U.S. patent application number 11/695997 was filed with the patent office on 2007-10-11 for sneeze guard.
This patent application is currently assigned to LAWRENCE METAL PRODUCTS, INC.. Invention is credited to Jeremy Williman.
Application Number | 20070236112 11/695997 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38574501 |
Filed Date | 2007-10-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070236112 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Williman; Jeremy |
October 11, 2007 |
Sneeze Guard
Abstract
A sneeze guard including a primary post, a clamp assembly
secured to the post in a fixed position, a bracket carried by the
clamp assembly, a secondary post held in the bracket in
side-by-side relation to the primary post, and a panel mounted on
the secondary post. The clamp assembly can be secured to the post
in a number of different fixed positions. The secondary post is
adjustable axially with respect to the bracket. The panel is
carried by an arm pivotally secured to the secondary post, so that
the angular position of the panel can be adjusted. A single clamp
assembly may carry two brackets, each of which holds a secondary
post. Each clamp assembly and bracket may be formed of
semi-cylindrical parts adapted to grasp a post between them.
Inventors: |
Williman; Jeremy; (Milton
Keynes, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LEVINE & MANDELBAUM
444 MADISON AVENUE, 35TH FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10022
US
|
Assignee: |
LAWRENCE METAL PRODUCTS,
INC.
Bay Shore
NY
|
Family ID: |
38574501 |
Appl. No.: |
11/695997 |
Filed: |
April 3, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60790862 |
Apr 11, 2006 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
312/140.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47F 10/06 20130101;
A47F 3/12 20130101; A47F 2010/065 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/140.4 |
International
Class: |
A47F 9/00 20060101
A47F009/00 |
Claims
1. A sneeze guard comprising: a primary post; a clamp assembly
secured to the post in a fixed position, a bracket carried by the
clamp assembly, a secondary post held in the bracket in
side-by-side relation to the primary post, and a panel mounted on
the secondary post.
2. A sneeze guard as defined in claim 1 wherein the primary and
secondary posts are parallel to each other.
3. A sneeze guard as defined in claim 1 wherein the primary post
and clamp assembly include means for preventing axial movement of
the clamp assembly relative to the primary post.
4. A sneeze guard as defined in claim 3 wherein the preventing
means includes a hole in the post, and a protrusion extending from
the clamp assembly accommodated by the hole.
5. A sneeze guard as defined in claim 4 including a plurality of
holes in the post spaced apart along the length of the post, each
hole being capable of accommodating the protrusion.
6. A sneeze guard as defined in claim 1 wherein the secondary post
is adjustable axially with respect to the bracket.
7. A sneeze guard as defined in claim 6 including means for
maintaining the relative positions of the secondary post and
bracket in any desired position of adjustment.
8. A sneeze guard as defined in claim 1 including an arm
interconnecting the panel to the secondary post, the arm being
pivotally secured to the secondary post.
9. A sneeze guard as defined in claim 8 including means for
maintaining the relative angular positions, around the pivot axis,
of the secondary post and the arm in any desired position of
adjustment.
10. A sneeze guard as defined in claim 8 including means between
the arm and the secondary post for permitting translational
movement of the arm relative to the pivot point.
11. A sneeze guard as defined in claim 10 wherein the permitting
means includes a fitting pivotally secured to the secondary post,
the arm being supported by the fitting and slidable within the
fitting in a plane parallel to the panel.
12. A sneeze guard as defined in claim 1 wherein the clamp assembly
carries two brackets, and a secondary post is held in each
bracket.
13. A sneeze guard as defined in claim 1 wherein the clamp assembly
includes a sleeve around the primary post, and a clamp arrangement
overlying and tightly griping the sleeve.
14. A sneeze guard as defined in claim 13 wherein the sleeve
includes two substantially half-cylindrical elements sandwiching
the primary post between them, and the clamp arrangement includes
two C-shaped parts tightly squeezing the sleeve elements between
them.
15. A sneeze guard as defined in claim 14 wherein the bracket
includes two substantially semi-cylindrical parts accommodating the
secondary post between them.
16. A sneeze guard as defined in claim 15 wherein one of the
C-shaped parts of the clamp arrangement and one of the
semi-cylindrical parts of the bracket are joined into a single
piece by a bridge member extending between them.
