GB2256266A - Display cabinets - Google Patents

Abstract

Refrigeration apparatus for food display cabinets comprises generating means for generating a supply of cold air, a container (2) for containing food and cold air-directing means for directing cold air from the generating means onto food located in said container, the directing means being such that cold air is directed from above onto food located in said container. The cold air may fall under gravity. The food may be disposed in containers (30) located on shelves (27). <IMAGE>

Description

REFRIGERAIION APPARATUS This invention relates to refrigeration apparatus.

Current food retailing legislation dictates that food displayed for sale is maintained below 80c or below 50c in the case of special foods. There are two main types of refrigerated display cabinets in use. The first is a cupboard-style cabinet with glass doors which may be opened to remove refrigerated food. The second is an open-topped refrigerated chest at the bottan of which lies cold air and fran which the refrigerated food may be lifted out. It is custanary to place enclosures around the chest above the opening in order to reduce the currents of warm air flowing over the chest.

Such enclosures may take the form of a back with side wings or a glass enclosure built around the bottan of the chest and carried above the chest top as a shelf.

Both of the above arrangements are unsuitable for use in situations where customers are required to serve themselves fran containers which should be openly displayed and easily accessible, for example in the salad bars now commonly found in restaurants and supermarkets.

It is an abject of the present invention to provide improved refrigeration apparatus.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided refrigeration apparatus which apparatus coMprises generating means for generating a supply of cold air, a container for containing food and cold air directing means for directing cold air fran the generating means onto food located in said container, the directing means being such that cold air is directed fram above on to food located in said container.

In a sinple embodiment of the present invention the cold air generating means may be located above said container and cold air fran said generating means may be caused to travel under the influence of gravity onto food within said container.

Other embodiments may include a support surface for a said container and, located above said support surface a plenum chamber in communication with said cold air generating means to receive said cold air. Said plenum chamber is provided on its under side with one or more apertures ar nozzles for delivering cold air fran said plenum chamber fran above onto food within said container.

Alternatively the support surface for the said container may be provided as the upper surface of a plenum chamber for receiving cold air from said cold air generating means. In such a case directing means may comprise one or more apertures in the upper surface of the plenum chamber and baffle means for deflecting cold air passing from said plenum chamber out of said aperture(s) onto food within a said container fran above.

In another aspect of the present invention there is provided refigerating apparatus for food, which apparatus comprises a refrigerator for providing cold air, a support for supporting a plurality of containers for food, a plurality of containers of food supported by said support and means for directing cold air from said refrigerator to inpinge fran above as respective individual air streams on respective ones of said containers of food.

Preferably said means comprise individual air outlet nozzles associated with individual ones of said containers of food.

In a first preferred aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container having an open tap, a jacket member having a cold air inlet which jacket member at least partially surrounds the food container, a cold air conduit carprising a cavity between the container and the jacket member and means for delivering cold air from cold air generating means, via said cavity and into the open tcp of the food container.

The cold air inlet may comprise an aperture in the base of the jacket member.

The means far delivering cold air fran the cavity into the open top of the food container may comprise an annular opening defined between the tap of the food container and the jacket mEmber and deflecting means for deflecting the cold air from the opening into the open tap of the food container.

The jacket member may include a baffle which baffle may comprise the deflecting means.

The baffle may include a lip extending inwardly over the apening.

The lip may be detachable fran the jacket member.

According to a second preferred aspect of the invention there is provided food cooling means comprising a cold air source and a plenum for containing cold air, the plenum including a surface for supporting a jacketed container as defined hereinbefore and said surface having a cold air outlet to provide cold air to a said cavity of a said jacketed container.

The cold air outlet may contain means for obturating the cold air outlet.

The means for obturating the cold air outlet may comprise resiliently biased means.

According to a third preferred aspect of the invention there is provided refrigeration apparatus comprising in combinatio,n a jacket member and food cooling means, each as hereinbefore defined.

The cold air outlet of the food cooling means may be positioned directly beneath the cold air inlet of the jacket member.

