Temperature controlled food tray system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE50019-E
Application number	US-202318110573-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Feb 16, 2023
Priority date	Jun 1, 2006
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system, apparatus, and method for a modular food tray system having a plurality of food trays that can be used for heating, cooling, or a combination thereof. The system can include a first food tray for heating and a second food tray for cooling, generally mounted at a different elevation from the first food tray. Alternatively, one or both of the food trays can be designed for cooling through temperature elements coupled thereto and the tray can be heated by overhead radiant heating elements for dual temperature capabilities. The first food tray can be mounted above the second food tray. The first food tray can include a thermal shield between a heating element in the first food tray and the second food tray. In other embodiments, the second food tray can be mounted above the first food tray with a thermal shield therebetween.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A temperature controlled food tray system, comprising:
a first food tray mounted on a top surface of a first tray support, the first food tray having an uppermost surface adapted to support food thereon and a cooling element that, when activated, cools the first food tray independent of whether airflow is present in the system;
wherein the cooling element is disposed between the uppermost surface of the first food tray and the top surface of the first tray support and is configured to have cooling fluid circulated there through;
a cooling outlet fluidicly coupled to the cooling element of the first food tray;
at least one radiant heating element coupled above the first food tray that, when activated, directs radiant heat toward the uppermost surface of the first food tray; and
at least one controller, the at least one controller being configured to activate the radiant heating element and to deactivate the cooling element of the first food tray to thereby operate the first food tray as a heating food tray, the at least one controller being further configured to deactivate the radiant heating element and to activate the cooling element of the first food tray to thereby operate the first food tray as a cooling food tray.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second food tray with a cooling element coupled to the second food tray, the second food tray being coupled to the first food tray; and
a refrigeration unit fluidicly coupled to the cooling element of at least one of the first and second food trays.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
at least one radiant heating element directed toward the second food tray; and
the at least one controller being further adapted to activate the radiant heating element directed toward the second food tray and deactivate the cooling element of the second food tray.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one controller is adapted to activate the cooling element of the first food tray or the second food tray.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first food tray is disposed above the second food tray in elevation.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first food tray is disposed below the second food tray in elevation.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein one or more of the food trays are modular.

8. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a second tray support adapted to support the second food tray and a support structure comprising at least one upright member, the first and second tray supports being coupled to the upright member.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a heating element coupled to the first food tray and wherein the at least one controller is adapted to activate the cooling element and deactivate the heating element to operate the first food tray as a cooling food tray, and to deactivate the cooling element and activate the heating element to operate the first food tray as a heating food tray.

10. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a heating element coupled to the second food tray and wherein the at least one controller is adapted to activate the cooling element and deactivate the heating element to operate the second food tray as a cooling food tray, and to deactivate the cooling element and activate the heating element to operate the second food tray as a heating food tray.

11. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a thermal shield coupled to the first food tray, the second food tray, or a combination thereof.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a support structure coupled to the first food tray and a plurality of heating outlets adapted to be coupled with a plurality of heating elements, a plurality of cooling outlets adapted to be coupled with a plurality of cooling elements, or a combination thereof, the outlets being disposed along the support structure.

13. A temperature controlled food tray system, comprising:
an upright structure having a heating outlet and a cooling outlet;
a first tray support;
a second tray support;
a first food tray with a first heating element that provides heating energy to an uppermost surface of the first food tray, the uppermost surface of the first food tray comprising a food support surface configured to support food for display to consumers, the first heating element being disposed between the uppermost surface of the first food tray and a top surface of a the first tray supportto which, the first food tray is being coupled to the first tray support; and
a second food tray with a first cooling element that provides cooling energy to an uppermost surface of the second food tray, the uppermost surface of the second food tray comprising a food support surface configured to support food for display to consumers, the first cooling element being disposed between the uppermost surface of the second food tray and a top surface of a the second tray supportto which, the second food tray is being coupled to the second tray support;
wherein the first tray support is mounted to the upright structure and the first heating element is coupled to the heating outlet;
wherein the second tray support is mounted to the upright structure;
wherein the first cooling element is fluidicly coupled to the cooling outlet, the second food tray thereby being configured to have cooling fluid from a source of cooling energy circulated there through; and
wherein the heating element and the cooling element are configured to operate independently of one another; and
wherein the first food tray is disposed above the second food tray or the second food tray is disposed above the first food tray.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first food tray is disposed above the second food tray in elevation.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first food tray is disposed below the second food tray in elevation.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein one or more of the food trays are modular.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a third food tray adapted to replace the first food tray, the third food tray being a cooling tray.

18. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a third food tray adapted to replace the second food tray, the third food tray being a heating tray.

19. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a support structure coupled to at least one of the food trays and a plurality of heating outlets adapted to be coupled with a plurality of heating elements, a plurality of cooling outlets adapted to be coupled with a plurality of cooling elements, or a combination thereof, the outlets being disposed along the support structure.

20. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a second cooling element coupled to the first food tray to form a combination unit, and wherein the first food tray is adapted to be operated as a heating tray or a cooling tray.

21. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a second heating element coupled to the second food tray to form a combination unit, and wherein the second food tray is adapted to be operated as a heating tray or a cooling tray.

22. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a thermal shield coupled to the first food tray, the second food tray, or a combination thereof.

23. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a radiant heating element disposed above the first food tray and adapted to heat food items disposed on the first food tray.

24. The system of claim 23 , further comprising a canopy having a st

Assignees

• Duke Mfg Co

Inventors

• Hartsfield Jr Alvis Lloyd
• Camp Jr Charles Horace

Classifications

• A47F3/0478

  Control or safety arrangements · CPC title

• F25D11/003

  Transport containers · CPC title

• F25D31/005

  Combined cooling and heating devices · CPC title

• H05B2203/028

  Heaters specially adapted for trays or plates to keep food or liquids hot · CPC title

• H05B3/68

  Heating arrangements specially adapted for cooking plates or analogous hot-plates · CPC title