Food preparation apparatus and process

• US 4,203,486 A
• Filed: 01/03/1978
• Issued: 05/20/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Standex International Corporation
• Original Assignee: Anchor Hocking LLC
• Inventors: Rubbright, Harry A., Springer, Donald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ronald H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lall, P. S.
• Application Number:
  US05/866,631
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 165/2, 165/12, 165/30, 165/48, 165/61, 219/386, 219/387, 219/400, 312/236, 99/445, 99/467, 99/483, 99/485
• US Class Current: 165/48.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2031/023 being dockable to a stationary refrigeration and heating unit
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2031/026 having warm and cold compartments
• 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: Y10S 165/919 Wheeled

Abstract

A portable cart with access doors has serving trays supported on heater shelves which trays support the food items to be served to the patient. Chilled air for the cart is provided by an air chilling device to a plenum chamber which chamber when coupled continuously circulates chilled air from the chilled air device into and through the cart and then back through the plenum chamber to the chilled air device in a continuous closed loop pattern. The circulating air passes through mating vents and inlets of the plenum chamber and the cart which automatically open when the cart is coupled with the plenum chamber. The heating for each food item to be served hot is initiated, time controlled and terminated by a programmed computer which separately controls the operation of the individual heater plates mounted on the heater shelves supporting the trays. The food carts can be initially connected to mating plenum chambers in the food preparation area, then removed and sent to designated areas of the hospital, for instance, where they are positioned into plenum chambers having a control unit at which area a computer control unit takes over and initiates the cooking of those foods to be served hot.

Claims

1. Apparatus for preparing meals for hospitals, airlines and the like comprising a food and beverage cabinet having access doors and a back panel, a rack having heater shelves in said cabinet which support food trays, spaced individual heater surfaces supported by said shelves, air inlet means in said back panel of said cabinet, air outlet means in said back panel of said cabinet, an environmental control unit in the form of a housing having a plenum chamber and a front panel therefor disposed toward said back panel of said cabinet, normally closed air outlet means in said front panel of said plenum chamber, normally closed air inlet means in the said front panel of said plenum chamber, means for circulating chilled air in a first closed loop pattern in said environmental control unit through said plenum chamber when its said inlet means and outlet means are closed, means for coupling said environmental control unit to said food and beverage cabinet so that said back panel of said cabinet is flush with said front panel of said plenum chamber in sealed relationship therewith, said outlet means of said plenum chamber mating with said inlet means of said cabinet and said outlet means of said cabinet mating with said inlet means of said plenum chamber when said cabinet and said environmental control unit are coupled together, means supported by said environmental control unit for opening said outlet means and said inlet means of said cabinet and of said plenum chamber when said environmental control unit and said cabinet are being coupled together whereby chilled air is continuously circulated through the coupled cabinet and said plenum chamber in a second closed loop pattern which is larger than and includes said first closed loop pattern, and means connected with said heater shelves for heating said spaced heater surfaces on said shelves.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for heating said heater surfaces includes a transport module pack having programmed instructions in the form of time/temperature curves for each of said heater surfaces, a transport command unit mounted to said environmental control unit and connected to said heater surfaces, said transport command unit being computerized and having means for connection with said transport module pack, and said computerized transport command unit being programmed by said transport module pack upon connection therewith whereby each of said heater surfaces is heated in accordance with its time/temperature curve.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means for controlling the time and amount of electrical current input applied to said heater surfaces of the heater shelves comprises a receptacle for receiving memory instructions, and electronic controls for transmitting the programmed instructions through said plenum chamber and the cabinet to said heating means for said spaced surfaces of the heater shelves.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein electrical power supply leads extend from said heater surfaces of the heater shelves to a common printed circuit connector which extends through each heater shelf and connects to wire cables leading to a common electrical connector on the back panel of said heater shelf rack extending through an opening in said back panel of said food and beverage cabinet, said heater shelf rack common connector being connected to an electrical connector in said front panel of said plenum chamber when said cabinet and plenum chamber are coupled, and said connector in said front panel of said plenum chamber being connected through electrical leads to said transport command unit.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each heater shelf is supported by cantilever arm supports of said heater shelf rack positioned within said food and beverage cabinet.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the heater shelf rack has a back wall with vents to permit controlled circulation of chilled air therethrough.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said heater shelf rack is detachably mounted within said food-beverage cabinet.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein means are provided for reprogramming said transport command unit for controlling the time and amount of electrical current after it has once been programmed by said transport module pack.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said transport module pack includes an entry console for transmitting data to a memory module, said module including a memory chip and a power source for maintaining the information fed from said entry console.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 including manual time delay means for delaying the start of said heating, and means for manually reprogramming said transport command unit.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said food and beverage cabinet is portable.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said plenum chamber includes an extendable and retractable frame, control means for said frame at said front panel of said chamber which when contacted by said back panel of said food and beverage cabinet during coupling of said cabinet to said plenum chamber causes said frame to retract inwardly of the plenum chamber, said frame being connected to means for opening said air outlet means and air inlet means of said plenum chamber and said air inlet means of said food and beverage cabinet, and means affixed to said front panel of said plenum chamber for urging open said air outlet means of said food and beverage cabinet.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said environmental control unit includes an air chilling device compartment disposed above said plenum chamber through which compartment and said plenum chamber chilled air continuously circulates in said first closed loop pattern prior to coupling said plenum chamber with the food-beverage cabinet, an inlet and outlet of said air chilling device compartment being in the form of apertures in the floor of said compartment, a partition vertically positioned in the upper portion of said plenum chamber forming a path on each side thereof whereby the chilled air circulates downwardly from said compartment on one side of the partition to the bottom of said plenum chamber and up said plenum chamber past the opposite side of said partition back into said compartment.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said outlet means of said plenum chamber comprise vertical slots in said front wall of said plenum chamber disposed toward said food and beverage cabinet and provide an outlet of the circulating chilled air in said plenum chamber into said food and beverage cabinet when said slots are opened by the coupling action of said cabinet to said plenum chamber, said vertical slots extending substantially the entire length of said front wall panel of said plenum chamber and terminating adjacent the bottom thereof, and said inlet means of said plenum chamber comprising an air inlet opening being disposed in the upper portion of said front wall of said plenum chamber to receive the return circulating air from said cabinet.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said environmental control unit is without heating means, a plurality of said plenum chambers being positioned adjacent one another, said plenum chambers being collectively connected with a common means for providing chilled circulating air, and each of said plenum chambers having a separate set of chilled air inlets and outlets communicating with corresponding inlet means and outlet means of said food and beverage cabinets.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said plenum chamber and said cabinet is made from insulated panels formed by pultruded means having foamed insulative material between said panels.

