FR3111530A3 - HYGIENIC COVER OF A BUFFET TROLLEY - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention proposes a hygienic lid of a buffet trolley for the self-service of dishes and food products being a vertically movable glass lid (1) arranged above the body of the buffet (3) by means of a system bearing (2). The cover is equipped with a contactless control system of the rolling system which comprises at least one optoelectronic sensor (4) for raising the cover to an upper open position, for issuing and detecting the interruption of the light beam emitted by it induced by the movement of an individual's hand and for its descent to the lower closing position by the system of presence sensors (5) connected with optoelectronic sensors to an electronic switching circuit ( 6) of the power supply of the electric drive (7) of the rolling system of the glass cover. Figure for abstract: 2

Description

HYGIENIC LID OF A BUFFET TROLLEY

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to the field of hygienic lids of buffet trolleys for the self-service of dishes and food products.

The invention relates more particularly to a hygienic glass lid, arranged above the body of the buffet trolley, movable between an open position and a closed position by means of a rolling system.

Technical background

Buffet trolleys for the self-service of different dishes and food products are increasingly used in catering companies, including hotels, at buffets or receptions, and possibly also in large shopping centers etc.

The upper parts of the buffet trolleys where the food products are placed are generally equipped with transparent and mobile sneeze guards, also called bells or lids, for hygienic reasons. The lids are most often made of glass to allow self-service use.

An example of such a glass cover is the hygienic cover of buffet trolleys described by patent CZ 307685 which consists of a vertically movable glass cover which is arranged in a frame superstructure by means of its rolling system, the cover being arranged above the space of the buffet trolley containing dishes or food products. The rolling system of the glass cover is formed by at least a pair of carriages arranged symmetrically, and equipped with wheels mounted obliquely, resting with adjustable pressure on the inclined moving surfaces of their vertical moving paths and which are at the same time hitched by the system of transfer rollers by at least one cable. This type of buffet trolleys are for example buffets with an offer of different kinds of salads for example, as well as buffet trolleys for the self-service of hot dishes.

In the case of refrigerated buffet trolleys, an example is described by utility model CZ 31154, the refrigerated buffet trolley consists of an outer casing in which an upper space with an open cooling bath is arranged, under which is arranged a lower cooling space for the storage of food products in at least one recloseable refrigerated compartment. The upper space with the open cooling bath and the lower cooling space are interconnected by the circulation vents to circulate the cooling fluid between these two spaces formed in their partition which separates them, and a common evaporator with a fan for simultaneous cooling of both spaces to the same temperature is under the open cooling bath in the upper space of the outer cabinet on the bulkhead.

In the case of buffet trolleys for the self-service of hot dishes, an example is described by the utility model CZ 32388, the buffet trolley consists of an outer casing in which is arranged above, at least one bath heated with a bain-marie to store gourmet stainless steel containers with different dishes. At least one fan is arranged under the heating bath in the outer casing and air slots are formed around the housing of the heating bath in the outer casing to guide the airflow generated by the fan to the lower surface of the hygienic lid glass in its lower closed position which prevents the formation of fog. Furthermore, the hygienic glass lid can be equipped under this lower surface with at least one infrared heater for heating the space above the heating bath in the upper open position of the hygienic glass lid.

For the handling of these hygienic glass lids in the case of refrigerated buffet trolleys as well as in the case of buffet trolleys for the self-service of hot dishes, the hygienic lids are generally equipped with handles to facilitate their handling and counterweights to balance at least partially their weight. But such manipulation represents a risk of transmission of communicable diseases, especially in the event of an epidemic.

According to the above-mentioned patent CZ 307685, there is also a solution that the buffet trolley is equipped with a frame superstructure with the rolling system of the glass cover of the buffet trolley equipped with a sensor for detection the movement of people in the self-service area of the goods on offer and for the automatic opening and closing of the glass cover by means of electric propulsion. However, this type of solution can have malfunctions causing the glass lid to open undesiredly when potential customers or other random people pass by or only look at the products offered in the buffet trolley.

