Saladette
The saladette addresses inefficiencies and hygiene issues by integrating height-adjustable bowls with light signals and sensors, ensuring quick ingredient access and accurate order fulfillment while maintaining freshness and hygiene.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Utility models
- Current Assignee / Owner
- GÜLTOP HAKAN
- Filing Date
- 2025-01-07
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-11
AI Technical Summary
Existing saladettes face issues such as time-consuming ingredient retrieval, risk of germ spread due to high heat, and transmission errors during ordering, leading to inefficiencies and hygiene concerns.
A saladette with height-adjustable bowls, light signals, and integrated sensors for ingredient display, along with a control unit for processing orders and ensuring error-free transmission, combined with lockable and refrigerated compartments to maintain freshness and hygiene.
Facilitates quick ingredient access, reduces germ spread, and ensures accurate order fulfillment, enhancing efficiency, safety, and hygiene by optimizing cooling and reducing errors.
Smart Images

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Abstract
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a saladette with a table surface with recesses into which containers 6, 7 for foodstuffs can be inserted, which are in particular removable from the table surface.
[0002] The invention relates in particular to a table with integrated, lowerable and lockable salad compartments in which salad containers can be inserted and wherein the salad containers are removable from the table surface. State of the art
[0003] Disadvantages of well-known saladettes include: In kitchens and catering establishments, ingredients are often stored in bowls. Finding the right ingredients for a recipe often requires rummaging through several bowls, which is time-consuming and laborious.
[0004] Due to the high heat emanating from meat skewers, ovens / stoves, and other commercial cooking / frying / baking equipment, there is a risk that germs will spread rapidly, especially at the salad bar (saladette).
[0005] Transmission errors can easily occur during the ordering process from the customer to the production employee, so that the customer does not receive the desired composition of the product. Problem and solution of the invention
[0006] Objective of the invention: To avoid the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art.
[0007] This problem is solved in a saladette of the type mentioned above according to the invention by providing the containers 6, 7 with a display, in particular a light display, and / or devices for lifting the containers and a sensor for detecting the fill level, that the saladette has a first facility 2 for entering customer requests and an input and output facility 1 for the production employee, for displaying the operating status and for entering production data, that the saladette includes a control unit for processing the signals from the sensors, from the first device 2 and from the input and output device 1, and that the input and output device 1 is designed to output the data processed by the control unit. Advantages of the invention
[0008] Among other things, the following advantages are achieved: The present invention describes a height-adjustable counter with bowls, light signals, and an ingredient display that solves this problem. The counter has several bowls arranged in a frame. The frame can be raised and lowered so that the bowls are easily accessible. Each bowl is equipped with a light signal that illuminates when the corresponding ingredient is needed for a recipe. The ingredient display shows the names of the ingredients contained in the bowls.
[0009] In detail: 1) The customer uses the customer monitor to order their desired ingredients. The customer selects their individual toppings for their doner kebab, baguette, or salad. This eliminates any misunderstandings. 2) The invention ensures that transmission errors during the ordering process are avoided. 3) After the order is placed, containers 7 are lifted and the indicator light illuminates. This tells the production employee which ingredients are being added to the product (doner kebab / baguette / salad). 4) The production worker sees on the production monitor which ingredients the customer has ordered. The production worker takes the ingredients from the raised containers. 7. 5) Due to the error-free transmission of the order, the customer actually receives the desired contents from the respective raised containers. 7. 6) Due to the high heat emanating from, for example, meat rotisseries, ovens / stoves, and other commercial cooking / frying / baking equipment, there is a risk of germs spreading rapidly, especially at the salad bar. A refrigerated and automatically sealed storage area in a saladette would therefore guarantee full compliance with hygiene requirements, even with high order volumes. According to the invention, only the sections that are actually needed and requested are opened, while the unordered ingredients remain sealed in the refrigerated area.
[0010] These benefits are achieved through the following measures: Advantage 1: One or more drawers are optionally available. When the drawer is partially or fully extended, the drawer front panel folds inwards and is wide enough that the drawer cannot be pushed in when the front panel is folded down. Advantage 2: The drawer is lockable. Advantages 3 and 4: A hinge 8 is provided for connecting the front panel and the tabletop 3. The front panel is foldable. Advantage 5: Trough-like depressions 6, centrally arranged Advantage 6: Time saving: The height-adjustable counter makes it possible to find the right ingredients quickly and easily without having to rummage through several bowls. Further advantages: Improved efficiency: The light signals and ingredient display ensure that the ingredients are used efficiently and effectively. Avoiding errors: Clearly labeling the ingredients reduces the risk of errors in food preparation. Increased safety: The height-adjustable counter can help prevent accidents, as the bowls are easily accessible and cannot fall. Improved ergonomics: The height-adjustable counter enables an ergonomic working style that protects the back and joints. Freshness and hygiene: Targeted lighting of the individual salad compartments makes it possible, especially with rapidly perishable raw food products, to check whether the products are still in a fresh and saleable condition. Energy efficiency: Lowering and closing the salad compartments optimizes cooling in the lower section of the saladette and when closed. This not only ensures consistently fresh produce but also offers energy efficiency benefits. The following is particularly important:
[0011] The lockable salad compartments with light sensors are designed to enable simple, straightforward, quick, and hygienic preparation. Furthermore, integration with an ordering app is intended to ensure the correct selection of ingredients in advance. Lowering the salad compartments in the counter also optimizes cooling and guarantees the long-term freshness of the ingredients.
