U.S. patent number RE37,213 [Application Number 08/579,091] was granted by the patent office on 2001-06-12 for container for producing cold foods and beverages.
Invention is credited to Jeff J. Staggs.
United States Patent |
RE37,213 |
Staggs |
June 12, 2001 |
Container for producing cold foods and beverages
Abstract
A drinking mug or tumbler-like device self equipped to rapidly
transform its contents into a congealed, or very low temperature
liquid condition comprising an inner container enclosed within a
larger outer container that is filled with a water based
refrigerant in the space therebetween, and hermetically sealed with
a special seal gasket arrangement. In preparation for use, the
device in placed in a refrigerator freezer until the refrigerant is
solidified. The contents are then poured into the container and
cooled as heat is absorbed by the refrigerant through the walls of
the inner container. The specially proportioned inner container
aids transfer of heat energy to speed cooling of the contents,
along with a fabric which aids in the distribution of thermal
energy throughout the refrigerant, and also controls the degree of
congealment within the beverage, and refrigerant. The refrigerant
compartment is specially designed to assist directing of the
expansion volume of the frozen refrigerant away from the walls and
into an expansion absorber fitted at the bottom of the compartment.
The exterior of the device is easily detachable from the remainder
of the unit to reduce preparation time in the freezer, and to allow
retrofit for altered cooling performance, decorative appeal, and
adaptation for outdoor use. The concepts identified above are also
applicable in the design of hot cup devices.
Inventors: |
Staggs; Jeff J. (Denver,
CO) |
Family
ID: |
25230898 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/579,091 |
Filed: |
December 21, 1995 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
820480 |
Jan 14, 1992 |
05271244 |
Dec 21, 1993 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
62/457.3;
62/530 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G
19/2288 (20130101); F25D 3/08 (20130101); F25D
31/007 (20130101); F25D 2303/0831 (20130101); F25D
2303/0841 (20130101); F25D 2303/0843 (20130101); F25D
2303/0845 (20130101); F25D 2331/803 (20130101); F25D
2331/808 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47G
19/22 (20060101); F25D 3/08 (20060101); F25D
3/00 (20060101); F25D 31/00 (20060101); F25D
003/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;62/457.3,457.4,457.5,529,530,389,1 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
"How to Get the Best from Your Refrigerator" with cover and pp. 10
and 11--An Owners Manual for G.E. Refrigerators..
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Primary Examiner: Doerrler; William
Claims
I claim:
1. A container for thermal treatment of contents placed therein
comprised of:
(a) an inner container open on one end and closed on the other
equipped with a flange on said open end, for holding the
contents,
(b) an outer container equipped with a flanged open end, enclosing
said inner container,
(c) a thermally treated material which undergoes a substantial
change of volume during the usual operation of the container
contained within a compartment between the outside of said inner
container, and the inside of said outer container,
(d) a seal gasket constructed of a compressible material attached
between said inner container flange, and said outer container
flange,
(d) means for attaching said inner container to said outer
container for compression of said seal gasket, whereby said inner
container, and said outer container may be joined together with a
connection that is flexible, of high structural integrity, and that
insures the said compartment is leak proof regardless of changes of
pressure, or volume that may result from temperature variations of
said thermally treated material, said inner container, or said
outer container or, misalignment of said inner container, and said
outer container.
2. A container for rapid thermal treatment, and holding of contents
placed therein that the contents may be maintained in a desired
temperature during their consumption comprised of:
(a) a generally cylindrical shaped.Iadd., closed end .Iaddend.inner
container constructed of a material having good thermal
conductivity, .[.open on one end and closed on the other.]. for
holding the contents,
(b) an outer container, enclosing said inner container,
(c) a heat absorbing material which undergoes a change of material
phase during operation of the container contained within a
compartment between .[.the outside of.]. said inner container, and
.[.the inside of.]. said outer container,
(d) means for attaching said inner container to said outer
container.[.wherein.]. .Iadd., .Iaddend.
(e) .Iadd.means to prevent .Iaddend.leakage of said heat absorbing
material out of .[.said compartment is prevented.]. .Iadd.the
container.Iaddend.,
(.Iadd.f..Iaddend.) said inner container having an elongated
interior equal in measurement to at least two .[.of its.].
.Iadd.cylindrical .Iaddend.wall diameters.[.measured at the widest
point horizontally adjacent to.]. .Iadd., .Iaddend.
(.Iadd.g.) said heat absorbing material .Iaddend..[.when the
container is in the normal upright.]. position, and having
substantial .[.physical.]. .Iadd.thermal .Iaddend.contact .[.with
said heat absorbing material at all times during the usual
operation of the container.]. along .[.its.]. .Iadd.the
.Iaddend.elongated exterior sides .Iadd.of said inner container
.Iaddend.with a level equal in measurement to a minimum of said two
wall diameters, whereby the contents may be thermally treated more
thoroughly, and in less time.
3. A container for rapid thermal treatment, and holding of contents
placed therein that the contents may be maintained at a desired
temperature during their consumption comprised of:
(a) a .Iadd.closed end .Iaddend.inner container constructed of a
material having good thermal conductivity, .[.open on one end and
closed on the opposite end.]. for holding the contents,
(b) an outer container, enclosing said inner container,
(c) a heat absorbing material which undergoes a change of material
phase during operation of the container contained within a
compartment between .[.the outside of.]. said inner container, and
.[.the inside of.]. said outer container,
(d) means for attaching said inner container to said outer
container .[.wherein.]. .Iadd., .Iaddend.
(e) .Iadd.means to prevent .Iaddend.said leakage of said heat
absorbing material out of .[.said compartment is prevented.].
.Iadd.the container.Iaddend.,
(.Iadd.f.Iaddend.) said inner container having an interior with a
generally rectangular shaped cross section equal in length to at
least two times its width, .[.and having substantial physical
contact with.].
(.Iadd.g..Iaddend.) said heat absorbing material .[.at all times
during the usual operation of the container.]. .Iadd.having
substantial thermal contact .Iaddend.along .[.its.]. .Iadd.the
.Iaddend.larger elongated exterior sides .Iadd.of said inner
container .Iaddend.to a level equal in measurement to a minimum of
said two cross sections widths, whereby the contents may be
thermally treated more thoroughly, and in less time.
4. A container for rapid cooling of contents placed therein that
the contents may be placed below, at, or very near their freezing
temperature in a liquid, congealed, or semicongealed condition
comprised of:
(a) an inner container constructed of a material having good
thermal conductivity for holding the contents,
(b) an outer container enclosing said inner container,
(c) a water based refrigerant material that may be frozen into a
solid within the range of conventional household refrigerator
freezers,
(d) a fabric constructed of a polymeric material permeated in said
refrigerant for altering the rate at which thermal energy flows
into, and out of said refrigerant, whereby the degree of
congealment of the contents, or said refrigerant may be
altered.
5. The container of claim 4 wherein said polymeric fabric is made
of plastic.
6. The container of claim 4, wherein said polymeric fabric is made
of an elastomer.
7. The container of claim 4, wherein said polymeric fabric is made
of glass.
8. A container for rapid cooling of contents placed therein that
the contents may be placed below, at, or very near their freezing
temperature in a liquid, congealed, or semicongealed condition
comprised of:
(a) an inner container constructed of a material having good
thermal conductivity for holding the contents,
(b) an outer container enclosing said inner container,
(c) a water based refrigerant material that may be frozen into a
solid within the range of conventional household refrigerator
freezes,
(d) a fabric constructed of a mineral permeated in said refrigerant
for altering the rate at which thermal energy flows into, and out
of said refrigerant, whereby the degree of congealment of the
contents, or said refrigerant may be altered.
9. The container of claim 8, wherein said mineral fabric is made of
metal.
10. The container of claim 8, wherein said metal fabric is among
those having high thermal conductivity.
11. The container of claim 10, wherein said metal fabric having
high thermal conductivity is aluminum.
12. A container for rapid cooling of contents placed therein
comprised of:
(a) an inner container for holding the contents,
(b) an outer container enclosing said inner container,
(c) a water based refrigerant which during the normal operation of
the container undergoes a change of volume in its material phase
transformation having direct physical contact with, and filling a
compartment substantially devoid of free air between the outside of
said inner container, and the inside of said outer container,
(d) means for attaching said inner container to said outer
container,
(e) said inner container constructed of a material that produces a
greater flow of thermal energy into, and out of said refrigerant
than said outer container, when exposed to the same
environment,
(f) said outer container having a wall constructed of a dense
material which allows a lower amount of thermal energy to flow
into, and out of said refrigerant than said inner container, and of
sufficient thickness to resist substantial deformation, and
maintain the general dimensional integrity of said wall, in spite
of increased transformation,
(g) a compressible material, affixed to the bottom of said
compartment, for absorbing the changes of volume of said
refrigerant in its material phase transformation, whereby the
expansion volume of said refrigerant may be directed away from said
inner container walls, and said outer container walls, and into
said compressible material.
13. The container of claim 12, wherein said compressible material
is made of plastic.
14. The container of claim 12, wherein said compressible material
is made of an elastomer.
15. The container of claim 14, wherein said elastomer is
rubber.
16. A container according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 or 12, further
comprising an inner container constructed of a polymeric
material.
17. The container of claim 16, wherein said polymeric material
inner container is plastic.
18. A container according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 or 12, further
comprising an inner container constructed of a metal.
19. The container of claim 18, wherein said inner container metal
is aluminum.
20. A container according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 or 12, further
comprising an outer container constructed of a polymeric
material.
21. The container of claim 20, wherein said polymeric material
outer container is plastic.
22. The container of claim 20, wherein said polymeric material
outer container is an elastomer.
23. A container according to claims 1, 2 or 3, further comprising
heat absorbing material that is a refrigerant.
24. A container according to claims 1, 2 or 3, further comprising a
gelatinous heat absorbing material.
25. A container according to claims 4, 8 or 12, wherein said water
contains about 5 and one half percent salt.
26. The container of claim 2, wherein said inner container interior
is equal in measurement to at least two and half of said inner
container diameters.
27. The container of claim 2, wherein said level of heat absorbing
material is equal in measurement to at least two and a half of said
inner container diameters.
28. The container of claim 3, wherein said inner container cross
section length is equal in measurement to at least two and a half
of said widths.
29. The container of claim 28, wherein said level of heat absorbing
material is equal in measurement to at least two and a half of said
inner container widths.
30. A container according to claims 1, 2 or 3, further comprising a
heat absorbing material that is mostly water.
31. A container according to claim 30, wherein said water contains
about 5 and one half percent salt..Iadd.
32. A container as in any one of claims 2, or 3, wherein the
contents are heated. .Iaddend..Iadd.
33. A container as in any one of claims 2, or 3, wherein said inner
container has a wall thickness of about 0.80 mm (0.032") or less.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
34. A container as in any one of claims 2, or 3, wherein said inner
container has a wall thickness of about 0.64 mm (0.025") or less.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
35. A container as in any one of claims 2, or 3, wherein said inner
container has a wall thickness of about 0.10 mm. (0.004") or more.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
36. A container as in any one of claims 2, or 3, wherein the
desired condition is congealed. .Iaddend..Iadd.
37. A wine freezing container comprised of:
(a) a container for holding the wine,
(b) a refrigeration means sufficient to freeze a substantial
portion of the wine into a congealed condition,
(c) a means for preventing substantially complete congealment of
the wine,
(d) a separation means for maintaining a primarily liquid remaining
portion of the wine apart from said congealed portion for
consumption in a desired condition. .Iaddend..Iadd.
38. A beer freezing container comprised of:
(a) a container for holding the beer,
(b) a refrigeration means sufficient to freeze a substantial
portion of the beer into a congealed condition,
(c) a means for preventing substantially complete congealment of
the beer,
(d) a separation means for maintaining a primarily liquid remaining
portion of the beer apart from said congealed portion for
consumption in a desired condition. .Iaddend..Iadd.
39. A container as in any one of claims 37, or 38, wherein said
separation means is a surface sufficiently cooled to cause
adherence of said congealment. .Iaddend..Iadd.
40. A container for rapid freezing of contents placed therein
comprised of:
(a) a container for holding the contents,
(b) a compartment constructed of a polymeric material having a wall
about 0.80 mm (0.032") or less in thickness for holding a material
phase-change refrigerant in thermal contact with the contents,
(c) said refrigerant sufficient to freeze a substantial portion of
the contents into a congealed, or semi-congealed condition through
said wall. .Iaddend..Iadd.
