Salad bar with replaceable modular refrigerated condiments container

A modular (unitary) refrigerated condiments container is provided for use in a conventional restaurant-type salad bar. The modular refrigerated condiments container comprises a housing having a recessed cold pan in the top thereof and a removable condiment support plate for mounting above the bottom surface of the recessed pan. At least one upstanding wall extends across the recessed pan to divide it into two or more sections for enhanced cooling of condiment holders supported by the condiment support plate. A refrigeration condensing unit is provided and includes refrigerant-containing cooling coils in heat exchange communication with the recessed pan so as to cool the space defined between the recessed pan and the condiment support plate and thereby to cool the condiment holders supported by the condiment support plate. A temperature control circuit is connected to the refrigeration means mounted in the modular refrigerated condiments container to maintain the condiment holders and foodstuffs contained therein at a desirable cool temperature.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates generally to refrigerated salad bars for 
maintaining the foodstuffs in condiment holders at a cool temperature, and 
more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved 
replaceable modular refrigerated condiments container having the ability 
to be quickly and easily replaced in a salad bar cabinet as the need 
arises. 
RELATED ART 
As is well known to those familiar with the restaurant business, 
self-service salad bars have become tremendously popular in restaurants. 
Generally speaking, the self-service salad bars are of two basic types. 
The first type of free-standing salad bar comprises a cabinet having a 
counter top provided with one or more openings therein which are fitted 
with one or more relatively shallow pans used to hold crushed ice. Food or 
condiments containers of assorted sizes are then placed in the ice so that 
the foodstuffs in the containers are maintained at a relatively low 
temperature to preserve the contents against premature spoilage. 
The aforementioned salad bar has been in use for some time and suffers from 
a number of shortcomings which are well known to those familiar with the 
restaurant business. Not the least of the problems associated with the 
first type of salad bar is the high level of maintenance required to 
properly chill foodstuffs in this ice-type salad bar. 
Consequently, a second type of salad bar has more recently been developed 
which incorporates a fixed refrigeration unit within the salad bar cabinet 
having an extended cooling coil positioned against the bottom of a cold 
pan or plate located beneath the foodstuff-filled condiment containers. 
Unfortunately, the cooling coil presents difficulties in maintaining a 
suitable controlled heat transfer relationship between the containers and 
the refrigerated plate or recessed pan and may result in the foodstuffs 
either freezing and/or becoming too warm. 
A variation of the cooling coil chilled salad bar is disclosed in U.S. Pat. 
Nos. 4,406,143; 4,782,665; 4,856,579; and 4,870,835 which generally 
disclose providing the refrigerant lines underneath a condiment container 
top plate which is positioned above a corresponding recessed cold pan. 
This type of frost-top unit provides the pleasing aesthetic appearance of 
the condiment containers resting in a bed of ice. However, like the first 
type of salad bar described above, this type of salad bar also suffers 
disadvantages or problems which are well known to those familiar with the 
construction and use of self-service salad bars in restaurants. 
A primary disadvantage of both types of salad bars is inherent in the fixed 
refrigeration system which becomes a significant liability when it 
requires repair. The salad bar must be removed from service for an 
extended period of time in order to effect repair of the refrigeration 
unit permanently mounted therein. Even more significantly, new federal 
environment protection regulations are about to become effective which 
will require the purchase of expensive equipment in order to service 
and/or repair the salad bar refrigeration unit on site in a restaurant or 
other food service establishment. Thus, the manager of a restaurant or 
other food service establishment utilizing self-service salad bars is 
subject to significant inconvenience and cost when the refrigeration unit 
therein requires servicing and/or repair. 
Although there have been attempts to do so, the prior art fails to disclose 
a salad bar with a high efficiency and replaceable refrigerated condiments 
container. A truly workable and high efficiency replaceable refrigerated 
condiments container serves to minimize the time during which the salad 
bar is out of service during routine service and/or repair and provide for 
off-site service and/or repair as may be required in order to meet pending 
new federal environment protection regulations relating to freon 
refrigerant handling. 
