Apparatus for the heat storage of foodstuffs

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus ( 1 ) for the heat storage of foodstuffs, provided with an aperture for taking foodstuffs out of the interior (T) of the apparatus and for setting them in the interior (T) of the apparatus, adjusting devices ( 4 ) for adjusting the relative humidity and temperature of air located in the interior (T) of the apparatus, said adjusting devices comprising at least one air moisturizing unit ( 2 ) provided with an essentially horizontal water reservoir ( 23 ). The adjusting devices ( 4 ) for adjusting the relative humidity and temperature in the interior (T) further comprise: at least one unit ( 3 ) for lowering the relative humidity of air, comprising a vertical housing ( 30 ), open at the top and bottom ends, placed in the interior (T) of the apparatus, inside which housing there are provided means for lowering ( 32 ) the relative humidity of air and transmission means ( 31 ) for taking air from the top part of the interior (T) of the device and for discharging air from the bottom part of the housing ( 30 ) in the direction of the bottom (P) of the apparatus, so that by means of said unit ( 3 ), only a certain part (I′) of the total air mass (I) contained in the interior (T) of the apparatus can at a time be lowered to a lower relative humidity without actively taking replacement air from outside the apparatus, in which case each housing ( 30 ) is placed in the interior of the apparatus ( 1 ), at a point where the air flow proceeding downwards from the lower edge, towards the bottom, is turned towards the inner walls ( 1 a , 1 b ) of the apparatus, said air moisturizing unit ( 2 ), which is located lower than the lower edge of the housing ( 30 ) and where at least a water reservoir ( 23 ) can be pulled out of the interior (T) of the apparatus, an adjusting system ( 5 ) for measuring and adjusting the temperature and moisture of foodstuff and the air temperature and air humidity in the interior (T), said system comprising a measuring unit ( 7 ) provided with at least one sensor ( 73 ) for measuring the relative humidity of air, one sensor ( 72 ) for measuring the air temperature and possibly sensors ( 71 ) that can be used for measuring the temperature and/or moisture of foodstuffs; a unit ( 51 ) for collecting, processing and recording temperature and humidity data as well as an adjusting unit ( 52 ) for adjusting air temperature and air humidity.

1 . An apparatus ( 1 ) for heat storage of foodstuffs, provided with an aperture for taking foodstuffs out of the interior (T) of the apparatus and for setting them in the interior (T) of the apparatus, adjusting devices ( 4 ) for adjusting the relative humidity and temperature of air located in the interior (T) of the apparatus, said adjusting devices comprising at least one air moisturizing unit ( 2 ) provided with an essentially horizontal water reservoir ( 23 ),
 characterized in that the adjusting devices ( 4 ) for adjusting the relative humidity and temperature in the interior (T) further comprise:
 at least one unit ( 3 ) for lowering the relative humidity of air, comprising a vertical housing ( 30 ), open at the top and bottom ends, placed in the interior (T) of the apparatus, inside which housing there are provided means for lowering ( 32 ) the relative humidity of air and transmission means ( 31 ) for taking air from the top part of the interior (T) of the device and for discharging air from the bottom part of the housing ( 30 ) in the direction of the bottom (P) of the apparatus, so that by means of said unit ( 3 ), only a certain part (I′) of the total air mass (I) contained in the interior (T) of the apparatus can at a time be lowered to a lower relative humidity without actively taking replacement air from outside the apparatus, in which case each housing ( 30 ) is placed in the interior of the apparatus ( 1 ), at a point where the air flow proceeding downwards from the lower edge, towards the bottom, is turned towards the inner walls ( 1   a ,  1   b ) of the apparatus, 
 said air moisturizing unit ( 2 ), which is located lower than the lower edge of the housing ( 30 ) and where at least a water reservoir ( 23 ) can be pulled out of the interior (T) of the apparatus, 
 an adjusting system ( 5 ) for measuring and adjusting the temperature and moisture of foodstuffs and the air temperature and air humidity in the interior (T), said system comprising a measuring unit ( 7 ) provided with at least one sensor ( 73 ) for measuring the relative humidity of air, one sensor ( 72 ) for measuring the air temperature and possibly sensors ( 71 ) that can be used for measuring the temperature and/or moisture of foodstuffs; a unit ( 51 ) for collecting, processing and recording temperature and humidity data as well as an adjusting unit ( 52 ) for adjusting air temperature and humidity. 
   