41. A container for freezing of contents placed therein comprised
of:
(a) a container for holding the contents,
(b) a walled compartment for holding a material phase-change
refrigerant in a volume equal to about half or less the volume of
said container in thermal contact with the contents,
(c) said refrigerant sufficient to freeze a substantial portion of
the contents from a liquid into a congealed, or semi-congealed
condition. .Iaddend..Iadd.
42. A container as in any one of claims 2, 3, 40, or 41, wherein
the contents is water. .Iaddend..Iadd.
43. A container as in any one of claims 2, 3, 40, or 41, wherein
the contents is a milkshake-like food, or beverage.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
44. A container as in any one of claims 2, 3, 40, or 41, wherein
the contents is a soft drink, or a fruit juice. .Iaddend..Iadd.
45. A container as in any one of claims 2, 3, 40, or 41, wherein
the contents is ice cream-like food. .Iaddend..Iadd.
46. A container for cooling cocktails of high alcohol content such
as martinis and the like comprised of:
(a) a container for holding the cocktail,
(b) a refrigeration means sufficient to maintain the cocktail at a
consistent temperature of about -1.degree. C. (30.degree. F.) or
below for serving in a desired condition. .Iaddend..Iadd.
47. The container of claim 46, wherein said refrigeration is
contained with a walled compartment made from a polymeric material.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
48. A container for freezing alcoholic beverage contents comprised
of:
(a) a container for holding the contents,
(b) a walled compartment for holding a material phase-change
refrigerant in thermal contact with the contents,
(c) said refrigerant sufficient to freeze a substantial portion of
the contents into a congealed, or semi-congealed condition through
a wall of said compartment for serving as desired.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
49. A container as in any one of claims 2, 3, 40, or 48, wherein
the contents is a daiquiri-like cocktail. .Iaddend..Iadd.
50. A container as in any one of claims 2, 3, 40, or 48, wherein
the contents is beer. .Iaddend..Iadd.
51. A container as in any one of claims 2, 3, 40, or 48, wherein
the contents is wine. .Iaddend..Iadd.
52. A container as in any one of claims 41, 47, or 48, wherein said
compartment wall is about 0.80 mm (0.032") or less in thickness.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
53. A container as in any one of claims 40, 47, or 48, wherein said
compartment wall is about 0.64 mm (0.025") or less in thickness.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
54. A container as in any one of claims 40, 47, or 48, wherein said
compartment wall is about 0.1 mm. (0.004") or more in thickness.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
55. A container as in any one of claims 41, or 48, wherein said
compartment wall is made from a polymeric material.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
56. A container as in any one of claims 2, 3, 37, 38, 40, 41, 46,
or 48, wherein the container is hand held. .Iaddend..Iadd.
57. A container as in any one of claims 37, 38, 46, 41, or 48,
wherein said refrigeration, or said refrigerant is a liquid frozen
solid. .Iaddend..Iadd.
58. A container as in any one of claims 37, 38, 40, 41, 46, or 48,
wherein said refrigeration, or said refrigerant is mostly water.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
59. A container as in any one of claims 37, 38, 40, 41, 46, or 48,
wherein said refrigeration, or said refrigerant contains about 5
and one half percent salt. .Iaddend..Iadd.
60. A container as in any one of claims 37, 38, 40, 41, 46, or 48,
wherein said refrigeration, or said refrigerant is gelatinous.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
61. A container of as in any of claims 2, 3, 37, 38 or 41, wherein
said desired condition is about -1.degree. C. (30.degree. F.) or
less. .Iaddend..Iadd.
62. A container as in any of claims 2, 3, 37, or 38 wherein said
desired condition is about -2.degree. C. (28.degree. F.) or less.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
63. A container as in any of claims 2, or 3, wherein said desired
condition is the freezing temperature of the contents.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
64. The container of claim 55, wherein said polymeric material is
plastic. .Iaddend..Iadd.
65. The container of claim 47, wherein said polymeric material is
plastic. .Iaddend.
Description
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Background of the Invention
Field of Invention
Description of the Invention
Summary of the Invention
Brief Description of the Drawings
Reference Numerals in Drawings
Description of the Preferred Embodiments
Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a holding container equipped with an inner
container surrounded by a layer of thermally treated material for
the purpose of inducing and maintaining a desired thermal condition
of the contents placed within the inner container.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is generally held as desirable to consume beverages such as
beer, soft drinks, and fruit juices, when they are cold. Placing
ice cubes in the drink is the common way of doing this. While
reasonably effective for keeping the drink cook, the melting ice
causes the drink to lose carbonation, and become watery, destroying
the quality of the beverage.
Preparing and serving ice cubes is messy, and bothersome, and
backlog of them takes up valuable freezer space. Though automatic
ice cube makers reduce some of the hassle of preparing ice, they
are very expensive, and require special installation and routine
servicing. Ice made in automatic ice cube makers, can become
contaminated with chemical and mineral impurities that accumulate
in the water supply lines. In addition to imparting a foul taste,
these contaminants are capable of causing severe illness in persons
that consume beverages containing contaminated ice. As indicated in
the instruction manuals that come with automatic ice makers,
routine servicing must be done in order to avoid this very
unpleasant possibility. In addition to this extra inconvenience,
the knowledge that increasing amounts of pollutants are
accumulating in one's supply of beverage ice cannot be said to add
one's drinking pleasure!
Another disadvantage of ice is that it absorbs odors from other
foods stored in the freezer. These odors also imparting a foul
taste to the ice and hence, the beverage in which they are used.
This often results in the need to discard the ice, which is
wasteful of water, energy, and one's time.
The quantity of ice commonly used during beverage consumption is
far more than is actually needed to cool the drink. The usual
practice of discarding ice after the drink is finished, wastes
perhaps as much water and energy as is used in the drink itself.
Though this quantity seems small on a unit basis, it is the way in
which over 300 million beverage are consumed each day in the U.S.
alone!
Though ice cubes are inconvenient, messy, destructive to the
beverage quality, wasteful of water and energy resources, they
prevail as the dominant way of cooling beverages during their
consumption.
The aim of the prior art has been to produce a drinking tumbler or
similar device, that is equipped with its own refrigerant, that
cools the beverage, without the use of ice, with the promise of
greater convenience, and improved beverage quality. In spite of
these alleged advantages over the conventional ice cube method,
many factors have hampered widespread success of beverage coolers
of the prior art. Bulk, expense, unattractiveness, discomfort in
use, short product life, along with poor cooling performance, have
weighted heavily against the commercial success of these
devices.
The basic design of these beverage cooling devices has changed very
little in the 60 years since their introduction by Mock, U.S. Pat.
No. 1,771,186 (1928). An inner container, or "cup", holds the drink
while it is being consumed. The inner container is enclosed within
a larger outer container. The compartment between the containers,
is filled with a water based refrigerant, and hermetically sealed.
The beverage is cooled, as heat is absorbed by the refrigerant,
through the walls of the inner container. The refrigerant, usually
a plastic "gel", or water solution containing propylene glycol,
alcohol, or various minerals salts, is frozen by placing the
beverage cooler into the freezer compartment of a refrigerator.
When frozen, the refrigerant, being mostly water, gains about 10%
in additional volume. Because of this extra volume, the compartment
holding the refrigerant is filled to only 75% to 90% of its
capacity, as rupture of the walls results from freezing one that is
completely full. The remaining 10% to 25% of the compartment,
contains a void or air space, often referred to as an "expansion
air space". This expansion air space is intended to allow a place
for the expansion volume of the refrigerant.
The position of this "expansion air space" within the compartment
holding the refrigerant, is critical to the operation of several
prior art beverage coolers. The designs of Mock, U.S. Pat. No.
1,771,186 (1928), Stoner, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,205,677, 3,205,678
(1965) and 3,302,428 (1967) and Paquin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,360,957
(1968), and others, required the unit to be placed upside down when
frozen in the refrigerator freezer. Failure to invert the unit
reduces cooling performance as the frozen mass of refrigerant is
inclined to slide out of contact with the inner container as the
refrigerant begins to melt, disconnecting the refrigerant from
thermal contact with the beverage. Another reason is that freezing
the unit in the upright position places the expansion air space in
the upper portion of the compartment, depriving the more important
upper portion of the beverage of refrigerant for cooling. This
condition gets progressively worse as the refrigerant melts. The
melted refrigerant, having a smaller volume than when frozen,
settles to the bottom of the compartment, leaving the upper portion
of the inner container out of contact with the refrigerant. The
upper portion of the beverage is at more of a disadvantage than any
other region of the beverage, having the lowest amount of contact
area with the refrigerant, and the greatest amount of exposure to
heat from the environment. The temperature of the beverage in this
area rises rapidly, once the refrigerant loses contact with the
adjoining wall of the inner container.
The condition just described, is further worsened when the upper
portion of the inner container is tapered outward, a common
practice of the prior art. The taper reduces the volume of the
upper region of the compartment, and hence the amount of
refrigerant available for cooling that portion of the beverage.
Because the volume of this area is so much less by comparison to
the bottom region, a loss of just 10% in the volume of the
refrigerant may cause a third or more of the upper portion of the
inner container to be uncovered! The taper provides still more
disadvantages, by enlarging the opening of the inner container.
This exposes an even greater amount of the beverage to heat
contamination from the environment than the straight sided inner
container described earlier, while exaggerating the loss of
refrigerant available to this area. A beverage cooler of this
configuration would be very difficult, if not impossible to
maintain at a consistant temperature throughout.
Another reason prior art beverage coolers are frozen upside down is
to position the expansion air space between the bottoms of the
inner and outer containers. This is done to prevent fracture and
bowing of the bottoms when the refrigerant expands. If the unit is
placed right side up in the refrigerant freezer, the refrigerant
immediately fills the space between the bottoms of the containers.
This puts the expansion air space at the other end of the
compartment, depriving the area between the bottom of the
containers of space for the extra volume of refrigerant to expand.
The result, if not a wall fracture, is an excessive amount of
bowing of the bottom of the container, to the extent of causing the
unit to stand lopsided. Moore et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,374
(1979), observed these forces to be sufficient to cause the
retaining ring, that held his entire unit together, to disengage
from the outer container to which it was attached. This occurred in
spite of high elasticity of both the styrofoam outer container, and
the flexible plastic retaining ring! Forces like these, imposed on
container walls made of more rigid materials, such as metal or
glass, are sufficient to cause fracture of the walls, and permanent
damage to the unit. It then becomes necessary to increase the wall
thickness in order to resist the forces imposed on them. Thicker
container walls, on the other hand, are undesirable in that they
add bulk, material cost, and greatly slow the cooling speed of the
unit, particularly if constructed of low conductivity materials
such as glass or plastic.
Compression of the expansion air space is another contributor to
stresses imposed upon the container walls. This occurs when the
refrigerant expands to its larger frozen volume.
For example, a typical prior art refrigerant compartment filled to
90% capacity has an expansion air space equal to the remaining 10%
of the volume of the compartment. As previously stated, the
refrigerant gains about 10% volume when frozen, resulting in an
expanded volume that occupies about 99% of the volume of the
compartment. This leaves only 1% of the compartment available to
contain the expansion air space. While the expansion air space will
lose about 1/6th of its volume when reduced to 0.degree. F. in the
freezer, that leaves a volume that would normally occupy 8.3% of
the compartment compressed into a space equal to about 1%! This
results in a buildup of air pressure within the compartment that
threatens the hermetic condition of the compartment. It may also
cause the walls of thinner walled units to bow placing limits on
the thinness of the walls that would not otherwise apply.
Compression of the expansion air space may also occur during the
dry cycle of an automatic dishwasher. At around 175.degree. F., a
typical prior art beverage cooler with a 10% expansion air space
will see about a 40% compression of the air space. This degree of
compression is not as great as is experienced from the expanded
refrigerant, but in combination with heat and moisture it may cause
permanent warpage to plastic walled units.
Changes of elevation also affect compression of the expansion air
space. Within habitable elevations, say from sea level to around
5,000 feet, the expansion air space will undergo compression to a
similar degree to what may be expected in the dry heat cycle of an
automatic dishwasher.
For example, a unit manufactured in Los Angeles, and shipped to
Denver, or Albuquerque, may experience outward bowing of the
compartment walls upon arrival. The buildup of air pressure may
also be sufficient to rupture the hermetic seal, resulting in
leakage of the refrigerant out of the compartment.
Conversely, a similar unit manufactured in Denver or Albuquerque,
and shipped to Los Angeles may find the walls of the beverage
cooler "caved in" upon arrival. The air pressure within the
compartment resulting from the difference in air density between
the two elevations may also be sufficient to rupture the hermetic
seal to the destruction of the unit.
