초록 ▼

A portable cart with access doors has serving trays supported on heater shelves which trays support the food items to be served to the patient. Chilled air for the cart is provided by an air chilling device to a plenum chamber which chamber when coupled continuously circulates chilled air from the c

A portable cart with access doors has serving trays supported on heater shelves which trays support the food items to be served to the patient. Chilled air for the cart is provided by an air chilling device to a plenum chamber which chamber when coupled continuously circulates chilled air from the chilled air device into and through the cart and then back through the plenum chamber to the chilled air device in a continuous closed loop pattern. The circulating air passes through mating vents and inlets of the plenum chamber and the cart which automatically open when the cart is coupled with the plenum chamber. The heating for each food item to be served hot is initiated, time controlled and terminated by a programmed computer which separately controls the operation of the individual heater plates mounted on the heater shelves supporting the trays. The food carts can be initially connected to mating plenum chambers in the food preparation area, then removed and sent to designated areas of the hospital, for instance, where they are positioned into plenum chambers having a control unit at which area a computer control unit takes over and initiates the cooking of those foods to be served hot.

대표청구항 ▼

Apparatus for preparing meals for hospitals, airlines and the like comprising a food and beverage cabinet having access doors and a back panel, a rack having heater shelves in said cabinet which support food trays, spaced individual heater surfaces supported by said shelves, air inlet means in said

Apparatus for preparing meals for hospitals, airlines and the like comprising a food and beverage cabinet having access doors and a back panel, a rack having heater shelves in said cabinet which support food trays, spaced individual heater surfaces supported by said shelves, air inlet means in said back panel of said cabinet, air outlet means in said back panel of said cabinet, an environmental control unit in the form of a housing having a plenum chamber and a front panel therefor disposed toward said back panel of said cabinet, normally closed air outlet means in said front panel of said plenum chamber, normally closed air inlet means in the said front panel of said plenum chamber, means for circulating chilled air in a first closed loop pattern in said environmental control unit through said plenum chamber when its said inlet means and outlet means are closed, means for coupling said environmental control unit to said food and beverage cabinet so that said back panel of said cabinet is flush with said front panel of said plenum chamber in sealed relationship therewith, said outlet means of said plenum chamber mating with said inlet means of said cabinet and said outlet means of said cabinet mating with said inlet means of said plenum chamber when said cabinet and said environmental control unit are coupled together, means supported by said environmental control unit for opening said outlet means and said inlet means of said cabinet and of said plenum chamber when said environmental control unit and said cabinet are being coupled together whereby chilled air is continuously circulated through the coupled cabinet and said plenum chamber in a second closed loop pattern which is larger than and includes said first closed loop pattern, and means connected with said heater shelves for heating said spaced heater surfaces on said shelves.