Convertible food guard system with adjustable side panels

A convertible food guard system comprising:

• a support structure configured to mechanically couple to a food service countertop;
• a top panel mechanically coupled to the support structure such that if the support structure is mechanically coupled to a food service countertop, the top panel defines a plane that is generally parallel to a plane defined by the countertop;
• at least one main viewing panel;
• a hinge mechanism mechanically coupled to said support structure and to said at least one main viewing panel, wherein said hinge mechanism is adjustable from at least a first position to at least a second position and from said at least a second position to said at least a first position, and wherein adjustment of said hinge mechanism from the first position to said the second position adjusts the main viewing panel from a cafeteria mode position to a buffet mode position, and wherein adjustment of said hinge mechanism from the second position to the first position adjusts the main viewing panel from the buffet mode position to the cafeteria mode position;
• at least first and second slide mechanism components mechanically coupled to the support structure on opposite sides of the support structure;
• and
• at least first and second sliding side panels mechanically coupled to the first and second slide mechanism components in sliding arrangements that allow the first and second sliding side panels to slide relative to the support structure from a forward position to a rearward position, and vice versa, wherein when the main viewing panel is in the cafeteria mode position, each of the sliding side panels is positionable in the rearward position such that respective leading edges of the respective sliding panels are generally aligned with a leading edge of the main viewing panel, and wherein when the main viewing panel is in the buffet mode position, each of the sliding side panels is positionable in the forward position such that the respective leading edges of the respective sliding side panels are generally aligned with the leading edge of the main viewing panel, and wherein the first and second sliding side panels are generally parallel to one another and generally perpendicular to the top panel.

A convertible food guard system comprising:

• a support structure configured to be suspended above a food service countertop;
• at least one main viewing panel;
• a hinge mechanism mechanically coupled to said support structure and to said at least one main viewing panel, wherein said hinge mechanism is adjustable from at least a first position to at least a second position and from said at least a second position to said at least a first position, and wherein adjustment of said hinge mechanism from the first position to said the second position adjusts the main viewing panel from a cafeteria mode position to a buffet mode position, and wherein adjustment of said hinge mechanism from the second position to the first position adjusts the main viewing panel from the buffet mode position to the cafeteria mode position;
• at least a first adjustment mechanism component mechanically coupled to the support structure on a first side of the support structure;
• and
• at least a first adjustable side panels mechanically coupled to the first adjustment mechanism component in an adjustable arrangement that allows the first adjustable side panel to move relative to the support structure from a forward position to a rearward position, and vice versa, wherein when the main viewing panel is in the cafeteria mode position, the adjustable side panel is positionable in the rearward position such that a leading edge of the adjustable side panel is generally aligned with a leading edge of the main viewing panel, and wherein when the main viewing panel is in the buffet mode position, the first adjustable side panel is positionable in the forward position such that the leading edge of the first adjustable side panel is generally aligned with the leading edge of the main viewing panel, and wherein if the support structure is suspended above a food service countertop, the first adjustable side panel is generally perpendicular to the food service countertop.