EP0894314B1

EP0894314B1 - An automatic distributor of hot foods in trays

Info

Publication number: EP0894314B1
Application number: EP97918336A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giuseppe Biffarella
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-04-12
Filing date: 1997-04-11
Publication date: 1999-11-03
Anticipated expiration: 2017-04-11
Also published as: ATE186415T1; ITMO960046A1; DE69700751T2; ES2141612T3; EP0894314A1; WO1997039431A1; ITMO960046A0; DE69700751D1; IT1287420B1; CA2251573A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an automatic distributor of hot food in trays comprising at least one vertical stacker (2) containing a plurality of trays (3) piled on top of one another, at the base of which an upper support device (6) is arranged, which device (6) is mobile on command between an active position in which it supports the tray (3) at the bottom of the stacker (2) and an inactive position in which it leaves tray (3) free to rest on a plate (10), arranged horizontally, borne by a lower support device (7). The plate (10) is mobile and able to perform a sequence of movements: nearing a bottom tray (3) in the pile, a descending movement, parallel to itself, and a rotation movement by effect of which it tilts, and the tray (3) is made to slide onto a rest plane (4) located below the stacker (2), on which plane a pusher (28) acts to transport the tray (3) internally of a microwave oven (5) for heating the contents of the tray (3).

Description

Technical Field

The invention relates to an automatic distributor of hots foods in trays. In particular, the invention relates to an automatic distributor of the type comprising at least a vertical stocker channel of trays containing heatable foodstuffs, wherein the trays are stacked one on top of another.

Background Art

Distributors of this type are already known, in which the trays are removed one at a time from the top of the tray pile and thereafter sent to an oven. In known distributors the stacker has periodically to be refilled with new trays. This is done by introducing a pile of trays into the stacker. Generally the refilling operation is carried out before the stacker is completely exhausted.

It is known from document WO-A-94 28 700 an automatic distributor of hot food on trays comprising:

at least one vertical stacker, situated inside a refrigerated cell, for containing foodstuffs to be heated, in which the trays are stacked one on top of another;

means for singly depositing the tray which is at the bottom of the stacker on a rest plane represented by a food delivery door which is located below the stacker and means for transporting a tray located on the rest plane into an oven suitable for rapidly heating the contents of the tray. This means comprises means for opening the food delivery door to allow the tray resting thereon to fall on to delivery tray, means for rotating tray through 90° and means for pushing the food tray off the delivery tray into the oven.

Simular vertical stackers, singly depositing means on a rest plane and transporting means are known from document EP-A-0482 473.

A problem in known distributors is that the trays placed at the bottom of the pile might stay unused for a considerable time. Consequently the food contained in the trays might deteriorate.

An aim of the present invention is to provide an automatic distributor of hot foods in trays which solves the above-mentioned drawback.

A further aim of the present invention is to provide a distributor of hot foods in which the device for removing the single trays from the pile or stack is made and operates in such a way as to avoid any possible damage to the trays themselves.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a distributor of hot foods which is equipped with a mechanically-commanded device for removing the trays from the stacker.

An advantage of the present invention is that it is constructionally simple and economical.

These aims and advantages and others besides are attained by the distributor of the invention, as it is characterised in the claims that follow.

Disclosure of Invention

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will better emerge from the detailed description that follows of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of the invention, illustrated purely by way of a non-limiting example in the accompanying figures of the drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a frontal view of the distributor of the invention;

figure 2 is a partially-sectioned lateral view from the right of figure 1;

figure 3 shows all enlarged and partially-sectioned detail of figure 2;

figure 4 shows a partial plan view from above, partially sectioned, of figure 3;

figure 5 shows the view of figure 4, with some parts removed better to evidence other, underlying parts;

figures from 6 to 9 show some phases in sequence of the functioning of the distributor of the invention.

With reference to the figures, 1 denotes in its entirety an automatic distributor of hot foods in trays, comprising a container unit 30 enclosing a refrigerated cell 31 which contains, in the example, four vertical stores of trays 3 containing food for heating. The vertical stackers 2 are located side by side and aligned. The trays 3 are piled one on top of another. Each vertical stacker 2 is provided with two vertical walls 32 fixed to the container unit 30 and distanced parallel one to the other. The trays 3 are located between the walls 32. Also provided are two vertical walls; an insulated posterior wall 33 and a transparent front wall 35, both removable and fixed to the container unit 30.