The disadvantages of the known technical state are largely eliminated by the presence of a hygienic lid in buffet trolleys for self-service of dishes and food products. The hygienic lid according to the invention is composed of a vertically movable glass lid, placed above the body of the sideboard by means of a rolling system according to the invention. The essence of this technical solution lies in the fact that the mobile glass cover is equipped with the contactless control of its rolling system intended to lift the glass cover to the upper open position by means of at least one optoelectronic sensor to the emission and detection of the interruption of the light beam that it emits by the movement of the hand, and for its descent downwards in the lower closed position, by a system of presence sensors that register the presence and the movement individuals near the buffet cart. The optoelectronic sensors as well as the presence sensors are connected to the electronic switching circuit of the power supply for the electric drive of the glass cover rolling system.

Generally, especially for one-sided buffet trolleys, it is common to use an optoelectronic sensor whose beam is directed towards a freely accessible location and for example designated by a sticker with the hand of an individual. When the individual's hand is over this location, the emitted optoelectronic beam is then interrupted, and subsequently the electrical propulsion of the vertically movable glass cover rolling system lifts the glass cover to its upper open position and holds it there. in this position until the presence sensors detect no presence of an individual near the buffet trolley. The glass lid then returns to its lower closed position spontaneously due to gravitational forces, while the electric propulsion only provides control and brakes its downward downward movement at optimum speed.

In the case of bilateral buffet trolleys, it is of course more suitable to arrange the optoelectronic sensors and the presence sensors on each of the two sides.

The essence of the technical solution also lies in the fact that the electronic switching circuit of the power supply of the system of the electric propulsion of the glass cover is formed by the control unit of the electric propulsion which is connected to sensors optoelectronics, this control unit is also connected to the control unit itself connected to a system of presence sensors. The advantage of such a solution is the fact that the circuit for electronic switching from power supply to electric propulsion of the rolling system of the vertically movable glass cover is additionally equipped with at least one safety sensor provided for to stop the movement of the glass cover and to guide its movement in the opposite direction, also connected to the control unit of the electric propulsion in order to avoid damage to the individual parts of the hygienic cover and above all to prevent possible accidents.

The essence of the technical solution also resides in the fact that the electric propulsion of the rolling system of the glass cover preferably includes an electromechanical linear actuator.

The hygienic lid of buffet trolleys for the self-service of different dishes and food products according to the invention therefore represents a further improvement of similar buffet trolleys and their lids, allowing both their opening and closing control without contact by the user and also a certain simplification of their construction. Indeed, due to the purely electric propulsion, it is omitted for example the need to use electromagnets to hold the glass cover in its upper open position or also the need to achieve an optimal balancing of its weight by means of the counterweights balancing.

Brief description of figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear during the reading of the detailed description which will follow for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

- the is a perspective view of a complete buffet trolley equipped with a hygienic cover according to the invention.

- the is a perspective view of the hygienic lid of the in a so-called disassembled state;

- the is a block diagram of the contactless control of the hygienic cover according to the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

The hygienic cover of the buffet trolley for the self-service of dishes and food products according to figures 1 and 2 is formed by the body of the buffet 3, which in this particular example is equipped with an upper frame superstructure 9, in which the glass cover is mounted vertically movable by means of a non-contact 2 bearing system 1. The superstructure of the upper frame 9 consists of two side ribs 10 and an upper connecting crosspiece 11.

The glass cover 1 as shown in is provided on its outer surface in its central part and on each of the two sides, with a sticker marking the location 12 which delimits the space for contactless control of the movement of the glass cover 1, and on the underside of the upper connecting crosspiece 11 of the upper frame superstructure 9, an optoelectronic sensor 4 is arranged on each of two longitudinal sides and is provided for the emission and detection of the interruption of the light beam emitted by the latter in the direction of these designated spaces 4 by the fixed locations for activating the movement of the glass cover 1 upwards. In addition, the upper connecting crosspiece 11 of the upper frame superstructure 9 is equipped with a system of four ultrasonic presence sensors on the two longest sides in an embodiment 5 for the activation of the movement of the lid glass 1 in the downward direction.

