Abstract:
Thermally convertible food presentation modules are described. A single module may be used for both heating and refrigeration of foodstuffs as desired at any given time. Any well of a module may be switched between heating and cooling of food regardless of the status of any other well of the module.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to multi-well food presentation modules and more particularly, although not necessarily exclusively, to generally immobile food serving bars in which each well may be controllable thermally independent of other wells and may alternately be refrigerated or heated. Each well may receive one or more pans containing edible products, with such products presented so as to be accessible to persons utilizing the bars. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,279,470 to Simeray, et al. describes a portable serving system designed especially for “restaurants that provide meals for pick up or delivery.” See Simeray, col. 1, ll. 23-24. The system includes a tray, various dish plates, and a cover. Electric heating may be employed to maintain elevated temperature of food intended to be served at above-ambient temperature. Likewise, electricity may be used to evacuate residual heat from portions of the tray to reduce food temperatures toward ambient. 
         [0003]    Another portable food-delivery device is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,846 to Citterio, et al. Pre-filled dishes placed in distinct bays (seats) of a tray contact “thermal energy transfer devices” intended, apparently, either to heat or to cool the dishes. See Citterio, col. 4, ll. 38-44. A person responsible for delivering meals may roll the device on its wheels and access dishes via a door, which otherwise remains closed. 
         [0004]    Non-portable food presentation equipment conventionally is dedicated either to heating or to cooling food contained therein. One such mechanism is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0023462 of Shei, et al. The food-holding unit of  FIG. 1 , for example, heats multiple food trays, whereas the unit of  FIG. 26  refrigerates the trays. Neither unit both heats and cools, however. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,971 to Monroe, et al. shows another non-portable food-presentation device in the form of a multi-well serving bar. At with the food-holding unit of the Shei application, the serving bar of the Monroe patent is dedicated either to heating or to cooling all wells. See Monroe, col. 7, ll. 10-22. Further, such dedicated heating or cooling is preferably uniform as to food contained therein rather than individually controlled. See id., col. 1, ll. 19-28. Although the dedicated refrigerated version of the device may incorporate electric heating elements, such elements are used solely “[t]o prevent over-cooling”—rather than to elevate food temperatures above ambient. See id., col. 5, ll. 14-22. The contents of the Simeray, Citterio, and Monroe patents and of the Shei publication are incorporated herein in their entireties by this reference. 
         [0006]    Dine-in, self-service restaurants in particular utilize multi-well food bars such as those illustrated in the Monroe patent. Often, however, providing uniform food temperatures from well to well may be undesirable. As but one example, hard tacos typically include heated meat and refrigerated lettuce, cheese, and other substances placed together in an ambient-temperature corn tortilla shell. These components cannot be placed in adjacent wells of a dedicated food-presentation module, as at least one such component will be served at an undesired (and perhaps unsanitary) temperature. Moreover, even placing tortilla shells adjacent either (heated) meat or (refrigerated) vegetables or dairy products would be problematic if the wells are uniformly heated or cooled. 
         [0007]    Smaller dine-in establishments, furthermore, if required to purchase two dedicated modules (one for heated foods and a second for refrigerated foods) may resultingly underutilize the modules. This consequence is especially likely when no more than the number of bays in a single module is needed but some bays would need to contain hot food and the others refrigerated food. Eating establishments of all sizes may, from time to time, also desire to switch a bay from heating to cooling (or vice-versa) depending on time of day. For example, a bay heated for purposes of serving hot breakfast food might be best-utilized at lunch to hold refrigerated foodstuffs, an impossibility with a conventional food bar. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention solves these difficulties associated with existing food presentation modules. Innovative modules of the invention—as well as their individual food-containing wells—are convertible thermally as a function of time. Hence, a single module may be utilized for both heating and refrigeration of foodstuffs as desired at any given time. Any well, furthermore, may be switched between heating and cooling of food, regardless of the status of any other well. Clearly, then, modules of the present invention resolve the taco-presentation type problem described earlier, as adjacent wells of a module may contain, respectively, ambient-temperature items (such as tortilla shells), heated items (such as meat), and refrigerated items (such as lettuce and cheese). 
