Multi-zone food holding bin
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A multi-zone food holding bin comprising:
- a chassis having a front face and an opposing rear face;
a first food holding compartment within the chassis, the first food holding compartment having at least a first opening, the first opening being open, uncovered and located at the front face of the chassis, the first opening being configured to allow food items to be placed into and removed from the food holding compartment;
a continuous and planar surface forming a bottom of the food holding compartment, the continuous and planar surface extending completely to the front face of the chassis, the continuous and planar surface comprising Aluminum;
a first food holding zone formed in the first food holding compartment, the first food holding zone having an independently controllable radiant first heating element disposed at a top portion of the first food holding compartment, and an independently controllable conductive second heating element disposed at a bottom portion of the first food holding compartment, the first food holding zone including a first food holding bay and a second food holding bay, each of the first and second food holding bays being configured to receive a food holding tray;
a second food holding zone formed in the first food holding compartment, the second food holding zone having an independently controllable radiant third heating element disposed at the top portion of the first food holding compartment and an independently controllable conductive fourth heating element disposed at the bottom portion of the first food holding compartment, the second food holding zone including a third food holding bay and a fourth food holding bay, each of the third and fourth food holding bays being configured to receive a food holding tray; and
a food holding tray disposed in the first food holding compartment, and in the first food holding bay, the food holding tray resting on the continuous and planar surface,wherein the first food holding zone and the second food holding zone are adjacent one another across the continuous planar surface and the first food holding zone is configured to maintain a first temperature and the second food holding zone is configured to maintain a second temperature, the first temperature and the second temperature capable of being different than one another, andwherein the first independently controllable heating element heats the food holding tray radiantly from above and the second independently controllable heating element heats the food holding tray conductively from below.
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Abstract
A multi-zone food holding bin has a continuous food supporting surface with multiple food holding zones. Each food holding zone is independently controllable so that different food temperatures may be maintained in adjacent food holding zones.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A multi-zone food holding bin comprising:
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a chassis having a front face and an opposing rear face; a first food holding compartment within the chassis, the first food holding compartment having at least a first opening, the first opening being open, uncovered and located at the front face of the chassis, the first opening being configured to allow food items to be placed into and removed from the food holding compartment; a continuous and planar surface forming a bottom of the food holding compartment, the continuous and planar surface extending completely to the front face of the chassis, the continuous and planar surface comprising Aluminum; a first food holding zone formed in the first food holding compartment, the first food holding zone having an independently controllable radiant first heating element disposed at a top portion of the first food holding compartment, and an independently controllable conductive second heating element disposed at a bottom portion of the first food holding compartment, the first food holding zone including a first food holding bay and a second food holding bay, each of the first and second food holding bays being configured to receive a food holding tray; a second food holding zone formed in the first food holding compartment, the second food holding zone having an independently controllable radiant third heating element disposed at the top portion of the first food holding compartment and an independently controllable conductive fourth heating element disposed at the bottom portion of the first food holding compartment, the second food holding zone including a third food holding bay and a fourth food holding bay, each of the third and fourth food holding bays being configured to receive a food holding tray; and a food holding tray disposed in the first food holding compartment, and in the first food holding bay, the food holding tray resting on the continuous and planar surface, wherein the first food holding zone and the second food holding zone are adjacent one another across the continuous planar surface and the first food holding zone is configured to maintain a first temperature and the second food holding zone is configured to maintain a second temperature, the first temperature and the second temperature capable of being different than one another, and wherein the first independently controllable heating element heats the food holding tray radiantly from above and the second independently controllable heating element heats the food holding tray conductively from below. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of maintaining different temperatures in a food holding compartment of a food holding bin, the method comprising:
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providing a food holding compartment with a first food holding zone and a second food holding zone adjacent to one another, each of the first food holding zone and the second food holding zone including at least two food holding bays, the first and second food holding zones sharing an uninterrupted continuous planar bottom surface comprising Aluminum, the uninterrupted continuous planar bottom surface extending to a front face of a chassis forming the food holding compartment, and a food holding tray disposed in the food holding compartment, the food holding tray resting on the uninterrupted continuous planar bottom surface, the first food holding zone including a first independently controllable radiant heating element that heats radiantly from above and also includes a second independently controllable conductive heating element that heats conductively from below, and the second food holding zone includes a third independently controllable radiant heating element that heats radiantly from above and also includes a fourth independently controllable conductive heating element that heats conductively from below; independently setting a first temperature in the first food holding zone by operating the first independently controllable heating element and by operating the second independently controllable heating element; independently setting a second temperature in the second food holding zone bar operating the third independently controllable heating element and by operating the fourth independently controllable heating element, wherein the first temperature is different from the second temperature. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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Specification