MXPA01011371A - Fruit chiller - Google Patents

Abstract

A chiller for fresh fruit and other perishable food products is cooled with a thermoelectric device and includes a cool air recirculating system that minimizes air flow path lengths and provides uniform cool air distribution throughout a fruit container removably supported above the thermoelectric module. The cooling air flow duct system is formed in part by the bottom wall of the container, thereby enhancing direct cooling air flow contact in minimizing the lengths of the flow paths.

Description

FRUIT COOLER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for cooling fresh fruit and other fresh food products and more particularly to an improved counter fruit cooler, which uses a thermoelectric effect device Peltier Thermoelectric devices that operate according to the well-known Peltier effect have been used as cooling / heating devices for many years. This thermoelectric device comprises a set of semiconductor pairs electrically connected in series and thermally in parallel. The semiconductor pairs are sandwiched between metallized ceramic substrates. When DC electric current is applied in series to the thermoelectric device, it acts as a thermal collector with heat absorbed on the cold side, thus cooling it, while the heat dissipates on the other side, where the temperature increases. Reversing the current causes the direction of the thermal flow to reverse. The efficiency of the thermoelectric device can be improved by connecting a thermal collector and a cold collector to the respective hot and cold sides. Peltier effect devices have been used for a long time to provide coolers and / or heaters to keep food fresh or to heat food to serve. It has also been found and is well known to use forced air convection to aid in thermal transfer. Typically a small electric fan is used to circulate air beyond the cold collector and in and through a container for food, while another ventilator moves the ambient outside air through the thermal collector to dissipate heat therefrom. Although chillers for fresh fruit and other perishable products are well known in the art, the success in the market of these devices has been limited. There seem to be a number of reasons for this lack of success in the market. One is the cost and efficiency of thermal transfer of solid state thermoelectric modules. In addition, these modules of the prior art have typically been quite fragile, exhibiting low mechanical strength. In addition, the need to provide cold air circulation to achieve the highest cooling efficiency has led to complex duct systems that contribute substantially to the cost of the containers, typically made of molded plastic materials. Long trajectories of airflow flow also result in heat loss and pressure drop, both of which decrease in efficiency or contribute to cost by requiring larger thermoelectric modules. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a cooler for fresh fruit or other perishable food products uses a construction that optimizes a cooling air flow and thus, thermal transfer efficiency with a container construction that is less expensive to manufacture and that allows the use of a relatively smaller thermoelectric module. The thermoelectric modules of increased efficiency and improved mechanical strength, such as those described in US Pat. No. 5,448,109 are particularly convenient for use in the fruit cooler of the present invention.

In its broadest aspect, the fruit cooler of the present invention comprises a support base that includes a housing for mounting a Peltier thermoelectric module, sandwiched between a collector and an opposite heated thermal collector. The housing also defines a system of cooling ducts that open upwards, which includes a cold air supply duct, in thermal transfer communication with the cold collector, a return air duct and a cold air circulation fan in the system of cooling ducts, to circulate air through. A food container is held in an upper peripheral edge of the housing, the container has a lateral wall circumscribing above, on the peripheral edge of the housing and a bottom bottom wall within the peripheral edge, the bottom wall constitutes an upper wall circumscribing for the duct system. The bottom wall has a plurality of inlet openings, which communicate with the cold air supply duct and a plurality of outlet openings, which communicate with the return air duct. In one embodiment of the invention, one of the ducts of the cooling system is positioned to extend over an outer peripheral wall of the housing, which includes the peripheral edge of the housing. The other of the ducts is placed centrally within the first duct and is separated there by a common dividing wall that extends generally vertically. The duct system also includes a cold air duct inlet, a return air duct outlet and a recirculation passage that includes a circulation fan and the cold sump. The recirculation passage interconnects the cold air duct inlet and the return air duct outlet. Preferably the first outer duct comprises the cold air supply duct and has a