Abstract:
A compartment for augmenting available space refrigerated by a chest refrigerator comprises a body configured to be coupled to a chest portion of the chest refrigerator. The body is configured to provide a hermetical seal between the body and the chest portion in use. The body has a cavity therein for receiving items to be refrigerated. The body is arranged such that when coupled to the chest portion the cavity is refrigerated by the chest portion. The body also has an opening for providing access to items in the cavity. The body is arranged to be coupled to a door for covering the opening in a hermetically sealed manner. An augmented chest refrigerator uses the compartment.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This Application is a continuation-in-part of International Application PCT/AU03/00341 filed Mar. 21, 2003. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a compartment used to augment the available space in a chest refrigerator as well as a chest refrigerator fitted with the augmenting compartment. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Portable chest refrigerators provide a convenient means of storing and chilling food and beverage items, and they can also be readily installed in a variety of mobile vehicles such as campers, vans, trailers, mobile or motor homes, and marine vessels. Typically, the portable chest refrigerator includes a chest portion for storing and chilling food and beverage items and a lid portion that is mounted on an uppermost edge of the chest portion. The lid portion is provided with a refrigerator seal to afford a hermetic seal between the lid portion and the chest portion when the lid portion is closed. Generally the lid portion is hingedly connected along one side to the chest portion and/or secured to the chest portion by means of securing clips. A refrigerating means, including a motor and condenser, are generally disposed externally of the chest portion. The storage capacity of the portable chest refrigerator typically ranges from about 20 L up 60 L although portable chest refrigerators with larger storage capacities are known. 
   The present invention provides additional space for refrigerating items within a chest refrigerator. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a compartment for augmenting available space refrigerated by a chest refrigerator, said compartment comprising:
         a body configured to be coupled, in use, to a chest portion of the chest refrigerator in a hermetically sealed manner, the body having a cavity therein for receiving items to be refrigerated in use, the body being arranged such that when coupled to the chest portion the cavity is refrigerated by the chest portion, the body also having a opening for providing access to items in the cavity in use, wherein the body is arranged to be coupled to a door for covering the opening in a hermetically sealed manner.       

   Preferably the body is arranged to be hingedly coupled to the door. Preferably the opening is in the top of the body. Alternatively the opening is in a side wall of the body. 
   According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a compartment for augmenting available space refrigerated by a chest refrigerator, said compartment comprising:
         a body configured to be coupled, in use, to a chest portion of a chest refrigerator in a hermetically sealed manner, the body having a cavity therein for receiving items to be refrigerated in use, the cavity arranged to be refrigerated by the chest portion in use; and   a door for providing access to the cavity, when opened, and arranged to be hermetically sealed when closed.       

   Preferably the door is from the chest refrigerator. 
   Preferably the door is hingedly coupled to the body. Preferably the door is removably hinged to the body. 
   In the first and second aspects of the invention, preferably the body is adapted to be hingedly coupled to the chest portion in use, such that the body may be pivoted to allow assess to an inside of the chest portion. 
   Preferably the body includes a bottom opening to allow thermal communication between the cavity and the inside of the chest portion in use. Preferably a barrier is provided across the bottom opening to prevent items in the cavity falling through the bottom opening. 
   Preferably the body is configured to be positioned between the door and the chest portion in use. 
   Preferably the body is thermally insulated, such that atmospheric heat is shielded from the cavity. 
   Preferably the body includes an air circulator for circulating air in the cavity and in the chest portion in use. 
   According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided an augmented chest refrigerator comprising:
         a chest portion having a first cavity therein for receiving items to be refrigerated;   a refrigeration unit for refrigerating the chest portion;   an augmentative body coupled to the chest portion in a hermetically sealed manner, the body having a second cavity therein for receiving items to be refrigerated in use, the second cavity being refrigerated by refrigeration of the chest portion; and   a door for providing access to the cavity, when opened, and arranged to hermetically seal the chest portion and body when closed.       

   Preferably the body is hingedly coupled to the chest portion, such that the body may be pivoted to allow assess to the first cavity. 
   Preferably an opening in the bottom of the body allows thermal communication between the first and second cavities. Preferably a barrier is provided across the opening to prevent items in the second cavity falling into the first cavity. 
   In relation to the second and third aspects of the present invention, preferably the barrier is in the form of a grill. Preferably the grill is removable. 
   Preferably an interface between the body and the chest portion is hermetically sealed by a sealing means depending downwardly from a lower periphery of the bottom of the body. 
   Preferably an interface between the body and the door is hermetically sealed by a sealing means depending towards the body from a periphery of an inner face of the door. 
   Preferably the body is thermally insulated, such that heat is shielded from the second cavity therein. 