   
   
       2 . An apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that it contains one or several chambers ( 100 ), at least part of said chambers being provided with their own specific unit ( 3 ) for lowering the relative humidity of air and their own specific moisturizing unit ( 2 ). 
   
   
       3 . An apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 2 , characterized in that at least part of the chambers are provided with measuring units ( 7 ) containing a thermometer ( 72 ) for measuring the air temperature in the interior (T), a moisture meter ( 73 ) for measuring the relative humidity of the air in the interior (T) and a injection thermometer ( 71 ) for measuring the temperature of the foodstuffs (S), all of said devices being connected to the adjusting unit ( 52 ). 
   
   
       4 . An apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the adjusting unit ( 52 ) for adjusting the temperature and humidity of air comprises an adjusting element for dispensing the water that is vaporized from the air moisturizing unit ( 2 ) for example by intermediation of a mat resistor ( 22 ), and an adjusting element for heating the air mass (I′) placed in the housing ( 30 ) of the adjusting unit for example by intermediation of a resistor ( 32 ). 
   
   
       5 . An apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the housing ( 30 ) is located approximately in the middle of the interior (T) of the apparatus, and that inside the vertical housing ( 30 ) that is open at its top and bottom ends, there is arranged a resistor ( 32 ) for heating the air and a blower ( 31 ) for blowing the air out of the bottom part of the housing towards the bottom (P) of the apparatus. 
   
   
       6 . An apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the air moisturizing unit ( 2 ) comprises an essentially horizontal water reservoir ( 23 ), a resistor ( 22 ) for indirectly heating the water in the water reservoir, and a carriage for moving the water reservoir ( 23 ) along guide bars ( 61 ) to the interior (T) of the apparatus and out of the interior (T) of the apparatus. 
   
   
       7 . An apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the air moisturizing unit ( 2 ) includes a mat resistor ( 22 ), which is placed so that it can heat the exterior of the water reservoir ( 23 ), preferably the bottom part of the exterior. 
   
   
       8 . An apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the air moisturizing unit ( 2 ) is located on the same vertical line (S) as the vertical housing ( 30 ), or immediately adjacent to said vertical line (S). 
   
   
       9 . An apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the air moisturizing unit ( 2 ) is arranged detachably at the bottom (P) of the apparatus or in the immediate vicinity thereof, on horizontally (I) running guide bars ( 61 ). 
   
   
       10 . An apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that in the interior of the apparatus, there is arranged at least one heat storage chamber ( 100 ), so that each chamber is defined by the inner walls, ceiling and bottom of the device, as well as a possible partition wall ( 12 ) dividing the interior (T), said partition wall comprising an element arranged in the widthwise (I) direction of the apparatus, which element essentially prevents air from flowing from one chamber to another. 
   
   
       11 . An apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the apparatus also comprises a number of horizontal container vessels ( 9 ), advantageously located in the interior (T) of the apparatus, preferably below the middle level of the interior, on which vessels foodstuffs (S) can be placed. 
   
   
       12 . An apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the unit ( 3 ) of the adjusting device ( 4 ), meant for lowering the relative humidity of air, is a rectangular vertical housing that is detachably connected on vertical support beams ( 6 ) arranged in the interior of the apparatus, so that the lengthwise direction of said housing proceeds in the widthwise direction ( 1 ) of the apparatus, and that the air moisturizing unit ( 2 ) is placed detachably at the bottom (P) of the apparatus or in the vicinity thereof, on horizontal guide bars ( 61 ) of two adjacent pairs of support beams ( 8 ). 
   
   
       13 . An apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that it is integrated with a food dispensing device ( 700 ), a food gathering plane, a heated or unheated top plane, a heat compress, a warm or neutral plate dispenser arrangement, in which case against the upper surface of the device ( 1 ) meant for heat storage, there may also be supported heated or unheated storage shelves and cabinets, as well as light fixtures and heat radiators that are located above the food dispensing, serving, preparing and processing equipment. 
   
