Containerized field kitchen

• US 5,285,604 A
• Filed: 10/10/1991
• Issued: 02/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carpin Manufacturing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TCBY Enterprises Incorporated (Mrs. Fields Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Carlin, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): RIDGILL JR, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US07/775,705
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 52/79.1, 52/79.5, 52/302, 52/143, 52/507, 52/663, 52/173, 52/52
• US Class Current: 52/79.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/14 the object being a workshop for servicing, for maintenance, or for carrying workmen during work lifting devices for movable platforms or cabins for workmen B66F11/04
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/34336 Structures movable as a whole, e.g. mobile home structures vehicles comprising living accommodation for people, e.g. caravans, camping or like vehicles B60P3/32
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 1/1205 Small buildings erected in the open air E04H1/1272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 2001/1283 Small buildings of the ISO containers type

Abstract

A special mobile kitchen provides an impact-resistant food service trailer and a rapid deployment, containerized field kitchen unit which can be quickly transported to a remote field location by helicopter or other aircraft as well as by ship or land transportation. Advantageously, the mobile kitchen has thermally insulating composite walls so that the kitchen unit can effectively function even at freezing temperatures and dessert conditions. The composite walls can be readily assembled from modular components comprising lightweight, high strength fiberglass panels for easy storage and economical transport. Desirably, the high tech panels are constructed with numerous access openings for ready access to work stations in the kitchen for better service, repair, maintenance, and adjustments and for enhanced supply and delivery of food. During storms and inclement weather, the access openings can be closed and secured with impact-resistant doors and shutters.

Claims

1. A mobile kitchen, comprising a movable containerized field kitchen unit with interconnecting modular components comprising composite upright wall panels peripherally surrounding and cooperating with each other to define interior stations, each of said wall panels defining at least one access opening for access and service to at least one of said interior stations, said interconnecting modular components including a top wall providing a composite roof positioned above and connected to said upright wall panels, and a floor providing a base positioned below and operatively connected to said upright wall panels, said upright composite upright wall panels cooperating with said composite roof and floor;

said base defining a set of forklift pockets for receiving tines of a forklift truck and grab hooks of a helicopter; and

said composite upright wall panels intersecting and cooperating with said composite roof for defining molded composite corners with openings for receiving and lifting by a crane and grab hooks of a helicopter.

2. A mobile kitchen in accordance with claim 1 wherein said floor has a unitary molded liner defining at least one drainage trough and having a skid-resistant surface.

3. A mobile kitchen in accordance with claim 1 including a plurality of telescoping tubes operatively associated with said base and an inclined composite grate supported by said telescopic tubes for providing a walkway and deck.

4. A mobile kitchen, comprising:

beverage station means for providing an area for serving coffee and other beverages;

food dispensing station means positioned adjacent said beverage station means for providing an area for dispensing food;

composite housing means for removably enclosing said beverage station means and said food dispensing station means, said composite housing means comprising impact-resistant wall means having interconnected foam core panels having a structural strength greater than aluminum and lighter than aluminum for easier less expensive air transport of said mobile kitchen;

said composite housing means including forklift tine-receiving means for receving tines of a forklift truck; and

said composite housing means defining slots for receving and engaging helicopter grap hooks.

5. A mobile kitchen in accordance with claim 4 including a unitary floor liner with a skid-resistant surface, a built-in drain system, and at least one step for elevation and access to a refrigerator.

6. A mobile kitchen in accordance with claim 4 wherein said housing means includes longitudinal and lateral foraminous panels providing front and back ends and sides of said mobile kitchen, each of said foraminous panels having at least one access opening for communicating with one of said station means, and closure means operatively connected to said foraminous panels for closing said access opening.

