FOOD CHILLING APPARATUS AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A chilling apparatus comprising:
- (a) a first container defining a first chamber;
(b) at least one buoyant second container positionable within said first chamber for holding ice thereon; and
(c) at least one third container positionable overlying said second container and having an undersurface cooled by said ice, wherein said second and third containers are separable and define a subchamber therebetween,wherein said second container is floatable within said first container to maintain said ice in contact with said undersurface of said third container during melting of said ice.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for chilling food is provided. The apparatus includes first, second and third containers which are nestable and stackable. The second and third containers fit within a chamber defined in the first container. The second container is designed for holding ice and the third container is designed for separately holding food. The apparatus is configured so that as the ice in the second container melts, the volume of a subchamber defined between the second and third containers decreases to maintain the remaining ice in contact with an undersurface of the third container holding the food. The food is therefore more effectively and consistently chilled than in prior art designs. In one embodiment, the second container is buoyant. The second container will therefore float on the surface of ice water drained from the second container to the bottom of the first container. The apparatus may be configured to receive multiple food containers and/or multiple ice containers.
29 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A chilling apparatus comprising:
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(a) a first container defining a first chamber; (b) at least one buoyant second container positionable within said first chamber for holding ice thereon; and (c) at least one third container positionable overlying said second container and having an undersurface cooled by said ice, wherein said second and third containers are separable and define a subchamber therebetween, wherein said second container is floatable within said first container to maintain said ice in contact with said undersurface of said third container during melting of said ice. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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- 18. A chilling container for use in a chilling apparatus, said chilling apparatus comprising a first container defining a first chamber and a food container positionable in said first chamber, said chilling container comprising a chilling chamber for holding ice therein below said food container, wherein said chilling container is movable relative to said food container during melting of said ice to maintain said ice in contact with an undersurface of said food container during said melting.
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22. A method of chilling food comprising:
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(a) providing a first container defining a first chamber; (b) positioning at least one second container holding ice within said first chamber; (c) positioning at least one third container holding said food above said second container, said second and third containers defining a second chamber therebetween; and (d) reducing the volume of said second chamber during melting of said ice to continuously maintain said ice in contact with an undersurface of said third container during said melting. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification