Patent Abstract:
A system that utilizes a rigid support structure of various configurations and materials, with attached item support members designed to hold perishable items to which the module is adapted. A further system of temperature-regulated fluid is employed to flow across the exterior of the support structure upon a free-flow surface in thermal conduction contact with the item support members. The resultant desirable outcome and intention of the system is to thus regulate the temperature of the stored and/or displayed perishable items while simultaneously producing the visual dynamics and potential audible aesthetic qualities of fluid in modified descending motion. The invention lends itself to artistic expressions for design features, within the limits of the claims, while maintaining the technical goals of perishable item preservation, convenience of location within normal living or merchandising space, and display of representative items.

Full Description:
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH  
       [0001]     Not Applicable  
       SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM  
       [0002]     Not Applicable  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     1. Field of Invention  
         [0004]     This invention relates to the technical and aesthetic storage, preservation, and display of perishable items.  
         [0005]     2. Discussion of Prior Art  
         [0006]     Historically, the storage, proper preservation, and creative display of perishable and consumable items, such as beverages like wine and beer, have been limited by the technology and creativity applied to the industry. Regarding proper preservation, the maintenance of temperature as well as ambient humidity has long been known to have favorable or deleterious effects upon stored substances, including these bottled beverages. With respect to aesthetic display of consumer items such as bottled beer and wine, it is important to note that the container contours and labels containing images, colors, texture, and text that offer extraordinary human aesthetic appeal, based upon visual recognition and generation of an emotional response, are part of the culture and eventual economics that surround these industries.  
         [0007]     Systems for proper, industry-recognized, temperature storage have, for centuries, taken advantage of the ambient earth temperatures found in caves, cellars or various other underground vaults. Various types of racks and crates have been utilized for the organization of the perishable items within the rooms that are somewhat temperature-regulated by the relatively constant ground temperature well below the exposed surface. Generally, this system is inconvenient in that it requires a trip to a space far removed from the general living space of home occupants or storage areas of purveyors in the industry such as wineries or wine stores. Additionally, bottled beverages and other items so stored are not presented in a fashion for public display for the various purposes for which that would be desirable, not the least of which is human interest and the sharing of such interest. That is, the storage system may not be accessible, viewable, or provide for the presentation of the item in an appealing manner, due to dust, cobwebs, poor stairways, insects, or inadequate lighting, or simply the inconvenience of the excursion to a separate space within the building, to name but a few.  
         [0008]     In the current era it is most common to find vast quantities of beverages, such as wine, stored and displayed in ambient room conditions. Thus, the accessibility and view ability are often excellent. But, these conditions can, and usually do, include elevated and fluctuating temperatures, both of which are known to be detrimental to the quality of an item such as wine or beer. Some wines, for example, are known to connoisseurs as being more desirable and more economically valuable after several years of proper aging within the container. The process can be impaired to the point of spoilage if, to continue the example, the beverage is subjected to improper conditions, including elevated temperature over a period of time. Thus, most of the non-temperature-regulated shelving and racking systems, simply designed to store and display, fail in their capability to properly preserve and enhance many perishable items.  
         [0009]     More modern refrigeration technology has allowed temperature regulation to be utilized in aboveground, ambient room-temperature applications. One current option is a refrigerator box; some having see-through fronts for visual contact with the inner contents without the need for opening the door. Though this option does solve the issue of convenience of access and the proper temperature storage of various perishable items, it offers little with respect to the aesthetic display of containers, labels or contents. The boxes have few aesthetically appealing creative characteristics from their own intrinsic appearance or sound and do little to show-off those aspects of the item that appeal to the consumer. In some ways, this approach is thought to have removed an element of “charm” that was associated with the stone walls of caves or the arched ceilings of other underground storage systems with the possible sounds of trickling water in these underground areas. Stores have indeed adopted open-faced refrigerated display cases that allow ease of visual contact with some types of perishable items such as produce and cheeses. Still, there is a general lack of aesthetic appeal to the storage system itself, leaving the marketing of the product solely to the manufacturer of that product and offering little to augment or present the product in a more titillating and aesthetic fashion.  
         [0010]     With this “charm” and the notions of proper storage and preservation in mind, a modern approach has been taken to recreate the storage cellar by building an entire room within a larger living or commercial space that is temperature and humidity regulated to best suit the needs of the perishable item. The temperatures so desired, commonly between fifty-five and sixty degrees Fahrenheit for wines, for example, are great for the stored item but uncomfortable for most humans over any extended period. Thus, the room is generally isolated by walls from the more inhabitable areas of the human-occupied spaces. Additionally, to adequately isolate this space from the other warmer, less humidified spaces requires a significant expenditure of resources for special construction and maintenance.  
