DEVICE FOR SELECTIVELY FREEZING PORTIONS OF BOTTLED BEVERAGES

Abstract

A freezing device comprising a refrigeration base housing having a refrigeration system therein and a bottle receiver above the refrigeration base housing. The bottle receiver has a top opening for accepting a portion of a bottle of consumable beverage therein such that a top portion of the bottle is not encompassed by the bottle receiver. The bottle receiver has an air space between at least one sidewall of the bottle receiver and the bottle. The refrigeration system cools the space within the bottle receiver for freezing a bottom portion of the consumable beverage encompassed by the bottle receiver.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to freezing systems, and in particular to a device for selectively freezing portions of bottled beverages.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the past, bottled beverages have been chilled by placing the bottles in a refrigerator or an ice bath. A system for chilling liquids in bottles in a selectively efficient manner is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, according to one aspect, is directed to a freezing device comprising a refrigeration base housing having a refrigeration system therein and a bottle receiver above the refrigeration base housing. The bottle receiver has at least one top opening, each top opening for accepting a portion of a bottle of consumable beverage therein such that a top portion of the bottle is not encompassed by the bottle receiver. The bottle receiver has an air space between at least one sidewall of the bottle receiver and the bottle. The refrigeration system cools the space within the bottle receiver for freezing a bottom portion of the consumable beverage encompassed by the bottle receiver.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator comprising a receiving area having a temperature therein below room temperature and a freezing device located within the receiving area. The freezing device includes a refrigeration base housing having a refrigeration system therein and a bottle receiver above the refrigeration base housing. The bottle receiver has at least one top opening, each top opening for accepting a portion of a bottle of consumable beverage therein such that a top portion of the bottle is not encompassed by the bottle receiver. The bottle receiver has an air space between at least one sidewall of the bottle receiver and the bottle. The refrigeration system cools the space within the bottle receiver for freezing a bottom portion of the consumable beverage encompassed by the bottle receiver.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a freezing system comprising a bottle of consumable beverage and a freezing device. The freezing device includes a refrigeration base housing having a refrigeration system therein and a bottle receiver above the refrigeration base housing. The bottle receiver has at least one top opening, each top opening for accepting a portion of the bottle therein such that a top portion of the bottle is not encompassed by the bottle receiver. The bottle receiver has an air space between at least one sidewall of the bottle receiver and the bottle. The refrigeration system cools the space within the bottle receiver for freezing a bottom portion of the consumable beverage encompassed by the bottle receiver.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method of cooling a consumable beverage comprising providing a bottle enclosing the consumable beverage; providing a freezing device including a refrigeration base housing having a refrigeration system therein and a bottle receiver above the refrigeration base housing; placing the bottle into a top opening of the bottle receiver to encompass a bottom portion of the bottle with the bottle receiver; providing an air space between at least one sidewall of the bottle receiver and the bottle; and cooling the space within the bottle receiver for freezing a bottom portion of the consumable beverage encompassed by the bottle receiver.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One or more embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of example and should not be construed as being limited to the specific embodiments depicted in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a freezing device of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1A is a side view of the freezing device of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the freezing device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a refrigerator including a pair of the freezing devices.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a second embodiment of the freezing device.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the second embodiment of the freezing device.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a bottle that can be used with the freezing device.

The specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For purposes of description herein, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.

The reference number 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2) generally designates a freezing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The freezing device 10 includes a refrigeration base housing 12 and a bottle receiver 14. The bottle receiver 14 is configured to receive a bottle 16 therein for freezing a portion of a consumable beverage 18 (e.g., water) contained within the bottle 16 to result in a frozen (solid) portion 20 of the consumable beverage 18 located in the area encompassed by the bottle receiver 14 and a non-frozen (liquid) portion 22 of the consumable beverage 18 located in the area located outside of the bottle receiver 14.

In the illustrated example, the refrigeration base housing 12 includes a refrigeration system 24 therein for cooling a support surface 26 that supports the bottle 16 within the bottle receiver 14 and air 28 within the bottle receiver 14 between an interior surface 30 of the bottle receiver 14 and the bottle 16 to a temperature below the freezing temperature of the consumable beverage 18. The refrigeration system 24 can be any system for lowering the temperature of the support surface 26 and the air 28. For example, the refrigeration system 24 can include a cyclic refrigeration system (e.g., a vapor-compression cycle), a thermoelectric refrigeration system, or a magnetic refrigeration system. The preceding list is for example only and is not exhaustive of systems that could be used.

