Patent Application
20150173526
This application includes material which is subject or may be subject to copyright and/or trademark protection. The copyright and trademark owner(s) has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by any of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright and trademark rights whatsoever. Such trademark(s) may include, Turbo Coil.
(1) Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to refrigeration and heating systems. More particularly, the invention relates to means and methods of producing and using glycol pan chiller systems in multi-cooling compartment systems.
(2) Description of the Related Art
The use of glycol in cooling systems is known in general, but the prior art fails to teach, suggest or motivate one skilled in the art to construct the disclosed embodiments.
Several systems by KAIRAK are known in the art. For example U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,395 “Condenser Assembly”, U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,092 “Food Pan Refrigeration Unit” and U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,687 “Pan Cooler and Method” disclose various refrigeration systems. While the known KAIRAK patents disclose various physical configurations of assembling cooling systems the KAIRAK patents fail to address the shortfalls in the art. The KAIRAK compressor and pump are almost always in operation. The KAIRAK system contemplates a traditional single food compartment system.
The known relevant published patent applications teach means and methods of protecting food held in a chiller and blowing cold air over food. Such published patent applications include 20090013707 Air blanketed food preparation table; 20060230948 Food Protector Apparatus that Attaches to a Drop-In Food pan and method and 20060201177 Air Blanketed Food Preparation Table. Thus, the trend in the art is to focus upon the protection of food in a chiller, blowing cold air directly upon food and to remain satisfied with the chilling methods of the prior art.
There are many shortfalls in the prior art. For example, the chillers of the prior art typically use 20 year old technology and fail to artfully integrate the use of both glycol and Freon systems. Chillers in the prior art fail to efficiently and economically cool chill pans and related assemblies. For example, chillers of the prior art often use non removable foam material to encase Freon lines wrapping a chiller. When a Freon line leaks, the unit is not economically repairable. The prior art is prone to condensation problems as well. The prior art is prone to blow cold air directly upon food, causing condensation problems and problems with drying out food. The prior art also fails to leverage chilled fluid, such as glycol to cool multiple compartments.
The present invention overcomes shortfalls in the related art by presenting an unobvious and unique combination and configuration of liners, liner installation systems, use of Freon lines, use of glycol flowing in contact with Freon lines, with the glycol in a static state or moving state, with Freon lines chilling glycol within a main cooling compartment and with cool glycol drawn to a second compartment to cool the second compartment by use of a Turbo Coil system or other evaporation coil system. Shortfalls in the related art are overcome by use of a single compressor and pump to efficiently cool two food chambers. Disclosed embodiments provide self-contained refrigeration systems suitable for preparation tables and other functions.
Disclosed embodiments overcome shortfalls in the art by use of a chiller pan assembly comprising a main or first cooling area, with the first cooling area cooled by an inner liner area, the inner liner area comprised of Freon lines surrounded by free flowing glycol. The Freon lines contain Freon or other fluid cooled by a single or relatively small number of refrigeration condensing and compressor units. The Freon lines wrap around the inner liner area and cool the surrounding glycol or other fluid. The contents of the first or main cooling area or food storage area are cooled indirectly by heat transfer into the Freon lines and surrounding glycol. The Freon lines cool both the main compartment and the surrounding glycol.
A second or ancillary food cooling chamber is efficiently cooled by drawing glycol or other fluid from the inner liner area into the second food chamber. The glycol, cooled solely by the freon lines is transferred, as needed, into a evaporation and coil system located within the second food chamber. The evaporation and coil system blows cool air within the second food chamber and the glycol, is returned, at a slightly higher temperature back into the inner liner area of the first cooling area. The freon lines rechill the glycol.
In disclosed embodiments, new found efficiencies are produced by the artful combination of using indirect cooling in a first food cooling area and air blown cooling in a second cooling area by use of just one condensing and compressor unit. To conserve energy, glycol or other fluid is cooled by use of closed cooling lines filled with Freon or other fluid. The first cooling chamber comprises an interior tank comprising Freon lines and glycol flowing around the freon lines. As no direct air transfer or air blowing occurs within the first food chamber, the glycol stays relatively cold efficiently dissipating cold from the Freon lines. Thus the interior of the first food chamber enjoys a very even distribution of cool temperature, which is ideal for salad bars and various food preparation areas. Such food preparation areas are often in need of direct cool air refrigeration or a second cooling compartment. But, space and energy restrictions do not comport well with a second refrigeration condensing and compressor unit, as used in the prior art. The disclosed embodiments overcome shortfalls in the prior art by using the passively cooled glycol from the main cooling area to remove heat from the second food storage area. The second food storage area may use a Turbo Coil System or evaporation coil and fan system to transfer heat into the glycol with glycol moved from the first cooling area. After use in the second compartment, the heated glycol is returned to the first compartment and evenly rechilled within the inner liner of the first compartment. The heat from the glycol is quickly removed by the volume of remaining glycol within the first cooling compartment system.