bottom, generally horizontal circumscribing wall forming a common partition wall with the recirculation passage positioned below the partition wall. The inlet of the cold air duct is formed in the common partition wall adjacent to the outer peripheral wall of the housing. The outlet of the return air duct is preferably also formed in the common partition wall. In a preferred embodiment, the common partition wall is generally placed horizontally and generally parallel to the bottom bottom wall of the container (also forming the upper wall of the duct system and spaced vertically over the common partition wall). In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the bottom wall of the food container includes a hollow central tower that extends vertically upwards into the interior of the container. The central tower is provided with a plurality of holes, which may comprise either the inlet orifices for the cold air supply duct or the outlet orifices for the return air duct. In this embodiment, the holes preferably comprise a pattern of holes, with the size of holes increased in an upward direction on the tower. In a currently preferred embodiment, the cooling duct system has a bottom circumscribing wall, which forms a common partition wall with the recirculation passage positioned below the partition wall. Either the cold air duct inlet or the return air duct outlet can be formed in the common partition wall immediately adjacent to the outer peripheral wall of the housing. The plurality of the inlet orifices formed in the upper circumscribing wall of the duct extending over the outer peripheral wall of the housing comprises an orifice pattern of increased orifice size, with increased distance from the inlet duct or output of respective pipeline. Preferably, the cold air supply duct is placed on the outer peripheral wall of the housing. The food container is removable from the housing and is provided as an annular outer edge seal between the upper peripheral edge of the housing and the lower edge of the circumscribing side wall of the container. An annular inner seal is placed between the upper edge of the common dividing wall and the lower side of the bottom wall of the container. The outer seal can be connected to the upper peripheral edge of the housing and the inner seal to the underside of the bottom wall. Alternatively, both the outer and inner seals can be attached to the bottom wall of the container. In the mode where either the cold air duct inlet or the return air duct outlet, is formed in the common horizontal partition wall adjacent the outer peripheral wall of the housing, the other outlet or inlet is also formed in the common partition wall approximately at its center. The respective pluralities of inlet orifices and outlet orifices, in another embodiment, are interrupted to define solid wall portions that overlap the inlet of the cold air duct and the outlet of the return air duct, to cover and protect the same against the entry of waste. The container is normally closed with a removable cover such that the cooling air is continuously recirculated. In one embodiment, however, an external ambient air supply conduit communicates with the recirculation passage and includes a dosing device to admit a controlled flow of external air, to assist in purging the ethylene or other gas cooling pipeline system. sub-products of fruit ripening. The dosing device may comprise a small diameter tube connected to the recirculation passage upstream of the ventilator. In one embodiment of the invention, wherein the food container includes a central tower, an auxiliary food tray can be detachably supported in the tower on the wall of the container bottom. The central tower is preferably tapered to decrease in diameter in the upward direction and an auxiliary food tray is provided with a hole through the center, adapted to be placed on the central tower for removable support there. To help maintain the interior temperature of the container, a removable insulating sleeve can be inserted into the container. The sleeve is configured to conform to the interior of the side wall of the circumscribing container. The removable cover can also be provided with an insulating liner. Various separations assemblies can be placed inside the container, to divide the container into different temperature zones by varying the flow of cooling air through the zones. These separations can be placed vertically to extend upwards from the bottom wall of the container or they can be placed and connected horizontally, for example to a central tower or to the side wall of the container. