Modular cold storage system and method
A modular cold storage system and method are provided. The system includes a plurality of cold storage containers and rotatable platforms for receiving the cold storage containers. The modular cold storage system and method are especially adapted for use in a refrigeration environment.
As those skilled in the art will readily appreciate, methods of cold storage are known in the art. Perhaps one of the most common is the typical home refrigeration unit. The typical home refrigeration unit contains several levels of shelving in which to place food articles. The food articles are typically stored in containers of various shapes and sizes. As more and more food articles are stored in the unit, some of the food articles are obviously pushed towards the rear of the unit. If the desired food article is located in the rear of the unit, it is often difficult to gain access to the food article. Typically, the food articles towards the front of the unit must be removed in order to gain access to those food articles stored towards the rear of the unit. This, of course, is time consuming and inconvenient. Alternatively, one can attempt to access the rearward placed articles without removing the frontward placed articles, but this is also inconvenient, difficult and oftentimes can lead to knocking over (and spilling) the forward placed food articles.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThere is thus a need in the art for a cold storage system and method that avoids the foregoing problems of the prior art. Such a system and method would provide for convenient and easy access to a plurality of food articles. The present invention is directed to such a system and method.
In one aspect of the invention, a combination of a cold storage environment and a modular cold storage system is provided. The modular cold storage system comprises at least two cold storage containers and at least one rotatable platform for receiving the cold storage containers. The system may be rotated until the cold storage container with the desired food article is readily and easily accessible. In another aspect of the invention, the modular cold storage system additionally comprises at least two or more rotatable platforms.
In another aspect of the invention, a modular cold storage system is provided that can be easily converted between a disassembled configuration for shipment and an assembled configuration for use. The system comprises at least to cold storage containers, two rotatable platforms especially adapted for receiving the cold storage containers, and a connector especially adapted for physically connecting the two platforms in a manner such that the force associated with the rotational movement of one platform is translated through the connector to impart rotational movement to the other platform.
In another aspect of the invention, a method of cold storage is provided in which at least four cold storage containers and at least two rotatable platforms for receiving the plurality of cold storage containers are placed within a refrigeration unit. The method further comprises the step of placing food articles in a cold storage container and placing the cold storage container into the modular cold storage system within the refrigeration unit.
In another aspect of the invention, the rotatable platform has a plurality of radially extending ribs on a top surface, and an underside of the cold storage containers have a plurality of radially extending ribs adapted to engage the ribs on the rotatable platform.
In yet another aspect of the invention, the rotatable platform has a series of reinforcement ribs for providing additional support.
In another aspect of the invention, the cold storage containers are made from a transparent material that is preferably food-grade. The containers also preferably have handles. These handles assist in removing the cold storage containers from the modular cold storage systems within the refrigeration units.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a plurality of cold storage containers of varying size are provided such that they are stackable within each other for shipping purposes.
With respect to
As mentioned above, in one preferred aspect of the invention, there are 12 containers per system. Four of the containers will be of the 60 ounce size, four of the 90 ounce size, and four of the 120 ounce size. However, all variations and iterations on the concept of having numerous differently sized cold storage containers are contemplated. Thus, there may be any number of different sizes, although as presently contemplated three different sizes should be sufficient for most applications. These three different sizes may generally be referred to as relatively large-sized, relatively medium-sized and relatively small-sized. As used herein, the term relatively large-sized means larger than the relatively medium-sized container, and relatively medium-sized means larger than the relatively small-sized container. The different sized containers will be configured to have a slight draft angle so that the smaller sized containers can be partially stacked or nested within the relatively larger sized containers as illustrated in
The system 10 also includes at least one rotatable platform, and preferably comprises two or more platforms. At least three platforms is most preferred. Still with reference to
The cold storage container system 10 of the present invention allows for easy access to the desired food item by simply rotating the system until the container containing the desired food item is easily accessible. The desired food item may be obtained by simply removing the container having the desired item from the system.
