Abstract:
A food shield for use in a restaurant or food service institution includes a transparent panel, a locking, panel support assembly and a non-locking, panel support assembly. The locking, panel support assembly is mounted on a first vertical support member, and the non-locking, panel support assembly is mounted on a second vertical support member. A first lateral side portion of the transparent panel is affixed to the locking, panel support assembly, and an opposite second lateral side portion of the transparent panel is affixed to the second lateral side portion of the transparent panel. The transparent panel is adjustable in a plurality of angular dispositions, and is locked in one of the angular dispositions by the locking, panel support assembly, and is not locked in one of the angular dispositions by the non-locking panel support assembly.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is related to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/779,353, filed on Mar. 13, 2013, and entitled “Food Shield Having a Single-Sided Locking Mechanism”, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference and on which priority is hereby claimed. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to equipment used in restaurants and other food service institutions where food is displayed, and more particularly relates to a food shield or barrier through which food served by such an institution may be viewed by a customer. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     There are numerous health and safety codes with which restaurants and other food service institutions must comply. One or more of such codes require that food displayed by the food service institution or restaurant be separated from a customer by a barrier. In many self-service food establishments, the food is uncovered when displayed, and an adjustable transparent barrier is provided between the food and the customer, which allows the customer to see the displayed food but does not unduly restrict the customer&#39;s access to the food so that he may make his selection. Such barriers are commonly referred to in the food service industry as “sneeze guards”, because they aid in preventing contamination of the displayed food by airborne bacteria transmitted by the customer. One would commonly find such food barriers at self-service salad bars or food buffets in a restaurant. 
     There are a wide variety of food shields or “sneeze guards” used in the food service industry today, and many of these include a transparent panel, such as an acrylic or glass pane, supported by two or more vertical posts on opposite lateral sides of the transparent panel, and connected to the posts by locking mechanisms or assemblies which permit the panel to be adjusted in height on the posts as well as at a desired angle. 
     One of the problems with conventional food shields is that, to effect their position on the posts or their angular disposition, the locking mechanisms on both sides of the transparent panel must be adjusted simultaneously. Thus, an employee or owner of the food establishment in which such a food shield is used must reach across the width of the transparent panel and use both hands to make the adjustment. These transparent panels may be four feet, or more, in width, making it difficult for one individual to adjust both locking mechanisms simultaneously, and sometimes requiring two persons to adjust the locking mechanism on each side of the panel. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a food shield mounted on vertical posts which is easily adjustable from only one lateral side of the food shield. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a locking mechanism or assembly for use with a food shield, which locking mechanism allows the transparent panel of the food shield to be adjustably locked in a particular angular disposition between vertical supporting posts. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a food shield having a transparent panel, a locking mechanism on one lateral side of the transparent panel, and a non-locking mechanism on the other lateral side of the transparent panel, where the angle of the transparent panel may be easily adjusted from only one lateral side thereof. 
     It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a food shield which overcomes the inherent disadvantages of conventional food shields. 
     In one form of the present invention, a food shield includes a transparent panel, such as an acrylic or glass pane, a locking mechanism or assembly connected to and supporting one lateral side of the transparent panel, and a non-locking mechanism or assembly connected to and supporting the opposite lateral side of the transparent panel. Each of the locking and non-locking mechanisms is mountable to a respective vertical support post. Both the locking mechanism and the non-locking mechanism allow the transparent panel to be adjusted in its angular disposition between the support posts and locked into a desired position by the locking mechanism. 
     More specifically, the locking, panel support assembly includes a chamber barrel having an end face in which is formed a plurality of holes or detents formed about the circumference thereof. A pull collar which is biased by a compression spring in a direction towards the end face of the chamber barrel includes a locating pin mounted thereon. The locating pin is receivable in any one hole or detent formed in the end face of the chamber barrel. By pulling outwardly on the pull collar against the bias of the compression spring, the locating pin of the pull collar may be dislodged from a particular hole or detent in the end face of the chamber barrel. The transparent panel may then be adjusted angularly between the two support posts. The pull collar is then released against the bias of the spring, and the locator pin is received in a different hole or detent on the end face of the chamber barrel to lock the transparent panel in a desired angular disposition between the support posts. 
