Apparatus for Modifying or Maintaining the Temperature of Foods and/or Other Like Products and Methods for Using the Same

Abstract

An apparatus modifies or maintains the temperature of food products and/or other like products. Specifically, the apparatus is a container for holding food products and/or other like products requiring a reduced, increased or maintained temperature, such as a food serving bowl or a container of like configuration, wherein the container includes an outer shell, an inner shell, at least one void between the outer shell and the inner shell, and at least one vessel for containing temperature-increasing or temperature-reducing material, such as fluid, wherein the vessel is shaped to fill the void between the inner and the outer shells.

1 . An apparatus for modifying a temperature of a product or maintaining a modified temperature of a product comprising:
 an outer shell and an inner shell, wherein the inner shell is nested within the outer shell;   a void between the outer shell and the inner shell, the void having a three-dimensional shape; and   a vessel disposed in the void between the outer shell and the inner shell, the vessel having a shape, wherein the shape of the vessel is generally the same as the shape of the void between the outer shell and the inner shell,   wherein the vessel contains a temperature modifying material therein.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the outer shell and the inner shell are bowl-shaped. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the inner shell has an outer surface and the outer shell has an inner surface and further comprising:
 ribs disposed on the inner surface of the outer shell forming the void when the inner shell is nested within the outer shell, wherein the void is bounded by the outer surface of the inner shell and the inner surface of the outer shell and the ribs. 
 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the inner shell has an outer surface and the outer shell has an inner surface and further comprising:
 ribs disposed on the inner surface of the outer shell forming a plurality of voids when the inner shell is nested within the outer shell, wherein the voids are bounded by the outer surface of the inner shell and the inner surface of the outer shell and the ribs. 
 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising:
 a plurality of vessels, each of the plurality of vessels contained within one of the plurality of voids formed when the inner shell is nested with the outer shell. 
 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the temperature-modifying material is selected from the group consisting of a temperature reducing material and a temperature increasing material. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the inner shell has an inner surface, and further wherein the inner shell comprises a plurality of chambers on the inner surface, the chambers separated by at least one wall for holding products with in the plurality of chambers. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the inner shell has an outer surface and the outer shell has an inner surface and further comprising:
 ribs disposed on the inner surface of the outer shell forming a plurality of voids when the inner shell is nested within the outer shell, wherein the voids are bounded by the outer surface of the inner shell and the inner surface of the outer shell and the ribs; and 
 a plurality of vessels, each of the plurality of vessels contained within a void formed when the inner shell is nested with the outer shell, wherein at least one of the plurality of vessels has a temperature reducing material therein, and one of the plurality of vessels has a temperature increasing material therein. 
 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the outer shell has an upper edge and further wherein the inner shell has an upper edge, further comprising:
 an outwardly disposed flange running around the perimeter of the upper edge of the outer shell; and 
 an outwardly disposed flange running around the perimeter of the upper edge of the inner shell, wherein the outwardly disposed flange of the inner shell rests on the outwardly disposed flange of the outer shell when the inner shell is nested with the outer shell. 
 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising:
 at least one depression in the outwardly disposed flange of the outer shell. 
 
     
     
         11 . A method of using an apparatus for modifying a temperature of a product or maintaining a modified temperature of a product comprising the steps of:
 providing an outer shell having an inner surface;   disposing a vessel on the inner surface of the outer shell wherein the vessel contains a temperature-modifying material therein, and further wherein the vessel has a three-dimensional shape;   providing an inner shell having an outer surface;   nesting the inner shell within the outer shell; and   forming a void between the outer shell and the inner shell, the void having a shape corresponding to the shape of the vessel, wherein the vessel is contained within the void.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the outer shell and the inner shell are bowl-shaped. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the step of:
 providing ribs disposed on the inner surface of the outer shell forming the void when the inner shell is nested within the outer shell, wherein the void is bounded by the outer surface of the inner shell and the inner surface of the outer shell and the ribs, and further wherein the vessel is contained within the void bounded by the ribs. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the steps of:
 providing ribs disposed on the inner surface of the outer shell forming a plurality of voids when the inner shell is nested within the outer shell, wherein the voids are bounded by the outer surface of the inner shell and the inner surface of the outer shell and the ribs; and 
 providing a plurality of vessels, each vessel contained within one of the plurality of voids. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the temperature-modifying material is selected from the group consisting of a temperature reducing material and temperature increasing material. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the inner shell has an inner surface, and further wherein the inner shell comprises a plurality of chambers on the inner surface, the chambers separated by at least one wall for holding products within the plurality of chambers. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the steps of:
 filling a first vessel with a temperature reducing material; and 
 filling a second vessel with a temperature increasing material. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the steps of:
 providing a plurality of chambers within the inner shell for holding products; 
 providing a first chamber disposed adjacent the first vessel filled with the temperature reducing material; and 
 providing a second chamber disposed adjacent the second vessel filled with the temperature increasing material. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the steps of:
 providing an upper edge on the outer shell and an upper edge on the inner shell; 
 providing an outwardly disposed flange running around the perimeter of the upper edge of the outer shell; 
 providing an outwardly disposed flange running around the perimeter of the upper edge of the inner shell; and 
 disposing the outwardly disposed flange of the inner shell on the outwardly disposed flange of the outer shell when the inner shell is nested with the outer shell. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one depression in the outwardly disposed flange of the outer shell; and 
 removing the inner shell from the outer shell by separating the flange of the inner shell from the flange of the outer shell at the depression.