WO2006087012A1

WO2006087012A1 - Foodstuff-presentation furniture in modular construction

Info

Publication number: WO2006087012A1
Application number: PCT/EP2005/001728
Authority: WO
Inventors: Harry Finkenauer; Stefanie Kohlisch
Original assignee: Carrier Corporation
Priority date: 2005-02-18
Filing date: 2005-02-18
Publication date: 2006-08-24
Also published as: EP1853138A1

Abstract

Foodstuff-presentation furniture (2) comprising: (a) a first standing element (4) provided at a first side of the furniture and a second standing element (4) provided at an opposite second side of the furniture; (b) a connection element (6) that extends between the first and second standing elements; (c) a foodstuff-presentation module (8) that extends between the first and second standing elements and that is, as desired, in form of one of the possibilities defined in the following group of possibilities: (i) the presentation module is a cooling module comprising a refrigerant evaporator; (ii) the presentation module is a warming module comprising a heat source; (iii) the presentation module is a neutral module without refrigerant evaporator and heat source; (d) and connecting fittings (12) that allow at least one transparent shield element be fastened to the presentation furniture.

Description

Foodstuff- Presentation Furniture in Modular Construction

This invention relates to foodstuff- presentation furniture in modular construction. The term "foodstuff" as it is used in the present application covers everything consumed by man or animal as a nutrition or just for good taste. The term "foodstuff", in particular, does not only cover food that is eaten but beverages as well.

Foodstuff- presentation furniture is known in a huge variety of embodiments. The foodstuff- presentation furniture of this invention, hereinafter briefly designated as "presentation furniture", is primarily for shops, restaurants, eating and/or drinking zones in rooms or halls. The presentation furniture of this invention primarily has application in fields where cooled foodstuff or warm foodstuff is offered to consumers. As the following description will demonstrate, the presentation furniture of this invention is not restricted to the field of presenting cooled or warm foodstuff. The most preferred field of application are locations where typically cooled foodstuff and/or warm foodstuff and/or foodstuff which is neither cooled nor warmed is offered or where such kinds of presentation vary over time.

The term "cooling foodstuff" covers, in particular, keeping cool, cooling down from a higher temperature, cooling at refrigerator temperature, cooling at freezing or deep-freezing temperature. The term "warming foodstuff" covers, in particular, keeping warm at eating or drinking (for example tea) temperature, warming up from lower temperature to eating or drinking temperature, and warming to such an extent that cooking takes place.

Prior art foodstuff- presentation furniture normally is designed either for cooling purpose or for warming purpose or for "neutral purpose", i.e. no cooling and no warming. A typical example is a supermarket where the clients find an area where freezing cases are arranged and an area where warm food is offered in a different type of furniture and further areas where non-cooled and non- warmed food is presented in yet other types of furniture.

There is very few foodstuff- presentation furniture on the marketplace where the potential clients of presentation furniture may select among presentation furniture having cooling function, presentation furniture having warming function, and neutral furniture having no cooling and no warming function. Even if the basic shape and look of those pieces of furniture is similar, independent of said different functions, the design in the interior of the furniture is very much different and can not be changed from one purpose to the other. For example, if a supermarket has purchased five pieces of cooling furniture, one piece of warming furniture and five pieces of neutral furniture, the supermarket is not in a position to increase its offer for warm food, if for example there is the best season for grilled chicken and grilled sausages and warm potato soup.

It is an object of the invention to provide presentation furniture that offers to the customer of the presentation furniture much flexibility in using the purchased presentation furniture.

It is a further object of this invention to provide presentation furniture that may be used for varying or different purposes, but can be manufactured in a very efficient way.

It is a yet further object of this invention to provide presentation furniture that may be repaired in a simple way.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide presentation furniture that may be arranged in combinations of several pieces of presentation furniture, optionally having different purposes, in an arrangement wherein the pieces of furniture have the look of a set of pieces of furniture which suit each other. In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, the foodstuff- presentation furniture comprises: (a) a first standing element provided at a first side of the furniture and a second

7ό standing element provided at an opposite second side of the furniture; (b) a connection element that extends between the first and second standing elements; (c) a foodstuff— presentation module that extends between the first and second standing elements and that is, as desired, in the form of one of the possibilities defined in the following group of possibilities: (i) the presentation

75 module is a cooling module comprising a refrigerant evaporator; (ii) the presentation module is a warming module comprising a heat source; (iii) the presentation module is a neutral module without refrigerant evaporator and heat source; (d) and connecting fittings that allow at least one transparent shield element be fastened to the presentation furniture.

