Drop-in passive thermal insert for food service counters
AssigneePrince Castle LLC
InventorsKOREY V. KOHL, ROBERT A. IVERSON, LOREN VELTROP, CHRISTOPHER B. LYONS, DONALD VAN ERDEN
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Passive temperature control is provided to vessels too tall to be stored in a shallow, temperature-controlled tray or basin by a vertically oriented thermally-conductive tube. In one embodiment, an insulative collar covers the tray and insulates portions of the tube that extend above the top of the tray. Optional heat sinking fins and air convection holes increase heat transfer between the tube and the tray.
Claims33
A drop-in passive thermal insert for providing passive temperature control to a vessel having a height greater than the depth of a temperature-controlled tray, the tray having a bottom, an open top, and at least one side wall surface that extends between the open top and bottom, the tray depth defined by the height of the at least one side wall surface, the drop-in passive thermal insert comprised of:
- a thermally-conductive tube having an interior volume for receiving the vessel, the tube capable of being oriented upright in a temperature-controlled tray, such that when said tube is upright, it has a height greater than the depth of a temperature-controlled tray but less than the height of the vessel to be received into the thermally-conductive tube, the thermally-conductive tube being sized, shaped and arranged to conduct thermal energy between top portions of the vessel and the tray.
A drop-in passive thermal insert providing passive temperature control to a vessel having a height greater than the depth of a temperature-controlled tray, the tray having a bottom, an open top, and at least one side wall surface that extends between the open top and bottom, the tray depth defined by the height of the at least one side wall surface, the passive refrigeration canister comprised of:
- a thermally-conductive tube having an interior volume for receiving the vessel, said tube having a height greater than the depth of a temperature-controlled tray and less than the height of the vessel;
- and
- a thermally-insulating collar having a hole that receives the thermally-conductive tube.
A thermally-insulating cover for a temperature-controlled tray having an open top, and at least one side wall surface that extends between the open top and bottom, the tray having depth defined by the height of the at least one side wall surface, the thermally-insulating cover configured to cover the temperature-controlled tray, the thermally-insulating cover having at least one through-hole configured to receive a thermally-conductive tube.
A food service counter comprised of:
- a temperature-controlled tray having a depth and an open top;
- a drop-in passive thermal insert located inside the temperature controlled tray, the drop-in passive thermal insert having a portion that extends above the open top.
A method of controlling the temperature of a vessel stored in a tray having a first height the vessel having a second height greater than the first height, said method comprising the steps of:
- placing a thermally-conductive tube, having a height greater than the depth of said tray and less than the first height, upright into the temperature-controlled tray;
- providing a thermally insulating collar to the tube, the thermally insulating collar covering the tray and insulating portions of the tube above the first depth;
- and
- placing a condiment dispenser into the upright thermally-conductive tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.