Embodiments described herein relate generally to portable coolers, and more particularly to systems, methods, and devices for providing reusable, iceless cooling for a portable cooler.
Portable coolers are commonly used in a number of different applications. In a number of cases, the methods to cool items inside a portable cooler are messy, expensive, and/or inefficient. For example, ice can be used in portable coolers to keep food and drinks cold. Ice can be obtained from the refrigerator, freezer, or purchased at a neighborhood convenience store, gas station, or grocery store. After use, the melted ice is purged from the cooler and the remaining ice is discarded. Some of the problems with using ice include the fact that melted ice can spoil food items such as sandwiches and snacks as it melts; as drinks are consumed, a user must dig through cold ice to “fish” out his or her beverage, causing cold discomfort on the hands and arms; ice cubes or chunks of ice melt at a faster rate than one large mass of ice; and ice is not common or readily available outside the U.S.A.
Reusable freezer blocks, soft ice packs, gel packs, and ice sheets are common alternatives to ice. Some are pre-filled with freezable gel while others are filled with tap water. Typically these are tossed in and around the inside of the cooler or in the case of a soft-sided cooler, an ice pocket is sewn to the underside of the cooler lid. Some of the problems associated with the use of freezer blocks include the fact that current freezer blocks, gel packs or other ice alternatives are placed inside the cooler in-between food and beverages taking up valuable space inside the cooler; the ice blocks and ice alternatives rattle around and fall over inside the cooler without the ability of being strategically located for optimum performance. Furthermore, some coolers have been developed with snaps or toggles to locate ice blocks to the underside of the cooler lid. In this instance, the cooling block is above the food and drinks and natural physics of heat rising diminishes the ability of the ice block to cool the contents of the cooler. Furthermore, heat and thermal conduction from the cooler lid causes the ice block to melt faster, perspire and drip condensation onto food and drinks resulting in the same issue as was caused with melted ice.
There are also Thermoelectric (TE) coolers that are powered by an AC or DC source and combine mechanical parts such as fans, heat sinks and solid state technology referred to as a Peltier cooling system. The Thermoelectric Cooler is also known as an “iceless cooler”. Some of the problems typically associated with TE coolers include the fact that coolers are mostly used outdoors where electricity is not available; coolers are typically designed to be portable and carried from the home or auto to another destination, and the mechanical components of the TE cooler add significant weight making it less portable; TE coolers chill based on the performance of the Peltier system and the surrounding ambient temperature and current embodiments used on a hot sunny day of 95 degrees Fahrenheit can only reduce the temperature inside of the cooler to about 55-63 degrees Fahrenheit, well above a thirst satisfying temperature range; and TE coolers are typically four times the cost of passive or traditional coolers of equivalent size.
Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
a shows a perspective front view of a chill block, in accordance with one or more exemplary embodiments;
b shows a perspective rear view of the chill block of
c shows a top view of the chill block of
The exemplary embodiments discussed herein are directed to various aspects (e.g., methods, systems, devices) of an iceless chill chamber cooler. Exemplary embodiments of an iceless chill chamber cooler may be integrated with a cooler, inserted into a cooler designed to have a removable hard liner, and/or retrofitted into an existing hard-side and/or soft-side cooler. In certain exemplary embodiments, the iceless chill chamber cooler may be used in one or more of a number of different cooler sizes with various lengths, widths, heights, and/or capacities.
The exemplary embodiments described herein may provide one or more of the following advantages including, but not limited to, keeping items inside a cooler at a lower temperature for a longer period of time, keeping items inside the cooler from becoming overly wet, reducing costs by having reusable chill chamber blocks, easier storage by having stackable chill chamber blocks, increasing space and organization inside the cooler by using slots into which the chill chamber blocks are positioned, and ease of cleaning and maintenance.
Exemplary embodiments of iceless chill chamber coolers will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of iceless chill chamber coolers are shown. Iceless chill chamber coolers may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of iceless chill chamber coolers to those of ordinary skill in the art. Like, but not necessarily the same, elements in the various figures are denoted by like reference numerals for consistency.
In one or more exemplary embodiments, one or more inner side wall surfaces 114 of the iceless chill chamber 120 includes one or more receiving features 118, cut outs or slots. For example, in
In certain other exemplary embodiments, the chill block 110 is insertable into and/or removable from the receiving feature 118 through substantial horizontal movement of the chill block 110. For example, the chill block 110 may by snapped into and/or out of the receiving feature 118 by applying a force, in which the force is generally greater than that of gravity.