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the general arrangement of the fruit cooler of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the fruit cooler shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a sectional top plan view of the fruit cooler container taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2. Figure 5 is a sectional side elevation detail, taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2 and showing another embodiment of the invention. Figure 6 is a sectional detail of Figure 5 showing the interface between the container and the cover. Figure 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the fruit cooler according to the present invention. Figure 8 is a vertical section taken on line 8-8 of Figure 7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES In Figure 1, a fruit cooler 10 is illustrated according to one embodiment of the present invention. The fruit cooler includes a support base 11, for holding the cooler on a horizontal surface, with the base including a housing 12 for various components of the cooling system which will be described in detail below. A removable container 13 sits on the upper peripheral edge 14 of the housing 12. The container has an upper circumscribing side wall 15 of the container extending over the peripheral edge 14 of the housing and a bottom bottom wall 16 which is generally horizontal and placed inside the peripheral edge 14 of the housing. The container 13 is closed by a removable cover 17. The base 11, including the housing 12 and the container 13 and the cover 17, can all be made of injection molded plastic materials. The base 11 is preferably opaque and the container 13 and cover 17 transparent. Also with reference to Figures 2 to 4, the base 11 is independently held on legs 18 to provide an open space below the base for the intake of ambient cooling air. The inner and lower portion of the base 11 defines a substantially open ambient air chamber 20 generally defined by a base bottom wall 21, a base top wall 22 and a circumscribing base side wall 23. The container 13 and food products there contents are cooled with a thermoelectric module that uses the well-known Peltier effect. With particular reference to Figure 3, the thermoelectric module 24 is mounted on the upper base wall 22 and positioned generally horizontally in the plane of the upper wall. In accordance with the generally conventional construction, the module 24 includes a set of semiconductor pairs sandwiched between upper and lower substrates 26 and 27 with metallization layers interspersed therebetween. By applying a DC current to the module, heat will be absorbed in a ceramic substrate (in this case the upper substrate 26) in this way by cooling it and heat will dissipate in the other substrate (in any case the lower ceramic substrate 27) in this way by heating it . As is well known in the art, a cold trap 28 is connected to the upper substrate 26, and a heat sink 30 is connected to the ceramic substrate 27. The cold trap 28 is typically made of aluminum and includes a base plate 31 and a series of closely spaced parallel fins 32. Similarly, the heat collector 30 includes an aluminum base plate 33 and integral closely spaced parallel fins 34.

The heat rejected by the operating thermoelectric module 24 in the thermal collector 30 is dissipated by a flow of ambient air through the ambient air chamber 20. To promote the heat dissipating flow of the ambient air, a heat collector fan 35 , it is mounted on the base bottom wall 21, where it directs the ambient air inwardly through an ambient air inlet 36 directly below the fan. Ambient air from the fan 35 passes over the fins of the thermal collector 34 and leaves the air chamber 20 through ambient air outlets 37 formed in the side wall 23 of the base. An electronic control module 40, to control the power supply to the thermoelectric module 24, the thermal collector and fan 35 and a cooling air fan (to be described) are also mounted in the ambient air chamber 20. The side wall 23 of the base extends upwards to an upper peripheral edge 41 which is joined by an annular horizontal shoulder 43 to the upper edge 14 of a vertically extending annular wall 42, which also forms the outer wall of a cooling air chamber 38. The air chamber Cooling generally comprises the housing 12 for the system providing cooling air to the container 13. The container 13 is held on the upper peripheral edge of the housing 12 on the recessed horizontal shoulder 43. The container 13 includes a lateral wall circumscribing the upper 15 , ending in a lower edge 46 that rests on an annular foam rubber seal 47 on the horizontal shoulder 43. The bottom wall of the container 26 is integrally formed with and inside the side wall 15, but slightly spaced over the lower edge of the side wall 46. The cooling air chamber 38, defined peripherally by the outer wall 42, is closed at the top by the bottom wall 16 of the container and bottom edge 46 of the side wall of the container. The bottom wall of the container 16, forms the upper wall for a cooling duct system 50. The cooling duct system includes a duct for external cold air supply 51 that extends over the outer peripheral wall 42 of the housing and circumscribed radially inwardly by a vertically placed continuous dividing wall 52, which also forms a common exterior wall for an inner return air duct 53. The cooling duct system 50 (comprising the cold air supply air duct 51 and the return air duct 53), generally circumscribes at the bottom by a bottom circumscribing wall 54 extending horizontally within the outer annular wall 42.