         [0011]     Furthermore, many racking and shelving systems do not properly position corked beverage bottles. The constant contact of bottle contents with a cork closure is essential for prevention of cork shrinkage. In turn, this prevents exchange of outside air and evaporated fluid from within. It is this process that causes one type of premature breakdown of beverage quality. Secondly, the improper positioning of bottles of some beverages prevents the settling of sediments to the lower portion of the bottle where, in the case of wine bottles, a trough is designed into the bottle for the collection of such sediments.  
         [0012]     Space utilization is another area of concern where many items are being stored. Some storage systems stack items for maximum use of space. Items in the lower portions of the system cannot be removed without the difficulty and disturbance of removing items resting upon them. Other systems use so much shelving material that the total consumption of space is, unfortunately, utilized by the shelving rather than the desired product that it was designed to store and display. Various compact systems do not provide for the visual inspection of a representative item and its label without the removal of an item from the system. This then introduces the possibility of breakage and limits the inspection of many alternative choices within a given period of time.  
         [0013]     There has been a veritable explosion of creative designs surrounding the display and storage of bottled beverages such as wine. The remarkable creativity, however, is hampered by the inability of the designs to include ample storage capacity or the capability of proper conditions for preservation of perishable substances.  
         [0014]     The use of fluid dynamics for the purpose of combining the capability of thermal regulation and aesthetic presentation is lacking in the prior art. A category of creative systems that utilizes the aesthetic qualities, but not the storage and display capabilities exists within the framework of waterfalls, water fountains, water sculpture, fountain furniture, etc. None of these available, that could be found, combines the creative water features with the practical notion of storage, preservation, and display of perishable items.  
         [0015]     The most directly relevant items of manufacture in the public domain that could be found are the display cases designed to maintain the humidity of stored and displayed produce such as lettuce or carrots. These systems are generally equipped with shelving and spray nozzles for showering the shelf-displayed produce with a mist of water on some intermittent frequency. They have even incorporated sounds of nature, like thunder, to give warning to those in proximity that the impending “rains” are soon to begin. What these systems have not attained, nor in my estimation even attempted, is to utilize the practical elements and procedures in a manner that is an aesthetic feature. In other words, the water spray has a practical purpose and the structure that is associated does not utilize the movement of water across a surface for the production of natural flowing water aesthetics as is found in the above mentioned waterfalls and water fountains. Put bluntly, this prior art does not exhibit the engineered or innate capability of naturally producing the visual and audio aesthetic qualities of ambient-exposed, modified falling water in combination with its storage and display capabilities. A further shortcoming of this storage mechanism is the necessity of direct contact of the water with the stored items to accomplish the objective of humidity and/or temperature regulation. Many perishable items do not preserve well with direct contact of aqueous media. Additionally, intricate labeling and advertising means such as paper labels do not generally react favorably to direct contact with fluids. There are, apparently, no systems that allow indirect physical contact with a substantially direct thermal contact with stored items of a visibly dynamic fluid flowing in a manner that offers some aesthetic attraction. The inventor believes such a module would offer significant advantages in many cases.  
       OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES  
       [0016]     Accordingly, the objects and advantages of this invention arise from the successful combination of the attributes that other systems have not succeeded in assembling together. They are: 
        (a) to regulate temperature of the stored object or substance, and     (b) to provide humidity enhancement in the region of the stored material, and     (c) to offer the convenience of locating the storage device within habitable ambient room conditions, and     (d) to provide a highly accessible and viewable product, and     (e) to allow for an excellent display of a representative item while maintaining proper storage conditions for that item, and     (f) to avail for the utilization of raw and naturally appealing elements for construction such as wood, copper, glass, stone, or other options to add natural and charming appeal, and     (g) to create visual interest using cascading fluid motion and the associated intrinsic reflective, refractive, and diffractive light behavior, and     (h) to provide an option of the natural sound of cascading water for aesthetic interest, and     (j) to give versatility by providing for the proper and/or creative arrangement of stored items—example: proper angle for the storage of corked beverage bottles, including the display bottles, and     (k) to make easy the removal of any particular stored item, and     (l) to offer flexibility for a variety of storage designs for space utilization—example: organizable and customizable to “case’ quantities such as twelve, and     (m) to provide variable flow regulation to the viewable fluid free-flow surface for changing the affect of the fluid, and     (n) to engineer for an endless variety of potential artistic designs and enhancements to the invention, and     (o) to provide for temperature regulation and humidity enhancement of a stored item without direct contact with a fluid media.        
 
