DE1932142B1 - System for tempering, transporting and serving food - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a system for tempering, transporting and dispensing food.

It is known to put food in a container with inserts by means of a thermostatically controlled To control the temperature of the forced air circulation system. However, these known containers are due to their construction not suitable for transport and can therefore only be used for tempering food on one specified location. They offer very limited and inadequate opportunities in the commercial kitchen organization, as additional for the transport and serving of meals Devices must be provided, whereby z. B. the establishment 'of distribution points of large kitchens becomes very expensive and not very efficient. The delivery of such known containers for temperature control of dishes that z. B. are set up at individual distribution points in a central large kitchen, must be done in a relatively short time, e.g. B. in simply insulated metal containers to reduce the quality to keep the food within limits. Such a kitchen organization can solve the tasks and problems z. B. at peak times of serving food at mealtimes not in an economical way solve reasonable dimensions.

The object of the present invention is therefore to create a system in which the containers for temperature control of the food at the same time for transporting and serving the food can be used, these containers with certain supplementary elements in simple and can be put together more quickly to form a kitchen system.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that individual, easily movable cabinet-shaped Container for tempering, transporting and serving food according to the modular principle Can be coupled to one another and each container has air ducting spaces that are connected to Adjacent containers can be connected, at least one of the containers with warm or cooling elements and a fan for forced circulation of the air in a closed system in the coupled Containers is equipped.

The system according to the invention, in addition to the thermosphere containers connected to the forced air circulation system also containers for cold dishes and dishes and additional food serving elements or shelf area supplementary elements can be easily and at any location can be set up quickly in a size adapted to local requirements and offers completely new possibilities for commercial kitchen organization. So it is B. now without difficulty possible, medium-sized establishments for which a kitchen establishment with regard to the number of people served it is unprofitable to supply wholesome meals from a central large kitchen, whereby the Costs and space requirements can be kept very low. A reduction in the quality of the Food, which in the known kitchen systems by relocating the food from the containers for temperature control in separate transport containers and then in the food dispensing container can be completely excluded in the kitchen system according to the invention.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the containers are equipped with individual inserts, which, with a neighboring insert and the container wall, form ducts for the air flow. These stakes, which absorb the food, enable very effective and economical temperature control these dishes by an advantageous air flow. An expedient development of the invention The system consists in that one of the air ducts is in an inner wall of the container

ίο is provided, and that the inserts base and Have lid openings. Through these openings in the bases and lids of the inserts there is a Complete air flow around the inserts is possible, which means that there is good heat exchange between the Air and the food is made possible.

Another very advantageous embodiment of the invention is that at the bottom of the container Vortex-forming air baffles are provided. The air is circulated through these air baffles Movement offset, creating an even distribution of air in the storage space below the bottom Use is achieved.

Another very effective embodiment of the invention is that each container for Temperature control of the food equipped with coupling agents for airtight connection of a neighboring container is. As a result, depending on the given requirements, a certain number such a container to a common, closed forced air circulation system without any significant reduction the efficiency of the heat transfer.

Furthermore, on the outer walls of the container, there are conical depressions or opposing conical ones Bumps are provided, making the container very easy to assemble can be aligned and guided against each other.

To couple the container, it is useful in a further development of the invention, the outer walls of the Equip the container with spring lock hooks and corresponding spring lock eyelets to allow for alignment Connect the containers exactly and firmly through the conical elevations and depressions to be able to.

Finally, it has proven to be very advantageous to equip the container with legs that can be swiveled out. After transporting the container, the stability of the container can be increased by swiveling it out these feet can be increased considerably in a very simple manner.

The subjects of claims 3 to 8 are only relevant in connection with patent law with claim 1.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing and will be described in more detail below described. It shows

F i g. 1 shows an exploded view of a thermosphere container with inserts and a device part in the container closure,

F i g. 2 an exploded view of a container with a closure without a device part,

3 shows a section through the thermosphere container along the line A-B of FIG. 1,

F i g. 4 shows a section through the upper part of the thermosphere container from FIG. 2,

F i g. 5 shows a section through the bottom of the thermosphere container along the line C-D in FIG. 3,

3 4

6 shows a perspective illustration of a wall of the cover 8, the air reaches an air carrying handle, Leitraum 28 below the bottom of the next higher

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an insert which, like the lowermost insert from FIG

Thermosphore container with food serving additives is circulated around the air. The process described

elements, 5 is repeated as often as food inserts in the thermal

8 shows a perspective illustration of a cold phosphor container. From the air food container, Leitraum 29, in the double-walled cover of the top one

9 shows a perspective illustration of a foodstuff located in thermosphere containers

container, insert, the air is transported through the thermosphere

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of an opening 30 located above the air vent

Storage area supplement element and guide channel 31 fed back to the fan 17, from

11 shows a schematic representation of where the process described begins anew.

