FR2665611A1 - Device for reheating and dispensing meals which can be selected according to a choice - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for storing, reheating and dispensing dishes, or meal trays. It consists of a refrigerated zone (1) with columns (21) for storing meal trays located opposite and pivoting about a motorised (31) central spindle (30) so that they become positioned facing the heating zone (3) for reheating the tray which has been selected. This heating zone (3) consists of as many mini-ovens as there are meal tray shelves in a storage column (21). Each of these mini ovens includes its heat energy for reheating the tray which is inserted into the mini oven by means of a mechanism for introducing and removing the tray.

Description

 The object of the invention relates to a device for reheating by microwave with sectors selectable according to the choice.

 I1 is intended to increase the capacity and improve the distribution of dishes or meal trays in cupboards or vending machines. It is also intended to gratinate cooked or reheated products, and to avoid loss of waves.

 The device described in patent 89 07844, although giving satisfaction for the main functions described, comprises a single column of meal trays, thus limiting the capacity and thereby the variety of menus distributed. It also does not allow gratin according to the products which have been cooked or thawed there.

And finally, the simple thermal barrier of the tray does not have a sufficient seal for the partitioning of the waves, the latter being able to risk spreading dangerously over the other products.

 The present invention which will be described, eliminates these drawbacks, and makes it possible to obtain perfect sealing of the heating zone by microwaves as well as the gratinating of the products and finally it offers an increase in capacity by several storage columns. , allowing to distribute and offer customers a choice of varied menus, without the need for a microwave magnetron per storage column.

 On the other hand, several types of thermal energy can be considered outside of the microwave, for reheating or cooking, such as infrared burners, halogen tubes, induction heating or any other system that can adapt and be efficient, while keeping the same system for entering the platforms.

 For these latter heating means which are less expensive and less bulky, another variant of the cooking enclosure can then be envisaged according to the cost price of the implementation, that is to say that each tray-holding shelf is equipped a mini-oven with infrared, halogen or other burners into which the tray enters.

For this latter variant, no vertical or horizontal translation as below is necessary.

 According to a first variant more particularly suitable for microwaves, the device consists of a distribution cabinet comprising a refrigerated enclosure with several columns for storing meal trays.

 A motorized horizontal ball screw allows the assembly: - vertical ball screw and slides holding the cooking or reheating oven - to carry out a horizontal translation from left to right and vice versa, in order to translate the oven in front of the chosen column, the vertical ball screw then comes to position the oven facing the meal tray with the selected menu.

The oven thus performs a horizontal translation then a vertical translation.

 The accordion bellows accompanying the oven in its vertical movement cannot be deployed in its horizontal movement, the oven and the accordion bellows are therefore partitioned in a box separating the hot cooking or reheating zone from the refrigerated cold zone. The box moves only horizontally, coming to position itself facing the chosen column. The oven moves vertically in the box in order to position itself facing the chosen tray.

The accordion bellows is guided by slides on its sides to support the vertical movement of the oven.

The latter solution can be envisaged when different menus are presented in each storage column.

 According to a second variant, the refrigerated storage area can be presented in the form of a storage turnstile having a double column - see several - which pivots around a central axis to present the column of trays to be heated, facing the heating zone including the thermal oven.

Thus the other column can always remain in refrigerated storage and keep all availability for loading.

A tensioner cable allows a retractor to recall the accordion bellows according to the rise and fall, the latter then passes through a coil equipped with a sponge soaked in a disinfectant product based on chlorine or other, in order to clean the bellows and preserve device hygiene.

 A ventilation grille fitted with a filter and located at the base of the device, allows a turbine integral with the translation box, the suction for renewal and cooling of the air of said box.

 Another tangential turbine located on the upper part of the box allows the evacuation of the calories accumulated in the translation box comprising the oven, it evacuates them outside the device which has an evacuation hatch facing each column of storage.

The opening of this hatch is carried out by a lug pushed by the horizontal movement of the oven box. This hooking keeps the flap of the hatch open, and at the same time it enables the turbine to be triggered.

 The thermal barrier forming a deformation on the tray and serving as a stop for the tray and for closing the enclosure of the microwave oven, comprises a very thick stainless steel strip, type 18/10, in order to avoid leakage of waves.

This strip of stainless steel is strongly glued or fixed to the deformation of the plate but can also be fixed and inserted on the support of the plate, the latter overlapping it by its deformation.

This barrier is strongly pressed and snapped into pressure against the periphery of the opening of the enclosure of the microwave oven, helped in this by the motorized movement mechanism which allows the introduction of the tray area- meals to be cooked or reheated. The pressure produced by this mechanism thus keeps the enclosure closed during cooking.

 Any other type of obstruction can be considered for the partitioning of the waves.

 This device which is the subject of the invention can distribute any type of menu, such as a complete meal, presented on a tray, with a cold starter and a hot dish to be cooked or reheated, as has already been described in patent No. 89 07844. , but a single dish can also be introduced into the device and then distributed, such as a cooked dish, quiche, pizza or others.

These are then placed on a drawer or flat support, the outer rim of which has the same deformation as the previously mentioned meal tray, with a strip of stainless steel in order to hermetically seal the entrance to the oven, once the movement mechanism will have made it penetrate.

