Food quality enhancing refrigeration system
AssigneeOmnitemp Industries, Inc.
InventorHans Haasis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerated food pan assembly is disclosed which includes food pans which rest within an inner channel through a mounting lip. The assembly includes an outer channel separated from the inner channel by insulation. Refrigeration coils are in thermal conduction with the inner channel to cool food kept within the food pans. A cold air plenum with outlet vents extends along the inner channel to blow cold air toward and between the food pans. Fan arrangements draw cold air through louvers from within the inner channel and direct the cold air into the plenum. An upper refrigeration coil provides additional cooling to the top surface of food in the food pans, and a warming coil may also be provided to prevent the rim or lip of the outer channel from accumulating frost.
Claims18
A refrigerated food pan assembly comprising:
- an elongated inner channel with inner walls and a base;
- an elongated outer channel extending around said inner channel;
- refrigeration coils in thermal conduction with said inner channel for cooling the space within said inner channel, said coils being located around the inner walls and a base of the inner channel;
- a plurality of food pans mounted into said inner channel, said food pans being spaced apart from one another and from the inner walls of said inner channel;
- an elongated cold air plenum extending along said inner channel near the upper portion thereof;
- said plenum having vent openings for directing cold air between said food pans near the tops thereof;
- a fan arrangement for drawing cold air from within said inner channel and for directing said cold air into said plenum;
- and
- at least one upper refrigeration coil being mounted at an elevation relative to the upper surface of said pans to provide a relatively stationary blanket of cold air immediately above the upper surface of said pans.
A refrigerated food pan assembly comprising:
- an elongated inner channel with inner walls and a base;
- an elongated outer channel extending around said inner channel;
- refrigeration coils in thermal conduction with said inner channel for cooling the space within said inner channel, said coils being located around the inner walls and a base of the inner channel;
- a plurality of food pans mounted into said inner channel, said food pans being spaced apart from one another and from the inner walls of said inner channel;
- an elongated cold air plenum extending along said inner channel near the upper portion thereof;
- said plenum having vent openings for directing cold air toward said food pans near the tops thereof;
- and
- a fan arrangement for drawing cold air from within said inner channel and for directing said cold air into said plenum.
A refrigerated food pan assembly comprising:
- an elongated channel with inner walls;
- refrigeration coils mounted along the inner walls of said channel for cooling the space within said channel;
- a plurality of food pans mounted into said channel, said food pans being spaced apart from one another and from the inner walls of said channel;
- at least one elongated cold air plenum extending along said channel near the upper portion thereof;
- said plenum having vent openings for directing cold air into said channel near the tops of said pans;
- and
- fan arrangements for drawing cold air from within said channel and for directing said cold air into said plenum.
A refrigerated food pan assembly comprising:
- an elongated channel with inner walls, said channel having an outwardly extending rim or lip;
- refrigeration coils mounted along the inner walls of said channel for cooling the space within said channel;
- a plurality of food pans mounted into said channel, said food pans being spaced apart from one another and from the inner walls of said channel;
- at least one upper refrigeration coil being mounted at an elevation slightly above the upper surface of said pans to provide a relatively stationary blanket of cold air immediately above the upper surface of said pans;
- and
- warming arrangements mounted near the top of said channel and spaced outward from said upper refrigeration coil, to prevent build-up of frost on the upper surface of said peripheral rim or lip of said channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.