7. A mobile kitchen, comprising:

a floor assembly;

a ceiling;

upright walls extending substantially vertically between and connected to said floor assembly and said ceiling;

said floor assembly comprising at least one removable deck comprising a matrix of interconnected composite grating bars supported by a set of removable support beams, a skid for slidably receiving and supporting said beams, said skid providing a base having forklift pockets comprising tine-receiving slots, a unitary floor liner positioned above and supported by said skid, said floor liner having a slip-resistant surface and at least one drainage trough, and said floor assembly including a foraminous ramp secured to one of said walls.

8. A mobile kitchen, comprising:

a transportable containerized field kitchen unit defining a series of interior stations including a beverage station, a food dispensing station, a cooking station, a refrigeration station, a power station, an exhaust station, and an illumination station;

said transportable containerized field kitchen unit having a floor assembly positioned below said interior stations, said floor assembly including a composite formaminous ramp, said transportable containerized field kitchen having upright composite walls extending upwardly from and connected to said floor assembly and peripherally surrounding said interior stations;

said upright composite walls including substantially parallel longitudinal walls and lateral walls extending between and connecting said longitudinal walls;

each of said upright composite walls defining at least one access opening for access to one of said interior stations within said transportable containerized field kitchen unit; and

closure means comprising a member selected from the group consisting of a door and a shutter, said closure means being pivotally connected to said upright walls and being manually moveable for closing said access opening;

a top composite wall providing a roof above said interior stations, said roof secured to said upright composite walls in the absence of a metal support frame; and

said upright walls comprising

a curbside composite panel positioned adjacent said food dispensing station, said curbside composite panel defining an array of access openings including a food service window, a service opening comprising a service chamber, an illumination opening for access to said illumination station, an exhaust opening communicating with said exhaust station, and an electrical panel opening communicating with said power station;

a roadside composite panel positioned adjacent said beverage station, said roadside composite panel defining a set of access openings including a beverage window for access to said beverage station, a generator opening for access to said power station, an exhaust fan opening communicating with said exhaust station, and a floodlight opening communication with said illumination station;

a front composite panel positioned in proximity to said refrigeration station, said front composite panel defining a series of access openings providing a refrigeration hatch for access to said refrigeration station, vent and circulation passageways communicating with said power station, a fuel filling opening providing a filler neck communicating with said power station, and a water conduit communicating with a sink; and

a rear composite panel positioned across from said front fiberglass panel, said rear composite panel defining a plurality of access openings including an entranceway for passage of kitchen personnel, a grab handle recess, and a light opening communicating with said illumination station.

9. A mobile kitchen in accordance with claim 8 including a moveable canvas blackout curtain for substantially covering said access opening.

10. A mobile kitchen in accordance with claim 8 wherein said closure means includes a rivet bolster strip pivotally connecting said member comprising said door or shutter to one of said upright composite walls.

11. A mobile kitchen, comprising:

a moveable containerized field kitchen unit comprising a transportable impact-resistant food service structure constructed of interconnecting assembled modular components for transport by at least one transport carrier selected from the group consisting of an aircraft, ship, train, truck, trailer and an all terrain vehicle, to a remote field location and site to feed field personnel at said remote field location, said modular components being capable of shipment in a bulkhead, cargo hold, and pressurized cabin;

said containerized field kitchen unit defining an array of interior service stations including a beverage station providing an area for serving coffee and beverages;

a food dispensing station providing an area for dispensing prepared food;

a cooking station providing an area for cooking food in at least one piece of cooking equipment selected from the group consisting of convection ovens, skillet, steam table, coffee urns, and grill;

a refrigeration station for refrigerating food in a refrigerator;

a power station for supplying electrical power with at least one piece of power equipment selected from the group consisting of an electrical control panel, a generator, and power supply;

an exhaust station for discharging smoke and fumes to the atmosphere with an exhaust fan; and

an illumination station for illuminating said cooking, food dispensing and beverage stations with overhead lights;

said containerized field kitchen unit providing a substantially rigid weather-resistant assembly comprising composite walls including a top wall providing a ceiling and roof above said stations, a bottom wall comprising a floor assembly below said stations, and upright composite walls extending substantially vertically between and connected to said top and bottom walls for peripherally surrounding said interior stations, said upright composite walls intersecting and cooperating with said top wall to provide corners with opening for receiving grab hooks of a crane and helicopter;

