AU2015226846A1

AU2015226846A1 - Beverage cooler

Info

Publication number: AU2015226846A1
Application number: AU2015226846A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Chang-Hui Kim
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-03-07
Filing date: 2015-03-06
Publication date: 2016-10-27
Also published as: WO2015131249A1; CN207065991U; AU2015101882A4; KR20160003907U; PH22016500007U1; KR200491690Y1

Abstract

Described herein is an immersible liquid cooling device (100) that comprises a compressed gas canister (102) and a cooling element (104). The cooling element (104) is configured to be immersed into a container holding a liquid, and it is operatively in fluid communication with the compressed gas canister (102) and a gas exhaust (108) to release gas. In use, compressed gas 5 from the canister (102) expands by flowing into the cooling element (104) and out through the gas exhaust (108), thereby cooling the liquid.

Description

PCT/AU2015/050090 WO 2015/131249 1

Beverage Cooler

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a beverage cooler. In one form the beverage cooler of the present invention is a fast-cooling beverage cooler. 5 Background of the invention

Chilling a warm beverage using a fridge can take a long time, and sometimes a fridge is not available. Some known methods of chilling beverages quickly include placing canned or bottled beverages into a bucket filled with water, ice and salt, or wrapping wet material or paper towel around a beverage container and then placing the beverage into a freezer. Other methods 10 involve a cooling chemical reaction, for example an endothermic reaction that removes heat from the beverage.

It would be useful to have an alternative for chilling a warm or room temperature beverage, especially in the absence of a refrigeration apparatus or ice.

Reference to any prior art in the specification is not an acknowledgment or suggestion 15 that this prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in any jurisdiction or that this prior art could reasonably be expected to be understood, regarded as relevant, and/or combined with other pieces of prior art by a skilled person in the art.

Summary of the invention

Described herein is a beverage cooling device that is easy to use and that can cool a 20 beverage relatively quickly. The cooling device uses the expansion of compressed gas through a cooling element that is immersed in the beverage. The resulting lower temperature of the expanded gas in the cooling element cools the beverage. In some embodiments the cooling device is light and portable, and in some embodiments the cooling device is disposable and/or recyclable. 25 In one aspect there is provided an immersible liquid cooling device comprising: a compressed gas canister; and a cooling element configured to be immersed into a container holding a liquid, the cooling element being operatively in fluid communication with the compressed gas canister and a gas exhaust to release gas; wherein, in use, compressed gas from PCT/AU2015/050090 WO 2015/131249 2 the canister expands by flowing into the cooling element and out through the gas exhaust, thereby cooling the liquid.

The liquid cooling device may further comprise a support means adapted to engage with the container to suspend the cooling element in the container. The support means may comprise 5 an annular flange providing an enclosed volume when placed on the container.

The cooling element may have a substantially helical shape.

The gas may be selected from a group consisting of: heptafluoropropane, 2-methylpropane, liquefied petroleum gas, liquid propane gas and liquefied natural gas.

The compressed gas canister may be detachable. The compressed gas canister may be 10 refillable. The compressed gas canister may have an internal volume between 150ml and 300ml.

As used herein, except where the context requires otherwise, the term "comprise" and variations of the term, such as "comprising", "comprises" and "comprised", are not intended to exclude further additives, components, integers or steps.

Further aspects of the present invention and further embodiments of the aspects described 15 in the preceding paragraphs will become apparent from the following description, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure lisa perspective view of a first embodiment of a beverage cooler.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a beverage cooler. 20 Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a third embodiment of a beverage cooler.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a beverage cooler.

Detailed description of the embodiments

Referring to Figure 1, in one embodiment the cooling device 100 includes a compressed gas container in the form of a gas canister 102, which is in fluid communication with a helical 25 cooling element 104 via a passage 105, formed here by a T-junction. The gas canister 102 is removably held in a seat 103 that also provides an interface (e.g. with a friction fit connection) PCT/AU2015/050090 WO 2015/131249 3 between the gas canister 102 and the passage 105 at the first leg of the T-junction. The gas canister 102 has a needle valve or the like (not shown) that opens on engagement with an aperture in the seat 103. The second leg of the T-junction is connected to the cooling element 104. A screw valve 106 in the third leg of the T-junction controls the flow of the gas in the 5 passage 105. In some embodiments the passage has a diameter of between 4 and 20mm. A smaller diameter assists in the cooling effect when the gas is released from the gas canister 102. In some embodiments the T-junction includes an insulating material, for example plastic, to reduce heat exchange as the gas passes through the passage 105.

There is a gas exhaust 108 at the end of the cooling element 104 to release gas from the 10 cooling device 100 after the gas has passed through the cooling element 104. In some embodiments the gas exhaust 108 has a diameter of between 4 and 20mm.

The cooling device 100 includes a support means in the form of a cover 112 which is adapted to engage with a container 110, such as a cup, in order to suspend the cooling element 104 in the container 110. The cover 112 has an aperture allowing the gas exhaust 108 to project 15 above the cover 112, away from the beverage.

