ES2614608T3 - Refrigerable container - Google Patents

Abstract

Container with a casing (248) surrounding a housing space (252) to house a refrigerable product to be cooled, in which the container (247) can be coupled to a refrigeration station (140) and comprises at least one first coupling station (262) for evacuating circulating air from the container (247) and at least one second coupling station (266) for supplying cooled circulating air to the container (247), and wherein the container (247) comprises at least one closing element (284) for closing a coupling station (262, 266) of the container (247) when the container (247) is uncoupled from the cooling station (140), characterized in that the at least one closing element ( 284) is provided with at least one actuating projection (286) projecting outwardly, at least in a closed state, beyond the cross section of the opening of the respective associated air passage channel.

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Refrigerable container

The present invention concerns a container with a housing that surrounds a housing space to accommodate a refrigerable product that must be refrigerated, in which the container can be coupled to a refrigeration station and comprises at least a first coupling position for evacuating air circulating of the container and at least a second coupling station to supply refrigerated circulating air to the container.

JP 9 269175 A discloses a container according to the preamble of claim 1.

The present invention is based on the problem of creating such a container that exhibits a particularly small thermal loss during the decoupling of the refrigeration station and can easily be coupled to the refrigeration station.

This problem is solved by a container according to claim 1.

Due to the presence of the closure element, the loss of frying of the housing space during a phase in which the container cannot be coupled to the refrigeration station is reduced.

In this case, it is especially suitable to facilitate handling that the closing element, during decoupling of the container from the refrigeration station, can move automatically from an opening position, in which the closing element unlocks the coupling place, to a closing position in which the closing element closes the coupling place of the container.

For reasons of ease of handling, it is also favorable that the closing element, during the coupling of the container to the refrigeration station, can move automatically from a closing position, in which the closing element closes the coupling position of the container , to an opening position in which the closing element releases the coupling position of the container.

The closing element that closes the coupling position can be configured, for example, as a slide.

However, in a preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the closure element is rotatably attached to the container.

The container is especially safe to operate when the closing element can move through the action of the force of gravity to a closing position in which the closing element closes the coupling position of the container. In this way, no external drive energy is necessary to move the closing element towards the closing position.

When the container has an access opening to the housing space for the refrigerable product, through which the refrigerable product can be introduced into the housing space or removed therefrom, the container is preferably provided with a closing lid for closing. this access opening in the coupled state of the container to the refrigeration station to drive through the housing space of the container the flow of circulating air cooled with the lowest possible losses.

An access opening of this type is preferably made on the upper side of the container.

When the closure lid is configured at least partially transparent, this offers the advantage that, by a glance through the closure lid, it can be easily determined which refrigerable product is contained in the container in question, so that it can easily select the correct container that, for example, can be driven to a food conveyor belt, in particular when just several refrigerable containers are coupled to the refrigeration station.

The refrigerable container is preferably configured as a dispenser with a height-movable platform that supports the refrigerable product.

Such a dispenser can be movably guided particularly in at least one glutton bar.

The refrigerable product housed in the housing space of the container preferably comprises food and / or beverages and / or dishes.

Claim 11 is directed to a combination of at least one refrigeration station for at least one refrigerable vessel attachable to the refrigeration station, wherein the refrigeration station comprises at least one blower to generate a circulating air stream through the container at least one refrigerated for

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cooling the circulating air stream and at least one coupling place with at least a first coupling position to evacuate the circulating air stream from the refrigerable container and with at least a second coupling position to supply the circulating air stream to the refrigerable container , and at least one container according to the invention.

A refrigeration station of this type preferably comprises a housing that surrounds a housing space to house a refrigerable product.

A refrigeration station of this type is known from FR 2 442 035 A1. This refrigeration station comprises a circulating air channel that joins the two coupling positions of the coupling location with one another and is permanently open.

In this case, it is disadvantageous that the hot ambient air can reach the refrigeration station and heat the interior space thereof.

A refrigeration station of the type mentioned above works especially efficiently from the energy perspective when the refrigeration station comprises at least one closing element for closing a coupling station of the refrigeration station in the absence of a refrigerable container.

Due to the existence of such a closing element the loss of cold during a phase, in which the refrigerable container is not coupled to the refrigeration station, is kept as small as possible, which increases the energy efficiency of the refrigeration station

A refrigeration station of this type can be handled in a particularly simple way when the closing element, during decoupling of a refrigerable container from the refrigeration station, can move automatically from an opening position, in which the closing element releases the coupling position, to a closing position in which the closing element closes the coupling position.

For reasons of ease of handling, it is also advantageous that the closing element, during the coupling of a refrigerable container to the refrigeration station, can move automatically from a closed position, in which the closing element closes the coupling position , to an opening position in which the closing element releases the coupling position.

The closing element for closing the coupling position can be configured, for example, as a slide.

However, in a preferred embodiment of the refrigeration station it is provided that the closing element is rotatably fastened to the refrigeration station.

In addition, it is favorable that the closing element can move through the effect of the force of gravity to a closing position in which the closing element closes the coupling position.

When the accommodation space of the refrigerable container is accessible through an access opening, preferably on the upper side of the container, for the introduction of a refrigerable product or for the removal thereof from the accommodation space, then the refrigeration station comprises advantageously a closing lid to close this access opening while the refrigerable container is coupled to the refrigeration station.

A closing lid of this type can be fastened in a particularly pivotable manner in the refrigeration station.

Basically, the refrigerator in the refrigeration station can be configured discretionally and the cooling action of the refrigeration can be achieved in any desired way.

For example, it could be provided that the refrigerator is configured as a vaporizer of a cold group.

However, the refrigeration station is structured in a particularly simple and easy way to manufacture, and yet it makes possible an effective and energy efficient cooling of the circulating air flow through the refrigerable container when the refrigerator is configured as an exchanger. of heat that contains on the cold side a polyphonic flowing refrigerant.