         [0031]     The described objects and advantages do not define a particular shape, size, or configuration, but will be represented in this document by one example that has been built and tested. Other representations will be suggested in order to demonstrate configuration and design options based upon the same objects and advantages. These options are adapted to other specific uses and/or exhibiting other aesthetic expressions.  
         [0032]     Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the specification and drawings.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0033]     The invention is a temperature-regulated storage and/or display module of various shapes, sizes and configurations for the storage, preservation and display of perishable items. It has the essential inventive elements of a support structure capable of housing a conduit for transporting temperature-regulated fluid through a course that includes thermal contact with item support members such as rods or other holders that are supported by the rigid support structure. The item support members are capable of transporting heat such that the items of interest will be temperature-regulated without direct contact with the fluid. The presented embodiment takes advantage of modern refrigeration with the utilization of a chiller, but differs from refrigerated cases and boxes in that a temperature-regulated fluid is allowed to flow external to the support structure to create visible and audible affects for aesthetic purposes.  
         [0034]     The temperature-regulated storage and/or display module, is represented in the main embodiment presented, housed within a wood cabinet (see  FIG. 7 ) that supports a rectangular configuration of the module. The configuration includes a racking arrangement designed specifically for most common 750 milliliter wine bottles. The organization of the rack is such that four cases, of twelve bottles each, can be stored conveniently. Each case occupies two vertical columns. Each of the four cases is provided a display rack where the bottle label can be easily read without removing the bottle. There are four additional spaces for random bottles not necessarily associated with the four cases of twelve. Two copper rods securely cradle each bottle. Removal of any of the bottles does not disturb those remaining. Other embodiments of the invention are represented in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , having all of the elements of the main, independent claims. 
     
    
     DRAWINGS  
       [0000]     Drawing Figures  
         [0035]     In the drawings, closely related figures have the same number but different alphabetic suffixes.  
         [0036]      FIG. 1A  shows a face perspective view of a basic form of a rigid support structure (RSS). The figure shows milled holes, grooves, slots, cutouts and other millings in the RSS.  
         [0037]      FIG. 1B  is a backside perspective drawing of the RSS showing channels, ports for fittings, and cutouts for housing a fluid-supply-conduit.  
         [0038]      FIG. 1C  shows the RSS cover that seals the interior flow channels.  
         [0039]      FIG. 2  is the configuration of the fluid-supply-conduit.  
         [0040]      FIG. 3  shows a gated sliding valve with a handle and cut notches.  
         [0041]      FIGS. 4A  to  4 C show different types of item support members (ISMs) utilized in this particular rendition of the invention.  FIG. 4A  shows a standard ISM (SISM),  FIG. 4B  a ported ISM (PISM), and  FIG. 4C  a manifold ISM (MISM).  
         [0042]      FIG. 5  shows a free-flow surface (FFS) with a back and basin portion with a sink drain assembly in the basin.  
         [0043]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  show the assembly of the preferred embodiment of the module.  
         [0044]      FIG. 7  shows the entire module of the preferred embodiment, without the parts detail, housed within a free-standing floor cabinet unit (optional) with the additional (not part of the module), necessary components for making this embodiment fully functional represented in the drawing as a container and itemized in the text box.  
         [0045]      FIG. 8  shows an alternative embodiment of the module.  
         [0046]      FIG. 9  shows another alternative embodiment of the module. 
     
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS  
       [0047]    
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 20 rigid support structure (RSS) 
               
               
                   
                 22 and 22′cutouts for tubing fittings 
               
               
                   
                 23 and 23′access holes 
               
               
                   
                 24 incoming-fluid manifold slot 
               
               
                   
                 25 and 25′ incoming-fluid manifold fitting ports 
               
               
                   
                 26 sliding gated-valve groove 
               
               
                   
                 27 gated-valve handle byway 
               
               
                   
                 28 ported item support member (PISM) holes 
               
               
                   
                 30 standard item support member (SISM) holes 
               
               
                   
                 32 manifold item support member (MISM) holes 
               
               
                   
                 34 PISM channels 
               
               
                   
                 36 SISM to MISM channels 
               
               
                   
                 37 rigid support structure (RSS) cover 
               
               
                   
                 38 sliding gated-valve handle cutout 
               
               
                   
                 40 ISM RSS cover holes 
               
               
                   
                 45 and 45′ fluid-supply conduit channels 
               
               
                   
                 46 L-shaped, threaded tubing fitting 
               
               
                   
                 47 L-shaped tubing fitting 
               
               
                   
                 48 fluid-supply conduit 
               
               
                   
                 49 plastic tubing 
               
               
                   
                 50 splitter tubing fitting 
               
               
                   
                 52 sliding gated-valve bar 
               
               
                   
                 53 PISM cutout notches 
               
               
                   
                 54 SISM to MISM cutout notches 
               
               
                   
                 56 gated-valve lever 
               
               
                   
                 58 stainless steel screw 
               
               
                   
                 59 holes in PISM tubes 
               
               
                   
                 60 ported item support member (PISM) 
               
               
                   
                 61 PISM port 
               
               
                   
                 62 glass sphere 
               
               
                   
                 64 standard item support member (SISM) 
               
               
                   
                 66 foamed-plastic plug 
               
               
                   
                 68 manifold item support member (MISM) 
               
