Pan chiller system having liquid coolant in direct contact with dividing walls

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10060669-B2
Application number	US-201615367269-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2016
Priority date	Apr 27, 2006
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A pan chiller system including a refrigeration package having a condensing unit, a heat exchanger and a pump for circulating a chilled liquid coolant, a pan chiller unit in communication with the refrigeration package and having an outer housing and a food well received within the outer housing and a plurality of hollow divider bars arranged within the food well. An opening is defined between adjacent divider bars, wherein each divider bar is configured for directly receiving the liquid coolant chilled and circulated by the refrigeration package.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pan chiller system including:
a refrigeration package including a pump for circulating a chilled liquid coolant along a circulation path, wherein the chilled liquid coolant remains a liquid along the circulation path;
a pan chiller unit including a food well with a first hollow divider bar and a second hollow divider bar arranged generally parallel to and spaced from the first hollow divider bar to provide a food pan receiving opening between the first hollow divider bar and the second hollow divider bar, the first hollow divider bar including a first inlet opening, a first outlet opening and a coolant flow path therethrough, the second hollow divider bar including a second inlet opening, a second outlet opening and a coolant flow path therethrough, wherein the coolant flow path of the first hollow divider bar and the coolant flow path of the second hollow divider bar are connected in the circulation path of the chilled liquid coolant, the first hollow divider bar including a first side wall defining part of the food pan receiving opening, and the second hollow divider bar including a second side wall facing the first side wall and defining part of the food pan receiving opening;
a food pan positioned within the pan receiving opening and having a first pan side wall and a second pan side wall, the first pan side wall in contact with the first side wall for heat transfer and the second pan side wall in contact with the second side wall for heat transfer,
wherein the flow of chilled liquid coolant through the coolant flow path of the first hollow divider wall directly contacts and cools the first side wall which is in contact with and cools the first pan side wall, and the flow of chilled liquid coolant through the coolant flow path of the second hollow divider wall directly contacts and cools the second side wall which is in contact with and cools the second pan side wall;
wherein the first hollow divider bar includes a first internal rib that separates the coolant flow path of the first hollow divider bar into a first upper channel and a first lower channel, and the second hollow divider bar includes a second internal rib that separates the coolant flow path of the second hollow divider bar into a second upper channel and a second lower channel;
wherein the first inlet opening and the first outlet opening of the first hollow divider bar are both located at a first end of the first hollow divider bar, and a first flow path between the first upper channel and the first lower channel of the first hollow divider bar is provided toward a second end of the of the first hollow divider bar so that chilled liquid coolant flow through the first hollow divider bar is from the first inlet opening, along one of the first upper channel or the first lower channel in a direction from the first end toward the second end of the first hollow divider bar, then through the first flow path and along the other of the first upper channel or the first lower channel in a direction from the second end toward the first end of the first hollow divider bar to reach the first outlet opening;
wherein the second inlet opening and the second outlet opening of the second hollow divider bar are both located at a first end of the second hollow divider bar, wherein the first end of the second hollow divider bar and the first end of the first hollow divider bar are located on a common side of the food well, wherein a second flow path between the second upper channel and the second lower channel of the second hollow divider bar is provided toward a second end of the of the second hollow divider bar so that chilled liquid coolant flow through the second hollow divider bar is from the second inlet opening, along one of the second upper channel or the second lower channel in a direction from the first end toward the second end of the second hollow divider bar, then through the second flow path and along the other of the second upper channel or the second lower channel in a direction from the second end toward the first end of the second hollow divider bar to reach the second outlet opening.

2. The pan chiller system of claim 1 further comprising:
a flow connection running from the first outlet opening of the first hollow divider bar to the second inlet opening of the second hollow divider bar and delivering chilled liquid coolant from the first hollow divider bar to the second hollow divider bar.

3. The pan chiller system of claim 1 wherein:
the first hollow divider bar includes a top portion with a first fin extending upwardly to provide a first pan supporting shoulder at an upper end of the first side wall, wherein the first fin acts as a heat sink and is cooled by chilled liquid coolant flowing through the first hollow divider bar;
the second hollow divider bar includes a top portion with a second fin extending upwardly to provide a second pan supporting shoulder at an upper end of the second side wall, wherein the second fin acts as a heat sink and is cooled by chilled liquid coolant flowing through the second hollow divider bar;
wherein opposed lips of the food pan rest on the first shoulder and second shoulder respectively.

4. The pan chiller system of claim 1 , wherein the first hollow divider bar comprises as a unitary metal extrusion that incorporates the first internal rib, and the second hollow divider bar comprises as a unitary metal extrusion that incorporates the second internal rib.

5. A method of cooling food product within a food pan, comprising:
utilizing a pan chiller unit including a food well with a first hollow divider bar and a second hollow divider bar arranged generally parallel to and spaced from the first hollow divider bar to provide a food pan receiving opening between the first hollow divider bar and the second hollow divider bar, the first hollow divider bar including an inlet opening, an outlet opening and a coolant flow path therethrough, the inlet opening and the outlet opening located at a first end of the first hollow divider bar, the coolant flow path having a first upper flow channel and a first lower flow channel separated by a first internal divider of the first hollow divider bar, and the first internal divider comprises a first flow path between the first upper flow channel and the first lower flow channel, the second hollow divider bar including an inlet opening, an outlet opening and a coolant flow path therethrough, the inlet opening and the outlet opening of the second hollow divider bar are located at a first end of the second hollow divider bar, the coolant flow path of the second hollow divider bar having a second upper flow channel and a second lower flow channel separated by a second internal divider of the second hollow diver bar, and the second internal divider comprises a second flow path between the second upper flow channel and the second lower flow channel, the first hollow divider bar including a first side wall defining part of the food pan receiving opening, and the second hollow divider bar including a second side wall facing the first side wall and defining part of the food pan receiving opening;
supporting the food pan within the food pan receiving opening with a first wall of the food pan alongside the first side wall and a second wall of the food pan alongside the second side wall;
flowing a chilled liquid coolant through the coolant flow path of the first hollow divider bar, including flowing chilled liquid coolant in a first direction along the first upper flow channel or the first lower flow channel, then through the first flow path toward the other of the first upper flow channel or the first lower flow channel and in a second direction opposite the first direction along the other of the first upper lower flow channel or the first lower flow channel of the first hol

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Lintker Jason C
• Curran Mark C
• Stone James W
• Varacins Alan J

Classifications

• F25D31/006 Primary

  specially adapted for cooling receptacles, e.g. tanks · CPC title

• A47F3/0469 Primary

  Details, e.g. night covers · CPC title

• F25D2331/809

  Holders · CPC title

• A47F3/0486

  for charging, displaying or discharging the articles · CPC title

• F25D23/061

  with conduit means · CPC title