     The non-locking assembly supports the other lateral side of the transparent panel. The non-locking, panel support assembly also includes a chamber barrel, but the barrel need not include holes or detents formed in its end face, and no locator pin is provided so that the non-locking assembly freely rotates with angular movement of the transparent panel effected from just the other lateral side of the panel. 
     Accordingly, the food shield of the present invention advantageously allows the transparent panel to be adjusted angularly on the support posts from only one lateral side thereof, unlike conventional food shields. 
     These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a food shield formed in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a partially exploded perspective view of the food shield of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a fully exploded perspective view of the food shield of the present invention shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of a locking, panel support assembly forming part of the food shield of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of a non-locking, panel support assembly forming part of the food shield of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded, front perspective view of the locking assembly forming part of the food shield of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded, rear perspective view of the locking assembly forming part of the food shield of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded, front perspective view of the non-locking assembly forming part of the food shield of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded, rear perspective view of the non-locking assembly forming part of the food shield of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, it will be seen that a food shield, also commonly referred to in the food service industry as a “sneeze guard”, constructed in accordance with the present invention includes a transparent panel  13 , which may be formed from a framed or unframed planar sheet of clear acrylic material or safety or tempered glass. The transparent panel  13  is mounted on and supported by a locking assembly  20  on one lateral side thereof, and is mounted on and supported by a non-locking assembly  22  on the opposite lateral side thereof. The locking, panel support assembly  20  and the non-locking, panel support assembly  22  are mounted to respective vertical support posts  14 , with the transparent panel  13  essentially extending horizontally between the support posts  14 . The locking and non-locking assemblies  20 ,  22  of the food shield are positioned at a desired height along the axial length of the support posts  14 , and permit the transparent panel  13  to be adjusted angularly in a desired position, so as to best serve the requirements of the restaurant or food service establishment in which it is located in preventing contamination of food displayed on one side of the transparent panel  13  from airborne bacteria transmitted by customers on the opposite side of the panel, and yet not unduly restrict the customers&#39; access to the food, if so desired. 
     As can be seen from  FIG. 2  of the drawings, each of the locking assembly  20  and non-locking assembly  22  includes a panel support bracket  3 ,  8 , respectively, on which the transparent panel  13  is mounted. More specifically, a pair of holes is formed through the thickness of the transparent panel  13  on each lateral side portion of the panel. The holes receive threaded studs  12  extending outwardly from each of the brackets  3 ,  8 . Threaded knobs  11  are screwed onto the ends of the studs  12  that extend through the transparent panel  13  to secure the panel to the support brackets  3 ,  8  of the locking and non-locking assemblies  20 ,  22 . 
       FIGS. 3-9  of the drawings show the components of the food shield of the present invention in greater detail. The locking assembly  20  includes a pull collar  5 , a locking chamber barrel  1 , and a panel support bracket  3  interposed between the pull collar  5  and the locking chamber barrel  1 . The panel support bracket  3  includes a planar main body  24 , and two spaced apart support flanges  26  extending perpendicularly outwardly from a surface of one side of the main body  24 . Each flange  26  includes a threaded bore formed in its upper surface. Each threaded bore receives a threaded stud  12 , which is used for securing the transparent panel  13  to the support bracket  3  of the locking assembly  20 . 
     The non-locking assembly  22  also includes a panel support bracket  8 , and a non-locking chamber barrel  9 . The panel support bracket  8  of the non-locking assembly  22  is similar in shape and structure to the shape and structure of the support bracket  3  of the locking assembly  20 , and also includes a planar main body  24  and two spaced apart support flanges  26  extending perpendicularly outwardly from a surface of one side of the planar main body  24 , so that the flanges  26  of the panel support bracket  8  of the non-locking assembly  22  face the flanges  26  of the panel support bracket  3  of the locking assembly  20 . 
     Each of the locking chamber barrel  1  and the non-locking chamber barrel  9  of the locking assembly  20  and the non-locking assembly  22 , respectively, is generally cylindrical in shape, and each includes a first bore  28  passing diametrically through the thickness of the barrel. The first bore  28  is dimensioned to receive one of the vertical support posts  14  so that the locking chamber barrel  1  and the non-locking chamber barrel  9  may be mounted on a respective support post  14  at a desired position along the axial length thereof. 
