U.S. patent application number 12/726882 was filed with the patent office on 2011-09-22 for compact thermoelectric merchandiser cooler.
This patent application is currently assigned to SG BEVERAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.. Invention is credited to NICK G. GLAROS, BRET MOORE.
Application Number | 20110225981 12/726882 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44646113 |
Filed Date | 2011-09-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110225981 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
GLAROS; NICK G. ; et
al. |
September 22, 2011 |
COMPACT THERMOELECTRIC MERCHANDISER COOLER
Abstract
A compact merchandiser cooler is provided for chilling food
and/or beverage containers. The compact merchandiser cooler
utilizes thermoelectric cooling technology and is configured to be
positioned within the line of sight of customers that are either
approaching or present at a point of purchase so as to effectively
promote impulse purchases. The compact merchandiser cooler includes
a base assembly, a housing assembly, and a lid. The housing
assembly may include a number of thermoelectrically cooled sleeves
that are arranged in a substantially horizontal array to allow
customers easy access to containers received within the sleeves.
Additionally, to further attract consumer notice, the compact
merchandiser cooler may be customized with branding information
related to the food and/or beverage containers to be chilled within
the compact merchandiser cooler.
Inventors: |
GLAROS; NICK G.; (BOCA
RATON, FL) ; MOORE; BRET; (COOPER CITY, FL) |
Assignee: |
SG BEVERAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Fort Lauderdale
FL
|
Family ID: |
44646113 |
Appl. No.: |
12/726882 |
Filed: |
March 18, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/3.6 ;
62/246 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47F 3/0404 20130101;
F25D 2331/805 20130101; F25D 2331/809 20130101; F25D 2331/803
20130101; F25B 21/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/3.6 ;
62/246 |
International
Class: |
F25B 21/02 20060101
F25B021/02; A47F 3/04 20060101 A47F003/04 |
Claims
1. A compact merchandiser cooler for chilling beverage containers,
comprising: a housing configured for countertop placement; a
plurality of cooling sleeves within said housing, wherein said
plurality of cooling sleeves are disposed in a substantially
horizontal two-dimensional array, and wherein each said cooling
sleeve is configured to receive and thermally contact one of the
beverage containers; and a thermoelectric module associated with
said plurality of cooling sleeves, wherein upon an application of
electrical power, said thermoelectric module is operative to cool
said plurality of cooling sleeves.
2. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 1, wherein
an upper portion of each said cooling sleeve forms an opening, and
wherein said opening enables access to a top portion of the
beverage container received within said cooling sleeve.
3. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 2, further
comprising a cooling sleeve cover, wherein said cooling sleeve
cover comprises a plurality of access apertures, each said access
aperture concentrically aligning with one of said openings.
4. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 1, further
comprising a lid that is operatively coupled with said housing.
5. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 4, wherein
said lid is transparent, and wherein the beverage containers are
viewable through said lid.
6. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 4, wherein
at least one of said housing, said cooling sleeve cover, and said
lid comprises branding information, and wherein said branding
information comprises one of text, color, and graphics.
7. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 6, wherein
said branding information relates to at least one of the beverage
containers received within the cooling sleeves.
8. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 1, wherein a
first set of said cooling sleeves has a first height and a second
set of said cooling sleeves has a second height.
9. The compact merchandiser cooler of claim 1, wherein said
thermoelectric module is a thermoelectric conductor pad.
10. The compact merchandiser cooler of claim 1, wherein said
cooling sleeves are cylindrical in shape with a circular
cross-section.
11. The compact merchandiser cooler of claim 1, wherein the compact
merchandiser cooler is a point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler.
12. A compact merchandiser cooler for cooling and displaying
containers containing consumer product, comprising: a housing, said
housing sized for placement at a point of purchase; a plurality of
sleeves within said housing, wherein a bottom end of each said
sleeve is closed to receive a single one of the containers
containing consumer product; and a thermoelectric module, wherein
said thermoelectric module makes direct or indirect contact with
said sleeves, wherein upon an application of electrical power, the
thermoelectric module is operative to cool said sleeves.
13. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 12, wherein
said plurality of sleeves are arranged in a substantially
horizontal planar array.
14. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 12, wherein
said plurality of sleeves lay within a single plane.
15. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 14, wherein
said single plane is substantially horizontal.
16. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 12, wherein
the consumer product comprises one of a food and a beverage.
17. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 12, wherein
each said sleeve is cylindrical.
18. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 12, wherein
an upper portion of each said sleeve forms an opening, and wherein
said opening enables access to a top portion of the container
received within said sleeve.
19. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 18, further
comprising a sleeve cover, wherein the sleeve cover comprises a
plurality of access apertures, and wherein each said access
aperture concentrically aligns with ones of said openings.
20. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 12, further
comprising a lid that is operatively coupled with said housing.
21. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 20, wherein
said lid is transparent, and wherein the containers are viewable
through said lid.
22. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 20, wherein
at least one of said housing, said sleeve cover, and said lid
comprises branding information, and wherein said branding
information comprises one of text, color, and graphics.
23. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 22, wherein
said branding information relates to at least one of the
containers.
24. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 12, wherein
a first set of said sleeves has a first height and a second set of
said sleeves has a second height.
25. A compact merchandiser cooler for chilling containers
containing consumer product, comprising: a housing configured for
placement on a countertop; a plurality of cooling sleeves within
said housing, wherein each said cooling sleeve is configured to
receive and thermally contact one of the containers containing
consumer product, and wherein each sleeve has a substantially
vertical center axis; and a thermoelectric module associated with
said plurality of cooling sleeves, wherein upon an application of
electrical power, said thermoelectric conductor is operative to
cool said plurality of cooling sleeves.
26. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 25, wherein
said plurality of cooling sleeves are arranged in a substantially
horizontal planar array.
27. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 25, wherein
said plurality of cooling sleeves lie within a single plane.
28. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 27, wherein
said single plane is substantially horizontal.
29. A compact merchandiser cooler as set forth in claim 25, wherein
the consumer product comprises one of a food and a beverage.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates in general to thermoelectric
food and beverage merchandiser coolers and, in particular, to a
compact merchandiser sleeve-type cooler for displaying chilled food
and beverages on a countertop such as, for example, at a point of
purchase or sale.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Commercial merchandiser coolers are used to chill beverages
such as soda, juice, water, energy drinks, and beer or other
alcoholic beverages prior to sale. They are also used to chill cold
snacks such as yogurt and ice cream. Merchandiser coolers generally
allow customers to view cooler contents without the need to open
doors and are often found in grocery and convenience stores.
[0003] Merchandiser coolers are available in a variety of sizes and
styles to suit an array of different purposes. For instance, large
merchandiser coolers include large walk-in, floor, or in-wall units
having enclosed shelving volumes situated behind one or more
transparent hinged or sliding doors or, in some cases, a cold air
curtain (i.e., no door(s)). Large merchandiser coolers require a
significant dedicated footprint and are difficult if not impossible
to move about a store or between stores. While large merchandiser
coolers can simultaneously cool a significant amount of
merchandise, they are not ideal for promoting impulse purchases
because their size promotes a dedicated location, often near the
back of the store.
[0004] Compact merchandiser coolers have a smaller footprint and
can be considered transportable in that they may be moved from one
location within a store to another. In some instances, compact
merchandiser coolers may be lifted and carried by one or more
employees, while in others, they may feature attached wheels or
rollers that assist in positioning and/or relocating the compact
merchandiser cooler.
[0005] Point-of-purchase merchandiser coolers are highly portable
and may be placed at a checkout counter or other point of sale to
promote the purchase of refrigerated, high-profit, impulse-sale
items. Point-of-purchase merchandiser coolers are also effective
tools in increasing brand awareness, as they are more likely to be
viewed by each paying customer.