17. A sneeze guard as defined in claim 16 wherein the other
C-shaped part of the clamp arrangement and the other
semi-cylindrical part of the bracket are both secured to the bridge
member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to sneeze guards, or food shields,
typically mounted on counters where salads or various types of
prepared foods are displayed. These counters are used by patrons
who serve themselves by filling plates or carry-out containers with
food from the counter. The purpose of the sneeze guards is to
prevent or minimize contamination of the openly-displayed food by
patrons as they help themselves to the foods available on the
counter.
[0002] A typical sneeze guard comprises a transparent panel
supported at its ends by fixtures mounted on the counter, or
sometimes including stanchions which rest on the floor adjacent to
the food counter. In many cases, the position of the panel is
fixed.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] An object of the present invention is to provide a sneeze
guard which offers great flexibility to the fabricator of the
counter, or sneeze guard installer, concerning the positioning of
the sneeze guard with respect to the counter.
[0004] Another object of the invention is to provide a sneeze guard
wherein the panel may be set at a fixed height with the plane
containing the panel being angularly adjustable, the height of the
panel height of the panel may be adjustable, and/or the position of
the panel may be adjustable within the plane which contains it.
[0005] A further object of the invention is to provide a sneeze
guard including a series of end-to-end panels arranged on a counter
having a length which requires that more than one panel be used,
and wherein successive panels may be adjusted to heights and angles
different from adjacent panels.
[0006] It is a further object to provide a panel assembly according
to this invention which may be readily mounted on existing
installations.
[0007] It is an additional object to the invention to provide a
sneeze guard wherein the brackets which hold the panel are mounted
on upstanding posts, and each bracket is split so that it can be
mounted on a post without passing the bracket over the end of the
post.
[0008] Additional objects and advantages of the present invention
will be apparent from the following description, in which reference
is made to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] In the drawings:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a food counter on which a
sneeze guard according to the present invention has been
installed;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, perspective, exploded view of a
primary post of the sneeze guard and a sleeve associated with the
post;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the post and
associated clamp assembly and bracket portion;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the assembled
clamp assembly and the bracket parts;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the bracket
holding a secondary post, and a panel mounted on the secondary
post;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the assembled parts wherein
the secondary post is a stub post;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the posts and bracket
supporting two successive panels, the two brackets being at
180.degree. to each other;
[0017] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the assembled posts and
panels from the rear;
[0018] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the assembled posts and
panels, the brackets being arranged at 90.degree. to each other;
and
[0019] FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a post and panel arrangement
showing various positions of adjustment of a panel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] FIG. 1 shows an illustrative arrangement of a food counter
furnished with two sneeze guards. Counter 10 has a
forwardly-projecting shelf 11, formed of metal rods, upon which
patrons may rest food trays as they help themselves to food and
move along the length of the counter. The counter also is furnished
with a series of wells 12 for accommodating pans containing various
prepared food items.
[0021] Mounted on counter 10 are three vertical primary posts 13a,
13b, and 13c each of which carries a bracket 14a, 14b, and 14c
fixed to the post. Each of brackets 14a and 14c also grips a
secondary post, whereas bracket 14b is capable of gripping two
secondary posts. The secondary post may be a relatively long post
15a, where the height of the sneeze guard is to be adjustable, or
it may be a stub post 15b about equal in length to the length of
bracket 14, where no vertical adjustability of the sneeze guard is
required. Pivoted to the upper end of each secondary post 15 is an
arm 16 to which one end of a transparent panel 17 is secured.
[0022] A typical bracket 14a for holding a single secondary post is
shown in more detail in FIGS. 2-5. Primary post 13a is furnished
with a through hole 20 (FIG. 2). A clamp assembly including two
half-cylindrical sleeve elements 21 and 22, preferably formed of
molded plastic, are fitted around the post. One of the sleeve
elements, 21, is provided with a protrusion, such as an internal,
radially projecting pin 23, which is accommodated within hole 20 in
the post. In this way, when the sleeve is in place encircling the
post, the sleeve cannot be adjusted along the length of the
post.
[0023] Preferably, a series of holes 20a are spaced apart along the
length of primary post 13a so that sleeve 21, 22 can be located at
different heights on the post. The use of predrilled holes along
the length of each of the posts 13a-c, all the holes being in the
same relative locations in relation to their respective posts,
insures that the brackets can readily be mounted at the same height
on all the posts without the need for trial-and-error
measurement.