The polyphasic refrigerant, which may contain in particular a solid phase of ice, which is suspended in a liquid phase, is capable of flowing, in particular of being pumped, and, therefore, can be supplied from a cold carrier source external to the station of refrigeration, so that, within the refrigeration station, no cold group should be present.

A carrier of polyphasic cold can absorb heat from the circulating air stream and convert it into latent heat,

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for which a part of the solid phase of the fried carrier is melted, without then changing the temperature of the fried carrier, and this in any case provided that the solid phase of the fried carrier is not completely melted.

A latent bean carrier of this type has a comparatively high specific energy density.

Due to the use of a polyphasic bean carrier having a defined melting temperature, a regulation of the temperature of the circulating air flow on the cold side of the refrigerator of the refrigeration station can be waived.

However, in principle, another fried carrier can also be used in the refrigerator of the refrigeration station, for example, a mixture of water and brine or a conventional cooling medium.

Basically, the cold side of the heat exchanger could be configured as a storage tank for the carrier of fried in which the initially poured carrier is stirred until its heat absorption capacity is exhausted.

However, in a preferred embodiment of the refrigeration station, it is provided that a refrigeration carrier is associated with the refrigeration station through the refrigerator. Therefore, it is achieved that the cold side of the heat exchanger always has an especially high heat absorption capacity.

In addition, it is preferably provided that the refrigeration station can be connected to an external fry carrier source, so that the polyphasic flowing fry carrier can be acquired at the external fry carrier source and should not be manufactured or regenerated in the station itself of refrigeration.

In particular, it may be provided that the refrigeration station is associated with a consumption circuit of the fried carrier, in which the fried carrier circulates through the refrigerator of the refrigeration station, where the consumption circuit is connected to a fried carrier feed system from which fresh fried carrier can be supplied to the consumption circuit if necessary.

A feed carrier system of this type can in particular comprise a process tank for accumulating a large amount of carrier and a circulation line for supplying the accumulated carrier to at least one consumption circuit.

In addition, it is preferably provided that the polyphonic flow coolant is a binary ice.

Binary ice (also known as Flow Ice (Smart Ice) or Smart Ice) is a biphasic flowing and pumpable mixture composed of a solid phase of ice and a liquid phase of water / alcohol (that is, it contains water and an alcohol as a freezing point reducing material), in which the ice phase is suspended.

The melting temperature of the ice phase depends on the kind of alcohol used (for example ethanol) and the proportion of alcohol selected.

If this binary ice is used to cool the circulating air stream, then the binary ice absorbs heat from the circulating air stream and converts it into latent heat of the binary ice, for which a part of the ice phase of the ice melts binary, without changing then the temperature of the binary ice, and this in any case provided that the ice phase of the binary ice is not completely melted.

Due to these properties and due to its pumping capacity, binary ice is ideally suited for use in the refrigeration station as a carrier for latent cold.

Thanks to its proportion of ice, binary ice also has a comparatively high specific energy density.

In order to be able to simultaneously cool several containers by means of a circulating air stream, it is favorable that the refrigeration station comprises several coupling places to simultaneously couple several refrigerable containers. A refrigeration station of this type with several coupling locations can serve, in particular, as a central refrigeration station for a portioning system of a large kitchen.

The refrigeration station, the container according to the invention and the combinations according to the invention of a refrigeration station and a refrigerable container according to the invention are particularly suitable for use as components of a portioning system for a large kitchen.

A portion division system of this type may still comprise, in addition to the refrigeration station and the

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container attachable to the refrigeration station, other components, in particular a food conveyor belt, at least one shelf car and at least one refrigeration station adapted to the shelf car with a housing space to fully accommodate the shelf car.

The concept according to the invention offers the advantage that the refrigerable container can be moved to a desired location without any cooling device having to move together with said container.

Therefore, the refrigerable container can be configured so that it is small, light and manageable and has a relatively high capacity.

Since no cold group is necessary in the refrigeration station, the refrigeration station does not generate lost heat. Therefore, the environment of the refrigeration station is not loaded with lost heat to be evacuated.

The cold from the carrier of the cold polyphonic flow is supplied exactly by cooling the circulating air to the refrigerable product in the housing space of the refrigerable container, so that large areas of a portioning center can remain uncooled, in which A refrigeration station of this type is arranged. This saves energy and prevents service personnel from the portioning center from being exposed to the cold.

The resulting temperature in the housing space of the refrigerable container, in the case of a correct design of the refrigerator and an adequate ratio of refrigerator power to cooling demand, when binary ice is used, and a binary ice temperature of approximately -3 ° C, is always in the range between 0 ° C and 10 ° C.

Due to the high energy density of binary ice with respect to conventional liquid cold carriers, it is necessary that, if binary ice is used, only a considerably smaller volumetric flow rate must be circulated through the refrigerator, which positively impacts in the energy balance of the system.

By means of the refrigeration station, the temperature of the refrigerable product can be maintained in the accommodation space of the refrigerated container (for example, in case of cold food covered and already divided into portions) and that temperature can also be lowered (for example, in the case of the dishes after a washing process).

If necessary, the refrigerated containers by means of the refrigeration station are decoupled from the station and placed in their place of use, for example they are pushed towards a food conveyor belt, where trays are equipped with the refrigerated product of the accommodation space of the refrigerated container.

It is especially favorable that the cooling of the circulating air of the refrigerable container be initiated only when necessary, namely when the container is coupled to the refrigeration station.

The refrigerable product in the housing space of the refrigerable container is directly swept by the circulating air and, therefore, is cooled very efficiently, whereby short refrigeration cycles can be realized.

The refrigerable containers can be small and easily configured, since they do not contain any refrigeration technique of their own.

Refrigerable containers can serve as a replacement for cold rooms.

When there is no demand for refrigeration, since no refrigerable container is coupled to a place of coupling of the refrigeration station, the cooling of the circulating air is disconnected from the place of coupling in question by means of a switch.

