Food distribution cart

Abstract

Trolley 1 for distributing food, comprising a frame 2, closed on all sides by thermally insulating panels 3, 4, 5, the interior of the trolley 1 being subdivided into a plurality of compartments, some of which are heated by means of a flow of hot air. An upper panel 5 of the trolley 1 is provided with openings, each of which communicates with one of said heated compartments.

Description

Title of the invention: Trolley for distributing food Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a trolley for distributing food, in particular for distributing multi-portion meals, in which the food can be heated and maintained at a serving temperature during its distribution.

[0002] The trolley according to the invention can also make it possible to keep food at a low temperature which must be kept refrigerated before distribution. Prior art

[0003] Trolleys for distributing food, known as bain-marie trolleys, are known in the prior art, which comprise a work surface in which there are one or more trays in which a load of water is placed which, after having been heated by means of electrical resistors, serves as an energy accumulator to keep the food at the right temperature, placed in dishes placed above or in contact with said load of water.

[0004] These trolleys, before they can be used for distributing food, require a thermal energy accumulation step, during which the water present in the tanks is heated to a predefined temperature, by means of electrical resistors.

[0005] When the water has reached said predefined temperature, the containers with the food to be distributed are positioned in said trays, in which they are maintained at the predefined serving temperature.

[0006] The water heating step generally requires 1.5 / 2 hours because the electrical resistors provided for this purpose are low power and the water has a high thermal capacity and therefore requires a lot of energy to heat up.

[0007] When the food stored in the cart is to be distributed, the cart is disconnected from the electrical network and transported to the location where the food will be distributed.

[0008] During this activity, the water transfers thermal energy to the containers placed in the trays, thus opposing the natural drop in temperature of the food exposed to the external environment, to maintain it at serving temperature.

[0009] This type of trolley, known in the prior art, has some drawbacks.

[0010] First of all, when the water is heated, this generates condensation which creates drips on the floors of the work and passage areas, which causes cleanliness and safety problems (slips).

[0011] Furthermore, still in terms of safety, splashes of very hot water and steam escapes can occur when opening the lids of the bins, which can be dangerous for the personnel using the trolleys.

[0012] At each service, it is advisable to carry out a water filling-emptying cycle in order to avoid problems linked to stagnant water, an activity which complicates operations and increases the workload of the kitchen staff.

[0013] In addition, the trolley must be switched on well in advance, i.e. approximately 1.5 / 2 hours before the food is distributed, to allow the water to reach the set temperature. This activity also complicates operations and increases the workload of the kitchen staff.

[0014] Also known in the prior art are ventilated heat trolleys, which comprise a work surface and one or more compartments heated, or refrigerated, by circulation of air at a predefined temperature, obtained by means of fans provided for this purpose. The containers with the food to be distributed are stored inside said compartments, so as to be able to heat, or refrigerate, and maintain at a predefined temperature the food to be distributed.

[0015] At the time of distribution, the containers with the food must be removed from the compartments in which they were stored and placed on the work surface.

[0016] Known ventilated heat trolleys also have disadvantages, due to the fact that the containers with the food to be distributed, when placed on the work surface of the trolley, are often too high and inconvenient to use during the food distribution service. Summary of the invention

[0017] The object of the present invention is to provide a trolley for distributing hot or refrigerated food, which does not have the aforementioned drawbacks, which is easy to maneuver and does not require a long preheating time before it can be used.

[0018] Another object of the present invention is to reduce the energy consumption necessary to maintain the food to be distributed at a predefined temperature.

[0019] The objects of the present invention are achieved by a trolley for distributing food, comprising a frame, closed on all sides by thermally insulating panels, in which the interior of the trolley is subdivided into a plurality of compartments, some of which are heated by means of a flow of hot air. An upper panel of the trolley is provided with openings, each of which communicates with one of said heated compartments.

[0020] In one embodiment, at least one of said compartments is statically refrigerated.

[0021] In one embodiment, said hot air flow is generated by fans, each of which is surrounded by an electrical resistor.

[0022] In one embodiment, further comprising a refrigeration unit configured to refrigerate said at least one compartment.