The lower circumscribing wall 54 of the cooling duct system 50 is also the upper wall of a recirculation passage 56 formed on and circumscribed at the bottom by the upper wall 22 of the base. The bottom wall of the container 16 which as previously indicated also provides the upper wall of the cooling duct system 50, includes a plurality of inlet orifices 57 by which cold air in the cold air supply duct 51 is supplied to the interior of the container 13. The laterally interior portion of the bottom wall of the container 16, is provided with a plurality of exit holes 58, allowing cold air inside the container to be returned for re-cooling. The upper part of the vertical dividing wall 52 is provided with an annular foam rubber seal 49, to prevent the cooling air short circuit from the cold air supply duct 51 to the return air duct 53. The center of the bottom circumscribing wall 54, is provided with a cylindrical sleeve opening upwards 60 centered in the return air duct 53. Cylindrical sleeve 60 defines a return air duct outlet 61 through which air is directed through a cold collector fan 62, to move the air through the recovery passage 56. The bottom of the recirculation passage 56 is closed by the upper wall 22 of the base and the thermoelectric module 24 assembled therein. The fins of the cold collector 32 extend in the recirculation passage 56 where the recirculating air, propelled by the fan of the cold collector 72, is cooled for return to the cold air supply duct 51. The cooled air is returned by the inlet of cold air duct 63 formed in the lower wall 50 of the cooling duct system adjacent to the outer wall of the housing. To summarize the cooling airflow path thus described, air inside the container 13 is directed to the return air duct through the outlet orifices 58, exit the return air duct 53 through the air duct outlet return 61, passes through the cooling manifold fan 62 in the recirculation passage 56, past the fins of the fluid fan 32 where the air is cooled, exits the recirculation passage and returns to the supply duct air 151 through the inlet of the cold air duct 63 and finally return to the container 13 through the inlet openings 57 in the outer peripheral surface of the container bottom wall 16. The entire cooling duct system 50 is characterized by a simple construction and short flow paths and further characterized by unique flow compensation aspects as will be described below. With particular reference to Figure 4, because the outlet of the return air duct 61 carries cooled air in the cold air supply duct 51, it is located near the outer wall at one end of the housing 12, cooling air preferably they can remain closer to this end and not adequately cool the opposite end of the container. In order to more evenly and efficiently distribute the cold air, the inlet openings 57 in the outer peripheral portion of the bottom wall of the container 16 are formed to progressively increase the size according to their distance from the outlet of the air duct of the air. return 61 is increased. Alternatively, the inlet orifices 57 may be of equal size, but distributed in a set that increases in hole density, as the distance of the outlet of the return air duct increases. In this way, the air flow from the cold air supply duct 51 upwards through the holes 57 in the bottom wall of the container, is more uniform, resulting in a more uniform cooling temperature through the container. It should be noted that by reversing the direction of air flow, the recirculation of cooling air through the cooling duct system 50, can be reversed. Similarly, the reversal of the contacts supplying the DC current to the thermoelectric module 24 will reverse the distribution of the thermal pump of the module, so that it can be heated inside the container. However, this is not a preferred function and a unit intended primarily for heating, preferably will include a number of structural changes. To avoid the entry of fruit juices, waste and other contaminants into the lower portion of the cooling pipe system, a few practical resources are used. In the bottom wall of the container 1, the pattern of inlet holes 57 is interrupted directly on the outlet of the return air duct 61 to define a solid wall portion 64. Similarly, the pattern of exit holes 58 in the wall bottom is immediately interrupted on the inlet of cooling air duct 63, formed in the cylindrical sleeve 60 to define another portion of solid wall 65. Any juices, debris and the like that find their way into the cold air supply duct 51 or the return air duct 53, are restricted against downward movement in the recirculation passage 56 by a vertical lip forming the outlet of the return air duct 61 and the cylindrical sleeve extending upwards 60. It is known that ripe fruit emits ethylene gas and other byproducts of organic decomposition. It may be convenient to discharge these gases by periodic or regular replacement of the cooling air recirculation within the container 13. With particular reference to Figure 5, an ambient air duct 66 comprising a small diameter dosing tube extends from the side wall 23 of the base within the recirculation passage 56, wherein a small volume flow of ambient outside air is directed inwardly by the cooling manifold fan 62 and mixed with recirculated cooling air. As shown, the ambient air duct 66 opens within the recirculation passage 56, just upstream of the inlet of the fan 62. However, it is considered that the duct can be connected to the recirculation passage elsewhere there. The inward flow of ambient air can be regulated with the use of an optional constriction valve 59 at the inlet end of conduit 66. To provide the corresponding discharge of ethylene and other gaseous by-products, it is preferred to provide a small leakage between the container 13 and the cover 17. As shown in the detail of Figure 6, this controlled leakage can be provided by a small annular space 67 between the outer lip 70 of the cover and the upper edge 69 of the side wall of the container 15. A horizontal support lip 68 in the cover rests on the upper edge of the side wall of the container, but is lifted by internal pressure of the container, thereby allowing small amounts of air to escape, which are replenished with ambient air through the conduit 66. In Figures 7 and 