17. Apparatus for preparing meals for hospitals, airlines and the like comprising a food and beverage cabinet having access doors and a back panel, a rack in said cabinet having heater shelves for supporting food trays, heater surfaces on each heater shelf, air inlet means in said back panel of said cabinet, air outlet means in said back panel of said cabinet, an environmental control unit in the form of a housing having a plenum chamber and a front panel therefor, a chilled air source in said environmental control unit communicating with said plenum chamber, normally closed air outlet means in said front panel of said plenum chamber, normally closed air inlet means in said front panel of said plenum chamber, means for coupling said cabinet to said plenum chamber and opening communication between their inlet and outlet means whereby chilled air may flow from said plenum chamber and through said cabinet and back to said plenum chamber in a closed loop pattern for continuously circulating chilled air over the food containing dishes on the food trays, and heating means connected to said heater surfaces for heating each heater surface to a temperature and for an amount of time independently of all other heater surfaces.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said plenum chamber is located at the rear of said environmental control unit housing, said environmental control unit housing being open at its front face forming a cabinet receiving chamber therein to permit said food and beverage cabinet to be inserted into said cabinet receiving chamber, a computerized transport command unit at the front of said environmental control unit, a transport module pack inserted in said transport command unit, and said transport module pack containing programmed instructions for said heater surfaces and controlling said time/temperature curve of each heater surface.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said environmental control unit housing includes a plurality of said cabinet receiving chambers, one of said food and beverage cabinets being in each of said cabinet receiving chambers, and said transport command unit having a transport module pack for each of said food and beverage cabinets.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said environmental control unit housing includes a source of chilled air common to each plenum chamber associated with each food and beverage cabinet.