One manner by which the platform receives the cold storage containers is illustrated in
Turning now to
In addition, as illustrated in
Claims
1. A combination of a modular cold storage system and cold storage environment, the combination comprising:
- a cold storage environment; and
- a modular cold storage system, the cold storage system comprising at least two cold storage containers and at least one rotatable platform for receiving the cold storage containers
2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the cold storage containers comprises a plurality of radially extending ribs on an underside of the containers and the at least one platform comprises a plurality of complimentary radially extending ribs on a top surface adapted to engage the ribs on the cold storage containers.
3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the platform further comprises a plurality of radially extending reinforcement ribs.
4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the cold storage containers comprise a food-grade transparent material.
5. The combination of claim 1 further comprising at least one additional rotatable platform vertically spaced apart from the at least one rotatable platform.
6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the at least one additional rotatable platform comprises a plurality of radially extending ribs on a top surface.
7. The combination of claim 6 wherein the at least one additional rotatable platform comprises a plurality of radially extending reinforcement ribs.
8. The combination of claim 7 wherein the cold storage containers comprise a food-grade transparent material.
9. The combination of claim 5 further comprising a connector in physical contact with the rotatable platforms through which rotatable force is translated between the platforms.
10. A modular cold storage system that can be easily converted between a disassembled configuration for shipment to an assembled configuration for use, the system comprising:
- at least two cold storage containers;
- at least two rotatable platforms especially adapted for receiving the cold storage containers; and
- a connector especially adapted for removably connecting the at least two platforms such that force associated with the rotational movement of one platform is translated through the connector to impart rotational movement to the other platform.
11. The modular cold storage system of claim 10 where in the cold storage containers comprise a food-grade transparent material.
12. The modular cold storage system of claim 11 comprising at least twelve cold storage containers, at least three rotatable platforms, and at least two connectors.
13. The modular cold storage system of claim 11 wherein the cold storage containers are configured such that a substantial portion of one container fits within the other container when the system is disassembled for shipping.
14. The modular cold storage system of claim 12 wherein at least four of the cold storage containers are relatively large-sized, at least four of the cold storage containers are relatively medium-sized and at least four of the cold storage containers are relatively small-sized, such that a substantial portion of the relatively small-sized cold storage container fits within the relatively medium-sized cold storage container and a substantial portion of the medium-sized cold storage container fits within the relatively large-sized container for ease of shipment.
15. The modular cold-storage system of claim 11 wherein the cold storage containers comprises a plurality of radially extending ribs on an underside of the containers and the at least two platforms comprises a plurality of complimentary radially extending ribs on a top surface adapted to engage the ribs on the cold storage containers.
16. The modular cold storage system of claim 14 wherein the cold storage containers comprises a plurality of radially extending ribs on an underside of the containers and the platforms comprises a plurality of complimentary radially extending ribs on a top surface adapted to engage the ribs on the cold storage containers.
17. A method of storing food in a cold storage environment comprising the following steps:
- within a refrigeration unit providing a modular cold storage system comprising at least two rotatable platforms and at least four cold storage containers;
- removing at least one of the cold storage containers from the modular cold storage system in the refrigeration unit;
- placing a food article into the cold storage container that was removed from the modular cold storage system in the refrigeration unit; and
- placing the cold storage container now containing the food article back into the modular cold storage system within the refrigeration unit.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least two rotatable platforms comprise a plurality of radially extending ridges on a top surface for receiving the cold storage containers.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the cold storage containers comprise a plurality of radially extending ridges on an underside adapted to engage the plurality of extending ridges on the rotatable platforms.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the modular cold storage system comprises at least twelve cold storage containers, at least three rotatable platforms, and at least two connectors.
Type: Application
Filed: May 25, 2006
Publication Date: Nov 29, 2007
Inventor: Richard Ehrenreich (Deerfield, IL)
Application Number: 11/442,022
International Classification: A47G 19/00 (20060101); B65D 88/08 (20060101);