               
                   
                 69 copper manifold tubes 
               
               
                   
                 70 holes in base of MISM 
               
               
                   
                 72 MISM outlet port 
               
               
                   
                 73 free-flow surface (FFS) 
               
               
                   
                 74 back copper sheeting 
               
               
                   
                 76 base copper sheeting 
               
               
                   
                 77 hole for drain assembly 
               
               
                   
                 78 ISM holes 
               
               
                   
                 84 common sink drain assembly 
               
               
                   
                 86 rigid support structure 
               
               
                   
                 88 item support members 
               
               
                   
                 90 fluid conduit 
               
               
                   
                 92 free-flow surface 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0000]     Description— FIGS. 1A and 1C   
         [0048]      FIG. 1A  shows a front perspective view of a rigid support structure (RSS)  20  for a basic version of the module. In this version, or embodiment, RSS  20  is a 61 cm×91.5 cm×2.5 cm piece of high density polyethylene (HDPE). RSS cover  37 , in  FIG. 1C , is a thinner sheet of HDPE measuring 61 cm wide×91.5 cm long×4.76 mm thick.  
         [0049]     Cutouts  
         [0050]     There are two cutouts  22  and  22 ′, both 4 cm×7.5 cm making space for L-shaped threaded tubing fittings  46  at each top corner of RSS  20 . Top left cutout  22  is located 3.5 cm from each edge RSS  20 . Top right cutout  22 ′ is located 2.5 cm from the right edge and 0.5 cm from the top of the RSS. Both cutouts remove the entire section of the RSS.  
         [0051]     Another cutout, a sliding gated-valve handle cutout  38 , is positioned on RSS cover  37  beginning 4.5 cm from the right edge of RSS cover  37 . Cutout  38  is 1.8 cm from right to left and 1.0 cm from top to bottom beginning at 10.8 cm from the top edge of RSS cover  37 .  
         [0000]     Slot  
         [0052]     An incoming-fluid manifold slot  24  is milled to a depth of 2.5 cm×1.5 cm wide×48 cm in length. Manifold slot  24  is located parallel with the top edge of RSS  20  with slot  24  beginning 6.0 cm from the top edge and 2.0 cm from the right edge of the RSS.  
         [0053]     Groove and Byway  
         [0054]     A sliding gated-valve groove  26  is milled to a depth of 1.9 cm×3.18 cm wide from top to bottom of RSS 20×48 cm in length from right to left on the RSS. Groove  26  is located parallel with the top edge of the RSS with groove  26  beginning 8.5 cm from the top edge and 2.0 cm from the right edge of RSS  20 .  
         [0055]     A gated-valve handle byway  27  is milled to connect with groove  26 . The byway is positioned to begin from right to left, 4.3 cm from the right edge of RSS  20  and is 2.0 cm wide from right to left×3.2 cm long from the bottom edge of groove  26  downward at a depth of 1.6 cm.  
         [0056]     Holes  
         [0057]     A top horizontal row of holes across the face plane of RSS  20 , PISM holes  28 , begin with the right-most hole centered at 3.6 cm from the right edge and 10 cm from the top edge of RSS  20 . PISM holes  28  alternate distances between hole-centers beginning with 3.5 cm, then 10.6 cm, to include a total of 8 PISM holes  28 . The PISM holes are parallel with top edge of RSS  20 . The PISM holes are 1.5875 cm in diameter and are drilled to a depth of 1.9 cm at the deepest point, angled at 100° from a downward vector line that is parallel with the surface plane and parallel with the side edges of RSS  20 . Thus, PISM holes  28  will be at an angle 10° greater than perpendicular to the RSS when it is in the upright, vertical operating position as shown in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 . A second horizontal row of holes, the first of 12 rows of SISM holes  30 , begins across the face plane of RSS  20  with the right-most hole centered at 10.6 cm from the right edge and 5.3 cm from horizontal line established by the center of PISM holes  28 . SISM holes  30  alternate distances between hole-centers beginning with 3.5 cm then 10.6 cm to include a total of 8 SISM holes  28  across the second horizontal row. The SISM holes are parallel with the top edge of RSS  20 . SISM holes  30  are drilled to a depth of 1.9 cm at the deepest point and are angled at 100° from a downward vector that is parallel with the surface plane and parallel with the side edges of the RSS  20 . Thus, SISM holes  30  will be at an angle 10° greater than perpendicular to the RSS when it is in the upright, vertical operating position as in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 . A 3 rd  horizontal row of holes, the 2 nd  