8, another embodiment of the invention is illustrated that includes a container 71 that has more bowl shape and has a p tapering side wall 72 terminating in a generally flat bottom wall 73. The container 71 is removably held in a base 74 which internally includes a thermoelectric module, an ambient cooling air chamber for the thermal collector, and a duct system cooling air, which supplies cooled recirculating air to the container, all in a manner similar to the previously described mode. In this embodiment, the bottom wall of the container 73 includes an integral hollow central tower 75 that extends vertically upward into the interior wall of the circumscribing container 72 and may extend into the space defined by a bowl-shaped cover removable 76. The tower is provided with a plurality of holes 77 that communicate with the hollow interior, these orifices can act as inlets for the air flow to be re-cooled or outlet orifices for the cooled air that is returned to the container, depending on the operating direction of a cold collector fan 78, which functions as it was described with respect to the previous modality. Preferably, the orifices 77 comprise exit orifices that allow air within the container 71 to be returned by the fan 78 to a recirculation passage 80, past the fins 81 of a cold collector 82, back through a return air duct outlet 83 in a cold air supply duct 84, from which cold air re-enters the container through a pattern of inlet holes 85 in the bottom wall 73. The inside of the tower 75 it comprises a return air duct 86 which functionally corresponds to the return air duct 53 of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4, but essentially is different in shape. The use of a central tower 65 improves the distribution of cold air through the container. By using an exit hole pattern 77 that increases in size as the distance of the orifices increases, from the inlet holes 85, a more uniform air flow and thus a more uniform cooling of the entire interior of the tower 75 and cover 76, can be achieved. This modality is still characterized by substantially shortened airflow trajectories and the elimination of flow paths from exposed exterior walls, all characteristic of the prior art. In particular, the total length of the tower 75 is less than half the circumference of dome coolers of the prior art, which have an air flow path in the outer spherical wall. The central tower 75 tapers from a larger diameter at its base to a smaller diameter at its free upper end. Fruit or other food products can be stored in the container 71 supported by the bottom wall 73 and the side wall 72. In addition, one or more trays, including a lower tray of larger diameter 87 and a small diameter upper tray 88 can be held removably in the tower 75. Each of the trays is provided with a central through hole 90, whereby the tray can slide on the tower until it engages the surface of the tower of the same diameter as the through hole where it is retained in the tower. position. Preferably, the through holes 90 are defined by tapered sleeves 91 to improve surface contact and support by the tower 75. The removable trays 87 and 88 can also function as separations for the interior of the vessel 71 that separate into zones of varying temperature and / or to provide a deflecting effect for a variety of airflow through the zones, to effect at varying levels of cooling. In this way, different types of fruit or other food products having different optimal storage temperatures can be kept in the same container. To effect this separation, the trays 87 and 88 can be made from a solid piece having no air holes, they can be made with selected outer members to restrict the flow of cooling air upwards from the cooled air inlet orifices 85 or can to be used with a tower having a different pattern of outlet holes 77. The fruit cooler 10 in the previously described embodiment in Figures 1 to 4 can be divided in a similar way as with horizontal separation trays, conveniently held on lips ( not shown) in the inner side wall 15 of the container or by vertically placed intermediate walls (not shown) extending upwardly from the bottom wall 16 of the container. Variations of the patterns of the inlet holes 57 and exit holes 58 can also be used in conjunction with these auxiliary interior walls. Another feature that is particularly adaptable for use with the embodiments described herein is a separate removable insulating sleeve 92, configured to adjust the inner surface of the side wall of the container 15 and to extend from the bottom wall 16 to the lowermost edge of the cover 17. The interior of the cover 17 can also be provided with an inner insulating layer 93 inserted separately to the inside. inside the cover after molding. The insulating sleeve 92 and the insulating layer 93 are particularly useful for maintaining the cold interior of the container, after the container has been lifted from the base such as for transport, display or serving. As previously indicated, the electronic module 40 is used to control the power supply to the thermoelectric module 24, the heat collector fan 33 and the cold collector fan 72. Because the reversal of the polarity of the supplied current to the thermoelectric module causes the direction of heat flow to be reversed, the fruit chillers of any of the embodiments described herein can also be used to heat the fruit to promote or improve ripening. Certain fruits can often be purchased in a semi-ripe or green condition. An example is bananas that are often purchased in a semi-mature condition and allowed to mature in the open air. By using a controller 40 that allows the user to invert the current and thus the thermal flow, a raw or semi-mature fruit can ripen more quickly when heated and when it is mature, it will be stored for a longer time again when the current is reversed. provide a supply of cooling air to container 13 or 71. In general, temperature control is an excellent medium and by far the best for controlling fruit ripening. As discussed above, the heating can be used to improve and promote ripening of green or semi-ripe fruit, but after the fruit has matured, cooling is the best means available to slow the biological ripening process and preserve the fruit for a period of time. longer period of time.

