Patent Application
20130152622
The present disclosure is directed to a device to help maintain a cool temperature in a beer, wine or soda, for example, after the beverage has been removed from a chilling environment such as a refrigerator or cooler.
A general object of the present disclosure is to provide a device for securement to the bottom of a beverage container, such as a glass bottle, which can be readily chilled to a low temperature such as in a cooler or freezer, which can be readily assembled to a container, and which will draw heat from the container for an extended period of time so as to maintain a cool temperature of a beverage in the container.
The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.
A cold beverage server in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure attaches to the lower portion of a beverage container and provides a source of low temperature surfaces to chill or maintain the chill of a beverage within the container. The attachment means between the server and the container base or sidewall may be fitment: (1) to an existing bead on the container incorporated for some other purpose where the server snaps over that existing bead, (2) a specific bead incorporated only for the snap fitment of the server, (3) threads where the container and the server have mating threads in traditional helical style, and (4) bayonet engagement whereby less than one complete rotation of the server onto the container engages one or more tabs on the server with one or more mating ramps so that the tab(s) provides a friction fit during rotation in opposing directions. The server contains a medium that can be cooled or frozen to provide a source to chill the surfaces of the server. The medium within the server is contained in the bottom or base of the server, within the sidewalls of the server, or both. The low temperature surfaces of the server may be concave, convex or flat as needed for facing surface engagement with opposing surfaces of the container.
The disclosure, together with additional objects, features, advantages and aspects thereof, will best be understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:
Ice core 14 includes a hollow body 24, preferably of plastic construction. Body 24 includes an axially extending annular peripheral wall 26 having an internal bead 28 positioned and sized for snap-receipt over shoulder 22 of bottle 12. There preferably are a plurality of angularly spaced longitudinal slots 30 in peripheral wall 26 segmenting bead 28 and facilitating radial expansion of wall 26 as bead 28 is snapped over shoulder 22. A central dome 32 of body 24 preferably is sized for heat-transfer facing-contact engagement with the external surface of container push-up 20. Push-up 20 can be somewhat deeper than usual to enhance such heat transfer. Body 24 also has a bottom wall 34 that can be flat or of other suitable geometry such as slightly domed.
A chillable medium 36, preferably a fluid medium, is contained within hollow body 24. Chillable medium 36 preferably comprises a freezable saline solution. Chillable medium 36 alternatively could be a suitable refrigerant, water or another suitable substance.
In use, ice core 14 can be stored in a freezer or ice chest, for example, so that medium 26 is cooled and preferably frozen solid. For use, the ice core is removed from the freezer or ice chest and assembled over the base of a beer, wine cooler or soda container, for example. Heat transfer between medium 26 and the contents of the container, through dome 32 and push-up 20, helps maintain a cool temperature of the liquid within the container. The medium-filled cavity of body 24 preferably extends around at least a portion of the base chime area, as best seen in
There thus has been disclosed a cold beverage server that fully satisfies all of the objects and aims previously set forth. The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with two exemplary embodiments, and modifications and variations have been suggested. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing description. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.