21. Apparatus for preparing meals for hospitals, airlines and the like comprising a food and beverage cabinet having heater shelves for supporting food trays, at least one heater surface on each shelf, means for heating the heater surfaces, air inlet means in said back panel of said cabinet, air outlet means in said back panel of said cabinet, an environmental control unit in the form of a housing having a plenum chamber and a front panel therefor, a chilled air source in said environmental control unit communicating with said plenum chamber, air outlet means in said front panel of said plenum chamber, air inlet means in said front panel of said plenum chamber, means for coupling said cabinet to said environmental control unit and opening communication between said inlet and outlet means of said cabinet and said plenum chamber whereby chilled air may flow from said plenum chamber and through said cabinet and back to said plenum chamber in a closed loop pattern for continuously circulating chilled air over the food containing dishes on the food trays, said rack having a back wall disposed inwardly of and adjacent to said back panel of said cabinet, said rack including sets of pairs of vertically aligned support arms extending from said back wall, said heater surfaces being disposed laterally within the spacing between said sets of support arms, said plenum chamber outlet means comprising vertical slots in its said front panel laterally outside the spacing of said sets of support arms, said cabinet inlet means comprising vertical slots in its back panel disposed for communication with said plenum chamber vertical slots, said cabinet outlet means comprising an opening at the upper end of its said back panel laterally within the spacing of said sets of support arms, said inlet means of said plenum chamber being an opening in its said front panel disposed for communication with said outlet opening of said cabinet, said back wall of said rack having outlet openings between each set of said sets of support arms whereby chilled air flows from said plenum chamber into said cabinet laterally outside said support arms toward the front of said cabinet and over said trays and through said rack back wall openings and then exits through said cabinet outlet means into said chamber inlet means, and the flow area of said rack back wall openings gradually lessening from the bottom to the top of said rack.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said support arms are cantilevered with side portions extending downwardly toward and generally adjacent the support arms therebelow at the rear of said cabinet to provide baffles directing the air flowing outwardly thereof toward the front of said cabinet.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein vertical extensions project outwardly from said back wall of said rack in line with said support arms and toward said back panel of said cabinet to vertically separate the spacing laterally between said arms from the spacing outside said arms.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said air inlet means and said air outlet means of said plenum chamber are normally closed to circulate the chilled air therein in a closed loop pattern before said plenum chamber is coupled to said cabinet.

25. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said means for heating said heater surfaces heats each of said surfaces for amounts of time and to temperatures independently of each other of said surfaces.

26. A system for preparing meals for hospitals, airlines and the like comprising, in combination, a first environmental control unit including a plenum chamber having a front panel with air inlet means and outlet means and having a source of chilled air communicating therewith, a food and beverage transport in the form of a cabinet having access doors and a back panel, said cabinet including a rack having heater shelves which support food trays, at least one heater surface on each of said shelves with heater means for heating said heater surfaces, air inlet means and air outlet means in said back panel of said cabinet for communicating with said air outlet means and said air inlet means of said first environment control unit, means for coupling said cabinet to said environmental control unit whereby chilled air may flow in a closed loop pattern from said plenum chamber into said cabinet over said trays and back to said plenum chamber, a second environmental control unit, said second environmental control unit including a plenum chamber having a front panel with air inlet means and outlet means and a source of chilled air communicating therewith whereby said cabinet may be uncoupled from said first environmental control unit and then coupled to said second environmental control unit so that chilled air may likewise flow through a closed loop pattern therewith, and said second environmental control unit further including heat control means connectable to said heater means in said cabinet whereby said heater surfaces may be heated simultaneously with the flowing of chilled air in the closed loop pattern when said cabinet is coupled to said second environmental control unit.

27. The system of claim 26 including a memory pack having time/temperature control curve information corresponding to the amounts of time and to the temperature at which each heater surface is to be heated, and said memory pack being connectable to said heat control means of said second environmental control unit for thereby controlling the time and temperature of heating of each heater surface.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein each of said environmental control units is capable of having a plurality of food and beverage transports simultaneously coupled thereto, and each of said units having a corresponding plurality of said plenum chambers with a single source of chilled air for said plurality of plenum chambers.

29. The system of claim 26 wherein said inlet means and said outlet means of each of said environmental control unit are normally closed, and the chilled air in each of its plenum chambers flowing in a closed loop pattern through its plenum chamber when a food and beverage transport is not yet coupled thereto whereby upon the coupling of a food and beverage transport to a respective environmental control unit chilled air immediately flows into said food and beverage transport.

30. The system of claim 26 wherein said food and beverage cabinet rack includes a back wall having sets of pairs of vertically aligned support arms extending therefrom, each heater shelf being mounted to a respective set of said support arms, said back wall of said rack having discharge openings located between each set of said support arms, and the flow area of said back wall discharge openings gradually lessening from the bottom to the top of said rack.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein said outlet means of each environmental control unit comprises elongated vertical slots disposed laterally outside of the spacing between said sets of support arms, said inlet means of said cabinet being elongated vertical slots laterally outside of the spacing between said sets of support arms for flow communication with said outlet means of its environmental control unit, said back wall of said rack being disposed in front of and adjacent to said back panel of said cabinet, said outlet means of said cabinet being an opening in the top portion of said back panel, and said inlet means of each environmental control unit being an opening in its front panel disposed for flow communication with said outlet opening of said cabinet.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein said support arms are cantilevered, each of said support arms having downwardly extending side surfaces disposed toward and adjacent to the support arms thereunder, said trays straddling said support arms, and vertical extensions projecting from said back wall of said rack generally in line with said support arms and extending toward said back panel of said cabinet.

33. The system of claim 31 wherein said means for coupling said cabinet to a respective one of said environmental control unit includes means for automatically opening said inlet means and said outlet means of said environmental control unit upon the coupling action of said cabinet thereto.