Still another inherent disadvantage of using the expansion air
space, is the need for precise measuring of the refrigerant during
manufacture of the beverage cooler. Improper metering of the
refrigerant can have drastic consequences on the performance of the
unit. Too little refrigerant reduces available cooling power, and
exaggerates loss of contact with the upper portion of the inner
container as already described. Too much refrigerant may cause
permanent damage to the unit, should the expanded volume of the
refrigerant exceed the volume of the expansion air space.
Another prior art strategy used for dealing with the problems of
the expanded refrigerant , is to shift the extra volume into the
wall of the outer container. Used in combination with an expansion
air space, Stoner, U.S. Pat. No. 3,205,678 (1965), recommends the
use of plastic inner and outer containers, with a thicker inner
container wall. The extra rigidity of the thicker inner container
wall is intended to resist buckling from the expanded refrigerant,
causing it to shift outwardly into the outer wall. The thinner,
more flexible outer wall is allowed to bow in response to the force
of the expanded refrigerant.
The consequence of adding to the wall thickness of the inner
container, is that it greatly slows the cooling affect upon the
beverage. This is most dramatic in containers made of low thermal
conductors such as plastic. Even slight increases in the wall
thickness of inner containers made of plastic has a profound affect
upon the cooling speed.
The problem with using a thinner walled outer container, is that it
tends to concentrate the expansion volume of the refrigerant in
toward the inner container, contrary to the desired goal. The
higher thermal conductivity of the thinner outer container wall,
coupled with its larger surface area and exterior exposure, cause
the refrigerant to freeze from the outside in. This pushes the
expansion volume of the refrigerant in toward the inner container,
which must resist this force until it can be deflected outwardly
again. Having to resist this concentration of force adds further to
the thickness requirement of the inner container and hence, the
slowing of the cooling speed of the beverage cooler.
A similar approach, recommended by Moore, et al., U.S. Pat. Nos.
4,163,374 (1979), 4,299,100 (1981), 4,378,625 (1983), uses a
styrofoam outer container to absorb the expansion volume of the
frozen refrigerant. Though styrofoam is initially resilient, with
repeated use it quickly loses its ability to recover from
compression. The rigid structure breaks down, resulting in weakened
walls that crack and leak refrigerant. Styrofoam is too fragile to
join other materials to with any degree of reliability in the
strength of the connection. Disengagement of component connections
could easily occur as a result of uneven distribution of the
refrigerant between the containers to the destruction of the unit.
The inward and outward flexing action in response to the freezing
and thawing of the refrigerant also threatens the integrity of the
connections.
The high thermal insulative properties of styrofoam prevent a
significant amount of thermal energy from traveling out of the
refrigerant through the outer container wall. This greatly
increases the amount of time required to prepare the unit for use
in the refrigerator freezer, by perhaps a factor of 5.
The increased probability of wall fractures and leaks, makes the
styrofoam outer container design dependent on the use of plastic
"gel" refrigerants. Gel refrigerants have the disadvantage of being
more expensive, more toxic, less durable, and have a higher
coefficient of expansion upon freezing than most liquid
refrigerants. Gels are also more difficult to load into the
beverage cooler, and require special manufacturing processes and
component design features. A lot of prior art is devoted to solving
the problems related to loading the gel into the beverage
cooler.
The all metal, inner and outer container beverage coolers of the
prior art also have a several inherent flaws. The designs of
Thomsen, U.S. Pat. No. 1,369,367 (1921), Mock U.S. Pat. No.
1,771,186 (1928), Munters U.S. Pat. No. 2,039,736 (1931), Flannery
U.S. Pat. No. 3,161,031 (1964), Stoner U.S. Pat. No. 3,205,677
(1965), Coleman U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,562 (1967), and Canosa U.S.
Pat. No. 3,680,330, (1972), ect., all recommend the use of metal
inner and outer containers.
Metal containers in general, are heavier, and more expensive to
produce than those made of plastic. Aluminum is often the preferred
metal of the prior art, being relatively lightweight, corrosion
resistant, and having a high coefficient of thermal
conductivity.
The problems inherent in the all metal beverage cooler design, are
derived mainly from the outer container. Being much larger than the
inner container, the outer container represents the major portion
of the weight and cost of the unit. Its largest surface area,
coupled with its high thermal conductivity and exterior exposure,
attract heat from the environment, even when fitted with
insulation. This creates a power drain on the refrigerant.
Another area of thermal inefficiency occurs around the top
horizontal portions connecting the two containers. The high thermal
conductivity of the metal, creates a thermal exchange interaction
between the containers, to bring them into thermal equallibrium
with each other. This condition is undesirable, as the inner
container in contact with the beverage, becomes warmer, while the
outer container, most vulnerable to heat contamination from the
environment, becomes warmer, attracting still more heat. In
addition to causing a warmer beverage, it causes the beverage
cooler to lose power faster.
The relationship between the proportions of the inner container,
and the speed and uniformity of cooling of the beverage, are
factors hitherto unappreciated by the prior art. Tub shaped inner
containers, typically used by the prior art, produce a beverage
cooler that is slower and less uniform in cooling than one with an
elongated inner container.
A tub shaped container, generally has a height equal to less than
about 2 diameters. The large diameter relative to the height, give
the container a "tub-like" appearance, hence the name. While
generally lacking specific dimensions, the drawing figures shown in
the following U.S. patents; Devlin U.S. Pat. No. 3,715,895 (1973),
Canosa U.S. Pat. No. 3,680,330 (1972), Coleman U.S. Pat. No.
3,394,562 (1968), Paquin U.S. Pat. No. 3,360,957 (1968), Stoner
U.S. Pat. No. 3,205,677 (1965), Flannery U.S. Pat. No. 3,161,031,
(1964), show tub shaped inner containers.
The inherent disadvantages of having a tub shaped inner container,
is that, due to the natural configuration, a great deal of
refrigerant is concentrated around the bottom of the container,
furthest away from the more critical upper portion of the
container. The larger diameter opening exposes more of the beverage
to heat contamination from the room environment, while increasing
the distance the heat must travel to go from the beverage into the
refrigerant. The loss of contact between the refrigerant, and the
upper portion of the inner container is greater, especially when it
is tapered outward, as described earlier in this section.
In addition to taking longer to induce cooling of the beverage, the
surface of the beverage tends to be warmer than the lower region in
beverage coolers with tub shaped inner containers. They lose power
sooner, and require more refrigerant in order to produce and
maintain slush.
Devlin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,715,895 (1973), recommends a refrigerant
volume equal to up to 3 times the volume of the beverage. In spite
of this enormous volume of refrigerant, it still took up to ten
minutes to produce a slush in his mug, even using prerefrigerated
ingredients! In addition to being slow, a 355 ml. (12 ounce)
capacity mug of this description would weigh at least 1.5 kilos (3
pounds)! That is more than twice the weight of an ordinary glass
beer mug!
The performance of a poorly designed beverage cooler may sometimes
be improved by overwhelming it with a very large mass of
refrigerant, like the one just described. The added bulk, however,
produces a unit that is heavier, and less attractive, in addition
to being more expensive.
The cooling speed of a prior art beverage cooler could be increased
by lowering the freezing point of the refrigerant, but it also
reduces the enthalpy (heat content) of the refrigerant. A
refrigerant with a lower freezing point takes longer to freeze, and
loses power sooner than one with a higher freezing point. This
diminishes the overall performance of the beverage cooler in ways
that can only be compensated for by again increasing the volume of
the refrigerant, an undesirable alternative.
As can be seen in the many examples sighted above, several problems
continue to plaque beverage cooling devices of the prior art. We
see how the so called solutions to these problems have often given
rise to new problems, unrecognized and unsolved by the prior
art.
These factors add up to a variety of poorly performing beverage
cooling devices, that after more than 60 years of development, have
failed to produce a commercially significant design, that offers a
viable alternative to the common prepared ice method of beverage
cooling. Dispite the fact that ice cubes are messy, inconvenient,
wasteful, and destructive to beverage quality, they remain the only
method, generally available to the public, for cooling beverages
during consumption.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are a
beverage cooler, self equipped to cool a beverage contained therein
to any desired temperature, within the range of cold beverage
consumption, without the use of ice cubes or prefrigeration of the
beverage in the refrigerator. Slushes, milk shakes, chilled drinks,
ice cream, and frozen yogurt can be produced from room temperature
ingredients within minutes, and sustained at their low temperature
for hours. My beverage cooler can reduce beer and soft drinks to
temperatures as low as 28.degree. F. for a unique drinking
experience that cannot be duplicated with ice regardless of
quantity. My beverage cooler gives the consumer and server of the
beverage control over the temperature and consistancy of the
beverage while it is being consumed.
Carbonated beverages are smoother tasting and less filling when
served from my beverage cooler than those drunk from conventional
mugs and tumblers. My beverage cooler can be designed to raise a
"taller head of foam" than conventional drinking containers when
the beverage is poured. The foam releases the flavoring agents
within the beverage and reduces the amount of carbonation gas
ingested by the consumer. This increases drinking pleasure and
reduces the chance of digestive discomfort that some individuals
experience from ingesting carbonated beverages.
Though the amount of gas released from the beverage when it is
first poured is high, the subsequent rate of carbonation release is
much lower than with conventional drinking containers. The
conservation of carbonation within the beverage, along with its low
temperature, preserves the freshness of the beverage for hours.
My beverage cooler performs particularly well as a water drinking
tumbler. It automatically forms its own ice from the water placed
therein. The ice that forms along the walls of the inner container
helps maintain the low temperature of 0.degree. C. (32.degree. F.)
of the water therein. It also nearly doubles the amount of time the
beverage cooler is able to sustain the low temperature of the
water. The ice, being made up entirely of the beverage water, does
not affect the taste, or purity of the beverage when it melts. This
is very important concerning the use of bottled water for drinking.
Consumers that prefer bottled water over tap water pay a much
higher price to enjoy the superior quality of bottled water.
Unfortunately, to preserve the quality of the bottled water, for
which they have paid extra for, it then becomes necessary to make
ice cubes from the bottled water, lest those made from tap water
melt, and ruin the taste of the drink. In addition to
inconvenience, this adds still more cost to the use of bottled
water. With my beverage cooler, there is never a need to prepare
ice, or be concerned about the diluting affects of melting ice on
the beverage.
Slushes made from fruit juices, drink mixes, carbonated beverages,
and even wine, can be made in my beverage cooler, from
unrefrigerated ingredients. The beverage is simply poured into the
beverage cooler , and occasionally stirred under the desired
consistency is achieved. For unrefrigerated beverages, about 10
minutes is sufficient to produce a slush. Prerefrigerated beverage
produce a slush almost instantly, and retain their consistency
longer than those produced from room temperature. The slushes that
are produced from carbonated beverages, are practically
indistinguishable from those currently available from machines in
supermarkets and convenience stores. With my invention, the
consumer can prepare slushes at home within minutes, without having
to make a trip to the store. The slushes produced at home are less
expensive than those purchased from the grocery store, yet are made
from the exact same ingredients. The consumer also has the option
of making slushes from other carbonated beverages not available
from store machines, and is no longer limited by their small
selection.
Another advantage of my beverage cooler, is that unlike the cups
that hold store bought slushes, my beverage cooler continues to
preserve the low temperature, and slush consistency of the slush
during consumption. The slushes made from fruit juices, drink
mixes, and wine, have a fine, velocity smooth texture that is very
unique and delightful to eat. The texture of the slush is far
superior to those made from crushed ice, without the bother of
preparing the crushed ice and mixing it with the beverage.
Like the slushes made from carbonated beverages, the beverage need
only be poured into the beverage cooler and stirred a few times to
produce a slush. There is no need to prepare or crush ice in any
way to produce a slush. In addition to the convenience, and
superior slush texture produced by my beverage cooler over crushed
ice slushes, they, unlike crushed ice slushes, maintain their
flavor consistency, even while they melt. This is because the slush
is made up entirely of the beverage material itself, and does not
alter the balance of ingredients upon melting like crushed ice
slushes do.
Crushed ice slushes, on the hand, being made up of tiny particles
of ice mixed with the beverage, water down the beverage as the
slush melts. This ruins the beverage flavor, and consistency, in
the same way that ice cubes do when they melt in the beverage. This
never occurs with slushes made in my beverage cooler. The melting
of the slush serves only to release more of the beverage to be
drunk, and does not alter the balance of ingredients within the
beverage.
