Air blanketed food preparation table
AssigneeQualserv Holding Company
InventorWayne K. Spillner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided to cool and/or protect chilled food in a food pan from warmer ambient air by passing low velocity chilled air from air vents proximate the food pan into and/or over the food pan to form a relatively stable mass of cooled air within the interior of the food pan. The low velocity air may also form a slowly moving barrier of chilled air that hinders warmer ambient air from reaching the food pan. Various embodiments employing numerous arrangements of food pans, cooling system and air ducts configured to direct the chilled air at a low velocity into and/or over the food pans are disclosed.
Claims36
A refrigerated make-table, comprising:
- at least one food pan having an opening in fluid communication with an interior space in the food pan;
- an air duct in fluid communication with the opening in said at least one food pan;
- a cooling system including a chilled air source arranged to conduct chilled air over the opening of said at least one food pan via said air duct at a velocity of between approximately 8 feet per minute and approximately 75 feet per minute to form an air blanket isolating said at least one food pan from ambient air and maintaining the interior of said at least one food pan at a temperature range between approximately 35° F. and approximately 41° F.
A method of operating a make-table, said method comprising the steps of:
- placing food in a food pan;
- placing the food pan at least partially within a food pan well in the make-table;
- directing chilled air over the food pan;
- and
- controlling the velocity of the chilled air between approximately 8 feet per minute and approximately 75 feet per minute to permit the chilled air to create a protective boundary layer of chilled air disposed above the food in the food pan, thereby providing an air blanket insulating the food pan from ambient air and maintaining an interior temperature of the food pan at a temperature of about 35° F. to about 41° F.
A refrigerated make-table, comprising:
- means for containing food;
- means for supporting said food containing means;
- and
- means for conducting chilled air at a velocity of between approximately 8 feet per minute to approximately 75 feet per minute over said containing means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.