Refrigeration – With repair – assembly or disassembly means – Sliding or rolling on guide means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-06
2001-05-08
Doerrler, William (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
With repair, assembly or disassembly means
Sliding or rolling on guide means
C062S239000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227002
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for cooling produce.
Currently, it is known to provide a system for cooling produce in the field, however, current systems require multiple trucks; at least one truck to support and transport a cooling unit and a separate truck to store the produce for cooling. The requirement to have multiple trucks presents drawbacks, one of which is increased costs.
One currently known cooling system uses vacuum coolers which may be utilized to cool between 2-20 pallets of produce. However, a vacuum cooler that is able to cool up to 20 pallets requires at least two “low boy” trucks to transport the cooler, with a third truck possibly being required if a generator unit is included. Additionally, up to 20 minutes may be required to pre-cool the produce.
A hydro-cooler requires up to 2-3 flat bed trucks for transport. These types of coolers run cold water over the produce in order to attempt to cool it.
An additionally known cooling system utilizes portable forced air units. In order to use this type of cooling system, up to 3 flat bed trucks may be required. These cooling systems have additional drawbacks which include large temperature spreads from the cooling system, variation in temperature within the produce, and at least a 53 foot trailer being required.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an improved apparatus and method for pre-cooling produce in the field.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus and method for cooling produce is provided. In an embodiment for the apparatus of the present invention, the apparatus includes a container having an interior volume and a cooler. The cooler is movable between a first position where the cooler is disposed within the interior volume and a second position where the cooler is at least partially retracted from the interior volume. The cooler is adapted to cool at least a portion of the interior volume when the cooler is in its second position.
In an embodiment for a method in accordance with the present invention, the method includes the steps of retracting the cooler at least partially from the container, storing produce within the container, and cooling an interior volume of the container with the cooler.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2968933 (1961-01-01), Pfeifer et al.
patent: 3066817 (1962-12-01), Bradshaw et al.
patent: 4299421 (1981-11-01), Bontrager
patent: 5487462 (1996-01-01), Gilmore
patent: 5789007 (1998-08-01), Bianco
patent: 5965185 (1999-10-01), Bianco
patent: 6003658 (1999-12-01), Best et al.
Bianco Michael
O'Malley Charles M.
Cool Care, Ltd.
Doerrler William
Jones Melvin
Kenyon & Kenyon
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