The illustrated bottle receiver 14 extends upward from the refrigeration base housing 12 and supports the bottle 16 therein. The bottle receiver 14 includes a larger base 32 and a smaller top 34 with at least one sidewall 36 extending between the larger base 32 and the smaller top 34. It is contemplated that the bottle receiver 14 could have any shape. For example, the bottle receiver 14 could have a frustoconical profile with the sidewall 36 being conical as illustrated in FIG. 1 or could have a rectangular profile having a plurality of sidewalls 36 as shown in FIG. 1A. The sidewalls 36 can be curved or planar and the smaller top 34 could have any shape (e.g., circular, rectangular, square, hexagon, octagon, etc.). The bottle receiver 14 can be made of any material, and can be made of or include insulating material. The smaller top 34 of the bottle receiver 14 includes an opening 40 for receiving the bottle 16 therein. The periphery of the opening 40 can abut the bottle 16 or a circular flexible seal 42 can extend from the opening 40 in the smaller top 34 to abut against a side surface of the bottle 16.

In the illustrated embodiment, the freezing device 10 is positioned within a refrigerator 100 such that the portion of the bottle 16 outside of the freezing device 10 can still be cooled. FIG. 2 illustrates a pair of freezing devices 10 within the refrigerator 100. A first one of the freezing devices 10 includes a power cord 102 that is plugged into an outlet 104 within the interior of the refrigerator 100 to allow the first one of the freezing devices 10 to be removed from the refrigerator 100. A second one of the freezing devices 10 is hardwired 108 to a shelf 106 within the refrigerator 100 and is therefore not removable. It is considered that any refrigerator 100 could include multiple instances of the first one and/or the second one of the freezing devices 10 as illustrated in FIG. 2. It is contemplated that either the first one or the second one of the freezing devices 10 as illustrated in FIG. 2 could include an outlet built into the refrigeration base housing 12 to allow further freezing devices 10 to be plugged into the refrigeration base housing 12 to power the further freezing devices 10. The refrigerator 100 could be any small consumer refrigerator or could be any large refrigerator, including a walk-in refrigerator.

The freezing devices 10 as described herein allow the bottle 16 containing the consumable beverage 18 (e.g., water) therein to result in the frozen (solid) portion 20 of the consumable beverage 18 and the non-frozen (liquid) portion 22 of the consumable beverage 18. Such bottle 16 allows a user thereof to drink the non-frozen (liquid) portion 22 of the consumable beverage 18 directly after removal of the bottle 16 from the freezing device 10 along with providing the frozen (solid) portion 20 for maintaining a cold temperature of the non-frozen (liquid) portion 22 along with supplying further substance to the non-frozen (liquid) portion 22 as the frozen (solid) portion 20 melts.

FIGS. 4-5 illustrate another embodiment of a freezing device 200. The second embodiment of the freezing device 200 can be located in a cooler or a refrigerator, like refrigerator 100 outlined above. The freezing device 200 can define a shelf in the cooler or refrigerator. The freezing device 200 includes a line or row 202 of bottles 16, with each of the bottles 16 sharing a common bottle receiver or freezing area 204. While two rows 202 of bottles 16 are shown, any number (including only one) of rows 202 of bottles 16 could be employed by the freezing device 200. The second embodiment of the freezing device 200 allows for individual bottles 16 to be removed therefrom, with another bottle 16 being moved to the front of the row 202 until all bottles 16 are removed from the row 202.

The illustrated freezing device 200 can include a front door 206 at the front of the row 202 of bottles 16 for allowing a bottle 16 to be removed from the front of the freezing device 200. The front door 206 can comprise any opening and closing mechanism. For example, the front door 206 can include a pair of saloon doors 208, with one or both of the saloon doors 208 having a seal 210 for sealing the common freezing area 204 when the saloon doors a closed 208. Another embodiment of the front door 206 includes a door that is hinged from the bottom and being spring biased into a substantially vertical position. However, any front door 206 that can seal the common freezing area 204 could be used. Alternatively, the front wall of the row 202 can be a solid wall and the bottle 16 can be removed from the freezing device 200 by lifting the bottle 16 out of the freezing device 200. It is contemplated that the freezing device 200 could have a sensor to determine when there are no longer any bottles 16 therein to turn off the freezing device 200 or the cooling elements of an internal area of the row 202.

In the illustrated example, a seal member 212 is located between each bottle 16 at a top of the common freezing area 204 to seal the interior of the common freezing area 204. The seal member 212 could be any device or devices that can seal the interior of the common freezing area 204. For example, each seal member 212 could a single pliable sheet that moves to allow a bottle 16 to be moved toward the front door 206 and moves back into position once the bottle 16 has moved thereby. The seal member 212 could be a substantially triangular sheet (with angled sides to accommodate the exterior shape of a bottle 16). Each seal member 212 could also be a plurality of brushes that can move as the bottle 16 passes by the seal member 212. While the bottles 16 are shown as abutting each other in the row 202, it is contemplated that a divider could move between each bottle 16. If a divider is used, it is contemplated that the divider could be moved out of the way at the front door 206 (e.g., sliding into an opening or folding down) to allow the bottle 16 to be easily removed from the freezing device 200 through the front door 206. It is contemplated that all of the seal members 212 on a single side of a row 202 could be a single member such that all of the seal members 212 on the single side of the row 202 move as one as the bottles 16 move forward.