[0006] In addition to a variety of sizes and styles, merchandiser
coolers (e.g., large merchandiser coolers and compact and
point-of-purchase merchandiser coolers) employ different cooling
technologies. Many utilize a cyclic refrigeration system having an
evaporator. For instance, many cyclic refrigeration systems employ
the reverse-Rankine vapor-compression refrigeration cycle. With
this type of refrigeration, chilled air is circulated about food
and/or beverage containers housed within the refrigerated volume to
cool the merchandise to a desired temperature. Regardless of the
style of merchandiser cooler, such systems are inefficient because
they require a larger than necessary cooling capacity in order to
cool the largely unpopulated volume within the display area.
[0007] In other instances, refrigeration is accomplished by melting
ice or sublimating dry ice. This method of refrigeration is popular
in point-of-purchase merchandiser coolers, as it allows retailers
to place food and/or beverages in an easily accessible,
bucket-style cooler located at or near the cash register or other
point of sale in order to attract impulse buys. That said, using
this method of refrigeration is both inefficient and difficult to
maintain. As the ice melts, the water must be drained way and the
ice replaced. In addition, the melting ice leaves the beverage
containers dripping wet, which is undesirable to many customers.
While dry ice does not present the hassle of melting, sublimating
dry ice is visually distracting, which is particularly inconvenient
for countertop displays where employees and customers are
exchanging money to complete customers' final purchases, oftentimes
employing devices such as calculators, cash registers, and credit
card machines.
[0008] Refrigeration has also been accomplished thermoelectrically
on a limited basis. Thermoelectric refrigeration provides improved
refrigeration efficiency over cyclic, forced air and/or ice cooling
technologies, but because thermoelectric refrigeration generally
requires some type of sleeve or housing to surround each of the
beverages to be cooled, existing thermoelectric merchandiser
coolers are bulky and have been limited in physical layout and
design.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention relates to compact merchandiser
coolers for cooling chilled food and beverages. The inventors have
recognized the need for an efficient compact merchandiser cooler
that may be placed upon a countertop or otherwise near a check-out
point or point of purchase (e.g., a cash register, a self check-out
kiosk, a cash drawer, etc.). In this regard, the invention provides
an efficient and attractive thermoelectrically-cooled compact
merchandiser cooler that may be sized for placement upon a
countertop within the line of sight of customers that are at or
approaching a point of purchase. Once customers become interested
in the compact merchandiser cooler, the chilled food and beverage
containers within the cooler are easily accessible to customers who
need only reach into the cooler and "grab" what they want, much
like reaching into a bucket of ice or bucket-style cooler. Thus,
the inventive compact merchandiser cooler effectively promotes
impulse buys at the point of purchase, while avoiding the drawbacks
of other counter-cooling methods such as frozen or dry ice filled
casks that leak, drip, and distract customers and employees
alike.
[0010] In particular, a first aspect of the invention involves a
compact merchandiser cooler for chilling beverage containers. The
compact merchandiser cooler includes a housing configured for
countertop placement, a plurality of cooling sleeves within the
housing, and a thermoelectric module associated with the plurality
of cooling sleeves. The cooling sleeves are disposed in a
substantially horizontal two-dimensional array, and each cooling
sleeve is configured to receive and thermally contact one of the
beverage containers. Upon an application of electrical power, the
thermoelectric module is operative to cool the cooling sleeves.
[0011] In one embodiment, the compact merchandiser cooler may be a
point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler. The point-of-purchase
merchandiser cooler may be sized appropriately for placement at any
point of purchase where the point-of-purchase merchandiser might be
advantageously displayed. As assembled, the point-of-purchase
merchandiser cooler may have an approximate length of 12-14 inches,
an approximate width of 8-10 inches, and an approximate height of
8-12 inches. The assembled length, width, and height dimensions of
the point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler may vary as appropriate
depending on the configuration of the point-of-purchase at which
the point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler will be displayed.
Similarly, the number of containers that may be chilled within the
point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler may vary in a manner that
does not require frequent restocking of the point-of-purchase
merchandiser cooler but that also does not mandate physical
dimensions that overwhelm the space available at the
point-of-purchase.