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the present invention, applicants provide a replaceable 
modular refrigerated condiments container particularly adapted for use in 
salad bars in restaurants and other food serving establishments. The 
modular condiments container comprises a housing defining a recessed pan 
in the top thereof and is adapted for easy removal from a salad bar 
cabinet. At least one upstanding wall extends across the recessed pan so 
as to divide it into two or more sections. A condiment support extends 
across the top surface of the housing and defines a plurality of apertures 
therein to support a corresponding plurality of condiment holders wherein 
the condiment holders are maintained in the space defined between the 
condiment support and the recessed pan of the housing. A portion of the 
condiment holders are positioned in each of the sections defined by the 
one or more upstanding walls within the recessed pan. Refrigeration means 
are mounted in the housing and include refrigerant-containing cooling 
coils in heat exchange communication with the recessed pan so as to cool 
the space between the recessed pan and the condiment support so as to 
consequently cool the condiment holders and the foodstuffs contained 
therein. 
A temperature control circuit means is provided and operatively connected 
to the refrigeration means for maintaining the condiment holders at a 
desirable cool temperature to best preserve the foodstuffs contained 
therein. 
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a high 
efficiency removable and replaceable modular refrigerated condiments 
container for use in free-standing salad bars of the type found in 
restaurants and other food service establishments. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a high efficiency 
lightweight and inexpensive modular refrigerated condiments container 
which is easy to install and remove from a salad bar cabinet. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a high efficiency 
lightweight and easily removable modular refrigerated condiments container 
which, when it becomes defective, can be easily removed and replaced with 
another modular refrigerated condiments container without requiring 
time-consuming and expensive on-site repair. 
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a high 
efficiency lightweight and easily removable modular refrigerated 
condiments container which can be quickly removed from a salad bar cabinet 
when repair is required and returned to the factory so as to facilitate 
environmentally safe removal and repair of the unit. 
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved 
refrigerated salad bar wherein the cold pan and operatively connected 
refrigeration unit are constructed in a unitary container to facilitate 
ease of removal for servicing and/or repair and the installation of 
another modular unit for use during the off-site servicing and/or repair 
of the original modular refrigerated condiments container unit. 
Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will 
become evident as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with 
the accompanying drawings described below.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
Referring now to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3 thereof, there is 
illustrated a salad bar, generally designated 10. Salad bar 10 includes an 
upstanding cabinet 12 and a counter top 14 defining one or more openings 
16 in the top surface thereof. A transparent protective shroud 18 is 
suspended over the cabinet 12 by suitable means such as support chain 20. 
As will be appreciated by those familiar with the art, the construction of 
salad bar 10 described heretofore is entirely conventional and similar 
construction is used for both ice-cooled and refrigerant-cooled salad 
bars. 
Removably positioned within opening 16 of salad bar 10 (as best seen in 
FIG. 1) is a novel modular refrigerated condiments container, generally 
designated 50. Refrigerated condiments container 50 is a unitary and 
self-contained refrigeration system for maintaining foodstuffs in 
condiment containers at a controlled cool temperature. As can be seen in 
FIGS. 1-3, refrigerated condiments container 50 can be easily installed by 
merely being placed into opening 16 of cabinet 12 and then simply plugging 
the electrical plug 52 into an electrical outlet 12A at or near the bottom 
of cabinet 12 and connecting fluid drain 54 to a suitable corresponding 
drain conduit 12B also located at or near the bottom of salad bar cabinet 
12. For removal of refrigerated condiments container 50, electrical plug 
52 and drain conduit 54 are quickly disconnected and container 50 then 
lifted out of counter top opening 16 of salad bar cabinet 12. Although the 
drawings only show condiments container 50 maintained in place by lip 50A 
thereof (see FIG. 2) which rests upon counter top 14, applicants 
contemplate that additional easily removable securement means such as 
screws or the like could be used to secure refrigerated condiments 
container 50 to counter top 14 of salad bar 10. 
With reference now to the specific construction of refrigerated condiments 
container 50 which is shown in FIGS. 1-3, it can be seen that a condiment 
support plate 56 is removably mounted in the top thereof and defines a 
plurality of apertures therein designated 56A for removably retaining a 
corresponding plurality of condiment containers C indicated in phantom 
lines in FIGS. 2 and 3. As noted hereinabove, condiments container 50 
defines an outwardly extending lip 50A around the perimeter thereof for 
overlaying and engaging the perimeter of opening 16 in salad bar 10. 
