Rotating freezer unit

Abstract

Disclosed is a freezer having a rotatable storage rack. A pair of driving hubs are positioned along a central axis and arms extended from each hub perpendicular to the central axis, from which hanging rods are provided for the hanging of one or more baskets.

Description

PRIORITY

This application claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 60/845,919, filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Sep. 20, 2006, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates generally to a freezer apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus that facilitates locating and retrieving objects that are stored in a freezer, while providing protection to the user of the freezer from frostbite or exposure to the atmosphere within the freezer.

2. Description of the Related Art

Food freezers, particularly chest-type freezers despite being in wide use, suffer from a shortcoming of inaccessibility of items that migrate to the bottom of the freezer chest. Accordingly, there is a need for a simple mechanism that allows such items to be quickly and easily accessed and removed.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a device and method for safely and efficiently storing items in a freezer, particularly in a chest-type freezer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention substantially solves the above shortcoming of conventional devices and provides at least the following advantages.

The present invention provides a freezer having, in a preferred embodiment, storage racks or baskets that rotate about a central axis via hanging rods, in a manner akin to the operation of a ferris wheel. In an alternative embodiment, cylinder wheels each having dividers therein to form separate compartments, are positioned along and rotate about a common axis, with a cylinder sweeper closing each compartment as that compartment rotates away from an upright position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The above and other objects, features and advantages of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a freezer chest with two cylinder wheels of the present invention therein;

FIG. 1a provides a view of a cylinder wheel;

FIGS. 2a-b provide view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 provides a view of the ferris wheel arrangement of the alternative embodiment removed from the freezer chest;

FIG. 4 provides another view of the ferris wheel arrangement of the alternative embodiment removed from the freezer chest; and

FIGS. 5a-b provide view of a driving mechanism of the ferris wheel arrangement of the alternative embodiment removed from the freezer chest.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The below description of detailed construction of preferred embodiments provides to a comprehensive understanding of exemplary embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Descriptions of well-known functions and constructions are omitted for clarity and conciseness.

Although FIG. 1 shows a freezer chest with two cylinder wheels 210, 220 therein, it will be recognized that the present invention can be configured to provide a single or more than two cylinder wheels. The cylinder wheel 210 preferably includes holes 214 between compartments thereof to allow for drainage in the even of melting of frozen liquids.

The cylinder wheels 210, 220 each have dividers therein to form separate compartments, and the cylinder wheels 210, 220 are positioned along and rotate about common axis “A”. A cylinder sweeper 216 closes each compartment 212 as the compartment rotates away from an upright position.

In the alternative embodiment depicted in FIGS. 2-5, rotatable, hanging storage racks 120 or baskets rotate about a central axis 126 of driving hubs 120, 124. The rotatable storage racks 120 hang from a plurality of hanging rods 140-144, and the device operates in a manner akin to a ferris wheel.

A plurality of arms 130 extend outwardly from the central axis 126 of driving hubs 120, 124 to support the plurality of hanging rods 140-144.

The rotating wheel may be configured to rotate about a horizontal axis, as shown, or alternatively about a vertical axis. As shown in FIGS. 5a-b, an electric motor 160 can be provided to increase user convenience.

While this invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A freezer comprising:

a housing;

a rotatable storage rack having a pair of driving hubs positioned along a central axis;

arms extending from each hub in a direction perpendicular to the central axis; plurality of hanging rods, and

a plurality of baskets attachable to the hanging rods, wherein each basket hangs from its respective hanging rod.