said upright composite walls including substantially parallel longitudinal side walls and substantially parallel lateral end walls extending between and connected to said longitudinal side walls, said upright composite walls comprising composite panels, said composite panels having a strength-to-weight ratio greater than aluminum and steel and being lighter than aluminum and steel for easier less expensive transport in said transport carrier, said longitudinal walls comprising a curbside composite panel and a roadside composite panel, said lateral end walls comprising a front composite panel and a rear composite panel, each of said upright walls defining at least one access opening for access and service to at least one of said interior stations, a closure assembly comprising a manually moveable closure member selected from the group consisting of a door, shutter, and canvas blackout curtain for substantially closing said access opening, and a rivet bolster strip adjacent said access opening for pivotally connecting said closure member to said upright wall;

said floor assembly having

at least one composite deck comprising a moveable platform and providing a walkway assist grate and a foldable deck, said deck being collapsible to a storage position adjacent one of said upright walls during transport in said transport carrier;

a series of substantially parallel tubes providing a set of slidable support beams for sliding below, engaging and removably supporting said deck;

a base comprising a skid for slidably receiving and supporting said tubes, said base providing a set of pockets for receiving grab hooks from said helicopter and defining tine-receiving slots for receiving tines of a forklift truck for enhanced loading of said containerized field kitchen unit on said transport carrier;

a unitary composite floor liner positioned above and supported by said skid, said composite floor liner having a slip-resistant surface and at least one drainage trough;

a washable foam liner positioned against and engaging said composite floor liner;

said curbside composite panel positioned adjacent said food dispensing station and defining a set of recesses and an array of access openings including at least one food service window, a service opening providing a service compartment for access to equipment within said stations, an illumination opening for access to said illumination station, an exhaust opening communicating with said exhaust station, an electrical panel opening communicating with said power station, and said curbside fiberglass panel defines at least one recess for storing said deck;

said roadside composite panel positioned adjacent said beverage station and defining a set of access openings including a beverage window for access to said beverage station, a generator opening for access to said power station, an exhaust fan opening communicating with said exhaust station, and a floodlight opening communicating with said illumination station;

said front composite panel positioned in proximity to said refrigeration station and defining a series of access openings providing a refrigeration hatch for access to said refrigeration station, vent and circulation passageways communicating with said power station, a fuel filling opening and spout providing a filler neck communicating with said power station, and a water conduit communicating with sink; and

said rear composite panel positioned across from said front composite panel and defining a plurality of access openings including an entrance for passage of kitchen personnel, a grab handle recess, and a light opening communicating with said illumination station.

12. A mobile kitchen in accordance with claim 11 including a set of jacks for engaging and elevating said floor assembly above the ground.

13. A mobile kitchen in accordance with claim 11 wherein said walkway assist grate comprises a foraminous matrix of interconnected composite grating bars.

14. A mobile kitchen in accordance with claim 11 said curbside composite panel defines a set of food service windows and a set of substantially rectangular recesses positioned in substantial horizontal alignment below said food service windows, and said floor assembly comprises a set of substantially rectangular composite grates for providing an inclined walkway to said food service windows during use and for engaging said set of recesses of said curbside panel during storage and transport.

15. A mobile kitchen in accordance with claim 11 including a laterally extending composite interior divider panel providing an internal wall positioned between and disposed substantially parallel to said front and rear panels and connected to said curbside composite panel and to said roadside composite panel, said composite interior divider panel separating said power station from said cooking station, and said composite interior divider panel defining at least one opening for access to said refrigeration station.

16. A mobile kitchen in accordance with claim 11 including at least one tubular duct comprising a shape-sustaining sound-attenuating material and defining an air flow passageway for heating and air conditioning, and said duct comprising an acrylic polyvinylchloride duct positioned in proximity to said ceiling of said containerized field kitchen unit.