The electronic control module 40 can also use a thermostat to allow the user to control the desired level of cooling and / or heating. In this way, the user for example can select a fixed point to ripen fruits at a convenient speed or on the contrary a fixed point of cooling to maintain ripe fruit at a temperature that is found to make the fruit more palatable. Other cooling or heating strategies can also be employed, either by manual adjustments by the user or by using programmed microprocessor control.

Claims (29)

1. CLAIMS 1.- A food cooler, characterized in that it comprises: a support base that includes a housing in which a temperature control device is mounted comprising a Peltier thermoelectric module placed between a cold collector and a heat collector opposite, the housing defines a system of cooling ducts that open upwards including a cold air supply duct that receives cold air by means of a flow connection from the cold collector and a return air duct, a circulation fan of cold air placed in the cooling duct system, to circulate through air; and a food container held in the housing, the container has a lateral wall circumscribing above, on the housing and a bottom bottom wall within the housing, the bottom wall forms an upper wall circumscribing for the duct system and has there formed a plurality of inlet orifices communicating with the cold air supply duct and a plurality of outlet orifices communicating with the return air duct.
2. 2. The food chiller according to claim 1, characterized in that one of the ducts is placed to extend on an outer peripheral wall of the housing and the other of the ducts is placed centrally inside that duct and separated therefrom by a common dividing wall that extends generally vertical; and the duct system further comprises a cold air duct inlet, a return air duct outlet and a recirculation passage including the circulation fan and the cold collector and interconnecting the inlet and the outlet.
3. 3. - The food chiller according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer peripheral wall of the housing includes an upper peripheral edge and the container is held at the peripheral edge.
4. 4. The food chiller according to claim 2, characterized in that the duct comprises a cold air supply duct, the cold air supply duct has a lower circumscribing wall, which forms a common partition wall with the recirculating passage positioned below, and the cold air duct inlet is formed in the common partition wall adjacent the outer peripheral wall of the housing.
5. 5. The food cooler according to claim 4, characterized in that the exit of the return air duct is formed in the common separation wall.
6. 6. The food chiller according to claim 2, characterized in that the bottom wall of the container includes a hollow central tower that extends vertically upwards inside the side wall circumscribing the container, the central tower has formed one of the plurality of inlet orifices and outlet orifices.
7. 7. The food chiller according to claim 6, characterized in that one of the plurality of inlet orifices and outlet orifices comprises an orifice pattern with orifice size increasing or increasing in an upward direction on the tower.
8. 8. The food chiller according to claim 6, characterized in that it includes a removable cover that circumscribes the container and where the height of the tower is less than half the inner circumference of the container and the cover.
9. 9. - The food chiller according to claim 2, characterized in that the duct system includes a bottom circumscribing wall, which forms a common partition wall with the recirculation passage positioned below and one of the entrance of the cold air duct and the return air duct outlet is formed in the common partition wall adjacent the outer peripheral wall of the housing.
10. 10. The food chiller according to claim 9, characterized in that the plurality of holes formed in the upper wall circumscribing the duct extends over the outer peripheral wall of the housing, comprises a pattern of holes with hole size that increases with increasing distance, from one of the duct entrance and the outlet of the pipeline.
11. 11. The food chiller according to claim 10, characterized in that the duct that extends over the outer peripheral wall of the housing comprises the duct for supply of cold air.
