Modular Food Holding Cabinet Having Individually Configurable Food Holding Units

• US 20150327726A1
• Filed: 05/15/2014
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marmon Foodservice Technologies Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Prince Castle LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Betzold, David Anthony, Paton, David E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,854,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 39/02 Dish-warmers; Devices to keep food hot

Abstract

A modular food holding cabinet has multiple food holding units or bins, which can be connected and disconnected from each other in multiple different configurations. Each bin can be set to its own temperature, independently of the others.

Claims

1. In a modular food holding device having a plurality of individually addressable and individually controllable food holding units, each of which is capable of being installed and used at different locations, a method of detecting and controlling a food holding unit in the modular food holding device, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first message on a first conductor that extends between a first controller and a first physical location in the modular heating device;

transmitting a second message onto a first bus, the first bus extending from a first bus controller to a first plurality of locations in the modular heating device, the second message being transmitted from the first bus controller for the first bus;

determining a food holding unit to be installed at the first physical location from a response to the second message that is received by the first bus controller; and

transmitting an identification assignment message to a food holding unit determined to be installed at the first physical location, the identification assignment message being transmitted onto the first bus by the first bus controller and enabling the food holding unit at the first physical location to thereafter selectively communicate with the first bus controller.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receipt of the identification assignment message enables the first bus controller to conduct bi-directional communications with said food holding unit.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that no unit is installed in the first physical location when no response to the second message is received.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after the food holding unit at the first physical location receives an identification assignment message, transmitting the first message from the food holding unit at the first physical location to a second physical location in the modular heating unit whereat another food holding unit can be installed, the first message transmitted from the food holding unit at the first physical location to the second physical location being carried on a second conductor that extends between the first physical location to the second physical location, the first and second conductors being electrically isolated from each other;

after the first message is transmitted to the second physical location, transmitting the second message onto the first bus, the first bus extending from the first bus controller to said plurality of locations in the modular heating device, the second message being transmitted from the first bus controller;

determining a food holding unit to be installed at the second physical location from a response to the second message; and

transmitting a unique identification assignment message to a food holding unit determined to be installed at the second physical location, the identification assignment message being transmitted onto the first bus by the first bus controller and enabling the food holding unit at the second physical location to thereafter selectively communicate with the first bus controller.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining a food holding unit to be installed at the first physical location is performed by the controller for the first bus.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the modular heating device comprises a master controller and a plurality of slave controllers, each slave controller being a bus controller for a corresponding bus that extends between each slave controller and a plurality of food holding unit, wherein the step of transmitting a second message is performed by a first slave controller and wherein the step of determining a physical location is performed by a master controller for the modular heating device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the first message on a third conductor that extends between the first controller and a third physical location in the modular heating device whereat a food holding unit can be installed;

transmitting the second message onto a second bus, the second bus extending from the first bus controller to a second plurality of locations in the modular heating device;

determining a food holding unit to be installed at the third physical location from a response to the second message transmitted onto the second bus; and

transmitting a unique identification assignment message to a food holding unit determined to be installed at the third physical location, the identification assignment message being transmitted onto the second bus by the first bus controller and enabling the food holding unit at the third physical location to selectively communicate with the first bus controller.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining that no unit is installed in the third physical location when no response to the transmitted second message is received at the expiration of the predetermined length of time.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

conducting bi-directional communications with a plurality of units installed in a plurality of different locations using corresponding addresses that were assigned and transmitted to each unit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is a D.C. voltage.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first bus is substantially compliant with the RS-485 communications standard.

12. A modular food holding device having a plurality of individually controllable and individually configurable food holding units, the modular food holding device comprising:

a master controller food holding unit;

a first plurality of slave food holding units coupled in series to each other and coupled to the master controller food holding unit by a first communications bus;

a first slave control unit coupled in series to the master controller food holding unit, the first slave control unit configured to be a slave to the master controller food holding unit and configured to be master controller to a second plurality of food holding units coupled to it; and

a second plurality of food holding units coupled to the first slave control unit by a second communications bus.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first and second communications busses are electrically separate from each other.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein food holding units are configured to receive a first message on a first input port, receive an identification assignment message on a second input port and additionally configured to output a first message from a first output port, the first input port and first output port being electrically separate from each other.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first and second communications busses comprise first and second electrically parallel conductors.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first plurality of slave food holding units are electrically connected in series to each other by wires that extends between electrically adjacent food holding units, a first wire being connected between first and second slave food holding units, a second wire being connected between the second and third slave food holding units, the first and second wires being electrically isolated from each other.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second plurality of slave food holding units are electrically connected in series to each other by wires that extends between electrically adjacent food holding units, a third wire being connected between first and second slave food holding units in the second plurality of slave food holding units, a fourth wire being connected between the second and a third slave food holding unit of the second plurality of slave food holding units, the third and fourth wires being electrically isolated from each other and electrically isolated from the first and second wires.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a second slave control unit coupled in series to the first slave control unit; and

a third plurality of food holding units coupled to the second slave control unit by a third communications bus, the third communications but being electrically separate from the first and second communications busses.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the first, second and third communications busses are electrically separate from each other.

20. In a modular food holding device having a plurality of individually addressable and individually controllable food holding units, each of which is capable of being installed and used at different locations in the modular food holding device, a method of detecting and controlling a food holding unit in the modular food holding device, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first message on a first conductor that extends between a first controller and a first physical location in the modular heating device whereat a food holding unit can be installed;

determining a food holding unit to be installed at the first physical location from a response to the first message;

transmitting a second message onto a first bus, responsive to receipt of the response to the first message, the first bus extending from the first bus controller to a first plurality of locations in the modular heating device, the second message being transmitted from a first bus controller for the first bus;

and

transmitting a unique identification assignment message to a food holding unit determined to be installed at the first physical location, the identification assignment message being transmitted onto the first bus by the first bus controller and enabling the food holding unit at the first physical location to selectively communicate with the first bus controller.