The concept, introduced here by my beverage cooler, creates many
new and exciting ways to prepare and serve traditional drinks. In
stead of serving beverages with ice cubes, they may be served in
partial slush form, for a drink that is not only colder, but will
also remain constant in flavor and consistency, even after the
slush melts. This would be a welcome change over ice cubes that
produce a drink that is not only warmer, but degenerates in quality
as the ice cubes melt. Other new beverage possibilities include
serving wine, beer, soft drinks, and cocktails, in semi-slush form,
at temperatures in the range of -6.degree. C. to -1.degree. C.
(21.degree.-30.degree. F.), instead of a low of 0.degree. C.
(32.degree. F.) attainable with ice cubes.
Cocktails such as martinis, having very high alcohol content,
cannot be frozen into slush in the range of temperatures available
to a household refrigerator freezer. They can, however, be served
at any desired temperature upward of about -18.degree. C.
(0.degree. F.) in my beverage cooler. A temperature of between
-12.degree. to -6.degree. C. (10.degree. to 21.degree. F.),
produces a very unique cocktail that is not only much colder than
what can be attained using the conventional ice cube method, but is
also much drier as a result of not having had contact with ice. The
martini is colder, and drier than ever before, when prepared in my
beverage cooler.
Ice cream, milk shakes, and frozen yogurt may also be produced in
my beverage cooler, in much the same way that slushes are produced
from carbonated beverages stated earlier. Milk, and cream, mixed
with other flavorings, form the ingredients necessary to produce
ice cream, and milk shakes. Since these ingredience are
prerefrigerated, it usually takes less than 5 minutes to make a
milk shake. Ice cream, or frozen yogurt, being more thoroughly
frozen, takes about 10 minutes to produce. The ingredients are
simply poured into the beverage cooler and stirred a few times
until the desired texture is achieved.
In addition to the convenience of being able to produce ice cream,
milk shakes, and frozen yogurt so easily at home, they can be made
from the highest priced ingredients and still cost less than the
cheaper brands of packaged ice cream and yogurt available in
grocery stores. With this, the consumer has the added advantage of
being able to modify recipes, or create new ones to suit their own
preferences. A batch of these liquid ingredients is only minutes
away from becoming a milk shake or ice cream with my beverage
cooler. Frozen yogurt need only be transferred from the package
container to the beverage cooler. As with all beverages served in
my beverage cooler, the cold temperature of the ice cream or milk
shakes is preserved for prolonged periods. This extends the amount
of time the milk shake or ice cream may be consumed in a fresh,
desired condition, and allows more flexibility in the time between
preparing and serving.
In addition to the convenience and added pleasure my beverage
cooler provides the consumer in enjoying the widest range of cold
foods and beverages, it saves them money as well. Store bought
slushes and milk shakes alone cost more than twice as much as those
produced in my beverage cooler. With savings like these, the owner
of my beverage cooler will recover the cost of the unit in a very
short time, and continue to enjoy more savings with every use.
Use of my beverage cooler saves valuable refrigerator space, by
eliminating the need to prerefrigerate beverages before use. Having
the power to reduce room temperature beverages to their freezing
point within minutes, allows them to be stored outside the
refrigerator. Freezer space and labor are saved by eliminating the
need for ice cubes.
Automatic ice makers, which are quite expensive, and occupy a large
amount of freezer space, may also be eliminated along with the ice.
The routine servicing requirements, along with the health hazards
and foul tasting ice associated with ice making machines, need not
to be tolerated further.
The crushed ice option, available on the more expensive automatic
ice making machines, though capable of making a slush, produces one
that is inferior to one made in my beverage cooler. Being comprised
of tiny particles of ice, as described earlier, it ruins the
quality of the beverage as the crushed ice melts, in the same way
that ice cubes do.
Beside having the advantage of being able to make ice cream and
milk shakes, and slushes from the beverage material, my beverage
cooler never requires any kind of servicing, and poses no health
hazard whatever in use, like automatic ice makers do.
Use of my beverage cooler has a positive impact upon the
environment. Unlike ice cubes, which use more water and energy than
are necessary to cool the beverage, and are discarded as waste
afterward, my beverage cooler recovers, and reuses the water and
energy within the refrigerant, for unlimited reuse. A single
beverage cooler of my invention can cool hundreds and hundreds of
beverages, over a period of years, using the same refrigerant.
A typical, 355 ml. (12 oz.) capacity beverage cooler of my
invention can easily cool 1,000 beverages from room temperature to
freezing, using the same 180 ml. (6 oz.) of water in the
refrigerant, and produce no waste water. Using the conventional ice
cube method of cooling, this same quantity of beverages would
require making more than 7,500 ice cubes out of more than 230 lit.
(61 gal.) of water. In addition to creating a considerable amount
of labor, 230 lit. (61 gal.) of waste water is produced to consume
only about 356 lit. (94 gal.) of beverage. This represents a very
high water to product ratio.
For environmentally conscientious individuals, my beverage cooler
will rapidly become the standard means for preparing and serving
cold foods and beverages. Not only does my beverage cooler conserve
natural resources that are normally wasted, it saves more resources
during the life of the product than were originally expended in
manufacturing the unit itself. In this sense, my beverage cooler is
a very modern product indeed. Instead of simply making good use of
natural resources, it goes a step further by representing a net
gain for the environment.
My beverage cooler performs economically in a number of ways
pertaining to the manufacture of the unit, by preferring the use of
liquid refrigerants over gel refrigerants commonly used by the
prior art. Gel refrigerants, in addition to being more expensive,
are less durable than liquid refrigerants and have a shorter
product life. Once manufactured, the freezing point of gel
refrigerants cannot be altered without damage to the structure and
durability of the gel like liquid refrigerants can. They have a
higher toxicity level than most liquid refrigerants, and have a
coefficient of expansion upon freezing that is about 3 times
greater. The greater expansion volume of gel refrigerants causes
more wear on prior art beverage coolers by increasing wall
deformation, and disengagement of components that often results in
permanent damage to the unit.
Gel refrigerants, due to their high viscosity, are much more
difficult to load into the beverage cooler than liquid
refrigerants. Because of this, the prior art had to develop special
manufacturing processes to deal with this problem, adding to the
cost and complexity of manufacturing their beverage coolers.
Further compounding the problem of loading the gel refrigerant into
prior art beverage coolers, was the need for precise measuring of
the refrigerant upon assembly, to allow proper room for the
expansion air space. Too much gel, resulting in an undersized
expansion air space, would fracture the walls of the compartment as
the expansion volume exceeds that of the expansion air space. Too
little refrigerant would reduce the cooling performance of the
unit, to the extent that it would not perform according to design
specifications. In either case, an improperly filled beverage
cooler equals a high rate of returned merchandise, an unpleasant
prospect for both manufacturers and distributors.
The prior art use of the expansion air space further impairs the
durability of prior art beverage coolers by increasing internal
pressure within the compartment containing the refrigerant. This
increase of internal pressure occurs in response to expansion of
the refrigerant when frozen, heat, and changes of elevation. The
pressure build up threatens the integrity of the hermetic seal of
the compartment, and contributes to deformation of the walls, all
factors that reduce durability.
The prior art expansion air space adds bulk and contributes to the
thermal inefficiency of the beverage cooler by requiring the walls
of the refrigerant compartment to be thicker to resist deformation,
and hence, less thermally conductive.
The expansion air space further inhibits the thermal efficiency of
the beverage cooler when the refrigerant begins to melt. It appears
around the upper portion of the inner container, depriving that
critical area of refrigerant for cooling the most important part of
the beverage, i.e. the surface.
My beverage cooler, through use of a unique expansion absorber,
eliminates the need for an expansion air space. It aids maximum
cooling of the beverage, by insuring full contact between the
refrigerant, and upper portion of the inner container. The
expansion absorber absorbs the excess volume of the expanded
refrigerant, and eliminates the problem of internal air pressure
within the refrigerant compartment. Coupled with the use of lower
expansion liquid refrigerants, the expansion absorber allows my
beverage cooler to be constructed with thinner compartment walls,
for reduced cost and increased cooling speed.
My beverage cooler is easier and less expensive to manufacture than
those of the prior art, with reduced probability of producing
rejected units. Not having an expansion air space, the refrigerant
compartment of my beverage cooler may simply be saturated, and
require no special processes to insure precise measuring, like
those of the prior art. The use of cheaper, more durable liquid
refrigerants over gels reduces production costs, and simplifies
manufacture by eliminating special processes required for loading
gel refrigerants into the units. Liquid refrigerants also have the
advantage of lower toxicity, and unlike gels, their thermal
properties can be easily modified without affecting durability.
The improved thermal efficiency of my beverage cooler allows it to
cool the beverage faster, and achieve lower temperatures using less
refrigerant than prior art designs. In addition to enhanced
performance, it allows the beverage cooler to be streamlined for
more comfortable handling, and attractiveness, along with lower
cost.
The special design criteria, introduced here by my invention,
produces a beverage cooler of unprecedented cooling power and
speed. Methods unavailable to the prior art may now be implemented
toward the development of many new and exciting products, that
would not have been feasible using prior art technology.
Unlike the current invention, the prior art had few methods
available for altering the cooling characteristics of their
beverage coolers. Reducing the wall thickness of the inner
container could speed cooling, but was limited by the tendency of
the expanded volume of the refrigerant to cause buckling of the
container walls when frozen. Lowering the freezing point of the
refrigerant could increase cooling speed to some extent, but also
results in a loss of cooling power (enthalpy) of the refrigerant.
The lower freezing point causes the unit to lose power sooner, and
may encourage slush formation even when it is not wanted.
A thermal diffuser, unique to the current invention, alters the
heat transfer characteristics of the refrigerant without changing
its freezing point or enthalpy. When fitted around the inner
container, a thermal diffuser made from a high thermal conductor
such as aluminum, increases the cooling speed of the beverage. If
the freezing point of the refrigerant is below that of the
beverage, it increases the amount of slush formed within the
beverage. A high conductor thermal diffuser also speeds freezing of
the refrigerant in the refrigerator freezer for reduced preparation
time. These capabilities are of particular advantage in industrial
applications, such as in bars and restaurants, where rapid
turnaround of drinking containers would demand fast preparation and
fast cooling.
A thermal diffuser constructed of a low thermal conductor inhibits
thermal transfer through the refrigerant. Fitted around the inner
container, it slows cooling of the beverage and slush accumulation.
Its primary advantage is that it allows the beverage to maintain
its freezing temperature in a liquid state, without forming slush.
Fitted around the inside of the outer container, it acts like an
insulator, slowing thermal exchange with the outside
environment.
The special proportions of the inner container of the current
invention are an important contributor to the speed, depth, and
uniformity of cooling of the beverage, hitherto unappreciated by
the prior art. In addition to faster cooling speed, the elongated
inner container reduces the amount of environmental heat entering
the beverage through the opening. It distributes the refrigerant
more evenly around the beverage, for cooling that is more uniform
in temperature, throughout the beverage. Elongated inner containers
required less refrigerant, and produce more slush than the typical
tub shaped inner containers, commonly used in prior art beverage
coolers.
The "tub" shaped inner containers of the prior art, on the other
hand, produce beverage coolers that are slower at cooling, and
require more refrigerant than my beverage cooler. They commonly
have a warmer temperature on the surface of the beverage, than on
the bottom, and have more difficulty producing and maintaining a
slush consistency in the beverage.
The improved thermal relationship between the inner and outer
containers in another feature that contributes to the thermal
efficiency of my beverage cooler. The high thermal conductivity of
both container walls speed freezing of the refrigerant within the
compartment, by insuring heat extraction from both sides of the
refrigerant. In addition to reducing the required freezing time in
the refrigerator freezer, it tends to direct the expansion forces
of the refrigerant vertically, into the expansion absorber, rather
than the container walls that form the refrigerant compartment.
This in turn allows the container walls to be made of thinner
materials, which in addition to reducing their cost, increases
their thermal conductivity and hence, their cooling speed.
The higher thermal conductance capacity of the inner container,
insures a greater flow of thermal energy through the inner
container than the outer container. This benefits cooling of the
beverage by directing more of the cooling power of the refrigerant
inward toward the beverage, rather than outward toward the room
environment. It also helps relieve the inner container walls of
some of the stresses resulting from expansion of the refrigerant.
The higher conduction of the inner container, causes most of the
refrigerant to freeze from the area around the inner container,
outward. This directs the expansion volume of the frozen
refrigerant away from the inner container, thereby relieving it of
much of the stress that causes bulking of many prior art inner
containers.
