EP1591732A1

EP1591732A1 - Multipurpose cold-storage container

Info

Publication number: EP1591732A1
Application number: EP04101854A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mark Hetterich; Alexandre Neves Barros
Original assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corp NV
Current assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corp NV
Priority date: 2004-04-29
Filing date: 2004-04-29
Publication date: 2005-11-02

Abstract

The present invention relates to a multipurpose cold-storage container formed by a cold-storage block (2, 1 01, 11, 10 ,11) having a first surface (3, 13, 13a) and a second surface (6, 16, 16a) opposite to the first surface (3, 13, 13a), where in the first surface (3, 13, 13a) is shaped to contain or to house one or moregoods (5, 15) in a stable manner.

Description

The present invention relates to a multipurpose cold-storage container adapted to contain goods which have to be kept cold out of a refrigerator for preservation, such as foodstuff or medical products, or which have to be served chilled such as beverages.
It is known the use of cold-storage blocks for refrigerating sealed portable boxes adapted to contain goods; these cold-storage blocks are charged with a cooling agent which, when brought to a freezing temperature, is able to provide a long cooling duration such that the box having a cold-storage block inside can be suited for a long-term cooled transportation.
A disadvantage with this known solution is that, in order to keep the goods at a low temperature, they have to be either stored in a refrigerator or contained in the portable boxes mentioned above; when such goods are served for consumption out of these containers, they inevitably warm up if left for some time at the ambient temperature.
Accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose cold-storage container which is able to maintain the goods contained therein at a low temperature for a relatively long time even when the goods are left at the ambient temperature, out of a refrigerating apparatus.
Within the aim cited above, an object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose cold-storage container which can be easily portable and served on a desk or a worktop together with the goods contained therein. Another and not less important object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose cold-storage container capable of being manufactured at competitive costs using generally known and readily available tools, machinery and equipments.
These aims and objects are achieved by a multipurpose cold-storage container in accordance with claim 1.
Further characteristics and advantages of a multipurpose cold-storage container according to the present invention will be readily understood by the following detailed description of a preferred, although not sole, embodiment illustrated by way of a non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
figure 1 is a prospective view of a multipurpose cold-storage container according to the present invention in a first position;
figure 2 is a prospective view of the multipurpose cold-storage container of figure 1 shown in use in the first position;
figure 3 is a prospective view of a multipurpose cold-storage container of figure 1 in a second position;
figure 4 is a prospective view of the multipurpose cold-storage container of figure 1 shown in use in the second position;
figure 5 is a prospective view of a different arrangement of use for a multipurpose cold-storage container according to the present invention;
figure 6 shows a multipurpose cold-storage container according to the present invention arranged on an inner door of a refrigerator.
With reference to the figures mentioned above, a multipurpose cold-storage container 1 according to the present invention is formed by a cold-storage block 2 charged with a cooling agent able to provide a long cooling duration when brought to a freezing temperature.
The cold-storage block 2 has a first containing surface 3 shaped to contain or to house one or more goods in a stable manner. In the embodiment shown in figures 1 and 2 the first containing surface 3 is shaped with one or more cylindrical seats 4 adapted to contain or to house goods 5 having a body or a packaging wherein at least a portion is substantially cylindrical, such as pots, jars, tins, cans or bottles. The cold-storage block 2 has a second containing surface 6, opposite to the first containing surface 3, which can be shaped to contain or to house goods having a different external shape; in the embodiment shown in figures 3 and 4 the second containing surface 6 is provided with a plurality of cavities 7 adapted to contain, for example, eggs 8 or any other kind of goods having a body or a packaging with a substantially spherical shape or at least a semi-spherical bottom.
In use, it is sufficient to put the cold-storage container 1 in a freezer to bring it at a freezing temperature, and then fill it with pots, cans or similar beverage or sauce containers 5 arranged in the seats 4 of the first containing surface 3, using the second containing surface 6 to support the cold-storage container 1 on a supporting surface of a desk or a worktop; in this way the goods housed in the seats 4 can be served and kept cold for a relatively long period of time before consumption. The cold-storage container 1 can be similarly used for goods 8 having a substantially spherical shape by simply turning it upside down, such that the cavities 7 of the second surface 6 can be filled with goods, such as the eggs 8, the first surface 3 acting as a supporting surface.
In figure 5 it is shown the use of a cold-storage container according to the present invention which both increases the refrigerating capacity as well as the containing capacity. The arrangement comprises a first cold-storage block 10 and a second storage block 11 shaped as previously described with reference to figures 1 to 4; the first block 10 has then a first surface 13 provided with one or more seats 14 adapted to contain or house goods 15 having a body or a packaging wherein at least a portion is substantially cylindrical, and a second surface 16 provided with first cavities (not shown in figure 5) adapted to contain goods having a body differently shaped, as explained above, which acts as a supporting surface such that the block 10 rests on a desk or on a worktop.
The second cold-storage block 11 is shaped like the first cold-storage block 10, thus having a first surface 13a provided with one or more seats 14a for goods having a substantial cylindrical body, and a second surface 16a provided with cavities 17a for goods having a body differently shaped; when the first cold-storage block 10 is filled with the goods 15, the second cold-storage block 11 can be put onto the goods 15 such that the first surface 13a and seats 14a face the goods 15, and the second surface 16a provided with the cavities 17a faces upside, so that it can be filled with some other goods adapted to be contained in the cavities 17a, such as eggs. By doing this a larger portion of the body of each of the goods 15 is maintained cooled, thus increasing the refrigerating capacity; the second cold-storage block 11 offers an additional surface 16a adapted to contain goods, thus increasing the containing capacity.
Figure 6 shows one or more multipurpose cold-storage containers 110, 111 according to the present invention arranged on an inner door 120 of a refrigerator; to this end, the cold-storage containers 110, 111 can be provided on the sides with coupling means, such as one or more recesses (not shown), adapted to couple with supporting means, such as a plurality of protrusions 121, provided in the inner door 120. The coupling means can be made such that the cold-storage containers are able to be arranged on the inner door 120 either with the seats facing upside, as shown by the container 110, or with the cavities facing upside, as for the container 111.
From the above description it has been demonstrated how the multipurpose cold-storage container according to the present invention achieves the aims and objects mentioned above: in fact, after the cold-storage block is brought at a freezing temperature, it is easily portable to be served on a desk or a worktop maintaining the goods contained therein at a low temperature for a relatively long time at the ambient temperature.
It will be readily appreciated that the multipurpose cold-storage container described above by mere way of example may be the subject of a number of modifications and different embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Moreover, the materials used, as well as the shapes and the sizes of the individual component parts may be the most appropriate to fit any specific need or comply with any requirement, without this implying any departure from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

