Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02465415 2004-04-28
BEVERAGE COOLER
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to coolers for beverages and more particularly to a
cooler which
requires no external source of power to operate, is portable and is relatively
simple of construct-
ion. The cooler is particularly suitable for refrigerating beer but is also
useful for refrigerating
other carbonated beverages such as ginger ale, cola and the like.
Background of the Invention
Beverage coolers are widely used in such places as bars, restaurants and
offices. Such
coolers commonly consist of a receptacle for a beverage and refrigerating
means which is oper-
ated by electricity or natural gas. The coolers are generally quite heavy
because of the weight of
the refrigerating means and the beverage receptacle and for that reason are
not portable. They are
also, of course, not suitable for use where there is not a source of power
such as on a patio, be-
side a swimming pool or in the out-of doors.
We have invented a cooler which is self sufficient so that it can be used
where there is no
source of power. The cooler is portable because it is compact and is
relatively light of weight.
Lightness is achieved by the elimination of the conventional refrigerating
machinery and by the
elimination of a receptacle for a beverage.
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According to one embodiment of the invention cooling is carried out by ice
which is add-
ed as needed but is removed when the cooler is being transported. The beverage
which the cooler
refrigerates remains in its original container and is only within the cooler
when it is actually
being refrigerated. Only a relatively small quantity of beverage is
refrigerated at a time and such
quantity adds relatively little to the overall weight of the cooler If, for
example, the beverage is
beer, the beer remains in its keg until it is ready for consumption. At that
time, the keg is
connected to the cooler and the beer flows through the cooler to a tap. As the
beer flows through
the cooler it is refrigerated but should the flow be interrupted, relatively
little beer remains in the
cooler and such beer adds relatively little to the overall weight of the
cooler.
Summary of the Invention
Briefly the beverage cooler of our invention comprises: a vessel for a
coolant; a cooling
tube disposed within the vessel and through which a beverage to be cooled is
adapted to flow, a
drain for carrying off excess coolant above the cooling tube; and a tap in
liquid-flow commun-
ication with the tube from which beverage discharges from the cooler.
Description of the Drawings
The beverage cooler of our invention is described with reference to the
accompanying
drawings in which:
Figure 1 is an elevation of the cooler, partly cut away to show the interior
of the various
components;
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Figure 2 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the cooler;
Figure 3 is an elevation of the second embodiment, illustrated schematically;
and
Figures 4 and S are elevations of third and fourth embodiments, respectively,
of the cooler
illustrated schematically.
Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the description of
the drawings.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments
With reference to Figure 1, the beverage cooler of the invention, generally
10, includes a
vessel 12 and a hose 14. The hose extends vertically upwardly from the vessel
and terminates at a
tap 16. Handle 17 opens and closes the tap in the usual manner.
The vessel has a cylindrical inner wall 18 disposed about a vertical
longitudinal axis 20-
20. The vessel contains a coolant or refrigerant which preferably is ice cubes
floating in water.
A cooling tube 32 wound into a coil is mounted within the vessel. The coil is
disposed
concentrically about axis 20-20. A beverage to be cooled by the ice flows
through an inlet (not
illustrated) at the lower end 34 of the coil, through the coil where it is
cooled primarily by the
ice-cooled water and exits from an outlet 36 at the upper end of the coil. The
outlet is connected
to the lower end of hose 14 while the upper end of the hose is connected to
tap 16.
Beverage which discharges from the tap flows downward into a tumbler or other
receptacle (not illustrated) on a drip tray 40. The drip tray is seated on top
of the vessel and is, in
the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, removable so that fresh ice and water
can be added to the
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vessel from the top.
Overflow from the beer glass or other receptacle flows onto the drip tray and
from there
flows into a discharge conduit 42 disposed centrally of the tray. The conduit
extends into a drain
44 which is disposed concentrically about axis 20-20. The drain extends
downwardly through the
vessel and through an opening 46 in the bottom wall 48 of the vessel where the
overflow is
disposed of.
In operation, the drip tray is removed to gain access to the interior of the
vessel. Ice cubes
are then added until their level reaches line 50. Water is then added to raise
the level of ice to line
54. Excess water flows into aperture 52 in drain 44 should the vessel be over-
filled.
A beverage, under pressure, is then introduced into the inlet of the coil.
Since the vessel is
substantially full of ice, cooling of the beverage will begin as soon as it
enters the coil at the
bottom of the vessel. The coil is composed of conducting material such as
stainless steel, copper
or a heat-conducting polymer and the wall of the vessel is insulated to
minimize the inward
transfer of heat from outside the vessel. The cooled beverage then flows
upwardly through hose
14 and discharges from the tap when it is opened by handle 17. The beverage
flows into a
tumbler or other like receptacle container which is seated on the drip tray.
Should the tumbler be overfilled, the excess beverage will spill onto the drip
tray and exit
downwardly through discharge conduit 42 and into drain 44 where it exits from
the vessel.
With reference to Figures 2 and 3, cooler, generally 60, is mounted on a keg
62 of beer.
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When handle 63 is opened, beer flows through the tube to coil 66 where it is
cooled by ice in the
interior of the vessel. The coils are spaced concentrically inward of the
interior wall 70 of the
vessel so that the coils are surrounded by the coolant. A drain 72 serves to
remove excess water
from the vessel.
Beer flows from the coil to a tap 74 which is at the side of the vessel. In
the embodiment
illustrated, there is no drip tray. Excess beer from the tap discharges
outside the cooler; there is
no provision for directing it to a drain within the cooler.
With reference to Figure 4, cooling of the refrigerant occurs outside the
vessel. The
coolant can be a conventional coolant such as glycol, Freon or even water and
can be gaseous or
liquid depending on its temperature of condensation. The refrigerant is cooled
by conventional
means which is not part of this invention. The refrigerant is introduced under
pressure through a
nozzle 80 at the bottom wall of vessel 82.
The contents of the vessel of Figure 4 are sealed from the atmosphere. The
refrigerant
fills the space within the vessel and a conduit 84 is provided for draining
off excess refrigerant.
Since the conduit carries only refrigerant, the excess can be recycled to the
apparatus for further
cooling of the refrigerant.
The top of drip tray 86 is sealed so that no refrigerant can escape from the
top of the ves-
sel. A coil 88 is provided for the beverage. The beverage flows from the coil
to a tap (not illus-
trated). Excess beverage on the drip tray flows to a drain 92 at the side of
the tray.
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The cooler of Figure 5 is the same as that illustrated in Figure 4 except that
the contents
of the vessel are not sealed from the atmosphere. Drip tray 88 can be removed
to gain access to
the contents of the vessel and the drip tray can be provided with a discharge
conduit at its side
such as at 92 to remove excess beverage on the drip tray.
It will be understood of course that modifications can be made in the beverage
cooler
described and illustrated herein without departing from the scope and purview
of the invention as
defined in the appended claims.
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