   Preferably the door is in the top of the body. Alternately the door in is a side wall of the body. Preferably the door forms part of a drawer in a side wall of the body. 
   Preferably the body includes an air circulator for circulating air in the second cavity and first cavity. Alternatively the chest portion includes an air circulator for circulating air in the second cavity and first cavity. 
   According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a compartment for use with a chest refrigerator comprising:
         an open bottomed body with a cavity therein; and   a sealing means around a lower periphery of the body; wherein the body is arranged such that in use it is coupled to an opening of a chest portion of the chest refrigerator such that the sealing means affords a hermetic seal between the body member and the chest portion, and the cavity is cooled by the chest portion.       

   Preferably the body is positioned between the chest portion and lid portion of the portable chest refrigerator in use, the lid portion sealably covering the open top of the body in use. 
   Preferably the arrangement between the body and the chest portion creates a first temperature zone in the chest portion and a second temperature zone in the cavity, the temperature of the first temperature zone being less than the temperature of the second temperature zone. 
   According to a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided augmentative refrigerator compartment for use with a portable chest refrigerator, the augmentative refrigerator compartment comprising an open-topped and open-bottomed box member and a sealing means depending continuously around a lower periphery of the box member, wherein the box member is arranged in use to be mounted upon a chest portion of the portable chest refrigerator and between the chest portion and lid portion of the portable chest refrigerator such that the sealing means affords a hermetic seal between the box member and the chest portion, the arrangement being such that a first temperature zone is formed in the chest portion and a second temperature zone is formed in a space defined by the box member, the temperature of the first temperature zone being less than the temperature of the second temperature zone. 

   
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In order to provide a better understanding, preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of preferred embodiment of a compartment in accordance in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the compartment of  FIG. 1  mounted between a chest portion and a leg portion of a conventional portable chest refrigerator; 
       FIG. 3  is a planned view of the compartment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a vertical cross-section of the compartment along the line  44  or  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a side elevation of a fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 8  is a upper perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 9  is a side elevation of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 8 ; 
       FIG. 10  is a further alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1  to  7 , there is shown a conventional portable chest refrigerator comprising a chest portion  20  and a lid portion (lid)  30 , and augmenting compartment  10 . A refrigerating means (not shown in these Figures) is disposed externally of the chest portion  20 . The refrigerating means refrigerates the chest portion  20  in a conventional manner. It will be understood that the term portable chest refrigerator refers to portable chest freezers and portable chest refrigerators/freezers. 
   The lid or door  30  is provided with a seal  32  that depends continuously around a lower periphery  34  of the lid  30  to afford a hermetic seal between the lid  30  and chest portion  20  when the lid  30  is closed, that is, mounted flushly on an upper periphery  22  of the chest portion. The lid  30  may be hingedly connected along one side of the chest portion  20  and/or secured to the chest portion  20  by means of securing clips  40 . Any suitable pivotal connection, such as a hinge may be used. 
   The compartment  10  includes a body  12  in the form of a box. In this embodiment the box is open-topped and open-bottomed. A second seal  14  depends continuously around lower periphery  34  of the body  12  in FIG.  4 . 
   It will be understood that the seal  14  is formed from materials conventionally used to form seal  32  or materials from which other conventional refrigerators/freezer seals are formed. 
   The body  12  has an inner casing  11  concentrically spaced apart from an outer casing  13  and insulation  15  between the inner and outer casings  11  and  13 . The interior of the casing  11  forms a void or cavity  25  within which items may be placed so that in use they may be refrigerated. 
   The inner and outer casings  11  and  13  are typically formed of anodized marine grade aluminium, non-anodized aluminium, stainless steel, plastic coated steel, or plastics material including moulded plastics or other such materials which would be used for a similar purpose in forming a chest portion  20  of a conventional portable chest refrigerator. 
   The insulation  15  is typically formed of conventional insulating materials such as would be used for a similar purpose in forming a chest portion  20  of a conventional portable chest refrigerator, for example polystyrene or polyurethane foam. 
   Preferably as seen in  FIG. 3  the inner casing  11  is formed of one continuous piece to minimise the number of seams within the body  12 , and consequently reduce the number of locations within the box member  12  where bacteria and other harmful micro-organisms could be harboured. Further as shown in  FIG. 3 , it is also preferred that the inner casing  11  be provided with curved corners rather than sharp corners for ease of maintenance and cleaning. 
