US3847250A

US3847250A - Sneeze guard

Info

Publication number: US3847250A
Application number: US00366097A
Authority: US
Inventors: F Sherrill
Original assignee: B&W Metals Co Inc
Current assignee: B&W Metals Co Inc
Priority date: 1973-06-01
Filing date: 1973-06-01
Publication date: 1974-11-12
Anticipated expiration: 1991-11-12

Abstract

An improved sneeze guard particularly adapted for use in connection with a cafeteria style food service counter, the guard protecting the food on the counter from a customer''s nasal and oral discharges when the customer sneezes. The sneeze guard is comprised of an upper section that is fixed in position along the counter''s front edge, and a lower section mounted on a horizontal hinge line relative to the bottom edge of the upper section along the length thereof. The hinge allows the lower section to swing freely inward, as well as freely outward relative to the fixed section. Thus, a customer may easily reach a food dish positioned adjacent the counter''s rear edge without having his arm motion or reach unduly affected by the presence of the sneeze guard since the lower section swings freely upon being engaged by the customer''s arm.

Description

United States Patent Sherrill 1 Nov. 12, 1974 1 SNEEZE GUARD Primary Examiner-Richard A. Schachcr Assistant Examiner-James L. Rowland 75 I t F 0d 11 h 11, l l 1 men or e S em Char one Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wood, Herron & Evans I73] Assignee: lllw Metals Company, lnc., [57] I ABSTRACT l'mrhckl Ohm An improved sneeze guard particularly adapted for Filed:

June I, 1973 Appl. No.1 366,097

use in connection with a cafeteria style food service counter, the guard protecting the food on the counter from a customers nasal and oral discharges when the customer sneezes. The sneeze guard is comprised of an upper section that is fixed in position along the counters front edge, and a lower section mounted on a horizontal hinge line relative to the bottom edge of the upper section along the length thereof. The hinge allows the lower section to swing freely inward, as well as freely outward relative to the fixed section. Thus, a customer may easily reach a food dish positioned adjacent the counter's rear edge without having his arm motion or reach unduly affected by the presence of the sneeze guard since the lower section swings freely upon being engaged by the customers arm.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures SNEEZE GUARD This invention relates to food service counters. More particularly, this invention relates to a novel sneeze guard structure for a food service counter of the cafeteria type.

Over the years, the cafeteria style of serving food has been one of the mainstays of the food service industry. This particular style of distributing food to the consumer has been found particularly effective in connection with institutional type feeding such as is commonly found in schools, hospitals, and the like. The cafeteria type food service facility is also quite popular with large corporations in connection with the feeding of employees at lunchtime. Of course, the cafeteria style food distribution system has also been used over many years in retail restaurant type installations. All such food service facilities are commonly known as cafeterias.

Most all localities in which a food service operation of the cafeteria type is operated has laws governing the merchandising of prepared, ready-to-eat food. One of the particular laws with which the cafeteria operator must be concerned is that of protecting the food from a customers sneezes during the selection process. Toward this end, a structure known as a sneeze guard has been used in the past in the cafeteria industry. A sneeze guard is in the nature of a clear plastic or glass window erected above the food service or cafeteria counter throughout the length of the counter along the counters front edge. This window is vertical or substantially vertical, and is fixed in position relative to the counter. The sneeze guard allows viewing of the food by the prospective customer, but prevents the customers spittle and/or sputum discharges from reaching the food if the customer sneezes while standing in front of that food. This protection is, of course, desirable in that it prevents cold germs or worse from contaminating the prepared food dishes for subsequent customers selecting those food dishes. The height or vertical distance between the cafeteria counters surface adjacent its front edge, and the lower edge of the sneeze guards transparent panel, is usually somewhere between about fourteen inches and about sixteen inches. This dimension may vary from one installation to another according to the laws of the locality in which the cafeteria counter is located. Of course, it is through this open area defined by the sneeze guards bottom edge and the counters surface that a customer must reach in selecting and removing a desired food dish from the counter onto his tray.

Historically, the food service counters in cafeteria style food service operations have been substantially planar, i.e., the counter has been of a flat, table-like configuration. The width of the counter is limited, of

course, by the reach of the average person as prepared food of each individual food dish is placed on the counter in dish rows extending from the front edge to the rear edge of the counter, the dishes of food in each row being the same, e.g., the same salad or same dessert or the like. Thus, the number of dishes of a single food dish in each row (from the front edge to the rear edge of the counter) is generally limited by the reach of the average customer to be served.