The distributor 1 comprises, associated to each vertical store 2, means for singly depositing the tray 3 situated at the bottom of a respective vertical stacker 2, on a rest plane 4 located below the stackers 2. The means for singly depositing comprise two support devices, one upper 6 and one lower 7.

The upper support device 6 can on command selectively assume a first active position in which it supports the tray 3 at the base of the store 2 and a second inactive position in which it leaves the tray 3 to fall freely.

The upper support device 6 comprises, in the example, two oppositely-positioned shaped arms 9 on which opposite upper edges and the laterally-projecting inclined sides of a tray 3 rest. The arms 9 exhibit inclined surfaces on which at least a part of the sides of the tray 3 rest, with the aim of better distributing the stresses on the tray created by the way it is resting. Each arm 9, which is rotatable about a horizontal rotation axis, can on command rotate in both directions between two positions, active and inactive, as mentioned above. In figures 3, 4, 8 and 9 the shaped arms 9 are in the active position. The inactive position is reached with a downwards-directed rotation. Each arm 9 bears at one end thereof a first pivot 36, rotatably supported by a bushing 37 seated in the posterior part 33 and at an opposite end a second pivot 38, which is rotatable in a recess of the front wall 35. Two

photocells

39 and 40, one normally obscured by a tray 3 supported by the arms 9 and the other normally not obscured, signal the presence of at least one tray 3 in the store and also signal any anomalous presence of unacceptable trays (unacceptable since impeding the correct functioning of the distributor).

The lower support device 7 can on command selectively assume an upper position in which it can support the tray 3 at the bottom of the store 2 and a lower position in which it can pass from a support configuration for the tray into an unloading position thereof. In the example, the lower support device 7 comprises a plate 10 on which the bottom of a tray 3 rests. The plate 10 can, on command, rotate in both directions about a horizontal rotation axis, so that the plate 10, with respect to a tray support position in which it is horizontal, can assume an inclined unloading configuration in which the tray 3 can slide downwards. The lower support device 7 further comprises a four-bar hinge mechanism 15 having pivot axes arranged horizontally and being provided with four hinged bars, namely: a first bar 16, split into two parallel parts, to which the plate 10 is constrained; a second bar 17, opposite to the first bar 16 and also split into two parts, respectively 18 and 42, adjacent to the first. The third bar 18 is C-shaped with the two end parts, opposite and reciprocally parallel, hinged with the first bar 16 about a same hinge pivot 41.

A rotatable shaft 43 is solidly constrained to the second bar 17; said shaft 43 has a horizontal axis which passes through the opposite ends of the C-shaped third bar 18. The shaft 43, which is independent of the third bar 18, exhibits an end which is seated in the front wall 35 and an opposite end 47, which passes through the posterior wall 33 and which is rotatably supported by a sleeve 44 in turn rotatable internally of a bushing 45 seated in the posterior wall 33.

The distributor 1 exhibits means for commanding the movement of the upper support device 6, which means for commanding comprise a first carriage 12, alternatingly slidable along fixed vertical guides 46 in both directions. Two levers, constrained to the arms 9, are connected by means of a pivot-slot coupling to the first carriage 12, and are drawn in rotation by the first carriage 12 in one direction or another by effect of the above-mentioned alternating movement. The first carriage 12 is commanded to perform its alternating movement by effect of a coupling of a pivot 14 in the carriage 12 with a corresponding fírst shaped track 13 made on a rotating cam 8, driven to rotate by a gear reducer 34 about a vertical rotation axis. The cam 8 during operation associates with an endrun stop 49 able to stop the cam 8 rotating after a complete revolution.

The distributor 1 further comprises means for activating the four-bar hinge mechanism 15, which means can operate such as to keep the second bar selectively immobile with a frame function, so as to rotate the first bar 16 and thus the plate 10 constrained thereto; or alternatively the third bar 18, so as to move the first bar 16 and thus the plate 10 in a parallel sense. The end 47 of the shaft 43 is made solid to an arm 27 constrained at one end thereof to a second carriage 19 which is slidable on vertical guides 46 and able to move alternatingly up and down. The arm 27 is constrained to the second carriage 19 by means of a pivot-slot coupling, so that the up and down movement of the second carriage 19 corresponds to a rocking oscillation of the arm 27, which can draw the shaft 43 in rotation. The sleeve 44 is made solid to a cogwheel 22 supported coaxially on the end 47 of the shaft 43 and rotatingly idle on said end. The rotation of the sleeve 44 and the cogwheel 22 is therefore independent of the rotation of the shaft 43 situated internally and coaxially thereto. The cogwheel 22 is coupled to a vertical rack 21 constrained to a block 48 borne by a third carriage 20 which is slidable on the vertical guides 46 and which is also able to move alternatingly up and down, by effect of which a rotation is transmitted in both cogwheel 22 directions. The second carriage 19 and the third carriage 20 are therefore associated to the second bar 17 and, respectively, to the third bar 18 of the four-bar hinge, as will be better explained hereinbelow. The second and the