     Also, each of the locking chamber barrel  1  and the non-locking chamber barrel  9  respectively of the locking assembly  20  and the non-locking assembly  22  has a second bore  30  formed therein which radially extends from the exterior surface of the barrel into the first, larger diameter bore  28  which receives the support post  14 . This second, smaller diameter bore  30 , which is disposed perpendicularly to the first bore  28 , is threaded and receives a threaded stud  10 . A knob  11  is threadingly secured to an exposed axial free end of each of the threaded studs  10 . The knobs  11  may be turned to advance the threaded studs  10  into the barrels  1 ,  9  and so that the other axial end of each stud  10  extends into the support post bore  28  of each barrel. 
     The vertical support posts  14  may include one or more holes  32  formed therein along their axial lengths. The barrels  1 ,  9  of the locking and non-locking assemblies  20 ,  22  may be positioned on their respective support posts  14  such that the second bores  30  formed in the barrels are in alignment with a selected hole  32  formed in the support posts  14 . The knobs  11  are then turned to advance the threaded studs  10  into a corresponding hole  32  formed in the support posts  14  to secure the locking and non-locking assemblies  20 ,  22  of the food shield to their respective support posts  14  on which they are mounted. 
     The locking, panel support assembly  20  of the food shield will now be described in greater detail, and reference should be had to  FIGS. 4 ,  6  and  7  of the drawings. Here, it will be seen that the chamber barrel  1  of the locking assembly  20  includes a flat end face  34 . A plurality of closely spaced detents or openings  36  is formed circumferentially in the end face  34  near the peripheral edge of the end face. There is also a threaded central opening  38  formed in the end face  34  of the chamber barrel  1 . 
     The pull collar  5  of the locking assembly  20  is shaped with a knob-like axial end  40  so that it is easily graspable by a user of the food shield. The pull collar  5  also includes a flat end face  42  axially opposite the knob-like end  40 . Mounted on the flat end face  42  of the pull collar  5  is a locating pin  2  which extends outwardly therefrom. Also, the pull collar  5  has a central bore  44  extending axially therethrough. 
     The panel support bracket  3  is sandwiched between the flat end face  34  of the chamber barrel  1  and the flat end face  42  of the pull collar  5 . The main body  24  of the panel support bracket  3  has two openings formed through its thickness. A first opening  46  receives a relatively long shoulder bolt  6  to secure the components of the locking assembly  20  together. A smaller diameter second opening  48 , formed through the thickness of the bracket  3 , allows the free end of the locating pin  2  that is mounted on the pull collar  5  to pass freely therethrough. 
     The unthreaded shank of the long shoulder bolt  6  passes centrally through a compression spring  4 , through the central bore  44  of the pull collar  5  and through the larger, first opening  46  formed in the main body  24  of the panel support bracket  3 . The threaded free end portion of the long shoulder bolt  6  is received by the threaded central opening  38  formed in the end face  34  of the chamber barrel  1  of the locking assembly  20 . The shoulder bolt  6  secures the pull collar  5 , panel support bracket  3  and locking chamber barrel  1  of the locking assembly  20  together, but allows the pull collar  5  to move reciprocatingly axially on the unthreaded shank of the shoulder bolt  6  against the bias of the compression spring  4 , which is held captive between the head of the shoulder bolt  6  and the pull collar  5 . 