Ehtodintnts of the invention will nsw be described, by way of example only, by reference to the accomçanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are elevational views in cross section of jacketed containers in accordance with the invention.

Figure 3 is an elevational view in cross section of food cooling means in accordance with the invention; Figures 4 and 5 are elevational views in cross section of first embodiments of refrigeration apparatus in accordance with the invention: Figure 6 illustrates diagramatically a second embodiment of refrigeration apparatus according to the present invention.

Figure 7 illustrates diagramatically a third embodiment of refrigeration apparatus according to the present invention; and Figure 8 illustrates diagramatically a further embodiment of refrigeration apparatus according to the present invention.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, the jacketed container 1 according to the present invention comprises a food container 2 having an open top 3, a jacket meeker 4 which has an annular aperture 5 in its base and which partially surrounds the food container 2 and is separated fran it by the cavity 6.

There is an opening 7 between the top 3 of the food container 2 and the jacket member 4 through which cold air leaves the cavity 6 and is deflected downwards by the fixed lip 8 extending inwardly over the opening 7. The fixed lip 8 co-operates with a lower lip 9 of the jacket member to form a baffle which controls cold air movement and directs it horizontally across the tcp 3 of the food container 2. Cold air will then fall into the food container 2 and chill the food in the container. The jacketed container 1 may also have a detachable lip 10 which may be detached to allow easy removal of the food container. If the lip is not detachable as in Figure 1 then the clearance W at the opening 7 is sufficient to allow for ease of removal of the bowl.

Food cooling means 11 comprises a cold air source 12 and a plenum 13 for containing cold air. A surface 14 of the plenum 13 is shown for supporting a jacketed container 1 and the surface contains a cold air outlet 15 for supplying cold air through annular aperture 5 to the cavity 6 of the jacketed container 1. The cold air outlet 15 incorporates a spring-loaded valve meeer 16 which acts to obturate the outlet 15 when no jacketed container is supported by the surface 14.

Refrigeration apparatus 17 comprises a jacketed container 1 and food cooling means 11 in combination. The cold air outlet 15 is positioned directly beneath the annular aperture 5 of the jacket member 4 so that cold air flows directly from the outlet 15 into the aperture 5, through the cavity 6 and opening 7 and onto the open top of the food container 2.

Referring now to Figure 6 of the arxccrpanying drawings, there is shown a sample embxdinent of refrigeration apparatus according to the present invention. A shelf unit 18 is provided a refrigerator 19 for generating cold air, with vertically spaced shelves 20, 21 and with a base 22. Cold air generated by refrigerator 19 is arranged to fall under the influence of gravity onto shelf 20 where it will cool food in containers (not shown) located thereupon.

Shelf 20 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 23 through which cold air fran refrigerator 19 can pass to cool food in containers (not shown) supported on shelf 21. Shelf 21 is provided with a slot 24 through which cold air fran refrigerator 19 can pass to cool food in containers (not shown) located on base 22.

An advantage of this embodiment of refrigeration apparatus is that it can be disguised to resemble a more or less conventional Welsh dresser, or other conventional piece of furniture. Such a disguise enables the refigeration apparatus to blend more easily with its surroundings say in a traditional restaurant, where a "high tech" appearance would be inappropriate.

Referring now to Figure 7 of the accarpanying drawings there is shown refrigeration apparatus 25. The apparatus includes a vertically extending hollaw back 26 communicating internally with a refrigerator and fan (not shown) and with hollow shelves 27. Each shelf 27 is provided in its under surface 28 with a slot 29. Thus, cold air fran the refrigerator is blown upwardly in hollow back 26 and passed into the interiors of shelves 27. Fran there it passes downwardly through slots 29 and impinges upon food in containers 30 located on the said shelves.