third carriage

19 and 20 are, like the first carriage, commanded to move alternatingly by effect of the coupling of their

respective pivots

23 and 24 with corresponding

shaped tracks

25 and 26 made in the cam 8. The cam 8 thus has the task of commanding both support devices, lower 7 and upper 8, so that they assume a predetermined sequence of positions and configurations according to a series of synchronised movements.

The distributor 1 further comprises means for transporting a tray 3 located on the rest plane 4 into a microwave oven 5, provided with motorised hatches and suitable for heating the contents of the tray 3, which means comprise a first pusher 28 able to move parallel to the rest plane 4 and in the alignment direction of the stackers 2.

Also provided are means for extracting a tray 3 from the oven 5, which means comprise a second pusher 29 operating internally of the oven in a horizontal direction which is more or less perpendicular to the direction of introduction of the tray 3 in the oven.

The distributor device functioning will now be described, starting from a configuration in which the pile of trays 3 is rested on respective plates 10 in the active upper position and in the support configuration, and the shaped arms 9 are also in the active position.

When a consumer selects a tray 3, the cam 8 associated to the selected tray 3 is activated. The first and

third carriages

12 and 20 are commanded to descend along the vertical guides 46 by the relative shaped tracks, 13 and 26; the movement of the first carriage 12 causes the rotation of the arms 9 downwards, for which reason the arms 9 move into the inactive position in order not to interact with the pile of trays, leaving the pile itself free, while continuing to rest on the plate 10, to make a subsequent lowering movement. The movement of the third carriage 20 causes the cogwheel 22 to rotate and consequently, thanks to the sleeve 44, a rotation downwards of the C-shaped third bar 18 of the four-bar hinge 15, which determines a pure downwards translation movement of the first bar 16 and the consequent descent of the plate 10, which supports the pile of trays 3; during this phase the second carriage 19 stays immobile, so that the second bar 17 of the four-bar hinge 15, which is constrained to the second carriage 19 by the arm 27 and the shaft 43, stays still, performing the function of a frame for the four-bar hinge: the first bar 16, opposite to the second bar 17, moves parallel to itself and the plate 10, which is constrained thereto, stays horizontal, that is, in the support configuration. This phase is schematically represented in figures 6 and 7.

Subsequently the first carriage 12 returns upwards, bringing the arms 9 back into the active position so as to support the pile of trays and engage the tray which previously was immediately above the tray at the bottom of the pile; at this point, then, the arms 9 are between the edge of the tray at the bottom of the pile and the edge of the tray situated immediately above; in effect the tray immediately above has now become the last tray in the pile. The plate (10) meanwhile continues in its downwards movement supporting the selected tray which by now is separated from the remaining trays and is no longer part of the pile. This phase is illustrated in figure 8.

After a further distancing of the selected tray from the other trays, the second carriage 19 begins a downwards movement, with the third carriage 20 still or close to being still. The shaft 43, by effect of the arm 27, is commanded to rotate, drawing with it the second bar 17 in a rightwise rotation (see figure 9); in this phase the third bar 18, which is immobile or nearly so, functions as a frame for the four-bar hinge 15; the first bar 16 rotates about its hinge pivot with the third bar 18, inclining the plate 10 downwards in an unloading configuration of the selected tray, and the tray then slides from the plate 10 on to the underlying rest plane 4.

The tray, having fallen from the plate 10 on to the rest plane 4, is then transported by the first pusher 28 towards the microwave oven 5, where it is heated before extraction, by means of the second pusher 29, so that it can be consumed. In the meantime the rotation by one revolution of the cam 8 is completed so as to bring the support devices into the starting configuration, so that the distributor is ready for a new cycle.

A stacker which is about to finish is refilled by introducing a new pile of trays which is simply rested on the few remaining trays. These last trays will in any case be selected by a consumer before the newly-added trays. In this way there is no risk that a tray will not be selected for a long time and thus that the food contained in it might deteriorate.

Thanks to the invention the distributor can be refilled with new trays extremely quickly and simply.