The use of binary ice as a carrier of polyphanous flowing cold offers the advantage that this cold carrier absorbs heat from the circulating air as latent heat and thus always reigns an optimum temperature of approximately -3 ° C for the refrigeration of food products on the side from the refrigerator of the refrigeration station, without the need for temperature regulation, which makes a very simple structure of the refrigeration station possible.

Only when a vessel coupled to the refrigeration station must be permanently refrigerated, should a cyclic defrost be activated.

The amount of heat that can be absorbed by binary ice, without harming the cooling action of binary ice, is clearly higher than in cold carriers without phase transition. Therefore, the volumetric flow rate of the refrigerant necessary for the cooling of the circulating air through the refrigerator of the refrigeration station

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It is clearly minor with the use of binary ice.

The refrigeration station and the container according to the invention are particularly suitable for use in the division into portions of food in the community supply, particularly in central, large kitchens, etc.

Other features and advantages of the invention are subject to the following description and the graphic representation of embodiments.

In the drawings they show:

Figure 1, a schematic plan view from above of a portioning system for a large kitchen with a central refrigeration station and a food conveyor belt along which a tray stacking carriage is arranged, a service cart, several dishes and food dispensers, a low mobile refrigeration station with a low rack car inserted, a high mobile refrigeration station with a high rack car inserted and a tray transport cart;

Figure 2, a schematic representation of a binary ice supply system for the central refrigeration station, for a high mobile refrigeration station and for a low mobile refrigeration station;

Figure 3, a plan view from above of a central refrigeration station with six coupling locations for transferable dispensers;

Figure 4, a schematic vertical section through a coupling location of a central refrigeration station;

Figure 5, a schematic vertical longitudinal section through a transferable dispenser with a closure cap attached;

Figure 6, a schematic vertical section through a coupling location of a central refrigeration station with a transferable dispenser coupled thereto; Figure 7, an enlarged representation of the zone I of Figure 6;

Figure 8, a schematic longitudinal section through a form according to the invention of a transferable dispenser, whose coupling positions are provided with closing gates, wherein the closing gates are in a closed position;

Figure 9, an enlarged representation of the zone II of Figure 8, wherein the closing gate shown is in an open position;

Figure 10, a schematic section through a form of a transferable dispenser in which a plexiglas closure cap is placed;

Figure 11, a schematic vertical section through a coupling place of a central refrigeration station and a transferable dispenser coupled thereto, in which no closing lid is placed, pivotally holding a closing lid in the central refrigeration station and said cover being in an opening position in which an upper access opening of the transferable dispenser is open;

Figure 12, a schematic vertical section corresponding to Figure 11 through a coupling place of a central refrigeration station and a transferable dispenser coupled thereto, the closing cover pivotally pivoted to the refrigeration station having been pivoted central to a closed position, in which the closing lid closes an upper access opening of the transferable dispenser;

Figure 13, a schematic perspective representation of a high mobile refrigeration station in which a tall rack car can be introduced;

Figure 14, a schematic plan view from the front of the high mobile refrigeration station of the

Figure 13, having removed a part of the rear wall of the refrigeration station to show the

refrigeration coils of a refrigerator in the refrigeration station;

Figure 15, a schematic perspective representation of a tall rack carriage;

Figure 16, a schematic perspective representation of a combination of a station of

high mobile refrigeration and a high rack car introduced into the refrigeration station;

Figure 17, a schematic plan view from the front of the refrigeration station combination

high mobile and high rack car introduced in the refrigeration station;

Figure 18, a schematic plan view and partially cut from below of the combination of the high mobile refrigeration station and the high rack carriage introduced into the refrigeration station, in which a circulating air stream is schematically represented by arrows that it crosses the refrigeration station and the rack car;

Figure 19, a schematic perspective representation of a low mobile refrigeration station; Figure 20, a schematic perspective representation of a low rack carriage; and Figure 21, a schematic perspective representation of the low mobile refrigeration station of Figure 19, in which the flow of circulating air passing through the rack carriage is additionally represented by arrows in the case of low rack carriages introduced .

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The same or functionally equivalent elements are designated in all figures with the same reference slots.

A portioning system 100 represented as a whole in Figure 1 for portioning foods and / or beverages in a large kitchen comprises a food conveyor belt 102 cooled by circulating air, whose direction of movement is indicated by arrows 104.

In a starting area 106 (in the representation of figure 1 below), trays 102 that are removed from a tray stacking car 110 by a service person in position 108 are placed on the food conveyor 102. and said trays are equipped with uncooled food, drinks or dishes from a service car 112.

On the trays transported by the food conveyor belt 102 in the direction of circulation 104 are placed, by a service person in position 114, refrigerated food, drinks and / or dishes of a portable dispenser 116 that is next to the food conveyor belt 102 and whose upper access opening 118 is freely accessible.

On the trays additionally transported along the direction of circulation 104 of the food conveyor belt 102, they are divided into portions by a service person at position 120, food of the standardized gastronomic containers that are engaged in a carriage of shelves under 122.

The under-rack carriage 122 is inserted into a low mobile refrigeration station 124 that generates a stream of refrigerated circulating air through the under-rack carriage 122.

On the trays additionally transported in the direction of circulation 104 of the food conveyor belt 102, other foods, beverages and / or dishes of a second transferable dispenser 116 are placed by a service person in position 126. 'whose upper access opening 118 is freely accessible.

On the trays additionally transported in the direction of circulation of the food conveyor belt 102 are divided into portions, by a service person who is in position 128, refrigerated meals of standardized gastronomic containers that are hooked in a high rack carriage 130.

The tall shelving car 130 is inserted into a high mobile refrigeration station 132 that generates a flow of cold circulating air through the tall shelving car 130.

In a final area 134 of the food conveyor belt 102, the finished trays are removed from the food conveyor belt 102 by a service person who is at position 136 and placed in the accommodation chamber of a carriage transport of trays 138 previously cooled by means of binary ice.

