GB2475390A

GB2475390A - Air extraction system with an adjustable frame

Info

Publication number: GB2475390A
Application number: GB1018662A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bill Seddon
Original assignee: SM CONTRACT SERVICES Ltd; VENTILATION DESIGN SERVICES Ltd
Current assignee: SM CONTRACT SERVICES Ltd; VENTILATION DESIGN SERVICES Ltd
Priority date: 2009-11-05
Filing date: 2010-11-05
Publication date: 2011-05-18
Anticipated expiration: 2030-11-05
Also published as: GB201018662D0; GB2475390B

Abstract

An extractor system 17 for use with a portable catering facility 3 in an enclosed area 11 (e.g. a temporary structure such as a tent or marquee) has an adjustable fame 19 that supports a canopy 33 having an air inlet 39 within the area 11 and an exhaust outlet 27 externally of the area 11. The canopy 33 can be detachably cantilevered from support arms 37, and have telescopic arms 37 and legs 21 or pivoted for adjustment to the vertical and/or horizontal position of the canopy 33 within the area 11. The fame can be within the area 11 (fig 4), and the exhaust can be horizontal (figs 2 and 4) or vertical. The system can have a variable speed fan 25 and filter 41, and a modular range of canopies.

Description

EXTRACTOR SYSTEM

This invention relates to an extractor system. The invention has particular, but not exclusive, application to an extractor system for enclosed areas including, but not limited to, temporary structures such as tents and marquees. More especially, the invention concerns an extractor system for use with a portable catering facility for food preparation and cooking within such temporary structures.

Catering facilities at outdoor venues such as the provision of corporate hospitality at sporting events has typically involved food preparation and cooking off site requiring minimal equipment at the venue itself for storing the food and, if necessary, warming the food prior to serving.

With the growth in corporate hospitality in particular, the range and quality of food that can be served is an important factor in the marketing of events and there is an increasing demand to be able to provide food preparation and/or food cooking on site to a high standard.

This requires a portable catering facility providing food preparation areas and cooking equipment such as ovens, multi-ring cooker hobs and boilers which usually run on bottled gas such as propane that avoids the need for mains gas or electricity supplies. Such portable facilities are usually housed within a temporary structure such as a tent that can be put up and taken down relatively easily and protects staff and equipment from wind and rain.

There is a need with such facilities to ensure adequate ventilation within the temporary structure to protect the area surrounding the cooking equipment from air borne contamination and to make the area tolerable for staff to work in by reducing build-up of heat and removing undesirable products of the cooking process such as odours, steam, and grease laden air and any potentially harmful gases and fumes such as carbon monoxide.

The present invention has been made from a consideration of the foregoing.

It is a preferred object of the invention to provide an extractor system for use with a portable catering facility for food preparation and cooking within an enclosed area.

It is a further preferred object of the invention to provide an extractor system that can be adapted for use with different sizes and types of portable catering facilities for food preparation and cooking within an enclosed area.

It is another preferred object of the invention to provide an extractor system for a temporary structure such as a tent or marquee housing a portable catering facility.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an extractor system for use with a portable catering facility in an enclosed area, the system including a frame supporting a canopy having an inlet for air extracted from within the enclosed area and an outlet for exhausting extracted air externally of the enclosed area, wherein the position of the canopy within the enclosed area is adjustable.

Preferably, the frame and canopy are free standing and self supporting independently of the enclosed area and/or catering facility.

Preferably, the frame is configured to allow the canopy to be raised and lowered relative to cooking equipment.

The frame may comprise a tower having support legs that are adjustable to accommodate unevenness in the surface on which the frame is located as well as allowing adjustment to the vertical position of the canopy. The support legs may be telescopic.

Preferably, the canopy is attached to support arms extending from the tower.

The support arms may be adjustable to allow adjustment to the horizontal position of the canopy. The support arms may be telescopic.

