Food cooler with reduced condensation spillage

Abstract

A food cooler provides storage of its door along the side of the cooler over a condensation tray thereby reducing the risk of condensation accumulating on the floor at the front of the cooler when the door is open for a prolonged period of time in a high humidity environment.

1 . A food cooler comprising: 
 a cabinet providing a front opening adjacent to a sidewall;    a slide assembly movable horizontally along the sidewall from a position adjacent to the front opening to a position removed from the front opening;    a door hingably attached to the slide assembly to hinge between an open and closed position about the front opening and, when open, to slide along the sidewall to a stowed position; and    a condensation tray extending along the sidewall beneath the door to receive condensation from the door when the door is in a stowed position.    
   
   
       2 . The food cooler of  claim 1  wherein an inner face of the door, facing the front opening when the door is in the closed position includes a gutter catching condensation off of the door to direct the condensation to an edge of the door near the slide assembly.  
   
   
       3 . The food cooler of  claim 2  wherein the gutter slopes downward toward the edge of the door near the slide assembly to be self-emptying.  
   
   
       4 . The food cooler of  claim 3  wherein the door includes a gasket material extending inward toward the front opening when the door is in the closed position and wherein the gutter is above the gasket material along a lower edge of the door.  
   
   
       5 . The food cooler of  claim 4  wherein the gutter includes a discharge port extending inward beyond the extending of the gutter material so that condensation passes around the gasket material.  
   
   
       6 . The food cooler of  claim 5  wherein the discharge port includes a drip edge resisting movement of water inward toward the door after passage through the discharge port.  
   
   
       7 . The food cooler of  claim 2  wherein the condensation tray extends forward beyond the sidewall to collect water from the gutter when the door is in the open position, and throughout a range of door motion as the door is moved to the stowed position.  
   
   
       8 . The food cooler of  claim 1  wherein the condensation tray is attached to the cabinet.  
   
   
       9 . The food cooler of  claim 1  further including a rack having wheels allowing the rack to be rolled into and out of the cabinet without interference with the condensation tray.  
   
   
       10 . The food cooler of  claim 1  further including a removable sump container receiving water from the condensation tray.