A central refrigeration station 140 is arranged at a distance from the food conveyor belt 102, which comprises several coupling places 142, for example five, for coupling translatable dispensers 116, where the central refrigeration station 140 generates a respective circulating air flow through each of the displaceable dispensers 116 coupled.

The cold necessary to refrigerate or keep in the cold state is supplied to all the cooling elements of the system of division into portions 100 by means of a carrier of polyphonic flowing fries, in particular in the form of a binary ice.

The binary ice supply system 144 of the portioning system 100 is schematically represented in Figure 2 and comprises a process tank 146 that serves as the main accumulator for binary ice and in which the binary ice is continuously stirred by means of rotors 148 driven by motor to achieve a mixture of binary ice as homogeneous as possible in the process tank 146.

In a primary circuit 150, binary ice is supplied from the process tank 146 by means of a primary pump 152 to an ice generator 154 with a motor driven mixer 156, which simultaneously scratches the frozen ice separating it from the inner wall of the ice generator 154 and from there! transports it back to process tank 146.

The ice generator 154 is cooled by means of a conventional frying device 158 comprising a refrigerating agent circuit 160 with a refrigerating agent compressor 162, a condenser 164 and an expansion throttle 166.

The binary ice generated in the ice generator 154 by means of the fried supplied from the device

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generation of cold 158 and accumulated in process tank 146 is circulated in a secondary circuit 168 and, from there!, it is delivered to local consumption circuits 174 of the low mobile refrigeration station 124, the high mobile refrigeration station 132 and the central refrigeration station 140. The molten binary ice of these local consumption circuits 174 is collected by the secondary circuit 168 and transported to the process tank 146.

The secondary circuit 168 comprises a circulation duct 170 which, starting from the process tank 146, passes in front of the placement locations of the low mobile refrigeration station 124 and the high mobile refrigeration station 132 along the conveyor belt of food 102 and from there! it arrives at the central refrigeration station 140 and returns to the process tank 146. In the circulation conduit 170 a secondary pump 172 is disposed that stirs the binary ice of the process tank 146 through the circulation conduit 170.

Each of the consumption circuits 174 is connected to the circulation conduit 170 through a derivative conduit 176 leaving it and which is connected to a first inlet 178 of a three-valve 180.

From an outlet 182 of the three-valve 180, a respective binary ice flow passage 184 leads to a binary ice flow connection of the respective cold consumer, for example the mobile refrigeration station low 124.

Within the respective consumer is provided a conduit system that conducts binary ice from the binary ice outlet connection through a fried consumer, in particular a refrigerator, and returns it to a binary ice return connection of the respective consumer .

The binary ice return connection is connected to a binary ice return conduit 186 which leads to a derivation 188.

From branch 188, a binary ice return conduit 190 leads to a second inlet of the three-valve 180, so that a closed consumption circuit 174 results.

In addition, a binary ice evacuation conduit 192 returns from branch 188 to the circulation conduit 170 of the secondary circuit 168.

To supply fresh binary ice from the secondary circuit 168 to the respective consumption circuit 174, the respective three-valve 180 is switched to a state in which the first input of the three-valve 180 is connected to its outlet, so that the fresh binary ice reaches the binary ice passage duct 184 through the consumption derivative duct 176.

In the binary ice passage duct 184 a pump 194 is disposed that transports the binary ice from the binary ice passage duct 184 to the respective consumer, for example to the low mobile refrigeration station 124.

Since in this filling state of the consumption circuit 174 the second inlet of the three-valve 180 is closed, to which the binary ice return conduit 190 is connected, consumed molten binary ice is transported, simultaneously with the supply of fresh binary ice through the consumption derivative conduit 176, to return it through the binary ice evacuation conduit 192 to the circulation conduit 170 of the secondary circuit 168 and from there! to process tank 146.

When the desired amount of fresh binary ice has been supplied to the consumption circuit 174, the three-valve 180 is switched to a state in which its second inlet is connected with the outlet and the first inlet 178 of the three-valve 180 is closed.

In this state, the binary ice is stirred by means of the pump 194 in the closed consumption circuit 174 through the respective consumer, for example the mobile refrigeration station low 124.

The switching of the three-valve 180 between its two states may arise, for example, due to the signal of a temperature sensor that measures a temperature within the cold consumer or the temperature of the binary ice at a place in the consumption circuit 174.

Since the branch 188 of the consumption circuit 174 is deeper than the circulation conduit 170 of the secondary circuit 168, substantially no binary ice flows out of the consumption circuit 174 towards the circulation conduit 170 of the secondary circuit 168 due to the action of the force of the gravity, provided that the consumption circuit 174 is closed by the three-valve 180 and the binary ice can reach the binary ice passage duct 184 from the branch 188 through the binary ice return duct 190.

The consumption circuits 174 of the mobile refrigeration station 124, the mobile refrigeration station high

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132 and the central refrigeration station 140 are all constructed substantially in the same manner and function as previously described.

The binary ice passage ducts 184 and the binary ice return ducts 186 leading to the mobile cooling stations 124 and 132 are preferably flexibly configured to be able to arrange the mobile cooling stations 124 and 132 in different positions in relation to to the circulation duct 170 of the secondary circuit 168.

In addition to the aforementioned fried consumers, other consumers 196 may also be supplied with circulating binary ice, for example food conveyor 102, another refrigerated portioning or conveyor belt, one or more refrigeration spaces, one or more refrigerators , etc., by means of a consumption circuit 174 and, by means of a respective derivative conduit 176 and a binary ice evacuation conduit 192, and these other consumers can be connected with the circulation conduit 170 of the secondary circuit 168.

The structure of the central refrigeration station 140 is explained in more detail below with reference to Figures 3 to 7.

The central refrigeration station 140 comprises several coupling places 142 for attaching a respective transferable dispenser 116, as shown in Figures 5 and 6.

