CHEST FREEZER PLUNGE POWER SAFETY SYSTEM

Abstract

A chest freezer plunge power safety system is configured to prevent any chance of electrical shock by disconnecting power to the chest freezer when the freezer door is opened. Chest freezers are often filled with water that is chilled by the freezer and used for cold plunge therapy. A person will open the freezer door and submerge their body or portion of their body in the cold water. One or more sensors are configured to detect when the freezer door is opened. The sensor or sensors are coupled with a contactor that disconnects power from a power source to the chest freezer. The sensor element may be attached to the freezer door and configured to be detected by the sensor when the freezer door is in a closed position. The sensor may be coupled with a controller that controls the function of the contactor to open or close the circuit.

Claims

1. A chest freezer plunge power safety system comprising: a) a chest freezer comprising: i) a freezer receptacle; ii) a freezer door configured to close over the freezer receptacle; iii) a freezer power plug; and iv) a refrigeration system; b) a sensor element coupled to the freezer door; c) a power supply safety system comprising: i) a power system container; ii) a power input configured to coupled with a power source; iii) a power output configured to couple with said freezer power plug to provide power to the refrigeration system; iv) a sensor configured to detect the sensor element; v) a contactor having a contactor switch configured to turn on and off power from the power input to the power output; vi) a controller configured to receive input from the sensor and control the contactor switch; wherein the power output, contactor and controller are configured within the power system container; wherein the contactor switch is opened to turn off power to the power output when the freezer door is opened to move the sensor element such that the sensor no longer detects the sensor element.

2. The chest freezer plunge power safety system of claim 1, wherein the sensor element is detachably attachable to the freezer door.

3. The chest freezer plunge power safety system of claim 2, wherein the sensor element is a magnet.

4. The chest freezer plunge power safety system of claim 1, wherein the power supply safety system is configured within a power system container.

5. The chest freezer plunge power safety system of claim 1, wherein the power supply container has a container cover configured to allow access into the power system container.

6. The chest freezer plunge power safety system of claim 5, wherein the power source includes a power cable with an input power plug coupled thereto.

7. The chest freezer plunge power safety system of claim 6, wherein the power input is configured on the power supply container to enable the input power plug to couple with the power input without opening the power supply container.

8. The chest freezer plunge power safety system of claim 7, wherein the power input comprises an input electrical receptacle.

9. The chest freezer plunge power safety system of claim 6, wherein the power input comprises an input electrical receptacle.

10. The chest freezer plunge power safety system of claim 9, wherein the input electrical receptacle is configured within the power system container.

11. The chest freezer plunge power safety system of claim 10, wherein the power output comprises an output electrical receptacle.

12. The chest freezer plunge power safety system of claim 11, wherein the output electrical receptacle is configured within the power system container.

13. The chest freezer plunge power safety system of claim 11, wherein the power output is configured on the power supple container to enable the freezer power cable to couple with the power output without opening the power supply container.

14. The chest freezer plunge power safety system of claim 13, comprising two sensor elements.

15. The chest freezer plunge power safety system of claim 14, wherein each of the two sensor elements are detected by the sensor to enable power to be connected to the power output from the power source.

16. The chest freezer plunge power safety system of claim 14, comprising two sensors, wherein a first sensor of the two sensor is configured to detect a first sensor element of the two sensor elements and wherein a second sensor of the two sensors is configured to detect a second sensor element of the two sensor elements to enable power to be connected to the power output from the power source.

17. A chest freezer plunge power safety system comprising: a) a chest freezer comprising: i) a freezer receptacle; ii) a freezer door configured to close over the freezer receptacle; iii) a freezer power plug; and iv) a refrigeration system; b) a sensor element coupled to the freezer door; wherein the sensor element comprises a magnet; c) a power supply safety system comprising: i) a power system container; ii) a power input configured to coupled with a power source; iii) a power output configured to couple with said freezer power plug to provide power to the refrigeration system; iv) a sensor configured to detect the sensor element; v) a contactor having a contactor switch configured to turn on and off power from the power input to the power output; vi) a controller configured to receive input from the sensor and control the contactor switch; wherein the power output, contactor and controller are configured within the power system container; wherein the contactor switch is opened to turn off power to the power output when the freezer door is opened to move the sensor element such that the sensor no longer detects the sensor element; wherein the power supply safety system is configured within a power system container having a container cover configured to allow access into the power system container; wherein the power source includes a power cable with an input power plug coupled thereto; wherein the power input is configured on the power supply container to enable the input power plug to couple with the power input without opening the power supply container; wherein the power input comprises an input electrical receptacle; wherein the power input comprises an input electrical receptacle; wherein the input electrical receptacle is configured within the power system container; wherein the power output comprises an output electrical receptacle; wherein the output electrical receptacle is configured within the power system container and wherein the power output is configured on the power supple container to enable the freezer power cable to couple with the power output without opening the power supply container.

18. The chest freezer plunge power safety system of claim 17, comprising two sensor elements.

19. The chest freezer plunge power safety system of claim 18, wherein each of the two sensor elements are detected by the sensor to enable power to be connected to the power output from the power source.

20. The chest freezer plunge power safety system of claim 18, comprising two sensors, wherein a first sensor of the two sensor is configured to detect a first sensor element of the two sensor elements and wherein a second sensor of the two sensors is configured to detect a second sensor element of the two sensor elements to enable power to be connected to the power output from the power source.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0015] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a chest freezer that is configured as a plunge bath.