However, in certain cafeteria installations it may be desirable to provide a series of shelves or steps over the width of the counter, e.g., two or three separate steps. The dish rows on any one step include the same dish,

but the food dishes may differ from step to step. The series of steps provides at least two marketing advantages over the planar counter. The steps presumably make the food more desirable or attractive to the customer, and the steps also allow different dishes to be placed in the same front to rear rows on different steps. This step style cafeteria counter structure has been found particularly desirable in rotating circular cafeteria counters such as disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,339,718.

However, the step structured, multiple level food counter concept for cafeterias has created a definite problem in connection with the sneeze guard structure. As mentioned, the sneeze guard must extend down to a level above the counters front edge which is set by law. This level is relatively low, thereby making it relatively difficult for a customer to reach from the front edge of the counter to the rear edge of the counter without encountering undo hinderance of the customers arm by the sneeze guard. This is true with planar counters of substantial depth; however, this is particularly true of counters with the step or elevated tier type configuration where the vertical distance of the sneeze guards lower edge above the counter must be measured from the lowest section or step of the counter. In the step counter configuration, the customer is forced, in effect, to reach down underneath the sneeze guard and then up onto the upper step of the counter if the dish he desires is located on that upper step.

Hence, it is the primary objective of this invention to provide a novel sneeze guard structure particularly adapted for use in connection with a food service counter of the cafeteria type, that sneeze guard structure permitting a customer to easily reach the rear of the counter if the counter is of a planar configuration, as well as easily reach the top step or level of the counter if the counter is of a step configuration, with a minimum of awkward inconvenience.

The improved sneeze guard structure of this invention accomplishes this objective by providing an upper section that is fixed in position along the counters front edge, and a lower section mounted on a horizontal hinge line relative to the bottom edge of the upper section along the length thereof. The hinge allows the lower section to swing freely inward, as well as freely outward, relative to the fixed section. Thus, a customer may easily reach a food dish positioned adjacent the counters rear edge without having his arm motion or reach unduly affected by the presence of the sneeze guard since the lower section swings freely upon being engaged by the customers arm.

Other objectives and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view illustrating the improved sneeze guard of this invention in combination with a rotating cafeteria style counter;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front view of the sneeze guard of this invention; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

The novel sneeze guard 10 of this invention is illustrated herein, and is particularly useful, in combination with a rotating cafeteria style food service counter 11.

The rotating cafeteria style food service counter 11 is becoming popular particularly with institutional and in-plant type facilities. The rotating style food service type counter 11 does not require the customer 12 to walk the length L of the counter available for customer service. Indeed, and on the contrary, the customer 12 stands completely still while the food dishes move to the customer in sight and within easy reach. It has been found that the method of serving food by a rotating style food service counter provides fast service, requires less customer service area, reduces mechanical installation costs, and provides an efficient use of labor relative to the historical cafeteria style food service counter (not shown) in which the customer walked from one end of the counter to the other. A particular embodiment of a rotating cafeteria style counter, although slightly differing in structural detail from the one described herein, is particularly illustrated in US. Pat. No. 3,339,718. The disclosure of that patent is incorporated herein by reference.

As particularly illustrated in the Figures, the rotating cafeteria style food service counter 11 incorporates a horizontal, doughnut-shaped counter top 13 adapted to rotate about a center axis 14. The counter top 13 rotates between a kitchen or food supply area 15, and a customer service area 16. The kitchen 15 and customer service 16 areas are separated one from the other by a wall 17 or other suitable divider. The counters food supply is replenished by employees within the kitchen area 15, and the dished food is selected and removed from the counter top 13 by customers standing within the customer service area 16.

A series of tray supports 18 are disposed about the circular outer periphery 19 of the rotating counter top 13 in the customer service area 16. The tray supports 18 are stationary,'and are fixed to a stationary exterior wall 20 within which the counter top 13 rotates, thereby defining fixed stalls 21 within which the customers 12 stand as the food counter top (with dished food 22 thereon) rotates past each stall for selection or rejection by the customer within the stall.

More particularly, the rotating counter 13 includes a stationary frame F comprised of a series of vertical posts or uprights 23 (which define a circle) disposed about the circular outer periphery 19 of the counter top 13 and which terminate at their lower ends in legs or feet 23a, and a series of vertical posts or uprights 24 (which define a circle) disposed adjacent the circular inner periphery 25 of the counter top 13 and also which terminate at their lower ends in legs or feet 26. These

posts

23, 24 are disposed in pairs, each pair being tied together by a cross member 27. An outer wall or plate 28 is fixed to the outer posts 23, thereby providing a closed frame F or base structure which lends to the appearance of the rotating counter 11 from an aesthetic standpoint.

