Food pan cooling system with one or more perforated food pans

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022151377-A1
Application number	US-202117527623-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 16, 2021
Priority date	Nov 17, 2020
Publication date	May 19, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A food preparation table includes a housing at least in part defining multiple food pan receiving locations and a cooling air flow path internal of the housing below the food pan receiving locations. A first food pan is positioned within a first one of the food pan receiving locations such that side walls and a bottom wall of the first food pan are within the cooling air flow path, a first one of the side walls of the first food pan includes a plurality of openings therein to permit some cooling air to enter the first food pan and flow in contact with food items therein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A food preparation table, comprising:
a housing at least in part defining multiple food pan receiving locations and a cooling air flow path internal of the housing below the food pan receiving locations; a first food pan positioned within a first one of the food pan receiving locations such that side walls and a bottom wall of the first food pan are within the cooling air flow path, a first one of the side walls of the first food pan includes a plurality of openings therein to permit some cooling air to enter the first food pan and flow in contact with food items therein.

2 . The food preparation table of claim 1 , wherein the first one of the side walls is oriented substantially parallel to a main flow direction of cooling air flowing past the first food pan along the cooling air flow path.

3 . The food preparation table of claim 2 , wherein a second one of the side walls runs substantially perpendicular to the main flow direction and has an external surface that faces against the main flow direction, wherein the second one of the side walls does not include any openings.

4 . The food preparation table of claim 3 , wherein a third one of the side walls runs substantially perpendicular to the main flow direction and has an external surface that faces toward the main flow direction, wherein the third one of the side walls does not include any openings.

5 . The food preparation table of claim 4 , wherein a fourth one of the side walls is oriented substantially parallel to the main flow direction, the fourth one of the side walls having a plurality of openings therein.

6 . The food preparation table of claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall does not have any openings.

7 . The food preparation table of claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall includes a plurality of openings.

8 . The food preparation table of claim 3 , wherein the first one of the side walls is longer than the second one of the side walls, such that a long direction of the first food pan is oriented substantially parallel to the main flow direction.

9 . The food preparation table of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second food pan within a second one of the food pan receiving locations such that side walls and a bottom wall of the second food pan are within the cooling air flow path, wherein the side walls and the bottom wall of the second food pan do not include any openings.

10 . The food preparation table of claim 9 , wherein the first food pan holds solid food product, wherein the second food pan holds liquid food product.

11 . The food preparation table of claim 10 , wherein the first food pan hold eggs in the shell, wherein the second food pan holds liquid eggs.

12 . The food preparation table of claim 10 , further comprising:
a third food pan within a third one of the food pan receiving locations such that side walls and a bottom wall of the third food pan are within the cooling air flow path, wherein at least one of the side walls of the third food pan includes a plurality of openings.

13 . The food preparation table of claim 12 , wherein the second food pan is located between the first food pan and the third food pan.

14 . The food preparation table of claim 1 , wherein a cooling system is provided to deliver both the cooling air flow path internal of the housing below the food pan receiving locations and a cooling air flow path above the food pan receiving locations.

15 . A food preparation table, comprising:
a housing at least in part defining multiple food pan receiving locations and a cooling air flow path internal of the housing below the food pan receiving locations; a first food pan positioned within a first one of the food pan receiving locations such that first, second, third and fourth side walls and a bottom wall of the first food pan are within the cooling air flow path, the first and second side walls of the first food pan including a plurality of openings therein to permit some cooling air to enter the first food pan and flow in contact with food items therein; wherein the first side wall is oriented substantially parallel to a main flow direction of cooling air within the cooling air flow path and the second side wall is oriented substantially parallel to the main flow direction.

16 . The food preparation table of claim 15 , wherein the third and fourth side walls extend substantially perpendicular to the main flow direction and include no openings therein, wherein the first and second side walls are longer than the third and fourth side walls.

17 . The food preparation table of claim 16 , wherein the bottom wall does not have any openings.

18 . The food preparation table of claim 16 , wherein the bottom wall includes a plurality of openings.

19 . The food preparation table of claim 15 , wherein the multiple food pan receiving locations are formed through a structure formed of HDPE material.

20 . A method of cooling food product, comprising:
placing a non-liquid food product in a food product pan within a pan receiving location of a food preparation table, wherein the food product pan includes first and second side walls opposed to each other and running along a length of the food product pan, wherein each of the first and second side walls includes a plurality of openings therein; operating a refrigeration system of the food preparation table to deliver cooled air in a main flow direction past the food product pan, wherein the main flow direction is substantially parallel to the length of the food product pan, such that at least some cooled air passes through the openings if the first and second side walls to move directly over and cool the non-liquid food product in the food product pan.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Ren Liqun
• Kukolj Sasenka
• Potdar Ashutosh A
• Wright James R

Classifications

• A47B31/02 Primary

  with heating, cooling or ventilating means · CPC title

• A47J41/0061 Primary

  the elements being detachable or the food holding vessel being replaceable · CPC title

• F25D2331/809

  Holders · CPC title

• F25D2400/08

  Refrigerator tables · CPC title

• A47B2031/003

  with drawers, trays or shelves · CPC title