초록 ▼

In one aspect, a food thawing cabinet includes at least one thawing chamber and one or more wall blowers and a heater for producing a controlled high volume of air flow over food product, with the heater controlled in a cyclic manner. In another aspect, various advanced control techniques for contro

In one aspect, a food thawing cabinet includes at least one thawing chamber and one or more wall blowers and a heater for producing a controlled high volume of air flow over food product, with the heater controlled in a cyclic manner. In another aspect, various advanced control techniques for controlling heat input are provided in an effort to lower the time required to thaw frozen food products in a safe manner.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A food thawing apparatus, comprising: a cabinet structure including a first thawing chamber and a second thawing chamber, a mullion separating the first thawing chamber from the second thawing chamber; the mullion including a first side facing the first thawing chamber, the f

What is claimed is: 1. A food thawing apparatus, comprising: a cabinet structure including a first thawing chamber and a second thawing chamber, a mullion separating the first thawing chamber from the second thawing chamber; the mullion including a first side facing the first thawing chamber, the first side having a plurality of air flow openings therein, including a set of air intake openings for passing air from the first thawing chamber into an interior of the mullion and a set of air outlet openings for passing air from the interior of the mullion to the first thawing chamber; the mullion including a second side facing the second thawing chamber, the second side having a plurality of air flow openings therein, including a set of air intake openings for passing air from the second thawing chamber into the interior of the mullion and a set of air outlet openings for passing air from the interior of the mullion to the second thawing chamber; a plurality of blowers associated with the mullion for causing air flow into and out of the interior of the mullion when operated; and at least one heating element associated with the mullion for heating air prior to passing it from the interior of the mullion into either of the first and second thawing chambers; wherein the set of air outlet openings on the first side of the mullion includes multiple air outlet openings distributed substantially along a height of the mullion and downstream of the heating element, and the set of air outlet openings on the second side of the mullion includes multiple air outlet openings distributed substantially along the height of the mullion and downstream of the heating element; wherein the plurality of blowers are capable of generating a pressurized condition within a common interior chamber of the mullion by directing air from the plurality of blowers into the common interior chamber, the heated, pressurized air passing from the common interior chamber through the multiple air outlet openings associated with at least one of the first and second sides. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a refrigeration system associated with the cabinet structure. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a temperature sensor associated with the mullion for sensing a temperature of air delivered from the interior of the mullion to the first and second thawing chambers. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising: a controller connected to control the blowers and the heating element, the controller receiving an input from the temperature sensor, the controller operable during a food thawing operation to: (i) operate the blowers to produce an air flow through both the first and second thawing chambers and the interior of the mullion; and (ii) selectively energize the heating element based upon the input received from the temperature sensor. 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein during the food thawing operation the controller: energizes the heating element when a temperature indicated by the temperature sensor is below a set point between 35째 F. and 39째 F., stops energizing the heating element when the temperature indicated by the temperature sensor reaches the set point, and subsequently starts energizing the heating element if the temperature indicated by the temperature sensor falls below the set point by a certain amount. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the set point is between 36째 F. and 38째 F. and the certain amount is at least 쩍째 F. 7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the mullion blowers are sized and operated to move a volume of air corresponding to a total thawing chamber volume every 5 to 10 seconds. 8. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising: a refrigeration system associated with the cabinet and including at least one blower and a corresponding air flow path associated with at least one of the first and second thawing chambers, the controller connected to control the refrigeration system; wherein during the food thawing operation the controller maintains the refrigeration system in an OFF condition, and operates the refrigeration system blower to increase air flow. 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein combined operation of the mullion blowers and the refrigeration system blower moves a volume of air corresponding to a total thawing chamber volume every 2 to 6 seconds. 10. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the heating element is located adjacent an output side of at least one of the blowers and the temperature sensor is positioned within the interior of the mullion and spaced apart from the heating element. 11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein air from the first and second thawing chambers mixes in the interior of the mullion. 12. The food thawing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air flow openings of at least one of the first and second sides are sized and arranged to restrict passage of air from the mullion to generate a pressurized condition within the mullion during operation. 