   The inner casing  11  is spaced apart from the outer casing  13  at a distance substantially corresponding to a wall thickness of the chest portion  20  of the conventional portable chest refrigerator. Furthermore, a horizontal cross-sectional shape of the body  12  substantially corresponds with the horizontal cross-sectional shape of the chest portion  20 . In those circumstances where the chest portion has a motor-housing  21 , such that the motor-housing defines a raised portion  21  of the chest portion  20  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the aforementioned horizontal cross-section of the chest portion does not include the raised portion  21 . Typically the horizontal cross-sectional shape of the chest portion  20  is substantially rectangular although it is envisaged that alternative shapes may be used. Furthermore the typical vertical cross-sections (longitudinally and transverse the length) are also substantially rectangular. Again other shapes may be used. 
   In use the body  12  is arranged to be vertically mounted upon and coupled to the chest portion  20  of the portable refrigerator. It is therefore important that the shape and size of the lower periphery  16  of the body member correspond to the shape and size of the upper periphery  22  of the chest portion  20  in order for the second seal  14  to abutt the upper periphery  22  of the chest portion so as to afford hermetic seal between the body  12  and the chest portion  20 . When the body  12  is coupled to the chest portion  20  the cavity  25  is refrigerated by the chest portion  20 . In this embodiment this occurs because the body is open-bottomed and allows refrigerated air within the cavity  27  of the chest portion  20  to cool the air within the cavity  25  of the body  12  by convection, conduction, radiation or any combination thereof. 
   An upper periphery  22  of the chest portion  20  is arranged to received the lower periphery  16  of the body  13  in the same way that the upper periphery  22  of the chest portion would receive the lid  30 . In other words, the periphery  16  of the body  12  may be hingedly connected along one side of the upper periphery  22  of the chest portion to enable access to the cavity  27  inside the chest portion  20  without substantially disturbing the cavity  25  inside the body  12  or the contents thereof. 
   Preferably the upper periphery  22  of the chest portion  20  and the lower periphery  16  of the body  12  are provided with releaseable securing clips  40  to further secure the compartment  10  to the chest portion  20  and to assist the formation of the hermetic seal between the body  12  and the chest portion  20 . When compartment  10  is not required, it may be readily removed from the chest portion  20  by releasing the releasable clips  40  from the body  12  and chest portion  20 . 
   An upper periphery  18  of the body  12  is arrange to receive the lid  30  of the portable chest refrigerator in a manner similar to the upper periphery  22  of the chest portion  20  in convention use. In other words the lid  30  may be hingedly connected along one side of the upper periphery  18  of the body  12 . Preferably the upper periphery  18  of the body  12  and lower periphery  34  of the lid  30  are also provided with releaseable securing clips  40  to further secure the lid  30  to the body  12  and to assist the formation of a hermetic seal between the body  12  and the lid  30 . The lid  30  may be readily removed from the body by releasing the securing clips  40  on the body  12  and the lid  30 . 
   In use the body  12  is arranged to be disposed between the chest portion  20  and the lid  30  of the portable chest refrigerator as described above, thus enclosing the cavity  27  in the chest portion  20  and enclosing the cavity  25  within the body  12 . 
   In this way a first temperature zone may be formed in the cavity  27  and a second temperature zone may be formed in the cavity  25 . The different temperature zones are formed generally because direct cooling is provided to the cavity  27  inside the chest portion  20  by the refrigeration means, whereas the refrigeration means does not directly cool the cavity  25  inside the body  12  of the compartment  10 . Thus despite the insulation  15  (and depending on the ambient air temperature) some heat may enter the void of the body  12  which typically results in the second temperature zone being warmer than the first temperature zone. 
   However if the insulation  15  is sufficiently efficient then heat absorption within the body  12  due to the ambient temperature may be minimal. Furthermore given sufficient time the temperature within the cavity  25  of the body  12  and the cavity  27  of the chest portion  20  may substantially reach equilibrium. Furthermore an air circulation means as described further below may be used to circulated air within the cavities  25  &amp;  27  to ensure that the temperature within the two temperature zones is the same. 
   In many instances it can be desirable to have the temperature in the first temperature zone less than the temperature in the second zone so that, for example, beverages items and other items that require lower temperatures for optimal storage can be stored and chilled in the cavity  27  of the chest portion, whereas other food items, such as fruit and vegetables, that require relatively high temperatures for optimal storage can then be stored and chilled in the cavity  25  of the body  12 . It is envisaged that a basket which is sized and shaped to fit within the inner casing  11 , could be provided to retain food and beverage items stored and conveniently chilled in the cavity  25  defined within the body  12 . Thus if an air circulation means is provided it is desirable to have it controlled by a switch to allow a user to select whether the two zones are the same temperature or not. 