The rotating counter top 13 includes a horizontally disposed doughnut-shaped table 29 having a circular front edge and a circular rear edge that correspond, respectively, to outer 19 and inner 25 peripheries. The counter top 13 is supported by the frame F, and is rotated by drive means fixed to the frame and described in detail below. The top 13 is provided through portions of its circumference with two

steps

30, 31 adjacent the rear edge 25 thereof, thereby dividing the width of the table in those portions into three separate, concentric food display areas 32-34 raised one above the other in step-like sequence i.e. into a main section 32 and two

step sections

33, 34 As illustrated in FIG. 1, the counter top 13 is symmetrically divided into three separate pairs of sections 35, each section being subdivided into a portion 37 having sloped trays 38 and a portion 39 having the steps 32-34. The three sloped trays 38 shown in each subsection 37 may be provided with ice to hold cold dishes such as salads and the like, and the tier or step-like subsections 39 of the round counter may be provided with hot dishes. The counter top 13 also includes a depending flange 40 adjacent to and concentric with its outer periphery 19, and a depending L-shaped keel 41 adjacent to and concentric with its inner periphery 25.

The counter top 13 essentially rests on a series of idler wheels 42 disposed about its outer periphery 19, and a plurality of drive 43 and idler 43a (see FIGJ) wheels disposed about its inner periphery 25. The idler wheels 42 disposed about the counter tops outer periphery 19 are simply wheels mounted in bearings 36, the bearings being fixed to the posts 23 of the counters frame F by bolts 44.

The drive wheel 43 mechanism is also fixed to the counters frame F, but is fixed on an inner post 24 thereof. Each drive wheel 43 mechanism includes the drive wheel that is carried in bearings 45, the bearings being mounted on a plate 46 fixed to extend horizontally from an inner peripheral post 24 (the plate 46 is reinforced by gusset bar 47). The drive wheels shaft 48 is provided with a pulley 49 on its inner end, the pulley being connected with pulley 50 of a drive motor 51 by belt 52. The motor 51 is mounted on a table 53 also fixed to the frame F, that table 53 being reinforced by gusset plate 54. The idler wheels 43a similar to drive wheels 43 are mounted to other inner posts 24 to provide adequate support for the counter top 13 on its inner periphery 25. Since the L-shaped inner annular keel 41 is frictionally engaged with the drive wheel 43, rotation of the drive wheel at a controlled speed causes the counter top 13 to rotate at a controlled speed also.

A series of tray supports 18 are disposed about the outer periphery 19 of the counter 11, and fixed to the wall 28, in the customer service area 16 of the counter. The tray supports 18 are simply horizontally disposed plates adapted to receive the cafeteria tray of the customer, each support being fixed to the counters wall by a suitable bracket 55. A vertical stall wall 56 disposed radially relative to the counter is interconnected with each tray support 18 on one side thereof, as at 57, and to the counters peripheral wall 28, as at 58. The tray supports 18, and vertical radially disposed stall walls 56 associated therewith, cooperate to define the series of stalls 21 disposed about the outer periphery 19 of the counter within the customer service area 16, each stall being sized to accommodate one customer at a time.

As noted earlier the improved sneeze guard 10 of this invention is particularly adapted for use with a rotating cafeteria style food service counter 11. However, the improved sneeze guard 10 is also adapted for use with a stationary food service counter of the historical cafeteria type, i.e., a food service counter where the cafeteria customer walks from one end of the counter to the other.

The sneeze guard 10 of this invention, as illustrated in the Figures, is provided with a series of sections l0a- 10h disposed adjacent to and above the counters front edge or outer periphery 19 along the counter from one end thereof to the other in the customer service area 16. Although the counter is of generally circular configuration on the outside periphery 19, it will be understood that the sneeze guard is made up of a series of generally planar sections 10a-10h all of which, when combined together in accord with this invention, provide a sneeze guard structure of a generally arcuate configuration having a radius substantially identical to the radius of the counter tops outside periphery l9, i.e., having a center point that lies on the rotational axis 14 of the counter top 13.

