Abstract:
A convected-air cabinet ( 10 ) for storage of food has fans ( 62, 84 ) for directing air from a lower part of the apparatus to an upper part. In particular there is an upper fan ( 84 ) mounted above an apertured partition ( 86 ) so that air entering through an aperture ( 88 ) in this partition ( 86 ) is directed laterally and then downwardly to provide air curtains adjacent food access means ( 20 ) at a front ( 16 ) and rear ( 18 ) of the cabinet.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a convected-air cabinet 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    In Australian Patent Number 674764 in the name of the present applicant there is described and claimed a Pizza and Pasta Drive-Thru Facility. It relates to a facility for preparing and storing pizza and pasta in a fresh condition for a relatively long period of time. 
         [0003]    An important component of this facility is a means for storing the cooked food and maintaining it within a predetermined heat and moisture range. This enables the food to be prepared ahead of time and stored until purchased by a customer. 
         [0004]    It is known that in the delivery of fast food, the food for consumption is prepared in advance of the customer&#39;s order such that it is available to them immediately. It is known that some food holding cabinets contain heating elements or heated shelves which continue to cook the food and its packaging container whilst it is being stored, rendering it unfit for consumption after some minutes. It is also known to use moisture and heat within the holding cabinets to keep food for longer periods but it is found that opening these cabinets to insert and/or remove food items causes a large degree of temperature and related humidity variation, leading to extended periods where the cabinet is not at its desired temperature and/or humidity level. 
         [0005]    The present invention attempts to overcome at least in part the aforementioned disadvantages of previous hot food holding cabinets. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a convected-air cabinet characterized by comprising a front side provided with food access means, an opposed rear side provided with food access means, a base, a roof and spaced side walls interconnecting the front and rear sides, a plurality of regions within the cabinet for storage of food, wherein a first fan is mounted adjacent the base and is arranged beneath a laterally extending cover which extends from the front to the rear side but is spaced from each side, a second fan is mounted adjacent the roof and a laterally extending partition containing an aperture is mounted below the second fan, the laterally extending partition being spaced from the front and rear sides, such that air directed around the first laterally extending cover by the first fan is conveyed within the cabinet to the aperture in the second laterally extending cover and is then directed laterally by the second fan to form air curtains extending downwardly across the front and rear sides. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a rear isometric view of a convected-air cabinet in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a front elevation of the convected-air cabinet of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a schematic transverse sectional view of part of the convected-air cabinet of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of part of the convected-air cabinet of  FIG. 1 ; 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    In  FIGS. 1 and 2  there is shown a convected-air cabinet  10  comprising an outer body  12  having mounted thereto a food preparation shelf  14 . 
         [0013]    The body  12  has a rear side  16  (see  FIG. 1 ) and a front side  18  (see  FIG. 2 ). The rear side  16  is provided with a plurality of doors  20  in a central portion thereof. 
         [0014]    The doors  20  are hingedly mounted by means of respective pairs of upper hinges  22  and are provided with respective handles  24  to enable the doors  20  to be&#39;opened and closed as required. The hinges may be of a soft close or self-closing type. 
         [0015]    As will be described, a respective food warming region is disposed behind each door  20 . 
         [0016]    The front side  18  is provided with a plurality of doors  26 . The doors  26  are hingedly mounted on respective pairs of side hinges  28 . Further, the doors  26  are provided with respective handles  30  to enable them to be opened and closed as required. 
         [0017]    Also, the cabinet  10  further comprises a pasta warming facility  32  to one side thereof. The pasta warming facility  32  has a single rear door  34  (see  FIG. 1 ) and a single front door  36  (see  FIG. 2 ). The rear door  34  is mounted on a pair of side hinges  38  and may be opened and closed by means of a handle  40  as required. Similarly, the front door  36  is mounted on a pair of side hinges  42  and may be opened and closed as required by mean of a handle  44 . The pasta warming facility  32  is optional depending on the user&#39;s menu. 
