Food chiller

Abstract

A food cooling assembly is disclosed. The assembly includes a reservoir adapted to retain a fluid. The receptacle includes an opening extending therethrough. The assembly also includes a chiller including a pump having a suction end and a discharge end and a supply conduit having a first supply end releasably couplable to the opening and a second supply end coupled to the suction end of the pump. A cooling conduit having a first cooling end is coupled to the discharge end of the pump and a second cooling end releasably couplable to the opening. A heat transfer device is in physical contact with the cooling conduit between the first cooling end and the second cooling end, such that heat is transferred between the heat transfer device and the cooling conduit. A method of cooling food using water from a reservoir to cool the food is also disclosed.

1 . A food cooling assembly comprising:
 a reservoir adapted to retain a fluid, wherein the receptacle includes an opening extending therethrough; and   a chiller comprising:
 a pump having a suction end and a discharge end; 
 a supply conduit having a first supply end releasably couplable to the opening and a second supply end coupled to the suction end of the pump; 
 a cooling conduit having a first cooling end coupled to the discharge end of the pump and a second cooling end releasably couplable to the opening; and 
 a heat transfer device in physical contact with the cooling conduit between the first cooling end and the second cooling end, such that heat is transferred between the heat transfer device and the cooling conduit. 
   
   
   
       2 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer device comprises a plurality of heat transfer devices. 
   
   
       3 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plug disposed around at least a portion of the first supply end, wherein the plug is adapted to be removably coupled to the opening. 
   
   
       4 . The assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the plug is disposed around at least a portion of the second cooling end. 
   
   
       5 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer device comprises a generally concave shape. 
   
   
       6 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir comprises a cooler. 
   
   
       7 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the chiller further comprises a heat measurement device thermally coupled to the heat transfer device. 
   
   
       8 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature control circuit operatively coupled to the pump. 
   
   
       9 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the second cooling end is adjacent the first supply end. 
   
   
       10 . An apparatus for cooling food comprising:
 a pump having a suction end and a discharge end;   a supply conduit having a first supply end releasably couplable to an opening in a receptacle adapted to retain a fluid and a second supply end coupled to the suction end of the pump;   a cooling conduit having a first cooling end coupled to the discharge end of the pump and a second cooling end releasably couplable to the opening; and   a heat transfer device in physical contact with the cooling conduit, such that heat is transferrable between the heat transfer device and the cooling conduit.   
   
   
       11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the heat transfer device comprises a plurality of heat transfer devices. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising a plug disposed around at least a portion of the first supply end, wherein the plug is adapted to be removably coupled to the opening. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the plug comprises a taper. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the plug is disposed around at least a portion of the second cooling end. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the heat transfer device comprises a generally concave shape. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the second cooling end is adjacent the first supply end. 
   
   
       17 . A method of cooling food using water from a reservoir to cool the food, the method comprising the steps of:
 placing the food in a receptacle; and   circulating the water from the reservoir, out of the reservoir, to the receptacle, and back to the reservoir.   
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the step of circulating the water comprises circulating the water from the reservoir in a first lumen of a dual lumen tube and circulating the cooling fluid back to the reservoir in second lumen of the dual lumen tube. 
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising the step of releasably coupling the reservoir to the receptacle. 
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising the step of measuring the temperature of the receptacle.