[0023] In one embodiment, each of said openings is associated with a closing cover.

[0024] In one embodiment, each of said compartments is separated from the compartments adjacent to it by thermally insulating separation walls.

[0025] In one embodiment, some of said panels are hinged to the frame in order to serve as doors for access to said compartments.

[0026] In one embodiment, support members are provided within said compartments and configured to support trays or dishes for said food.

[0027] In one embodiment, each of said heated compartments comprises a support plane placed under a respective opening and placed on said support elements.

[0028] In one embodiment, further comprises at least one folding support shelf, articulated to the frame.

[0029] In one embodiment, it comprises a control panel by means of which it is possible to set a temperature for each of said compartments and to operate the fans, the resistors and the refrigeration unit.

[0030] Thanks to the invention, it is possible to provide a trolley which offers both the advantages of so-called bain-marie trolleys and ventilated heat trolleys. Brief description of the drawings

[0031] The invention will now be described, simply by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0032] [Fig-1] is a perspective view of a trolley for distributing food according to the invention.

[0033] [Fig.2] is another perspective view of a trolley according to the invention, in which the interior compartments of the trolley are seen.

[0034] [Fig.3] is a top view of the carriage of [Fig.l].

[0035] [Fig.4] is a sectional view of the carriage of [Fig.3] along line IV-IV on the [Fig.3].

[0036] [Fig.5] is a top view of the carriage of [Fig.l].

[0037] [Fig.6] is a sectional view of the carriage of [Fig.5] along line VLVI on the [Fig.5].

[0038] [Fig.7] is a detail of the interior of the trolley according to the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0039] With reference to the figures, a trolley 1 for distributing food according to the invention comprises a frame 2 closed on all sides by thermally insulating panels 3, 4, 5.

[0040] The interior of the trolley 1 is subdivided into a plurality of compartments 7, 8, 9, 10, cf [Fig.4], some of which, for example compartments 7, 8, 9, are heated by a flow of hot air which is sent inside them by means of fans 11.

[0041] Certain panels, indicated in the figures by the reference number 4, are hinged to the frame 2 so that each of them can serve as a leaf by means of which it is possible to access one of the compartments 7, 8, 9, 10 inside the trolley 1.

[0042] The air sucked in by the fans 11 is heated by electrical resistors 19, see [Fig.7], which surround the fans 11.

[0043] At least one of said compartments, for example compartment 10, can be refrigerated, by static or ventilated refrigeration, using a refrigeration unit 12 mounted under the bottom 13 of the trolley 1.

[0044] One or more of the compartments 7, 8, 9, 10 may be a neutral compartment, i.e. neither heated nor refrigerated, but maintained at room temperature.

[0045] Each of said compartments is separated from the compartments adjacent to it by thermally insulating separation walls 14, 15.

[0046] The upper panel of the trolley, indicated in the figures by the reference number 5, is provided with a series of openings 16 each of which can be closed by a respective cover 17.

[0047] In each opening 16, which communicates in its lower part with one of said compartments 7, 8, 9, it is possible to insert a dish, containing food to be distributed, having sufficient dimensions so that its edges rest on an area of ​​the upper panel 5 which surrounds the opening 16.

[0048] Inside each compartment there is provided a plurality of support elements 20 on which trays or food containers can be placed, or a support surface 18 on which dishes or trays can be placed having dimensions such that they cannot be placed on the edges of the openings 16 or on the support elements 20.

[0049] The trolley 1 is provided with at least one folding support shelf 21, articulated to the frame 2, preferably two support shelves, usable during the distribution of food in order to place trays, containers, or the like on them.

[0050] The trolley 1 is further provided with a first pair of wheels 22, each of which is mounted on a respective fixed support 23, mounted on the bottom 13 of the trolley 1, and a second pair of wheels 24, mounted on a respective orientable support 25, mounted on the bottom 13 of the trolley 1. The wheels 22 and 24 serve to set the trolley 1 in motion.

[0051] Finally, the trolley 1 is provided with a control panel 26 by means of which it is possible to define the temperature of the compartments 7, 8, 9, 10 and to operate the fans 11, the resistors 19 and the refrigeration unit 12.

