Patent Application
20070090733
The present invention relates generally to the field of food guard apparatuses and methods of construction thereof, and more particularly to structural supports for food guard apparatuses.
Food guard apparatuses, also sometimes referred to as food protectors, food shields, sneeze guards, food guards, breath shields, or counter protectors, are required by law to protect or cover open or exposed food in a public establishment with a panel, typically a transparent panel constructed of tempered glass or clear acrylic, so as to intercept the breath from the consumer.
Generally, the food guard apparatuses take one of two basic forms. First, the food guard can be constructed of a single vertical, transparent panel or food shield, which may or may not be connected to an upper shelf. Such design is typically used for stations where food is handed to a consumer by a server. Second, the food guard can be constructed of an angled transparent panel, with or without an upper shelf, as typically used with self-serving stations, salad bars, and buffets.
Such food protectors or food guard apparatuses typically have supporting structures, frames, and/or posts for supporting the food shield. Some such structures can include hollow tubing that is round, square, oval, elliptical, rectangular, slotted, notched or hexagonal shaped. Other such structures can include solid bars or rods having a round, square, oval, elliptical, rectangular or hexagonal shape. Still other such structures can include cable, chain, or wire, either suspended or tensioned to support the food shield. And still other support structures can be constructed of steel, aluminum, or stainless plate material having a substantial thickness of about a half-inch or more.
Additionally, the food guard apparatuses typically have a limited distance in between vertical supports, and thus, the transparent food shield cannot span long distances (such as spanning the length of long counters) without additional supports. Typically, ¼″, ⅜″, or ½″ tempered glass is the shielding material used for the transparent panels of the food guards. The limitation as to how far the tempered glass can span generally is dependent on the thickness of glass. For example, ¼ glass will typically deflect and bend over a 42″ span, whereas ⅜″ glass will typically deflect and bend over a 54″ span. Half inch tempered glass will typically deflect and bend over a 60″ inch span. This deflection or bowing of the glass can generally be alleviated by supporting the glass along its longitudinal plane or by adding center support structures. To support the glass along its longitudinal plane, typically a beam comprising a tubular structure, or a tubular square structure, having a minimum diameter of about 1 ½ inches is used. In some cases, the horizontal beam is 2 or 3 inches in diameter. Thus, the added horizontal beam can create a sort of “framing” around the glass, which can be unsightly and can block the view of the food being protected.
Fabrication of such structures, frames, and/or posts can be time-consuming and expensive. Also, some structures, frames, and posts have a handedness to them such that separate structures, frames and posts are fabricated depending on the position of the structure relative to the shield (i.e., left, right or center structures). Therefore, a need exists in the industry for an apparatus and method which would allow for inexpensive fabrication of structural supports for food guard apparatuses and which would avoid the handedness typically associated with such supports.
In an example form, the present invention is a structural support for a food guard apparatus. The structural support has first and second spaced apart sheet-like arms coupled together with at least one spacer positioned between the sheet-like arms. The first and second sheet-like arms are securely connected to each other or to the at least one spacer to form a substantially rigid structure. Preferably, the at least one spacer includes a plurality of spacers. The structural support can have a variety of sizes and shapes, including shapes in the form of an elongated post, a logo, and an alphanumeric character such as a generally elongated A-shape, a generally oblique T-shape, and a generally L-shape.
In another aspect, the present invention is an apparatus for supporting a food guard. The apparatus includes a first thin panel and a second thin panel spaced apart from the first thin panel by a plurality of connectors. The first and second thin panels are securely connected to the connectors or to each other to form a substantially rigid support for the food guard. Preferably, the plurality of connectors space apart the first and second thin panels a distance which is at least an order of magnitude greater than the thickness of the thin panels. Also preferably, each sheet-like arm has a thickness of about 0.020 inch to about 0.125 inch. The apparatus can have a variety of sizes and shapes. Exemplary shapes include an elongated frame, a logo, and an alphanumeric character such as a generally elongated A-shape, a generally oblique T-shape, and a generally L-shape.
In another aspect, the invention is a food guard apparatus comprising a transparent panel, first and second vertical structural supports for supporting the transparent panel, and a horizontal brace which spans the distance between the first and second vertical structural supports and securely attaches to both vertical supports and the transparent panel. Each vertical structural support preferably includes first and second spaced apart sheet-like arms and a plurality of spacers positioned between the sheet-like arms. The first and second sheet-like arms are securely connected to each other or to the plurality of spacers to form a substantially rigid structure for supporting the transparent panel. The horizontal brace preferably includes first and second spaced apart thin panels and a plurality of connectors positioned between the thin panels. The first and second thin panels are securely connected to each other or to the plurality of connectors to form a substantially rigid structure for supporting the transparent panel. The horizontal brace is securely attached to the transparent panel at a point that is approximately the midpoint between the distance between the two vertical supports.
Advantageously, the structural supports of the present invention provide a rigid support structure for a food guard apparatus that is inexpensive to manufacture. By coupling a pair of sheet-like arms together with a plurality of spacers to form a rigid support, the amount of material for the support is decreased, which in turn decreases the cost of the support. Moreover, the manufacturing of the supports is simplified, as the sheet-like arms can be laser cut, for example, from sheet material and then assembled together with a plurality of spacers and fasteners. Additionally, such sheet-like arm design can eliminate the handedness typically associated with conventional supports posts for food guard apparatuses. Moreover, the structural supports can have shapes that allow them to be used for multiple functions (such as a shape that provides support for both a vertical shield and shelf in one embodiment and provides support for an angled shield in another).