In this case, as shown, for example, in Figures 1 and 2, several coupling locations 142, for example five, can be arranged linearly next to each other.

In Figures 1 and 2, three of the coupling locations 142 are always occupied with coupled dispensers 116, while two other coupling locations 142 are free.

It is also possible to place two respective coupling places 142 with their rear sides against each other, so that they can be reached from opposite directions to each other with a respective dispenser 116, as shown by way of example in Figure 3 for a total of six coupling places 142, of which two of them are always arranged against each other on their rear sides.

As can best be seen from Figure 4, each coupling location 142 of the central refrigeration station 140 comprises a support frame 198 with uprights 200 with which the central refrigeration station 140 rests on the ground, and with crossbars 202 which run substantially horizontally and transverse to a longitudinal direction 230 of the central refrigeration station 140, which serve as guiding devices for a dispenser 116 that must approach the coupling site 142.

Two stringers 204 that run substantially horizontal and perpendicular to the cross-members 202 carry a substantially parallel housing 206 comprising a bottom wall 208, a vertical rear wall 210, a vertical front wall 212, vertical side walls not shown and a roof wall 214 .

All the walls of the housing 206 are respectively provided with an inner lining 216 and an outer lining 218 based on a metal sheet and a thermal insulation 220 disposed between the inner lining 216 and the outer lining 218.

The front wall 212 turned towards the respective coupled dispenser 116 has a first coupling station 222 in the form of an air inlet 224 and a second coupling station 226 which is below in the form of an air outlet 228.

Both coupling positions 222, 226 comprise a respective substantially rectangular air passage opening that extends in the longitudinal direction 230 of the central refrigeration station 140 and which can be closed by means of a respective closing gate 232 when together it is not coupled no dispenser 116 to the coupling location 142 in question.

Each of the closing gates 232 is fastened to the housing 206 rotatably about a rotation axis that runs horizontally and parallel to the longitudinal direction 230 of the central cooling station 140 so that the closing gate 232 can rotate towards inside from the closing position represented in figure 4, in which the closing gate 232 closes the passage opening of the respective coupling position 222 or 226, to the open position represented in figure 7, in which the gate of closure 232 releases the passage opening of the respective coupling position 222 or 226.

In order for the closing gate 232 to automatically rotate from the closing position to the opening position during coupling of the dispenser 116, each closing gate 232 is provided with two respective actuating projections 234 spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the closing gate 232, which protrude outward, in the closed state of the closing gate 232, slightly beyond the cross section of the air passage opening and are driven by the dispenser 116 into the interior space

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of the housing 206 when the dispenser 116 moves against the front wall 212 of the coupling location 142 (see Figures 6 and 7).

Due to this drive of the drive projections 234, the respective closing gate 232 is rotated about its axis of rotation from the closing position to the opening position.

When the transferable dispenser 216 is removed from the coupling location 142, each closing gate 232 rotates returning from the opening position to the closing position due to the force of gravity, in whose closing position the closing gate 232 closes the passage opening of the respective associated coupling station 222 or 226.

As can best be seen from Figure 4, in the interior space of the housing 206 of each coupling location 142, between the first upper coupling position 222 and the second lower coupling position 226, an air conductive plate is arranged 236, a fan 238 and a refrigerator 240.

The refrigerator 240 is configured as a heat exchanger and contains heat exchange coils that, on the cold side, are filled with binary ice that circulates through the central refrigeration station 140 in the consumption circuit 174 associated with the station of central refrigeration 140.

In this case, the refrigerators 240 of the different coupling locations 142 can be connected in series or connected in parallel with respect to each other.

In order to be able to evacuate condensed water formed in the refrigerator 240 from the coupling location 142 and to be able to collect it, a collection tray 242 is arranged at the bottom of the housing 206, the bottom surface of which is inclined towards a mouth opening of a collection tube 244, wherein the collection tube 244 extends through the bottom wall 208 of the housing 206 to a condensate collection container 246 that is engaged in the support frame 198 and that can be configured , for example, as a container of gastronomic standardized food.

The dispenser 116 attachable to the coupling site 142 of the central refrigeration station 140 is shown in detail in Figure 5 and is configured as a transferable container 247 and comprises a thermally insulated shell 248 substantially parallel to the paralleleppeda that is provided on its lower side, of rollers 250 by means of which the dispenser 116 can move on a floor.

The accommodation space 252 surrounded by the housing 248 to accommodate a refrigerable product is accessible on the upper side of the dispenser 116 through an access opening 118 to place the refrigerable product in the accommodation space 252 or to remove it from this space of accommodation 252.

This upper access opening 118 can be closed by means of a thermally insulated closure cover 254 that can be placed on the housing 248.

In the accommodation space 252, a platform 256 is provided that supports the refrigerable product and is movably guided in height in several vertical guide bars 258.

A front wall 260 of the housing 248 of the dispenser 116 turned toward the coupling location 142 of the central refrigeration station 140 in the coupled state of the dispenser 116 is provided with a first coupling post 262 in the form of an air outlet 264 and of a second coupling post 266 which is below in the form of an air inlet 268.

Each of the coupling positions 262, 266 of the dispenser 116 comprises an air passage channel through which the housing space 252 is connected to the outer side of the housing 248 of the dispenser 116.

In the unclaimed form shown in Figure 5, these air passage channels are permanently open.

The dispenser 116 is equipped with crockery, fried foods or cold drinks and is then coupled to a free coupling location 142 of the central refrigeration station 140, for which it is moved, with the front wall 260 of its housing 248 ahead, against the front wall 212 of the housing 206 of the coupling location 142.

A sliding handle 270 serves to push and control the removable dispenser 116 and is disposed on a rear wall 272 of the housing 248 of the dispenser 116 that is away from the front wall 260.

