Automated freezer component

#The present invention relates generally to a freezer component which stores frozen food and automatically removes the frozen food from the freezer component in response to a signal

#Freezers are used to keep objects, such as food, frozen. Freezers are commonly used in residences, grocery stores, and restaurants to keep food frozen. In the restaurant or food service industry, food is often stored in a freezer prior to preparation and serving. The food is usually manually placed into the freezer by an employee for storage. When the food is to be prepared and served, the food is manually removed by an employee and prepare for serving.

#A drawback to the prior art freezers is that additional labor is needed to remove the food from the freezer prior to preparation for serving as the food is manually removed by an employee. It would be beneficial to use a freezer that automatically transfers frozen food from a freezer component to a preparation area in response to an operator request.

#The various features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows:

#FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a side view of the freezer component of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a cross sectional view of the freezer component of the automated grill of FIG. 1 taken along line 2-2;

#FIG. 1 illustrates the freezer component 22 of the present invention. Frozen food items 52, such as frozen hamburger patties, are loaded in the freezer component 22. The freezer component 22 includes a rotatable portion 28 mounted on a carousel 30. The freezer component 22 further includes a loading side 32 and a feeding side 34. An upper sensor 42 and a lower sensor 44 are located proximate to the upper end and the lower end, respectively, of the rotatable portion 28.

#In one example, the freezer component 22 uses forced air convection. In another example, the freezer component comprises 22 a cold wall freezer. Preferably, the temperature in the freezer component 22 is between −18° C. and −21° C.

#As shown in FIG. 2, the example rotatable portion 28 includes four surfaces 36a, 36b, 36c and 36d. When the rotatable portion 28 is positioned as in FIG. 1, the surfaces 36a and 36b are located in the feeding side 34, and the surfaces 36c and 36d are located in the loading side 32. A platform 38a, 38b, 38c and 38d is received against each of the respective surfaces 36a, 36b, 36c and 36d and is moveable in the Y direction (i.e., up or down according to FIG. 1) by a drive 40a, 40b, 40c, and 40d, respectively, shown in phantom, which is powered by a respective motor 45a, 45b, 45c and 45d (shown in FIG. 1). Preferably, the platforms 38a, 38b, 38c and 38d are circular.