These and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will be understood with reference to the drawing figures and detailed description herein, and will be realized by means of the various elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following brief description of the drawings and detailed description of the invention are exemplary and explanatory of preferred embodiments of the invention, and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
The present invention may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawing figures, which form a part of this disclosure. It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the specific devices, methods, conditions or parameters described and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting of the claimed invention. Also, as used in the specification including the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural, and reference to a particular numerical value includes at least that particular value, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” or “approximately” one particular value and/or to “about” or “approximately” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment.
Referring to
The support 14 includes elements substantially similar to those of the support 12, and thus only the support 12 will be described herein. The support 12 includes sheet-like arms or thin panels 18 and 20 spaced apart by one or more spacers, cross pins, connectors, or ribs, 22. Preferably, four or more spacers 22 space apart each pair of sheet-like arms 18 and 20, although those skilled in the art will understand that any number of spacers, including one, two, three, four, or more spacers can be used without deviating from the scope of the present invention. The sheet-like arms 18 and 20 can be securely connected to each other with, for example, conventional fasteners or fastening techniques, such that the spacers 22 function much like washers. Alternatively, the sheet-like arms 18 and 20 are securely connected to the spacers 22 by, for example, metal adhesives, welding, soldering, mechanical fastening, or other conventional fastening techniques or fasteners.
Preferably, the plurality of spacers 22 space apart the sheet-like arms 18 and 20 a distance which is at least an order of magnitude greater than the thickness of the sheet-like arms. Preferably, the sheet-like arms 18 and 20 are spaced apart by about one inch. Those skilled in the art will understand that such spacing is exemplary and that the spacing can be smaller or larger. For example, the spacing between the arms 18 and 20 can be about a half of an inch to about several feet.
Preferably, each sheet-like arm 18 and 20 is constructed from a durable sheet material, such as but not limited to, stainless steel, brass, copper, aluminum sheet metal, or plate material. The thickness of the sheet-like arms 18 and 20 can vary, and in one embodiment, the thickness of the sheet-like material can be about 0.020 of an inch to about 0.50 of an inch. Preferably, in an exemplary embodiment, the thickness is about 0.050 to about 0.25 of an inch, although the thickness can be larger or smaller. Most preferably, the thickness is about 0.050 to about 0.125 of an inch thick. When the sheet-like arms 18 and 20 are connected together with the spacers 22, the sheet-like arms form a rigid support 12 that resists buckling and bending in the horizontal direction.
The support 12 also includes at least one, and preferably, a plurality of mounting assemblies 24 to mount the shield 16 to the support. As shown in the drawings, two mounting assemblies 24 are used to connect the food shield 16 to the support 12, although those skilled in the art will understand that any number of mounting assemblies can be used. Preferably, each mounting assembly 24 is located at a spacer so that the mounting assembly is securely fastened to both sheet-like arms 18 and 20. Preferably, each mounting assembly 24 includes a mounting bracket 26 attached to both sheet-like arms 18 and 20 and a fastener 28 extending therethrough for securely attaching the shield 16 to the mounting bracket of the support. Preferably, the mounting bracket 26 is constructed of the same or similar material as the material of the sheet-like arms 18 and 20 so as to maintain uniformity in the appearance of the food guard apparatus 10. However, those skilled in the art will understand that various other durable materials can be used for the mounting bracket. The fasteners 28 can be removable fasteners, such as bolts, screws and the like. Alternatively, the shield 16 can be fastened to the support with a more permanent fastening technique such as gluing and bonding. Those skilled in the art will understand that various mounting assemblies, brackets, fasteners, and fastening techniques, including those described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0047086 of Matus, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes, can be employed as well without deviating from the scope of the present invention.
The supports 12 and 14 can be coupled with conventional bracketing or feet 30, and secured to a counter, floor, wall, ceiling, or food tray, so as to construct a frame for the food guard apparatus 10. Exemplary feet are shown in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0150388 of Matus, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes, although those skilled in the art will understand that various other feet or bracketing can be used without deviating from the scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will also understand that various fasteners and fastening techniques can be used to secure the supports 12 and 14 of the food guard apparatus 10 to a support surface, with or without feet for the supports, and still be within the scope of the present invention. Thus, the sandwiched support structure of the sheet-like arms 18 and 20 and the spacers 22, coupled with a number of mounting assemblies 24 and a transparent panel or a food shield 16 thereby form the food guard apparatus 10.
As shown in
Those skilled in the art will understand that such shapes depicted in
As shown in
The fasteners 462 can be removable fasteners, such as bolts, screws and the like. Alternatively, the shield 16 can be fastened to the brace 450 with a more permanent fastening technique such as gluing and bonding. Those skilled in the art will understand that various mounting assemblies, brackets, fasteners, and fastening techniques can be employed as well without deviating from the scope of the present invention.
While the invention has been described with reference to preferred and example embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications, additions and deletions are within the scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/730,218, filed Oct. 25, 2005, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60730218 | Oct 2005 | US |