         [0009]    A preferred module includes four wells each approximately twenty inches long, twelve inches wide, and six inches deep. Each well is isolated thermally from adjacent wells and has an independently-controlled heating and cooling system. Advances in thermal insulation permit as little as three inches of spacing to exist between wells, reducing the overall length of the module while maintaining compliance with Standard Nos. 4 (heating) and 7 (refrigeration) of the National Sanitary Foundation (NSF). Indeed, tests confirm that a version of the present invention allows a temperature of 150° F. in one well while concurrently maintaining an adjacent well at no greater than 10° F. Those skilled in the art will recognize that modules may be constructed of any number of wells spaced by varying amounts yet still provide satisfactory results, so that the present invention is not limited by any of these characteristics. 
         [0010]    Modules of the present invention also are versatile. They function in conjunction with each of mechanical heat sources, mechanical refrigeration, and ice cooling (i.e. wet). They also operate when dry. 
         [0011]    Wells of the invention may, advantageously, not be completely flat bottomed. Instead, some preferred well floors are sloped so that a high point (or area) exists. These high points are designed to dry first if the well has been subjected to liquid. The slope also may direct liquid toward one or more drains from the well. 
         [0012]    Heating elements comprising silicone rubber (or similar) blankets may be especially useful as part of the present invention. Such blankets may be Vulcanized or otherwise attached to well floors, capturing electrical-resistance heating mechanisms therebetween. Heat distribution to the wells via the blankets may be much more efficient than in conventional devices, thereby reducing heat leakage to adjacent wells. 
         [0013]    It thus is an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide thermally convertible food presentation modules. 
         [0014]    It is an additional optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide individually-convertible wells within a food presentation module. 
         [0015]    It is another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide adjacent wells of a food presentation module whose temperatures may differ significantly at a given time. 
         [0016]    It is a further optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide wells of a food presentation module having independently-controlled heating and cooling systems. 
         [0017]    It is also an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide food presentation modules operable wet or dry. 
         [0018]    It is, moreover, an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide wells whose floors or bottoms are not flat. 
         [0019]    It is yet another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide food presentation modules in which electrical-resistance heating mechanisms may be captured between well floors and silicone rubber (or similar) blankets attached to the floors. 
         [0020]    Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in appropriate fields with reference to the remaining text and the drawings of this application. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a top view of an exemplary food presentation module of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of, principally, the front of the module of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of, principally, the rear of the module of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a front elevational view of the module of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a perspective, cut-away view of a well of the module of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]    Detailed in  FIGS. 1-5  is food presentation module  10  of the present invention. As depicted, module  10  includes a frame  12  having a generally planar upper surface  14  from which multiple wells  18  (see  FIG. 6 ) depend. Although module  10  is shown as having four such wells  18 A-D, more or fewer wells  18  may be incorporated instead. Adjacent wells  18  typically are spaced distance D 1  along length L of module  10 , with D 1  preferably being approximately three inches and L preferably being approximately fifty-eight and one-half inches. Again, however, values of D 1  and L different from these preferred values may be selected. (Indeed, although the value of D 1  preferably is uniform between adjacent wells  18  of a module  10 , it need not necessary be uniform and instead may vary along length L.) 
         [0028]      FIG. 6  illustrates, in cross-section, certain aspects of well  18 . Well  18  may comprise generally vertically-extending interior walls  22  connected by bottom or floor  26 . Four such walls  22  typically are present in well  18 , with three ( 22 A-C) of the four shown in  FIG. 6 . Well  18  additionally may comprise four exterior walls  30 , again with three ( 30 A-C) of these walls being shown in  FIG. 6 . Each exterior wall  30  preferably is spaced a distance D 2  from its corresponding interior wall  22  so as to form an insulative air gap A therebetween. A preferred value for D 2  is two inches, although it may differ from the preferred value as desired. Upper surface  36  may interconnect the various interior and exterior walls  22  and  30 , respectively. Additionally, well  18  preferably—although not necessarily—is formed of stainless steel. Because each well  18  lacks a lid or door, bulk food placed therein is (intentionally) exposed to the ambient environment for easy access by consumers. 
