Patent Application
20220388439
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The disclosure relates to food cart devices and more particularly pertains to a new food cart device for preparing fried treats in any location. The device includes a cart which is towed by a bicycle, a fryer that is positioned in the cart and a cold storage unit that is positioned in the cart. Additionally, the device includes shelving, a point of sale unit and an umbrella for shading the cart.
The prior art relates to food cart devices including a variety of mobile food carts that include a propane fired grill for cooking food. The prior art discloses a propane fired deep fryer that is integrated into a cart. Additionally, the prior art discloses grill cart that can be towed behind a vehicle. The prior art discloses a portable kitchen that includes a variety of modular work surfaces that are foldably integrated into a cart and a cooktop that is integrated into one of the modular work surfaces.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a cart that has a hitch which is coupled to the cart. A fryer is positioned in the cart to heat cooking oil for frying a food item. A cold storage unit is positioned in the cart to store perishable food items. A plurality of preparing shelves is each positioned in the cart to facilitate objects to be placed thereon. A point of sale unit is positioned in the cart to conduct financial transactions for patrons purchasing food that is prepared in the cart. An umbrella is positionable in the cart to shield the cart from precipitation and sunlight.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A plurality of wheels 32 is each rotatably coupled to the cart 12 and each of the wheels 32 rolls along a support surface 34. Each of the wheels 32 is positioned on a respective one of the first lateral side 24 and the second lateral side 26 of the perimeter wall 18 of the cart 12. A plurality of fenders 34 is each coupled to a respective one of the first lateral side 24 and the second lateral side 26, and each of the fenders 34 is positioned over a respective one of the wheels 32. Each of the wheels 32 may including designer rims, such as spokes or the like, and rubber tires.
A bicycle 36 is provided and a ball hitch 37 is disposed on the bicycle 36. The hitch 14 on the cart 12 releasably engages the ball hitch 37 thereby facilitating the cart 12 to be towed with the bicycle 36 thereby facilitating a rider to tow the cart 12. The bicycle 36 includes an arm 38 extending rearwardly from a rear wheel 40 of the bicycle 36. The arm 38 has a distal end 42 with respect to the bicycle 36 and the ball hitch 37 is positioned on the distal end 42 of the arm 38. The engagement 30 on the hitch 14 engages the ball hitch 37 for retaining the hitch 14 on the ball hitch 37.
A fryer 44 is provided that has a pair of fry wells 46 is positioned in the cart 12 to heat cooking oil 48 for frying a food item. The fryer 44 may be a propane fryer or an electric fryer. Additionally, the fryer 44 might include pair of baskets 47 that can each be submerged in the cooking oil 48 in each fry well. In this way fried treats, such as fried doughboys or the like, can be prepared in the cart 12. The fryer 44 is positioned against the second lateral side 26 of the perimeter wall 18 of the cart 12. Each of the fry wells 46 has a drain 50 extending through the second lateral side 26 of the perimeter wall 18 to drain the cooking oil 48 from the fry wells 46.
A cold storage unit 52 is positioned in the cart 12 to store perishable food items. The cold storage unit 52 has a cooled interior to keep the perishable food items cooled. The cold storage unit 52 is positioned in an intersection between the back side 22 and the first lateral side 24 of the perimeter wall 18 of the cart 12. Additionally, the cold storage unit 52 might be a propane powered refrigerator, an ice chest or any other type of cold storage unit that includes a door 54 which can be opened to access an interior of the cold storage unit 52.
A plurality of preparing shelves 56 is each positioned in the cart 12 to facilitate objects to be placed thereon. Each of the preparing shelves 56 is positioned against a respective one of the second lateral side 26 of the perimeter wall 18 of the cart 12 and the front side 20 of the perimeter wall 18. The preparing shelves 56 intersect each other at an intersection between the second lateral side 26 and the front side 20, and the preparing shelves 56 on the second lateral side 26 abut the fryer 44. Each of the preparing shelves 56 has a plurality of storage wells 58 that is recessed into the preparing shelves 56 to store condiments and other garnishes. The plurality of preparing shelves 56 includes a set of lower preparing shelves 60 and a set of upper preparing shelves 62 that is spaced upwardly from the lower preparing shelves 60. Additionally, each of the storage wells 58 is positioned on the lower preparing shelves 60.
A point of sale unit 64 is positioned in the cart 12 to conduct financial transactions for patrons purchasing food that is prepared in the cart 12. The point of sale unit 64 is in wireless communication with a payment processing network 66. The point of sale unit 64 is positioned in an intersection between the front side 20 of the perimeter wall 18 of the cart 12 and the first lateral side 24 of the perimeter wall 18. The point of sale unit 64 abuts the preparing shelves 56 on the front side 20, and the point of sale unit 64 includes a card reader for swiping magnetic credit/debit cards and a secure cash box.
A serving shelf 66 is hingedly coupled to and extends away from the cart 12 such that the serving shelf 66 is accessible to the patrons of the cart 12. The serving shelf 66 extends along a full length of the first lateral side 24 of the perimeter wall 18 of the cart 12. Additionally, the serving shelf 66 is positionable in a deployed position having the serving shelf 66 lying on a horizontal plane on the first lateral side 24. Conversely, the serving shelf 66 is positionable in a folded position having the serving shelf 66 lying against the perimeter wall 18 of the cart 12.
A plurality of solar panels 70 is each coupled to the cart 12 such that each of the solar panels 70 is exposed to sunlight. Each of the solar panels 70 is electrically coupled to the fryer 44 and the point of sale unit 64 for supplying electrical power to the fryer 44 and the point of sale unit 64. Each of the solar panels 70 is positioned on an outside surface 72 of the second lateral side 26 of the perimeter wall 18 of the cart 12, and the solar panels 70 extend along a substantial length of the second lateral side 26. As is most clearly shown in
An umbrella well 74 is recessed into the bottom wall 16 of the cart 12 and the umbrella well 74 is positioned on a centerline of the cart 12 that extends between the front side 20 and the back side 22 of the perimeter wall 18 of the cart 12. Additionally, the umbrella well 74 is positioned closer to the front side 20 than the back side 22. An umbrella 76 is positionable in the cart 12 to shield the cart 12 from precipitation and sunlight. The umbrella 76 has a pole 78 and a canopy 80, the pole 78 has a bottom end 82 and the bottom end 82 is insertable into the umbrella well 74 having the canopy 80 being elevated over the cart 12. The canopy 80 might include ribs and other hardware associated with collapsible umbrellas.
In use, the cart 12 is towed to a location that offers opportunity to sell food, such as a beach, a concert or other public gathering. The food items can be prepared in the cart 12, as needed, to sell to the public and the point of sale unit 64 facilitates taking payment for the food items. In this way fried treats can be cooked on location and served fresh and hot to the patrons. Additionally, the umbrella 76 provides shade and protection from precipitation if needed. The hitch 14 on the cart 12 can be attached to a vehicle, such as a car, or the bicycle 36, to facilitate the cart 12 to be towed to a broad range of locations.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
