TRANSPORTABLE WARMING CART

• US 20170328958A1
• Filed: 05/15/2017
• Published: 11/16/2017
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 10,408,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 method of displaying a battery life for a warming cart battery, comprising:

determining with a processor an operation state of each of a plurality of periphery warming cart devices;

automatically setting a battery scale of a warming cart battery selected from a plurality of battery scales based on which of the plurality of periphery warming cart devices are in an active operation state, wherein each of the plurality of battery scales represent a different range of voltages between a charge value for the warming cart battery and a predetermined state of discharge of the warming cart battery over a period of time based on the active operation state of the plurality of periphery warming cart devices;

measuring a warming cart battery voltage; and

automatically displaying a remaining life of the warming cart battery based on the measured warming cart battery voltage in relation to the set battery scale.

2. The method of claim 1, where the plurality of periphery warming cart devices comprise a blower motor.

3. The method of claim 1, where the plurality of periphery warming cart devices comprise a heating element.

4. The method of claim 1, where the act of automatically setting a battery scale of a warming cart battery comprises setting the battery scale to range between approximately 23.97 volts and approximately 25.07 volts when it is determined that the plurality of periphery warming cart devices in the active operation state comprise a heating element and blower motor.

5. The method of claim 1, where the display of the remaining battery life is in a percentage form.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising converting the battery life percentage to a remaining time of battery life with the processor and displaying the remaining time of battery life on a display.

7. The method of claim 1, where the act of automatically setting a battery scale of a warming cart battery comprises setting the battery scale to range between approximately 24.40 volts and approximately 25.64 volts when it is determined that the plurality of periphery warming cart devices in the active operation state comprise a heating element.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising converting the battery life percentage to a remaining time of battery life with the processor and displaying the remaining time of battery life on a display.

9. The method of claim 1, where the act of automatically setting a battery scale of a warming cart battery comprises setting the battery scale to range between approximately 24.71 volts and approximately 26.31 volts when it is determined that the plurality of periphery warming cart devices in the active operation do not comprise a heating element and blower motor.

10. A battery life display circuit, comprising:

a warming cart battery;

a plurality of periphery warming cart devices configured to draw power from the warming cart battery;

a processor configured to automatically set a battery scale used to measure a remaining life of the warming cart battery based on an operational status of each of the plurality of periphery warming cart devices; and

a display operatively coupled to the processor for displaying a remaining life of the warming cart battery as a percentage of a voltage across the warming cart battery as measured by the processor and the automatically set batter scale.

11. The battery life display circuit of claim 10, where the display is further configured to display the remaining period of time in response to a receiving a changed display mode signal received through a button operatively connected to the display.

12. A food holding cabinet, comprising:

a housing with a food storage compartment and a battery compartment

the battery compartment configured to receive a battery and an electrical connection configured to allow for the flow of electrical current from the battery to a plurality of electrical heaters disposed in thermal communication with the food storage compartment,

wherein the battery compartment comprises a shelf that is slidably mounted within the battery compartment, the shelf being slidable between a stowed position where the battery is disposed within the housing, and an extended position wherein at least a portion of the battery extends outside of the housing.

13. The food holding cabinet of claim 12, further comprising a roof that is fixed with respect to the shelf such that the roof slides along with the shelf, wherein the battery is slidably disposed between the roof and the shelf, and wherein the roof may be urged toward the battery to tightly engage a surface of the battery.

14. The food holding cabinet of claim 13, further comprising a lock disposed between the roof and the shelf, wherein the lock may be manipulated to urge the roof toward the battery to establish the tight engagement with the surface of the battery, and the lock may be released to remove the tight engagement.

15. The food holding cabinet of claim 14, wherein the roof is cantilevered from a riser that extends from the shelf, wherein the lock engages the roof at a cantilevered portion of the roof.

16. The food holding cabinet of claim 14, wherein the lock is an over center mechanism with an operator, wherein the lock is urged to a lock position to urge the roof toward the battery when the operator is positioned on a first side of an intermediate position, and where the lock is urged toward a release position to remove the tight engagement between the roof and the battery when the operator is positioned on a second side of an intermediate position opposite the first side.

17. 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 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 with in the transportable cabinet;

a fourth electrical line with opposite ends that connect to the first electrical line on opposite electrical ends of the first 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 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.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a third electrical heater configured to when energized provides heat input to the housing, the third heater electrically connected to the DC power board, the DC power board selectively supplying electrical current to the third heater through a fifth electrical line.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a fan electrically connected to the DC power board, the DC power board continuously or selectively supplying electrical current to the fan.

20. The system of claim 19, 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.

21. The system of claim 19, 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.

22. The system of claim 21, 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.

23. The system of claim 21, 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.