Upon inserting the dispenser 116 into the coupling location 142, the first coupling station 262 of the dispenser 116 contacts the first coupling station 222 of the coupling site 142 and the second coupling station 266 of the dispenser contacts with the second coupling position 226 of the coupling location 142, so that sealed air guidance channels with respect to the

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environment, through which the interior space of the housing 206 of the coupling place 242 is connected with the accommodation space 252 of the removable dispenser 116.

During engagement, the actuating projections 234 in the closing gates 232 of the coupling positions 222 and 226 of the coupling location 142 are dislodged by the coupling positions 262 and 266 of the dispenser 116, so that the closing gates 232 they move from their closed position to their open position and the air guide channels between the dispenser 116 and the coupling location 142 are opened.

When the dispenser 116 is coupled at the coupling location 142, a current of circulating air is generated by means of the fan 238, which passes from the fan 238, through the refrigerator 240 and through the second coupling positions 226 and 266 , to an area between a bottom wall 274 of the housing 248 of the dispenser 116 and a bottom plate 276 disposed thereon, and from there! said air stream reaches the rear wall 272 of the dispenser 116.

Through air passage openings 278 that are distributed over the entire height of the rear wall 272, the circulating air enters the housing space 252 through the entire height of the housing space 252 to cool the refrigerable product that It is there.

Through air passage openings 280 that are distributed over the entire height of the front wall 260 of the dispenser housing 248, the circulating air reaches the front wall 260 of the dispenser 116 from the housing space 252 and from there , through the first coupling station 262 of the dispenser 116 and the first coupling station 222 of the coupling site 142, returns to the fan 238, thereby closing the circulating air circuit.

The circulating air stream is schematically represented in Figure 6 by arrows 282.

The cooling of the circulating air is carried out in this case by means of heat release in the refrigerator 240 configured as a heat exchanger and transfer thereof to the binary ice circulating through the refrigerator 240 on the cold side.

Thanks to the use of binary ice as a carrier of fried no temperature regulation of the cooling by circulating air is necessary. Binary ice circulates permanently through the refrigerator 240 of the coupling site 142.

The dispenser 116 remains coupled to the coupling location 142 of the central refrigeration station 140 under continuous cooling by circulating air, until it is pushed towards the food conveyor belt 102 to remove the refrigerated product contained therein.

Since the access opening 118 of the dispenser 116 in the coupled state is covered by the thermally insulated closure cover 254, an energy-saving cooling operation is guaranteed.

In the food conveyor belt 102, no refrigeration of the dispenser 116 is generally necessary, since the refrigerated product, in particular the refrigerated dishes, has accumulated enough cold thanks to its high specific thermal thermal capacity to remain sufficiently cold during the interval of relatively short time of portioning on food conveyor belt 102, that is, at a temperature of just over 8 ° C.

For portioning on the food conveyor belt 102, the closure cover 254 is removed in order to access the refrigerated product in the housing space 252 through the access opening 118.

One form of a transferable dispenser 116 according to the invention represented in Figures 8 and 9 differs from the unclaimed form previously described and represented in Figures 5 and 6 in that the air passage channels of the first coupling post 262 and the Second coupling position 266 are not permanently open, but, in the uncoupled state, are closed by a respective closing gate 284.

Each of the closing gates is fastened to the housing 248 rotatably around a rotation axis that runs horizontally and parallel to the front wall 260 of the housing 248 of the dispenser 116 so that the closing gate 284 can rotate from the closing position represented in figure 8, in which the closing gate 284 closes the air passage channel of the respective associated coupling position 262 or 266, to the opening position represented in figure 9, in which the gate Closing 284 releases the passage channel and air in question.

To ensure that the closing gates 284 always rotate automatically from the closing position to the opening position during the coupling of the dispenser 116 to the central refrigeration station 140, each of the closing gates 284 is provided with one or several drive projections 286 which, at least in

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closed state, they protrude outward slightly beyond the opening cross section of the respective associated air passage channel and, during the coupling of the dispenser 116 to the central cooling station 140, said projections are driven from the respective coupling position associated 222 or 226 of the coupling place 142 of the central refrigeration station 140 towards the interior space of the dispenser 116, whereby the respective closing gate 284 automatically rotates from the closing position to the opening position.

During the disengagement of the dispenser 116 from the coupling location 142, the closing gates 284 rotate again, due to the effect of the force of gravity, returning from the opening position to the closing position, so that the channels are closed of the air passage of the coupling positions 262, 266 of the dispenser 116 when the dispenser 116 is disengaged from the central refrigeration station 140.

Moreover, the shape of a dispenser 116 according to the invention represented in Figures 8 and 9 coincides with respect to the structure and function with the unclaimed form represented in Figures 5 and 6, to which the above description is referred to in this aspect.

This form of a dispenser 116 according to the invention with closing gates 284 can be used together with a central refrigeration station 140 which also has closing dampers 232 in its coupling positions 222, 226, or with an alternative central refrigeration station 140 , whose air inlet 224 and air outlets 228 are permanently open.

One form of a transferable dispenser 116 shown in Figure 10 differs from the two previously described ways in that, instead of an opaque closure cap 254 based on a metal sheet lining and thermal insulation disposed in the interior space of the lining, a closure cover 254 'of a transparent material, for example of plexiglas, is placed on the housing 248 of the dispenser 116 to close its upper access opening 118 in the state coupled to the central refrigeration station 140.

The use of a transparent closure cap 254 'offers the advantage that with a glance through the closure cap 254' it can be readily determined which refrigerable product is contained in the dispenser 116 in question, so that the Correct dispenser 116 to be driven to the food conveyor belt 102 when just several transferable dispensers 116 are coupled to the central refrigeration station 140.

One form of a central refrigeration station 140 represented in Figures 11 and 12 differs from the form represented in Figures 3, 4, 6 and 7 in that it further comprises a thermally insulated closure cap 288 that is attached to the upper side of the housing 206 of a coupling location 142 pivotably about a pivot shaft 290 oriented horizontally and parallel to the longitudinal direction 230 of the central cooling station 140.