         [0029]    Positioned within air gap A may be one or tubes coils or pipes  40 . Such pipes  40  advantageously contact external sides  44  of interior walls  22  for more efficient transfer of thermal energy between the pipes  40  and well  18 . Three pipes  40 A-C are depicted in  FIG. 6  spaced along height H of well  18 , although greater or fewer such pipes  40  may be employed instead. Likewise, although pipes  40 A-C preferably are made of copper and approximately one-half inch in diameter, other materials and sizes may be utilized instead. 
         [0030]    Also detailed in  FIG. 6  is the non-flat nature of floor  26 . Floor  26  may comprise multiple areas  46 A-D, with areas  46 A and  46 D being generally flat. Between areas  46 A and  46 D, in area  46 B floor  26  rises to its highest level (at HL) before sloping in area  46 C down to the level of area  46 D. One or more drains preferably is located in area  46 D of floor  26  so as to allow fluid to exit well  18 . 
         [0031]    Attached to interior surface  48  of floor  26  may be thermal blanket  52 . Blanket  52  beneficially is made of silicone rubber so as to provide good heat transfer therethrough. Other heat conducting materials may be used instead, however. A Vulcanization process is preferred for attaching blanket  52  to floor  26 , although other processes or connection mechanisms may be employed. 
         [0032]    Captured between blanket  52  and floor  26  is at least one heating mechanism, preferably an electrical-resistance type element. Blanket  52  disperses heat from the element into well  18  relatively efficiently and uniformly, reducing likelihood of substantial heat leakage into adjacent wells  18 . Similarly, air gaps A help reduce thermal leakage (from either or both of blanket  52  and pipes  40 ) from a well  18  into adjacent wells. 
         [0033]    Heating and cooling of any well  18  may occur regardless of the thermal status of any other well  18  within module  10 . Electronic system controls  56  exist for each well  18  of a module  10 .  FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary interface plate for four controls  56 A-D, with one control present for each of wells  18 A-D. 
         [0034]    Hence, if a particular well (e.g. well  18 A) of module  10  is to be heated, its associated control  56 A may be used to connect the heating element in floor  26  of well  18 A to a source of electricity. Such source typically will be an electrical outlet of the building housing module  10 , although it conceivably could be a battery or other source located within module  10  itself. 
         [0035]    Conversely, if the particular well  18 A is to be cooled, control  56 A may be employed to operate condensing unit  60  in a manner causing refrigerant to flow through pipes  40  contacting interior walls  22  of the well  18 A. Normally only one condensing unit  60  is needed for a module  10 ; in such case, it need merely be configured so that valving precludes refrigerant flow through pipes  40  not intended to be actively cooling at any given time. Controls  56 A-D may, if desired, display or otherwise provide real-time temperature information about their corresponding wells  18 A-D. Also if desired, they additionally may prevent concurrent heating and cooling of a well  18  so as to avoid inadvertent waste of energy. 
         [0036]    In at least one version of module  10 , well  18  has dimensions of approximately 12″×20″×6″ and is designed to receive a foodstuff-containing pan. Consistent with various standards such Nos. 4 and 7 of the NSF, each well  18  readily may maintain the foodstuff at 150° F. (for product needing to be heated) or at 41° F. (for product needing to be refrigerated). Indeed, tests indicate that, with one well  18  maintaining foodstuff at 150° F., an adjacent well  18  may maintain cold food at 10° F. or less. 
         [0037]    Module  10  thus provides a versatile, multi-purpose device capable of simultaneously presenting hot food, cold food, and combinations thereof in bulk for ready access by consumers, who select portions of the food for placement on their individual plates. Further, module  10  may in some cases be employed for purposes other than food presentation. Indeed, module  10  may be useful in presenting other materials that need heating or cooling. Preferably, module  10  has its positioned fixed and is generally immobile in use, although it may include castors or wheels enabling its movement between uses. 
         [0038]    The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention. Modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.