A heat insulating container is described which can keep a heat insulating state (including cold insulating state) of an inside container stored in an outside container for a long period of time, and improve safety and usability. The heat insulating container may include the outside container having a heat insulating structure; the inside container having a cold insulating structure or a heat insulating structure; and a cover member which is attached to the inside container in a state in which the inside container is stored in the cover member; in which the inside container is stored in the outside container in a non-contact state through the cover member.

Pan support apparatus, systems, and methods. A pan support system includes a pan support having a pan storage space sized for receiving at least a portion of a pan. The pan support includes at least one slide surface for slidably receiving and supporting the pan in the pan storage space. A cover for covering an open top of the pan is selectively receivable in and removable from the pan storage space. A retainer retains the cover in the pan storage space. A pan storage module including a pan support is releasably mountable at a plurality of elevations on a frame.

The devices, methods, and algorithms of the present disclosure provide a hot food holding cabinet to detect the presence and uniquely identify a plurality of food holding trays within a plurality of food holding locations within a hot food holding cabinet. There can also be multiple, separate food holding cabinets that are linked together. Timing and other functions related to the storage of the food holding trays are initiated automatically, without any manual input from a user. This allows for the automated initiation and tracking of product quality parameters by the cabinet computer. The parameters can include product timers and holding profiles, and whether the food holding trays are removed, transferred between bins in a single cabinet, or transferred between separate cabinets.

A method of preparing meals in a computerized kitchen workspace is set forth. The computerized kitchen workspace includes one or more robots for preparing and cooking food in the kitchen workspace. Kitchen appliances may be automatically controlled according to a recipe. The one or more robots may access kitchen items necessary for meal preparation by rotating automated shelves. The meal may then be automatically prepared by the one or more robots. Automated storage shelves may be provided with electrical power for powering kitchen appliances found on the shelves.

A food locker includes a housing, a food support member, a first door, a second door, and a lock. The housing includes a front wall a front wall, a rear wall, and a chamber. The front wall includes a first opening in communication with the chamber. The rear wall includes a second opening in communication with the chamber. The food support member is disposed within the chamber. The first door is supported by the housing and is movable between a closed position and an open position. The food support member is accessible through the first opening when the first door is in the open position. The second door is supported by the housing and is movable between a closed position and an open position. The food support member is accessible through the second opening when the second door is in the open position. The lock is operatively coupled to at least one of the housing and the first door and is actuatable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration. The lock is operable to (i) permit the first door to move from the closed position to the open position when the lock is in the unlocked configuration and (ii) prevent the first door from moving from the closed position to the open position when the lock is in the locked configuration.

A food cabinet is provided that includes an enclosure with an access door, shelves carried by and vertically arranged within the enclosure, and a heat transfer arrangement. The heat transfer arrangement includes a pump, fluid conduits coupled with the pump and associated with the shelves of the enclosure, a primary tank, and an auxiliary tank. The primary tank is fluidly connected to the pump and contains a heat transfer medium. The auxiliary tank is coupled with the primary tank and provides make-up heat transfer medium to the primary tank. Also provided is a method of warming food using such a food cabinet that includes the steps of placing a food item on one of the shelves, heating the heat transfer medium to a temperature between 200° F. and 250° F., and pumping the heat transfer medium through the shelf.

Methods of making thermal insulation products are provided, one method including the steps of sealing a support material (e.g., a nanoporous core such as fumed silica, an aerogel powder, etc.) and at least one vapor (e.g., steam) within an interior portion of a substantially gas-impermeable envelope (e.g., a metallic and/or polymeric film), and then condensing at least a portion of the vapor after the sealing step to reduce the pressure within the gas-impermeable envelope from a first pressure before the condensing to a lower second pressure after the condensing. The disclosed methods limit or eliminate the need for mechanism pumping mechanisms to drawing the vacuum within the products, drying of the core before the sealing, and the like.

The present application relates to a vacuum flask assembly (1). The vacuum flask assembly (1) comprises a vacuum flask (2) with a push-button lid (5). The push-button lid (5) is movable between an open condition and a closed condition, in which a sealing actuator (15) of the lid (5) is elevated when the lid (5) is in its open condition and retracted when the lid (5) is in its closed condition. The vacuum flask assembly (1) further comprises a container part (21) which is locatable over the lid (5) and is mountable to the vacuum flask (2). When the lid (5) is in its open condition, the container part (21) is configured to act on the sealing actuator (15) as the container part (21) is mounted to the vacuum flask (2), so that the lid (5) is urged to move from its open condition into its closed condition. The present application also relates to a container (3) for a vacuum flask (2) and a baby bottle kit.

The present invention provides a roll-in kitchen unit having an outer housing and a trolley that fits substantially within. The trolley provides a cast frame coupled to a scaling plate for sealing the trolley within the outer housing. In one embodiment, the cast frame is reinforced with inner and outer ribs to minimize deflection of the cast frame and bring the sealing plate into alignment with the corresponding gasket of the outer housing door.

Pan storage apparatus, components thereof, and associated methods. A pan storage apparatus can include a housing including a pan support surface for supporting a pan. The pan storage apparatus can include cover support structure for supporting a cover to cover an open top of the pan when the pan is supported by the pan support surface. A variety of covers can be used, and/or the covers can be rearranged to accommodate holding different types, sizes, and/or arrangements of pans. Desirably, the covers are retained in the housing when the pans are inserted into or removed from the housing.