Patent Application
20080122237
Already known is the serving of food and drink from motor vehicles, e.g. pickup trucks, which have a sales platform on the load area. The power needed for the preparation and heating of food and drink, e.g. coffee, is supplied by units with petrol or diesel internal combustion engines, which may be fed without difficulty through the motor vehicle or from stationary connections. This brings the disadvantage that such vehicles may not be operated everywhere, e.g. often not in recreational areas such as parks and green spaces or on footpaths, firstly because of the noise and stink of the internal combsution engines, and secondly because the motor verhicles are realtively large. Setting up and putting away is also relatively time-consuming so that, while the vehicles can move from one site to another, they can react only with difficulty to costumer requests while they are “on the move.” They are therefore virually static in terms of the selling process.
A further known and more flexible mobile serving unit involves a bicycle-like framework, e.g. pedal-operated or in the form of a moped, which also carries with it a sales platform. Since an internal combustion engine for the preparation of food and drink would be too heavy and too loud, such serving units provide only prepared fare, e.g. previously brewed coffee from THERMOS or insulated flasks, or ice cream from pre-colled, insulated containers. Such serving units are often also able to travel where the motor vehicles referred to above cannot go or are forbidden from going, e.g. on to green spaces. Moreover, an operator of the serving unit (hereafter referred to as the seller) can also bring it into operation relatively easily in such areas, allowing a quick reaction to customer requests. A disadvantage, though, is that the food and drink are no longer fresh. For example, while coffee remains hot in insulated flasks, it becomes stale as its caffeine content reduces. The seller therefore has to return frequently to a filling point to obtain fresh coffee. As a result, the seller has a limited selling radius, must reckon with dead periods as regards sales when traveling to and fro, and—depending on customer interest—has to throw away unsold coffee.
The invention relates to a mobile serving unit, in particular for the serving of coffee, and also a method for operating of the serving unit.
The present invention is directed to a serving unit that can firstly go where vehicles with internal combustion engines are unable to go or are banned from going, e.g. in parks and on footpaths, secondly can easy to bring into operation, and thirdly can still allow for the fresh preparation of food and drink that needs to be heated for consumption, in particular coffee.
The invention further provides a method of operating the serving unit, in particular for the sale of hot drinks, in particular coffee.
The problem is solved by providing a mobile serving unit comprising one or more serving platforms, together with a pedal-operated transport unit for moving the serving platform. Also provided is at least one appliance for the heating of food and drink, in particular coffeem which may be operated at least partly by gas.
Through the use of gas, siginficant drawbacks of internal combustion engines, namely noise and stink, may be avoided, thereby allowing for the use even in recreational areas such as parks, etc. or on or adjacent to footpaths. Moreover, in comparison with internal combustion engines, gas containers are relatively small and lightweight. On the other hand the (fuel) gas provides an energy source which allows long use and plenty of energy. This avoids the need for frequent return to a refilling point.
In principle the appliance which may be operated at least partly by gas may also be an electrical appliance which obtains its current through a gas-electricty conversion, i.e. gas is burned and converted into electrical current which is used to operate the electrical appliance. This has the advantage that conventional electrical appliances may be used, but the disadvantage that an expensive and somewhat wasteful gas-electric converter must be used.
The preferred course of action is therefore to use appliances which, for at least part of their functions, are operated directly with gas. This may be for example a coffee making machine in which water is heated by gas, e.g. for the fresh brewing of coffee, for example on a strainer holder, or to provide steam, e.g. for the foaming of milk or the preparation of tea. An electrical and/or electronic control unit and/or a water pump may be operated through an additional power source, such as for example a battery. An example of an appliance which may be operated entirely by gas is a toaster for hot toasts, pannini and the like.
The problem of the invention is also solved by a method for the operation of a mobile serving unit.
In a first operating process (a first selling process), sales are made “on the move,” i.e. the business transaction is initiated when the seller is still moving the mobile serving unit, e.g. is cycling around with the latter in a park. A purchaser gives the seller one or more purchase signals, e.g. a hand movement, whereupon the seller stops the mobile serving unit, e.g. by extending supports or by jacking it up. The seller then prepares one or more hot drinks in the mobile serving unit and serves it or them to the customer. With previous or subsequent payment for the hot drink, the sales process is complete. The seller may then continue his journey or advantageously sell more hot drinks, e.g. to further purchasers.
In another operating process (second selling method), the seller moves the mobile serving unit to a location which has no supply connection usable by the seller, and there sets up the serving unit for a certain period of time, e.g. half an hour. In this period he sells or tries to sell hot drinks freshly prepared in the mobile serving unit, and then sets up the serving unit temporarily in another location. These sale points may be located where motor vehicles are not allowed, e.g. in parks, etc.
Futher advantageous variants may be inferred from the dependent claims, separately or in combination.
The invention is explained in detail below, with the aid of schematic embodiments used as examples. It should be clear that the embodiments do not restrict the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims.
The above and other features of the invention including various novel details of construction and combination of parts, and other advantages, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings abd pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular method and device embodying the invention are shown by the way of illustration and not as a limitation of the invention. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.
