Patent Publication Number: US-2012023983-A1

Title: Removable refrigeration unit

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/369,906, entitled “Removable Refrigeration Unit,” filed Aug. 2, 2010, the contents of which are incorporated by reference as if set forth herein in full. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present invention relates in general to food and beverage coolers and, in particular, to refrigeration units that may be conveniently and rapidly removed from their associated coolers for repair and/or replacement. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Commercial merchandiser or showcase coolers and/or freezers (hereinafter “merchandiser coolers”) are used to chill beverages such as soda, juice, water, energy drinks, and beer or other alcoholic beverages prior to sale. They are also used to chill or freeze cold snacks such as yogurt and ice cream. Merchandiser coolers generally allow customers to view cooler contents without the need to open doors and are often found in grocery and convenience stores. 
     Merchandiser coolers generally feature a refrigeration unit at the bottom of the cooler&#39;s cooled merchandise compartment. In servicing merchandiser coolers, there are times when one or more components of or the complete refrigeration unit must be accessed for repair and/or replacement. To avoid inconvenient and time-consuming on-site repair operations that often render the cooler inoperable for a period of time, and to avoid the need to cut, refit, and recharge refrigerant tubing with each service, some refrigeration units have been modularized to form removable refrigeration cartridges. These cartridges may be disconnected and removed from the merchandiser cooler for remote repair and generally incorporate all cooling components (e.g., a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser, one or more fans, ductwork to route cool and warm air to and from the refrigerated compartment, and insulation used to separate the evaporative cooling components from the condenser and/or the compressor). Such removable cartridges mate with corresponding ductwork within a cabinet of the merchandiser cooler to route warm return air and cold air to and from the refrigeration cartridge. 
     While the removable cartridges are an improvement over system-integrated refrigeration units that cannot be removed, the cartridges are excessively cumbersome and heavy, often weighing in excess of 70 pounds. Indeed, the cartridges are so weighty that, in some states, labor union regulations mandate that two individuals maneuver the cartridges, offsetting the usefulness and the practicality of the cartridge designs. 
     In addition, because the cartridges include both cooling components (e.g., an evaporator) and heat generating components (e.g., a condenser) that are necessary to complete the refrigeration cycle, access to the components—even after the cartridge is removed—is difficult because of the ductwork and insulation necessary to separate the cooling and heat generating components coexisting within the cartridge. In many cases, the cartridges must be disassembled after being removed from the cooler to gain access to the components in need of service and/or repair. Moreover, current removable cartridges rely on sealing gaskets to mate the ductwork of the cartridges with the ductwork maintained within the coolers, increasing the possibility of air leakage and reducing system efficiency. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention relates to refrigeration systems for merchandiser coolers for chilling and/or freezing food and beverages. The inventors have recognized the need for an accessible, lightweight, and compact removable refrigeration unit for merchandiser coolers. The inventors have also recognized that such a removable refrigeration unit may be achieved through a design that includes only a portion of the refrigeration components needed to cool an interior cooling compartment of the merchandiser cooler, or to remove heat from warm air circulating from the cooling compartment of the merchandiser cooler. 
     Specifically, the inventors have recognized numerous advantages associated with positioning the heat-generating components of a refrigeration system (e.g., the condenser, the compressor) within the removable refrigeration unit while leaving the cooling components (e.g., the evaporator) as well as the requisite ductwork and insulation elements within a cabinet of the merchandiser cooler, allowing the refrigeration components contained within the removable refrigeration unit to work in conjunction with the refrigeration, ventilation, and insulation components that are permanently integrated within a cabinet of the cooler. First, the unit is lightweight. Thus, it may be safely and comfortably transported by a single individual and may be shipped through traditional package shipping channels such as UPS and FedEx. The removable refrigeration unit is also compact, further increasing the unit&#39;s portability. In addition, because the removable refrigeration unit is not overly crowded with all of the necessary refrigeration components, ductwork, and insulation elements, the refrigeration components contained within the unit are easily accessible for repair and/or replacement without the need to disassemble the unit prior to repair. 