[0052] In use, the trolley must first be connected to an electrical energy source in order to be able to operate the fans 11, the electrical resistors 19 and the refrigeration unit 12, so as to be able to heat the ventilated heat compartments 7, 8, 9 and cool the refrigerated compartment 10 until a set temperature is reached in each compartment from the control panel 26.

[0053] When the set temperature in each compartment has been reached, trays and dishes containing the food to be distributed can be placed in the openings 16, on the support surfaces 18 and on the support elements 20.

[0054] Before proceeding with the distribution of food, the trolley 1 is disconnected from the electrical energy source.

[0055] The thermal energy accumulated by the masses present in the trolley, namely, for example, the fans 11, the electrical resistors 19, the plates, the support surfaces 18, the support elements 20, the trays and the dishes containing the food, is released progressively, maintaining the set temperatures in the heated compartments and consequently the temperature of the food.

[0056] In particular, during the distribution of food, the dishes inserted in the openings 16 of the upper panel 5 are licked on five sides by the hot air which comes out of the compartments located below and which slows down the drop in temperature of the food present in the dishes due to the exposure of said food to the ambient environment, during their distribution.

[0057] The trolley 1 requires a significantly shorter heating time for the hot compartments than a trolley of the so-called bain-marie type.

[0058] Furthermore, the trolley 1 according to the invention, compared to known ventilated heat trolleys, makes it possible to reduce the drop in temperature of the food during its distribution thanks to the fact that the containers arranged in the openings 16 or on the support surfaces 18 are licked by the hot air which is inside the heated compartments, whereas, in known ventilated heat trolleys, the containers with the food to be distributed, after having been extracted from the heated compartments, are placed on the work surface of the trolley completely exposed to the external environment, which results in rapid cooling of the food.

[0059] This problem encountered in ventilated heat trolleys can be overcome by using heat lamps installed above the work surface. However, this solution increases production costs and the size of the trolley.

[0060] Another advantage of the trolley according to the invention, compared to known ventilated heat trolleys, concerns ergonomics. Indeed, in the trolley according to the invention, the containers inserted in the openings 16 always remain at an optimal height, insofar as they are recessed relative to the work surface, whereas, in known ventilated heat trolleys, the containers are placed on the work surface and, if they have very high edges, make it difficult to extract their contents.

Claims

Claims

1. Trolley (1) for distributing food, comprising a frame (2), closed on all sides by thermally insulating panels (3, 4, 5), in which the interior of the trolley (1) is subdivided into a plurality of compartments (7, 8, 9, 10), some of which are heated by means of a flow of hot air, characterized in that an upper panel (5) of the trolley (1) is provided with openings (16), each of which communicates with one of said heated compartments (7, 8, 9).

2. Trolley (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one compartment (10) of said compartments (7, 8, 9, 10) is statically refrigerated.

3. Trolley (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said hot air flow is generated by fans (11) each of which is surrounded by an electrical resistor (19).

4. A trolley (1) according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising a refrigeration unit (12) configured to refrigerate said at least one compartment (10).

5. Trolley (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which each of said openings (16) is associated with a closing cover (17).

6. Trolley (1) for distributing food, in which each of said compartments (7, 8, 9, 10) is separated from the compartments adjacent to it by thermally insulating separating walls (14, 15).

7. Trolley (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which some of said panels (4) are hinged to the frame (2) in order to serve as flaps for access to said compartments (7, 8, 9, 10).

8. Trolley (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein support elements (20) are provided inside said compartments (7, 8, 9) and configured to support trays or dishes for said food.

9. Trolley (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that each of said heated compartments (7, 8, 9) comprises a support plane (18) placed under a respective opening (16) and placed on said support elements (20).

10. 8 Trolley (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises at least one folding support shelf (21), articulated to the frame (2).

11. Trolley (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a control panel (26) by means of which it is possible to define a temperature for each of said compartments (7, 8, 9, 10) and to operate the fans (11), the resistors (19) and the refrigeration unit (12).

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