Each section 10a-l0h of the sneeze guard 10 structure is particularly comprised of a generally planar upper section 59 that is angled downwardly from the horizontal top edge 63 to the horizontal bottom edge 64, and outwardly toward the customer 12, at an angle a to the vertical 65; preferably this angle is between about 0 and about 45. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the angle a is about The top edge 63 of the immobile section 59, i.e., the top edge of the sneeze guard, is located above floor level a distance greater than the average height of the taller customers served by the counter, e.g., at least about seven feet or so. This upper section 59 is provided with

suitable frame members

66, 67 along the top and side edges thereof, successive sections 10a-10h being joined in integral relation by these frame members. The window of the immobile upper section 59 is of a transparent material such as plexiglass or the like. The immobile frame section 59 is held in place, i.e., is held immobile, relative to the rotating style cafeteria counter 11 by means of mounting posts 68 that are fixed to and extend upwardly from the top frame members 66, the posts being mounted in a manner not shown to ceiling or wall or overhang or the like structure in the room in which the rotating counter 11 is located.

Each section 10a-l0h of the sneeze guard 10 also includes a lower swingable section 60 that is pivotable relative to the upper fixed section 59 with which it is associated. The pivotal mounting is by means of binge members 69, the horizontal hinge or pivot line 70 of the I lower section relative to the upper section 59 lying between the bottom horizontal edge 64 of the upper section and the top horizontal edge 72 of the lower section. The clearance C between the upper sections lower edge 64 and the lower sections upper edge 72 is preferably the minimum necessary to prevent hinderance of the upper section 59 with the lower section 60 when the lower section pivots or swings relative thereto. The hinge members may be a continuous piano-like hinge (not shown) from one side edge 73 of the lower section 60 to the other, or may simply be a pair of fixed wired loops 69 located adjacent opposite side edges 73 as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. The hinges or wire loops 69 also serve to hold each sections two

subsections

59, 60 together.

The bottom edge 74 of the swingable lower section 60 is disposed above the lowest food service area 32 of the counter top 13 a distance which is no greater than that required to maintain compliance with local sanitation or health laws in that geographical area where the counter is in service. Typically such distances are on the order of fourteen inches to sixteen inches above the surface level of section 32. It is preferred that the lower subsections width W be between about 10 percent and about 40 percent of the width W of the upper subsection 59 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lower subsections width W is about 25 percent of the width W of the upper subsection. Note that the lower section 60 is hinged to the fixed upper section 59 such that it hangs in a vertical plane (due to gravity) when it is free of outside contact from a customer 112, and that the vertical plane 65 in which it hangs incorporates or is closely adjacent to the outer edge or periphery 19 of the counter top 13, see solid line position of the lower section as shown in FIG. 4. It is also preferred that the hinges 69 be structured to allow the lower section 60 to swing inwardly away from the customer l2 and toward the axis 14 of the rotating counter 11 (as shown in phantom line position A in FIG. 4), as well as outwardly toward the customer away from the axis of the rotating counter (as shown in phantom line position B in FIG. 4). In other words, the lower subsection 60 is hinged to the upper subsection 59 in a manner that allows it to pivot about a horizontal hinge line 70 substantially parallel to but spaced above the outer periphery or edge 19 of the counter 11 when contacted by a customers arm 76, see FIG. 2. Note also that the side edges 73 of adjacent lower sections 60 of sections l0a-l0h and so on are spaced a slight distance one from the other, i.e., a gap G is established, so that adequate clearance is provided for relative movement between successive lower sections 60, see FIG. 3; preferably, this gap G is the minimum necessary to prevent hinderance of the successive lower sections during their swinging movement. Thus, the sneeze guard 10 of this invention, in combination with the rotating cafeteria style food service counter 11, is made up of a series of guard sections 10a-10h each of which is comprised of a fixed planar upper section 59 and a swingable planar lower section 60 pivotally mounted to the bottom edge of the upper section, the guard sections being dis posed in contiguous relation from side to side along the counters length L in the customer service area. As shown in FIG. 1, it is preferred that each section be of a length L that is no greater than that necessary to serve two customers, i.e., two stalls 21, side by side.

