Abstract:
Cabinet permits self-service by persons who are going to eat and has a counter or top ( 2 ) on which the foodstuffs are situated, having optionally means for conserving the foodstuffs in a hot and/or cold state. Its fundamental innovation lies in that it has means ( 3, 4  and  5 ) for applying a continuous air curtain ( 6 ) over said foodstuffs without impeding access to the same and for the purpose of preventing the presence of insects on the foodstuffs mentioned.

Description:
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention, according to that stated in the title piece to this description, concerns an improved cabinet for the display and conservation of foodstuffs, the purpose of which is to prevent insects landing on the dishes on display without having to cover or occult said dishes and without preventing the users or diners from having access to them, whereby excellent conditions of hygiene, appearance and functionality are provided for the display of the foodstuffs in question. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     To achieve the objectives indicated here above, the invention consists of an improved cabinet for displaying and conserving foodstuffs which offers the fundamental innovation of incorporating a continuous curtain of air applied over the foodstuffs displayed, so that these are kept free from insects without access to them being impeded on the part of the users. 
     The air curtain referred to can be applied over dishes that are hot, cold and of any kind, and it is of special use in dining rooms where there is no air conditioning or which are out of doors. 
     The air curtain is driven by means of a medium or high pressure blower, which is housed in one of the cabinet uprights of the cabinet, or it can be located remotely at a certain distance. The outflow from said blower can be regulated by means of an electronic frequency control or mechanically by means of valves. 
     A single cabinet can incorporate one or more of these air curtain systems, depending on the cabinet length. 
     The counter for display and conservation of foodstuffs of the cabinet in question has a centrally located general air supply collector with a dust particle filter which is elevated to a certain height above said counter. 
     This collector has on the upper side horizontal arms, preferentially two in number, which feed into baffles that permit changes to be made in the direction of the air towards the counter or top on which the foodstuffs are located. 
     On the horizontal arms of the collector is mounted a lighting panel on which, in turn, is placed a transparent shelf of glass or methacrylate with curved edges. Externally the cabinet of the invention can be decorated in any manner. 
     The configuration described can be varied in accordance with different examples of embodiment. 
     Among the benefits of the cabinet of the invention can be highlighted the provision of absolute hygiene, through the prevention of insects reaching the foodstuffs and consequently the avoidance of contamination of the latter; thus, the disagreeable presence of flies, mosquitoes and the like on the foodstuffs is avoided. In addition, the cost is eliminated of requiring employees positioned permanently at different parts of the cabinet in order to chase away the insects, which is disagreeable manner to see and produces alterations in the temperatures of the foodstuffs. 
     Here below, for the purpose of assisting in a better understanding of this description and forming an integral part thereof, is attached a number of drawings in which, by way of illustration and without being limiting in nature, the object of the invention is presented. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG.  1 .—Shows a schematic sectional view in profile of an improved cabinet for displaying and conserving foodstuffs, implemented according to the present invention. 
     FIG.  2 .—Shows a schematic view in perspective of an improved cabinet for displaying and conserving foodstuffs, implemented according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF AN EXAMPLE OF EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
     Here under is the be found a description of an example of the invention, with reference being made to the numbering adopted in the figures. 
     Thus, the improved cabinet for displaying and conserving foodstuffs of this example of embodiment has a main body  1  which takes the form of a counter with its corresponding top  2 . 
     This top  2  is made of granite and on it the foodstuffs are set out in cold or hot trays of the foodstuffs as appropriate within the inner section that is shown as internal of the solid lines A, for which purpose the cabinet is equipped with adequate means for heating and cooling. There is also a horizontal outer section defined as the area between those solid lines A to the exterior edges  12  of the top  2  and which is used by the user to place a plate in transferring food from the foodstuffs located in the inner section. 
     From the central section of the top  2  a general collector  3  rises upwards and feeds into two horizontal arms  4  each of which terminates in adjustable baffles  5 , so that said collector  3  transports an air current which is ejected to the outwards through the baffles  5 , it being therefore possible to direct a continuous air curtain  6  towards different sections of the top  2  where the foodstuffs are located, the object being to prevent insects reaching these foodstuffs while not, however, impeding access by the users to said foodstuffs. 
     The air current that flows through the collector  3  is produced in a medium or high pressure blower  14  which can be mounted in the uprights  7  of the cabinet or located remotely at a certain distance from said cabinet. The flow produced by this blower is regulated by a regulator  16  that may be an electronic frequency control or regulated mechanically by means of valves. In any event, the continuous air curtain is directed toward the horizontal outer section and has a thickness or width corresponding to the width of the horizontal outer section and does not flow into the inner section. 
     The general collector  3  has a dust particle filter  8  in order that the air forming the curtains  6  is completely clean and cannot endanger the foodstuffs in question. 
     On the arms  4  a lighting panel  9  has been provided which permits the foodstuffs laid out on the top  2  to be illuminated. 
     Over this panel  9  is positioned a transparent shelf  10 , made of glass or methacrylate, the edges of which are curved downwards in order to prevent the exhaled breath of those approaching the unit from reaching the foodstuffs displayed, and gives an excellent visual appearance to the cabinet of this example of implementation of the invention.