Cooling station

Abstract

In order to provide a cooling station for at least one container to be cooled that is dockable with the cooling station and has a housing that surrounds a receiving space for receiving a product to be cooled, wherein the cooling station comprises at least one fan for generating a circulating air flow through the container, at least one cooler for cooling the circulating air flow and at least one docking place having at least one first docking point for removing the circulating air flow from the container to be cooled and having at least one second docking point for feeding the circulating air flow to the container to be cooled, that is of a simple construction and easy to manufacture and yet allows effective and energy-efficient cooling of the circulating air flow through the container to be cooled, it is proposed that the cooler takes the form of a heat exchanger that at the cold side contains a multiphase, flowable coolant.

1 . Cooling station for at least one container to be cooled that is dockable with the cooling station and has a housing that surrounds a receiving space for receiving a product to be cooled,
 wherein the cooling station comprises   at least one fan for generating a circulating air flow through the container,   at least one cooler for cooling the circulating air flow and   at least one docking place having at least one first docking point for removing the circulating air flow from the container to be cooled and having at least one second docking point for feeding the circulating air flow to the container to be cooled,   wherein the cooler takes the form of a heat exchanger that at the cold side contains a multiphase, flowable coolant.   
   
   
       2 . Cooling station according to  claim 1 , wherein a device for allowing the coolant to circulate through the cooler is associated with the cooling station. 
   
   
       3 . Cooling station according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling station is connectable to an external coolant source. 
   
   
       4 . Cooling station according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling station comprises a plurality of docking places for the simultaneous docking of a plurality of containers to be cooled. 
   
   
       5 . Cooling station according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling station comprises at least one closure element for closing a docking point of the cooling station in the absence of a container to be cooled. 
   
   
       6 . Cooling station according to  claim 5 , wherein the closure element during undocking of a container to be cooled from the cooling station is movable automatically from an open position, in which the closure element frees the docking point, into a closed position, in which the closure element closes the docking point. 
   
   
       7 . Cooling station according to  claim 5 , wherein the closure element during docking of a container to be cooled with the cooling station is movable automatically from a closed position, in which the closure element closes the docking point, into an open position, in which the closure element frees the docking point. 
   
   
       8 . Cooling station according to  claim 5 , wherein the closure element is mounted rotatably on the cooling station. 
   
   
       9 . Cooling station according to  claim 5 , wherein the closure element is movable under the effect of gravity into a closed position, in which the closure element closes the docking point. 
   
   
       10 . Cooling station according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling station comprises a cover for closing an access opening to the receiving space of a container to be cooled. 
   
   
       11 . Cooling station according to  claim 10 , wherein the cover is mounted pivotably on the cooling station. 
   
   
       12 . Cooling station according to  claim 1 , wherein the multiphase, flowable coolant is a binary ice. 
   
   
       13 . Combination of a cooling station according to  claim 1  and at least one container to be cooled, which has a housing that surrounds a receiving space for receiving a product to be cooled. 
   
   
       14 . Combination according to  claim 13 , wherein the container is mobile. 
   
   
       15 . Combination according to  claim 14 , wherein the container is provided with castors. 
   
   
       16 . Combination according to  claim 13 , wherein the container comprises at least one first docking point for removing the circulating air flow from the container and at least one second docking point for feeding the circulating air flow to the container. 
   
   
       17 . Combination according to  claim 13 , wherein the container comprises at least one closure element for closing a docking point when the container is undocked from the cooling station. 
   
   
       18 . Combination according to  claim 17 , wherein the closure element during undocking of the container from the cooling station is movable automatically from an open position, in which the closure element frees the docking point, into a closed position, in which the closure element closes the docking point of the container. 
   
   
       19 . Combination according to  claim 17 , wherein the closure element during docking of the container with the cooling station is movable automatically from a closed position, in which the closure element closes the docking point of the container, into an open position, in which the closure element frees the docking point of the container. 
   
   
       20 . Combination according to  claim 17 , wherein the closure element is mounted rotatably on the container. 
   
   
       21 . Combination according to  claim 17 , wherein the closure element is movable under the effect of gravity into a closed position, in which the closure element closes the docking point of the container. 
   
   
       22 . Combination according to  claim 13 , wherein the container has an access opening to the receiving space for the product to be cooled and is provided with a cover for closing the access opening. 
   
   
       23 . Combination according to  claim 22 , wherein the cover is formed to be at least partially transparent. 
   
   
       24 . Combination according to  claim 13 , wherein the container takes the form of a dispenser having a vertically displaceable platform. 
   
   
       25 . Combination according to  claim 24 , wherein the platform is guided displaceably on at least one guide rod. 
   
   
       26 . Combination according to  claim 13 , wherein the product to be cooled that is received in the receiving space of the container comprises food and/or drinks and/or tableware. 
   
   
       27 . Portioning system for a large-scale catering establishment, comprising at least one cooling station according to  claim 1  and/or at least one combination of a cooling station according to  claim 1  and at least one container to be cooled, which has a housing that surrounds a receiving space for receiving a product to be cooled.