In the accompanying drawings, reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale; emphasis has instead been placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Of the drawings:
The mobile serving unit 1 has the serving platform 2 fixed to a transport unit 3 which may be pedal-driven. The serving platform 2 has two levels, with an at least partly gas-powered coffee making machine 5 and a coffee grinder 6 accomodated on an upper level 4.
Types of gas include hydrocarbon based fuels such as gasoline, kerosene, alscohol, natural gas, propane, butane, naphta, methane, fuel oil including diesel fuel, and Liquefied petroleum gas, to list a few examples.
The upper level 4 is open at least on the side from which the coffee making machine 5 is operated. It is formed by an intermediate surface 7 which is 45 mm thick, over which a roof 8 of 300 mm in height is supported by bars 9. The usable height of the upper level 4 without roof 8 is 625 mm. A rear-view mirror 10 is fitted to one of the bars 9.
A lower level 11 including a base plate 12 has a height of 575 mm and is covered in normal operation. Flaps 13 of 455 mm in height are provided on the front for access to the inside. The overall length of the serving platform 2 is 1245 mm, and that of the lower level including walls is 1198 mm.
Accommodated on the lower level 11 are: a fresh water tank 14 to supply a strainer holder (not shown) of the coffee making machine 5 with fresh water, a second fresh water tank 15 to supply a water tap 16, which can be shut off, with fresh water, a waste water container (not shown), a gas storage container in the form of a gas cylinder 17 with a valve 18, an electrical power storage unit in the form of a battery 19 for 12 V/130 A, an inverter 20 for converting the DC voltage of the battery 19 into AC voltage which may be used for the coffee making machine 5 and the grinder 6, a battery charger 21 to charge the battery 19, and the drawers 22.
Through the intermediate surface 7, a gas pipe 23 is fed from the gas cylinder 17, and a fresh water pipe 24 from the first fresh water tank 14, to the coffee making machine 5. From the coffee making machine 5, a first waste pipe 25 leads to the waste water tank (not shown). Let into the intermediate surface 7 and operable from the upper level 4 is the water tap 16, which obtains fresh water from the second fresh water tank 15 via a second fresh water pipe 26; this is discharged via a second waste water pipe 27 to the waste water tank. For a better clarity, any pumps provided are not shown here. Alternatively, the water tanks could contain other liquids such as e.g. milk.
The transport unit 3 which may be pedal-operated is a cycle with two front wheels 28 and a rear wheel 29, with the latter capable of being driven by the pedals 30.
The serving platform 2 is fixed to the transport unit 3 so as to allow the steering movement of the front wheels 28.
Naturally it is possible to vary the dimensions (height, width, etc.) of the given components such as the serving platform 2 or the transport unit 3.
The mobile serving platform 2 may also be constructed in one piece or with more than two platforms or levels.
The coffee making machine 5 is able to make ordinary coffee, also espresso and its variations(latte macchiato, cappucino, etc.), e.g. using a directly gas-powered boiler. The coffee making machine 5 may also have an integral grinder.
Alternatively or additionally, however, it is also possible to make other fresh food and drink, e.g. tea, cocoa, etc., also solid meals such as toasts, pannini, etc. which may be heated for example by a gas-powered grill.
Various other appliances may be operated through the energy storage unit 19, such as a water pump for the water tap 16 or for the coffee machine 5, etc.
The transport unit 3 may be equipped with an auxiliary motor, if necessary removeable, e.g. an electric motor or a small internal combustion engine, to facilitate movement in ordinary road traffic. This is typically switched off on footpaths or in recreational areas.
Now visible is the waste container 31, which has a fluid connection with the coffee making machine via the first water pipe 25, to carry waste water away from the coffee making machine. Also discernible now are the two flaps 13 in the front wall of the lower level 11, together with flaps 32 in the side wall of the lower level 11.
The width of the lower level 11 including side walls is 980 mm.
For the sale of coffee, the seller operates a coffee. making machine, at least partly gas-powered, in the mobile serving unit. For this purpose a release mechanism, e.g. a control knob, may be operated, which is connected to an electrical control unit powered by the battery. The control unit initiates a brewing process or generates steam (e.g. for foamed milk or tea), in which hot water is produced through burning of the gas. Other mechanical operations may in turn be provided by electric motors, e.g. grinding of coffee or ejection of coffee grounds. Since the production of hot water is by far the most energy-intensive process, it is possible to operate the coffee making machine for quite a long time with the assistance of just a relatively small battery. In this invention, the design and control of known coffee making machines are hereby included in full by reference.
Preferably, in an optional step 204, further freshly heated-up or prepared fare, in particular hot drinks such as coffee, is sold to further purchasers.
Similarly, the seller preferably moves the mobile serving unit in a subsequent step 205 to another location which does not have a supply connection usable by the seller.
The invention also covers a combination of both methods of selling. Naturally the invention is not limited to the selling or operation methods described but also covers any kind of sales initiation or implementation, including sales negotiation and transaction of business. The known methods of sales initiation, sales negotiation and transaction of business are hereby part of the invention to their full extent.
While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.
