FR2637781A1 - Element for preparing and dispensing food products and articles of furniture incorporating such an element - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an element for preparing and dispensing food products as well as to an article of furniture incorporating at least one such element. According to the invention, the element for preparing and dispensing food products consists of at least one vessel 3 including, in its upper part, at least two facing staircase profiles 4. The vessel is leaktight and includes an insulation (isolation) device 14 as well as a draining system 8. The element preferably comprises, moreover, at least one heating resistance element 11 arranged between the lower face of the vessel 3 and the insulation (isolation) device 14. According to the invention, the element generally permits several functions; particularly the washing and preparing of dishes of food products and, if appropriate, the arrangement of the food on the plates, all this being by virtue of these four primary functions (washing, preparation, cooling (refrigerated), bain-marie). Application to collective and commercial catering.

Description

 The invention relates to an element for preparing and distributing food products as well as to furniture incorporating such an element and more particularly used in collective catering and for equipping restaurant or industrial kitchens.

 These pieces of furniture generally allow several operations; they make it possible in particular to wash, to prepare dishes of food products and possibly to prepare plates.

 In order to make this furniture profitable and use as little space as possible, it is often used both for the preparation and distribution of products.

 When preparing plates, it is necessary that the containers containing the products to be placed on the plates are kept at an adequate temperature.

 This condition generally requires the use of fairly small containers so that the products they contain are used before their temperature has changed significantly. However, this requires frequent comings and goings between the refrigerated reserves and / or the ovens and the piece of furniture where the plates are prepared.

 It is therefore desirable to have a piece of furniture that simplifies the preparation of plates during service, without increasing the dimensions of the piece of furniture or making its manufacture and use complex.

 The subject of the invention is an element for preparing and distributing food products, characterized in that it consists of at least one container comprising in its upper part at least two opposite staircase profiles, said container being waterproof and comprising an isolation device and a drainage system.

 Preferably, the container has a substantially parallelepiped shape, the staircase profiles being formed in the upper part of at least two lateral faces of the container, facing each other.

 Preferably, the product preparation and distribution element further comprises at least one heating resistor, disposed between at least the lower part of the tank and the isolation device.

 Preferably, at least one electrical resistance also extends between the external face of a side wall of the tank and the isolation device.

 Preferably, the insulation device is constituted by an envelope of the container, an insulator being placed between the internal faces of the envelope and the external faces of the container.

 Preferably, the element for preparing and distributing products according to the invention further comprises a retractable grid which can bear on the staircase profiles, in order to be able to have submultiple containers there.

 According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the product preparation and distribution element comprises a retractable cutting plate which can bear on the staircase profiles.

 Preferably, the drainage system is actuated by a control device placed outside said element.

 According to a preferred embodiment of the product preparation and distribution element, it comprises a safety device against fluid overflows.

 The invention also relates to a cabinet for presenting and distributing food products comprising at least one element consisting of at least one container comprising in its upper part at least two staircase profiles facing each other, the container being sealed and comprising an isolation device as well as a drainage system.

 The invention also relates to a cabinet for preparing and distributing food products comprising at least one element constituted by at least one container comprising in its upper part at least two staircase profiles facing each other, the container being sealed and comprising an isolation device as well as a drainage system, at least one heating resistor being disposed between at least the underside of this tank and the isolation device.

 According to a preferred embodiment of the piece of furniture, it comprises at least one water supply system placed near this element.

 Preferably, the piece of furniture comprises a frame fixed to uprights, themselves fixed on the upper part of the piece of furniture, and intended to receive at least one container.

 Preferably, an electrical panel grouping together the modules necessary for the operation of the components to which it is connected is placed in a waterproof box incorporated in the cabinet.

The present invention will be better understood and other objects, advantages and characteristics thereof will appear more clearly on reading the following description of an embodiment of the invention given without limitation and to which of the drawings are annexed on which
FIG. 1 represents a truncated perspective view of a first piece of furniture according to the invention which incorporates a product preparation and distribution element,
FIG. 2 represents a cross-sectional view of the element for preparing and distributing products according to the invention,
- Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a second piece of furniture according to the invention which incorporates a product preparation and distribution element.

 The elements common to the figures will be designated by the same references.

 All the parts shown in gray on the drawings consist of thermal insulation.

 Referring to Figure 1, the first product preparation and distribution cabinet according to the invention comprises a one-piece frame 1, preferably made of stainless steel.

 In this chassis 1, two elements 2 for preparing and distributing products according to the invention are integrated by way of example.

 As can be seen more precisely with reference to Figure 2, these elements 2 are constituted by a sealed container 3 having a substantially parallelepiped shape rounded at the edges of the bottom and vertical.

 The longitudinal walls of the tank 3 have at their upper part a staircase profile 4. On these staircase profiles can be placed two opposite ends of containers 5 containing products. It is likewise possible to arrange on these profiles a cutting plate 6 or a grid 7 on which receptacles may possibly be arranged.