A typical prior art solution to the problem of buckling of the
inner container walls, was to make them thicker than those of the
outer container. The problem with this, is that it greatly slows
the cooling speed of the beverage, particularly if the container is
made of a low conductor such as plastic or glass. It gives the
outer container a greater thermal conductance capacity than that of
the inner container, causing most of the refrigerant to freeze from
the outside, inward towards the inner container. This concentrates
the expansion forces of the frozen refrigerant in towards the inner
container, further increasing the thickness requirements of the
walls.
Even when the wall thickness of both the inner and outer containers
are the same, the outer container becomes the high thermal
conductor, simply because of its larger surface area. Like the
thinner outer container wall combination, it divers the expansion
volume of the frozen refrigerant inward toward the inner container,
by encouraging the refrigerant to freeze from the outside
inward.
The universal prior art practice of making both the inner and outer
containers of the same material, always results in the outer
container being the high thermal conductor. In addition to the
negative affects it has on the freezing sequence of the refrigerant
already described, it wastes the cooling power of the refrigerant
as well. The higher thermal conductance capacity of the outer
container, coupled with its exterior exposure, encourage excess
thermal exchange between the refrigerant, and room environment. The
resultant power drain reduces the cooling duration of the beverage
cooler, and increases the bulk requirements of the exterior
insulation.
Prior art beverage coolers with metal outer containers, lose more
refrigerant power to the environment than any other design
combination. The high thermal conductance capacity of the metal
attracts more environmental heat than any other material. The
warmer outer container also interacts with the metal inner
container to raise its temperature toward thermal equallibrium,
further draining cooling power from the beverage. In addition to
being thermally inefficient, metal outer containers cost the most
and add significant weight to the beverage cooler.
A styrofoam outer container, joined to a plastic or metal inner
container, is recommended by Moore et al U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,163,374
(1979), 4,299,100 (1981), 4,378,625 (1983). The weakness of
styrofoam makes it difficult to join the two containers together
with a connection that has suitable integrity. Wall deformation of
the outer container, that results from expansion of the frozen
refrigerant, causes disengagement of the components of the
connection, in units in which the containers are not perfectly
aligned. The wall deformation, along with the very low impact
resistance of the styrofoam, increases the probability of cracks
that leak refrigerant, and reduce the product life of the beverage
cooler. It also makes them dependent on the use of more expensive
and less desirable gel refrigerants.
The high thermal insulative properties of the styrofoam make the
unit almost totally dependent upon the inner container for
extraction of heat from the refrigerant during freezing in the
refrigerator freezer. A beverage cooler with a styrofoam outer
container may take as much as 5 times longer to freeze in
preparation for use, than an uninsulated unit.
One of the excellent features of my beverage cooler, is the ability
to join together an inner and outer container made of different
materials, with a highly reliable, leak-proof connection. This
allows each container to be constructed of material best suited for
its specific application, independent of the other container. Each
container may be constructed for optimum thermal, structural, and
economic performance, in creating a beverage cooler, unsurpassed in
quality.
The best combination, and one that is unique to my beverage cooler,
includes an inner container, constructed of a high thermally
conductive metal such as aluminum, together with an outer
container, constructed of a low thermal conductor such as plastic.
The aluminum inner container combines strength, light weight,
corrosion resistance, and high thermal conductivity, for
durability, along with rapid cooling speed. The outer container
constructed of thin walled plastic, combines low cost, durability,
and enough thermal conductivity to substantially increase the
freezing speed of the refrigerant, without attracting undue heat
from the environment, or interacting with the inner container.
Together, this combination assures optimum performance of the
beverage cooler.
A special compression seal connection of the current invention,
allows the metal inner container to be joined to the plastic outer
container with a strong, leak-proof seal of high integrity. The
connection is unaffected by the different thermal expansion
coefficients of the metal and plastic, and will not leak as a
result. Unlike the design of Moore et al. described above, the
connection can withstand movement from the expanding refrigerant,
and does not require precise alignment between the inner and outer
containers. The high integrity of the leakproof seal also allows
the use of more economical liquid refrigerants instead of gels.
The assemblage of the inner and outer containers, along with the
refrigerant sealed in the space between them, forms the cold cell
assembly of the current invention. The cold cell assembly attaches
to the exterior of the beverage cooler, which provides the unit
with a thermally insulative, protective, and visually attractive
exterior casing. Easy engagement and disengagement of the cold cell
and exterior provides my beverage cooler with many important
advantages, which will be discussed at length at a later time.
The cold cell, however, is the primary component responsible for
the outstanding cooling performance of my beverage cooler. The
chart shown in FIG. 16 is a comparison between the cooling
performance of the current invention and those typical of r prior
art designs. None of the test units had exterior insulation, and
consisted of an inner and outer container with refrigerant in the
space therebetween. All of the units were tested with 355 ml. (12
oz.) of tap water, a temperature of 21.degree. C. (70.degree. F.).
Each unit contained 180 mi. (6 oz.) of a liquid refrigerant made
from a 5.5% solution of sodium chloride and water. The freezing
point of the refrigerant mixture was 3.degree. C. (26.degree. F.).
The temperature readings were taken from the middle of the
beverage, at a depth of 25 mm. (1"). The wall thickness of all of
the test unit inner containers was 0.8 mm. (0.025").
Referring now to the chart shown in FIG. 16, the ascending solid
line indicates the rise in temperature of a bottle of
prerefrigerated beer left standing on a kitchen counter. The bottle
was removed after several hours in a household refrigerator, with a
temperature of 3.degree. C. (37.degree. F.). As the line indicates,
the subsequent rise in temperature is rapid, rising 5.degree. C.
(9.degree. F.) in about 20 minutes, with a temperature of
10.degree. C. (50.degree. F.) being achieved in just 30
minutes!.
The uppermost solid line on the chart (FIG. 16) indicates the
performance of a typical prior art beverage cooler with a plastic
inner container. Having a diameter of 70 mm. (2.75") and a height
just over 100 mm. (4"), the ratio of height to diameter is 1.5,
making this configuration what I have referred to earlier as "tub
shaped". As we see from the chart, a beverage cooler with an inner
container of this configuration is very slow for cooling the
beverage. It took nearly 12 minutes to catch up with the bottle of
beer, at a not-so-cold temperature of 6.degree. C. (43.degree. F.).
It took about 20 minutes for it to achieve its last few degrees
around 0.degree. C. (32.degree. F.). While this low temperature is
satisfactory, it takes too long to achieve, making a beverage
cooler of this design too slow to be of practical use for cooling
unrefrigerated beverages.
The dashed line indicates the performance of the beverage cooler of
the current invention. It is similar in construction and material
as the tub shaped prior art beverage cooler already described, with
the exception that the inner container is 57 mm. (2.25") in
diameter and 114 mm. (5.63"). This gives us a height equal to 2.5
diameters. We can see from the chart what a dramatic affect the
inner container proportions have on the cooling speed of the
beverage! The simple act of changing the height to diameter ratio
from 1.5 to 2.5, made the latter unit achieved cold temperatures
from 5 to 10 minutes sooner than the prior art unit! This was
achieved with the same quantity of refrigerant, and same inner
container wall thickness.
The lower solid line on the chart (FIG. 16), indicates the
performance of a beverage cooler, also of the current invention. It
is similar in every detail to the other beverage cooler of the
current invention just described, with the exception that the inner
container is made of aluminum instead of plastic. The change of
material from plastic to aluminum alone accounts for an increase of
about 2 minutes in the cooling speed of the beverage. Another
advantage the aluminum inner container has over the plastic one, is
that its cooling speed and depth may be further accelerated with
the addition of a thermal diffuser made from a high conductor such
as aluminum.
The dotted line at the very bottom of the chart (FIG. 16) indicates
the performance of the beverage cooler of the current invention
just described, with the aluminum inner container fitted with a
thermal diffuser of the current invention. The thermal diffuser
used was of moderate power, constructed of an aluminum mesh that
covered a little more than half of the exterior of the inner
container. The mesh weighted about 3 g. (0.125 oz.).
As the chart shows, the beverage cooler fitted with the thermal
diffuser, gains yet another 2 or 3 minutes on the speed of the
plain aluminum container. The low temperature of 0.degree. C.
(32.degree. F.), achieved in 16 minutes, took only 8 minutes when
fitted with the thermal diffuser. In addition, the beverage cooler
fitted with the thermal diffuser went on to achieve and maintain a
low temperature of -1.degree. C. (30.2.degree. F.) at 10 minutes,
as a result of the formation of ice on the thermometer probe!
Comparing this performance with that of the bottle of beer, we see
that at 6 minutes, the beverage cooler fitted with the thermal
diffuser has begun to out perform it. At 9 minutes, the beverage
cooler has achieved a temperature that is about 6.degree. C.
(10.degree. F.) lower than that of the bottle of beer and continues
to hold the low temperature of -1.degree. C. (30.degree. F.), as
the temperature of the beer continues to rise. At 30 minutes, near
the end of most beverages, the prerefrigerated bottle of beer is at
10.degree. C. (50.degree. F.), about 11.degree. C. (20.degree. F.)
warmer than the beverage temperature within my beverage cooler!
This unit continued to maintain the beverage temperature at or
below 0.degree. C. (32.degree. F.) for more than 90 minutes.
A prerefrigerated beverage at 3.degree. C. (37.degree. F.) is
transformed into a slush almost instantly when poured into a
beverage cooler like the one described above. After the beverage is
poured into the beverage cooler, a layer of slush, about 6 mm.
(0.25") thick adheres along the walls of the inner container. The
central portion or "core" of the beverage remains liquid, yet
rapidly achieves the freezing temperature of the beverage. The
liquid portion of the beverage may then be consumed for a very
unique and delicious drinking experience. Most beer, wine, and soft
drinks may be consumed in liquid form, at around -2.degree. C.
(28.degree. F.), instead of upwards of 3.degree. C. (37.degree. F.)
from the refrigerator freezer. If desired, the entire beverage may
be converted to slush by scraping the slush free of the walls and
stirring it in with the liquid portion. The resultant slush
consistency is such, that it requires removal with a spoon and is
too thick to pour.
In contrast to the very rapid cooling performance of my beverage
cooler, a typical prior art beverage cooler, if able to produce
slush at all, does so very slowly. The "slush mug" of Devlin's,
U.S. Pat. No. 3,715,895 (1973), required up to 1065 ml. (36 oz.) of
refrigerant, yet still took up to 10 minutes to produce a slush
from prerefrigerated beverages! As we can see, the negative
influences of the poorly designed "tub shaped" inner container of
the prior art, cannot be overcome, even with larger amounts of
refrigerant!
Another advantage of my beverage cooler, is that it is much more
hygienic than ordinary drinking containers. The low operating
temperature of my beverage cooler inhibits the growth and
propagation of bacteria and viruses in the beverage, and on the
walls of the inner container. The inner container, due to its high
thermal conductivity, rapidly assumes the temperature of the
refrigerant in contact with it. This effectively sanitizes the
inner container, making it too cool to permit microbial growth and
reproduction, along with the beverage. Unlike ordinary drinking
containers, that breed increasing numbers of germs and bacteria, my
beverage cooler holds them in suspension, prohibiting their
proliferation. This includes not only strains that cause food
spoilage, but also those that cause illness. This is of particular
benefit to households, where contamination of drinking containers
often leads to the spread of illness among family members. With my
beverage cooler, the household drinking container need not be a
major contagion of illness.
Other advantages of the self sanitizing inner container, is that it
provides added convenience and labor savings, by requiring less
washing than ordinary drinking containers. If promptly returned to
the refrigerator freezer after each use, my beverage cooler need
only be rinsed with tap water, and need not be washed with
detergent to keep it acceptably free of germs. A weekly detergent
washing is usually more than sufficient, regardless of how many
times the beverage cooler has been used. If on the other hand, the
beverage cooler is being prepared for use by subjecting it to
liquified gases in the cryogenic state, then detergent washing is
never required, as this causes a full sterilization of the inner
container, killing all microorganisms present. This is of
particular benefit in industrial applications such as bars and
restaurants, where rapid sterilization of the beverage cooler,
concurrent with freezing of the unit, requires less time than
washing conventional drinking containers that have no refrigeration
capability.
Versatility and adaptability are also among the countless objects
and advantages that describe my beverage cooler. Easy detachment of
the cold cell from the rest of the unit allows a single beverage
cooler to be retrofitted with a variety of replacement cold cells,
each with a specialized function. Though a standardized cold cell
can produce any cold food or beverage consistency, replacement cold
cells may be used to enhance certain cooling characteristics, best
suited for specific uses. The cooling speed, and depth of
temperature may be modified to best suit the production of ice
cream, frozen yogurt, slushed drinks, or cold liquid beverages, or
for greater cooling duration in outdoor use. An easily detachable
cold cell also allows the beverage cooler to be upgraded in accord
with future advances in the design of the cold cell.
