Cooling tray
A cooling tray includes a container, springs placed within the container to exerting a vertical thrust, a platform residing within the container and coupled to each spring, and a bowl for residing above the container. When ice is placed on the platform, the plurality of springs are each compressed such that the cooling material contacts an undersurface of the bowl. As the ice melts, the water flows below the platform, and the springs decompress and maintain the remaining ice in contact with the undersurface of the bowl. In this manner, food that requires refrigeration may be served from the portable cooling tray at the appropriate temperature. A formed ice block may be used to impart greater and more efficient cooling as a greater surface area of the ice contacts the undersurface of the bowl. The bowl may be of aluminum to further increase the efficiency.
1. A cooling tray, comprising:
a container;
a plurality of springs placed within the container to exert an upward thrust and each coupled to the container at a first end;
a platform residing within the container and coupled to each spring at a second end;
a bowl for residing above the container,
wherein when a cooling material is placed on the platform, the plurality of springs are each compressed such that the cooling material contacts an undersurface of the bowl;
a skirt coupled to inside walls of the container, wherein the skirt surrounds the platform and is not coupled to the platform, the skirt comprising a plurality of slots in one or more vertical walls of the skirt; and
a plurality of latch assemblies coupled to inside walls of the container and residing within the plurality of slots,
wherein the skirt is moveable in a vertical direction along the latch assemblies residing in the slots.
2. The cooling tray of claim 1 ,
wherein as the cooling material melts, the melted cooling material flows below the platform, wherein the plurality of springs each decompresses and maintains the remaining cooling material in contact with the undersurface of the bowl.
3. The cooling tray of claim 2 , wherein the cooling material comprises a formed ice block comprising a shape and size to fit onto the platform and within the container.
4. The cooling tray of claim 1 , further comprising a locking mechanism comprising:
a hook coupled to an undersurface of the platform; and
a bracket coupled to the container,
wherein the hook engages the bracket to place the platform in a locked position.
5. The cooling tray of claim 4 , wherein the locking mechanism further comprises:
a release lever coupled to the hook, wherein engagement of the release lever disengaged the hook from the bracket, placing the platform in an unlocked position.
6. The cooling tray of claim 1 , wherein while the skirt is in an up position, an upper lip of the skirt is beyond the upper lip of the container,
wherein while the skirt is in a down position, the upper lip of the skirt is flush with the upper lip of the container.
7. The cooling tray of claim 1 , wherein the inside walls of the container further comprises a bump, wherein the skirt further comprises an angled portion,
wherein when the angled portion of the skirt engages the bump, the skirt is maintained at an up position.