[0016] FIG. 2 shows a front perspective view of a chest freezer having a person submerged in the chest freezer and with the freezer door open.

[0017] FIG. 3 shows an end of a chest freezer having a power safety system support and a magnet.

[0018] FIG. 4 shows an end of a chest freezer having a chest freezer plunge power safety system coupled to the chest freezer and with the freezer door open.

[0019] FIG. 5 shows an end of a portion of the chest freezer having a chest freezer plunge power safety system coupled to the chest freezer with the freezer door closed to move the magnet down into proximity of the power system container.

[0020] FIG. 6 shows a top view of a chest freezer having a chest freezer plunge power safety system coupled to the chest freezer with the freezer door closed to move the magnet down into proximity of the power system container

[0021] FIG. 7 shows an exemplary power system container with the container cover opened and with components of the chest freezer plunge power safety system shown.

[0022] FIG. 8 shows a back view of a chest freezer with a chest freezer plunge power safety system coupled thereto to turn off all electrical power to the freezer when the freezer door is opened.

[0023] FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary chest freezer wall having an evaporator tube and condenser tube extending through the wall.

[0024] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the figures. The figures represent an illustration of some of the embodiments of the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. Some of the figures may not show all of the features and components of the invention for ease of illustration, but it is to be understood that where possible, features and components from one figure may be an included in the other figures. Further, the figures are not necessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] As used herein, the terms comprises, comprising, includes, including, has, having or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Also, use of a or an are employed to describe elements and components described herein. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the scope of the invention. This description should be read to include one or at least one and the singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise.

[0026] Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described herein and are illustrated in the accompanying figures. The embodiments described are only for purposes of illustrating the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention, and certain modifications, combinations, and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art and all such alternate embodiments, combinations, modifications, improvements are within the scope of the present invention.

[0027] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a chest freezer 20 is configured as a plunge bath 21. The chest freezer has a freezer interior 22 or freezer receptacle 29 that is large enough for a person to submerge in cold water 15 contained within the freezer interior 22 and cooled by the chest freezer refrigeration system 25. As shown in FIG. 2, a person is submerged in cold water contained within the freezer interior 22. The freezer door 24 is opened and pivots about the freezer door hinge 26 to enable the person to enter the freezer receptacle 29 or freezer interior 22.

[0028] Referring now to FIGS. 3 to 6, a chest freezer plunge power safety system 10 is coupled to the freezer exterior 23 by safety systems supports 45, 45. The power system container 50 is coupled to the freezer and has a sensor or sensors 64, 64 configured to detect one or more sensor elements 42, such as magnets 40, 40 coupled to the freezer door 24, such that when the freezer door is opened, the sensor detects that the door is opened, as the magnet is moved from proximity to the sensor (shown in FIG. 8). It should be noted that a single sensor may be configured to require the detection of two or more sensor elements, such as magnets to enable power to be connected to the power output.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 3, the freezer door 24 is opened about the freezer door hinge 26. Also, the safety systems supports 45, 45 are configured to receive the power system container 50. The power system container may be detachably attached to the chest freezer 20.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 4, a chest freezer 20 has a chest freezer plunge power safety system 10 coupled to the chest freezer, and configured within a power system container 50 having a container cover 51 to allow access into the interior of the container.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 a chest freezer 20 has a chest freezer plunge power safety system coupled to the chest freezer with the freezer door 22 closed to move the magnet 40 down into proximity of the power system container 50.

[0032] With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, an exemplary power system container 50 has the container cover 51 opened to show the power system container interior 52 components of the chest freezer plunge power safety system shown 10. Within the power system container 50 is a contactor 62 having a contactor switch 63 configured to shut off power to a power output 66, an output electrical receptacle 67, when the freezer door 24 is opened to move the magnet 40 away from the sensor 64, as shown in FIG. 8. Electrical power from a power source 30, such as through a power outlet 32 is supplied to the power supply safety system 69 via an input power cable 37 to the power input 60, an input electrical receptacle 67. The input power plug 38 may be plugged into a power input 60, an input electrical receptacle 67, of the power supply safety system 69. A power input connector 61 may extend from the power input electrical receptacle 67 to the contactor 62. The electrical power supply to the power output 66 is regulated and controlled by the power supply safety system 69, wherein the contactor 62 opens a circuit or contactor switch 63 to prevent any power supply from the power input 60 to the power output 66 when the magnet 40 coupled to the freezer door 24 is not detected by the sensor 64. The sensor 64 is coupled to the contactor by a sensor connector 65, such as a wire, and a controller 68, such as a microprocessor, may control the opening and closing of the contactor switch 63. The chest freezer 20 has a freezer power cable 27 with a freezer power plug 28 that is configured to connect with the power output 66. The freezer power cable 27 provides power to the chest freezer refrigeration. This chest freezer plunge power safety system 10 is configured to prevent any electrical shock by turning off all power to the chest freezer when the freezer door 24 is open.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 9, an exemplary chest freezer 20 may be configured to cool the interior or inner wall 82 of the freezer with evaporator tubes 83 that extend within the freezer wall 80 of the chest freezer and proximal to the inner wall. The freezer wall 80 may have the condenser tubes 85 extending proximal to the outer wall 86. Insulation 84 may be configured within the freezer wall or between the inner wall 82 and outer wall 86. Water may be configured within the interior of the freezer and against the inner wall 82 and the water may be cooled by contact with the inner wall.

[0034] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. Specific embodiments, features and elements described herein may be modified, and/or combined in any suitable manner. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications, combinations and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.