         [0018]    At the end thereof, remote from the pasta warming facility, the cabinet  10  has a storage facility  46  for pizza boxes and the like. The storage facility  46  is also optional and is primarily suited to a mobile kiosk facility. 
         [0019]    The storage facility  46  may be provided with elongate members  48  on sides thereof to cover a portion of the front and back of the storage facility  46 . This is to ensure that a single stored item, such as a pizza box, may be removed at a time. 
         [0020]    In  FIG. 3 , there is shown in cross section a pair of food warming regions or compartments  50  in side by side relationship forming part of the apparatus of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0021]    As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , each compartment  50  has side walls  52 , a base  54  and a roof  56 . As shown on the left each compartment  50  contains a plurality of shelves  58  which are air permeable. For example the shelves  58  may be formed of metallic mesh. The shelves  58  are arranged to support items of food. Further, as shown on the left, each compartment  50  contains a basin  60  which, in use, contains water. 
         [0022]    Further, a respective fan  62  is mounted to the base  54  at each compartment  50 . The fans  62  have drive shafts  64  arranged for axial rotation and a fan blade  66  above the base  54 . Each drive shaft  64  extends through the base  54  for operational connection to the fan blade  66 . 
         [0023]    Further, electrical heating elements  68  are disposed on each side of each fan blade  66 . 
         [0024]    Each food warming compartment  50  may contain a thermometer, a humidity probe, and a thermostat, so that temperature and humidity may be controlled at desired levels. 
         [0025]    A cover  70  is mounted above the fan blade  66  to retain heat from the elements  68  in the region of the fan blade  66 . Further the cover  70  contains an aperture  72  to allow the ingress of air to the fan blade  66 . As shown, air is drawn in as indicated by arrows  74 . 
         [0026]    Further, heated air is expelled by the fan blade  66  around the periphery of the cover  70  into the chamber  50  as indicated by arrows  76 . 
         [0027]    As can be seen in  FIG. 4 , each compartment  50  has a further fan  80  mounted at the top thereof. The fan  80  has an axially rotatable drive shaft  82  extending through the roof  56 . The shaft  82  is connected to a fan blade  84 . 
         [0028]    Further, a partition  86  is mounted below the fan blade  84 . The partition  86  is spaced from the roof  56  and has a central aperture  88  therein adjacent the fan blade  64 . Further, the partition  86  extends laterally away from the fan blade  84  to positions close to the front side  18  and the rear side  16  of the cabinet  10 . In use, heated air from the compartment  50  is drawn by the fan blade  84  through the aperture  88  as indicated by arrows  89  and then blown laterally as shown by arrows  90  along the roof  56  to the end of the partition  86  adjacent the front side  18  and the rear side  16 . The partition  86  has downturned peripheral flanges  92  adjacent the sides  18  and  16  and upturned peripheral flanges  94  adjacent the side walls  52 . 
         [0029]    The air then is directed downwardly along the front and rear sides  18  and  16 . In this way the air from the fan blade  84  produces an air curtain adjacent the doors  20  and  26 . Thus when the doors are opened as described hereinbefore to place food on the shelves or remove food therefrom the overall internal temperature and humidity of the compartment  50  is maintained close to the desired levels so as to reduce food spoilage. 
         [0030]    Further, it is noted that the presence of the basins  60 , with water therein, ensures that the heated air distributed into the compartments  50  have a substantial moisture content. This is important as it removes any tendency of the stored food to dry out. Further, the heating elements  68  are preferably arranged such that whilst the air is heated it is not heated to a temperature sufficient to cause further cooking of the stored food. 
         [0031]    The cabinet of the present invention is particularly intended for use in the hospitality industry, fast food outlets, mobile kiosks, transportable kitchens and truck semi-trailer applications. 
         [0032]    As shown, the cabinet of the present invention may be made to have a large size with a number of compartments  50  so as to be able to supply customer needs continuously even at peak sales periods. 
         [0033]    The cabinet of the present invention is particularly intended for storage of cooked pizza but it is applicable to storage of foods such as pasta, as described above. 
         [0034]    Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.