US3744271A - Holdover cold plate cooling unit - Google Patents

Abstract

A cooling unit for and to be mounted within a container to be maintained refrigerated. The unit includes an open top tank having a closed hollow body removably positioned within the tank with general equal spacing between the inner surfaces of the tank walls and the opposing outer surfaces of the hollow body, the latter being somewhat less than completely filled with eutectic solution. The tank includes structure for mounting within the container to be refrigerated and is adapted to have liquid nitrogen discharged thereinto in sufficient quantity to lower the temperature of the hollow body and the eutectic solution disposed therein to the freezing point of the eutectic solution before all of the liquid nitrogen placed within the tank vaporizes.

Description

Unite States Patet 1191 [111 3,744,271 1451 July 10; 1973 HOLDOVER COLD PLATE COOLING UNIT FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS 1 lnvemofl Paul Franklin 5211 469,753 9/1937 Great Britain 62/7 Beaver St., Jacksonville, Fla. 32205 22 Filed: Mar. 31, 1972 Primary Examiner william J. Wye 1 pp NO I 240 047 Attorneyl-larvey B. Jacobson 57 ABSTRACT [52] U.S.Cl 62/430, 62/59, 62/514, I

2 57 2 43 A coollng unit for and to be mounted within a con- [51] llnt. Cl F25d 11/00 miner to b maintained refrigerated- The unit includes [58] Field ofSearch 62/59, 430, 64, 514, an p p tank having a closed hollow body remov- 2 57 20 4 5 ably positioned within the tank with general equal spacing between the inner surfaces of the tank walls and the 5 References Cited opposing outer surfaces of the hollow body, the latter UNITED STATES PATENTS being somewhat less than completely filled with eutectic solution. The tank includes structure for mounting l r P i' within the container to be refrigerated and is adapted 9/1941 'igf 62/457 to have liquid nitrogen discharged thereinto in suff1- 1982789 12/1934 Clark 62/59 cient quantity to lower the temperature of the hollow 3257820 6H9 Case body and the eutectic solution disposed therein to the 10/1971 a," 62/64 freezing point of the eutectic solution before all of 3:4l0:l09 H1968 'a'x I the liquid nitrogen placed within the tank vaporizes. 3,633,381 1/1972 Haaf 62/457 3,665,728 5 1972 Stoller 62/514 1 Chum, 3 Drawlng Figures.

t i i k z k t 74 50 50 56 I 5 i a---24 s 5* f l6 I-IOLDOVER COLD PLATE COOLING UNIT The main object of this invention is to provide a quick and inexpensive means for regrigerating the interior of an insulated container to maintain chilled foodstuffs and/or other materials disposed therein below a predetermined temperature in turn below the ambient temperature.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cooling unit in accordance with the preceding object and which may be mounted within a selected container to be repeatedly refrigerated with the container provided with liquid nitrogen ducting structure to be utilized in charging the tank of the cooling unit with the desired amount of liquid nitrogen in a safe manner from the exterior of the container.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a cooling unit in accordance with the preceding objects with the container including a low pressure differential actuated vent door whereby excess vaporized nitrogen discharged from the tank into the interior of the container may be vented from the latter.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a cooling unit for a container to be maintained refrigerated with the cooling unit being such as to conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the rear end of a truck having a refrigerated container to be maintained refrigerated by the cooling unit of the instant invention positioned therein;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by thesection line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 33 of FIG. 1.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral generally designates an enclosed body of a motor vehicle referred to in general by thereference numeral 12. Anupright container 14 is illustrated positioned within thebody 10 and it is to be understood that a plurality of thecontainers 14 may be positioned within thebody 10 for transporting thecontainers 14 from a point of origin to various points of destination.

Although thecontainers 14 may be utilized to receive therein various types of commodities to be maintained refrigerated, one use of such containers resides in the placement of daily orders of foodstuffs within the containers for several distant restaurants, primarily of the drive-in type. After each container has been filled with the desired order it is placed upon thevehicle 12 and the latter is then utilized to transport the various con tainerized orders to several distant restaurants from a main supply point.

Each of thecontainers 14 includes insulated top andbottom walls 16 interconnected by means of front andrear walls 18 and 20 as well asopposite side walls 22 and 24. Thefront wall 18 of eachcontainer 14 has a large access opening 26 formed therein removably closable by means of a hingedfront door 28. Theside wall 24 has a large cross-sectional area vent opening 30 formed therein closed by means of a spring-urged and hingedclosure door 32. Further, theside wall 24 includes an inwardlyrecessed portion 34 having ahorizontal opening 36 formed therein and the inwardly recessedportion 34 defines an outwardlyopening recess 38 for purpose to be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The cooling unit of the instant invention comprises an open top tank referred to in general by thereference numeral 40 and including front andrear walls 42 and 44 interconnected by means ofopposite side walls 46 and 48. Also, thetank 40 includes abottom wall 50 connecting the lower marginal portions of thewalls 42, 44, 46 and 48.