A multipurpose cold-storage container formed by a cold-storage block (2, 10, 11, 110, 111) having a first surface (3, 13, 13a) and a second surface (6, 16, 16a) opposite to the first surface (3, 13, 13a), characterized in that said first surface (3, 13, 13a) is shaped to contain or to house one or more goods (5, 15) in a stable manner.
A multipurpose cold-storage container as in claim 1, wherein said first surface (3, 13, 13a) is provided with one or more seats (4, 14, 14a) adapted to contain or to house one or more goods (5, 15) having a body or a packaging with at least a substantially cylindrical portion.
A multipurpose cold-storage container as in claim 1 or 2, wherein said second surface (6, 16, 16a) is shaped to contain or to house goods (8) having a body or a packaging with a different external shape than the goods (5, 15) contained or housed in said seats (4, 14, 14a) of said first surface (3, 13, 13a).
A multipurpose cold-storage container as in claim 3, wherein said second surface (6, 16, 16a) is provided with a plurality of cavities (7, 17a) adapted to contain one or more goods (8) having a body or a packaging with a substantially spherical shape or at least a semi-spherical bottom.
A multipurpose cold-storage container as any of the preceding claims, wherein said first surface (3, 13, 13a) and said second surface (6, 16, 16a) acts as a resting surface when, respectively, said second surface (6, 16, 16a) and said first surface (3, 13, 13a) are filled with goods (5, 8, 15).
Use of a multipurpose cold-storage container as any of the preceding claims, wherein a first cold-storage block (10) is filled with a plurality of goods (15) adapted to be contained or housed in a plurality of seats (14) provided in said first cold-storage block (10), a second cold-storage block (11) provided with a plurality of seats (14a) is put onto said plurality of goods (15) such that said seats (14a) contain or house said goods (15) and face said seat (14) of said first cold-storage block (10).
A refrigerating apparatus having an inner door (120) provided with one or more multipurpose cold-storage containers (110, 111) as in claim 1.
A refrigerating apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said multipurpose cold-storage container (110, 111) is provided with coupling means adapted to couple with supporting means (121) provided on said inner door (120).
A refrigerating apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said coupling means and said supporting means (121) enable said multipurpose cold-storage container (110, 111) to be arranged on said inner door (120) either with said first or with said second surface facing upside.