Preferably, an extractor fan is provided in an exhaust duct connected to the canopy to extract air from within the enclosed area and discharge the extracted air to atmosphere externally of the enclosed area.

The outlet may be provided by the exhaust duct and may be arranged to discharge extracted air vertically or horizontally.

The extractor fan may be a variable speed fan.

Preferably, one or more filters are provided in the air flow path between the inlet and outlet for removing products of the cooking process and/or the combustion process from the extracted air before it is discharged to atmosphere.

The canopy may be detachable and a range of canopies of different sizes and/or shapes may be provided for selection and fitment of the appropriate canopy for a particular application.

Alternatively, or additionally the canopy may be modular. The canopy may comprise a main canopy and one or more auxiliary canopies whereby the size and/or shape of the canopy may be altered by adding one or more auxiliary canopies. Where provided additional auxiliary canopies may be fitted without changing the frame and/or existing canopy.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an enclosed area for a catering facility provided with an extractor system according to the previous aspect of the invention.

The enclosed area may be a temporary structure such as a tent or marquee.

The catering facility may comprise equipment for cooking food and optionally at least one area for preparing food.

The cooking equipment may run on gas, typically bottled gas such as propane.

The canopy is preferably positioned above the cooking equipment to capture the products of the cooking process and/or the combustion process.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of an extractor system according to the invention; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side view showing a modification to the extractor system of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic front view showing a modification to the extractor systems of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a side view of another extractor system according to the invention; and Figure 5 shows a detail of the support frame shown in Figure 4.

Referring first to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a temporary structure 1 such as a tent or marquee in which a portable catering facility 3 for food preparation and cooking is provided. The structure 1 has a floor 5, wall 7 and a roof 9 defining an enclosed area 11.

The catering facility 3 includes food preparation areas (not shown) and cooking equipment including, but not limited to a hob range 13 with burner rings (not shown) and an oven 15. The cooking equipment is located adjacent to the wall 7 within the structure 1.

An extractor system 17 for use with the structure 1 is shown and includes a free-standing frame 19 located outside the structure 1 adjacent to the wall 7 opposite the location of the cooking equipment.

The frame 19 comprises an open tower of rectangular shape in plan view and has a support leg 21 (two only shown) at each corner. The tower may have other shapes and is not limited to rectangular. The frame 19 may be made of galvanised steel or other suitable material.

Mounted at the upper end of the frame 19 is an exhaust duct 23 housing an extractor fan 25 and having an outlet opening 27 arranged to discharge air vertically. A cowl 29 prevents rain, snow, leaves or the like entering the exhaust duct 23.

The exhaust duct 23 is connected through an opening 31 in the wall 7 of the structure 1 to a canopy 33 positioned within the structure 1 above the cooking equipment. The canopy 33 may be made of stainless steel or any other suitable material.

The canopy 33 is attached by brackets 35 to support arms 37 (one only shown) that extend horizontally from the top of the frame 19 through the opening 31. The brackets 35 may allow the canopy 33 to be detached from the support arms 37. The support arms 37 may be cantilever support arms.

The support legs 21 are adjustable lengthwise to accommodate unevenness of the ground on which the frame 19 is positioned and/or to provide adjustment of the height of the support arms 37 and thus the vertical position of the canopy 33 relative to the cooking equipment. The support legs may be telescopic to provide infinite length adjustment.

The support arms 37 may be adjustable to accommodate different wall thicknesses and/or to provide adjustment of the length of the arms 33 and thus the horizontal position of the canopy 33 relative to the cooking equipment. The support arms may be telescopic to provide infinite length adjustment.

The canopy 33 has an inlet opening 39 arranged to extract air from within the structure 1 as indicated by the arrows in response to operation of the extractor fan 25. The fan speed may be variable to adjust the air flow to alter rate of air extraction according to requirements.