 Cooking or defrosting by microwave, not allowing to restore a browned and au gratin product, the wave propulsion oven can be equipped with a grill, to finish the gratinating, as already exists in a microwave oven. trade waves.

 A second variant allows gratinating which is located outside the refrigerated enclosure so as not to compromise the internal refrigeration zone.

 This gratinating is carried out when the tray is evacuated by an infrared burner device allowing rapid action.

 These infrared burners are located under the closing flap of each shelf of meal trays.

The opening of each flap is controlled by an articulated wheelhouse and connected to the movement mechanism Eu platform, whose movement for evacuation is simultaneous with the opening of the flap which is kept horizontal for gratinating by infrared. These are retracted when the shutter closes.

 A hinged cover, located on each shelf opening flap, protects the user during the operation of the infrared burners.

 The shutter opening linkage includes a safety device mounted on dampers to allow adjustment of the opening control of each shutter.

Being connected to the movement mechanism of the plate and after the introduction of the latter, it keeps the shutter closed so that the user cannot open it without having been controlled by a coin mechanism or the like.

In the attached drawings given by way of non-limiting examples of the embodiments of the invention:
~ Figure 1 shows the device in section as a whole seen from the side.

 ~ the exploded view of Figure 2 shows the same device as Figure 1 but having individual heating boxes for each shelf.

 ~ Figure 2 shows the section from above of the device in one of the variants with horizontal displacement.

 ~ in Figure 3 are shown: in A drawer-support-dish and in B a meal tray, with their thermal barrier.

 ~ Figure 4 shows an exploded view, a tray introduced into the microwave for reheating.

 The exploded view of FIG. 5 shows a variant of the device, with a heating box per shelf.

 ~ In Figure 6 is shown another variant with provision for insertion into the device storage turnstile.

 In FIG. 1, the refrigerated enclosure 1 for storing the meal trays 2 and the heating zone 3 with the box 4 of horizontal translation are shown, in which the microwave oven 5 moves vertically.

The motorized ball screw 6 allows this horizontal movement of the assembly: box 4 and oven 5. At the base of the device are arranged the grid and its aeration filter 8 and the turbine 9. The upper tangential turbine 10 discharges the calories outside the box 4 by the hatch 11 opened by the lug 12. The tensioner cable 13 of the reel 14 allows the recall of the accordion bellows 15 which passes through a coil 16 for cleaning the bellows 15. The shutters 17 of each shelf 18 have infrared burners 19, as well as a hinged protective cover 20.

 FIG. 2 has three storage columns 21 arranged side by side, each with a meal tray 2 awaiting storage in the refrigerated zone 1. Each tray 2 has its thermal barrier 22 which engages in the notch 23 on the periphery oven 5 for cooking or reheating.

The movement mechanism 24 of each plate, is synchronized with the wheelhouse 25 with dampers 25 'for the opening of the flap 17, under which is housed the infrared burner 19. In the heating zone 3, the ball screw 6 and its motor 7 allows the translation of the box 4 and the heating oven 5.

The hatch 11 is opened by the passage of the horizontal translation of the box 4 by means of a lug 12, the tangential turbine 10 motorized, is triggered simultaneously to evacuate the calories out of the device.

 In A and B of Figure 3 we can see a dish-support drawer 26 and a meal tray 2 each introduced into the oven 5, their thermal barrier 22 is engaged in the notch 23 of the periphery of the oven.

The movement and maintenance of the closing of the oven is carried out by the movement mechanism 24.

 In FIG. 4, the box 4 has come to be positioned facing a storage column 21, the meal tray 2 is introduced into the oven 5 by the movement mechanism 24.

The thermal barrier 22 is positioned in the notch 23 of the oven 5.

 The variant of FIG. 5 shows a mini-oven 27 for each shelf 18 with a meal tray 2; each of these mini-ovens has its own thermal energy 28. It is no longer necessary here for vertical or horizontal translation.

However, the introduction and evacuation of the meal tray 2 is still carried out by the movement mechanism 24.

 The other variant of FIG. 6 shows a turnstile 29, with two storage columns 21, arranged in opposite directions. They pivot on a motorized central axis 30, to position themselves facing the box 4 and the thermal oven 5 of the heating zone 3 which it does not pivot, because only the refrigerated part 1 is pivoting.

The reheating oven 5 then moves vertically to appear in front of the selected plate.

 However, the shapes, dimensions, arrangements and the means used to produce the device which has just been described may vary within the limit of equivalents.

Claims (2)

CLAIMS 1 ") Device for storing, cooking or reheating selectable meals, characterized in that the refrigerated zone (1) constitutes a turnstile (29) whose columns (21) for storing meal trays (2) are placed opposite and come to pivot about a motorized central axis (30) (31) to position itself facing the fixed heating zone (3), at the time of reheating.  20) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the heating zone (3) consists of as many mini-ovens (27) as shelves (18) of a storage column (21-) with trays- meal - (2). '  30) Device according to claim 2, characterized in that each of the mini-ovens (27) is equipped with its thermal energy (28) for reheating the meal tray (2) introduced.