Kitchen system. So much for a thermosphere container, which

The kitchen system consists essentially of a Thermösphorenverschluß 6 is provided,

Thermosphere containers 1, cold food containers 2, 15 additional thermosphere containers are connected,

Crockery containers 3, food serving supplement elements with thermosphere closures 6 'without

elements 4, 4 ' and storage space supplement elements are provided, the air is through a

th 5th flap 32 not the air duct 31, but the

The thermosphere containers 1 are supplied to the air duct 33 for food, from where they are determined via the which with a temperature above ^a ° coupling mill 34, 35 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) in the air or below the ambient temperature discharge duct 36 in the container closure 6 '(see Fig. 4). They essentially consist of flows. From there it arrives again via the air thermosphere closures 6, 6 ', the food introduction channel 20 in the inner wall of the thermoset 7 with its lids 8 and the seals 9 The air ducts formed to the ses 6 include devices for temperature control and opening 30. With the help of the position of a flap 37 circulation of the air during the embodiment of the thermosphere closure 6 ', the air entV closure 6' can essentially only air duct via the air duct 38 , coupling 34, contains channels. The thermosphere container 1 is charged 35 to the container closure 6, ie to the blower 17, in such a way that the food inserts 7 filled with the prepared 30 or initially still further foods are closed by covers 8 and seals 9 connected in series to the forced air circulation system are switched to flow through the container before it returns to the fact that the carrying hook 10 through the lid or sealing container closure 6. The flaps 32 device eyelets 11, 12 are guided. Then or 37 can be opened with the help of a not shown ladder handle in the carrying hook 10 35 located on the container closure and the closed food insert 7 hooked and closed.

The food insert in the thermosphere container The non-heat-insulated cold food container 2

let in. Other food inserts, which are different (see Fig. 8) are intended for food which with

which heights may have will be administered at the same room temperature, e.g. B. Salad.

Art let in and stacked on top of each other. 40 The cold food container closures correspond to in

The container is then fitted with closures 6 or 6 ', the shape and size of the thermosphere closures 6'

so closed that the sweeper locking hooks 13 in without the air ducts. As cold dishes

the spring locking eyes 14 hooked and the spring can be simple, lockable, not shown loading

fasteners are tightened. Finally, the ratios can be used. These stakes which

Food delivery supplement element 4 above the temperature 45 have different heights, are in the loading

phosphorus closure are moved until it is inserted by means of container 2 so that the pouring edges of the

Ball catch, not shown, engages. Inserts guided by guide grooves 39 and carried

The closed thermosphere container 1 will be. After a door 40 of the refrigerator has been closed by means of the insulating compounds 15 (see FIG. 3), the outside food container 2 is infiuuated from heat-insulated with the aid of a locking button. The by the 5 ° 41, locking hooks 42 and locking eyes 43, a food serving accessory element 4 provided with heating or cooling elements 16 can be tempered via the cold heat exchanger and the food container closure can be moved by the fan.
17 moving air flows in the direction of the arrow through the crockery container outlet opening 18 of the fastener 6, which is also not heat-insulated, and the inputs 3 (see FIG. 9) are for transport and to the outlet opening 19 in the air guidance system of the crockery certainly. The crockery container sphorenbehälters. The air moves through the closed and the same height as the closed thermosphere or Kaltspeisenbehäl air duct 20 that is not in the thermosphere container wall. Of the in Fig. 5 ter. The crockery container is loaded with the cleaned air baffles 21 shown in the bottom of the loading crockery in such a way that first of all the crockery, which determines the air for the holder, is set in a circular movement 60 of the respective crockery types. From the air guide space 22, the air brackets are plugged into plug-in holes through the base openings 23 of the food insert 7, 44 placed on the shelves 45 and with dishes into the air guide space 24 be in the air guide slides that the slide-in floors 45 of space 26 within the double-walled cover 8. 65 guide grooves 46 are guided and carried. The seal 9 ensures that the air does not strike the lowest and the uppermost floor consists of a different path than the crockery container through the air guide space 26 and is therefore not removable. Through an opening 27 in the upper

moderately put dishes on the bottom shelf first. If the crockery container is filled with crockery, Doors 47 and 48 are closed in the same way as the doors 40 of the cold food container.

