Refrigeration – Using electrical or magnetic effect – Thermoelectric; e.g. – peltier effect
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-03
2001-01-16
Doerrler, William (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Using electrical or magnetic effect
Thermoelectric; e.g., peltier effect
C062S003600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173575
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to cooling and refrigeration methods and devices to cool surfaces of meat cutting machines, food weighing scales, food preparation work surfaces and food storage devices so as to inhibit or significantly reduce bacterial growth.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The danger of bacterial infestation of food products such as meat is well known. It is also known that bacteria congregate and grow on meat handling surfaces such as meat slicers, food weighing scales, food preparation work surfaces and food storage devices. This also applies to other foods such as fish and cheese. It is further known that refrigeration of food inhibits the growth of bacteria.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to reduce the temperature of food contact surfaces below ambient temperature to inhibit bacterial growth and preferably to a temperature equal to or below the bacteriostat temperature of health and sanitary code standards for food preservation and preparation.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an drawer-type container to house, engage, or to be impinged upon by temperature reducing members therein.
It is also an object of the present invention to be able to retrofit existing meat slicers and scales with this cooling apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to optimally cool the surfaces of newly configured meat slicers and scales.
It is yet another object of the present invention to cool food preparation surfaces on tables, counter tops, cabinets, work counters, special purpose food preparation stations and on portable food preparation work surfaces.
It is a further object of the present invention to use thermoelectric devices to produce the cooling effect.
It is another object of the present invention to use cool air streams to reduce or eliminate condensation of ambient humidity on these cooled surfaces.
It is a further object of the present invention to rely on existing refrigerated equipment to supply the cooling energy required for these surface cooling efforts.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a distribution system of conduit passageways within the frame of a food handling or storage device to maximize the distribution of chilled temperature throughout.
It is yet another object of the present invention to maximize the distribution of chilled air throughout the air space within the vicinity of a food preparation surface of a food preparation device.
It is yet another object to provide couplings for easy attachment of chilled fluid and chilled air passageways within food preparation devices.
It is yet another object of the present invention to passively reduce humidity and odors in the vicinity of food preparation devices.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide multiple ports in a refrigerated food display case to transfer one or more cooling media therefrom to one or more food slicers, weighing scales or food preparation surfaces.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide ports for the engagement of food slicers, scales, food preparation devices and the like into the interior cavity of a refrigerated delicatessen case, such that the portion of the device that is inserted therein will be able to absorb the chilled temperature of the refrigerated case and transfer same through the use of the cooling medium to the device to be chilled, which may be made more efficient by use of optional fins as shown.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In keeping with these objects and others which may become apparent, the present invention relates to methods and refrigeration and cooling devices combined with machines such as meat slicers and scales to lower their surface temperatures to inhibit bacterial growth. The present invention also applies to the cooling of food preparation surfaces, such as tables, cabinets, work counters, special purpose food preparation stations, and on portable food preparation work surfaces.
This reduction in temperature is predetermined to be sufficient to reduce the overall temperature of the slicer body frame equal to, or below, the temperature that is specified for refrigerated food storage. The reduction in temperature may also be optionally predetermined to be any other temperature below the ambient temperature, that may not be as low as the temperature prescribed as suitable for perishable food storage, but wherein the reduced temperature in the areas where food comes in contact with the slicer is sufficiently low enough to reduce the amount of bacteria that grows on one or more slicer bodies and/or slicer blades or areas of one or more food weighing scales that come in contact with food, or the work surface areas of one or more food preparation tables, such as described hereinbelow.
Bacteria grows on the slicer body or slicer blade due to the meat juices and food debris deposited on the slicer following the act of cutting or slicing meats and/or cheeses. Bacteria also grows on the weighing scale after weighing of food, if the food contacts the scale, and likewise on the work surface when food is being prepared, such as in the act of making sandwiches with sliced meats or cheeses. A number of methods can be employed to accomplish the reduction in temperature of the slicer frame, slicer blade, weighing scale or other food preparation surface.
For example, a food slicer, weighing scale or other food preparation surface, may be equipped with thermoelectric cooling, wherein the frames of the food slicer, weighing scale or food preparation surface are usually made of a material, such as cast aluminum, which has good thermal conductivity and lends itself to retrofitting with thermoelectric modules that can be adhesively or mechanically bonded by their cold plates to the various surfaces of the food slicer, weighing scale or food preparation surface. Food preparation work surfaces have food contact surfaces that are frequently fabricated from stainless steel which, while not as conductive as aluminum, can be successfully chilled. The base of the slicer, weighing scale or food preparation surface, may preferably include a thermoelectric module thereon on a surface, such as the underside thereof. With respect to a food slicer, the carriage of the slicer is moved by an insulated handle for operator comfort. The cutting blade of the food slicer, and its cutting carriage, and the respective surfaces of the weighing scale or food preparation surface, are cooled by one or more thermoelectric modules, which may optionally include a plurality thereof, such as three thermoelectric modules located on the blade cover of the slicer.
Each cooler, such as a thermoelectric module, reduces the surface temperature, of a food handling surface adjacent to or on top of, the thermoelectric module, to a predetermined temperature below which temperature the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms is inhibited or significantly reduced.
Optionally, when a sponge is used to periodically clean the slicer blade by actually slicing it with the meat slicer, another optional accessory to reduce bacterial growth on the sponge is storage of the sponge in a cooled compartment with its own thermoelectric module, or other source or supply of cooling. The cooling compartment may also be used to store other commonly used food preparation utensils, such as a trim knife.
An angled trough preferably encircles the base of the slicing machine and collects humid condensate to be discarded.
The humid condensate is also removed by a conduit, such as a hose, that drips directly into a collection drain.
The thermoelectric module preferably includes one or more layers, such as three layers. Optionally, it can also have a pancake fan as a fourth layer. A cooling plate of the thermoelectric module is cooled by supplying electrical power, such as, for example, direct current, to a thermoelectric layer which draws heat from the cooling plate to a hot finned plate.
In connection with the thermoelectric module, an enlarged heat sink or finned h
Hall Donald M.
Hall Renee M.
Doerrler William
Shulman Mark
Walker Alfred M.
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