     In particular, a first aspect of the present invention involves a merchandiser cooler. The merchandiser cooler includes a cabinet that frames a cooling compartment, a removable tray that is coupled with the cabinet, and a number of cooling components that work together to cool the cooling compartment. The cooling components include insulation components for insulating the cooling compartment, ventilation components for circulating air to and from the cooling compartment, and refrigeration components for removing heat from air circulating from the cooling component. The refrigeration components are divided into a first group of refrigeration components disposed upon the removable tray, and a second group of refrigeration components affixed within the cabinet. 
     The refrigeration components may include a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, a condenser fan, and control electronics. While all of the insulation and ventilation components (e.g., insulation elements, recirculation fans, air ducts) remain affixed within the cabinet, the refrigeration components may be apportioned between the first group of refrigeration components that are disposed upon the removable tray and the second group of components that are affixed within the cabinet. The first and second groups of refrigeration components may be apportioned in any appropriate manner. For example, the first group of refrigeration components may include the compressor and the condenser. In another embodiment, the first group of refrigeration components may also include the condenser fan and the control electronics. The second group of refrigeration components may include the evaporator. 
     In one implementation, the merchandiser cooler may include a quick disconnect system for separating a refrigeration line that fluidly connects the first and second groups of refrigeration components. The quick disconnect system may incorporate one or more quick-disconnect couplings or fittings that may be used to selectively couple and decouple the refrigeration line substantially without fluid loss or air intake. The quick-disconnect couplings may be custom or off-the-shelf connectors of any appropriate size, shape, type, and/or configuration. 
     The merchandiser cooler may also include a diagnostic computer for determining and reporting on an operational health of the cooler. In addition, the diagnostic computer or another appropriate module may be communicatively linked with a remote cooler tracking system that tracks and/or reports other operational or statistical information relating to the cooler or the removable refrigeration unit including, for example, product inventory levels, a location of the cooler and/or the removable refrigeration unit, the operational health of the cooler (e.g., coolant charge, leakage), and more. 
     A second aspect of the present invention is directed to a removable refrigeration unit for a merchandiser cooler having a cabinet with affixed insulation components for insulating a cooling compartment within the cabinet (e.g., insulation elements) and affixed ventilation components for circulating air to and from the cooling compartment (e.g., recirculation fans, air ducts). The removable refrigeration unit includes a tray for slidably coupling with the cabinet of the merchandiser cooler, as well as a first group of refrigeration components that are disposed upon the tray. One or more of the first group of refrigeration components detachably interconnect with one or more of a second group of refrigeration components that are affixed within the cabinet such that the tray and the first group of refrigeration components are removable from the cabinet. 
     While excluding an evaporator, the first group of refrigeration components may include any of a compressor, a condenser, a condenser fan, an expansion valve, and control electronics. All or a portion of the first group of refrigeration components may be in fluid communication with the evaporator that is affixed within the cabinet of the cooler. In this regard, the removable refrigeration unit may include a fluid line that detachably interconnects the first group of refrigeration components and the second group of refrigeration components. One or more connector pairs may detachably join the fluid line between the first and second groups of refrigeration components such that the fluid line may be separated or broken to allow the first group of refrigeration components to be removed from the cooler on the slidable tray. Each connector pair may be selectively moved between connected and disconnected positions, where there is substantially no fluid leakage in the fluid line in the connected position, the disconnected position, or in the transition between the connected and disconnected positions. 