[0012] In another embodiment, an upper portion of each of the
cooling sleeves may form an opening that enables access to a top
portion of the beverage container received within the cooling
sleeve. In addition, the cooling sleeves may have varying heights
and have cross-sections of varying shapes (e.g., cylindrical,
circular, triangular, square, etc.) in order to accommodate a
variety of different container shapes and sizes. To protect the
cooling sleeves and to provide an aesthetically pleasing and
customizable fascia, the compact merchandiser may also include a
cooling sleeve cover that overlays the cooling sleeves and includes
a number of access apertures. Each of the access apertures may
concentrically align with one of the cooling sleeve openings such
that the beverage containers may be inserted into and removed from
the cooling sleeves.
[0013] To increase cooling efficiency, the compact merchandiser may
also include a lid that is operatively coupled with the housing.
The lid may be transparent such that the beverage containers are
viewable through the lid.
[0014] In another implementation, the thermoelectric module may be
a thermoelectric conductor pad. The thermoelectric conductor pad
may be a commercially available thermoelectric conductor pad of any
appropriate size, shape, type, and/or configuration.
[0015] To assist with marketing the beverage containers, at least
one of the housing, the cooling sleeve cover, and the lid may
include branding information such as text, color, and/or graphics.
The branding information may relate to one or more of the beverage
containers received within the cooling sleeves and may be applied
in any appropriate manner including appliques or stickers,
printing, painting, or as part of a manufacturing process
associated with the housing, the cooling sleeve cover, and/or the
lid (e.g., imprinting designs during the injection molding process,
etc.).
[0016] Another aspect of the present invention involves a compact
merchandiser cooler for cooling and displaying containers
containing consumer product. The compact merchandiser cooler
includes a housing that is sized for placement at a point of
purchase and a plurality of sleeves within the housing. A bottom
end of each of the sleeves is closed to receive a single one of the
containers of consumer product. The compact merchandiser cooler
also includes a thermoelectric module that makes direct or indirect
contact with the sleeves. Upon an application of electrical power,
the thermoelectric module is operative to cool the sleeves.
[0017] In one embodiment, the plurality of sleeves may be arranged
in a substantially horizontal planar array. In this regard, the
plurality of sleeves may be arranged within a single plane, and
that single plane may be substantially horizontal. In another
embodiment, the sleeves may lay in a series of graduated horizontal
planar arrays such that sets of the sleeves lay within multiple
graduated planes. Each of the graduated planes may be substantially
horizontal.
[0018] Further, an upper portion of each of the sleeves may form an
opening that enables access to a top portion of the container
received within the sleeve. Each of the sleeves may have varying
heights and have cross-sections of varying shapes (e.g.,
cylindrical, circular, triangular, square, etc.) in order to
accommodate a variety of different shapes and sizes of containers,
each containing any type of appropriate food or beverage.
[0019] Yet another aspect of the present invention involves a
compact merchandiser cooler for chilling containers of consumer
product. The compact merchandiser cooler includes a housing
configured for placement on a countertop and a plurality of cooling
sleeves within the housing. Each of the cooling sleeves is
configured to receive and thermally contact one of the containers,
and each of the cooling sleeves has a substantially vertical center
axis. The compact merchandiser cooler also includes a
thermoelectric module associated with the plurality of cooling
sleeves, and upon an application of electrical power, the
thermoelectric conductor is operative to cool the cooling
sleeves.
[0020] In one implementation, the cooling sleeves are arranged in a
substantially horizontal planar array. In this regard, the
plurality of sleeves may be arranged within a single plane, and
that single plane may be substantially horizontal. In another
embodiment, the sets of sleeves may lay within graduated horizontal
planar arrays such that the sleeves lay within multiple stepped or
graduated planes, where each of the planes may be substantially
horizontal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] For a more complete understanding of the present invention
and further advantages thereof, reference is now made to the
following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the
drawings, in which:
[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of one embodiment of a
point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler as positioned at a point of
purchase.