row of SISM holes  30 , begins with the right-most hole centered at 3.6 cm from the right edge and 5.3 cm from the horizontal line established by the center of the 1 st  row of SISM holes  30 . This row of SISM holes alternate distances between hole-centers beginning with 3.5 cm then 10.6 cm to include a total of 8 SISM holes  28  across the 3 rd  total, horizontal row of holes. SISM holes  30  are parallel with the top edge of RSS  20 . SISM holes  30  are drilled to a depth of 1.9 cm at the deepest point and are angled at 100° from a downward vector that is parallel with the surface plane and parallel with the side edges of RSS  20 . The pattern of alternating start positions for the 1 st  hole in the subsequent horizontal rows of the SISM holes is repeated until there is a total of 12 rows of SISM holes  30  in the face of RSS  20 . All SISM holes are 1.5875 cm in diameter at a depth of 1.9 cm, and all at the aforementioned angle of 100°. A final, 14 th  total, horizontal row of holes is a 1 st  row of MISM holes  32 . MISM holes  32  begin with the right-most hole centered at 10.6 cm from the right edge of RSS 20 and 8.5 cm from the horizontal line established by the centers of the last, or 12 th , row of SISM holes  30 . MISM holes  32  alternate distances between hole-centers beginning with 3.5 cm then 10.6 cm to include a total of 8 SISM holes  32  across the 14 th  total, horizontal row of holes. The MISM holes are drilled at a diameter of 1.5875 cm to a depth of 1.9 cm at the deepest point and are angled at 80° from a downward vector that is parallel with the surface plane and parallel with the side edges of the RSS  20 .  
         [0058]     A second set of ISM holes  28 ,  30 ,  32  matching the pattern of holes in RSS  20  are drilled completely through RSS cover  37 .  
         [0059]     There are two access holes  23  and  23 ′ drilled through the edges of RSS  20  into the cutouts  22  and  22 ′. These access holes are positioned to access the center of their respective cutouts  22  and  22 ′ from the left edge and the top edge of RSS  20 , respectively. The diameter of each access hole  23  and  23 ′ is 1.9 cm.  
         [0060]     Ports  
         [0061]     Incoming-fluid manifold fitting ports  25  and  25 ′ are drilled and tapped through RSS  20  at the left end and the right top of incoming-fluid manifold  24 . A 15 mm hole is drilled through the HDPE material separating cutouts  22  and  22 ′ from manifold  24 . Access holes  23  and  23 ′ are utilized to center ports  25  and  25 ′ with the bores of the holes parallel to the face plane of RSS  20 . The ports are then tapped with a standard 1.5875 mm (⅝ inch) pipe thread tap. L-shaped, threaded tubing fittings  46  are screwed into position in each of the ports. Once seated firmly, fitting  46  in port  25  is directed downward whereas fitting  46  in port  25 ′ is directed to the left toward cutout  22 .  
         [0062]     Channels  
         [0063]     There are two distinct sets of channels milled into the face of RSS  20 . A set of PISM channels  34 , having dimensions of 6.35 nm×6.35 mm, are milled directly from the bottom of incoming-fluid manifold slot  24  to the top center of each of PISM holes  28 . The two right-side PISM holes will have byway  27  located between them. The two PISM channels associated with these holes should clearly avoid contact with byway  27  by angling the channels slightly to maintain at least 3 mm of HDPE material between the two right-most channels and the byway.  
         [0064]     A second distinct set of channels, SISM to MISM channels  36  also originate from the lower boundary of incoming-fluid manifold slot  24 . These channels should be milled after the channels on the backside of the RSS  20  shown in  FIG. 2 . SISM to MISM channels  36  are milled to a depth of 6.35 mm and originate as 4 distinct channels of 12.7 mm wide beginning from slot  24  directly above each paired set of 1 st  row SISM holes  30 . Approximately 4 cm above 1 st  row of SISM holes  30 , each channel  36  splits into two distinct channels of 6.35 mm deep×6.35 mm wide. In essence, 8 channels  36  then proceed in a downward zigzag fashion intersecting through each SISM hole  30 , ending at each MISM hole  32  as shown in  FIG. 1A . Channels  36  are milled around both sides of each SISM hole  30  such that there is not HDPE material of RSS  20  between the channels and the holes. Channels  36  terminate and intersect with MISM holes  32 . No additional milling is performed around the MISM holes.  
         [0065]     Screw Holes and Taps  
         [0066]     Screw holes of diameter 7 mm are drilled through RSS cover  37  at the following coordinates measured from top and left. The units are centimeters.  
                                                                                                                                                           T                4.5   4.5   4.5   5.0   46   87   5   46   87   25   43   58                        L   12   31   49   1.0   1.0   1.0   60   60   60   27   34   27                  
 