     Yet another aspect of the present invention is directed to a method of replacing a removable refrigeration unit for a merchandiser cooler having a cabinet. The method involves releasing one or more connectors that join a refrigeration line circulating fluid between first and second groups of refrigeration components that are collectively configured to remove heat from air circulating from a cooling compartment of the merchandiser cooler. The first group of refrigeration components includes components that are associated with the removable refrigeration unit and the second group of refrigeration components includes components that are affixed within the cabinet of the merchandiser cooler. After the connectors are released, the removable refrigeration unit is slid manually from the cabinet. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present invention and further advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a front perspective view of one embodiment of a merchandiser cooler having a removable refrigeration unit; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a front perspective view of the merchandiser cooler of  FIG. 1 , where the removable refrigeration unit is partially removed from the merchandiser cooler; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a front perspective view of the removable refrigeration unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a top plan view of the removable refrigeration unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a side plan view of the removable refrigeration unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a partial perspective view of a frame of the merchandiser cooler of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates two male connectors that splice a fluid line of a refrigeration system of the removable refrigeration unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates two female connectors that correspond to the male connectors of  FIG. 7 ; and 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a functional block diagram that demonstrates the merchandiser cooler of  FIG. 1  in communication with a remote cooler tracking system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description describes exemplary embodiments of a merchandiser cooler for chilling and/or freezing food and beverage containers. Specifically, the inventors have recognized a need for a removable refrigeration unit that is lightweight and reasonably manipulated by one person such that a single individual may quickly and conveniently remove and/or replace the refrigeration unit, causing minimum downtime. Further, the inventors have recognized the need for a removable refrigeration unit that offers ready access to the components contained within the removable refrigeration unit to facilitate efficient repairs. 
     In this regard, the description details embodiments of a merchandiser cooler that features a lightweight, removable refrigeration unit that a single individual may quickly and conveniently release and remove from the merchandiser cooler and either carry away for remote repair or perform time-efficient repairs on-site. That is, a refrigeration unit in need of service or repairs may be all or partially removed from a cabinet of the merchandiser cooler to ease access for repair or to immediately exchange the dysfunctional unit for an operational unit, avoiding time-consuming and inconvenient on-site service that decommissions the merchandiser cooler for an unacceptable period of time. The removable refrigeration unit may be safely maneuvered and carried by a single person with no specialized training. 
     In addition, the refrigeration unit allows ready access to the refrigeration components within the unit and is designed to decouple from the cabinet of the merchandiser cooler with minimal hassle, little or no fluid leakage, and without introducing air into the coolant line. As a result, rather than a skilled refrigeration technician, the cooler owner or lessee, a route driver that delivers and fills the cooler with product, or another individual that lacks specialized training and/or tools may successfully swap out a refrigeration unit in need of repair or, alternatively, perform time-efficient on-site repairs. For example, a route driver that normally replenishes the cooler with product may simply replace a malfunctioning removable refrigeration unit during a routine visit to restock cooler inventory. In another example, the cooler owner or lessee may mail-order a replacement refrigeration unit, install the replacement unit, and return the broken unit to the manufacturer for repair. Because the removable refrigeration unit is significantly lighter than existing cartridge-type units, it may be sent through traditional package channels such as UPS and FedEx, which is much faster and less expensive than shipping heavier units via truck freight lines. The following description should be understood as exemplifying one or more embodiments of the merchandiser cooler and removable refrigeration unit and is not limited to these exemplary embodiments. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a merchandiser cooler  10  having a removable refrigeration unit  20 .  FIG. 1  shows the removable refrigeration unit  20  in a fully installed position, while  FIG. 2  shows the removable refrigeration unit  20  in a partially removed position. In this embodiment, the merchandiser cooler  10  includes a cabinet  12  having a top portion  14  and a bottom portion  18 . The top portion  14  of the cabinet  12  forms a cooling compartment  16  for housing food and beverage containers (not shown) to be cooled by the merchandiser cooler  10 . The bottom portion  18  of the cabinet  12  is configured to slidably couple with the removable refrigeration unit  20 . That is, in this embodiment, the removable refrigeration unit  20  may slide into and out of the bottom portion  18  of the cabinet  12  along angle brackets  24  within the bottom portion  18  of the cabinet  12 . A front panel  21  may overlay the removable refrigeration unit  10  for aesthetic and/or ventilation purposes. The front panel may include a grill (not shown) or any other appropriate and/or desirable features that facilitate airflow, protect electronic and/or cooling components, and so on. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate front perspective and top plan views of one embodiment of the removable refrigeration unit  20 , respectively. In this implementation, the removable refrigeration unit  20  includes a pull-out tray  26 . Left and right edges  72 ,  74  of the pull-out tray  26  may be configured as appropriate (e.g., rounded, folded, etc.) to mate with the angle brackets  24  within the bottom portion  18  of the cabinet  12  ( FIGS. 1-2 ). The pull-out tray  26  may also include a first set of handles  28  to assist in pulling the removable refrigeration unit  20  from and pushing the removable refrigeration unit  20  into the cabinet  12  ( FIGS. 1-2 ) for repair and/or replacement. A second pair of handles  29  may extend from a rear portion of the pull-out tray  26  to assist in transporting the removable refrigeration unit  20  offsite. 