[0023] FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the point-of-purchase
merchandiser cooler of FIG. 1 as positioned upon a countertop.
[0024] FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of a lid, a lid gasket,
a housing assembly, and a base assembly of the point-of-purchase
merchandiser cooler of FIG. 1 as positioned upon a countertop.
[0025] FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded view of one embodiment of the
housing assembly of FIG. 3.
[0026] FIG. 5A illustrates one embodiment of several cooling
sleeves as attached to a cooling plate of the housing assembly of
FIG. 4.
[0027] FIG. 5B illustrates another embodiment of several cooling
sleeves as attached to a cooling plate of the housing assembly of
FIG. 4.
[0028] FIG. 6A illustrates one embodiment of a cooling plate cover
of the housing assembly of FIG. 4.
[0029] FIG. 6B illustrates another embodiment of a cooling plate
cover of the housing assembly of FIG. 4.
[0030] FIG. 7A illustrates one embodiment of a lid of the
point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler of FIG. 1.
[0031] FIG. 7B illustrates another embodiment of a lid of the
point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler of FIG. 1.
[0032] FIG. 8 illustrates one embodiment of a thermoconductor pad
for use with the point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler of FIG.
1.
[0033] FIG. 9 illustrates one embodiment of a heat sink and heat
sink insulator for use in the point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler
of FIG. 1.
[0034] FIG. 10 illustrates one embodiment of the base assembly of
FIG. 3.
[0035] FIG. 11A illustrates another embodiment of the
point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler of FIG. 1.
[0036] FIG. 11B illustrates yet another embodiment of the
point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0037] The following description describes exemplary embodiments of
a compact merchandiser cooler for chilling food and beverage
containers. Specifically, the description details embodiments of a
compact merchandiser cooler that combine thermoelectric cooling
technology with a sleek physical profile that is specifically
configured for placement upon a countertop (e.g., near a cash
register) or at another point of purchase or sale. The merchandiser
provides an attractive, easily accessible means of displaying
chilled food and beverages to customers, and as a result, the
merchandiser is ideal for encouraging impulse purchases made at a
point of sale. The following description should be understood as
exemplifying one or more embodiments of the compact merchandiser
cooler and that the compact merchandiser cooler is not limited to
these exemplary embodiments.
[0038] In one embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-2, the compact
merchandiser cooler may be a point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler
20 that is positionable upon a countertop or at a point of
purchase. In this embodiment, the assembled point-of-purchase
merchandiser cooler 20 may have a length of approximately 12.5
inches, a width of approximately 8.5 inches, and a maximum height
of approximately 10 inches. These numbers are merely exemplary, and
a range of configurations may be appropriate. That said, in order
for the point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler 20 to be sized
reasonably for placement upon a countertop or at another point of
purchase, the length, width, and height of the point-of-purchase
merchandiser cooler 20 should not exceed 18 inches.times.13
inches.times.12 inches.
[0039] Further, because a range of sizes are acceptable for
point-of-purchase placement, the point-of-purchase merchandiser
cooler 20 may be configured to hold varying numbers of food and/or
beverage containers. For example, a point-of-purchase merchandiser
cooler configured to receive only two containers would be too few
containers and would require constant restocking, but a
point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler configured to receive sixty
containers would likely be too large for comfortable placement upon
a countertop or at another point of purchase.
[0040] Turning to the specifics of the point-of-purchase
merchandiser cooler 20, FIGS. 1-3 show front, side, and exploded
views of one embodiment of the point-of-purchase merchandiser
cooler 20 as positioned on a countertop at a point of purchase in a
retail establishment, respectively. In this embodiment, the
point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler 20 includes a base assembly
22 that both supports and dissipates heat from a housing assembly
24, as will be explained below. A lid 26 may be operably connected
to the housing assembly 24 in any appropriate manner (e.g., hinged,
pinioned, etc.). The lid 26 may also simply rest upon the housing
assembly 24. When the lid 26 is in a closed position, the lid 26
may rest upon a lid gasket 27 (FIG. 3) that seals the connection
between the housing assembly 24 and the lid 26. The lid gasket 27
may be formed of any appropriate gasket material. For instance, the
lid gasket 27 may be a foam strip or a rubberized seal.
