MODULAR REFRIGERATOR

• US 20160176568A1
• Filed: 12/23/2014
• Published: 06/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Glasgow, Dane, MacLaurin, Matthew Bret, Sherman, Corinne Elizabeth, Ramadge, David
• Application Number:
  US14/581,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20160176568A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4212 Information or decoration elements, e.g. content indicators, or for mailing B65D5/522 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/04 with special compartments, e.g. butter conditioners
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/005 using containers
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2500/06 Stock management

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure include, in combination, a modular refrigerator having a door and providing at least one refrigerated compartment accessible when the door is open, and one or more removable food shipping containers configured to be received within the refrigerated compartment, the refrigerated compartment comprising a plurality of container bays corresponding to each of a multiplicity of food shipping container delivery times, each of the plurality of container bays being configured to hold a food shipping container; the food shipping container further being configured to comply with a postal or courier regulation and to contain food items selected to remain comestible before a food item expiry date; the food shipping container or the container bay including indicia for designating a food shipping container delivery time, or the food item expiry date.

Claims

1. For use with a modular refrigerator having a door and providing at least one refrigerated compartment accessible when the door is open:

one or more removable food shipping containers configured to be received within the refrigerated compartment, the refrigerated compartment comprising a plurality of container bays corresponding to each of a multiplicity of food shipping container delivery times, each of the plurality of container bays being configured to hold a food shipping container;

the food shipping container further being configured to;

comply with a postal or courier regulation; and

contain food items selected to remain comestible before a food item expiry date;

the food shipping container or the container bay further including indicia for designating a food shipping container delivery time, or the food item expiry date.

2. The food shipping container of claim 1, wherein the food shipping container is slidable within the container bay in the modular refrigerator.

3. The food shipping container of claim 1, wherein the food shipping container is insulated, or includes insulation material.

4. The food shipping container of claim 1, wherein insertion of the food shipping container into the container bay in the modular refrigerator generates an identification of the food shipping container delivery time, and/or the food item expiry date.

5. In combination, a modular refrigerator having a door and providing at least one refrigerated compartment accessible when the door is open, and one or more removable food shipping containers configured to be received within the refrigerated compartment, the refrigerated compartment comprising a plurality of container bays corresponding to each of a multiplicity of food shipping container delivery times, each of the plurality of container bays being configured to hold a food shipping container;

the food shipping container further being configured to comply with a postal or courier regulation and to contain food items selected to remain comestible before a food item expiry date;

the food shipping container or the container bay including indicia for designating a food shipping container delivery time, or the food item expiry date.