         [0067]     Holes are countersunk such that a bevel head 6.35 mm (¼ inches)×2.54 cm (1 inch) nylon screw, having 20 threads per inch, will be flush with the surface of RSS cover  37  when fully inserted.  
         [0068]     Screw pilot holes are drilled in the same corresponding locations of RSS  20  with a #7 drill bit to a depth of 2.2 cm. Screw pilot holes are then tapped with a 6.35 mm (¼ inch)  20  thread per inch tap.  
         [0069]     Adhesive Transfer Tape  
         [0070]     An adhesive transfer tape is applied to the perimeter of RSS  20 , inside of cutouts  22  and  22 ′. The adhesive utilized is 3M™ 300 LSE, one inch wide.  
         [0000]     Description— FIG. 1B  and  FIG. 2   
         [0071]      FIG. 1B  is a back perspective drawing of RSS  20 . Generally, the back of the RSS is channeled and houses an incoming-fluid-supply-conduit  48 .  FIG. 2  shows the conduit.  
         [0072]     Channels and Incoming-Fluid Conduit  
         [0073]     A set of fluid-supply-conduit channels  45  and  45 ′ are milled from the backside of RSS  20  at a depth of 1.6 cm. The location of channels  45  and  45 ′ are best drawn on the back of RSS  20  by first locating the position of the holes coming from the front side. This can be accomplished most easily by using a light source on the front side that will illuminate the hole-regions on the backside. Draw the channels in an angle between holes as indicated in  FIG. 2 . The width of the channels is enough to accommodate a pair of 1.27 cm (½ inches) o.d. plastic tubes  49  and  49 ′ ( FIG. 2 ), or approximately 3.0-3.5 cm. Measuring from the bottom, back, right edge of the RSS, the channel is milled between 4 cm and 10 cm for a length of approximately 5 cm to accommodate a splitter tubing fitting  50 . Fitting  50  is a 1.27 cm (½ inch) push-in splitter that has been drilled out on the single-input side to a diameter of 15 mm. It remains 1.27 cm (½ inch) push-in for both output holes of the fitting. Tubes  49  and  49 ′ are routed side by side in a single channel for approximately 57 cm at which point the right-most tube  49 ′ is routed along the intersecting diagonal space created within the pattern of holes  30  leading toward cutout  22 . The other of the paired tubes continues until intersecting the next highest diagonal path leading to the same cutout. At each of the turning points for tubes  49  and  49 ′, an L-shaped push-in type tubing fitting  47  is utilized to make the direction change. Each of these fittings is shaved or filed so that the dimension of the fittings parallel to the face plane of RSS  20  is 1.9 cm. At the exact location of fittings  47  the HDPE material of RSS  20  is milled to a total depth of 1.9 cm. This area is then outlined with black marker at the outer-most barrier of the 1.9 cm cuts. Then, on the front side of the RSS, marks are made corresponding to those on the back by visualizing the dark line projected through the remaining HDPE material. Aforementioned SISM to MISM channels  36  that cross these areas are milled to a total depth of 4.5 mm rather than the 6.35 for the remainder of channels  36 .  
         [0074]     Once fluid-supply-conduit channels  45  are parted from one another the width is reduced to 1.5 cm. Lower right-most channel  45 ′ proceeds to curve after passing the right-most hole of the third horizontal row of holes  30  viewing from the backside of RSS  20 . The curving channel  45 ′ transitions such that it smoothly goes to a vertical line of travel passing directly between the final two holes of the second horizontal row viewed from the backside of RSS  20 . Channel  45 ′ continues its vertical course through cutout  22  to within 2 cm of the top of RSS  20 . Space is milled to a depth of 1.9 cm to accommodate a third shaved or filed, L-shaped push-in type tubing fitting  47  directed toward cutout  22 ′. Finally, channel  45 ′ takes a course parallel with the top edge of RSS  20  to intersect with cutout  22 ′ such that tubing  49 ′ aligns with fitting  46  in port  25 ′. Channel  45  curves gently, avoiding any holes  30 , to transition smoothly as it approaches to within several centimeters of cutout  22  such that tubing  49  aligns with fitting  46  in port  25 . The tubing is cut to proper lengths between fittings and the entire fluid-supply-conduit is assembled and secured into the channels with duct tape.  
         [0000]     Description— FIG. 3   
         [0075]      FIG. 3  is a perspective drawing of a sliding gated-valve bar  52 . Beginning with an aluminum bar 3.175 mm thick×1.9 cm wide×46 cm long, the bar is positioned into sliding gated-valve groove  26  as far to the right as allowed. Then, eight PISM cutout notches  53  are made to correspond with the width and depth of PISM channels  34  with bar  52  in this position. An L-shaped brass rod with a female threaded screw hole in one end makes gated-valve lever  56 . The lever is attached to the bar with a stainless steel machine screw  58 . The lever is located such that its right side is against the right side of sliding gated-valve handle cutout  38  while bar  52  is in the far-right position. With the bar positioned to the far left, four SISM to MISM cutout notches  54  are made in bar  52  to align with SISM to MISM channels  36 . The bar is polished of all burrs and sharp edges, greased with high quality waterproof grease, and placed into the sliding gated-valve groove.  
         [0076]     Joining of RSS and RSS Cover  
         [0077]     RSS cover  37  is placed on the face of RSS  20  aligning all holes. Bevel headed, 6.35 mm (¼ inches)×2.54 cm (1 inch) nylon screws, having 20 threads per inch, are inserted through the screw holes and tightened.  