Conversely, easy detachment of the cold cell allows a single
beverage cooler to be fitted with a variety of attractive and
utilitarian exteriors. Instead of having a beverage cooler with
multiple replacement cold cells, a consumer may choose rather to
have a single unit with multiple replacement exteriors. Since the
exterior provides the beverage cooler with its decorative
appearance, a single unit can appear in a variety of colors and
designs, to match domestic decorative schemes. One design or color
may be suited for kitchen use, and another for dining room or
living room use. Special exteriors may also be made available for
enhancement of a party or holiday atmosphere.
Since the exterior also provides the beverage cooler with a
protective, and thermally insulative exterior, various designs can
be made available to preserve cooling power for extended operation.
A beverage cooler, normally designed for indoor use, can be
retrofitted with a replacement exterior that is more impact
resistant, and provides more thermal insulation, to adapt the unit
for use outdoors.
Another option for adapting an indoor beverage cooler for outdoor
use, is to fit and insulative jacket over the exterior, and a
snap-on cover over the mouthpiece. The insulative jacket provides
added impact protection in addition to extra thermal insulation for
protracted operation. The snap-on cover makes the unit spillproof,
and also provides added thermal insulation. For this small
additional cost, the consumer can take the beverage cooler to work,
or on recreational outings, and enjoy all of the high quality to
cold foods and beverages outdoors that they do at home.
The manufacturer and marketer of my beverage cooler also benefit
from the detachable cold cell feature of the current invention. In
addition to the advantages of treating the beverage cooler, cold
cell, and exterior as three separate markets, they can be
coordinated together for maximum benefit to all. The cold cell
assembly, which may account for more than 75% of the total cost of
the beverage cooler, can be produced in high volume to get the best
unit cost. The large inventory of cold cells will then be fitted
with a wide variety of lower cost exteriors of various styles and
colors, produced in lower quantities, that serve as attractive
packages or "vehicles" to move the cold cells. In addition to
offering a wider selection to the buyer and consumer, it allows the
manufacturer and distributor a low cost means for "feeling out"
what designs and colors are most popular and likely to sell. In
this way, the inventory of cold cells, which represent the larger
monetary commitment, can be shifted in the direction of the popular
styles and colors, and are not fitted to the exteriors until orders
are placed. This allows current market demand, rather than
projections based on past trends determine which exteriors will be
fitted to the cold cells.
These suggestions, for the commercial development of my beverage
cooler, are but a few, considering how many new products can be
derived from the concepts articulated here. The capability of
producing any cold food or beverage of the highest quality,
conveniently and at lower cost, make my beverage cooler unsurpassed
in utility, and versatility as a household appliance. The truly
powerful thermal performance, and simplicity of operation, also
make it idea for use in the bar and restaurant industries, in
addition to the home.
In conclusion, it is important to recognize how incredibly large
the potential customer base is for my beverage cooler, and its
related products. Anyone and everyone who enjoys ice cream, milk
shakes, sherbert, and frozen yogurt is a potential customer. In
addition, anyone and everyone who enjoys cold beverages of any
kind, whether in liquid or slush consistency including water, fruit
juice, soft drinks, tea, beer, wine, or cocktails is also a
potential customer of my beverage cooler; and that means just about
everyone!
Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent
from consideration of the drawings, and ensuing description of
it.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the fully assembled beverage
cooler.
FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of the component assembly of
the beverage cooler.
FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the fully assembled cold cell.
FIG. 4 is an exploded isometric view of the component assembly of
the cold cell.
FIG. 5 is an exploded isometric view of the component assembly of
the mouthpiece.
FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the fully assembled outer
container.
FIG. 7 is an exploded isometric view of the outer container and
expansion absorber.
FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a fully assembled inner
container.
FIG. 9 is an exploded isometric view of the component assembly of
the inner container.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged section view of the upper connections of the
beverage cooler.
FIG. 11 is an enlarged section view showing the lower portion of
the beverage cooler.
FIG. 12 is an enlarged section view of the upper connection of an
alternative design for a beverage cooler.
FIG. 13 is an enlarged section view showing the lower portion of an
alternative design for a beverage cooler.
FIG. 14 is an exploded isometric view of a fully assembled beverage
cooler, retrofitted for outdoor use.
FIG. 15 is an exploded isometric view of the component assembly of
a beverage cooler, retrofitted for outdoor use.
FIG. 16 is a chart showing the performance of beverage coolers of
the current invention and the prior art.
Reference Numerals In Drawing 10 mouthpiece 12 cold cell 14
exterior cup 16 inner container 18 threaded fastener 20 threaded
fastener 22 seal cap 24 seal washer 26 inner container flange 28
thread seal 30 beverage cooler 32 beverage 34 thermal diffuser 36
mouthpiece rim 38 dead air space 40 outer container 42 refrigerant
44 seal cap lip 46 expansion absorber spacer 48 expansion absorber
50 threaded fastener 52 seal washer 54 outer container lip 56 seal
gasket 58 refrigerant compartment 64 snap-on cover 66 straw 68
insulative exterior 70 outdoor beverage cooler 72 snap-on cover tab
74 straw port 76 straw cap 78 snap-on cover rim 80 wrist strap 82
air vent 84 bead positioner 86 outer shaft 110 mouthpiece 112 cold
cell 114 exterior tube 120 positioning groove 126 inner container
flange 130 beverage cooler 136 mouthpiece rim 140 outer container
150 snap-on bead and groove 154 outer container lip fastener 156
seal-gasket 158 fastener seal
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawing figures, a beverage cooler 30 is
comprised of a mouthpiece 10 (FIGS. 1,2,& 5) constructed of a
plastic, commonly used in plastic drinking containers and
tableware. Polypropylene, polyethylene, melamine, polyvinyl
chloride, butyrate, styrene, and acrylics are acceptable
choices.
The interior of mouthpiece 10 (FIGS. 5 & 10), is concave in
contour, beginning at the top inside portion, sloping inward and
downward, concluding an opening at the bottom mouthpiece 10. The
interior of mouthpiece 10 has a volume equal to 10%-25% of the
volume of an inner container 16 (FIG. 2).
A mouthpiece rim 36 (FIGS. 5 & 10) overlaps the top edge of an
exterior cup 14, and is attached with a threaded fastener 20.
Mouthpiece rim 36 is radiused along the outside lower edge, for
attachment of a snap-on cover 64.
Mouthpiece 10 (FIGS. 1 & 2) also attaches to a cold cell 12
with a threaded fastener 18 (FIG. 10). Threaded fasteners 18 and 20
may be standard coarse threads, commonly used on bottles and jars.
Threaded fastener 18 is positioned to cause compression of a seal
washer 24 between the underside of mouthpiece 10 and the top of an
inner container flange 26 when tightened down.
Seal washer 24 (FIGS. 5 & 10) may be constructed of a
compressible rubber or plastic, such as is commonly used for water
tight seal joints on jar lids.
Exterior cup 14 (FIGS. 1 & 2) may be constructed of a plastic
commonly used in drinking containers and tableware like those
recommended for mouthpiece 10. A wall thickness of between 0.5 mm-3
mm (0.020"-0.120") is practical for most applications. As
previously stated, exterior cup 14 is fitted to mouthpiece 10 by
threaded fastener 20 (FIGS. 2 & 10).
Cold cell 12 assembly (FIGS. 3 & 4) comprises an outer
container 40, an expansion absorber 48, a refrigerant 42, inner
container 16, a thermal diffuser 34, a seal cap 22, a seal washer
52 and a seal washer 56. Cold cell 12 is detachable from the rest
of beverage cooler 30 by detachment of mouthpiece 10 by threaded
fastener 18 located on seal cap 22 (FIGS. 2,4, & 10).
Inner container 16 (FIGS. 2,4,8 & 9), as implied, forms the
interior container of beverage cooler 30. It may be constructed of
any solid polymer, such as glass, ceramic, or plastic, commonly
used for drinking containers and tableware. The plastics previously
recommended for mouthpiece 10 may also be used in the construction
of inner container 16. Aluminum, however, is the preferred material
for construction of inner container 16. The 99% pure and above
grades of aluminum are preferred for their high thermal
conductivity and corrosion resistance. Other metals with similar
properties may also be used, but often have higher cost. The wall
thickness of inner container 16 may be between 0.10 mm.-0.80 mm.
(0.004"-0.032"). The interior capacity should approximate that of a
standard sized beverage, with an excess not exceeding 5%.
Inner container 16 should have an interior height at least two
times the inside diameter for cylindrical shaped containers. For
rectangular and ovular shaped inner containers 16, an interior
length at least two times the width through the cross section is
preferred (FIGS. 10-13 viewed together as if one cross sectional
view shows one possible arrangement). A highly efficient beverage
cooler 30 for example, may be produced using a 21/2:1 inner
container 16 proportionment as demonstrated in the performance
chart (FIG. 16), where progressive elongation is here shown to lead
to a progressively faster unit.
A refrigerant compartment 58 (FIGS. 3,10 & 11) is formed from
the inside wall of inner container 16 and the inside wall of outer
container 40. In addition to these two compartments, refrigerant
compartment 62 contains refrigerant 42, expansion absorber 48, and
thermal diffuser 34. Beverage coolers 30 designed to cool an
unrefrigerated beverage 32 should have refrigerant compartment 58
with an interior volume equal to at least 25% of the volume of
inner container 16. Beverage coolers 30 designed to cool single
prerefrigerated beverages require a smaller refrigerant compartment
58. The width of refrigerant compartment 58 should not exceed 10
mm. (0.375") without the addition of thermal diffuser 34.
Refrigerant compartment 58 is hermetically sealed, and made
permanent by attachment of seal cap 22 to outer container 40 (FIG.
10).
Refrigerant compartment 58 should be kept devoid of free air. Two
methods of filling refrigerant compartment 58 with refrigerant 41
are therefore recommended. The first method involves assembling
cold cell 12 (FIGS. 3 & 4) while submerged in a vat of
refrigerant 42. The other method involves partial filling of outer
container 40, sufficient to cause a slight overflow of refrigerant
42 when inner container 16 is inserted into outer container 40.
With seal cap 22 (FIGS. 3 & 4) fully attached to outer
container 40 with a threaded fastener 50, inner container flange 26
is positioned between an outer container lip 54 and a seal cap lip
44 and press fit between seal washer 52 and a seal gasket 56,
mounted on the top and underside of inner container flange 26 (FIG.
10). Threaded fastener 50 (FIG. 12) is positioned to cause
compression of seal washers 52 and 56 when fully attached.
Seal gaskets 52 and 56 (FIGS. 4, 5, 9 & 10) may be constructed
of a compressible rubber or plastic material of the type that is
commonly used to seal the lids of bottles and jars.
Threaded fasteners 50 (FIGS. 7 & 10) may be a standard coarse
thread type, commonly used on plastic jars and bottles. Threaded
fastener 50 is made permanent by a thread seal 28. Thread seal 28
may be a weld, adhesive, or mechanical locking device that makes
detachment of threaded fastener 50 impossible after assembly.
Refrigerant 42 (FIGS. 9, 12 & 13) may be plain water, or a
mixture of water and propylene glycol, alcohol, or mineral salts to
achieve a lower freezing temperature. The proportions of water vary
in these mixtures to produce a freezing point below that of water.
A freezing point below -2.3.degree. C. (28.degree. F.) is adequate
to produce slush from most soft drinks. Ice cream and milk shakes
are made best with refrigerant 42 mixture with a freezing point
near -6.degree. C. (21.degree. F.). For general use, a 10% solution
of propylene glycol and water, producing a freezing point of about
-3.3.degree. C. (26.degree. F.), has been found to be satisfactory
for about all applications. Similar results are obtained using a
5.5% solution of sodium chloride and water. Higher water content
solutions such as these, however, may require the addition of a
mold inhibiting compound.
Refrigerant 42 fills refrigerant compartment 58, and soaks thermal
diffuser 34. Gel refrigerants 42 may also be used, however, their
inability to effectively saturate thermal diffuser 34 material may
result in a loss of refrigerant 42 volume. If this is not a
concern, thermal diffuser 34 may be installed as usual, or
pulverized and mixed into the gel. When frozen, refrigerant 42
mixtures having a freezing point of -3.3.degree. C. (26.degree.
F.), contain 3 to 4 times the energy necessary to reduce an equal
volume of beverage 32 from about 22.degree. C. (72.degree. F.) to
0.degree. C. (32.degree. F.). After the low temperature of beverage
32 has been achieved, the remaining energy within refrigerant 42 is
used to maintain the low temperature of beverage 32.
