Contoured ice pack system for a fish body

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide rigid (hard-sided) ice packs that include contours configured to cooperate with whole fish, as harvested. The contours allow the fish to have close contact with surfaces of the ice pack while also protecting the fish from being bruised, crushed, deformed, or otherwise damaged during storage or transportation.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A cold pack system comprising:
 a first non-tubular rigid shell having a serpentine cross-section, the first non-tubular rigid shell forming a first plurality of pockets; and   a first non-circulating heat-exchange component contained by the first non-tubular rigid shell.   
     
     
         2 . The cold pack of  claim 1 , wherein the first non-tubular rigid shell is manufactured from plastic. 
     
     
         3 . The cold pack of  claim 1 , wherein the first non-tubular rigid shell is manufactured from blow molded high-density polyethylene. 
     
     
         4 . The cold pack of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of pockets includes at least one pocket open to a first side of the first non-tubular rigid shell and at least one pocket open to a second side of the first non-tubular rigid shell, the first side being opposite the second side. 
     
     
         5 . The cold pack of  claim 1 , wherein the first non-circulating heat-exchange component is a fluid. 
     
     
         6 . The cold pack of  claim 5 , wherein the fluid includes water. 
     
     
         7 . The cold pack of  claim 5 , wherein the fluid includes propylene glycol. 
     
     
         8 . The cold pack of  claim 5 , wherein the fluid includes alcohol. 
     
     
         9 . The cold pack of  claim 1 , wherein the first non-circulating heat-exchange component is a solid. 
     
     
         10 . The cold pack of  claim 1 , wherein the first non-circulating heat-exchange component is a gel. 
     
     
         11 . The cold pack system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second non-tubular rigid shell having a serpentine cross-section, the second non-tubular rigid shell forming a second plurality of pockets; and   a second non-circulating heat-exchange component contained by the second non-tubular rigid shell.   
     
     
         12 . A method for using the cold pack system of  claim 1 , comprising:
 cooling the cold pack system;   disposing the cold pack system in a thermally-insulated container; and   disposing each of a plurality of fish bodies into a corresponding one of the first plurality of pockets.