   
       14 . A method for adjusting the temperature and relative humidity of the interior air in a heat storage apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that
 only a certain part (I′) of the total air mass (I) contained in the interior (T) of the apparatus is at a time lowered to a relative humidity lower than that of the rest of the air mass contained in the interior (T), in a housing ( 30 ) provided in the interior, so that the air mass (I′) is taken from the top part of the interior (T) to the housing ( 30 ), its humidity is lowered to a relative humidity lower than that of the rest of the air mass inside the housing, and thereafter the air mass (I′) is conducted, by means of the housing ( 30 ), to the bottom part of the interior and set in a motion directed downwards and further towards the inner walls ( 1   a ,  1   b ) of the apparatus when being discharged from the housing ( 30 ),   the amount of water vaporized from the moisturizing unit ( 2 ) and the heat amount to be transferred to a certain part (I′) of the air mass (I) contained in the interior (T), and possibly also the transfer rate of said heated air after heating, is adjusted on the basis of measurement results obtained from a temperature sensor ( 72 ) measuring the temperature of the interior (T) and from a sensor ( 73 ) measuring the relative humidity of the interior air, by means of an adjusting unit ( 52 ), so that an even and desired relative humidity (RH %) and temperature prevail in the whole interior (T).   
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 14 ,
 characterized in that the adjusting unit ( 52 ) dispenses moisture in the air by a water heating resistor ( 22 ) of the moisturizing unit ( 2 ) and heats the air mass (I′) contained in the housing ( 30 ) by intermediation of a resistor ( 32 ).   
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 15 , characterized in that the amount of water vaporized from the moisturizing unit ( 2 ) and the heat amount to be transferred to a certain part (I′) of the air mass (I) contained in the interior (T), inside the housing ( 30 ), and possibly also the transfer rate of said heated air out of the housing ( 30 ) by means of a blower arranged in said housing, are adjusted by a PDI adjusting unit and/or a digital thermostat provided in the adjusting unit ( 52 ). 
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 15 , characterized in that the temperature of the foodstuff contained in the container vessels ( 9 ) is measured from time to time by a temperature sensor ( 71 ), and on the basis of the measurement results obtained from the sensor ( 71 ), the amount of the water vaporized from the moisturizing unit ( 2 ) is adjusted, as well as the heat amount to be transferred to a certain part (I′) of the air mass (I) contained in the interior (T), and possibly also the transfer rate of said heated air after heating. 
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 14 , characterized in that the relative humidity of the air mass (I) contained in the interior (T) is maintained more or less the same as the balance moisture of the foodstuffs (S) stored in the interior (T). 
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 14 , characterized in that the readings of the relative humidity (RH %) of the air in the interior (T) and the temperature (T) are measured, and that the relative humidity of air is measured at certain intervals or continuously, and the measured readings are stored and/or sent to a control unit. 
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 19 , characterized in that air is sucked in to be heated in the housing ( 30 ) through the top part of the interior (T) and conducted through or past the heating resistor ( 32 ) of the housing, towards the bottom (P) of the heat storage apparatus ( 1 ), from where the air flow is arranged to turn in the direction of the bottom towards the inner walls ( 1   a ,  1   b ) of the apparatus. 
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 20 , characterized in that at least part of the heated air mass (I′) is after heating arranged to be directed to a heatable water reservoir ( 23 ) of the air moisturizing unit ( 2 ), which reservoir is advantageously located in the vicinity of the bottom (P) of the apparatus ( 1 ), so that air circulates through the shortest possible route from the unit ( 3 ) meant for lowering the relative humidity of air, to the air moisturizing unit ( 2 ) and further to the foodstuffs contained in said container vessels ( 9 ). 
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 20 , characterized in that the air mass moisturized by the moisturizing unit ( 3 ) is arranged to proceed from the foodstuffs contained in the container vessels ( 9 ) towards the inner walls ( 1   a ,  1   b ) of the apparatus and to turn at the inner walls upwardly towards the ceiling of the apparatus, from where the air circulates to the top part of the unit ( 2 ) meant for lowering the relative humidity of air.