Patent Application
20180002100
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The invention relates generally to thermally insulated coolers for keeping canned drinks cold. More specifically, the thermally insulated cooler is tubular and holds cans stacked one atop another in end-to-end relation. A tube has an open upper end and a cap that is removable to insert and remove drink cans. A thermally insulating sleeve is disposed around the tube.
Thermally insulated coolers are widely used for keeping food and beverages cold. One of the most common uses for a cooler is to keep canned drinks cold.
The three most common standard sizes for beverage cans in the United States are 12 US fl oz (355 ml), 16 US fl oz (473 ml), and 8.4 US fl oz (250 ml). All three of these standard can sizes have a diameter of 2.60 inches (66.167 mm) at the widest point of the body and a diameter of 2.34 inches (59.44 mm) at the lid. The can sizes differ only in their heights: the 12 fl oz can is 4.81 inches (122.23 mm) tall, the 16 fl oz can is 6.19 inches (157.62 mm) tall, and the 8.4 fl oz can is 3.60 inches (91.50 mm) tall.
Most coolers are shaped like a box. When drink cans are put into a conventional cooler with substantially flat interior walls, there is wasted space between the cylindrical walls of adjacent cans and between the cans and the walls of the cooler. This wasted space adversely impacts the insulating performance of the cooler. In addition, the cans may shift within the cooler during transport, which can cause the cooler to become unbalanced and more difficult to carry.
The present invention relates to a tubular thermally insulated cooler for accommodating a plurality of drink cans stacked one atop another. The cooler comprises a tube for containing the cans, at least one end of the tube being open for introducing and dispensing cans from the tube. The open end of the tube is selectively closable by a cap that engages the open end of the tube. The tube is at least partially encased in a sleeve of thermally insulating material.
In a disclosed embodiment, the thermally insulating sleeve is made from polyethylene foam. The thermally insulating sleeve can be 0.25 to 4 inches thick, preferably 0.5 to 3 inches thick, and more preferably 0.5 to 1.5 inches thick.
Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views,
The tube 12 has an inner wall 28 that defines an internal cylindrical chamber 30. The tube of the disclosed embodiment is manufactured from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Other suitable materials include, without limitation, acrylic, polycarbonate, thermoplastics, thermoset resins, nylon, and ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW).
The internal diameter of the tube 12 is dimensioned to receive a can of the type described above. As previously indicated, the outer diameter of a standard U.S. can is 2.60 inches. In one embodiment the tube is a length of standard three-inch PVC pipe, which has an inner diameter of 3.068 inches. The three-inch pipe will accommodate a standard 2.6 inch diameter can with about 0.2 inches clearance all around.
In another disclosed embodiment, a custom-made length of PVC tubing has an inner diameter of 2.68 inches, leaving 0.04 inches clearance between a can and the inner wall 28 of the tube 12. That clearance permits drink cans to slide easily into and out of the tube, leaves very little room for the cans to rattle around inside the tube, and leaves minimal air around the cans in the tube that might adversely impact insulation performance.
The section of the tube 12 between the threaded ends is jacketed in a sleeve 40 of a thermally insulating, foamed thermoplastic. The insulating sleeve 40 of the disclosed embodiment is formed of polyethylene foam of the general material from which noodle-style pool toys are made. Other materials, such as ethylene vinyl acetate foam, may be substituted for the polyethylene foam.
The thermally insulating sleeve 40 can be 0.25 to 4 inches thick, preferably 0.5 to 3 inches thick, and more preferably 0.5 to 1.5 inches. Advantageously, the sleeve 40 not only thermally insulates the tube 12 but also is sufficiently buoyant to enable the cooler 10 to float.
The tube 12 has a length closely corresponding to the height of the stack of cans 50. In this way the stack fits closely within the tube and does not rattle back and forth. In the disclosed embodiment, the tube is approximately 19.4 inches from the inner surface of one cap 24 to the inner surface of the opposite cap 26.