The amount of time refrigerant 42 is able to maintain the low
temperature of beverage 32, depends mainly upon the particular
refrigerant 42 mixture within cold cell 12, and the amount of
thermal insulation surrounding it. The thermal insulation includes
exterior cup 14, snap-on cover 64, a dead air space 38, and an
insulative exterior 68.
Refrigerant 42 within cold cell 12 will maintain the low
temperature of beverage 32, 6 times its volume, for about one hour
if uninsulated. With the addition of the insulating components
described above, the duration of refrigerant 42 can be extended to
about two hours. Increasing the insulation beyond this range
generally has diminishing returns, and is impractical due to excess
bulk of the extra insulation.
Thermal diffuser 34 (FIGS. 8, 9, 10 & 11) may be constructed of
a high thermally conductive metal fabric, such as aluminum, or
copper "wool" or "mesh". Being saturated in refrigerant 42, thermal
diffuser 34 should be resistant to chemical attack from refrigerant
42. Thermal diffuser 34 should be in direct contact with inner
container 16 on the inside surface, and the mass distributed evenly
throughout the adjacent layer of refrigerant 42. The full outer
surface of inner container 16 may be covered for maximum results,
however, coverage of the upper half alone often provides sufficient
increase in the cooling speed of beverage 32. Thermal diffuser 34
made from aluminum wool or mesh, equivalent to 1% of the volume of
refrigerant 42, will increase thermal absorption of refrigerant 42
by about 25%. Maximum performance of thermal diffuser 34, with full
coverage of inner container 16 is achieved when solid volume of
thermal diffuser 34 does not exceed about 10% of the volume of
refrigerant 42.
Thermal diffuser 34 may also be constructed of a low thermally
conductive polymer fabric is made from plastic, rubber, glass,
ceramic, mineral fibers, or sponge to reduce the thermal absorption
rate of refrigerant 42. The rate of thermal absorption of
refrigerant 42, depends upon the thermal conductivity of the
fabric, and the degree to which thermal diffuser 34 is
saturated.
Expansion absorber 48 (FIG. 6, 7, 10 & 11) is a compressible
ring or disc shaped pad, that is fitted to either, or both ends
refrigerant compartment 58. It should, be constructed of a flexible
elastomer such as rubber, or a similar polymer such as plastic, or
other material that is resistant to the solvent effects of
refrigerant 42 in contact with it. Expansion absorber 48 may be
made of closed cell foam, or a hollow structure with flexible
walls. The walls of expansion absorber 48, whether cellular foam,
or a hollow structure, should be sufficiently strong to resist
rupture during compression, and also allow a high degree of
dimensional recovery back to the original, non-compressed
condition.
A spacer 46 is fitted between expansion absorber 48 and inner
container 16. It may be constructed of any material that is
resistant to the solvent effects of refrigerant 48. Although any
configuration could be used, expansion absorber spacer 46 should be
rod shaped, with a diameter not exceeding about 25 mm. (1").
Expansion absorber spacer 46 should be part of, or permanently
affixed to either, or both expansion absorber 48, or inner
container 16. Outer container 40 (FIGS. 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 & 10) may
be constructed of any solid polymeric. Plastic, elastomers, rubber,
ceramic, or glass, of the type that is commonly used in jars and
bottles designed for storage of liquids is preferred. The material
should have good resistance to the solvent effects of refrigerant
42. The wall thickness of outer container 40 should be made as thin
as is practical without exceeding about 3 mm. (0.125") in
thickness. The wall thickness should also be such, to permit a high
degree of thermal transmission between refrigerant 42 on the
inside, and the frigid environment on the outside, without
exceeding the thermal transmission ability of inner container 16 in
the same frigid environment.
Outer container 40 attaches to seal cap 22 with threaded fastener
50, and is made permanent by thread seal 28, for completion of cold
cell 12 assembly.
Dead air space 38 (FIGS. 10 & 11) is the area between the
outside of cold cell 12, and the inside of exterior cup 14. It is
made up of room air that has been trapped inside of beverage cooler
30 when it is fully assembled. A uniform thickness, exceeding 2 mm.
(0.08") around the outside of cold cell 12, and a volume exceeding
25% of the volume of refrigerant 42 is preferred.
A beverage cooler 130 (FIGS. 12 & 13) may be constructed as an
alternative embodiment of beverage cooler 30 of the preferred
embodiment (FIGS. 10 & 11). The component specifications of
beverage cooler 130 are the same as those in beverage cooler 30,
with the exception that some have been eliminated, and others
modified. Seal cap 22, threaded fasteners 18, 20, & 50, and
seal washers 24, & 52 of beverage cooler 30 have been
eliminated in beverage cooler 130 of the alternative embodiment.
The following is a description of the replacements and
modifications of beverage cooler 130.
In the alternative version, beverage cooler 130 (FIGS. 12 & 13)
has a mouthpiece 110 which engages the top edge of an exterior tube
114, with a positioning groove 120 located on the underside of a
mouthpiece rim 136. An outer shaft 140 of mouthpiece 110 engages
the inside wall of exterior tube 114 with a nominal dimensional
clearance of about 0.4 mm. (0.015") along the sides. The
dimensional clearance, plus the lack of perfect concentricity of
exterior tube 114, provide a friction type fit that is tight, but
will allow exterior tube 114 to slide for insertion and removal
from the rest of the unit.
Mouthpiece 110 and inner container 16 are permanently bonded
together by embedment of inner container 16, and inner container
flange 126 into mouthpiece 110. Mouthpiece 110 also attaches
permanently to an outer container 140 with a snap-on bead and
groove fastener 150.
The bead portion of snap-on bead and groove fastener 150
encompasses the outer rim of outer container 140 near the open end.
A groove encompassing the inside rim of the lower portion of
mouthpiece 110 is press fit onto the bead portion for a permanent
fit. The height location of snap-on bead and groove fastener 150 is
positioned to cause compression of a seal washer 156 between the
top of an outer container lip 154, and the underside of mouthpiece
110. Snap-on bead and groove fastener 150 may be further sealed
with a fastener seal 158.
Fastener seal 158 is a weld, adhesive, or mechanical locking
device.
A bead positioner 84 (FIG. 13) surrounds the lower portion of outer
container 140, and projects outwardly from the sides. The outside
diameter of bead positioner 84 is approximately that of outer shaft
86 of mouthpiece 110, for a similar fit with exterior tube 114,
described above.
Exterior tube 114 may be constructed of tubing made from the
extrusion process. The nominal inside diameter of exterior tube 114
should be about 1 mm. (0.04") greater than the diameter of outer
shaft 86, and bead positioner 84. Exterior tube 114 slides over
cold cell 112, engaging positioning groove 120, and portions of
outer container 86, and bead positioner 84, for a fit that is snug,
yet allows sliding.
An outdoor beverage cooler 70 (FIGS. 14 & 15), is equipped with
a snap-on cover 64, made from a flexible plastic such as
polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyvinyl chloride, ect., commonly
used in the construction of drinking containers and tableware, with
a material thickness of about 1 mm. (0.04"). The interior portion
of a snap-on cover rim 78 is contoured for a force fit over the
exterior of mouthpiece rim 36. A tab 72 along the rim 78 of snap-on
cover 64 projects about 6 mm. (0.25") beyond rim 78, to form a
semicircle about 13 mm. (0.5") in diameter. A straw port 74 is
sufficient in diameter to allow a friction fit with a straw 66.
Straw 66 may be constructed of plastic tubing, with a diameter of
about 10 mm. (0.375"). A cap 76 made of similar material may be
friction fit over the exposed end of straw 66.
An insulative exterior 68 may be friction fitted over the exterior
of any beverage cooler 30 (130) version, to form outdoor beverage
cooler 70. An air vent 82, more than 3 mm. (0.125") in diameter, is
on the underside of insulative exterior 68. A wrist strip 80, made
of woven fabric is attached to insulative exterior 68 by a sewn
stitch, or adhesive.
Referring again to the drawing figures, a beverage cooler 30 (FIG.
1), is specially designed to cool a beverage 32 for immediate
consumption.
A mouthpiece 10 (FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 5 & 10) provides a thermally
insulative cover for a cold cell 12. The interior of mouthpiece 10
provides extra capacity to contain a head of foam from beer and
other carbonated beverages 32. A mouthpiece rim 36 is contoured for
comfortable lip contact, and may be fitted with an optional snap-on
cover 64 (FIGS. 14 & 15). A threaded fastener 20, located
behind mouthpiece rim 36 provides quick and easy detachment of
mouthpiece 10 from an exterior cup 14. Another threaded fastener
18, located at the lower edge of mouthpiece 10, allows quick and
easy detachment from a cold cell 12. Mouthpiece 10 may also be
color coordinated with exterior cup 14, to provide beverage cooler
30 with an attractive and decorative exterior.
A seal washer 24 (FIGS. 5 & 10) is compressed between the
underside of mouthpiece 10, and the top of an inner container
flange 26 to provide a leak proof backup seal for a seal washer
52.
Exterior cup 14 (FIGS. 1, 2, 10 & 11) forms the outer casing of
beverage cooler 30, and encloses a dead air space 38 between it and
cold cell 12. Exterior cup 14 contributes to the durability of
beverage cooler 30 by supplying cold cell 12 with a protective
covering. This allows the walls of cold cell 12 to be made thinner,
which is not only more economical, but also reduces the amount of
time it takes to freeze cold cell 12 in the refrigerator freezer.
Exterior cup 14 is thermally insulative, and helps preserve the
cooling power of beverage cooler 30. It inhibits the formation of
water condensation that leaves water rings on furniture surfaces,
and makes beverage cooler 30 dry, and comfortable to the touch.
Threaded fastener 20, located at the top edge of exterior cup 14,
provides quick and easy attachment of mouthpiece 10 for completion
of beverage cooler 30 assembly. Exterior cup 14 may be color
coordinated with mouthpiece 10 to give beverage cooler 30 an
attractive and decorative exterior.
Cold cell 12 (FIGS. 2, 3 & 4) is the source of cooling power
for beverage cooler 30. It is easily detachable from the beverage
cooler 30 assembly, so that it may be frozen separately to reduce
the required time in the refrigerator freezer. The detachment
option also allows a single beverage cooler 30 to be fitted with a
variety of replacement cold cells 12, for protracted operation, or
for producing different cold foods or beverages 32. Though a
standardized cold cell 12 design is able to produce any cold food
or beverage 32 consistancy, the cooling characteristics necessary
for specific items such as hard ice cream can be enhanced by
modification of the design of cold cell 12. The detachable cold
cell 12 option also allows a variety of different mouthpiece 10 and
exterior cup 14 designs to be fitted to beverage cooler 30, to give
it unlimited changes of appearance and function.
After freezing, cold cell 12 attaches to mouthpiece 10 with
threaded fastener 18 (FIG. 10). Cold cell 12 and mouthpiece 10
assembly is then placed within exterior cup 14 (FIG. 2), and
attached with threaded fastener 20 shared by exterior cup 14 and
mouthpiece 10 (FIG. 10) Beverage cooler 30 is at this stage fully
assembled and ready for use (FIG. 1). Beverage 32 is then poured
into an inner container 16 within beverage cooler 30, and held
during consumption.
Inner container 16 (FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 8 & 9) forms the innermost
container of cold cell 12, and holds beverage 32 while it is being
consumed. The material and dimensional proportions of inner
container 16 induce rapid cooling of beverage 32, by maximizing the
rate of thermal exchange between refrigerant 42 and beverage 32. It
keeps them at, or very near temperature equilibrium, and helps
retard the increase of beverage 32 temperature after refrigerant 42
has melted. The high thermal conduction capacity of inner container
16 also helps to relieve the walls of stresses imposed by expansion
of the frozen refrigerant 42, by encouraging it to freeze
outwardly, away from inner-container 16 walls. The low operating
temperature of inner container 16 also prohibits the growth and
propagation of microorganisms on the walls, and in beverage 32, for
a drinking container that is self-sanitizing.
Inner container 16 may also be designed to generate a taller head
of foam from carbonated beverages 32 than ordinary mugs and
tumblers. Friction, generated between the frost that immediately
forms on the walls of inner container 16, and beverage 32 being
poured, agitates the bubbles, causing a greater than usual release
of carbonation. The result is a taller head of foam. The effect is
most dramatic when inner container 16 has a large surface area
relative to volume, and with a lower freezing point refrigerant 42.
Conversely, the raised head can be reduced by attaching a low
conductor thermal diffuser 34 around inner container 16.