 It can be seen that the installation and removal of these various elements, trays, plates or grids, takes place very quickly.

 The element 2 preferably comprises in its lower part a system 8 for the evacuation of the water. This water drainage system is controlled by a control device 9. It is preferable to place this control device outside of the element 2. I1 is indeed much more accessible.

 The first product preparation and distribution cabinet according to the invention comprises a water supply system 10, placed near each element 2.

 In the example shown in FIG. 2, heating resistors 11 are placed under and against the underside of the container 3 as well as on a part of the external face of the side walls of the container 3.

 The resistors 11 are connected to an electrical panel 12.

 The electrical panel 12 is itself connected to an "on / off" switch 13 and to an indicator light of a thermostat 16.

 The connections between these different elements do not appear in the figures.

 The electrical panel 12 groups together all the modules necessary for the operation of the components to which it is connected. I1 is preferably mounted in the cabinet on slides, so as to facilitate its access especially in the case of repair. For safety reasons, it is more preferable that it be placed in a waterproof electrical box.

 As will be explained later, it is desirable to isolate the tank 3 so as to improve its performance. The insulation device consists of an insulator 17 placed on the external faces of the tank 3. Preferably, the insulation 17 is held against the tank 3 by an element 14 called an envelope which surrounds the tank 3.

The insulation used can for example be polyurethane foam or bubble wrap.

 Preferably, the element 2 includes a safety device 15 against water overflows.

 With reference to FIG. 3, the second piece of furniture according to the invention comprises an upper part 18 mounted on a casing 19.

 The chassis 19 is composed of tubular elements assembled so as to have the shape of a U, the chassis comprising two elements in the shape of an inverted U, and opposite, the upper part of the U-shaped elements coming into contact with the upper part 18 of the second piece of furniture, at the edges between the transverse and longitudinal walls of the upper part 18.

 Preferably, the frame 19 and the upper part 18 are made of stainless steel.

 In the embodiment of Figure 3, the chassis 19 is equipped with two wheels 20 and two cylinders 21, a wheel 20 and a cylinder 21 being arranged on the underside of the base of each U-shaped element constituting the chassis 19. The wheels and the cylinders are moreover arranged so as to be opposite. The chassis is thus made mobile.

 The upper part 18 comprises at least one element 2 which is embedded in an upper plate 22.

 The element 2 used is completely identical to that described with reference to FIG. 2 / with the only difference that it does not include heating resistors 11.

 The upper part 18 also comprises front panels 23. On the side walls of the upper plate 22 are fixed, for example by screwing, uprights 24, preferably placed close to the rear longitudinal wall 25 of the upper part 18. In the upper part of these uprights 24 are fixed perpendicularly two elements 26. The free ends of these two elements 26 are fixed to the side walls of a frame 27. This frame is preferably made of round stainless steel tube. The dimensions of the frame are chosen so as to be able to receive containers containing food products without however hampering the use of the element 2. This is why the frame 27 is placed on the side of the rear longitudinal face 25, so as to do not disturb the user who is standing in front of the front longitudinal face 28.

 It is also possible to place containers in the lower part of the frame 19 and along one of the two U-shaped elements constituting it.

For this, a tubular structure 29 in the form of
U is placed opposite one of the two U-shaped elements.

This structure 29 is fixed to the two strips 23 placed on the longitudinal walls of the upper part 18, by the upper ends of the vertical elements of the structure 29. The length of these vertical elements is such that the base of the structure 29 is substantially at the base of the U-shaped element opposite which it is placed.

 Slide elements 30, four in the example shown in FIG. 3, are fixed by their ends to the vertical elements of the structure 29 and of the U-shaped element opposite. These elements 30 are arranged so as to be opposite. Containers, here two containers, can be placed between the structure 29 and the U-shaped element, the longitudinal walls of these containers bearing on the slide elements 30.

 It is also possible to have, under the upper part 18 of the second piece of furniture, slides 31 on which a plate 32 can slide, which can optionally be a cutting plate similar to the plate 6 described with reference to FIG. 1.

 The operation of the product preparation and distribution element according to the invention will now be described.

 Thanks to the water supply device 10 and the drainage system 8, provided in the first cabinet, the element 2 which is placed in this first cabinet can first of all allow traditional washing operations to be carried out.

 Thanks to the staircase profiles 4 which it has in its upper part, on which plates, in particular of cutting, can be supported, the element 2 is also used for the preparation of dishes. This function is particularly useful when element 2 is placed near a stove.

 Element 2 also has a refrigerated function and a heating function.

 The refrigerated function is obtained by placing crushed ice in the tray 3. It can also be obtained by placing eutectic plates previously cooled in the freezer at the bottom of the tray 3. These plates are shown in section in FIG. 2 and are designated by the reference 33.

 Then suspended on the staircase profiles 4 of the element 2 a grid 7 in the form of a basket on which there are containers containing products. These containers can also be placed directly on these profiles, if their shape is suitable, and so that their bottom rests on the cold source (crushed ice or eutectic plates).

