Transportable warming cart

• US 10,408,885 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2017
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carter Hoffman, LLC
• Original Assignee: Carter Hoffman, LLC
• Inventors: Bohn, Robert Cooper, Paddock, Jr., Richard Joseph, Erber, Jeffrey S., Fortmann, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jellett, Matthew W
• Application Number:
  US15/594,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20170328958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 165263, 219387, 219413, 219486, 219490, 219494
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 39/003 with forced air circulation
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 39/006 for either storing and preparing or for preparing food on serving trays, e.g. heating, thawing, preserving
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 39/02 Dish-warmers; Devices to keep food hot
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/087 of electric circuits regulating heat
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3835 involving only voltage measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/386 using test-loads
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0236 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0252 Domestic applications
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/028 Heaters specially adapted for trays or plates to keep food or liquids hot
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/035 Electrical circuits used in resistive heating apparatus

Abstract

A method of displaying a battery life for a warming cart battery is provided. The method includes the steps of detecting with a processor that a warming cart battery voltage is out of range of a predetermined threshold, determining with a processor an operation state of each of a plurality of periphery warming cart devices, and automatically setting a battery scale of a warming cart battery based on which of the plurality of periphery warming cart devices are in an active operation state.

Claims

1. A system for heating a transportable cabinet, comprising a battery electrically connected to provide DC electrical current to a DC power board;

a first electrical heater configured to when energized provide heat input to a housing within the transportable cabinet, the first electrical heater electrically connected to the DC power board, the DC power board selectively supplying electrical current to the first heater through a first electrical line;

a second electrical line extending between positive and negative terminals of the battery, the second electrical line including a high temperature limit switch that opens when a detected temperature within the housing reaches a selected temperature, the second electrical line includes a first relay, and a first contact associated with the first relay is disposed in the first electrical line;

an AC connector configured for connection to a source of AC electrical current, the AC connector electrically connected to a third electrical line that is electrically connected to a second electrical heater configured to when energized provide heat input to the housing within the transportable cabinet;

a fourth electrical line with opposite ends that connect to the first electrical line on opposite electrical ends of the first electrical heater, wherein the fourth electrical line includes a second relay, and a second contact associated with the second relay is disposed in the third electrical line, wherein the first relay is configured such that when current flows therethrough, the first contact is shut and when current does not flow therethrough the first relay, the first contact is open, and the second relay is configured such that when the current flows therethrough, the second contact is shut, and when electrical current does not flow through the second relay, the second contact is open.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third electrical heater configured to when energized provides heat input to the housing, the third electrical heater electrically connected to the DC power board, the DC power board selectively supplying electrical current to the third electrical heater through a fifth electrical line.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a fan electrically connected to the DC power board, the DC power board continuously or selectively supplying electrical current to the fan.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the battery receives current from the AC connector, and an AC to DC converter is electrically connected to the battery and to the AC connector, wherein when AC electrical current is provided to the AC connector, the battery receives DC current from the AC to DC converter to charge the battery.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the second relay operates when the source of AC electrical current is connected to the AC connector, and wherein the second relay operates when the source of AC electrical current is not connected to the AC connector, which therefore results in no current flowing through the third electrical line.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a temperature sensor disposed within the housing, wherein the DC power board supplies electrical current to the first electrical line when a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is below a setpoint, and does not supply electrical current to the first electrical line when the sensed temperature is above the setpoint.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising a temperature sensor disposed within the housing, wherein the DC power board supplies electrical current to the first electrical line when a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is within or below a predetermined range, and does not supply electrical current to the first electrical line when the sensed temperature is above the predetermined range.