FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a utility skirt for wire chafing dish rack, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a replaceable and aesthetic utility skirt of a wire chafing dish rack.

BACKGROUND

A wire chafing dish rack is a one-piece wireframe used to support dishpans. These are typically utilitarian devices used in gatherings to serve food. Can be made of metallic material, such as aluminum or steel, the racks can also incorporate fuel heaters for keeping the food items warm. Structurally, the rack is a wireframe having an upper rim, a lower rim, and multiple legs that extend between the upper and the lower rim. A pan can be supported over the upper rim, wherein the flange of the pan is retained over the upper rim. Two handles can be provided on the upper rim for handling the rack.

Such a utilitarian fire frame chafing rack has several disadvantages. First, the wireframe is unaesthetic in appearance. Since, the wire chafing dish racks are used in gatherings, particularly by caterers, the utilitarian appearance of traditional wire chafing dish rack is a big drawback. Second, the burners placed below a dishpan tend to quiver by air which results in heat loss. Additionally, much of the heat is dissipated away from the dishpan, resulting in inefficient heating and waste of energy.

Thus, a need is appreciated for a device that can overcome the above drawbacks of the traditional wire chafing dish racks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary of one or more embodiments of the present invention in order to provide a basic understanding of such embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated embodiments, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all embodiments nor delineate the scope of any or all embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more embodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

The principal object of the present invention therefore directed to a utility skirt for a wire chafing dish rack.

It is another object of the present invention that the utility skirt reduces the escape of the heat to the environment.

It is still another object of the present invention that the utility skirt acts as a barrier between external air and the flame of a burner.

It is a further object of the present invention that the utility skirt can be retrofitted to a wire chafing dish rack.

It is still a further object of the present invention that the utility skirt can be quickly installed and removed from a wire chafing dish rack.

It is an additional object of the present invention that the utility skirt provides an aesthetic appearance to a wire chafing dish rack.

It is yet another object of the present invention that the utility skirt is economical to manufacture.

In one aspect, disclosed is a utility skirt of an elongated configuration having a proximal end and a distal end. The length of the utility skirt between the proximal end and the distal end can be proportional to a perimeter of an upper rim of a wire chafing dish rack. The proximal end having two or more tabs and the distal end having two or more slits, such as the two or more tabs can interlock with the two or more slits.

In one aspect, the utility skirt having an upper edge that extends between the proximal end and the distal end. The upper edge having at least three tabs extended upwards away from the utility skirt, wherein the at least three tabs can fold over the upper rim of the wire chafing dish rack. The three tabs on the upper edge of the utility skirt are spaced apart, such as the at least three tabs can fold over at least two opposite sides of the upper rim of the wire chafing dish rack.

In one aspect, the utility skirt having at least two fold-lines that traverse along the width and perpendicular to the upper edge of the utility skirt. The at least two-fold lines divide the utility skirt into at least three sections, wherein the lengths of sections are commensurate with lengths of the sides of the upper rim of the wire chafing dish rack.

In one aspect, the utility skirt is having a left edge, a right edge, upper edge, and a lower edge defining an area of the utility skirt, the area having a die-cut or laser-cut pattern.

In one aspect, the upper edge of the utility skirt having two elongated indentions that extend along the length of the utility skirt, the length of the elongated indentions can be commensurate with the length of the handle of the wire chafing dish rack. The depth of the elongated indentions can be commensurate with the thickness of the wireframe of the wire chafing dish rack.

In one aspect, the upper rim of the wire chafing dish rack is of a rectangular geometry, and the utility skirt can have four tabs on the upper edge. The four tabs spaced apart such as to fold over to at least two opposite sides of the upper rim. The width of the utility skirt is less than the height of the wire chafing dish rack.

In one aspect, the utility skirt can be made from a one-piece Aluminum sheet having a thickness of about 0.05 mm gauge. The Aluminum sheet having cutouts over the area of the utility skirt forming a pattern. The lower edge of the utility skirt having cutout arches, the number of arches can be proportional to the number of sides of the upper rim of the wire chafing dish rack.