13. A food thawing apparatus, comprising: a cabinet structure including a thawing chamber having a wall and an air flow path pennitting air to pass from the thawing chamber into an interior of the wall and out of the interior of the wall back to the thawing chamber; multiple blowers associated with the wall that direct air flow into and out of a common interior chamber of the wall when operated; and at least one heating element positioned for heating air prior to passing it from the common interior chamber of the wall back to the thawing chamber; wherein the air flow path is sized and configured to restrict passage of air from the common interior chamber of the wall to generate a higher pressure condition within the common interior chamber of the wall such that air flows from the higher pressure condition within the wall to a lower pressure condition in the thawing chamber; wherein the air flow path includes multiple air outlet openings in the wall for delivering air pressurized by the multiple blowers from the common interior chamber of the wall to the thawing chamber, the multiple air outlet openings distributed substantially along a height of the wall and downstream of the heating element. 14. A food thawing apparatus, comprising: a cabinet structure including a thawing chamber having a wall and an air flow path permitting air to pass from the thawing chamber into an interior of the wall and out of the interior of the wall back to the thawing chamber; at least one blower associated with the wall for causing air flow into and out of the interior of the wall when operated; at least one heating element positioned for heating air prior to passing it from the interior of the wall back to the thawing chamber; a temperature sensor positioned to sense a temperature of air delivered from the interior of the wall to the thawing chamber; a refrigeration system associated with the cabinet and including at least one blower and a corresponding air flow path associated with the thawing chamber; a controller connected to control the wall blower, the heating element and the refrigeration system, the controller receiving an input from the temperature sensor, the controller operable during a thawing operation to: (i) operate the wall blower; (ii) maintain the refrigeration system in an OFF condition; (iii) cyclically energize and de-energize the heating element based upon the input received from the temperature sensor as follows: (a) energize heating element when a temperature indicated by the temperature sensor is below a first set point; (b) de-energize the heating element when the temperature indicated by the temperature sensor reaches the set point; and (c) subsequent to (b), energize the heating element if the temperature indicated by the temperature sensor falls below the set point by a certain amount; the controller operable upon completion of the thawing operation to operate the refrigeration system in a cyclic manner to cycle a temperature within the thawing chamber between a second set point and a third set point, both of which are higher than the first set point, the second set point lower than the third set point. 15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first set point is no more than 2째 F. below the second set point. 16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein first set point is between 36째 F. and 38째 F., the second set point is between 37째 F. and 39째 F. 17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein during the thawing operation the refrigeration system blower is also operated. 18. A food thawing apparatus, comprising: a cabinet structure including a thawing chamber having a wall and an air flow path permitting air to pass from the thawing chamber into an interior of the wall and out of the interior of the wall back to the thawing chamber; at least one blower associated with the wall for causing air flow into and out of the interior of the wall when operated; at least one heating element positioned for heating air prior to passing it from the interior of the wall back to the thawing chamber; a plurality of blowers associated with the wall for causing air flow into and out of the interior of the wall when operated; a temperature sensor positioned to sense a temperature of air delivered from the interior of the wall to the thawing chamber; a controller connected to control the blowers and the heating element and to receive input from the temperature sensor, wherein the controller has a thawing operation mode in which it controls the heating element and blowers to: during initial cycles of the thawing operation operate all blowers and selectively energizing the heating element; subsequent to the initial cycles, and as a cold load produced by the food product decreases, turn at least one blower OFF to reduce heat input from operation of blower motors, while maintaining at least one blower ON. 19. A method for thawing frozen food product using a cabinet with at least one thawing chamber holding the food product, a heating element, one or more blowers and a temperature sensor, the method comprising the steps of: operating the blower to produce high volume air flow through the thawing chamber; repeatedly energizing and de-energizing the heating element ON and OFF according to a temperature indicated by the temperature sensor; wherein during one or more initial cycles of a thawing operation the heating element is (i) energized when the temperature indicated by the temperature sensor is below a first set point, (ii) de-energized when the temperature indicated by the temperature sensor reaches the first set point and (iii) energized when the temperature indicated by the temperature sensor fall back below the first set point by a certain amount; and subsequent to the one or more initial cycles the heating element is (i) energized when the temperature indicated by the temperature sensor is below a second set point, (ii) de-energized when the temperature indicated by the temperature sensor reaches the second set point and (iii) energized when the temperature indicated by the temperature sensor fall back below the second set point by a certain amount; wherein the first set point is a higher temperature than the second set point. