Storage system for hot food trays

Abstract

A storage system for a plurality of food trays includes one or more storage modules each having multiple pairs of horizontal rails for supporting a plurality of trays with the hot food positioned along one side wall of the module and the cool food along the other side wall. Forced air inlet means in the rear wall and adjacent the side wall on the hot food side of the tray produces a forced air stream flowing forwardly through the module over the hot food on the trays. A door covers the front of each module and forms air outlet means adjacent the module side wall on the hot food side of the trays so that the forwardly flowing air stream exits through the door. This system is particularly suitable for use with trays which have electrical heating elements embedded in one side of the tray for heating the hot foods thereon. The electrical heaters within the trays have contacts on the bottoms of the trays at the rear ends thereof, and each tray station within the storage module has a plurality of spring contacts for engaging the tray contacts and connecting them to an on-board source. At least one of the rails in each pair has a separately projecting lug near the front of the module for engaging a complementary notch in the bottom of the tray when the tray is fully inserted into the module. Then the spring contacts urge the rear ends of the trays upwardly against the guide surfaces to urge the front ends of the trays downwardly toward the lugs to latch the trays firmly in position.