Finally, referring to Figure 8 of the acscEFanying drawings, there is shown refrigeration apparatus 37; This includes a plenum 31 provided with a slot 32 in its upper surface 33 and with air-directing surfaces 34, 35. Plenum 31 is fed with cold air from a refrigerator (not shown) by means of a fan (not shown). Cold air passes fran the plenum 31 and out of slot 32. The cold air is then directed by surfaces 34, 35 to impinge fran above on food in containers 36 located on upper surface 33 of plenum 31.

The present invention provides refrigerating apparatus for food, e.g. in salad bars and buffets in commercial establishments which can rteet the requirements of forthcoming legislation whilst at the same time providing an attractive appearance.

Claims (20)

1. Refrigeration apparatus comprising generating means

for generating a supply of cold air, a container for containing food and cold air-directing means for directing cold air from the generating means onto food located in said container, the directing means being such that cold air is directed from above on to food located in said container.

2. Refrigeration apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the cold air generating means is located above said container and cold air from said generating means is caused to travel under the influence of gravity onto food within said container.

3. Refrigeration apparatus according to Claim 1, which includes a support surface for said container and, located above said support surface, a plenum chamber in communication with said cold air generating means to receive said cold air, said plenum chamber being provided on its under side with one or more apertures or nozzles for delivering cold air from said plenum chamber from above onto food located within said container.

4. Refrigeration apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the support surface for the said container is provided as the upper surface of a plenum chamber for receiving cold air from said cold air generating means.

5. Refrigeration apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein the directing means comprises one or more apertures in the upper surface of the plenum chamber and baffle means for deflecting cold air passing from said plenum chamber out of said aperture(s) onto food located within said container from above.

6. Refrigeration apparatus according to Claim 1, which includes a container having an open top, a jacket member having a cold air inlet which jacket member at least partially surrounds the food container, a cold air conduit defined by a cavity between the container and the jacket member and means for delivering cold air from cold air generating means, via said cavity and into the open top of the food container.

7. Refrigeration apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein the cold air inlet comprises an aperture in the base of the jacket member.

8. Refrigeration apparatus according to Claim 6, or 7, wherein the means for delivering cold air from the cavity into the open top of the food container comprises an annular opening defined between the top of the food container and the jacket member and deflecting means for deflecting the cold air from the opening into the open top of the food container.

9. Refrigeration apparatus according to any one of Claims 6 to 8, wherein the jacket member includes a baffle.

10. Refrigeration apparatus according to Claim 9 when dependent upon Claim 8, wherein the baffle comprises the deflecting means.

11. Refrigeration apparatus according to Claim 9 or 10, wherein the baffle includes a lip extending inwardly over the opening.

12. Refrigeration apparatus according to Claim 11, wherein the lip is detachable inwardly over the opening.

13. Refrigeration apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein there is provided food cooling means comprising a cold air source and a plenum for containing cold air, a jacket member having a cold air inlet which jacket member at least partially surrounds the food container and a cold air conduit defined by a cavity between the container and the jacket member, the plenum including a surface for supporting the said jacketed container and said surface being a cold air outlet to provide cold air to the cold air conduit of said jacketed container.

14. Refrigeration apparatus according to Claim 13, wherein the cold air outlet contains means for obturating the cold air outlet.

15. Refrigeration apparatus according to Claim 14, wherein said means for obturating the cold air outlet comprises resiliently biased means.

16. Refrigeration apparatus according to any one of Claims 6 to 15, wherein the cold air outlet of the food cooling means is positioned directly beneath the cold air inlet of the jacket member.

17. Refrigeration apparatus for food, which apparatus comprises a refrigerator for providing cold air, a support for supporting a plurality of containers for food, a plurality of containers for food supported by said support and air-direction means for directing cold air from said refrigerator to impinge from above as respective individual air streams on respective ones of said containers of food.

18. Refrigeration apparatus according to Claim 17, wherein said air-direction means comprise individual air outlet nozzles associated with individual ones of said containers of food.

19. Refrigeration apparatus for food, substantially as hereinbefore described, or with reference to any one of Figures 1 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

20. The features hereinbefore disclosed, or their equivalents, in any novel selection.