Fan speed may be adjusted by a suitable control (not shown) located, for example, on the canopy 33. The extractor fan 25 may be a multi-speed fan having two or more fixed speeds or a continuously adjustable speed fan providing incremental adjustment between upper and lower speeds.

The extractor fan 25 is chosen to provide a face velocity sufficient to capture air from the area below the canopy 33 so that the products from the cooking process such as odours, steam, grease vapour as well as potentially hazardous combustion products from the cooking equipment such as carbon monoxide are largely discharged to atmosphere externally of the enclosed area 11 rather than accumulating within the enclosed area 11 where they may give rise to a health risk to staff working in the catering facility 3.

The capture velocity may be designed to ensure a substantially even distribution of air across the face of the canopy 33 and may be selected to accommodate variations in the height of the canopy 33 relative to the cooking equipment and/or variations in the type or size of the cooking equipment.

By way of non limiting example only, the capture velocity may be in the range 0.15 to 0.50 metres/second, more preferably around 0.35 metres/second suitable for cooking equipment such as deep fat fryers, bratt pans, solid and open top ranges and griddles.

The canopy 33 is provided with one or more filters 41 to remove undesirable products of the cooking process and/or of the combustion process carried in the air extracted from within the enclosed area 11 50 that filtered clean air is discharged to atmosphere from the exhaust duct 23.

The filters 41 may be of any suitable type arranged in the airflow to remove the desired contaminant. In one arrangement, two baffle filters are provided comprised of interlocking vanes which, when assembled and fixed within the canopy 33, form a two-pass grease removal device.

The exhaust duct 23 may be provided with an outlet (not shown) that can be opened and closed to drain any liquid or other material collecting in the exhaust duct 23.

Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a modification to the extractor system of Figure 1 in which like reference numerals are used to indicate corresponding parts. In this embodiment, the exhaust duct 23 is arranged to discharge extracted air horizontally. An angled cover 43 may serve to reduce the risk of rain or snow entering the duct 23 and a grille (not shown may be located within the outlet opening to prevent leaves or other air borne material entering the duct 23. In other respects the construction and operation of this embodiment is similar to that of Figure 1 and will be

understood from the description thereof

As will be appreciated from the description of Figures 1 and 2, the frame 19 and canopy 33 of the extractor system are free standing and self-supporting allowing the extractor system to be installed independently of the temporary structure 1 and catering facilities provided within the temporary structure 1. Additionally, the position of the canopy 33 can be adjusted allowing the extractor system to be adapted for use with different installations.

The canopy 33 may comprise a single section or unit having a size and shape appropriate to the layout of the cooking equipment. Alternatively, the canopy 33 may be a modular design that can be adapted to suit different layouts of the cooking equipment.

Figure 3 shows a modular canopy design comprising a main canopy section 33a and two auxiliary canopy sections 33b, 33c arranged in line to extend across a double oven 15 and two hob ranges 13a, 13b. Each canopy section 33a, 33b, 33c has two rectangular air inlet openings 39a, 39b although it will be understood the number size and shape of the inlet openings may be altered.

The main canopy section 33a is supported by the frame and may be detachable. The auxiliary canopy sections 33b, 33c are attached on either side of the main canopy section 33a and are attached by brackets 45 to a transverse rail 47 mounted on the cantilever support arms 37. The auxiliary canopy sections 33b, 33c are preferably detachable to allow the size and shape of the main canopy section 33a to be adapted as required.

The auxiliary canopy sections 33b, 33c increase the surface area of the canopy without change to the frame and main canopy section 33a or the internal structure. Openings (not shown) allow airflow from the auxiliary canopy sections 33b, 33c to the exhaust duct via the main canopy section 33a.

As will be appreciated, the size and/or shape of the main canopy section may be altered by changing the number, size and/or shape of auxiliary canopy sections that are fitted to form a canopy having any desired size and shape. Where provided one or more auxiliary canopy sections may be provided on one or both sides of the main canopy section to form the required canopy.