[0041] In this embodiment, the base assembly 22, the housing
assembly 24, and the lid 26 are physically configured to allow the
assembled point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler 20 to be positioned
upon a countertop. In this regard, the point-of-purchase
merchandiser cooler 20 may be placed in a consumer's direct line of
sight at a point of purchase such as a cash register, automated
check-out kiosk, cash drawer, or the like. As a result, chilled
food and/or beverage containers within the point-of-purchase
merchandiser cooler 20 are within easy reach of an approaching
customer. When the customer approaches the point of purchase, the
point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler 20 catches the customer's eye
and he or she becomes interested in the cooler and its contents and
is apt to make a decision to purchase a conveniently located,
chilled food or beverage item.
[0042] FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of one implementation of the
housing assembly 24. In this implementation, the housing assembly
24 includes a number of cooling sleeves 28. Each of the cooling
sleeves 28 has a top portion 32 that forms an opening. Further, as
shown in FIGS. 4 and 5A-B, a bottom portion 34 of each of the
cooling sleeves 28 may be attached to a common cooling plate 30 in
any appropriate manner, including, for example, via any appropriate
fasteners such as screws, bolts, pins, rivets, and the like. In
this regard, the top portion 32 of each of the cooling sleeves 28
remains open, while the bottom portion 34 is closed, thereby
enabling each of the cooling sleeves 28 to receive a food or
beverage container (e.g., a bottle, a carton, a bag, etc.), as
shown in FIG. 11A-B. In this regard, a customer wishing to purchase
a chilled food or beverage item may simply open the lid 26, reach
into the merchandiser 20, and manually remove the desired food or
beverage container.
[0043] The cooling sleeves 28 and the cold plate 30 may be formed
of any appropriate thermally conductive metal such as extruded
aluminum. Further, the cooling sleeves 28 may be dimensioned to
accommodate various sizes and shapes of containers to be received
within the cooling sleeves. In this regard, FIGS. 5A-B show
perspective views of differing embodiments of cooling sleeves 28a
and 28b, respectively. The cooling sleeves 28a shown in FIG. 5A are
a shorter version, while the cooling sleeves 28b shown in FIG. 5B
are a taller version. Notably, the height of the cooling sleeves 28
may vary from one point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler 20 to the
next, or alternatively, a single point-of-purchase merchandiser
cooler 20 may include cooling sleeves 28 of varying heights.
[0044] Beyond varying heights as shown in FIG. 5A-B, the cooling
sleeves 28 may have varying widths and even shapes to accommodate a
variety of different food and beverage containers. While the
cooling sleeves 28 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5A-B are cylindrical with a
circular cross-section, the cooling sleeves 28 may have a
cross-section that forms a square, a triangle, an oval, or any
other appropriate shape. For example, if the cooling sleeves 28 are
to receive and thermally contact containers of Red Bull.RTM. energy
drink, the cooling sleeves 28 may be approximately 2.3 inches tall
with a circular cross-section having an inner diameter of
approximately 1.6 inches. If the cooling sleeves 28 are to receive
and thermally contact boxes of Hershey's.RTM. chocolate milk, the
cooling sleeves 28 may be approximately 2 inches tall with a
rectangular cross-section of approximately 1.times.2.5 inches.
[0045] Moreover, the cooling sleeves 28 may lay in a single
horizontal plane, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5A-B, or each of the
sleeves 28 may be tilted slightly (e.g., tilted toward the front of
the merchandiser 20) so as to ease access to the containers
received within the sleeves 28. In addition, the cooling sleeves
may lie in multiple substantially horizontal planes. For instance,
the cooling sleeves 28 may be positioned such that they are
vertically graduated from the front to the back of the merchandiser
20.