A closed hollow body referred to in general by thereference numeral 52 is removably receivable within thetank 40. Thebody 52 includes top andbottom walls 54 and 56,opposite side walls 58 and 60, and front andrear walls 62 and 64;

Thewalls 42, 44, 46 and 48 as well as thebottom wall 50 having spacing angle members 42', 44', 46' and 48' as well as anangle member 50 supported therefrom and the angle members are utilized to support thehollow body 52 with thetank 40 with the inner surfaces of the various walls of the tank substantially equally spaced from the opposing outer surface portions of thehollow body 50.

Thebody 52 is substantially, but not completely, filled with aeutectic solution 66 and abody 68 of somewhat compressible material is disposed within thetank 40 and floats in thesolution 66 when it is in a liquid state.

Adelivery line 70 includes afitting 72 on its inlet end and anoutlet end 74 opening outwardly in the lower portion of thetank 40. The inlet end of theline 70 extends through thebore 36 and thefitting 72 is disposed in therecess 38.

In operation, a plurality of thecontainers 14 have predetermined orders of refrigerated foodstuffs placed therein and thedoors 28 are then closed. Thereafter, liquid nitrogen of sufficient volume to freeze theeutectic solution 66 within thebody 52 is piped into thetank 40 through theline 70. As the liquid nitrogen vaporizes the excess vapors within thecontainer 14 are vented therefrom through the vent opening30 and any expansion of theeutectic solution 66 realized as thesolution 66 is frozen by the liquid nitrogen within thetank 40 is compensated for by thecompressible body 68.

Of course, the interior of thecontainer 14 is immediately refrigerated by the quantity of the finally vaporized liquid nitrogen remaining in thecontainer 14. Thereafter, refrigeration of the interior of thecontainer 14 is maintained by the hollow body (or cold plate) 52 disposed within thetank 40. Of course, the amount of liquid nitrogen discharged into thetank 40 through theline 70 is in part determined by the freezing point of theeutectic solution 66.

After a plurality of the containers have been thus refrigerated, they may be lifted onto thevehicle 12 in any conventional manner and other foodstuffs and/or supplies may be disposed within thevehicle 12 exteriorly of thecontainers 14 before thevehicle 12 proceeds on its delivery route.

By utilizing the cooling unit of the instant invention containers such as thecontainers 14 may be rapidly refrigerated in a matter of five minutes or less without fear of mechanical breakdown and at a low cost.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired-to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1.,A cooling unit for and to be mounted within a container to be maintained refrigerated, said unit comprising an open top tank including upstanding peripheral wall portions interconnected at their lower ends by means of a bottom wall extending therebetween, a closed hollow body somewhat less than completely filled with eutectic solution and of a size and shape to be removably received within said tank with generally equal spacing between the inner surfaces of the bottom and peripheral walls of said tank and the opposing outer surfaces of said body and abutment means disposed between said opposing inner and outer surfaces for maintaining said generally equal spacing, said tank being adapted to have a liquid with a low boiling point discharged thereinto, an insulated container, said tank being mounted within said container, a liquid gas delivery line having an outlet end opening into said tank and an inlet end opening outwardly through one wall portion of said container, said one wall portion of said container comprising a portion of one upstanding wall of said container, said one wall portion being inwardly recessed relative to the adjacent portions of said one wall, said inlet end including means adapted for sealed communication with a source of liquid gas under pressure.

Claims (1)

1. A cooling unit for and to be mounted within a container to be maintained refrigerated, said unit comprising an open top tank including upstanding peripheral wall portions interconnected at their lower ends by means of a bottom wall extending therebetween, a closed hollow body somewhat less than completely filled with eutectic solution and of a size and shape to be removably received within said tank with generally equal spacing between the inner surfaces of the bottom and peripheral walls of said tank and the opposing outer surfaces of said body and abutment means disposed between said opposing inner and outer surfaces for maintaining said generally equal spacing, said tank being adapted to have a liquid with a low boiling point discharged thereinto, an insulated container, said tank being mounted within said container, a liquid gas delivery line having an outlet end opening into said tank and an inlet end opening outwardly through one wall portion of said container, said one wall portion of said container comprising a portion of one upstanding wall of said container, said one wall portion being inwardly recessed relative to the adjacent portions of said one wall, said inlet end including means adapted for sealed communication with a source of liquid gas under pressure.

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