The present invention overcomes shortfalls in the art by eschewing the practice of blowing chilled air over food held in a first cooler or cooling area used for quick food access. This solution is known to dry out food. The prior art disclosures also teach methods of blowing cool air to the undersides of a pan chiller or pan container of food. The utility of blowing cool air to the undersides of a chiller is severely limited by the thermal properties of air. In acknowledgement of this shortfall, KAIRAK U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,092 uses cooling fins attached to the chiller in an effort to improve its air cooled system. In the automotive industry, air cooled engines were replaced long ago with liquid cooled engines. But, KAIRAK remains entrenched in the prior art and teaches away from the liquid cooled systems of the present invention.
The present invention overcomes shortfalls in the art by disclosing a new pan system of a first cooling area that is quickly and economically removable from a separate foam installation system. Embodiments of the invention solve problems in the prior art by providing an efficient retro fit system to repair broken cooler pans of the prior art.
The disclosed embodiments have provided unexpected and dramatically favorable results in cooling efficiency by ignoring the air fins and air cooling system of KAIRAK and by using a new inner liner system comprising a Freon line wrapped upon an inner wall of an inner liner. The inner liner is filled with circulating glycol or other coolant fluid which is cooled by the Freon only. When a first or upper food area become too warm, the Freon may be further cooled within an interior liner to further cool the glycol and contents of the first area. When the second or lower food area is too warm, glycol may be drawn down to the second food area to remove heat. In a disclosed embodiment, the second food area is cooled by a Turbo Coil system that circulates cool air within the second compartment. As the second compartment may be filled with covered or wrapped food items, a dry out problem is avoided. The artful combination of Freon lines and a glycol fluid body in contact with both the Freon lines and pan liners satisfies long felt needs in the art with new power and space efficiencies and economic advantages, while efficiently cooling a second area by use of glycol only and wherein the glycol is cooled by the Freon only, vitiating the need for a separate or second refrigeration and condensing and compressor unit.
Disclosed embodiments include a cabinet system wherein a separate refrigeration unit for the Freon is held. Disclosed configurations overcome shortfalls in the prior art wherein pizza flour and other particulates would fowl Freon condensing units.
Disclosed embodiments include a glycol tank wherein glycol is held and cooled in reserve such that cooled glycol is ready for circulation when needed.
Disclosed embodiments include an integrated stove top or burner system to provide a cooking surface near the disclosed refrigeration system.
These and other objects and advantages will be made apparent when considering the following detailed specification when taken in conjunction with the drawings.
The following detailed description is directed to certain specific embodiments of the invention. However, the invention can be embodied in a multitude of different ways as defined and covered by the claims and their equivalents. In this description, reference is made to the drawings wherein like parts are designated with like numerals throughout.
Unless otherwise noted in this specification or in the claims, all of the terms used in the specification and the claims will have the meanings normally ascribed to these terms by workers in the art.
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in a sense of “including, but not limited to.” Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below,” and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application.
The above detailed description of embodiments of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. For example, while steps are presented in a given order, alternative embodiments may perform routines having steps in a different order. The teachings of the invention provided herein can be applied to other systems, not only the systems described herein. The various embodiments described herein can be combined to provide further embodiments. These and other changes can be made to the invention in light of the detailed description.
Any and all the above references and U.S. patents and applications are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions and concepts of the various patents and applications described above to provide yet further embodiments of the invention.
These and other changes can be made to the invention in light of the above detailed description. In general, the terms used in the following claims, should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification, unless the above detailed description explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the invention encompasses the disclosed embodiments and all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention under the claims.
Referring to
The inner liner 160 may comprise an inner wall 120 and an outer wall 150. A glycol void area 130 may be defined within the inner wall 120 and outer wall 150. The glycol void area 130 may contain glycol or other fluid. Freon flow lines 140 may also be disposed within the glycol void area and used to cool the glycol or other fluid. The Freon flow lines 140 may be secured anywhere within the inner liner 160, but are often secured to the inner wall 150 of the inner liner.
The inner liner 160 may be disposed within an insulation liner 175. The insulation liner 175 liner may be removable and may be well suited to retrofit existing systems. The insulation liner 175 may comprise an insulation layer 170 and an outer shell 177 and an inner shell 179 or surface. The inner shell 179 of the insulation layer may rest adjacent to the outer wall 150 of the inner liner 160.