Refrigerated condiments container 50 has a recessed double wall pan 58 in 
the top thereof formed from outside surface wall 58A and inside surface 
wall 58B as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. Insulating foam 58C is provided 
between outside surface wall 58A and inside surface wall 58B. 
An upstanding wall W extends lengthwise from one end of recessed pan 58 to 
the other and serves to better maintain condiment containers C at a 
desirable cool temperature than an undivided recessed pan 58. Applicants 
have discovered that one or more walls W may be provided in the lengthwise 
or widthwise direction, or both, of recessed pan 58. In one embodiment of 
the invention (not shown) each condiments container C would be positioned 
within a respective section of recessed pan 58 defined by a grid of 
upstanding walls W. Applicants have found that the use of one or more 
walls W to divide recessed pan 58 into sections results in a surprising 
(e.g., allows use of 1/4 vs. 1/2 horsepower refrigeration unit) increase 
in cooling efficiency of condiments container 50. 
A space is defined between double-walled recessed pan 58 and condiment 
support plate 56 into which condiment containers C downwardly depend so as 
to be cooled by the chilled ambient air in this closed space. Furthermore, 
a drain conduit, previously designated 54, extends downwardly from 
recessed pan 58 and through the bottom of refrigerated condiments 
container 50. 
Referring now to FIGS. 2-4, refrigerated condiments container 50 also 
includes a conventional refrigeration unit, generally designated 60. 
Although any suitable refrigeration condensing unit can be utilized, 
applicants have found the TECUMSEH brand Model No. AE1360AA to be 
particularly effective in the practice of the instant invention. 
Refrigeration condensing unit 60 includes cooling coils 62 which extend 
between the double walls of recessed pan 58 and are secured by 
conventional means (not shown) to the underside of outside surface wall 
58A in heat exchange relationship therewith. In this fashion, cooling 
coils 62 serve to maintain the ambient temperature in the area between 
recessed pan 58 and condiment support plate 56 at a controlled cooled 
temperature so as to also maintain condiment containers C and the 
foodstuffs therein at a controlled temperature in order to prevent 
spoilage. The thermometer of thermostatic switch 64 is also positioned 
adjacent the underside of outside surface wall 58A of recessed pan 58, and 
switch 64 is in electrical connection with refrigeration condenser unit 60 
so as to assist in maintaining the temperature of the foodstuffs in 
condiment containers C at a controlled temperature. 
Refrigeration condenser unit 60 is provided with a previously described 
electrical plug 52 which extends from the housing of refrigerated 
condiments container 50 so as to be easily plugged into a conventional 
previously described electrical outlet 12A in the bottom of cabinet 12 of 
salad bar 10. An electrical switch 66 is provided in order to open and 
close the electrical circuit from electrical plug 52 to refrigeration 
condenser unit 60. An optional feature contemplated by applicants for the 
preferred embodiment of the instant invention incorporates the use of a 
crankcase heater 68 (not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 but designated in FIG. 4) 
in order to provide for a quicker initial start-up time of refrigeration 
condenser unit 60. 
Although applicants contemplate that the modular refrigerated condiments 
container of the instant invention can be fabricated from many different 
types of material, it is presently believed that the preferred embodiment 
would be constructed from fiber-reinforced plastic (including condiment 
support plate 56) due to its relatively low cost, ease of maintenance, 
electrical insulation qualities, and light weight. The 
fiberglass-reinforced plastic may, as a matter of design choice, be molded 
in predetermined colors and coated with sanitary gelcoat available from 
American Colors of Orlando, Fla. as catalog product No. 88. Also, 
applicants contemplate the preferred embodiment of the instant invention 
to provide a suitable insulating foam 58C such as two pound density foam 
available from Foam Craft of Sarasota, Fla. as catalog product No. 2040. 
It will be understood that various details of the invention may be changed 
without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the 
foregoing description is for the purpose of illustration only, and not for 
the purpose of limitation--the invention being defined by the claims.