     The locking assembly  20  operates in the following manner. The locating pin  2  situated on the end face  34  of the pull collar  5  passes through the smaller diameter second opening  48  formed through the main body  24  of the panel support bracket  3 , and the free end of the locating pin  2  is received in one of the detents or openings  36  formed circumferentially in the flat end face  34  of the locking chamber barrel  1 . To adjust the angular disposition of the transparent panel  13  of the food shield with respect to the vertical support posts  14  between which the food shield is mounted, the user would grasp the knob end  40  of the pull collar  5  and pull outwardly on the collar in an axial direction away from the chamber barrel  1  against the bias of the compression spring  4 . The shank of the long shoulder bolt  6  is particularly dimensioned in axial length so that the pull collar  5  can only move axially a predetermined distance thereon so as not to permit the locating pin  2  from becoming disassociated with the panel support bracket  3 . The locating pin  2 , mounted on the flat end face  42  of the pull collar  5 , freely passes through the smaller diameter second opening  48  formed in the main body  24  of the panel support bracket  3  and moves reciprocatingly therein with axial movement of the pull collar  5 . Thus, when the user pulls on the pull collar  5 , the free end of the locating pin  2  mounted thereon becomes dislodged from a particular opening or detent  36  formed in the flat end face  34  of the locking chamber barrel  1 , and yet remains within the locating pin opening  48  formed in the panel support bracket  3 . 
     Now, the user may adjust the angular disposition of the transparent panel  13  by rotating it relative to the vertical support posts  14  between which the transparent panel  13  of the food shield of the present invention is mounted. When the transparent panel  13  is moved to a desired position, the user releases the pull collar  5  so that the pull collar, biased by the compression spring  4 , will move axially on the shank of the long shoulder bolt  6  toward the chamber barrel  1 , and the free end of the locating pin  2  will be received in an aligned opening or detent  36  formed in the flat end face  34  of the chamber barrel  1 . The engagement of the locating pin  2  with a particular opening or detent  36  in the chamber barrel  1  will lock the transparent panel  13  in a desired angular disposition between the vertical support posts  14 . This adjustment is accomplished from only one side of the transparent panel  13 . 
     The threaded end portion of the shoulder bolt  6  has a reduced diameter than that of the unthreaded shank. The reduced diameter threaded end portion of the bolt  6  defines a shoulder with the larger diameter shank. The opening  46  formed in the panel support bracket  3  which receives the bolt  6  is dimensioned so that the support bracket  3  is retained on the bolt  6  but may rotate on the shank thereof. The bolt  6  is screwed into the central opening  38  formed in the chamber barrel  1  until the shoulder abuts against a recessed portion of the end face  34  of the barrel surrounding the central opening  38 . 
     The non-locking, panel support assembly  22  mounted on the other vertical support post  14  and situated on the other lateral side of the transparent panel  13  of the food shield, opposite to where the locking assembly  20  and support post  14  on which the locking assembly is mounted, will now be described, and reference should be had to  FIGS. 5 ,  8  and  9  in this regard. The non-locking assembly  22  includes a non-locking chamber barrel  9  and a panel support bracket  8 , as mentioned previously. The non-locking chamber barrel  9  has generally the same cylindrical shape as the locking chamber barrel  1  of the locking assembly  20 , as described previously, with a support post bore  28  formed diametrically through the side of the chamber barrel  9 , and a smaller, threaded stud bore  30  disposed perpendicularly to the support post bore  28  and formed radially through the barrel  9  from the side wall thereof and into the support post bore  28 . A threaded stud  10  is received by the stud bore  30  to extend into the support post bore  28  and be received by a hole  32  formed in the vertical support post  14  on which the non-locking chamber barrel  9  is mounted. The exposed, free end of the threaded stud  10  is capped with a threaded knob  11  for grasping by the user of the food shield so as to advance the threaded stud  10  into the chamber barrel  9  and the hole  32  in the support post  14  on which the non-locking assembly  22  is mounted. The structure of the stud  10 , knob  11 , support post bore  28  and stud bore  30  on the non-locking chamber barrel  9  of the non-locking, panel support assembly  22  is preferably the same as that of the components  10 ,  11 ,  28 ,  30  on the locking chamber barrel  1  of the locking, panel support assembly  20 . 
     The panel support bracket  8  of the non-locking assembly  22  is generally the same as the panel support bracket  3  of the locking assembly  20 , with a planar main body  24  and spaced apart flanges  26  extending perpendicularly from a side surface of the bracket  8  and on which one lateral side of the transparent panel  13  rests. As also mentioned previously, the flanges  26  on the support bracket  8  of the non-locking assembly  22  face the flanges  26  on the support bracket  3  of the locking assembly  20 . 