This closure lid 288 serves to close the upper access opening 118 of a dispenser 116 coupled to the central refrigeration station 140 when the dispenser 116 in question does not have its own closure lid 254.

Prior to the coupling of such a dispenser 116, the closure cap 288 is in the opening position shown in Figure 11, in which the closure cap 288 releases access to the coupling location 142 for a dispenser 116 which It must be inserted.

After coupling of the dispenser 116, the closing cover 288 is pivoted from its opening position to the closing position shown in Figure 12, in which the closing cover 288 is placed on the housing 248 of the dispenser 116 and closes the upper access opening 118 of the dispenser 116, so that the circulating air conducted through the housing space 252 of the dispenser 116 cannot escape into the environment.

Moreover, the shape of a central refrigeration station 140 represented in Figures 11 and 12 coincides with respect to the structure and function with the shape represented in Figures 3, 4, 6 and 7, to which the above description is made reference in this aspect.

The structure and function of the high mobile refrigeration station 132 are explained below with reference to Figures 13 to 18:

The high mobile refrigeration station 132 comprises a substantially parallelepipedic housing 292 with a thermally insulated vertical left side wall 294a, a thermally insulated vertical right side wall 294b, a thermally insulated vertical rear wall 296 that joins the two side walls on each other. rear ends and a thermally insulated horizontal roof wall 298 resting on the upper edges of the side walls 294a, 294b and the rear wall 296.

Therefore, the housing 292 surrounds on four sides, namely, from the left, from the right, from behind and from

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above, a housing space 300 for the accommodation of a transferable frame 302 in the form of a high rack carriage 130.

The housing 292 of the high mobile refrigeration station 132 has neither a bottom wall nor a front wall, so that the housing space 300 opens down and forward and the high rack carriage 130 can be introduced from the front in accommodation space 300.

The housing 292 is provided, on its lower side, with several sheaves 304, for example four, by means of which the high mobile refrigeration station 132 can move on a floor.

The left side wall 294a of the housing 292 is provided, on its inner side turned towards the housing space 300, of an air conductive plate 306 on the blow side which has several, for example two, rows of blow openings 308 which extend over substantially the entire height of the side wall 294a.

Correspondingly, the right side wall 294b of the housing 292 is provided, on its inner side turned towards the housing space 300, of an air conductive plate 310 on the suction side which has several, for example two, rows of suction openings that extend over substantially the entire height of the right side wall 294b.

On the front front side of the right side wall 294b there is also a switch 312 by means of which the circulating air cooling device, to be described below, of the high mobile refrigeration station 132 can be connected and disconnected.

Alternatively to this switch 312 to be operated manually, it can also be provided that the high mobile refrigeration station 132 has a magnetic switch comprising a mobile tongue contact and that, being introduced the rack carriage 130, closes an electrical contact due to the presence of a magnet arranged in the rack carriage 130 and, therefore, activates the circulating air cooling device of the high mobile refrigeration station 132.

The circulating air cooling device of the high mobile refrigeration station 132 is arranged in the rear wall 296 thereof and comprises several, for example four, circulating air fans 314, as well! as a refrigerator 316 disposed downstream of the circulating air fans 314, which is configured as a heat exchanger and comprises a package of refrigerators based on one or several refrigeration coils 318 that can be traversed by binary ice and are connected to a binary ice flow connection 322 through a binary ice flow tube 320 and a binary ice return connection 326 through a binary ice return tube 324.

The binary ice flow connection 322 is arranged on the outer side of the right side wall 294b, is configured as a quick closing valve and can be connected with the binary ice flow passage 184 of a consumption circuit 174 associated with the mobile refrigeration station high 132 in the binary ice supply system 144.

The binary ice return connection 326 is also arranged on the outer side of the right side wall 294b, is configured as a quick closing valve and can be joined with the binary ice return conduit 186 of the consumption circuit 174 associated with the mobile refrigeration station high 132 in the binary ice supply system 144.

Since the high mobile refrigeration station 132 is movable on the sheaves 304, the binary ice passage duct 184 and the binary ice return duct 186 of the consumption circuit 174 associated with the high mobile refrigeration station 132 are preferably configured in a flexible way to be able to arrange the high mobile refrigeration station 132 in different positions in relation to the circulation duct 170 of the secondary circuit 168 of the binary ice supply system 144.

Under the rear wall 316, on the rear wall 296 of the housing 292 of the high mobile refrigeration station 132, a condensate collection container 328 is received which receives the condensed condensation water in the refrigerator 316 and can be configured by example, as a container of gastronomic standardized food.

The high rack carriage 130 that must be introduced into the housing space 300 of the high mobile refrigeration station 132 is individually represented in Figure 15.

The rack carriage 130 comprises a first frame 330a and a second frame 330b which are both composed of two vertical beams 332 and three horizontal beams 334 that join the vertical beams 332, as! as a large number of respective horizontal coupling strips 336 that join together a vertical beam 332 of the first frame 330a and the second frame 330b and that face each other in pairs and in which trays and / or food containers can be hooked and / or drink containers.

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At the lower ends of the vertical beams 332 a respective sheave 350 is arranged to be able to move the high rack carriage 130 on a floor.

The high rack car 130 is equipped with the refrigerated product and is stored temporarily in a refrigeration space or a cold room.

For portioning, the high-rack carriage 130 with the refrigerated product disposed therein is moved from the refrigeration space or the cold storage chamber to the food conveyor belt 102 and is introduced into the accommodation space 300 of the storage station mobile refrigeration high 132.

After activating the cooling of the circulating air of the high mobile refrigeration station 132 by means of the switch 312, the circulating air fans 314 generate a circulating air stream that is cooled by means of the refrigerator 316.