12. 12. The food chiller according to claim 2, characterized in that the food container is removable from the housing and includes an annular outer edge seal between an upper peripheral edge of the housing that holds the container and the lower edge of the wall laterally circumscribing the container and an inner annular seal between the upper edge of the common dividing wall and the underside of the bottom wall of the container.
13. 13. The food cooler according to claim 12, characterized in that the outer and inner seals are fastened to the container.
14. 14. The food cooler according to claim 9, characterized in that the other one of the cold air duct inlet and the return air duct outlet is formed in the common separation wall at its center.
15. 15. - The food cooler in accordance with the claim 14, characterized in that the plurality of inlet orifices and outlet orifices are interrupted to define solid wall portions that overlap the cold air duct inlet and the return air duct outlet and cover them against waste ingress.
16. 16. The food cooler according to claim 2, characterized in that the container is closed with a removable cover and further comprises a conduit for external ambient air supply communicating with the recirculation passage, the air supply conduit includes a dosing device for admitting a controlled flow of external air.
17. 17. The food chiller according to claim 16, characterized in that the dosing device comprises a tube of small diameter connected to the recirculation passage upstream of the fan.
18. 18.- The food cooler in accordance with the claim 16, characterized in that the dosing device is adjustable to vary the external air flow admitted into the container.
19. 19. The food chiller according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises an auxiliary food tray, detachably supported in the central tower on the bottom wall of the container.
20. 20. The food chiller according to claim 6, characterized in that the central tower is taper to decrease in diameter in the upward direction and further comprises an auxiliary food tray, which has a central through hole adapted to receive the tower central for removable intermediate support to the base and the upper end of the tower.
21. 21. - The food chiller according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an insulating sleeve removably insertable into the container and configured to adapt to the lateral wall it circumscribes.
22. 22.- The food cooler in accordance with the claim 21, characterized in that it includes an isolated removable cover for the container.
23. 23. The food chiller according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes separation means placed inside the container to divide the container into different temperature zones and to vary the air flow through the zones to effect varying levels of temperature. cooling.
24. 24.- A food chiller, characterized in that it comprises: a housing in which a cooling device is installed comprising a Peltier thermoelectric module disposed between a cold collector and an opposite heat collector, the housing defines a duct system Upward cooling, which includes a cold air supply duct in thermal transfer communication with the cold collector and a return air duct, a cold air circulation fan placed in the cooling duct system for cooling circular through air; and a food container held in an upper peripheral edge of the housing, the container has a lateral wall circumscribing upper on the peripheral edge and a bottom bottom wall generally horizontal within the peripheral edge, the bottom wall forms an upper wall circumscribing for the duct system and there is formed a plurality of inlet orifices communicating with the cold air supply duct and a plurality of outlet orifices communicating with the return air duct.
25. 25. - A food chiller according to claim 24, characterized in that it further comprises: a support base for the housing that defines an ambient cooling air chamber below and separated from the cooling duct system; and a heat sink fan mounted in the air chamber, in communication with the heat sink and between an ambient air inlet in a chamber wall and an ambient air outlet to move ambient cooling air over the heat sink .
26. 26. The food chiller according to claim 24, characterized in that the flow for cold air supply is positioned to extend on an outer peripheral wall of the housing including the peripheral edge and the return air duct is centrally placed inside the duct for cold air supply and separated therefrom by a common dividing wall that extends generally vertical; and the duct system further comprises a cold air duct inlet, a return air duct outlet, and a recirculation passage including the recirculation fan and the cold sump and interconnecting the inlet and outlet.
27. 27. The food chiller according to claim 24, characterized in that the duct for supply of cold air and the return air duct have a wall circumscribing common interior forming a separation wall with the recirculation passage placed by below, and a cold air duct inlet is formed in the common partition wall adjacent the outer peripheral wall of the housing, and the return air duct outlet is formed in the common partition wall generally at its center.
28. 28. The food chiller according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises a power supply and an electronic control, the electronic control is adapted to provide user control of electric current from the power supply to reverse the flow of energy. heat through the thermoelectric module, with which it can selectively be heated and cooled in the food in the container.
29. 29. The food cooler according to claim 28, characterized in that the electronic control includes a thermostatic device adapted to allow the user to adjust a selected level of heating and cooling.