80

It is obvious that the presentation furniture according to such embodiment of the invention provides the maximum of flexibility to the customer of the presentation furniture. The pieces of presentation furniture may be moved around for example in the supermarket and grouped together in a new way.

85 Once a new piece of presentation furniture is purchased, it fits to the other ones independent of having cooling purpose, warming purpose, or neutral purpose. The manufacturer of the presentation furniture has a maximum of production efficiency. Repair is extremely easy. If one of the presentation modules fails, it may be readily taken out of the piece of presentation furniture and repaired in

90 place (now having easy access from all sides) or sent back to the factory for repair in the factory or even be dispensed of. The repair man may have replacement presentation modules in his car allowing him to do the repair job within a couple of minutes.

95 Frequently the presentation furniture will be of the type where the foodstuff is taken by the customers ("vertically") from the top, rather than ("horizontally") from front side to back side. The presentation furniture may be designed for self— service or for service by service personnel. loo It is possible to design the presentation furniture such that the two standing elements, the connecting element, and possibly one or more upper connecting elements extending between the two standing elements at a higher level than the first-cited (lower) connecting element, form a unit having inherent stability. As an alternative, the presentation furniture may be designed such that the

105 presentation module substantially enhances the stability of the presentation furniture.

In accordance with a further embodiment of this invention, the presentation module is self— contained to such an extent and connected to the remainder of no the presentation furniture in such a way, that laymen are in a position to remove the presentation module and to install the same or a different presentation module. With such presentation furniture, there is no need to call skilled personnel when it is desired to exchange a presentation module. A customer who owns a number of pieces of presentation furniture might even consider to

115 have a spare cooling module or a spare warming module in storage.

In accordance with a further embodiment of this invention, the cooling module and/or the warming module may be completely self— contained, being a plug- in unit. Especially with the cooling module it is an attractive alternative to

120 incorporate only the evaporator, possibly a control unit and possibly an air circulation fan, and optionally a refrigerant condenser in the cooling module, but to place the remainder of the cooling equipment, especially but not limited to the compressor, at a different location in the presentation furniture, for example totally or partly in one of the standing elements. It is possible to design

125 those parts of the cooling equipment, which are not integrated into the cooling module, as a cooling unit (which preferably comprises a compressor and optionally a refrigerant condenser). At least part of such cooling unit may be arranged in one of the standing elements. It is an option to mount the parts of the cooling unit on a common support and to fasten the support, at one of its

130 sides, to the standing element and to have one or more supporting legs at the other side of the support. Preferably, the refrigerant circuit is looped between the cooling module and the cooling unit by means of flexible tubes that are permanently connected upstream and downstream to the adjacent parts of the refrigerant circuit. Repair would normally be by removing the cooling module 135 as well as the cooling unit.

Preferably the warming module warms by electricity. Using a gas bottle would be an alternative.

140 The transparent shield element may comprise a glass pane or a pane made of plastics material. Especially the pane made of plastics material may be bent or curved in any good looking style. The shield element may be generally vertical or oblique or horizontal or partly vertical/oblique/horizontal. There are legal regulations in many countries regarding the presentation of unwrapped

145 foodstuff, in order to hinder the clients from reaching too far over unwrapped foodstuff. The shield element(s) is (are) adapted to achieve hygienic conditions.

Further preferred features of the presentation furniture are subject-matter of the appended claims and will be described in more detail further below.

Exemplary embodiments of this invention are illustrated in the appended drawings. The features described hereinbelow are preferred features of presentation furniture in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

155

Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a piece of presentation furniture;

Fig. 2 is a perspective partial view of a piece of presentation furniture;

160 Fig. 3 is a perspective partial view of a piece of presentation furniture;

Fig. 4 shows an alternative detail of a piece of presentation furniture, as a perspective view;

165 Figs. 5a to 5d each show a top view of a sales area equipped with a multiplicity of presentation furniture;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a row of three pieces of presentation furniture;

170 Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a row of three pieces of presentation furniture.

