridge having a differing elevation relative to the outer ridge, the inner and outer grooves for respectively receiving the inner and outer ridges;a lid structure, the lid structure being seatable upon the shroud structure for covering the medium-receiving space; andfastening means for removably fastening the primary tray structure to the shroud structure at the shroud-opposing portion, a heat transfer medium being receivable in the medium-receiving space for effecting heat transfer intermediate the medium-receiving and matter-receiving spaces for maintaining matter received within the matter-receiving space in a desired ambient temperature.