Thermal food tray

Abstract

A tray for handling food in a warming oven comprises a dish portion a rim portion and a gasket portion. The dish portion is constructed from a first material and has a base portion adapted for handling of food products. The dish also has a wall portion surrounding the entirety of the base portion and extending therefrom. The wall portion has a closed end connected to the base portion and an open end disposed away from the base portion. The rim portion is constructed from a second material and extends generally parallel to the wall portion, around the perimeter of the dish portion. The rim portion has an attached end adapted for compressive engagement with the open end of the wall and a free end adapted to facilitate handling of the tray. The gasket is compressively disposed between the dish and the rim and adapted to restrict the movement of the dish away from the rim.

1 . A tray for handling food in a warming oven comprising: 
 a dish, constructed from a first material, having 
 a base portion adapted for handling of food products, and  
 a wall portion surrounding the entirety of the base portion and extending upwardly therefrom, the wall portion having a lower edge connected to the base portion and an upper edge disposed away from the base portion;  
 a rim, constructed from a second material, the rim having a lower edge adapted for engagement with the open end of the wall portion and a free end adapted to facilitate handling of the tray; and  
 a gasket compressively disposed between the dish and the rim and adapted to resiliently secure the dish and the rim.  
   
   
   
       2 . The tray according to  claim 1 , wherein the first material is a metal.  
   
   
       3 . The tray according to  claim 1 , wherein the second material is a plastic.  
   
   
       4 . The tray according to  claim 1 , wherein the base portion comprises at least one ridge extending along at least a portion thereof.  
   
   
       5 . The tray according to  claim 1 , the tray further comprising a first end and a second end disposed longitudinally away from the first end, each of the first and second ends having a gripping tab portion extending longitudinally therefrom.  
   
   
       6 . The tray according to  claim 1 , the free end of the rim having at least one mounting tab extending along a lateral portion thereof.  
   
   
       7 . The tray according to  claim 1 , wherein one of the lower edge of the rim and the upper edge of the dish has a first wall, a second wall, and an attachment cavity disposed between the first and second walls.  
   
   
       8 . The tray according to  claim 1 , wherein the gasket has a generally U-shaped cross-sectional profile, having an inner portion and an outer portion, wherein each portion is adapted for engagement with one of the upper edge of the wall portion of the dish and the lower edge of the rim.  
   
   
       9 . The tray according to  claim 8 , the gasket further comprising at least one retaining rib extending therefrom for engagement with one of the upper edge of the wall portion of the dish and the lower edge of the rim.  
   
   
       10 . The tray according to  claim 9 , wherein the retaining rib is angled to facilitate movement of the gasket with respect to a portion of the tray in a first direction and restrict the movement of the gasket with respect to said portion in an opposing second direction.  
   
   
       11 . The tray according to  claim 8 , wherein the upper edge of the wall of the dish is insertable into the inner portion of the gasket.  
   
   
       12 . The tray according to  claim 11 , wherein the outer portion of the gasket is compressively insertable into the attachment cavity of the rim, for retainment therein.  
   
   
       13 . The tray according to  claim 1 , wherein the wall portion is generally perpendicular to the base portion.  
   
   
       14 . A tray for handling food in a warming oven comprising: 
 a dish constructed from a first material having a peripheral wall with inner and outer faces;    a rim constructed from a second material having a peripheral cavity defined by inner and outer rim walls, the second material having a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than the first material; and    a generally U-shaped gasket constructed from a resilient material, having a first gasket portion and a second gasket portion disposed on the peripheral wall with the first gasket portion disposed adjacent to the inner face and the second gasket portion disposed adjacent to the outer face;    wherein the rim disposed about the gasket and the peripheral wall with the inner rim wall disposed proximate the first gasket portion and the outer rim wall disposed proximate the second gasket portion; and    wherein a seal is formed between the inner wall and the inner face of the peripheral wall, in conjunction with or separately from the outer wall and the outer face of the peripheral wall, due to compression of the first and second gasket portions therebetween and at various states of thermal expansion of the materials.