The piece 2 of presentation furniture shown in Fig. 1 comprises as its main components: left-hand standing element 4, right-hand standing element 4, 175 connecting element 6, presentation module 8, an assembly of transparent shield elements 10, connecting fittings 12, potential upper connecting elements 14 shown in broken lines, potential cover sheet 16.

Each of the standing elements 4 is U-shaped in top view and has a rectangular

180 opening 18 in its base of the U-shape. The opening 18 may have decorational function only or may offer space to accommodate technical equipment or may serve as air ventilation opening. Each of the standing elements 4 is composed of plates that consist of compressed wood chips and are coated on both surfaces by plastics material; this is the type of plates which are also used to

185 produce for example kitchen furniture. The presentation module 8 may either be a cooling module or a warming module or a neutral module without cooling means or heating means. In all three cases, the presentation module does not have a very different outside 190 configuration, but the division of its storing compartment 20, its height 22, and the size of its lower part 24 to be described below, may vary to some extent. The cooling module 8 as shown or the warming module 8 as shown are plug- in modules. A control unit 26 is accommodated in a recessed portion of the presentation module 8.

195

Connecting fittings 12 are provided in the form of vertically extending metal bushings anchored in the presentation module 8. If the customer of the presentation furniture wants to attach shield elements 10 (the presentation furniture may be used, however, without such shield elements!), he can insert 200 lower and portions of vertical metal rods 28 which support glass panes or panes made of plastics material.

The lower part 24 of the presentation module 8 has parallelepipedic shape and accommodates all the technical equipment for cooling or for warming. In the

205 case of a cooling module, this would be a compressor including its electric drive motor, a condenser, an evaporator including expansion valve, possibly an air circulation fan to circulate cool air, and the required tubing. Openings 28 for exiting circulated cool air are shown in Fig. 1. The wall of the lower part 24 has suitable ventilation openings (not shown) to remove the heat from the

2io condenser. In the case of a warming module 8, the lower part 24 accommodates electrical heating elements.

The presentation module 8 may be supported and optionally fastened either on brackets provided at the "inner" faces 3 of the standing elements 4 or on the 215 potential connecting elements 16. Other ways of supporting and optionally fastening are possible.

Fig. 2 shows an alternative construction of the standing element 4. The standing element 4 is composed of a sheet-like wall element 30 consisting of plastics 220 material which has been brought by vacuum moulding into the illustrated shape having several bend portions. The standing element 4 comprises two vertical metal tubes 32 and two rollers 34 at the bottom ends of the tubes 32.

The alternative standing element 4 shown in Fig. 3 is composed of a metallic 225 tube or a metallic bar 36 bent into an inverted U-shape, and a cross tube or cross bar connecting the legs of the LJ- shape. Height— adjustable feet 40 are provided at the lower ends of the U-tube or bar 36.

Fig. 4 shows a cooling unit 42 comprising a horizontal support plate 44, a 230 compressor/motor 46, a condenser 48 and tubing 50 to connect the compressor 46 and the condenser 48 and to connect the cooling unit 42 to the evaporator in the lower part 24 of the cooling module 8. In this case, of course, there is no compressor and no condenser in the cooling module 8 proper.

235 Figs. 5a to 5d demonstrate how a number of pieces 2 of presentation furniture may be arranged on the ground in a supermarket. Where two or more pieces 2 of presentation furniture stand short side- next to-short side (for example a row of three pieces 2 of presentation furniture in a row), the two standing elements "between" two adjacent pieces 2 of presentation furniture may be

240 replaced by an intermediate standing element 52. The intermediate standing element 52 is rectangular in top view, it is less wide in the short side direction 54 of the presentation furniture than the regular standing element 4, and it has a smaller thickness 56 than two regular standing elements 4.