The invention further enables the trays to be removed one at a time without their being damaged the trays. Thanks to the synchronised movement of reciprocal nearing and distancing in a vertical direction of the upper and lower support devices, the passage of the tray from one to the other device, that is, from the upper to the lower device, happens advantageously gradually, without bumps, jolts, falls and brusque tray movements, all of which reduces the risk of damaging the latter.

The use of a single means (the cam) for commanding the entire operation of singly removing the trays, constructionally simplifies the distributor and further ensures a perfect synchronism in the whole operation.

Other advantageous characteristics of the distributor are its small mass, extreme reliability even after many hours of functioning, as well as its especially robust structure.

Claims

An automatic distributor of hot foods in trays, comprising:

at least one vertical stacker (2) for containing foodstuffs to be heated, in which the trays (3) are stacked one on top of another;

means for singly depositing the tray (3) which is at a bottom of the stacker (2) on a rest plane (4) located below the stacker (2);

means for transporting a tray (3) located on the rest plane (4) into an oven (5) suitable for rapidly heating the contents of the tray (3),

characterized in that said means for singly depositing the tray comprise:

an upper support device (6), which can on command selectively assume a first active position in which it supports the tray (3) at the base of the stacker (2) and a second inactive position in which it leaves said tray (3) free;

a lower support device (7) which can on command selectively assume an upper position in which it supports a tray (3) at the base of the stacker (2) and a lower position in which it can pass from a support configuration of the tray (3) into an unloading configuration of the tray (3);

means for commanding said lower support device (7) and said upper support device (6) to assume said positions and configuration according to a sequence of synchronised movements.
The distributor of claim 1, characterized in that said means for commanding the support devices comprise a cain (8) able on command to rotate about a vertical rotation axis.
The distributor of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the upper support device (6) comprises two oppostie and facing shaped arms (9), on which at least part of laterally projecting opposite upper edges and at least part of inclined sides of the tray (3) rest; the arms (9) being rotatable on command about horizontal rotation axes.
The distributor of claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a first carriage (12) capable of alternating motion, to which said arms (9) are connected by means of levers (11) in such a way as to be drawn into rotation by the first carriage (12) in one or another direction by effect of said alternating motion.
The distributor of claim 4, characterized in that said first carriage (12) is commanded to make its alternating motion by effect of a coupling of a first pivot (14) with a corresponding first shaped track (13) afforded on said cam (8).
The distributor of one of claims from 1 to 5, characterized in that the lower support device (7) comprises a plate (10) on which a bottom of a tray (3) rests, said plate (10) being able on command to rotate about a horizontal rotation axis and further to move alternatingly up and down, staying in a parallel position to an original position thereof.
The distributor of claim 6, characterized in that said lower support device (7) comprises:

a four-bar hinge mechanism (15) arranged on a vertical plane, said plate (10) being constrained to a first bar (16) thereof;

means for actuating said four-bar hinge (15), which means can operate by selectively keeping immobile a second bar (17) of said four-bar hinge, which second bar (17) functions as a frame and which is arranged opposite to said first bar (16), so that said first bar (16) can rotate, or for actuating a third bar (18) of said four-bar hinge (15) situated adjacent to said first bar (16), so that said first bar (16) translates.
The distributor of claim 7, characterized in that said means for activating the four-bar hinge (15) comprise a second carriage (19) and a third carriage (20), both capable of alternating movement, which are operatively associated, said second carriage (19) to said second bar (17), and said third carriage (20) to said third bar (18) of said four-bar hinge.
The distributor of claim 8, characterized in that said second and third carriages (19 and 20) are commanded to move alternatingly by effect of a coupling of their pivots (23) and (24) with corresponding shaped tracks (25) and (26) afforded on said cam (8).
The distributor of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that an arm (27) is contrained to said second bar (17), which arm (27) is constrained to an end of said second carriage (19).
The distributor of claim 8 or 9, characterized in that said third bar (18) is constrained to a cogwheel (22) coupled to a vertical rack (21) which is constrained to said third carriage (20).
The distributor of any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means for extracting a tray (3) from said oven (5), said means for extracting comprising a second pusher (29) operating internally of the oven in a perpendicular direction to a direction of introduction of said tray in said oven.
The distributor of any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said means for transporting a tray (3) into the oven (5) comprise a first pusher (28) able to move parallel to said rest plane (4), and in that the distributor comprises a plurality of said vertical stackers (2) placed side by side and aligned in an action direction of said first pusher (28).