As indicated at the , the roller system 2 of the vertically movable cover 1 is formed by two roller carriages 2.4, connected by a vertical guide slot 10.1 formed in the side ribs 10 of the upper frame superstructure 9 by means of the plastic side supports (not shown) with a glass cover 1. The rolling carriages 2.4 are coupled in their movement to each other via the upper connecting crosspiece 11 of the upper frame superstructure 9 and the system of rollers of 2.2 transfer by means of a steel cable 2.1 at the free end of which is placed a balancing weight 2.3 with adjustable weight, allowing the movement of the glass cover downwards by gravity. It is in fact a bearing system 2 which is already known from the booklet mentioned above CZ 307685 and which is equipped here with an electric propulsion 7 formed by an electromechanical actuator housed in the upper connecting crosspiece 11 of the upper frame superstructure 9 and controlling the movement of the steel cable 2.1.

As depicted at , the balancing weight 2.3 is equipped with a safety sensor 8 to stop the movement of the glass cover 1 and to guide its movement in the opposite direction.

As shown in , the electric drive 7 of the rolling system 2 of the glass cover 1 is provided with an electronic switching circuit 6 of the DC power supply which is formed by the control unit 6.1 of the electric drive 7 which is connected to the optoelectronic sensors 4, and this control unit 6.1 is also connected on the one hand with the control unit 6.2 itself connected to the system of ultrasonic presence sensors 5 and on the other hand to a safety sensor 8 for stop the movement of the glass cover 1 and guide its movement in the opposite direction.

In this particular embodiment of the hygienic lid according to the invention, it is arranged on the cooling buffet trolley according to the utility model CZ 31154 mentioned above, however it can also be used with other buffet trolleys similar designed for self-service hot meals. In general, the contactless control system of the hygienic lid according to the invention can be used with some modifications in order to be adapted to other architectures of buffet trolleys for self-service and their mobile lids.

LEGEND:
1: glass cover
2: rolling system
2.1: cable
2.2: transfer roller
2.3: balance weight
2.4: trolley
3: sideboard body
4: optoelectronic sensor
5: presence sensor
6: electronic switching circuit
6.1: control unit
6.2: control unit
7: electric drive
8: safety sensor
9: upper frame superstructure
10: lateral rib
10.1: guide slot
11: upper connecting crosspiece
12: fixed location

Claims (4)

Hygienic lid of a buffet trolley for the self-service of dishes and food products being a vertically movable glass lid (1) arranged above the body of the buffet (3) by means of a rolling system (2) ,
characterized in that it is equipped with a contactless control system of the rolling system (2) which comprises at least one optoelectronic sensor (4) for the raising of the movable glass cover (1) in an upper position of opening, for the emission and detection of the interruption of the light beam emitted by the latter induced by the movement of the hand of an individual and for its descent into the lower closing position by the system of presence sensors (5 ) connected with optoelectronic sensors (4) to an electronic switching circuit (6) of the power supply of the electric propulsion (7) of the rolling system (2) of the glass cover (1). Hygienic cover of a buffet trolley for the self-service of dishes and foodstuffs according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronic switching circuit (6) of the power supply of the electric drive (7) of the bearing (2) of the vertically movable glass cover (1) is formed by the control unit (6.1) of the electric propulsion (7) which is connected to optoelectronic sensors (4), said control unit (6.1) being connected to the control unit (6.2) itself connected to the presence sensor system (5). Hygienic lid of a buffet trolley for the self-service of dishes and foodstuffs according to claim 2, characterized in that the electronic switching circuit (6) of the power supply of the electric drive (7) of the bearing (2) of the vertically movable glass cover (1) is further equipped with at least one safety sensor (8) to stop the movement of the glass cover (1) and to guide its movement in an opposite direction, connected to the control unit (6.1) of the electric drive (7). Hygienic lid of a buffet trolley according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electric drive (7) of the rolling system (2) of the glass lid (1) is formed by an electromechanical linear actuator.