After beverage 32 has been poured into inner container 16, the
subsequent release of carbonation is much lower than is typical in
ordinary mugs and tumblers. This is due primarily to the absents of
ice cubes in the beverage 32, and the sustained low temperature of
beverage 32 held in inner container 16.
A refrigerant compartment 58 (FIGS. 3, 4, 10 & 11) forms the
interior space between inner container 16, and outer container 40,
and contains an expansion absorber 48, a thermal diffuser 34, and
is filled to capacity with refrigerant 42. Inner container 16 and
outer container 40 help speed freezing of refrigerant 42 in
preparation for use, by extracting heat from both sides of
refrigerant 42. The higher thermal transfer capacity of inner
container 16, together with the lower thermal transfer capacity of
outer container 40, help relieve the walls of refrigerant
compartment 58 of much of the stress that results from expansion of
the frozen refrigerant 42, by directing the expansion volume
vertically, into expansion absorber 48, rather than into the walls
of refrigerant compartment 58. This allows the walls of the
refrigerant compartment 58 to be made thinner for better economy,
and faster cooling.
Upon assembly, refrigerant compartment 58 is filled to capacity
with refrigerant 42, and permanently sealed by attachment of a seal
cap 22 which joins together inner container 16, and outer container
40, corresponding to the interior, and exterior walls of
refrigerant compartment 58 respectively.
Seal cap 22 (FIGS. 2, 3, 4 & 10) attaches to outer container 40
with a threaded fastener 50 located on the lower inside rim of seal
22, and to mouthpiece 10 with another threaded fastener 18, on the
upper inside rim.
Seal gasket 52 (FIGS. 4, 8, & 9) provides refrigerant
compartment 58 with a hermetic seal. Seal gasket 56 (FIG. 10) is
compressed between the underside of an inner container flange 26,
and the top surface of an outer container lip 54, to prevent bypass
of gas or liquid into, or out of refrigerant compartment 58.
Another seal washer 52 (FIGS. 4 & 10) provides a backup seal
for seal washer 24, and seal gasket 56. Seal washer 52 is
compressed between the underside of a seal cap lip 44, and the top
side of inner container flange 26.
Inner container flange 26, seal cap lip 44, the top of outer
container lip 54, and the underside of mouthpiece 10 (FIG. 1) all
provide seal washers with a strong, and rigid encasement equipped
with contact surfaces that are smooth, and flat for good bearing
and fit during compression.
Threaded fastener 50 (FIGS. 4 & 10) is permanently sealed with
a thread seal 28, to prevent reentry into refrigerant compartment
58, for completion of cold cell 12 assembly (FIG. 3).
Refrigerant 42 (FIGS. 4, 6, 10 & 11) is the source of cooling
power within cold cell 12. Usually a liquid or gel at room
temperature, refrigerant 42 saturates thermal diffuser 34, and
fills to capacity the remainder of refrigerant compartment 58.
Refrigerant 42 is frozen solid in preparation for use when cold
cell 12 is placed in a frigid environment, such as a household
refrigerator freezer. Beverage 32 is cooled, as heat is extracted
through the walls of inner container 16, and absorbed by
refrigerant 42, by energy supplied by the latent heat of fusion of
the frozen refrigerant 42, and the temperature differential between
beverage 32 , and refrigerant 42. In solid phase, refrigerant 42 is
about 7 times more absorptive of thermal energy than in liquid
phase, even at the freezing point. For this reason the solid phase
condition of refrigerant 42 should be preserved as long as
possible.
Upon freezing, refrigerant 42, being mostly water, expands to a
larger solid volume. For this reason, refrigerants 42 with a lower
coefficient of expansion are preferred. Liquid refrigerants 42,
such as simple mixtures of water and propylene glycol, alcohol or
mineral salts have a solid phase volume about 2 or 3% in excess of
the liquid phase volume. Plastic "gel" refrigerants 42 may also be
used, however they have an expansion volume closer to 10% in excess
of the unfrozen volume. Other disadvantages of using gel
refrigerants 42 is that they are more expensive, and more difficult
to load into refrigerant compartment 58 than liquid refrigerants
42.
Thermal diffuser 34 (FIGS. 4, 8, 9 & 10) is placed within
refrigerant compartment 58 to modify the heat absorbing properties
of refrigerant 42, without changing the enthalpy (total head
content) of refrigerant 42. Constructed of a high thermal conductor
such as metal wool, or mesh, thermal diffuser 34 increases the rate
at which refrigerant 42 absorbs heat from the surroundings. A lower
conductor polymer such as glass, or plastic filament, produces
thermal diffuser 34 that slows heat absorption of refrigerant
42.
A high conductor thermal diffuser 34 may be fitted around inner
container 16 to speed cooling of beverage 32, and to increase
congealment, and slush accumulation within the food or beverage 32
being consumed. It also reduces the time it takes to freeze
refrigerant 42, when cold cell 12 is in the refrigerator
freezer.
If a low beverage 32 temperature is desired without slush
formation, a low conductor thermal diffuser 34 may be fitted
around, the outside of inner container 16. This allows beverage 32
to be held at its freezing point in the liquid state without
forming slush. Fitted around the inside wall of outer container 40,
a low conductor thermal diffuser 34 slows heat absorption from the
environment, creating an insulating effect within refrigerant which
helps to preserve the thermal energy, and hence the congealed
condition of refrigerant 42.
Expansion absorber 48 (FIGS. 6, 7, 10 & 11), located on either
or both ends of refrigerant compartment 58, absorbs the expansion
volume of refrigerant 42 when it freezes into a solid. This
eliminates the danger of damage to the walls of refrigerant
compartment 58 as refrigerant 42 undergoes its change of volume,
and allows them to be made thinner for greater economy and
increased thermal performance. Expansion absorber 48 allows full
saturation of refrigerant compartment 58 with refrigerant 42, and
eliminates the need for an expansion air space, or precise
measuring of refrigerant 42 during manufacture.
An expansion absorber spacer 46 (FIGS. 4, 6, 7 & 11) is located
between the top of expansion absorber 48, and the bottom of inner
container 16. In addition to its regular function as part of
expansion absorber 48 described above, its function is to position
expansion absorber 48, and to keep it in place at the bottom of
refrigerant compartment 58.
Outer container 40 (FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10 & 11) forms the
exterior of cold cell 12. Although constructed of material of
relatively low thermal conductivity, it makes a significant
contribution to the speed at which refrigerant 42 within cold cell
12 freezes in the refrigerator freezer. Because of the thin walls,
and exterior exposure of outer container 40, it is able to benefit
from the convective movement of air within the refrigerator
freezer, in addition to thermal conduction for freezing refrigerant
42. The amount of heat extracted from refrigerant 42 through outer
container 40 during freezing is less however, than the amount
extracted through inner container 16. This is to avoid directing
the expansion volume of the frozen refrigerant 42 in toward inner
container 16.
When in use outside the refrigerator freezer, outer container 40
may be credited as thermal insulation, along with dead air space 38
and exterior cup 14, because of the low thermal conductivity of the
material used to construct outer container 40.
Dead air space 38 (FIGS. 10 & 11) forms the area between the
outside of attached cold cell 12, and the inside wall of exterior
cup 14. Dead air space 38 provides the primary thermal insulation
covering for cold cell 12. It preserves the cooling power of cold
cell 12, and allows the outer surface temperature of exterior cup
14 to be nearer that of the room temperature, for more comfortable
hand contact. Having no cost, and possessing excellent thermal
insulating properties, dead air space 38 contributes to the economy
and streamlining of beverage cooler 30 by requiring a lower volume
of insulating material than is required using rubber or plastic
foam insulation. Dead air space 38 is stripped away by removal of
exterior cup 14 from beverage cooler (FIG. 2), to hasten freezing
of cold cell 12 for use.
A beverage cooler 130 (FIGS. 12 & 13) may be constructed as an
alternative embodiment of beverage cooler 30 of the preferred
embodiment (FIGS. 10 & 11). The function of the components of
beverage cooler 130 are the same as those in beverage cooler 30,
with the exception that some have been eliminated, and others
modified. Seal cap 22, threaded fasteners 18, 20 & 50, and seal
washers 24 & 52 of beverage cooler 30 have been eliminated in
beverage cooler 130 of the alternative embodiment. The following is
a description of the modifications for the beverage cooler 130.
In an alternative embodiment, beverage cooler 130 (FIGS. 12 &
13) has a mouthpiece 110, permanently affixed to a cold cell 112.
Mouthpiece 110 is bonded to inner container 16 by embodiment of the
upper portion of inner container 16, and an inner container flange
126. This eliminates seal cap 22, seal washers 24 and 52, and
threaded fastener 18, all of beverage cooler 30 of the preferred
embodiment. Mouthpiece 110 also attaches permanently to an outer
container 140, by a snap-on bead and groove fastener 150, for
completion of cold cell 112 assembly.
Seal gasket 156 prevents bypass of air or fluid into, or out of
cold cell 112. It is compressed between the underside of mouthpiece
110, and the top of an outer container lip 154, when mouthpiece 110
and outer container 140 are attached via snap-on bead and groove
fastener 150.
Snap-on beam and groove fastener 150 replaces threaded fastener 50,
and may be made permanent with a fastener seal 158. Fastener seal
158 prevents reentry into cold cell 112 after attachment of snap-on
bead and groove fastener 150.
An exterior tube 114 slips over the bottom of cold cell 112, and
engages a positioning groove 120, and portions of an outer shaft
86, both located on mouthpiece 110. At the same time, a bead
positioner 84, located around the lower portion of outer container
140, also engages the interior walls of exterior tube 114, for a
snug, friction fit. The positioning groove 120 eliminates the need
for threaded fastener 20, and allows exterior tube 114 to be made
from the more economical plastic extrusion process.
Beverage cooler 130, may also be fitted for outdoor use (FIGS. 14
& 15), in the same manner as beverage cooler 30 of the
preferred embodiment described below.
An outdoor beverage cooler 70 (FIGS. 14 & 15) has snap-on cover
64 fitted over mouthpiece 10. This makes outdoor beverage cooler 70
spillproof, and adds impact protection to mouthpiece 10. When
attached, snap-on cover 64 also provides extra thermal insulation,
by creating a dead air space within the interior of mouthpiece
10.
A tab 72, along rim 78 of snap-on cover 64, facilitates fitting and
removal of snap-on cover 64 from mouthpiece 10. Snap-on cover rim
78 provides mouthpiece 10 with a leakproof seal, and is contoured
for quick and easy detachment from mouthpiece 10.
A straw port 74, located on top of snap-on cover 64, is for
insertion of a straw 66 into inner container 16, for drinking of
the beverage 32.
A straw cap 76 may be fitted over straw 66, to prevent spillage of
beverage 32, should outdoor beverage cooler 70 fall over.
An insulative exterior 68 provides outdoor beverage cooler 70 with
an extra layer of thermal insulation for protracted operation. It
also adds extra impact protection by providing a durable covering
over beverage cooler 30. An air vent 82 at the bottom of insulative
exterior 68 allows air to escape to prevent compression during
insertion of beverage cooler 30.
A wrist strap 80 may be attached to insulative exterior 68 for
wearing around the arm, or wrist to free the hands for other uses.
It may also be used to attach to a belt or backback.
Accordingly, the reader will see that the beverage cooler of the
present invention provides an extremely versatile, and utilitarian
device, that is powerful, convenient to use, economical, durable,
sanitary, has a positive impact upon the environment, is easy to
manufacture, and is useful to persons of all ages. With by beverage
cooler, the complete range of cold foods and beverages can be
produced at home within minutes, and sustained for hours, without
the use of prepared ice or prerefrigeration of the ingredients.
Slushes, milk shakes, chilled drinks, and even ice cream and frozen
yogurt of the highest quality can now be produced easily at home,
and at lower cost for enjoyment at home, at work, at sporting
events, picnics, indoors, and outdoors.
While the above description contains many specifications, these
should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the
invention, but rather an exemplification of one preferred
embodiment. Many variations are possible. The principals set forth
in the above specification would have excellent results embodied in
a can and bottle cooler, mugs, steins, pitchers, carafes, thermal
bottles, lunch boxes, beer kegs, ice cream bowls, or any container
that holds a thermally treated substance of any kind, such as those
used in the medical and scientific fields.
It is also worth noting, that the principals set forth in the above
specification have excellent application for containers designed to
heat their contents, rather than cool them, wherein heat absorbing
materials other than refrigerants would be used. Accordingly, the
scope of the invention should be determined, not by the particular
embodiments described, but by the appended claims, and their legal
equivalents.
* * * * *