Changing the size of the canopy may require the extractor fan to be changed although it is preferred that the extractor fan is designed to accommodate different sizes of canopy. Where the size of the canopy is extended by fitting one or more additional canopy sections, the arrangement is preferably designed to achieve an even distribution of air across the whole of the extended canopy to provide efficient and effective operation.

Figures 4 and 5 show another extractor system according to the invention in which like reference numerals are used to indicate parts corresponding to Figures ito 3.

Referring to Figure 4, there is shown a temporary structure 1 such as a tent or marquee in which a portable catering facility 3 for food preparation and cooking is provided. The structure 1 has a floor 5, wall 7 and a roof 9 defining an enclosed area 11.

The catering facility 3 includes food preparation areas (not shown) and cooking equipment indicated generally by reference numeral 13 and which may include, but is not limited to multi-ring cookers, fryers, ovens and the like.

An extractor system 17 for use with the structure 1 is shown and includes a support frame 19 located within the structure 1 between the wall 7 and the cooking equipment 13.

As shown in Figure 5, the frame 19 has two vertical support legs 21 with feet 49 at the lower end and a pair of support arms 37 at the upper end.

The support legs 21 are connected by one or more plates 51 which may allow the spacing between the support legs 21 to be adjusted. The feet 49 extend under the cooking equipment 13 for stability. The position of the feet 49 may be varied to accommodate different types of cooking equipment 13. The frame 19 may be made of galvanised steel or other

suitable material.

A front portion 3?a of the support arms 3? extends forwardly above the cooking equipment 13 and supports a canopy 33 attached to the arms 3? by brackets 35. The canopy 33 may be made of stainless steel or any other suitable material.

A rear portion 3?b of the support arms 3? extends rearwardly to project through an opening 31 in the wall ? of the structure 1 and supports an exhaust duct 23 externally of the structure 1. The exhaust duct 23 houses an extractor fan 25 and has an outlet opening 2? that is the arranged to discharge air horizontally. An angled cover 43 may serve to reduce the risk of rain or snow entering the duct 23 and a grille (not shown may be located within the outlet opening to prevent leaves or other air borne material entering the duct 23. In a modification, the outlet opening 2? may be arranged to discharge air vertically.

The support legs 21 may be adjustable lengthwise to accommodate unevenness of the ground on which the frame 19 is positioned and/or to alter the height of the support arms 3? and thus the vertical position of the canopy 33 relative to the cooking equipment. Alternatively, the support arms 3? may be adjustable lengthwise of the supports legs 21 to vary the vertical position of the canopy 33.

The support arms 3? may be adjustable lengthwise to accommodate different wall thicknesses and/or to alter the length of the arms 33 and thus the horizontal position of the canopy 33 relative to the cooking equipment 13.

The canopy 33 has an inlet opening 39 arranged to extract air from within the structure 1 in response to operation of the extractor fan 25. The fan speed may be variable to adjust the air flow to alter rate of air extraction according to requirements.

The canopy 33 is provided with one or more filters 41 to remove undesirable products of the cooking process and/or of the combustion process carried in the air extracted from within the enclosed area 11 SO that filtered clean air is discharged to atmosphere from the exhaust duct 23.

The exhaust duct 23 may be provided with an outlet (not shown) that can be opened and closed to drain any liquid or other material collecting in the exhaust duct 23. Alternatively, the exhaust duct 23 may extend at a shallow angle to the horizontal so that liquid can flow towards the outlet opening 2?.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments above-described and various modifications can be made without departing from the principle or concept of the invention.

The extractor system may be provided with additional features to adapt the system to different requirements. For example, attenuators may be provided to reduce the noise outlet of the extractor fan.

The canopy may include one or more lights to illuminate the cooking equipment and adjacent food preparation areas. The lights may be operable by controls on the canopy.

The canopy may be detachable allowing canopies of different size and/or different shape to be fitted according to the requirements of the catering facilities, especially the cooking equipment.