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first set point is above 40째 F. and the second set point is below 40째 F. 21. The method of claim 20 wherein the first set point is between 42째 F. and 48째 F. and the second set point is between 35째 F. and 39째 F. 22. A method for thawing frozen food product using a cabinet with at least one thawing chamber holding the food product, the cabinet including a heating element, one or more blowers, a refrigeration system and a temperature sensor, the method comprising the steps of: operating the blower to produce high volume air flow through the thawing chamber; while the refrigeration system is maintained OFF, repeatedly cycling energizing and de-energizing the heating element according to a temperature indicated by the temperature sensor, wherein multiple cycles of a thawing operation the heating element is (i) energized when the temperature indicated by the temperature sensor is below a first set point, (ii) de-energized when the temperature indicated by the temperature sensor reaches the first set point and (iii) re-energized when the temperature indicated by the temperature sensor falls back below the first set point by a certain amount; and when the temperature indicated by the temperature sensor reaches a second set point, above the first set point, the refrigeration system is operated in a cyclic manner to cycle a temperature within the thawing chamber between a third set point and the second set point, the third set point between the first set point and the second set point, the third set point no more than 2째 F. above the first set point. 23. A method for thawing frozen food product using a cabinet with at least one thawing chamber holding food product, the cabinet including a heating element, at least one blower and a temperature sensor, the method comprising the steps of: selectively energizing and de-energizing the heating element in accordance with a first temperature set point; wherein current is delivered to the heating element to produce a first power level when the temperature is below a second temperature that is below the first temperature set point; wherein current is delivered to the heating element to produce a second power level when the temperature is above the second temperature, the second power level is less than the first power level; wherein the heating element is de-energized when the temperature exceeds the first temperature set point. 24. The method of claim 23 wherein subsequent to de-energizing the heating element, the heating element is again energized when the temperature falls below a third temperature that is less than the second temperature. 25. The method of claim 23 wherein the cabinet includes a mullion separating a first thawing chamber and a second thawing chamber, the heating element is positioned within the mullion, at least one mullion blower is located for causing air flow into and out of the interior of the mullion when operated, the cabinet further includes a refrigeration system with an associated blower, during at least portions of the thawing operation both the mullion blower and the refrigeration system blower are operated. 26. The method of claim 25 wherein a volume of the first thawing chamber and a volume of the second thawing chamber together form a total thawing chamber volume, and the mullion blower and the refrigeration system blower are operated to move a volume of air corresponding to the total thawing chamber volume every 2 to 6 seconds. 27. The method of claim 23 wherein the cabinet includes a mullion separating a first thawing chamber and a second thawing chamber, the heating element is positioned within the mullion, a plurality of mullion blowers are located for causing air flow into and out of the interior of the mullion when operated, a volume of the first thawing chamber and a volume of the second thawing chamber together form a total thawing chamber volume, and the mullion blowers are operated to move a volume of air corresponding to the total thawing chamber volume every 5 to 10 seconds. 28. A food thawing apparatus, comprising: a cabinet structure including a thawing chamber having a wall and an air flow path permitting air to pass from the thawing chamber into an interior of the wall and out of the interior of the wall back to the thawing chamber; at least one blower associated with the wall for causing air flow into and out of the interior of the wall when operated; at least one heating element positioned for heating air that travels along the air flow path; at least one temperature sensor for sensing air temperature within the cabinet structure; a refrigeration system associated with the cabinet structure and including at least one blower and a corresponding air flow path associated with the thawing chamber; a controller connected to control the wall blower, the heating element and the refrigeration system, the controller receiving input from the temperature sensor, the controller operable such that: (i) if temperature indicated by the temperature sensor falls below a first set point, thawing operation is automatically initiated, during which the wall blower is operated and the heating element is repeatedly energized and de-energized based upon temperature indicated by the temperature sensor; (ii) if temperature indicated by the temperature sensor rises above a second set point, which is higher than the first set point, refrigeration operation is automatically initiated, during which the refrigeration system is repeatedly turned ON and OFF to maintain temperature of the thawing chamber within a refrigeration temperature range that is higher than the first set point. 29. The food thawing apparatus of claim 28 wherein the interior of the wall includes a common chamber that spans substantially a height of the wall. 30. The food thawing apparatus of claim 28 wherein the at least one blower includes multiple blowers associated with the common chamber. 31. The food thawing apparatus of claim 28 wherein, during thawing operation the refrigeration system is maintained in an OFF condition.