The following briefly describes the transport and coupling of the containers to a food dispensing device to be discribed.

The filled thermosphere, cold food and crockery containers are rolled to a loading ramp and possibly lifted into a transport vehicle with handles 49 (shown in FIG. 6). The 1 ragegriffe 49 are attached in that first hooks 50 are guided in eyelets 51 of the container and by lifting the handles 50 pins 52 penetrate into openings 53 in the container wall. The handles can be removed by simply lifting them out. After the end of the transport the thermosphere, cold food and crockery containers become their destination by being carried and rolled brought. Then the individual containers are coupled to one another and become the food serving device put together.

The joining of the containers with one another is done in such a way that first stabilizing feet 54 are pivoted forward. By the Tightening the locking screws will immobilize the stabilizing feet 54. This creates a safe and good stabilization of the container achieved.

Then the required thermosphors, cold food and crockery containers are coupled in such a way that that conical elevations 55 in conical depressions 56 by rolling together the container be guided. Then spring lock hooks 57 are hooked into spring lock eyes 58 and The spring locks are tensioned, whereby the container is guided by the conical bumps and depressions be connected exactly and firmly. If the containers are coupled to one another, the Food serving surface supplementary elements 4 ′ located on the dispensing side are pulled out of holders 59 (see Fig. 7) and with connecting pipes 60 in connecting pipes 61 in the container up to the stop be guided. As soon as the stop is reached when inserting the connecting pipes, is through Ball catch ensures a secure and tight fit.

The coupling of the cold food or crockery containers can also differ in that the doors 40 and 62 are to be folded between the containers to be connected and so during operation are not in the way of the food serving device.

Additional storage space elements can be added with the thermosphere, cold food and crockery containers 5, an embodiment of which is shown in FIG. 10, coupled will. The coupling of these additional storage surface elements 5 takes place in such a way that plug strips 63 are guided in slot gaps 64. Springs 65 located on the connector strips 63 ensure a firm connection and not rigid connection. Dirt gaps 66 serve to better clean the plug-in gaps 64 in the container wall.

As soon as the individual containers and their additional storage space elements are connected to each other, the food delivery supplement elements 4 are moved forward to the delivery side (see FIG. 7), to snap them into place with a ball catch. Carriers 67 are then pulled out of the brackets 59, until they snap into place with a ball catch. Through the guide profile of the carrier 67 is a lateral displacement of the supplementary elements 4 impossible. Finally, the carriers 67 are through Turning the nuts 68 detected. The shelf area supplementary elements 5, of which in FIG. 10 only one embodiment is shown as an example and many modifications are conceivable, together with the thermosphere, cold food and crockery containers, offer a variety of Possible variations in the design of food serving facilities. Fig. 11 illustrates a Possibility of designing food serving devices. The thickly bordered areas are by the thickness of the thermosphere closure 6 'higher than the other thinly rimmed, which partially consist of the food output surface supplementary elements 4 '.

Claims (8)

Patent claims: 1. System for tempering, transporting and serving food, thereby characterized in that individual, easily movable, cabinet-shaped containers (1) for temperature control, Transporting and serving food can be coupled together according to the modular principle and each container has air ducting spaces which can be connected to adjacent containers via the coupling, wherein at least one of the containers with heating or cooling elements (16) and a fan (17) for Forced air circulation in a closed system in the connected containers Is provided. 2. Plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the container (1) with individual inserts (7) are equipped with a neighboring insert and the container wall channels for the Form air duct. 3. Plant according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that one of the air ducts (20) is provided in an inner wall of the container (1), and that the inserts (7) base (23) and cover openings (25). 4. Plant according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at the bottom of the container (1) Vortex-forming air baffles (21) are provided. 5. Plant according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each container (1) with coupling means (34,35) is equipped for the airtight connection of a neighboring container. 6. Plant according to claims 1 to 5, characterized in that on the outer walls of the Container conical depressions (56) and conical elevations (55) of the same shape are provided are. 7. Plant according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the outer walls of the container equipped with spring lock hooks (57) and corresponding spring lock eyes (58) are. 8. Plant according to claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the container with the stability increasing, swing-out feet (54) are equipped. For this purpose 2 sheets of drawings