In certain exemplary embodiments, while not shown, multiple chill blocks 110 (having the same or different dimensions as shown) is insertable into a single receiving feature 118, for example, in a vertically aligned orientation. In other exemplary embodiments, the chill blocks 110 are alternatively, or are additionally, coupled to the iceless chill chamber 120 using one or more other types of receiving features, including but not limited to a fastening device, such as a screw, a threaded peg and nut, a snap, or a strap, which may include Velcro or other similar coupling means. Further, in certain exemplary embodiments, the bottom 112 of the iceless chill chamber 120 includes a receiving feature 118 or other coupling mechanism. Thus, in such exemplary embodiments, the chill block 110 is couplable to the bottom 112 of the iceless chill chamber 120. In certain alternative embodiments, the lid 130 of the iceless chill chamber 120 also includes an optional coupling mechanism which, alternatively or in addition, is configured to receive one or more chill blocks 110.
In certain exemplary embodiments, the receiving features 118 of the iceless chill chamber 120 are configured to complement and receive a corresponding attachment feature of the chill chamber block 110. In certain exemplary embodiments, the top of the chill block 110, when positioned in the receiving feature 118 of the iceless chill chamber 120, is substantially flush with the tops of the walls 114 of the iceless chill chamber 120. Alternatively, the top of the chill block 110, when positioned in the receiving features 118 of the iceless chill chamber 120, is lower than the walls of the iceless chill chamber 120. In certain exemplary embodiments, when the chill blocks 110 are positioned in the receiving features 118, or slots, of (and/or otherwise secured within) the iceless chill chamber 120, the chill blocks 110 are secure and will not fall out or otherwise substantially move during transportation or use, such as when a user adds or removes items from the iceless chill chamber 120. The receiving feature 118 is described in further detail below with respect to
In certain exemplary embodiments, the iceless chill chamber 120 or the cooler body 140 further includes one or more pour spouts 150. In the exemplary embodiment of
The exemplary iceless chill chamber 120 is manufactured from one or more of a number of materials, including but not limited to plastic, aluminum, stainless steel, and copper. The inner and outer walls of the cooler 100 is manufactured from the same or different materials and is of a single unitary piece or of multiple pieces with insulation positioned between the inner and outer side, bottom or top walls of the cooler 100. The materials used are based on one or more of a number of factors, including but not limited to cost, aesthetics, convection effects, thermal insulation benefits, and conduction effects.
Referring to
In certain other exemplary embodiments, the receiving feature 118 is configured differently. For example, in another exemplary embodiment, the vertical sidings 202, 204 include a concave curved or semi-circle shape when seen from a top view, and the chill block 110 includes a corresponding convex shape, allowing it to vertically slide into and be horizontally retained by the receiving feature 118.
In certain exemplary embodiments, when liquid inside the chill block 110 is frozen, the shape of the chill block 110 expands. For example, the front side 304 and/or back side 306 of the chill block 110 may protrude outward slightly. In such exemplary embodiments, the corresponding receiving feature 118 is shaped to accommodate expansion of the chill block 110 while still effectively retaining the chill block 110 when it returns to the original shape as the liquid melts. Specifically, in certain exemplary embodiments, the receiving feature 118 includes an expansion space 302 formed within the recessed surface 124. The expansion space 302 is further recessed with respect to the recessed surface 124. The expansion space 302 accommodates the expanded shape of the chill block 110 while allowing the chill block 110 to remain properly retained when it returns to its smaller size.
In one or more exemplary embodiments, the shape of receiving feature 118 complements the shape of the chill chamber block 110. The chill chamber block 110 typically includes one or more of a number of features.
In one or more exemplary embodiments, the material of and inside the chill blocks 110 are commonly known in the art. For example, the chill blocks 110 are made of ethylene and may be filled with water or a water-based gel that has some salt content according to some exemplary embodiments. The shape of the chill blocks 110, however, as well as certain features of the chill chamber blocks 110, vary, in certain exemplary embodiments, depending on one or more of a number of factors, including but not limited to the shape of the receiving feature 118 in the iceless chill chamber 120, the type of fastening mechanism used to secure the chill blocks 110 to the iceless chill chamber 120, the size of the cooler body 140, etc.
