Collapsible food service system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9801476-B2
Application number	US-61596409-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2009
Priority date	Nov 10, 2009
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

A food service system is formed using a plurality of units capable of being interlocked together in a variety of customizable configurations. The units of the food service system include a food service bar with buffet pan chillers, a work table, a cashier station, and variety of connecting pieces for linking each of the units together. The food service bar comprises a sneeze guard that protects the food contained within the bar on three sides and can be broken down and folded down and into itself when the bar is being transported or stored. The buffet pan chillers are double sided and configured such that when frozen, may accommodate a shallow food pan on one side and then flipped over to accommodate a deep food pan on the other side while still maintaining the same serving height. Each unit is configured to receive multiple sizes of wheels or casters.

First claim

We claim:

1. A mobile and collapsible food service system comprising:
a food service bar with a main compartment comprising a longitudinal centerline, wherein the food service bar further comprises;
a pair of legs coupled to the bottom of the main compartment;
a pair of collapsible tray rails coupled to both sides of the main compartment parallel to the longitudinal centerline, wherein the pair of collapsible tray rails each comprise a plurality of rail bridges that are disposed within a corresponding plurality of sockets that are defined in both sides of the main compartment;
a plurality of hand holds disposed on the main compartment and extending therefrom;
a pair of substantially vertical end walls removably coupled to the main compartment and disposed on either end of the food service bar;
a cap removably coupled to the pair of vertical end walls by means of a pair of adjustable thumb screws disposed between the cap and each of the vertical end walls and suspended above the main compartment;
a pair of transparent sneeze guard panels disposed on either side of the longitudinal centerline of the main compartment and coupled to the cap; and
a pair of end panel guards coupled to each of the vertical end walls,
wherein each of the pair of legs coupled to the main compartment comprises at least one caster insert plate, the at least one caster insert plate comprising at least two caster inputs of differing size,
wherein each pair of end panel guards are rotatable with respect to each of the vertical end walls,
wherein each transparent sneeze guard panel is rotatable about a pin disposed in the cap,
wherein the end panel guards and the sneeze guard panels cooperate to form a sneeze guard assembly, each end panel guard accommodating at least one end of a sneeze guard panel in a nested configuration when the sneeze guard assembly is in an expanded configuration,
wherein the sneeze guard assembly further comprises a first width when in the expanded configuration and a second width when in a collapsed configuration, the second width being smaller than the first width and wherein the pair of vertical end walls remain in a fixed vertical position in both the expanded and collapsed configuration,
wherein each of the plurality of sockets comprises a tray rail pin that is threaded through it and a corresponding one of the plurality of rail bridges,
wherein each of the plurality of sockets are configured to accommodate the corresponding plurality of rail bridges when the tray rails are in a collapsed position, and
wherein each of the plurality of sockets are further configured to provide structural support to the corresponding plurality of rail bridges by maintaining them in an extended flat position that is substantially perpendicular to the centerline of the main compartment when the tray rails are in an upright position.

2. The food service system of claim 1 wherein the collapsible pair of tray rails of the food service bar comprise a plurality of tray rail bridges for being inserted into the plurality of sockets defined in the main compartment, wherein the plurality of sockets are shaped to accommodate the shape of the plurality of tray rail bridges.

3. The food service system of claim 1 wherein the collapsible sneeze guard assembly further comprises wherein the sneeze guard panels disposed on either side of the main compartment comprises means to rotate about a fixed point on the end cap, and wherein each end panel guard coupled to each of the end walls comprises means to fold out to an angle within 30 degrees from a substantially perpendicular position to the centerline of the main compartment and means to fold to a minimum position substantially parallel to the centerline and suspended above the main compartment, wherein each of the end panel guards comprises a transparent protective barrier.

4. The food service system of claim 3 wherein the sneeze guard panels disposed on either side of the main compartment are nested within each of the end panel guards when the end panel guards are at an angle within 30 degrees from the substantially perpendicular position to the centerline of the main compartment.

5. The food service system of claim 3 wherein the sneeze guard assembly further comprises means for the sneeze guard panels to hang down against each of the end walls when the end panel guards are in their minimum position substantially parallel to the centerline and suspended above the main compartment.

6. The food service system of claim 1 where the food service bar further comprises a removable end table component that comprises means for coupling to the food service bar via the plurality of hand holds disposed on the main compartment, wherein the plurality of hand holds are configured to be gripped by a user.

7. The food service system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of food service bars coupled together by means of at least one removable straight connector that comprises means for coupling to the plurality of food service bars via the plurality of hand holds disposed on the main compartment, wherein the plurality of hand holds are configured to be gripped by a user.

8. The food service system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of food service bars coupled together by means of at least one removable corner connector that comprises means for coupling to the plurality of food service bars via the plurality of hand holds disposed on the main compartment, wherein the plurality of hand holds are configured to be gripped by a user.

9. The food service system of claim 1 where the main compartment of the food service bar further comprises:
a plurality of removable well covers disposed across the main compartment to provide a substantially flat table surface.

10. The food service system of claim 1 where the caster insert plate comprising at least two caster inputs of differing size comprises a large caster input and a small caster input coupled to a caster base, wherein the large caster input comprises a diameter that is larger than the small caster input.

11. The food service system of claim 1 further comprising a cashier station coupled to at least one food service bar, wherein the cashier station is a mobile and removable unit coupled to the at least one food service bar.

12. The food service system of claim 11 where the cashier station comprises:
a flat work surface;
a drawer disposed beneath the flat work surface;
an interior cabinet volume disposed beneath the drawer; and
a pair of collapsible tray rails coupled to both sides of the interior cabinet volume.

13. The food service system of claim 12 where the flat work surface of the cashier station comprises an access port defined within the surface that allows access to the interior cabinet volume below.

14. The food service bar of claim 12 where the drawer of the cashier stand comprises:
a plurality of side walls;
an interior drawer track defined within each of the plurality of side walls;
an adjustable keyboard insert inserted into the interior drawer track defined within each of the plurality of side walls,
wherein the keyboard insert is at a first height within the drawer, and
wherein the keyboard insert comprises at least one molding disposed on the bottom of the keyboard insert that is configured to interact with each of the interior drawer tracks to move the keyboard insert to a second height within the drawer, the second height within the drawer being located above the first height within the drawer.

15. The food service system of claim 11 where the cashier station further comprises a pair of tray rails comprisin

Assignees

• Maddux Larry
• Le Johannes
• Nicholson Jeff
• Cambro Mfg Company

Inventors

• Maddux Larry
• Le Johannes
• Nicholson Jeff

Classifications

• F25D2331/812

  Trays · CPC title

• F25D2303/0845

  below the product · CPC title

• F25D2303/0831

  the liquid is disposed in the space between the walls of the container · CPC title

• F25D2303/08222

  Shape of the element · CPC title

• F25D3/08

  portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally · CPC title