         [0000]     Description— FIG. 4   
         [0078]     FIGS.  4  A-C are perspective drawings of the various types of item support members (ISMs) utilized in this embodiment. All of the ISMs in this embodiment are constructed of 1.27 cm (½ inch) I.D. copper tubing.  
         [0079]      FIG. 4A  shows a standard item support member (SISM)  64  and  FIG. 4B  a ported item support member (PISM)  60 , both square-cut on both ends to a length of 18.5 cm. In one end a 14 mm glass sphere  62  is forced into the opening and seated approximately halfway into the end of the tubing. From the other end, polyurethane glue is dropped in to fall and contact the marble and the tubing held in a down position. A foamed plastic plug  66  is forced into the open end to contact the glue and marble.  
         [0080]     PISM  60  in  FIG. 4A  has a PISM port  61  formed by making a square cut across approximately one-third of the diameter of the tube at 3 cm from the open end. The short end of the PISM tubing, at the cut, is creased inward to form the PISM port. At the base of each PISM tube  60 , on the opposite side of the tube from port  61 , a 7 mm hole is drilled to correspond with each PISM channel  34  entering each PISM hole  28 .  
         [0081]      FIG. 4C  shows a manifold item support member (MISM)  68 . The MISM is constructed of eight copper manifold tubes  69  square-cut to lengths of 36 cm. The individual tubes are joined at one end by a combination of standard copper L-fittings and T-fittings as shown in  FIG. 4C . The distance between tubes corresponds to the distance between MISM holes  32 . At the base of each manifold tube  69 , a 7 mm hole, MISM hole  70 , is drilled to correspond with each SISM to MISM channel  36  entering the MISM holes. At the right outer corner of the MISM an open-ended copper L-fitting, forming a MISM outlet port  72 , angles back toward the open end of MISM  68 .  
         [0000]     Description— FIG. 5   
         [0082]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective drawing of a free-flow surface (FFS)  73 . In this embodiment of the module, the FFS is built from 16 gauge copper sheet metal. It is comprised of two distinct parts including a back copper sheeting  74  and a base copper sheeting  76 . The back sheet has holes made in the same size and pattern as those in RSS cover  37 . The size of the back sheet is 75 cm across and 91.5 cm long. The sides are bent forward at a 90° angle along lines 7.5 cm from each edge. Base sheet  76  is 66 cm wide×40 cm long. The sides and front are bent upward (assuming the finished orientation) at 90° along lines 3 cm from each of the three corresponding edges and are solder joined and sealed at the corners. Base sheet  76  has a 90° downward bend along a line 2 cm from the corresponding edge. The folded-down back of base sheet  76  is soldered in position against back sheet  74  along a line beginning at 4 cm above the right bottom edge to 3 cm above the left bottom edge of the back sheet. All seams where copper sheets  74  and  76  meet are solder joined and sealed. A hole  77  is drilled to accommodate a common sink drain assembly  84  in the outer corner, corresponding to the same side as outlet port  72  of the MISM, of the base sheet of free-flow surface  73 .  
         [0000]     Description— FIGS. 6A and 6B   
         [0083]     Final Assembly  
         [0084]     Free-flow surface (FFS)  73  is placed upon RSS cover  37  such that all holes align. Then, 18-20 stainless steel pan head screws, evenly dispersed along each inside edge and outside bottom of FFS  73 , are used to attach the FFS to RSS  20  and RSS cover  37 . All item support members (ISMs)  60 ,  64 ,  69  are inserted into their respective holes  28 ,  30 ,  32 . The holes drilled into the bases of PISM  60  and MISM  68  must align with channels  34  and  36  that terminate in their respective holes  28  and  32 . Aluminized silicon caulking is used to seal around the base of each ISM  60 ,  64 , and  69  at the surface of FFS  73 .  
         [0000]     Description— FIG. 7   
         [0085]     This embodiment of the invention is designed and included in a cabinet, portable or built-in but could be joined with multiple units along a wall or walls, or other structure to which the module could attach. Within a cabinet or housed in a remote location, the necessary equipment such as a pump, a fluid reservoir or and a chiller are required to operate the temperature regulating module.  
         [0000]     Operation— FIGS. 1-7   
         [0086]     The manner of use of the described embodiment of the temperature regulating storage and display module is to attach splitter tubing fitting  50  to an incoming source of temperature-regulated fluid, such as water that is pumped through a thermostatically regulated chiller. By the nature of the design of the module, the fluid is directed through fluid-supply-conduit  48  to reach incoming-fluid manifold slot  24 . By applying hand pressure to gated-valve lever  56  to the left or right, the fluid will be directed to either interior SISM to MISM channels  36  of RSS  20  or to the exterior of FFS  37 . Lever  56  can be positioned anywhere between the far left or far right to regulate the amount of fluid flowing externally. The internal flow is designed to affect the temperature of the ISMs  60 ,  64 , and  69  by contact and thermal conduction of the fluid across the base of each of the ISMs  60 ,  64 , and  69 . Provided that the fluid is supplied in sufficient quantity with sufficient pressure, the net combination of internal and/or external flow