     To secure the tray  26  in place when installed within the cabinet  12 , the removable refrigeration unit  20  may include an appropriate locking feature. In one example shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , the locking feature may include a spring plunger lock  75  ( FIGS. 3-5 ) that protrudes through the pull-out tray  26  ( FIGS. 4-5 ) and extends into a mating aperture  76  ( FIG. 6 ) within a base  78  of the cooler cabinet  12 . The cabinet  12 , the tray  26 , the angle brackets  24 , and the front panel  21  may be formed of any appropriate material or combination of materials including metals such as aluminum and/or steel. 
     To streamline and decrease the weight of the removable refrigeration unit  20  such that it may be maneuvered by one person, the components used to cool the cooling compartment  16  may be divided into two groups. A first group of refrigeration components may be disposed upon the pull-out tray  26  such that they are part of the removable refrigeration unit  20  and are removed from the merchandiser cooler  10  when the tray  26  is slid from the bottom portion  18  of the cabinet  12 , as discussed above. A second group of refrigeration components may remain permanently integrated or affixed within the cabinet  12  such that they remain within the cabinet  12  when the refrigeration unit  20  is removed. 
     Returning to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3-4 , the first group of refrigeration components may include a compressor  30 , drip tray  35 , a condenser  32 , a condenser fan  33 , a line drier/expansion valve  52  ( FIG. 4 ), and an electrical control unit/relay box  34 . As discussed above, these components may reside on the pull-out tray  26  and may be removed from the cabinet  12  as part of the removable refrigeration unit  20  once disconnected from the second group of refrigeration components that are integrated into and remain within the cooler  10 . The pull-out tray  26  may also include an electrical quick connect panel  88  that is configured to connect with power supplied by a conventional wall outlet or another suitable power source upon installation of the removable refrigeration unit  20 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-2 , the second group of refrigeration components includes components that remain integrated within the body of the cooler  10  and may include an evaporator  80 . The cabinet  12  may also incorporate ducts  82   a - b  for providing an air intake from the cooling compartment  16  and an output to the cooling compartment  16 , respectively, and one or more recirculation fans  84  for circulating air to, from, and about the cooling compartment  16 . Moreover, the cabinet  12  may incorporate a number of insulation elements  86  for thermally shielding the cooling compartment  16 . The evaporator  80 , ducts  82   a - b , recirculation fans  84 , and insulation elements  86  may have any appropriate size, shape, type and/or configuration to accommodate the physical constraints of the cabinet  12 , the internal cooling compartment  16 , and/or the removable refrigeration unit  20 . For example, these components may be positioned between the removable refrigeration unit  20  and the cooling compartment  16  or they may be at the rear of both of the removable refrigeration unit  20  and the cooling compartment  16 . That is, these elements may be positioned in any appropriate configuration to allow for cooperation with the first group of refrigeration components on the pull-out tray  26  and the internal cooling compartment  16 . 
     The second group of refrigeration components, the ventilation components, and the insulation components are suited to remain within the cabinet  12  because, unlike the first group of refrigeration components disposed on the pull-out tray  26 , they rarely experience operational failures and if they do fail, they are comparatively easy to repair or replace via direct access through the cabinet  12  (i.e., they do not require a great deal of time and/or skill to replace on-site). 
     Notably, any appropriate combination of components may be distributed across the first and second groups of cooling components. For example, while the expansion valve/line drier  52  is described above as being incorporated into the first group of components within the removable refrigeration unit  20 , the expansion valve may reside within the cabinet  12  or within the removable refrigeration unit  20  as appropriate. 