[0024] Bracket 14 includes a semi-cylindrical collar part 24 (FIG.
3) having a flat bridge member 25 projecting from one of its edges,
the member being formed into a C-shaped clamp part 26 at one end.
Another C-shaped clamp part 27 is fixed to member 25 by means of a
screw 28 passing through a hole 29 in clamp part 27 and being
threaded into an internally threaded hole 30 in bridge member 25.
In this way, clamp parts 26, 27 of the clamp assembly tightly grip
the outer surface of sleeve 21, 22. The fact that a tool, e.g., a
screw driver, is used in cooperation with screw 28 to secure clamp
part 27 to the post insures that the clamp assembly 21, 22, 26, 27
will not inadvertently be disengaged from its selected location on
the post.
[0025] Another semi-cylindrical collar part 33 (FIG. 4) has a
projecting tab 34 formed with a hole 35. Collar part 33 is secured
to member 25 by means of a thumbscrew 36 passing through hole 35
and being threaded into hole 37 in member 25. A trim ring 40 is
provided to cover the lower part of sleeve 21, 22 to give the
arrangement a finished appearance. Once assembled, collar parts 24
and 33 form a cylindrical collar for accommodating secondary post
15a (FIG. 5).
[0026] Use of half-cylindrical sleeve elements 21 and 22, and
C-shaped clamp parts 26 and 27 avoids the need to slip the sleeve
and clamp over the top of primary post 13a in order to mount the
clamp assembly on the post. Thus, the clamp assembly can be fitted
on to the post even if the latter is furnished with an enlarged
upper end, or a decorative finial on its upper end, as is sometimes
the case.
[0027] Projecting upwardly from the top of secondary post 15a is an
ear 41, having a threaded blind hole (not shown), and projecting
from arm 16 is a lug 42 formed with a through hole (not shown). A
thumbscrew 43 extends through the hole in lug 42 and is threaded
into the blind hole in ear 41, to create a pivotal connection
between the top of post 15a and arm 16 which holds panel 17. By
loosening thumbscrew 43, the angle of panel 17 can be adjusted with
respect to secondary post 15a, after which thumbscrew 43 is
tightened to hold the panel in the desired angular orientation.
Similarly, by loosening thumbscrew 36, secondary post 15a can be
adjusted axially within collar 24, 33 after which tightening
thumbscrew 36 causes the post 15a to be tightly gripped and held in
the desired position of height adjustment. Thus, it will be
appreciated, that while clamp 14 is held in a fixed position along
the length of primary post 13a, secondary post 15a is axially
adjustable with respect to the bracket.
[0028] FIG. 6 shows an arrangement in which the height of panel 17
is not adjustable. In this arrangement, bracket 14c, mounted on
primary post 13c, has a collar 24, 33 which accommodates a
secondary stub post 15b, the length of the stub post being about
equal to the length of collar 24, 33.
[0029] FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate post 13b on which is mounted
bracket 14b capable of gripping two secondary posts 15a. In FIGS. 7
and 8, the collars which hold secondary posts 15a are arranged 1800
from each other with respect to the axis of primary post 13b. In
FIG. 9, the two collars which hold secondary stub posts 15b are
arranged 900 from each other with respect to the axis of post
15b.
[0030] The embodiments of FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate one advantage of
using the combination of primary posts 13 and secondary posts 15
for supporting panels 17. Since secondary posts 15 are
independently adjustable in height, although carried by the same
bracket 14b, sequential panels 17 need not necessarily be located
at the same height, as would be the case if the only height
adjustment available were the adjustment of bracket 14b along the
length of post 13b.
[0031] FIG. 10 illustrates various adjustment options available
with an installation according to the present invention. In order
to provide adjustment of the position of panel 17 in its own plane
with respect to the pivot at the upper end of the secondary shaft,
a special fixture can be employed, as shown in FIGS. 10c, 10d, and
10f. In this case, instead of arm 16 being directly connected to
the upper end of secondary shaft 15 by means of a pivot connection,
a fitting 45 is provided, the fitting being pivoted to the upper
end of secondary post 15, and being slidably adjustable along the
length of arm 16a which holds panel 17.
[0032] The invention has been shown and described in preferred form
only, and by way of example, and many variations may be made in the
invention which will still be comprised within its spirit. It is
understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any
specific form or embodiment except insofar as such limitations are
included in the appended claims.
* * * * *