Quick defrosting pad

• US 5,848,637 A
• Filed: 04/29/1997
• Issued: 12/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard Lee
• Original Assignee: Richard Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): DOERRLER, WILLIAM CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US08/848,219
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 62/272, 62/371, 62/457.9, 62/DIG. 22, 165/104.19, 165/104.21, 165/104.22, 165/104.26, 99/483
• US Class Current: 165/104.21
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/365 Thawing subsequent to freezing
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/02 in which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes heat pipes used in solar heat collectors F24S10/95; in radiators F28D1/0226; in nuclear reactors G21C15/257

Abstract

A quick defrosting pad comprising a pad body and a plurality of heat pipes is provided. The pad body is made from a material with excellent heat conductivity. The bottom of the pad body is provided with a plurality of projecting ribs or posts. The heat pipes are made from a material with excellent heat conductivity and which can be integrally formed with the pad body or be assembled to the pad body after it is individually formed. Each of the pipes is sealed at both ends and evacuated to form a vacuum condition therein. The inner wall of the tube is provided with a metal mesh having a siphon effect. The inner space of the pipe is injected with a suitable amount of a working fluid which is volatile. The plurality of pipes are respectively disposed in each of the projecting ribs or posts of the pad body, such being spaced one from another.

Claims

1. A defrosting pad, comprising:

a one-piece pad body formed of a material having a high thermal conductivity, said pad body having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion having a top surface with an undulating contour to increase a contact surface area with a frozen food product received thereon, said lower portion of said pad body having a plurality of downwardly directed ribs, each displaced from the other, each of said ribs having a plurality of grooves formed in an external surface thereof to increase a thermal exchange surface area thereof and a plurality of internal cavities formed therein, said pad body having a plurality of spaced openings formed therein, each of said plurality of openings being formed through said upper portion in open communication with a respective internal cavity of a respective rib; and

,

a plurality of heat pipes respectively disposed in said plurality of openings in said pad body in a substantially vertical orientation, each of said plurality of heat pipes having (a) a lower end disposed in a respective internal cavity of a respective rib for transfer of heat from ambient air thereto, and (b) an upper end extending through said opening and spaced above said upper surface of said pad body for direct contact with a frozen food product to transfer said heat thereto.