A first set of drain and entry lines 410 or outlet and inlet lines may assist in the optional circulation of Freon while a second set of drain and entry lines 400 may assist in the circulation of glycol. An attachment area 421 may be disposed at the bottom of the insulation liner and used to assist in drainage.
Upper attachment area 430 provides another optional attachment point for the supply of glycol to the glycol void area.
A refrigeration condensation unit 310 and compression unit 312 are used to assist in cooling the Freon. The condensation unit and compression or compressor unit are sometimes described together as generic refrigeration condensing and compress unit 300. Supply lines 140 are sometimes shown to circulate Freon or other coolant fluid to and from the generic refrigeration condensing and compressor unit 300 and the pan chiller assembly 100. A Turbo Coil System or other cooling system 200 may draw glycol from the first cooling area to cool a second cooling area Recirculating pumps 210 are used within the supply lines 215 to move glycol to the second cooling system 200 to cool a second compartment.
In one disclosed embodiment, a condensing unit chills the Freon that flows into the pan chiller 100. The condensing unit shuts down upon a command issued by a temperature thermostat reading the temperature of a food storage area.
A base assembly, not shown, comprises a base with the base having a temperature thermostat measuring the air temperature of the base area. The temperature thermostat of the base area controls a condensing unit to adjust the temperature of the Freon.
The disclosed configuration of a first cooling area 100 and a second cooling area 580 presents unexpected results in cooling efficiencies and food preparation. As the glycol is not directly cooled with separate machinery, mechanical advantage is obtained. The glycol may be cooled by the Freon lines only and the glycol stays at a stable temperature by circulation within the first cooling area. The disclosed configuration overcomes problems in the prior art wherein each cooling area would use a separate mechanical cooling system for each line of cooled fluid.
The disclosed configuration provides greater cooling volume in the lower cooling area 580, as there is no separate refrigeration condensing and compressor unit to cool the glycol, with glycol being used to cool the second or lower cooling area 580.
A raised lip section 886 separates the burner assembly from the elevated cooling assembly. This configuration allows for convenient cooking and convenient access to cooled food products.
Items
Disclosed embodiments include the following items.
Item 1. A food cooling system, the system comprising:
Item 2. The system of item 1 further comprising a removable layer of insulation 175 in contact with the outer wall 150 of the inner liner 160;
Item 3. The system of item 1 further comprising a plurality of food pans 560 disposed within the cooling area 110 and a lid 520 attached with a hinge to a preparation table assembly 500, the lid, in a closed position preventing cooled air from reaching the food pans 560.
Item 4. The system of item 3 further comprising a tray shelf 510 attached to the preparation table assembly, and the tray shelf attached to a raised chamber 555, the raised chamber containing the inner liner and glycol void area 130, the raised chamber further containing a plurality of support bars.
Item 5. The system of item 4 wherein the preparation table assembly 500 further comprising a lower interior compartment 580 defined by a door 530, a floor 586, a back wall 587 and a ceiling 588, the back wall attached to an evaporation coil system 200.
Item 6. A method of cooling food, the method comprising:
using the glycol disposed within the glycol void area having a pipe line to a second cooling area 580 and using glycol to cool the second cooling area by use of evaporation coil and fan system to blow cool air within the second cooling area.
Item 7. The method of item 6 further using a removable layer of insulation 175 in contact with the outer wall 150 of the inner liner 160;
Item 8. The method of item 6 further using a plurality of food pans 560 disposed within the cooling area 110 and a lid 520 attached with a hinge to a preparation table assembly 500, the lid, in a closed position preventing cooled air from reaching the food pans 560.
Item 9. The method of item 8 further using a tray shelf 510 attached to the preparation table assembly, and the tray shelf attached to a raised chamber 555, the raised chamber containing the inner liner and glycol void area 130, the raised chamber further containing a plurality of support bars.
Item 10. The method of item 9 using the preparation table assembly 500 further comprising a lower interior compartment 580 defined by a door 530, a floor 586, a back wall 587 and a ceiling 588, the back wall attached to an evaporation coil system 200.
This is a utility application is a continuation in part or CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/970,041 filed on or about Aug. 19, 2013 which is based upon and claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 61/766,504, entitled “Glycol Pan Chiller Systems” filed on Feb. 12, 2013. These related applications are incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this application. If any conflict arises between the disclosure of the invention in this utility application and that in the related applications, the disclosure in this utility application shall govern. Moreover, the inventors incorporate herein by reference any and all patents, patent applications, and other documents hard copy or electronic, cited or referred to in this application.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61766504 | Feb 2013 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13970041 | Aug 2013 | US |
| Child | 14635245 | US |
