Multi-Zone Food Holding Bin

What is this patent about?

’002 is related to the field of food holding, specifically to devices used in restaurants to keep pre-cooked food warm and ready for sale. Restaurants often face the challenge of matching food production with customer demand, leading to the need to hold prepared food for a period of time. Existing holding bins have limitations, such as restricted holding times and the inability to maintain different food items at their optimal temperatures simultaneously, resulting in food waste and increased costs.

The underlying idea behind ’002 is to create a food holding bin with multiple independently controllable heating zones within a single compartment. This allows different food products, each requiring a specific temperature, to be stored in adjacent zones without compromising their quality. The key insight is to use separate heating elements for each zone, enabling precise temperature control and minimizing heat transfer between zones.

The claims of ’002 focus on a multi-zone food holding bin featuring a chassis, a food holding compartment, and a substantially planar, thermally conductive surface forming the bottom of the compartment. The compartment is divided into at least two food holding zones, each equipped with independently controllable heating elements at the top and bottom. These zones are adjacent to each other and can maintain different temperatures. A bezel is set forward from the shelf by a space.

In practice, the food holding bin utilizes a planar shelf made of a thermally conductive material like aluminum or glass-ceramic to support the food items. Each food holding zone has dedicated heating elements, such as resistive coils or Peltier devices, that are controlled by a microcontroller based on temperature sensor feedback. This allows for precise temperature regulation within each zone, ensuring that different food types are held at their ideal temperatures.

This design differentiates itself from prior approaches by providing independent temperature control within a single compartment, unlike traditional bins that maintain a uniform temperature throughout. The use of a planar, continuous bottom surface simplifies cleaning, and the independent heating elements allow for customized temperature profiles within each zone. The combination of independent zone control and a thermally conductive shelf extends the palatability time of food items and reduces food waste.