     There is an opening  46  formed through the thickness of the main body  24  of the panel support bracket  8  of the non-locking assembly  22 . Through this opening  46  is received a shoulder bolt  7 , which is shorter in axial length than the shoulder bolt  6  used in the locking assembly  20 . The shoulder bolt  7  has a threaded free end having a reduced diameter than that of the non-threaded shank of the bolt  7  so as to define with the shank a shoulder. The diameter of the opening  46  formed through the thickness of the panel support bracket  8  is such that it may receive the unthreaded shank of the shoulder bolt  7  and be rotatable thereon. 
     The threaded free end of the shoulder bolt  7  is received by a threaded central opening  38  formed in a flat end face  34  of the chamber barrel  9  of the non-locking assembly  22  and secured thereto, with the shoulder tightly abutting a recessed portion of the end face  34  of the chamber barrel  9  which surrounds the central opening  38  so that the panel support bracket  8  is secured to the flat end face  34  of the chamber barrel  9  but rotatable thereon to allow angular movement of the transparent panel  13  of the food shield mounted on the support bracket  8 . 
     On the non-locking assembly  22 , the panel support bracket  8  preferably does not include a locating pin bore  48 , and the flat end face  34  of the non-locking chamber barrel  9  preferably does not include the detents or openings  36  found on the chamber barrel  1  of the locking assembly  20  for receiving a locating pin  2 . Furthermore, there is no pull collar  5  or locating pin  2  on the non-locking assembly  22 . Of course, the panel support bracket  8  and chamber barrel  9  of the non-locking assembly  22  could be made with the same structure as the bracket  3  and barrel  1  of the locking assembly  20  by including a locating pin bore  48  and a plurality of detents or openings  36  respectively formed therein, as long as a locating pin  2  is not used. 
     Accordingly, when the collar  5  of the locking assembly  20  is pulled outwardly from the panel support bracket  3  to disengage the locating pin  2  from an opening or detent  36  formed in the end face  34  of the locking chamber barrel  1 , in order to adjust the angular disposition of the transparent panel  13 , the panel support bracket  8  of the non-locking assembly  22 , attached to the transparent panel  13  on its opposite lateral side, will freely rotate with the panel on the non-locking chamber barrel  9 . When the locating pin  2  is received in an aligned opening or detent  36  formed in the chamber barrel  1  of the locking assembly  20 , to secure the transparent panel  13  in a desired angular disposition with respect to the vertical support posts  14  between which the food shield of the present invention is mounted, the panel support bracket  8  of the non-locking assembly  22  will also remain in this new position on the chamber barrel  9  of the non-locking assembly  22 , and will provide support to the transparent panel  13  on the lateral side of the transparent panel  13  opposite the lateral side where the locking assembly  20  is located. 
     As described above, one of the advantages of the food shield of the present invention is that adjustment of the angular disposition of the transparent panel  13  may be effected from only one lateral side of the panel. There is no need with the food shield of the present invention to unlock the support post mechanisms on both sides of the transparent panel  13  simultaneously, as is required with conventional food shields. One person may easily adjust the angular disposition of the food shield of the present invention from only one side of the transparent panel  13 . 
     Also, the simplified structure of the locking assembly  20  of the food shield of the present invention, with its pull collar  5  and locating pin  2  that is selectively receivable in a detent or opening of the plurality of detents or openings  36  formed in the end face  34  of the chamber barrel  1 , makes it easier for an employee or owner of the food service establishment to adjust the angle of the transparent panel  13 . Very little pulling force is required to be exerted on the pull collar  5  to disengage the locating pin  2  from one of the openings or detents  36  formed in the end face  34  of the chamber barrel  1 , against the bias of the compression spring  4 , and the compression spring  4  will bias the locating pin  2  into a desired opening or detent  36  in the chamber barrel  1  when the pull collar  5  is released. Of course, it should be realized that two locking assemblies  20  may be used to support the lateral sides of the transparent panel  13  instead of one locking assembly  20  on one panel side and a non-locking assembly  22  on the other panel side, but then the adjustment of the angular disposition of the food shield would have to be made from both lateral sides of the transparent panel  13 . 
     Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.