will continuously maintain the temperature of ISMs  60 ,  64 , and  69 . SISMs  64  and MISMs  69 , of this embodiment, are positioned and designed to have bottles of various shapes and diameters placed upon them. The contiguous contact of the combination of thermal conductive materials, including, but not limited to, glass bottles of stored items, copper ISMs  60 ,  64 , and  69  and flowing-fluid, result in the temperature regulatiion of the contents of the bottles resting upon ISMs  60 ,  64 , and  69 . By providing for the routing of the flowing fluid as internal or external to the temperature-regulating module, several aspects are under influence. The amount of fluid that splatters about the perimeter of the invention can be regulated. The sight and sound of the flowing fluid can be altered. The rate of evaporation of the temperature regulating fluid can be influenced.  
         [0087]     The fluid is returned to the sink drain assembly by both internal and external flow mechanisms depending upon the position of gated-valve lever  56 . The internal flow returns the fluid by way of MISM  68  through MISM outlet port  72 . The external flow returns the fluid by way of collection from back copper sheet  74  to base copper sheet  76 . The temperature regulating fluid in this embodiment is directed back to a reservoir and pump from sink drain assembly  84 .  
         [0000]     Description and Operation of Alternative Embodiments— FIGS. 8 and 9   
         [0088]      FIGS. 8 and 9  depict alternative embodiments of the claimed module. In  FIG. 8 , the rigid support structure is a rather free-form array of curving, yet substantially upright ribbons of material such as aluminum, stainless steel, brass, copper, glass or a polymer. The ribbons are cross-linked frequently enough to provide rigidity and strength to handle the weight of heavier items such as full wine bottles. The item support members are welded or brazed or otherwise physically and thermally connected, thus making a substantially direct thermal contact connection with the rigid support structure. The conduit for transfer of the fluid is the interior of the near triangular cross-section ribbon comprising the RSS. The face flow surface is any outside surface of the ribbon. Naturally, the ribbon acting as both the rigid support structure and the fluid-supply-conduit could be designed in an endless number of cross-sections and upright arrangements. The alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 7  utilizes the ambient earth temperature as the means for temperature regulation. A pump appropriately sized to handle the pressure and volume required to supply the adequate quantity of water is selected depending upon those site-specific parameters.  
         [0089]      FIG. 9  shows a glass or concrete orb as the RSS with glass or concrete shelves as item support members attached in a manner that will transfer thermal energy to or from them as the fluid, supplied in a conduit through the center of the orb, flows and descends, substantially freely, along the outside surface of the orb contacting the item support members. Here, the thermal hot springs supply both the temperature-regulated fluid as well as the pressure required to transfer the fluid to the substantial height of the RSS. In this embodiment of the invention, some possibilities of perishable items that may be stored and/or displayed are; wrapped candies or pastries, or hot drinks, for clients soaking in the surrounding hot pool. In this embodiment, the hot pool is the diversion for the fluid after it has run its course for the temperature-regulated storage and/or display module.  
       CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE OF INVENTION  
       [0090]     Thus the reader will see that the temperature-regulated storage and/or display module of the invention successfully combines many attributes that work in concert with one another to meet many simultaneous needs and provide a model for a wealth of creative embodiments to carry out the more technical functions. There is not found an equivalent in the public domain that can meet the high demands of the market for high-impact, titillating, aesthetic storage and display of perishable items that can simultaneously meet the technical demands for creating a favorable environment for the proper maintenance of the qualities for which these perishable goods are known and desired. The competitive nature of the grand marketplace in which we operate, coupled with the monetary value associated with the goods and related services demand that the systems of storage and presentation keep pace with the quality of the perishable products themselves. The variety and quality of the embodiments that arise from the claims of this invention are an exemplary step in that direction.  
         [0091]     While the above descriptions contain much specificity, this should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention. Though significant alternative embodiments have been presented as examples in the previous section, these too are not to be construed as definitions of the invention rather as exemplifications of preferred and alternative embodiments. With the employment of more artistic designers than the inventor and the use of materials yet to be considered, the variations of the invention itself are legion. Accordingly, with due respect to the legal process(es) to which this document will be subjected, I duly remind the readers hereof that the scope of the invention be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents rather than by the embodiments illustrated.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0