   As shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the lid  30  that may be hingedly connected to the upper periphery  18  of the body  12  along one longitudinal side by hinges  41 . Further the lower periphery  16  of the body  12  may be hingedly connected along one side of the upper periphery  22  of the chest portion by hinges  41 . In this embodiment convenient access is afforded to items stored in cavity  27  of the chest portion  20  by pivoting the body  12  about the hinges  41  to gain access to the cavity  27 . Alternatively items stored in the cavity in the body  12  can be accessed by pivotally raising the lid  30 . In this way access to items stored in the chest portion  20  can be obtained without removal of items stored in the body  12 . 
   As shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 6  hinge connections between lid  30  and the body  12 , and between the body  12  and the chest portion  20  may be arranged at the same end of the compartment  10  proximal to the motor housing portion  21 . In this embodiment body  12  has an end portion  42  which has a flat upper surface adjacent to the compartment defined by the body  12 . A pair of hinges  41  extend between the end portion  42  and the lid  30 . 
   A further pair of hinges  41  interconnects the chest portion  20  adjacent the motor housing  21  with the body  12 . Further the body  12  has a second wall portion  43  which facilitates the pivotal movement of the body  12  and minimises obstruction to the motor housing  21 . In this arrangement the body  12  may be conveniently pivotally raised to access items inside the chest portion  20 , without the raised motor housing  21  hindering the motion of the hinged connection. Also the lid  30  may be independently pivotally raised to access items in the body if desired. This is conveniently shown in FIG.  7 . 
   An alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . In this embodiment the body  12  includes a door  130  to a drawer  132 . The door  130  has a handle  134  for pulling the drawer  132  out of the body  12 . In this embodiment the door  130  may replace the lid  30  of the embodiments described above but would still provide a hermetic seal when closed in a similar manner to that described above. As can be seen in  FIG. 9  the drawer  132  is formed of parallel rails  132  and  138  which are slidably withdrawn from within the cavity  25  of the body  12  when the drawer  132  is opened. Upper rails  138  support a basket  136 . 
   In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 10  an air circulation means in the form of fan  140  is used to circulate air. It will be appreciated that the air circulation means need not take the form described herewith. The fan  140  can be provided either within the chest refrigerator as depicted in  FIG. 10  or the fan may be provided within the body  12 . It will also be appreciated that the air circulation means may be provided in the previous embodiments. 
   The chest refrigerator has a air circulating portion  102  between the motor-housing  21  and the chest portion  20 . As can be seen, a refrigerating element  104  of the refrigeration means actively cools the cavity  152  in the chest portion  20 . The refrigerating element  104  is connected to a compressor powered by a motor housed in the motor housing  21  and operate in the conventional manner as the refrigeration means. 
   Air cooled by the refrigerated element  104  is drawn (as indicated by arrows  144 ) through the spinning fan  140  into the cavity  25  of the body  12  (as indicated by arrow  142 ), thereby convectively cooling the cavity  25  of body  12 . Air is able to return by a portal (not shown). 
   The fan  140  may be positioned in the opening  150  between the cavity  27  of the chest portion  20  and the cavity  25  of the body to circulate air therebetween. 
   A barrier may be provided at the bottom of the body  12  covering the opening  150  to prevent items within the cavity  25  falling through the bottom opening  150 . This barrier may take the form of a grill which allows air to pass therethrough. 
   Alternatively the barrier may be a thermally conductive plate, such as a metal sheet. The barrier may additionally seal the bottom of the body  12  such that the cavity  25  of the body  12  is hermetically sealed from the cavity  27  when the body  12  is coupled to the chest portion  20 . This may be useful where it is desirable to separate food stuffs, particularly in instances where the smell of one food stuff can contaminate other food stuffs. If this arrangement is used, then either the barrier must be thermally conductive or forced air cooling of the inner casing  11  (such as that depicted in  FIG. 10 ) must be provided in order to cool the cavity  25  and the contents thereof. 
   The main advantage of the present invention is that it affords a convenient means for increasing the volume capacity of the portable chest refrigerator at times when storage requirements of the user exceed the volume capacity of the portable chest refrigerator. 
   The various embodiments have different space spacing advantages in terms of height and floor space. Which is useful because space can be very precious in the back of a camper or four-wheel-drive. Another advantage of some embodiments of the present invention is that the temperature in different zones can be differentiated or made the same. 
   The skilled addressee will realise that modification and variations may be made to the present invention without departing from the basic inventive concept. Such modifications and variations may include using a further alternative to the lid or the door described in the above mentioned embodiments. For example, a pivotal door may be hingedly connected to a longitudinal side wall of the body. The present invention may also applicable to non-portable chest refrigerators or freezers. 
   Such modifications and variations as would be apparent to the skilled address are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention, the nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description and appended claims.