[0046] The cooling sleeves 28 and the cooling plate 30 fit within a
housing 36, just below an insulating gasket 38 and a cold plate
cover 40. The housing 36 and the cold plate cover 40 may be formed
of any appropriate material such as, for example, an injection
molded thermoplastic (e.g., acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)),
while the insulating gasket 38 may be formed of any appropriate
thermally insulating material such as polyurethane foam. The
insulating gasket 38 and the cold plate cover 40 may include a
number of access apertures 42 and 44, respectively, which
concentrically align with the cooling sleeves 28. In this regard,
when the cooling sleeves 28, the insulating gasket 38, and the cold
plate cover 40 are assembled within the housing 36, the top
portions 32 of the cooling sleeves 28 remain open and accessible,
thereby allowing food and beverage containers to be inserted into
and removed from the cooling sleeves 28 of the point-of-purchase
merchandiser cooler 20. To accommodate the varying heights of the
cooling sleeves 28, discussed above, the cold plate cover 40 and
the lid 26 may also vary in height, as shown by cold plate covers
40a and 40b of FIGS. 6A-B and lids 26a and 26b of FIGS. 7A-B,
respectively. Further, the access apertures 42 of the insulating
gasket 38 and the access apertures 44 of the cold plate cover 40
may have varying widths and/or shapes such that they match the
variable cross-section of the cooling sleeves 28, discussed
above.
[0047] Thermoelectric technology is used to cool the cooling
sleeves 28, which in turn chills the food and beverage containers
received within the cooling sleeves 28. In this regard, FIG. 4
shows two thermoconductor pads 46, each having a top surface 50 and
a bottom surface 52. The thermoconductor pads 46 may be commercial
thermoconductor pads of any appropriate size, shape, type, and/or
configuration. For example, in one embodiment, each of the
thermoconductor pads 46 may be a TEC1-12706 thermoelectric cooling
module from Centenary Materials Co., Ltd.
[0048] FIG. 8 shows a front perspective view of one embodiment of
the thermoconductor pads 46. In this embodiment, each of the
thermoconductor pads 46 includes two leads 56. Upon an application
of electrical power to the leads 56 (e.g., 12 V DC, 6 A), heat
moves through the thermoconductor pad 46 from the top surface 50 to
the bottom surface 52. That is, the top surface 50 is cooled while
the bottom surface 52 is simultaneously heated. In one embodiment,
the top surface 50 of each of the thermoconductor pads 46 may be
selectively cooled to between 23 degrees Fahrenheit and 35 degrees
Fahrenheit.
[0049] As shown in FIG. 4, each of the thermoconductor pads 46 may
be situated within a thermoconductor insulator 56 and bounded by
the cooling plate 30 to the top and two heat sinks 54 to the
bottom. Like the insulating gasket 38, the thermoconductor
insulator 56 may be formed of any appropriate thermally insulating
material including, for instance, polyurethane foam. The
thermoconductor insulator 56 may include two cutouts 58, each
configured to accommodate one of the thermoconductor pads 46. When
the thermoconductor pads 46 are disposed within the cutouts 58 of
the thermoconductor insulator 56, only the top surface 50 and the
bottom surface 52 of each of the pads 46 is exposed. Thus, when the
housing assembly 24 is assembled such that the thermoconductor
insulator 56 abuts the bottom face 48 of the cooling plate 30, the
top surface 50 of each of the pads 46 abuts the bottom face 48 of
the cooling plate 30 and the bottom surface 52 of each of the pads
46 abuts the heat sinks 54. Alternatively, depending on the
dimensioning of the housing assembly 24 and the base assembly 22, a
thermally conductive riser (not shown) may lay between each of the
thermoconductor pads 46 and the cooling plate 30. The riser may be
formed of any appropriate thermally conductive material such as
extruded aluminum and, in this embodiment, thermal grease may be
smeared between the risers, the cooling plate 30, and the
thermoconductor pads 46 to promote heat transfer between the
components.