 It is thus understood that the products placed in the containers are then maintained at an adequate temperature, when the plates are prepared and this throughout the duration of a service.

 It is understood that when crushed ice has been used to obtain the refrigerated function, the evacuation thereof, once melted, is carried out by the evacuation device 8.

 Element 2 can finally fulfill a heating function. For this, the tray 3 is partially filled with water, cold or hot.

 Element 2 is energized by placing the switch 13 in its "on" position. The resistors 11 are then supplied.

 Thus, the water which is contained in the tank 3 is heated and / or maintained at an adequate temperature, and this for the entire duration necessary for the service.

 Indeed, as for the refrigerated function, grids 7 can be placed on the stepped profiles 4 of the tray 3 and thus receive containers containing products. These containers can also be placed directly on the profiles 4, if their shape allows it.

 Thus, the products contained in these containers and which are intended to be placed on plates, can be maintained at a determined temperature. Thermostat 16 allows easy adjustment of the desired temperature value.

 The water is evacuated as for the refrigerated function via the water evacuation device 8.

 It is understood that the isolation device makes it possible to improve the operation of the element 2, when the latter is used in the refrigerated or heating function.

 It also appears that the transition from one function to another takes place very quickly and easily.

 As specified above, the element 2 which is included in the second product preparation and distribution cabinet according to the invention does not include heating resistors 11.

 It is therefore understood that the second piece of furniture makes it possible to carry out only the refrigerated washing, cutting and dressing operations.

 The washing operation can only be carried out if the second cabinet is placed near a water point.

Unlike the first unit, there is no built-in water point in the second unit.

 The cutting and refrigerating functions are identical to those described above.

 It is understood that these two functions can be combined. Indeed, it can be interesting, when cutting the products, to keep them at a low temperature by disposing of crushed ice or eutectic plates previously cooled in the bottom of the tank 3 of the element 2, the cut products being placed in receptacles bearing on the staircase profiles 4.

 During the dressing of the plates, the containers containing, for example, the pre-cut foods are placed so as to bear on the staircase profiles 4, previously cooled eutectic plates or crushed ice being placed in the bottom of the container 3. The upper plate 22 of the upper part 18 of the second piece of furniture, in which the element 2 is embedded, can be used to place containers or plates there.

 The invention is not limited to the example shown in the figures in which the staircase profiles 4 are located on the longitudinal walls of the elements 2, placed opposite. The invention also covers the embodiment in which the staircase profiles 4 are produced on the transverse walls. In addition, it was specified that, when the element 2 included resistors 11, these were placed under the underside of the container 3 as well as on the lateral faces. The invention also covers the embodiment in which the resistors 11 are placed on only part of the container 3. However, it appears preferable that the resistors 11 be placed at least under the underside of the container 3. Likewise, the shape of the tray may be any, it is however preferable that it is substantially parallelepiped.

 It can be noted that the frame 27 fixed above the element 2 and which has been described, with reference to FIG. 3, relating to the second piece of furniture according to the invention, can also be adapted to the first piece of furniture of the invention .

 Finally, the reference signs inserted after the technical characteristics stated in the claims, have the sole purpose of facilitating the understanding of the latter and can in no way have the effect of limiting the invention to the particular embodiment which has just 'be described.

Claims (13)

 1. Element for preparing and distributing food products, characterized in that it consists of at least one container (3) comprising in its upper part at least two staircase profiles (4) facing each other, said container being waterproof and comprising an isolation device (14) and a drainage system (8).  2. Element according to claim 1, characterized in that said tank (3) has a substantially parallelepiped shape, said stepped profiles (4) being formed in the upper part of at least two lateral faces of said tank, facing -screw.  3. Element according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it further comprises at least one heating resistor (11) disposed between at least the underside of said tank (3) and said insulation device (14 ).  4. Element according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one heating resistor (11) extends between the external face of a side wall of said tank (3) and said insulation device (14).  5. Element according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said insulation device consists of an envelope (14) of said tank (3), an insulator (17) being placed between the internal faces of said envelope and the external faces of said tank.  6. Element according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it further comprises a retractable grid (7) which can bear on said staircase profiles (4).  7. Element according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it further comprises a retractable cutting plate (6) which can bear on said staircase profiles (4).  8. Element according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the drain system (8) is actuated by a control device (9) placed outside said element.  9. Element according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises a safety device (15) against fluid overflows.  10. Furniture for preparing and distributing food products, characterized in that it comprises at least one element for preparing and distributing products according to one of claims 1 to 9.  11. Furniture according to claim 10, characterized in that it comprises at least one water supply system (10), placed near said element (2).  12. Furniture according to one of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that no electrical control panel (12) is placed in a sealed box, mounted in the furniture on slides.  13. Furniture according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that it comprises a frame (27) fixed to uprights (24), themselves fixed on the upper part of the furniture, and intended to receive at least a container (5).