As outlined above, the row 202 of bottles 16 are configured to move toward the front door 206. It is contemplated that bottles 16 could move forward in any manner. For example, a floor of the common freezing area 204 holding the bottles 16 could be slanted with gravity forcing the bottles 16 forward. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, a pusher 220 biased by a spring 222 or pushed in a mechanical manner can push the bottles 16 forward. It is contemplated that the pusher 220 can have slots to rest in located at a position between an initial location of the bottles 16 such that the pusher 220 does not apply pressure against the front door 206 in such a manner that the front door 206 would inadvertently open. Moreover, the row 202 could have a step in front of the bottles 16 at the front of the row 202 behind the door 206 to prevent forward movement of the bottles 16 from gravity or force of the pusher 220. It is also contemplated that the pusher 220 could have a cover 224 connected thereto that unrolls from a roll 226 located at a rear of the row 202 to cover the common freezing area 204 as the pusher 220 moved toward the front door 206.

FIG. 6 illustrates a bottle 16a that can be used with any embodiment of the freezing device as disclosed herein. The bottle 16a includes a constriction 300, with the frozen (solid) portion 20a of the consumable beverage 18a being located above the constriction 300 and the non-frozen (liquid) portion 22s of the consumable beverage 18s located in the area above the constriction 300. It is contemplated that the constriction can maintain the frozen (solid) portion 20a at a bottom of the bottle 16a until the frozen (solid) portion 20a has sufficiently melted. The vertical location and the size of the constriction 300 can be varied depending on the configuration of the freezing device having the bottle 16a therein and/or desired melting properties of the frozen (solid) portion 20a.

Although particular preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A freezing device comprising: a refrigeration base housing having a refrigeration system therein; anda bottle receiver above the refrigeration base housing;the bottle receiver having at least one top opening, each at least one opening for accepting a portion of a bottle of consumable beverage therein such that a top portion of the bottle is not encompassed by the bottle receiver;the bottle receiver having an air space between at least one sidewall of the bottle receiver and the bottle; andthe refrigeration system cooling the space within the bottle receiver for freezing a bottom portion of the consumable beverage encompassed by the bottle receiver.

2. The freezing device of claim 1, wherein: the at least one sidewall is conical.

3. The freezing device of claim 1, wherein: the refrigeration base housing includes a power cord.

4. The freezing device of claim 1, further including: a flexible seal extending inwardly from the at least one top opening.

5. The freezing device of claim 1, wherein: the at least one top opening comprises a plurality of top openings.

6. A refrigerator comprising: a receiving area having a temperature therein below room temperature; anda freezing device located within the receiving area, the freezing device including a refrigeration base housing having a refrigeration system therein and a bottle receiver above the refrigeration base housing;the bottle receiver having at least one top opening, each at least one top opening for accepting a portion of a bottle of consumable beverage therein such that a top portion of the bottle is not encompassed by the bottle receiver;the bottle receiver having an air space between at least one sidewall of the bottle receiver and the bottle; andthe refrigeration system cooling the space within the bottle receiver for freezing a bottom portion of the consumable beverage encompassed by the bottle receiver.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein: the at least one sidewall is conical.

8. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein: the refrigeration base housing includes a power cord plugged into an outlet in the receiving area.

9. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein: the refrigeration base housing is hardwired to a shelf within the receiving area.

10. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein: a flexible seal extends inwardly from the top opening.

11. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein: the at least one top opening comprises a plurality of top openings.

12. A freezing system comprising: a bottle of consumable beverage; anda freezing device including a refrigeration base housing having a refrigeration system therein and a bottle receiver above the refrigeration base housing;the bottle receiver having at least one top opening, each at least one top opening for accepting a portion of the bottle therein such that a top portion of the bottle is not encompassed by the bottle receiver;the bottle receiver having an air space between at least one sidewall of the bottle receiver and the bottle; andthe refrigeration system cooling the space within the bottle receiver for freezing a bottom portion of the consumable beverage encompassed by the bottle receiver.

13. The freezing system of claim 12, wherein: the at least one sidewall is conical.

14. The freezing system of claim 12, wherein: the refrigeration base housing includes a power cord.

15. The freezing system of claim 12, wherein: a flexible seal extends inwardly from the at least one top opening.

16. The freezing system of claim 12, wherein: the at least one top opening comprises a plurality of top openings.

17. A method of cooling a consumable beverage comprising: providing a bottle enclosing the consumable beverage;providing a freezing device including a refrigeration base housing having a refrigeration system therein and a bottle receiver above the refrigeration base housing;placing the bottle into a top opening of the bottle receiver to encompass a bottom portion of the bottle with the bottle receiver;providing an air space between at least one sidewall of the bottle receiver and the bottle; andcooling the space within the bottle receiver for freezing a bottom portion of the consumable beverage encompassed by the bottle receiver.