BACKGROUND

The present invention relates generally to the field of food service equipment and, in particular, to the field of temperature regulation devices for food service equipment.

Conventional food service equipment supports one or more food pans. The food pans are placed within a well of the food service equipment to warm or maintain the temperature of the food within the food pans. A warming device is typically used in conjunction with the well to maintain the temperature of the food pans for serving purposes (e.g., using steam or radiant heat).

Additionally, conventional food service equipment using induction for heating the food pan may only be able to configured to support one depth of food pan and a user may need to purchase an additional food service setup for a different depth of food pan. For example, the user may have a food pan with a depth of 2-½ inches and a food pan with a depth of 4 inches. The user may not easily use both food pans with a single food service setup. Thus, there is a need for adjustable food service equipment to allow for use of food pans with varying depths.

SUMMARY

A temperature regulation device for positioning in a well of food service equipment, the temperature regulation device a housing including a top surface, a bottom surface, a first side, and a second side, wherein the first side includes a first support surface that supports the housing when the housing is positioned in a first position relative to the well, and wherein the second side includes a second support surface that supports the housing when the housing is positioned in a second position relative to the well, wherein the first support surface is spaced apart from the top surface by a first dimension, and the second support surface is spaced apart from the top surface by a second dimension, wherein the first dimension is larger than the second dimension.

An apparatus for positioning in a well of food service equipment for heating a food pan positioned in the well, the apparatus including a housing including an upper portion including a top surface, a lower portion including a bottom surface, an adjustment mechanism coupling the upper portion and the lower portion, the adjustment mechanism including a guide, and a track, wherein the guide is configured to move along the track, thereby changing a distance between the top surface of the upper portion and the bottom surface of the lower portion.

An apparatus for heating a food pan positioned in a well of food service equipment, the apparatus including a top portion including a top surface, a bottom portion including a bottom surface, a first side, a second side opposite the first side, wherein the first side and the second side extend from the bottom surface, a height adjustment mechanism to adjust the spacing between the top surface and the bottom surface, the height adjustment mechanism including a first height catch disposed on the bottom portion, wherein the first height catch is a first distance from the top surface, and a second height catch disposed on the bottom portion, wherein the second height catch is a second distance from the top surface, a first inner member disposed on the top portion of the housing, the first inner member releasably and selectively engages the first height catch or the second height catch, wherein the first inner member is engaged with the first height catch in a first position, and wherein the first inner member is engaged with the second height catch in a second position.

[An apparatus for heating a food pan positioned in a well of food service equipment, the apparatus including a top portion having a top surface, a bottom portion having a bottom surface and movable relative to the top portion, a height adjustment mechanism configured to position the top portion in at least a first position and a second position relative to the bottom portion, wherein the first position defines a first dimension between the top surface and the bottom surface and the second position defines a second dimension between the top surface and the bottom surface different than the first dimension, the height adjustment mechanism including an inner member coupled to the top portion, a biasing member configured to bias the top portion relative to the bottom portion, a catch configured to engage with the inner member, and a release mechanism configured to disengage the inner member from the catch.

An apparatus for heating a food pan positioned in a well of food service equipment, the apparatus including a top portion having a top surface, a bottom portion having a bottom surface, an adjustment mechanism, the adjustment mechanism including a first thread portion on the top portion, a second thread portion on the bottom portion engaged with the first thread portion, wherein rotation of the top portion relative to the bottom portion and engagement of the first thread portion with the second thread portion moves the top portion relative to the bottom portion between at least a first position and a second position, wherein the first position defines a first dimension between the top surface and the bottom surface and the second position defines a second dimension between the top surface and the bottom surface different than the first dimension.

A temperature regulation device for positioning in a well of food service equipment, the temperature regulation device including a housing including a top surface and a bottom surface, and a support coupled to the housing. The support includes a connector having a connector axis, an outer surface, and an inner surface. The support is movable between an extended position and a retracted position. In the extended position of the support, the housing is positioned in a first position relative to the well and in the retracted position of the support, the housing is positioned in a second position relative to the well.

A temperature regulation device including a housing comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, a well comprising a side wall and a bottom wall, the well configured to receive the housing, and an electronics housing positioned proximate the bottom wall of the well, the electronics housing configured to house electronic components providing power to components of the housing.

Alternative exemplary embodiments relate to other features and combinations of features as may be generally recited in the claims.

