Disposable chafing dish with handles and chafing dish handles configured therfore

Abstract

A disposable chafing dish with handles allows a cost effective safe, efficient, and professional-appearing exchange and serving of food, keeping the servers hands away from the outer edge of the chafing dish where hot steam rises from the water pan. The chafing dish handles of the present invention are formed as part of a closed loop frame. The frame consists of rail members that are configured to align with and to be positioned beneath the chafing dish ledge of disposable chafing dish and which edges can be rolled around portions of the rail members. The rail members form a rectangular, depending on the shape of the chafing dish, structure. Handle members extend from the rail members on opposed sides of the frame and extend in a manner that does not prevent the lid placement or the nesting of chafing dishes in storage.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A disposable chafing dish configured to provide a safe exchange and serving of food by keeping the servers hands away from the outer edge of the chafing dish where hot steam rises from the water pan, the disposable chafing dish comprising:
 a chafing dish having a bottom panel and side walls extending upwardly there from defining a top opening, a top sealing flange ledge extends outwardly from the side walls around the entire periphery of the walls; and   a closed loop frame including rail members that are configured to align with and to be positioned beneath the chafing dish ledge, wherein portions of the ledge are wrapped around the rail members, the closed loop frame including handle members extending from the rail members on opposed sides of the frame and configured to extend in a manner that does not prevent the lid placement or the nesting of chafing dishes in storage.   
     
     
         2 . The disposable chafing dish of  claim 1  wherein the frame is formed of round metal stock. 
     
     
         3 . The disposable chafing dish of  claim 2  wherein the frame is formed of from ⅛-¼ inch stainless steel rods. 
     
     
         4 . The disposable chafing dish of  claim 1  wherein the handle members are angled upward relative to the frame. 
     
     
         5 . The disposable chafing dish of  claim 1  wherein the handle members are extending generally parallel relative to the frame. 
     
     
         6 . The disposable chafing dish of  claim 1  wherein the handle members are color coded. 
     
     
         7 . The disposable chafing dish of  claim 1  wherein the frame is substantially rectangular in plan view. 
     
     
         8 . The disposable chafing dish of  claim 1  wherein the handle members are coated with an insulating grip-able, oven-safe material. 
     
     
         9 . The disposable chafing dish of  claim 1  wherein chafing dish is formed of aluminum. 
     
     
         10 . The disposable chafing dish of  claim 1  wherein the frame includes frame legs configured to support the frame and the disposable chafing dish. 
     
     
         11 . A chafing dish handle for a chafing dish comprising:
 a closed loop frame including a pair of spaced rail members that are each configured to align with and to be positioned beneath a chafing dish ledge, wherein the rail members are configured to have the ledge wrapped around at least portions thereof to secure the frame to the chafing dish; and   handle members extending from the rail members on opposed sides of the frame and configured to extend from the frame in a manner that does not prevent the lid placement or the nesting of chafing dishes in storage.   
     
     
         12 . The chafing dish handle of  claim 11  wherein the frame is formed of round metal stock. 
     
     
         13 . The chafing dish handle of  claim 12  wherein the frame is formed of from ⅛-¼ inch stainless steel rods. 
     
     
         14 . The chafing dish handle of  claim 12  wherein the handle members are angled upward relative to the frame. 
     
     
         15 . The chafing dish handle of  claim 12  wherein the handle members are extending generally parallel relative to the frame. 
     
     
         16 . The chafing dish handle of  claim 11  wherein the handle members are color coded. 
     
     
         17 . The chafing dish handle of  claim 11  wherein the frame is substantially rectangular in plan view. 
     
     
         18 . The chafing dish handle of claim wherein the frame includes frame legs configured to support the frame and the disposable chafing dish. 
     
     
         19 . The chafing dish handle of  claim 11  wherein the handle members are angled upward relative to the frame. 
     
     
         20 . The chafing dish handle of  claim 11  wherein the handle members are extending generally parallel relative to rail members of the frame.