Removable storage basket and associated methods for storing items within a freezer

A storage basket for holding multiple product units inside a freezer, the freezer including a cabinet communicating with a cooling air flow and having a plurality of supporting shelves configured to enable the cooling air flow to move within the cabinet, the storage basket comprising:

• first and second spaced-apart sidewalls;
• and
• a plurality of inclined shelves extending between and operatively coupled to the first and second sidewalls, the plurality of inclined shelves being configured to support the multiple product units thereon and being oriented at an acute angle relative to a horizontal plane;
• wherein the plurality of inclined shelves include a plurality of air flow apertures configured to enable the cooling air flow in the cabinet to move around and through the storage basket and around the multiple product units when the storage basket is located in the freezer, and wherein the plurality of air flow apertures includes a first plurality of air flow apertures and a second plurality of air flow apertures defining at least one of a shape or size that is different than the first plurality of air flow apertures, such that the first plurality of air flow apertures are sized to indicate receptacle locations that receive an individual unit of the multiple product units.

A method of storing multiple product units inside a freezer, the freezer including a cabinet communicating with a cooling air flow and having a plurality of supporting shelves configured to enable the cooling air flow to move within the cabinet, the method comprising:

• receiving multiple product units on a plurality of inclined shelves of a storage basket, the storage basket including first and second sidewalls and at least one handle for permitting manual grasping of the storage basket;
• receiving the storage basket within the cabinet of the freezer and onto one of the plurality of supporting shelves such that all of the multiple product units on the storage basket are simultaneously inserted into the freezer, the plurality of inclined shelves being oriented at an acute angle relative to a horizontal plane;
• and
• enabling the cooling air flow to rapidly cool the multiple product units by flowing through the plurality of supporting shelves and by flowing through a plurality of air flow apertures provided in the storage basket.

A method of storing multiple product units inside a freezer, the freezer including a cabinet communicating with a cooling air flow and having a plurality of supporting shelves configured to enable the cooling air flow to move within the cabinet, the method comprising:

• positioning multiple product units onto a plurality of inclined shelves of a storage basket, the storage basket also including first and second sidewalls and at least one handle for permitting manual grasping of the storage basket;
• moving the storage basket into the cabinet of the freezer and onto one of the plurality of supporting shelves such that all of the multiple product units on the storage basket are simultaneously inserted into the freezer, the plurality of inclined shelves being oriented at an acute angle relative to a horizontal plane;
• and
• closing a door that provides access into the cabinet after moving the storage basket onto the corresponding supporting shelf, thereby enabling the cooling air flow to rapidly cool the multiple product units by flowing through the plurality of supporting shelves and by flowing through a plurality of air flow apertures provided in the storage basket.