In addition, the illustrated can cooler 10 can hold four cans 50. The individual cans are referenced by the letters A, B, C, and D. So for example, the first can will be identified by the reference numeral 50A if referenced without regard to whether it is full or empty; it will be identified by the reference numeral 52A if it is a full, unopened can; and it will be identified by the reference numeral 54A if it is an empty can.
Having a removable cap 24, 26 on each end 14, 16 of the tube 12 provides the advantage that empty cans 54 may be stored in the cooler 10 without hindering access to unopened cans 52.
A cooler 10 with a full complement of cans 50 is shown in
When it is desired to remove another drink can from the cooler 10, the user removes the upper cap 24, tilts the tube 12 to permit the next unopened can 52B to slide out, and replaces the cap onto the lower end 16 of the tube. After the drink in the can 54 has been consumed, the bottom cap 26 is removed from the lower end 16 of the tube 12, as shown in
This procedure is continued until the user does not wish to remove any more unopened drink cans 52, or until all if the drinks have been consumed.
As noted, the tube 12 of the cooler 10 has a length closely approximating the height of the stack of cans to be stored. By controlling the length of the tube in this manner, the stack of cans does not have much room above or below for the stack to rattle back-and-forth. However, there are other ways to prevent the cans from shifting. For example, in one embodiment, the two caps 24, 26 have coil springs attached to them in a manner similar to the arrangement of a flashlight battery cap.
While the cooler 10 is dimensioned to hold four cans 30, the cooler can be provided in a longer or shorter length to accommodate a greater or lesser number of cans. The tube 12 of the disclosed embodiment is approximately 0.25-0.50 inches (6.35-12.7 mm) longer than the stack of cans 30 to accommodate the stack of cans while minimizing movement of the stack of cans within the tube. So, for example, a stack of six cans 30 is 28.7 inches (733.4 mm) tall, so a tube for containing six cans would preferably be 29-29.25 inches tall.
Optionally the caps 24, 26 can be secured to the tube 12 by a cord, chain, or strap (not shown) to prevent the caps from becoming separated from the cooler and lost.
While the disclosed cooler 10 has caps 24, 26 that screw onto the threaded ends of the tube 12, other cap configurations can be employed. For example, the caps 24, 26 and tube 12 can be configured for an interference fit such that the caps snap on and off the ends of the tube, in the same manner that the cap on a can of tennis balls snaps on and off. As another alternative, the caps 24, 26 can be pivotably mounted to the ends of the tube 12 by hinges such that the caps open and close over the ends of the tube. A latch is provided to selectively keep the caps secured in the closed position.
Referring now to
A cap 116, manufactured from a deformable, resilient material such as polyethylene, has an upper surface 118 with a downwardly depending edge 120. An undercut 122 is formed on the inner surface of the edge 120 of the cap 116. The cap 116 snaps over the flange 114 of the tube 112, the undercut 122 of the cap being captured underneath the flange to selectively close the end of the tube.
With reference to
To install the cap 220 atop the tube 212 of the cooler 210, the cap is positioned on the flange 214 and the cap rotated until the tabs 226 are aligned with the cutouts 216 in the flange. The cap 212 is advanced downward and rotated such that the tabs 226 are captured beneath the flange 214. To remove the cap 220, the process is reversed—the cap is rotated until the tabs 226 align with the cutouts 216 in the flange 214, and the cap is then lifted off the end of the tube 212.
With respect to all embodiments, one end of the tube can be permanently closed off and drink cans inserted and removed through only one end of the tube. Or, both ends of the tube can be open and selectively closed with a cap so that cans can be dispensed from both ends.
As used herein, words such as top, bottom, left, right, horizontal, vertical, and the like are used with reference to the drawings for convenience of description. Use of these words is not intended to limit the invention to any particular orientation.
Finally, it will be understood that the foregoing embodiments have been disclosed by way of example, and that other modifications may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.
