Protection guard having moveable and positionable shield useful for food stations in the food service industry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11684184-B2
Application number	US-201916533306-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2019
Priority date	Aug 10, 2018
Publication date	Jun 27, 2023
Grant date	Jun 27, 2023

Abstract

The present invention provides protective enclosures and food and/or beverage stations with these enclosures in which one or more of the side panels are easily raised and lowered and easily fixed in one or more positions as desired. For example, side panels can be easily lowered or closed or easily raised and fixed in one or more open configurations. The present invention is based at least in part on a coupling system that pivotably and slideably couples the moveable and positionable side panels to the protective enclosure. The coupling system uses a system of coordinated slots that cooperatively guide the movement of the side panel in its range of motion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A protection system, comprising:
a) a support structure;
b) a protective enclosure comprising a moveable and positionable shield, said moveable and positionable shield comprising a first edge, a second edge, a first shield end, and a second shield end, wherein each of the first and second shield ends is slideably and pivotably coupled to the support structure in a manner such that the moveable and positionable shield slides and pivots to be raised and lowered in a range of motion that comprises two or more stationary positions comprising at least a lowered shield position and a raised shield position;
c) a first bracket assembly that slideably and pivotably couples the first shield end to the support structure, the first bracket assembly comprising:
a first bracket fixedly coupled to the support structure, the first bracket comprising a first slot and a second slot separate from the first slot, the second slot having a different shape than the first slot; and
a second bracket comprising a first bearing surface that slideably and pivotably engages the first slot and a second bearing surface that slideably and pivotably engages the second slot; and

d) a second bracket assembly that slideably and pivotably couples the second shield end to the support structure,
wherein the first and second bracket assemblies cooperatively guide the first and second shield ends in a manner such that raising the first edge of the moveable and positionable shield results in a countermove lowering of the second edge of the moveable and positionable shield.

2. The protection system of claim 1 , wherein the second bracket is fixedly coupled to the first shield end.

3. The protection system of claim 1 , wherein the first bracket includes a leg and an arm, wherein the arm is attached to the leg at a front side and extends from the leg to a rear side.

4. The protection system of claim 3 , wherein a portion of the leg projects above the arm.

5. The protection system of claim 3 , wherein the first bracket further comprises a shoulder plate.

6. The protection system of claim 3 , wherein the protection system provides a protective enclosure, and wherein the arm has a length that extends only partway into an interior of the protective enclosure.

7. The protection system of claim 3 , wherein the first slot extends along the arm and has a slot axis that is slanted downward in a direction from the front side to the rear side.

8. The protection system of claim 7 , wherein the slot axis of the first slot is slanted downward at an angle in the range from 1 to 20 degrees.

9. The protection system of claim 6 , wherein the first slot has a hook portion at the front side.

10. The protection system of claim 3 , wherein the second slot includes a first slot leg and a second slot leg, wherein the first and second slot legs are joined at a rounded slot apex.

11. The protection system of claim 10 , wherein the first slot leg of the second slot extends from a bottom end proximal to a base of the leg to a top end at the apex, and wherein the second slot leg of the second slot extends from the apex from a first end to a second end.

12. A food and/or beverage station, comprising:
a) a countertop;
b) a base supporting the countertop; and
c) a protection system of claim 1 incorporated into the food and/or beverage station in a manner such that the protection system provides a barrier between the countertop and at least a portion of the ambient environment.

13. The protection system of claim 1 , wherein the second slot includes a pocket positioned between a first end and a second end of the second slot, the pocket being configured to receive the second bearing surface to hold an edge of the moveable and positionable shield in a first position.

14. The protection system of claim 13 , wherein the pocket is a first pocket and wherein the second slot includes a second pocket, the second pocket being configured to receive the second bearing surface to hold the edge of the moveable and positionable shield in a second position.

15. The protection system of claim 14 , wherein the second slot includes a first slot leg and a second slot leg, and wherein the first slot leg, the first pocket, and the second pocket extend downward from the second slot leg.

16. A protection system, comprising:
a) a support structure;
b) a protective enclosure comprising a moveable and positionable shield, said moveable and positionable shield comprising a first edge, a second edge, a first shield end, and a second shield end, wherein each of the first and second shield ends is slideably and pivotably coupled to the support structure in a manner such that the moveable and positionable shield slides and pivots to be raised and lowered in a range of motion that comprises two or more stationary positions comprising at least a lowered shield position and a raised shield position;
c) a first bracket assembly that slideably and pivotably couples the first shield end to the support structure; and
d) a second bracket assembly that slideably and pivotably couples the second shield end to the support structure,
wherein the first and second bracket assemblies cooperatively guide the first and second shield ends in a manner such that raising the first edge of the moveable and positionable shield results in a countermove lowering of the second edge of the moveable and positionable shield; and
wherein each of the first and second bracket assemblies comprises:
a slotted hinge bracket comprising first and second slots, the second slot including a first slot leg and a second slot leg that are joined at a rounded slot apex, wherein the first slot leg of each of the second slots of the slotted hinge brackets extends from a bottom end proximal to a base of the slotted hinge bracket to a top end at the apex, wherein the second slot leg of each of the second slots extends from the apex from a first end to a second end, and wherein the first slot leg of each of the second slots has a slot axis that is canted at angle in the range from 1 to 10 degrees with respect to a vertical reference line; and
a shield bracket comprising first and second bearing surfaces, said bearing surfaces slideably and pivotably coupling the shield bracket to the corresponding slotted hinge bracket, wherein the first and second bearing surfaces of the corresponding shield bracket slideably and pivotably engage the first and second slots of the corresponding slotted hinge bracket.

17. The protection system of claim 16 , wherein each of the second slot legs of the second slots has a slot axis that is at an acute angle with respect to the slot axis of the corresponding first slot leg, and wherein the slot axis of each of the second slot legs is slanted downward more steeply than the slot axis of the corresponding first slot leg.

18. The protection system of claim 17 , wherein each of the second slot legs comprises a pocket into which the second bearing surface on the corresponding shield bracket can be lowered and captured to help hold an edge of the moveable and positionable shield in a raised position.

19. The protection system of claim 17 , wherein each of the second slot legs comprises a second pocket in to which the second bearing surface on the corresponding shield bracket can be lowered and captured to help hold an edge of the moveable and positionable shield in a second raised position.

20. A protection system, comprising:
a) a support structure;
b) a protective enclosure comprising a moveable and positionab

Assignees

• The Vollrath Co Llc

Inventors

• Hansen Brandon M

Classifications

• A47F2010/065

  Food shields; sneeze guards · CPC title

• A47F10/06 Primary

  for restaurant service systems (table equipment A47G {; dirty crockery transport in association with crockery washing machines A47L15/00}) · CPC title

• A47F3/007 Primary

  Cases or cabinets of the counter type · CPC title

• A47F2003/008

  with pivoting front glass panel · CPC title