APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING TEMPERATURE FOR A SELF-SERVICE FOOD DISPLAY

摘要

A self-service food display (20) in which a food tray (80) that is supported by a support structure (20 or 24) is cooled by an air stream (97) that passes over and under the tray (80). The tray (80) has opposed end sections and one or more intermediate (160) sections. The air stream (79) is uniformly distributed over the intermediate (160) sections to substantially maintain the same temperature in the vicinity thereof. The air stream (97) is distributed to the opposed end sections in higher volumes to minimize heat transfer with ambient. The air stream (97) also forms an air curtain (174) that extends above three sides of the food tray (80). Additionally, the air stream (97) is distributed at an angle to an upper surface of the food tray (80) in a manner that provides higher volumes to the opposed end sections to minimize heat transfer.