[0050] The contact (direct or indirect) between the thermoconductor
pads 46 and the cooling plate 30 draws heat away from the cooling
plate 30 to the top surfaces 50 of the thermoconductor pads 46.
This chilling effect translates through the cooling sleeves 28 to
any food and beverage containers received within the cooling
sleeves 28. Heat transferred from the top surface 50 of each of the
thermoconductor pads 46 is absorbed by the bottom surface 52 of
each of the thermoconductor pads 46 and then dissipated through the
heat sinks 54. As shown in FIG. 9, a heat sink insulator 60 may be
disposed upon each heat sink 54 to further isolate the thermal
contact between the bottom surfaces 52 of the thermoconductor pads
46 and the heat sinks 54. The heat sink insulator 60 may be formed
of any appropriate thermally insulating serial such as, for
instance, polyurethane foam. In this embodiment, the heat sinks 54
may be finned heat sinks formed of any appropriate thermally
conductive material such as, for instance, extruded aluminum.
[0051] As discussed above, the housing assembly 24 is positioned
above the base assembly 22. In one embodiment of the base assembly
22, which is detailed in FIG. 10, the base assembly 22 may include
two fans 64 that are situated above a ventilated base compartment
66. The fans 64 further dissipate heat emanating from the heat
sinks 54, to maintain the housing assembly 24 and the base assembly
22 of point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler 20 at a reasonable
operating temperature. The fans 64 may be rotary fans of any size,
shape, type, and/or configuration. In one embodiment, the fans may
rotate at 2000 revolutions per minute, providing an airflow of 66
cubic feet per minute.
[0052] The base assembly 22 may also include one or more
condensation wicks 68 to control humidity within that base assembly
22. The condensation wicks 68 may be formed of any suitable wicking
material such as, for instance, felt.
[0053] To power the thermoconductor pads 46 as well as the fans 64,
the base assembly 22 may include a power inlet 70, as shown in FIG.
10. The power inlet may be an IEC connector for connecting a power
cord to standard 120/240 V, 50/60 Hz power outlets and may have a
maximum current and voltage rating of 2.5A/250 V AC. In this
implementation, power may be routed from the power inlet 70 to two
printed circuit boards (PCBs) 72, 74 (FIG. 4) within the housing
assembly 24. The PCBs 72, 74 may be configured as appropriate to
power and control the thermoconductor pads 46 (e.g., 12 V DC/ 6 A
each), the fans 64 (e.g., 12 V DC/0.3 A each), as well as any other
electronic devices (not shown) included in the point-of-purchase
merchandiser cooler 20. Additional electronic devices may include
temperature probes, timers, displays, and the like.
[0054] To further prompt purchasing behavior, the merchandiser 20
may be customized according to the type of food and/or beverage
containers that are contained within the point-of-purchase
merchandiser cooler 20. For example, in one embodiment, the housing
36 and/or the lid 26 may include branding or marketing information.
As shown in FIGS. 11A-B, the housing 36 and/or the lid 26 may
display company trademarks and logos, product information, and
other marketing information that is associated with the food and/or
beverage containers chilled within the merchandiser 20. In this
regard, one embodiment of the housing assembly 24 may include a
light box 76 (FIGS. 4 and 11B), which may contain LED or other
decorative lighting (e.g., colored or white light) to attract
customers to the merchandiser 20 and its contents.
[0055] Using embodiments of the point-of-purchase merchandiser
cooler 20 described above, food and/or beverage containers may be
chilled in an accessible, transportable, attractive, and
customizable point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler, which, unlike
other countertop or point-of-purchase cooling devices, does not
involve using frozen or dry ice to cool food and beverage
containers. As a result, the point-of-purchase merchandiser cooler
20 promotes impulse purchases without the inconvenience and
distraction of melting or sublimating ice.
[0056] While various embodiments of the present invention have been
described in detail, it is apparent that further modifications and
adaptations of the invention will occur to those skilled in the
art. However, it is to be expressly understood that such
modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of
the present invention.
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