Food cooler with reduced condensation spillage

• US 20070193295A1
• Filed: 02/17/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alto-Shaam Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Alto-Shaam Incorporated
• Inventors: Hansen, William, Bartelick, Janus
• Application Number:
  US11/356,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20070193295A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/285
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 21/14 Collecting or removing condensed and defrost water; Drip trays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/021 Sliding doors

Abstract

A food cooler provides storage of its door along the side of the cooler over a condensation tray thereby reducing the risk of condensation accumulating on the floor at the front of the cooler when the door is open for a prolonged period of time in a high humidity environment.

Claims

1. A food cooler comprising:

a cabinet providing a front opening adjacent to a sidewall;

a slide assembly movable horizontally along the sidewall from a position adjacent to the front opening to a position removed from the front opening;

a door hingably attached to the slide assembly to hinge between an open and closed position about the front opening and, when open, to slide along the sidewall to a stowed position; and

a condensation tray extending along the sidewall beneath the door to receive condensation from the door when the door is in a stowed position.

2. The food cooler of claim 1 wherein an inner face of the door, facing the front opening when the door is in the closed position includes a gutter catching condensation off of the door to direct the condensation to an edge of the door near the slide assembly.

3. The food cooler of claim 2 wherein the gutter slopes downward toward the edge of the door near the slide assembly to be self-emptying.

4. The food cooler of claim 3 wherein the door includes a gasket material extending inward toward the front opening when the door is in the closed position and wherein the gutter is above the gasket material along a lower edge of the door.

5. The food cooler of claim 4 wherein the gutter includes a discharge port extending inward beyond the extending of the gutter material so that condensation passes around the gasket material.

6. The food cooler of claim 5 wherein the discharge port includes a drip edge resisting movement of water inward toward the door after passage through the discharge port.

7. The food cooler of claim 2 wherein the condensation tray extends forward beyond the sidewall to collect water from the gutter when the door is in the open position, and throughout a range of door motion as the door is moved to the stowed position.

8. The food cooler of claim 1 wherein the condensation tray is attached to the cabinet.

9. The food cooler of claim 1 further including a rack having wheels allowing the rack to be rolled into and out of the cabinet without interference with the condensation tray.

10. The food cooler of claim 1 further including a removable sump container receiving water from the condensation tray.