     When the removable refrigeration unit  20  is installed within the cabinet  12 , the first and second groups of refrigeration components are situated as appropriate to carry out a vapor compression refrigeration cycle. In one exemplary implementation, a circulating refrigerant such as, for example, R134A or pressurized carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) may enter the compressor  30  as a vapor through a low pressure portion  54   a  of a fluid line  54 . The vapor is compressed in the compressor  30  and superheated vapor travels across the drip tray  35  through a high pressure portion  54   b  of the fluid line  54  to the condenser  32 , which first cools and removes the superheat and then condenses the vapor into a liquid by removing additional heat at constant pressure and temperature. The liquid refrigerant continues through the high pressure portion  54   b  of the fluid line  54  to the expansion valve/line drier  52  where its pressure abruptly decreases, causing flash evaporation and auto-refrigeration of some of the liquid refrigerant. The resulting mixture of liquid and vapor at a lower temperature and pressure travels through a series of coils  56  ( FIG. 6 ) in the high pressure portion  54   b  of the fluid line  54  from the expansion valve  52  to the evaporator  80  within the cabinet  12 , where it is completely vaporized by warm air from the cooling compartment  16  being blown by the recirculation fans  84  across the evaporator coils and/or tubes of the evaporator  80 . The resulting refrigerant vapor then returns to the compressor  30  through the low pressure portion  54   a  of the fluid line  54 . 
     By splitting the refrigeration system into groups of components that remain within the cooler cabinet  12  and that are modularized and removable from the cabinet  12  as part of the removable refrigeration unit  20 , the weight of the removable refrigeration  20  may be reduced by approximately 50%. In addition, as described above, this dual configuration allows the removable refrigeration unit  20  to work in conjunction with the ductwork and insulation that is conventionally maintained within the cabinet  12 , and therefore, the removable refrigeration unit  20  does not include or require additional ductwork (e.g., ducts  82   a - b ) and/or insulation (e.g., insulation elements  86 ) to separate cooled and heated sections of the removable refrigeration unit  20 . There is also no need to break and seal ductwork between the removable refrigeration unit  20  and the cabinet  12  when the unit  20  is removed and installed, eliminating the possibility of air leaks at these seals (e.g., gaskets) and improving system efficiency. The lack of ductwork and insulation on the removable refrigeration unit  20  results in a much simpler unit design that provides convenient access to all of the components within the unit  20  (e.g., the compressor  30 , the condenser  32 , the electrical control unit  34 ) such that the components may be replaced or repaired without the need to disassemble the refrigeration unit  20 , thereby decreasing the time required for service. 
     To make this type of split refrigeration system possible, the fluid line  54  must be broken without causing fluid loss or leakage from the fluid line  54  and without introducing air into the fluid line  54 . That is, a user such as a store owner, clerk, or repair person must be able to move the fluid line between connected and disconnected positions quickly, efficiently, without specialized or even commonly-used tools, and without negatively impacting the functionality of the refrigeration system. In this regard,  FIGS. 7 and 8  detail an exemplary disconnect assembly that includes quick-disconnect hardware for selectively separating the refrigeration line  54  between the evaporator  80  and the expansion valve/line drier  52  and between the evaporator  80  and the condenser  32 . 
     Specifically, each junction in the fluid line  54  may include a male coupling  90  ( FIG. 7 ). In one embodiment, the male coupling  90  may be affixed to and supported by a bracket  92  that protrudes from the pull-out tray  26 . The male coupling  90  may be selectively mated with a corresponding female coupling  94  ( FIG. 8 ). To separate the fluid line  54 , a user may manually engage and disengage the male and female couplings  90 ,  94 . The couplings  90 ,  94  may be off-the-shelf or custom quick-disconnect couplings and may have any appropriate size, shape, type, and/or configuration capable of retaining the refrigerant within the fluid line  54  when in connected and disconnected positions and that allow little or no fluid loss or air inclusion when moving between the connected and disconnected positions. In one embodiment, the couplings may be Parker Series 5500 self-sealing brass couplings (e.g., male coupling 5502-04B-06, female coupling 5505-04B-06). 