As can be seen from Figures 17 and 18, in which the circulating air current is represented schematically by the arrows 329, the refrigerated circulating air passes from the refrigerator 316 to the left side wall 294a, from there, through the openings of Blowing 308 of the air conductive plate 306 on the blowing side, arrives at the housing space 300 and, therefore, the refrigerable product engaged in the high rack carriage 130, from the housing space 300 passes through the suction openings of the air conductive plate 310 from the suction side to the right side wall 294b of the housing 292 of the high mobile refrigeration station 132 and from there returns to the circulating air fans 314, so that the circulating air circuit is closed .

Due to the cold air curtain generated in the housing space 300, the refrigerable product engaged in the high rack carriage 130 is shielded in front of the hot environment.

In addition, the high-rack carriage 130 introduced into the housing space 300 is shielded in front of the hottest environment on four sides, namely, to the left, back, right and up, by the thermally insulated walls 294a, 294b, 296 and 298 of the housing 292 of the high mobile refrigeration station 132.

However, the high rack carriage 130 is freely accessible for removal of the refrigerated product by a service person from the front side of the high mobile refrigeration station 132, so that ergonomic work is possible.

The low mobile refrigeration station 124 represented in Figures 19 to 21 differs from the high mobile refrigeration station 132 represented in Figures 13 to 18 in that it does not have a ceiling wall, so that the mobile refrigeration station low 124 Surrounding the rack carriage under 122, which must be introduced into the housing space 300 of the low mobile refrigeration station 124, only on three sides, namely, from the left, from the right and from behind, while the car of shelves introduced 122 is freely accessible by a service person from the front and up for the removal of the refrigerated product.

In addition, in the mobile refrigeration station 124, the circulating refrigerated air is blown through blow openings 338 of both side walls 294a and 294b in the housing space 300 and, therefore, with the shelf carriage 122 being inserted, it also insufflates on the refrigerable product and is suctioned from the housing space 300 through suction openings 340 on the inner side of the rear wall 296 (see Figure 21, in which the circulating air stream is schematically represented by the arrows 329).

Correspondingly, on the rear wall 296 of the housing 292 of the low mobile refrigeration station 124 there are two respective circulating air cooling devices comprising circulating air fans and a refrigerator, namely an air cooling device circulating between the suction openings 340 and the blow openings 348 of the left side wall 294a and a circulating air cooling device between the suction openings 340 and the blow openings 338 in the right side wall 294b.

The low rack carriage 122 to be introduced into the low mobile refrigeration station 124 is individually represented in Figure 20 and comprises a first frame 342a and a second frame 342b which are respectively composed of two horizontal beams 344 and four vertical beams 346 that join the horizontal beams 344 with each other, as well as a large number of coupling strips 348 that join the first frame 342a and the second frame 342b with each other, which face each other in pairs respectively and serve to engage trays , food containers and / or drink containers.

On its lower side, the shelf carriage 122 is provided with four sheaves 350 by means of which the shelf carriage 122 can be moved on a floor.

On its upper side the shelf carriage 122 carries a post 352 with a support frame 354 inclined with

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with respect to the horizontal to support trays, food containers and / or beverage containers in an inclined position with respect to the horizontal, which facilitates the removal of food and / or beverages to be cooled from the containers placed in the support frame 354 .

5 Moreover, the low mobile refrigeration station 124 represented in Figures 19 to 21 coincides with respect to the structure and function with the high mobile refrigeration station 124 represented in Figures 13 to 18, to which the above description is made reference in this aspect.

Claims (12)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 40 Four. Five fifty 55 1. Container with a housing (248) surrounding a housing space (252) to accommodate a refrigerable product to be cooled, in which the container (247) can be coupled to a refrigeration station (140) and comprises at least a first coupling station (262) for evacuating circulating air from the container (247) and at least a second coupling station (266) for supplying refrigerated circulating air to the container (247), and in which the container (247) comprises less a closing element (284) for closing a coupling post (262, 266) of the container (247) when the container (247) is disengaged from the refrigeration station (140), characterized in that the at least one element of The closure (284) is provided with at least one actuation projection (286) protruding outward, at least in the closed state, beyond the cross section of the opening of the respective associated air passage channel. 2. A container according to claim 1, characterized in that the closing element (284), during decoupling of the container (247) from the refrigeration station (140), can move automatically from an opening position, in which the element Closing (284) releases the coupling position (262, 266), to a closing position, in which the closing element (284) closes the coupling position (262, 266) of the container (247). A container according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the closing element (284), during the coupling of the container (247) to the refrigeration station (140), can move automatically from a closed position, in which the closing element (284) closes the coupling position (262, 266) of the container (247), to an opening position in which the closing element (284) releases the coupling position (262, 266) of the container (247). 4. Container according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the closure element (284) is rotatably attached to the container (247). 5. Container according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the closing element (284) can be moved by the force of gravity to a closing position in which the closing element (284) closes the post coupling (262, 266) of the container (247). 6. Container according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the container (247) has an access opening (118) to the housing space (252) for the refrigerable product and is provided with a closing lid (254; 254 ') to close the access opening (118). 7. Container according to claim 6, characterized in that the closure lid (254 ') is at least partially configured transparently. A container according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the container (247) is configured as a dispenser (116) with a platform (256) movable in height. 9. Container according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the platform (256) is movably guided in at least one guide bar (258). A container according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the refrigerable product housed in the housing space (252) of the container (247) comprises food and / or beverages and / or crockery. 11. Combination of at least one refrigeration station (140) for at least one refrigerable vessel (247) attachable to the refrigeration station (140), wherein the refrigeration station (140) comprises at least one fan (238) to generate a current of circulating air through the container (247), at least one refrigerator (240) to cool the current of circulating air and at least one coupling place (142) with at least one first coupling position (222) for evacuating the flow of circulating air from the refrigerable container (247) and with at least a second coupling post (226) to supply the circulating air current to the refrigerable container (247), and at least one container according to one of claims 1 to 10. 12. Portioning system for a large kitchen comprising at least one container according to one of claims 1 to 10 and / or at least one combination according to claim 11.