In the illustrated exemplary embodiment as shown in
In certain exemplary embodiments, the distance across the front side 304 of the chill block 110 from the first lateral side 508 to the second lateral side 510 is smaller than the maximum distance between the first lateral side 508 and the second lateral side 510. In certain exemplary embodiments, the lateral sides 508, 510 are straight. In certain other exemplary embodiments, the lateral sides 508, 510 are curved, angled, or otherwise formed such that when the chill block 110 is disposed in a complementarily-shaped receiving feature, the chill block 110 is horizontally retained.
In certain exemplary embodiments, the top side 506 of the chill block 110 includes an opening mouth 511 and a removable cap 512 coupled to the opening mouth 511. The opening mouth 511, when the cap 512 is removed, fluidly couples the cavity within the chill block 110 to outside of the chill block 110. Otherwise, when the cap 512 is coupled to the opening mouth 511, the cavity within the chill block 110 is isolated from the exterior of the chill block 110. The cap 512 is coupled to the opening mouth 511 by mating threads, snap on features, and the like, according to some exemplary embodiments. Thus, the chill block 110 is filled or emptied via the opening mouth 511. In certain exemplary embodiments, the chill block 110 further includes a gripping feature 514 on the front side 304 of the chill block 110. The gripping feature 514 is recessed into the front side 304, according to certain exemplary embodiments, and allows a user to grip the chill block 110 and vertically remove it from the receiving feature 118. Alternatively, in other exemplary embodiments, the gripping feature 514 protrudes outwardly from the front side 304.
In one or more example embodiments, the iceless chill chamber cooler is integrated with a cooler. Alternatively, the iceless chill chamber cooler is removable and used with a cooler currently known in the art. The chill chamber blocks are coupled to one or more sides of the iceless chill chamber. The chill chamber blocks may also, or in the alternative, be coupled to a bottom and/or top side or lid of the iceless chill chamber.
Example embodiments of the iceless chill chamber cooler described herein allow for relatively more effective and less expensive cooling of items inside a cooler. The use of the chill chamber blocks reduces the amount of condensation/water that accumulates in the cooler over time, which reduces the chance of spoiling food and/or paper items stored in the cooler. Further, the use of the chill chamber blocks reduces the inconvenience of a user having to dig through ice and other cooling obstacles to find an item in the cooler. In addition, in a number of areas, ice and other cooling devices may not be readily available, which is an added benefit to using chill chamber blocks according to example embodiments.
Example embodiments also allow more items to be stored in the cooler, because the chill chamber blocks are coupled to surfaces of the iceless chill chamber rather than mixed in the cooler body with the items to be cooled. Further, because the chill chamber blocks are located on the sides of the iceless chill chamber, condensation that accumulates on the chill chamber blocks over time will not drip onto the items in the cooler, which occurs with cooling devices that are affixed to the underside of the lid of the cooler. In addition, because the chill chamber blocks are located on the sides of the iceless chill chamber, heat and thermal conduction from the cooler lid has less of a melting effect on the chill chamber blocks, which keeps the contents of the cooler at a lower temperature for a longer period of time.
In addition, a power source does not need to be electrically coupled to the cooler using example embodiments described herein. As a result, a power supply is not required to use example embodiments. Consequently, energy costs are reduced, and reliability and cooling performance is increased. Further, using example embodiments described herein, the overall weight of the cooler is reduced when cooling items inside the cooler. The cooler using example embodiments described herein allows the cooler and its contents to be mobile. Further, example embodiments described herein are reusable. Further, the iceless chill chamber cooler is durable and will not break when dropped frozen or thawed.
The size, mass, and/or shape of the chill chamber blocks allow the chill chamber blocks to stay frozen longer using example embodiments described herein. Further, because the chill chamber blocks are coupled to the iceless chill chamber, the chill chamber blocks will not dislodge and become mixed with the items being cooled in the cooler.
Accordingly, many modifications and other embodiments not set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which iceless chill chamber coolers pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that iceless chill chamber coolers are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of this application. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/662,043 titled “Iceless Chill Chamber Cooler” and filed Jun. 20, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61662043 | Jun 2012 | US |