A breath guard for a food serving system includes first and second supports positioned laterally offset from one another, a guide rail coupled to the first support and extending in a substantially longitudinal direction, an adjustable panel extending between the first and second supports, and an adjustment mechanism coupled to the adjustable panel and configured to selectively engage the guide rail in a series of locations. The adjustable panel is rotatably and translatably coupled to the guide rail and is rotatable relative to the guide rail about an axis of rotation that extends laterally. The adjustment mechanism prevents longitudinal movement of the adjustable panel in a first direction and allows movement in a second direction opposite the first direction when the adjustment mechanism engages the guide rail, such that the adjustable panel is selectively repositionable between a plurality of longitudinal positions.

A breath guard includes a first support, a second support, a guide rail coupled to the first support and extending in a substantially longitudinal direction, the guide rail including a rack defining a series of teeth, an adjustable panel extending between the first support and the second support, and an adjustment mechanism including a pawl rotatably coupled to the adjustable panel and configured to selectively engage the teeth of the rack. The adjustable panel is rotatable relative to the guide rail about an axis of rotation that extends laterally. The adjustment mechanism is configured to prevent longitudinal movement of the adjustable panel relative to the guide rail in a first direction and allow longitudinal movement of the adjustable panel in a second direction when the pawl engages the teeth of the rack, such that the adjustable panel is selectively repositionable between a series of longitudinal positions.

The present invention provides protective enclosures and food and/or beverage stations with these enclosures in which one or more of the side panels are easily raised and lowered and easily fixed in one or more positions as desired. For example, side panels can be easily lowered or closed or easily raised and fixed in one or more open configurations. The present invention is based at least in part on a coupling system that pivotably and slideably couples the moveable and positionable side panels to the protective enclosure. The coupling system uses a system of coordinated slots that cooperatively guide the movement of the side panel in its range of motion.

The exemplary embodiments herein provide a lighting system for a display case having at least one edge. A lighting assembly is positioned along an edge of the display case or a door assembly, where a transparent or semi-transparent rod is positioned adjacent to the lighting assembly to act as a lens element. The rod is generally placed parallel to the edge of the display case or door assembly. The lighting assembly preferably includes a mounting structure which contains a substrate with a plurality of LEDs along with the rod. A blinder may extend rearwardly from the mounting structure to prevent headlighting.

A merchandising system that improves the merchandising of product by limiting the number and the frequency with which product can be removed from, for example, a merchandising shelf. The merchandising system may include a base configured to support product and a housing configured to engage the base. The housing may comprise a top wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a front retaining wall. The merchandise system may be configured to hold a number of products, such as cans (for example, baby formula cans) in the merchandise system that would be accessible to the customer one at a time out of the front of the merchandise system. The front of each merchandise system may include its own individual security window attached to the merchandise system that allows the customer to remove one can at a time.

Various embodiments for a food display that includes a friction hinge capable of retaining and adjusting a panel without a locking mechanism that requires attachments or detachments are disclosed. The food display can include food display posts and a friction hinge attached to at least one of the food display posts. A panel can be coupled to the friction hinge to act as a sneeze or breath guard, where the panel is capable of rotating about the friction hinge when a predetermined amount of force is applied to the panel.

Various embodiments for a food display that includes a friction hinge capable of retaining and adjusting a panel without a locking mechanism that requires attachments or detachments are disclosed. The food display can include food display posts and a friction hinge attached to at least one of the food display posts. A panel can be coupled to the friction hinge to act as a sneeze or breath guard, where the panel is capable of rotating about the friction hinge when a predetermined amount of force is applied to the panel.

A display container of the type constituted by a box-like body in which one or more objects can be stored so that they are visible from the outside, said body being formed by a lower base (2), an upper base (3) and a plurality of walls fixed to said bases (2, 3) in a substantially prismatic configuration of use, and wherein: the container (1) is provided with a movable wall (7), which is pivoted about a horizontal axis to be rotated and to allow the access to the inside, and means for closing said movable wall (7) are provided, constituted by means adapted to constrain said rotation around the horizontal axis and to maintain the door inclined with respect to a vertical plane that is orthogonal to said bases (2, 3); said movable wall (7) is interposed between two walls (5, 6) or side walls of said plurality of walls fixed to said bases (2, 3), the movable wall (7) being provided with two pairs of opposite appendixes (77, 78) which define corresponding pins; the pins (77) disposed inferiorly being intended to be inserted in corresponding holes (57, 67) provided on said side walls (5, 6), the pins disposed superiorly (78) being intended to be inserted in corresponding grooves (58) and (68) of said two lateral walls (5) and (6); the container (1) is characterized in that said grooves (58) and (68) are arranged more internal with respect to the holes (57) and (67), so that when the upper pins (78) are in the grooves the door (7) is inclined towards the interior of the container.

A merchandising system that improves the merchandising of product by limiting the number and the frequency with which product can be removed from, for example, a merchandising shelf. The merchandising system may include a base configured to support product and a housing configured to engage the base. The housing may comprise a top wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a front retaining wall. The merchandise system may be configured to hold a number of products, such as cans (for example, baby formula cans) in the merchandise system that would be accessible to the customer one at a time out of the front of the merchandise system. The front of each merchandise system may include its own individual security window attached to the merchandise system that allows the customer to remove one can at a time.

A food shield for use in a restaurant or food service institution includes a pair of partially overlapping upper and lower transparent panels, first and second locking assemblies connected to and supporting one lateral side of each of the upper and lower transparent panels, and first and second non-locking assemblies connected to and supporting the opposite lateral side of each of the upper and lower transparent panels. Each of the first locking and non-locking assemblies, which supports the upper transparent panel, is mountable to a respective vertical support post. The food shield is transformable into three different settings. In a cafeteria setting, the upper and lower transparent panels overlap each other to provide a full length barrier in front of food product being displayed. In a self-serve setting, the lower transparent panel is pivoted inwardly such that it resides behind the upper transparent panel. In a self-serve and display setting, the lower transparent panel is adjusted to a horizontal position to create a shelf situated behind the upper transparent panel.