[0012] The inventor overcame the following technical difficulties in a non-obvious way during the development of the invention: Technical difficulty 1: Selection of a suitable and appropriate lifting system (hydraulic or other technology?) The integration of the lifting device into existing salad counters, in particular whether the size of the device is suitable, is crucial. Here, the interplay between the design of the object and the integration of the miniaturized lifting / hydraulic system plays a decisive role in its success. Technical difficulty 2: Other potential technical problems include the regular maintenance of the invention and the replaceability of the individual components. A user-friendly system (insertion via a click / snap mechanism) and the use of readily available materials help to solve these problems. Technical difficulty 3: Another problem is establishing and verifying reliable and easily accessible compatibility between the invention (hardware) itself and the associated software (operation via an electronic order panel). This problem is solved by integrating external software. Technical difficulty 4: Another technical challenge is securing the electrical components beneath the salad bar. Since raw vegetables are prone to becoming waterlogged, a robust material must be used, and absolute leak-proofness is essential. To prevent salad liquid from escaping, the salad bar has a maximum fill line that must not be exceeded. Furthermore, the edges of the salad containers should be slightly rounded inwards to prevent leakage.
[0013] The inventor overcame the following technical difficulties in a non-obvious manner during the development of the system according to the invention.
[0014] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are set out in the dependent claims.
[0015] It is therefore suggested that - that a drawer with a front panel 7 is arranged in the recesses and that the front panel of the drawer can be folded inwards when the drawer is partially or fully extended and is so wide that the drawer cannot be inserted when the front panel is folded down, - that containers 6 and 7 are sealable. Example(s) of implementation
[0016] An embodiment of the invention is described in more detail below with reference to the drawings. In all drawings, identical reference numerals have the same meaning and are therefore explained only once, if necessary.
[0017] They show Fig. 1 a saladette with a lowered and raised container according to the invention and Fig. 2 a lowered and raised container in a closed state. Construction of the saladette according to the invention
[0018] The height-adjustable salad bar consists of the following elements: In Fig. Figure 1 shows a saladette according to the invention with table leg 4, plate 3, monitor 1 for customers, monitor 2 for employees as well as several containers 6 and with front plate 7 and a work surface 5 with light display.
[0019] The salad bar can be seen in its open state.
[0020] The frame is made of a sturdy material, such as metal or plastic. It can be raised and lowered using a motor or hydraulics.
[0021] Bowls: The bowls are made of food-safe material, such as stainless steel, glass, or plastic. They are available in different sizes to accommodate varying amounts of ingredients.
[0022] Light signals: Each bowl is equipped with a light signal that illuminates when the corresponding ingredient is needed for a recipe. The light signals can glow in different colors to make it easier to distinguish between the ingredients.
[0023] In Fig. Figure 2 shows a detail, namely a lowered container 6 and a raised container with a light indicator.
[0024] Operating principle of the saladette according to the invention The operating principle of the saladette according to the invention is explained in detail below: Step 1: The customer orders the booking of their order via monitor 1. Step 2: By placing the order, the production employee is shown the desired ingredients that are in the containers by the raised containers and the light indicator. Step 3: The employee removes the ingredients from the raised containers, which are also marked with the light indicator. Step 4: After all ingredients have been removed, the counter is closed and lowered back into the refrigerated area.
[0025] The standout feature, defining the overall design, is the innovative aspect of the salad bar. Its combination of integrated hygiene functions, special lifting and closing technology, and optimal use of cooling temperature clearly distinguishes it from existing products, thus positioning it as unique. This contributes to long-term added value and numerous advantages for the company. Reference symbol list 1 monitor for the employee 2 Customer Monitor 3 Saladette tray (tabletop) 4 Table legs of the saladette 5 Work surface for preparation 6 trough-like depressions with lowered container 7. Hinged front panel of the raised container 8 Connection (hinge) between front panel 7 and table top 3
Claims
Saladette with a table surface with recesses into which containers (6, 7) for food can be inserted, which are in particular removable from the table surface, characterized in that the containers (6, 7) are assigned a display, in particular a light display, and / or devices for lifting the containers and a sensor for detecting the fill level, that the saladette has a first device (2) for entering customer requests and an input and output device (1) for the production employee, for displaying the operating status and for entering production data, that the saladette includes a control unit for processing the signals from the sensors, from the first device (2) and from the input and output device (1) and that the input and output device (1) is designed to output the data processed by the control unit. Saladette according to claim 1, characterized in that a drawer with a front panel (7) is arranged in the recesses and the front panel (7) of the drawer can be folded inwards when the drawer is partially or fully extended and is so wide that the drawer cannot be inserted when the front panel (7) is folded inwards. Saladette according to claim 1, characterized in that the containers (6, 7) are lockable.