Mobile Apparatus And Method For Rapidly Pre-Cooling Produce

Abstract

An integrated mobile apparatus pre-cools produce prior to shipment, for example, to purchasers or to a cold storage facility. The apparatus comprises a preparation chamber for receiving and arranging produce on a movable carrier, a cooling chamber for receiving the produce from the preparation chamber, and a shipping chamber for receiving the produce from the cooling chamber. The chambers are preferably housed in a single enclosure and are arranged linearly, with the cooling chamber interposed between the preparation chamber and the shipping chamber. A method for pre-cooling produce prior to shipment comprises (a) arranging the produce on a movable carrier located within the preparation chamber, (b) conveying the carrier from the preparation chamber to the cooling chamber, (c) cooling the produce in the cooling chamber, (d) conveying the cooled produce to the shipping chamber, and (e) unloading the produce from the shipping chamber on to a vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An integrated mobile apparatus for pre-cooling produce, the apparatus comprising:
 (a) a transportable platform;   (b) a preparation chamber mounted on said platform for receiving and arranging a quantity of produce on a movable carrier;   (c) a cooling chamber mounted on said platform for receiving said quantity of produce on said movable carrier from said preparation chamber, said cooling chamber comprising:
 (1) a refrigeration surface; 
 (2) a circulation system for directing a chilling fluid between said refrigeration surface and said quantity of produce on said movable carrier; 
   (d) a shipping chamber mounted on said platform for receiving said quantity of produce on said movable carrier from said cooling chamber, said shipping chamber having an opening for facilitating unloading of said quantity of produce.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said preparation chamber, said cooling chamber and said shipping chamber are housed in a single enclosure. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said preparation chamber, said cooling chamber and said shipping chamber are arranged linearly, said cooling chamber being interposed between said preparation chamber and said shipping chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said platform has wheels mounted on a lower surface thereof for facilitating transportation of said apparatus from one location to another. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus comprises inter-chamber doors for separating said cooling chamber from said preparation chamber and said shipping chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus comprises a conveyer mechanism for facilitating conveyance of said movable carrier between said chambers. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said conveyor mechanism comprises gravity rollers, whereby said movable carrier is conveyed between chambers on said rollers at least partially by action of gravity. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said conveyor mechanism comprises mechanized rollers, whereby said movable carrier is conveyed between chambers on said rollers by at least one of pneumatic, hydraulic and electromechanical power. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said conveyor mechanism comprises at least one belt, whereby said movable carrier is conveyed between chambers on said at least one belt. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said movable carrier comprises one of (i) a pallet on which said quantity of produce is carried and (ii) a plurality of stacked flats in which said quantity of produce is carried. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said refrigeration surface comprises at least one evaporative coil. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one evaporative coil extends from an on-board refrigeration unit. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said on-board refrigeration unit is powered by an onboard or trailer mounted generator. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said circulation system comprises at least one fan. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said chilling fluid is air. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said cooling chamber comprises baffles for improving flow of said chilling fluid around said quantity of produce. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said baffles are retractable. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said apparatus further comprises inter-chamber doors for separating said cooling chamber from said preparation chamber and said shipping chamber, and said retractable baffles provide are movably coupled to said inter-chamber doors. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein opening and closing of said inter-chamber doors actuates said baffles. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein, when said doors are closed, said baffles are deployed to rest against said movable carrier in said cooling chamber, and when the doors are opened, said baffles retract clear of said movable carrier. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus comprises a control system capable of depowering said circulation system to a low power state to conserve power and maintain temperature of said quantity of produce within a desired range. 
     
     
         22 . A method of pre-cooling a quantity of produce in an integrated mobile apparatus comprising a transportable platform having mounted thereon a preparation chamber, a cooling chamber and a shipping chamber, said cooling chamber comprising a refrigeration surface and a circulation system for directing a chilling fluid between said refrigeration surface and said quantity of produce, said method comprising:
 (a) arranging said quantity of produce on a movable carrier located within said preparation chamber;   (b) conveying said movable carrier from said preparation chamber to said cooling chamber;   (c) cooling said quantity of produce in said cooling chamber;   (d) conveying said cooled quantity of produce to said shipping chamber;   (e) unloading said quantity of produce from said shipping chamber.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said preparation chamber, said cooling chamber and said shipping chamber are housed in a single enclosure. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said cooling chamber is interposed between said preparation chamber and said shipping chamber, and wherein the produce is conveyed substantially linearly through said integrated mobile apparatus as the steps of said method are performed. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said preparation step (a) further comprises labeling of said quantity of produce with tracking data. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said tracking data comprises at least one of source identification, purchaser identification, harvest date and time, pick-up date and time, in-feed temperature, weight of said quantity of produce, and crew identification. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said cooling step (c) further comprises sensing a temperature of said quantity of produce such that said cooling is terminated when said temperature reaches a predetermined temperature.