Apparatus for keeping hot and for transporting dishes using a motor vehicle

An apparatus for keeping hot and for transporting prepared dishes from a producer to a consumer, using a motor vehicle equipped with a container having a lower portion supported by the motor vehicle in which a heat exchanger is provided, wherein the motor vehicle includes a combustion engine, an exhaust supply tube in communication with the combustion engine for exhausting combustion exhaust fumes, an exhaust tube, and wherein the heat exchanger is interposed between the exhaust supply tube and the exhaust tube and thereby is supplied with thermal energy from the exhaust fumes of the combustion engine of the motor vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

• a receptacle having a top, a bottom, a front and a rear, forming an inner chamber;
• said receptacle defining a through passage opening forming an air passage to ambient space wherein the through passage opening is located at the bottom of the receptacle and receives the exhaust supply tube and the exhaust tube;
• the receptacle further comprising a continuous wall having a double wall portion enclosing a continuous air interspace, the double wall portion defining an air inlet to permit ambient air to be drawn into the air interspace, and, defining an air outlet connected to the inner chamber proximate to the front, whereby air stream vortices are maximized, and wherein the double wall portion further comprises an external wall and an external top cover and an internal wall and internal top cover;
• a door for access to the inner chamber and located at the front;
• a perforated shelf spaced from the wall within the inner chamber to form an air space, whereby free circulation of air within the inner chamber is maximized, and
• a blowing fan for directing ambient air into the air inlet,
• whereby the inner chamber is connected with the ambient air and continuous air flow is permitted to circulate through the inner chamber to be exhausted through the through passage opening located in the lower portion.

A method of keeping hot and for transporting prepared dishes from a producer to a consumer using a motor vehicle having a combustion engine, an exhaust supply tube in communication with the combustion engine for exhausting combustion exhaust fumes, and an exhaust tube, comprising:

• equipping the motor vehicle with a container having a lower portion supported by the motor vehicle in which a heat exchanger is provided, the container comprising a receptacle having a continuous wall defining an inner chamber, and a door for permitting access to the inner chamber, the wall having a double wall portion enclosing a continuous air interspace, the double wall portion defining an air inlet to permit ambient air from the motor vehicle to be drawn into the air interspace, and, defining an air outlet connected to the inner chamber,
• forming a through passage opening between the container and the motor vehicle thereby forming an air passage to ambient space and passing the exhaust supply tube and the exhaust tube through the through passage opening;
• and
• connecting the heat exchanger between the exhaust supply tube and the exhaust tube within the inner chamber, whereby thermal energy from the exhaust fumes of the combustion engine of the motor vehicle supplies heat to the heat exchanger and permits conductive and radiational heat exchange through the heat exchanger into the inner chamber and whereby the inner chamber is connected with the ambient air and continuous air flow is permitted to circulate through the inner chamber to be exhausted through the through passage opening.