     Once separated, the evaporator  80  is physically divided from the remainder of the refrigeration system, and a single individual may manually slide the unit  20  from the bottom portion  18  of the cabinet  12  and carry it away. To accommodate a partial removal of the refrigeration unit  20 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , the tubing coils  56  of the fluid line  54  may contract and expand as the pull-out tray  26  slides into and out of the bottom portion  18  of the cabinet  12  within the brackets  24 . This allows the removable refrigeration unit  20  to be partially, but not fully, removed within the need to break the fluid line  54 . 
     To prevent damage to the unit (e.g., overextending copper tubing, damage to wiring, etc.) upon the removal or installation of the removable refrigeration unit  20 , the unit  20  may incorporate a positive stop (not shown) into the travel of the pull-out tray  26  or any other appropriate component of the removable refrigeration unit  20 . That is, the unit  20  may incorporate a positive stop at which the couplings  90 ,  94  and the electrical quick connect panel  88  are disconnected/connected upon the removal/installation of the unit  20 . The positive stop may have any appropriate configuration and/or location that serves to prevent the unit  20  from being over-extended when the fluid line  54  and the electrical connections are in a connected state or under-extended when the fluid line  54  and the electrical connections are in a disconnected state. 
     Because the removable refrigeration unit  20  does not include the evaporator  80 , ductwork  82 , recirculation fans  84 , and insulation elements  86 , the unit  20  is light enough to be handled safely by a single individual. In addition, the lightweight and compact nature of the unit  20  make the unit suitable for traditional shipping methods such as UPS and FedEx, which are convenient and cost effective in comparison to the truck/van freight lines required to transport larger, heavier, and more cumbersome units. This ability to ship via traditional package shipping methods facilitates a convenient exchange program through which a customer may receive and install a new or refurbished replacement unit  20  in exchange for uninstalling and returning a malfunctioning unit  20  to the manufacturer or service provider for repair or recycle. Alternatively, because the unit  20  does not contain all of the cooling components needed for a complete refrigeration cycle, the pull-out tray  26  is not overly crowded, and therefore, the components are easily accessible for repair and/or replacement without the need to disassemble the unit  20 . 
     The electrical control unit  34  may include or communicate with any appropriate control logic necessary to set and maintain a temperature of the cooling compartment  16 . In addition, the electrical control unit  34  (or a separate module) may include or communicate with any appropriate sensors (e.g., temperature sensors, pressure sensors), sensing and/or diagnostic logic, user interfaces, and/or user displays necessary to perform system diagnostics, or to monitor, determine, and display an operational health of the merchandiser cooler  10 . For example, the electrical control unit  34  may detect a faulty relay or a refrigerant leak and display that information. In another example, the electrical control unit  34  (or a separate module) may include a pressure sensing device (e.g., an electrical pressure sensor, pressure gauge, sight glass) to detect that the refrigeration system has lost its coolant charge and provide an alert that a service call is warranted. Diagnostic information of this nature may be displayed via an indicator or indicators that are visible on the front panel  21  of removable refrigeration unit  20 . All electrical components used within the merchandiser cooler  10  may be so-called plug and play electrical components that may be easily replaced in the field without specialized training. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , the electrical control unit  34  (or a separate module) may also be communicatively linked (e.g., via a cellular telephone network) with a larger cooler tracking system or platform  96  that is operated, for example, by an owner of the cooler  10  and/or the removable refrigeration unit  20 , a food and beverage service company, or the like. Through the module  34 , the removable refrigeration unit  20  may broadcast identifying information such as a serial number or another coded identifier for either the merchandiser cooler  10  or the removable refrigeration unit  20  to the cooler tracking platform  96 . The module  34  may also broadcast a GPS location along with diagnostic information (e.g., service needs), inventory information, and/or other operational information to parties charged with maintaining, servicing, and/or transporting the merchandiser cooler  10  and/or the removable refrigeration unit  20 . Information received by the cooler tracking platform  96  may then be formatted and distributed to interested parties such as the cooler or refrigeration-unit lessee or store, repair personnel, and/or food and beverage delivery personnel. For example, the information may be delivered via email or made available through a password protected web portal such that it is accessible through any internet enabled device  98  or the information may be delivered via text message to a user&#39;s mobile phone  100 . 
     While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it is apparent that further modifications and adaptations of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present invention.