245 Fig. 6 demonstrates, as an example, how three pieces 2 of presentation furniture may be combined in a row. Starting at the right-hand side, the first piece 2 of presentation furniture comprises a warming module 8a. The warming module 8a, for example, comprises a deep fryer 60 in the middle, a heated pan 62 for holding fried foodstuff at the left-hand side, and a heated pan 64 for

250 holding warm vegetables at the right-hand side. The heated pans 62 and 64 may be heated by waterbaths provided below the pan and heated by electric heating elements. Next, there is a piece 2 of presentation furniture having a cooling module 8b. 255 This is a cooling module 8b where a separated cooling unit 42 is arranged below the cooling module 8b proper.

Next, there is a piece 2 of presentation furniture having a neutral module 8c. The neutral module 8c comprises a storage pan for example for Danish pastries 260 or for tomatoes. Next to the storage pan 66 there is a surface area 68 where either clients of the supermarket (self-service) may place items such as food plates, or where service personnel may place items they need for their work.

Fig. 7 shows the "client front" of the three-piece row of presentation furniture 265 shown in Fig. 6. In the case of Fig. 7, there are, in addition, horizontal shield elements 70 covering approximately half of the top side of each of the modules 8a, 8b, 8c.

A typical size of the presentation furniture would be about 2 m x 1 m in top 270 view.

Claims

275 CLAIMS

1. Foodstuff— presentation furniture comprising:

(a) a first standing element provided at a first side of the furniture and a second standing element provided at an opposite second side of the

280 furniture;

(b) a connection element that extends between the first and second standing elements;

(c) a foodstuff— presentation module that extends between the first and second standing elements and that is, as desired, in the form of one of

285 the possibilities defined in the following group of possibilities:

(i) the presentation module is a cooling module comprising a refrigerant evaporator; (ii) the presentation module is a warming module comprising a heat source;

290 (iii) the presentation module is a neutral module without refrigerant evaporator and heat source;

(d) and connecting fittings that allow at least one transparent shield element be fastened to the presentation furniture.

295 2. Foodstuff- presentation furniture according to claim 1, wherein the presentation module is self-contained to such an extent and connected to the remainder of the presentation furniture in such a way, that laymen are in a position to remove the presentation module and to install the same or a different presentation module.

300

3. Foodstuff- presentation furniture according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the cooling module is completely self-contained, including a compressor, a refrigerant condenser, a refrigerant evaporator, and a control unit.

305

4. Foodstuff- presentation furniture according to any one of claims 1 to 2, further comprising a cooling unit that comprises a compressor and optionally a refrigerant condenser, the cooling unit being associated to the presentation furniture, but not integrated in the cooling module.

310

5. Foodstuff- presentation furniture according to claim 4, wherein at least part of the cooling unit is arranged in one of the standing elements.

6. Foodstuff- presentation furniture according to any one of claims 1 to 5, 315 wherein the warming module is completely self-contained.

7. Foodstuff- presentation furniture according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein at least one of the standing elements is designed as an intermediate element that may serve as a common standing element for two

320 presentation furniture standing side- by-side.

8. Foodstuff— presentation furniture according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising at least one upper connecting element, that extends between the first and second standing elements at a higher level than the

325 said connecting element.

9. Foodstuff- presentation furniture according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the two standing elements comprise metal tubes or metal bars.

330 10. Foodstuff- presentation furniture according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein each of the two standing elements comprises at least one sheet- like wall element consisting of plastics material and being moulded by vacuum moulding.

335 1 1. Foodstuff- presentation furniture according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the two standing elements are composed of plates coated by plastic material.

12. Foodstuff- presentation furniture according to any one of claims 1 to 11, 340 wherein each of the two standing elements comprises height-adjustable feet.

13. Foodstuff— presentation furniture according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein each of the two standing elements comprises at least one roller

345 supporting the presentation furniture on the ground.

14. Foodstuff- presentation furniture according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the transparent shield element comprises a glass pane.

350 15. Foodstuff- presentation furniture according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the transparent shield element comprises a pane made of plastics material.

16. Foodstuff- presentation furniture according to any one of claims 1 to 15, 355 wherein the transparent shield element comprises metallic rods engaging said connecting fittings.