In use, and as mentioned, the customer 12 stands stationary in his stall 21 with his cafeteria tray (not shown) on his support platform 18 as the counter top 13 rotates in front of him with the food dish 22 sections available. If a customer desires a dish on the lowest step or floor area 32 of the counter top 13, he simply reaches it with his hand 77 with no inconvenience at all from the sneeze guard 10 structure. On the other hand, if the customer wants a dish 22 on the top step area 34 of the counter top 13, it is quite apparent the customer would have a relatively awkward time of reaching that dish without the sneeze guard 10 structure of this invention for he would have to reach down underneath the lowermost edge 74 of the sneeze guard and then upward and over close to the rear or inner peripheral edge 25 of the counter; when attempting this his arm would, of course, be hindered to some extent by a completely rigid or fixed sneeze guard structure which either would disuade him from selecting; that dish in the first instance or possibly hinder his arm motion to the extent he might drop the dish while withdrawing it. On the other hand, the sneeze guard 10 of this invention allows each lower section 60 to pivot inwardly against contact by the customers arm 76 (see FIG. 2 and phantom line position A of FIG. 4), thereby substantially reducing if not entirely eliminating the awkwardness of the situation. As the customer withdraws the dish 22 he has selected, the lower section 60 is also adapted to swing slightly outwardly if the customer has not removed his arm from contact therewith (see phantom line position B of FIG. 4), thereby accommodating the customer and making it almost as easy and effortless for him to select a dish adjacent the inner periphery 25 of the counter top 13 as adjacent the outer periphery 19 of the counter top. The function of the sneeze guard is, of course, maintained during periods of non-selection, i.e., during periods of food review only, by customers because the hinged connections of the guards lower sections 60 with the guards upper sections 59 allow the lower sections to swing downwardly into a relatively vertical attitude, see solid line position of lower section 60 in FIG. 4. In this vertical or non-swinging attitude, the lower sections 60 effectively function as part of the sneeze guard to prevent spittle or sputum excretions from sneezing customers reaching the dishes 22 on the counter top 13 in accordance with health regulations.

Having described in detail the preferred embodiment of my invention, what I desire to claim and protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A sneeze guard in combination with a food service counter of the cafeteria type, said counter providing a customer service area and having a main table section with a forward edge and at least one step section rearwardly of said main table section, said sneeze guard comprising a series of upper sections disposed side-by-side above said counter throughout the length thereof in said counters customer service area, said sections being fixed in place and presenting an effective single section upper guard, each of said sections being disposed at an angle between about and about 45 with respect to the vertical, and each of said sections having a bottom edge,

a series of lower sections hingedly connected to said upper sections along the bottom edge of said upper sections and positioned in line one with the other, said lower sections being adapted to swing freely relative one to the other, and relative to said upper sections, each of said lower sections having a bot tom edge disposed above the forward edge of said counters main table section a distance that permits an average height adult-customer to withdraw a food article positioned on said main table section without touching said lower section, and each lower section being adapted to swing inwardly and away from said customer upon contact with said customers arm as said customer reaches for a food article on said counters step section, thereby providing an effective multi-sectioned swingable lower guard throughout the length of the counters customer service area.

2. A sneeze guard as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lower section, when hanging free and substantially vertically, is in a vertical plane that extends upwardly from a forward portion of said main table section at least adjacent the forward edge thereof.

3. A sneeze guard as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lower sections are of a width between about 10 percent and about 40 percent of the width of said upper sections.

4. A sneeze guard as set forth in claim 1 wherein said upper sections are angled downwardly and forwardly from their top edges to their bottom edges.

5. A sneeze guard as set forth in claim 1, said hinged interconnection comprising a wire loop disposed at each end of each lower section, said wire loop serving to interconnect said upper and lower sections one with the other as well as to provide the hinge means by which each lower section swings relative to said upper section.

6. A sneeze guard as set forth in claim 1 wherein said upper and lower sections are disposed in a many-sided configuration to cooperate with a circular rotating type food service counter.

Claims

1. A snEeze guard in combination with a food service counter of the cafeteria type, said counter providing a customer service area and having a main table section with a forward edge and at least one step section rearwardly of said main table section, said sneeze guard comprising a series of upper sections disposed side-by-side above said counter throughout the length thereof in said counter''s customer service area, said sections being fixed in place and presenting an effective single section upper guard, each of said sections being disposed at an angle between about 0* and about 45* with respect to the vertical, and each of said sections having a bottom edge, a series of lower sections hingedly connected to said upper sections along the bottom edge of said upper sections and positioned in line one with the other, said lower sections being adapted to swing freely relative one to the other, and relative to said upper sections, each of said lower sections having a bottom edge disposed above the forward edge of said counter''s main table section a distance that permits an average height adult customer to withdraw a food article positioned on said main table section without touching said lower section, and each lower section being adapted to swing inwardly and away from said customer upon contact with said customer''s arm as said customer reaches for a food article on said counter''s step section, thereby providing an effective multi-sectioned swingable lower guard throughout the length of the counter''s customer service area.