The vertical position of the canopy may be adjusted by telescopic adjustment of the support legs of the frame. Alternatively, the support arms for the canopy may be vertically adjustable up and down the frame to adjust the vertical position of the canopy.

The horizontal position of the canopy may be adjusted by telescopic adjustment of the support arms. Alternatively, the canopy may be adjustable along the support arms to adjust the horizontal position.

As well as adjustments to the vertical and/or horizontal position of the canopy, the angular position of the canopy may be adjustable. For example the canopy may be pivotal about a horizontal axis to adjust the angular position.

Although the invention has been described in connection with a tent or marquee, it will be understood that the invention has application to other temporary structures where a catering facility is provided.

Other changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are within the scope of the invention.

It will also be understood that the invention extends to and includes an extractor system employing any feature of the embodiments described herein separately or in combination with any other feature.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An extractor system for use with a portable catering facility in an enclosed area, the system including a frame supporting a canopy having an inlet for air extracted from within the enclosed area and an outlet for exhausting extracted air externally of the enclosed area, wherein the position of the canopy within the enclosed area is adjustable.
2. An extractor system according to claim 1 wherein, the frame and canopy are free standing and self supporting independently of the enclosed area and/or catering facility.
3. An extractor system according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein, the frame is configured to allow the canopy to be raised and lowered relative to cooking equipment.
4. An extractor system according to any preceding claim wherein, the frame has adjustable support legs for adjusting a vertical position of the canopy.
5. An extractor system according to claim 4 wherein, the support legs are telescopic.
6. An extractor system according to any preceding claim wherein, the canopy is attached to cantilever support arms extending from the frame.
7. An extractor system according to claim 6 wherein, the support arms are adjustable for adjusting a horizontal position of the canopy.
8. An extractor system according to claim 7 wherein, the support arms are telescopic.
9. An extractor system according to any preceding claim wherein, an extractor fan is provided in an exhaust duct connected to the canopy to extract air from within the enclosed area and discharge the extracted air to atmosphere externally of the enclosed area.
10. An extractor system according to claim 9 wherein, the outlet is provided by the exhaust duct and is arranged to discharge extracted air vertically or horizontally.
11. An extractor system according to claim 9 or claim 10 wherein, the extractor fan is a variable speed fan.
12. An extractor system according to any preceding claim wherein, one or more filters are provided in the air flow path between the inlet and outlet for removing products of the cooking process and/or the combustion process from the extracted air before it is discharged to atmosphere.
13. An extractor system according to any preceding claim wherein, the canopy is detachable.
14. An extractor system according to claim 13 wherein, a range of canopies of different sizes and/or shapes is provided for selection and fitment of the appropriate canopy for a particular application.
15. An extractor system according to any preceding claim wherein, the canopy may be provided with one or more additional canopy sections for altering the size and/or shape of the canopy.
16. An extractor system according to claim 15 wherein, the or each additional canopy section is detachable.
17. An extractor system according to any preceding claim wherein, the frame is positioned outside the enclosed area and extends to support the canopy within the enclosed area.
18. An extractor system according to any of claims 1 to 16 wherein, the frame is positioned inside the enclosed area and extends to support the outlet outside the enclosed area.
19. An extractor system for use with a portable catering facility in an enclosed area substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
20. An enclosed area for a catering facility provided with an extractor system according to any preceding claim.
21. An enclosed area according to claim 20 comprising a temporary structure.
22. An enclosed area according to claim 20 or claim 21 comprising a tent or marquee.
23. An enclosed area according to any of claims 20 to 22 wherein the catering facility comprises equipment for cooking food.
24. An enclosed area according to any of claims 20 to 23 wherein the catering facility comprises at least one area for preparing food.
25. An enclosed area according to claim 23 wherein the canopy is positioned above the cooking equipment to capture the products of the cooking process and/or the combustion process.