The gas canister 102 holds compressed gas in liquid form. The gas canister must be able to withstand at least the vapour pressure of the relevant gas at 20-30 degrees Celsius, typically between 300 and 1,000 kPa, depending on the gas. The gas canister 102 is consequently made of a suitably robust material, for example, tin-plated steel, and has a shape and configuration 20 suitable to withstand the relevant pressure. In some embodiments the gas canister is replaceable. In some embodiments the gas canister is refillable. Such embodiments provide a reusable device.

The gas in the gas canister 102 is selected depending on a combination of characteristics that make the gas suitable for the application described herein. These characteristics include, for example, the relevant vapour pressure, boiling temperature, heat capacitance, molecular weight 25 and density of the gas that enable the use of a simple, safe, cost-effective, light-weight gas canister. The gas used is also preferably non-flammable and non-toxic. Examples of gas that can be used include, but are not limited to, heptafluoropropane, 2-methylpropane, liquefied petroleum gases (LPG) such as propane, and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Liquid nitrogen could be used if held in a suitable container. PCT/AU2015/050090 WO 2015/131249 4

For a single-beverage portable cooling device the gas canister 102 holds sufficient gas to cool a single serving beverage (e.g. 150ml-375ml), from an ambient temperature (e.g. 20-30 degrees Celsius) to a serving temperature (e.g. 0-5 degrees Celsius). This requires a gas canister volume of approximately 150-300ml assuming 80% of the volume is filled with the gas in liquid form (therefore at the relevant vapour pressure at room temperature e.g. approximately 405kPa for heptafluoropropane or 756kPa for propane). If a canister as shown in Figure 1 is used with a diameter of around 7cm, this means the height of the canister will be 4-8cm.

In other embodiments larger gas canisters are used so that two or more beverages can be cooled.

As the gas moves from the gas canister 102 through the cooling element 104 and out through the gas exhaust 108, the volume of the gas increases and the temperature of the gas is lowered. Consequently the temperature of the cooling element 104 itself is also lowered. The cooling element 104 is made of a material with a high thermal conductivity (such as aluminium or copper) so that the lowered temperature is imparted to the liquid that the cooling element 104 is immersed in. As shown in Figure 1, the cooling element 104 is in the form of a helix so that there is a large contact surface between the cooling element 104 and the liquid being cooled. Other shapes may also be used; non-limiting examples including a double helix, a cylinder, a multi-pronged fork, or a (single or double) circular or rectangular disc (as described below with reference to Figure 2). A cooling element in the shape of a straight or curved rod may be used for insertion into containers with narrow openings, such as water bottles or soft drink cans with pull-tab openings. In these embodiments the cooling element may include a flexible material, for example a bendable polymer, to facilitate insertion into the containers.

The screw valve 106 is used to control the flow of the gas from the gas canister 102 into the cooling element 104. Various other suitable valves could also be used to open and close the passage between the gas canister 102 and the cooling element 104 such as a pillar valve, a small diaphragm valve or a gate valve.

In some embodiments the closures are operable to be opened as well as closed in order to control the flow of gas, for example to control the temperature change of the beverage or to enable multiple use of the device. In other embodiments the gas canister nozzle itself has a valve arrangement that opens upon depression as the gas canister is engaged with the cooling element PCT/AU2015/050090 WO 2015/131249 5 (for example via a seat arrangement), so that gas is released during engagement. The valve arrangement of the gas canister is closed to stop the release of gas by disengaging the canister from the cooling element. In yet further embodiments the closures are adapted to be opened completely and only once (for example as described below with reference to Figure 2 and Figure 5 3).

The cover 112 is attached to the cooling device 100 above the cooling element 104 and below the gas canister 102. The cover 112 has an annular flange that has a total diameter of 7-12cm so that it is able to rest on the rim of the container 110. In this way the cooling element 104 is suspended in the beverage while the gas canister 102 remains outside the container 110. 10 The solid annular flange provides an overhang extending over the edge of the container.

This provides the added benefit of a closed off volume inside the container while the beverage is being cooled. In alternative embodiments the support means is a stopper formed from a resilient material such as rubber or cork and, and is sized to match an internal perimeter of the container so that the stopper slides into the container, engaging with the internal perimeter to seal off the 15 internal volume during the cooling process. In such embodiments the stopper may include a circumferential seal.

The support means may be in any suitable shape to rest on or engage with the rim of a container (such as a glass, a cup or a can etc.) in order to hold the cooling device suspended in the liquid being cooled. One example is a frustoconical stopper adapted to be partially inserted 20 into the container thereby substantially sealing the container, similar to a stopper in a bottle. Other examples are a square disc for resting on the rim of the container, or a simple cruciform (described below with reference to Figure 4).

Referring to Figure 2, the cooling device 200 consists of a gas canister 202 and a separate, rectangular cooling element 204 with a gas exhaust 205. The gas canister 202 has an 25 internally threaded neck 206 sealed by a puncturable closure 208 (for example, made of aluminium). The cooling element 204 has a matching externally threaded entrance 210 that includes a puncturing means in the form of a curved blade 212 co-extending with the wall of the entrance 210. The curved blade 212 is adapted to puncture the closure 208 when the neck 206 of the gas canister 202 and the matching entrance 210 of the cooling element 204 are screwed PCT/AU2015/050090 WO 2015/131249 6 together. In this way a continuous internal volume from the gas canister 202, through the neck 206 and entrance 210 combination, and into the cooling element 204 is formed.

The cooling device 200 does not include a support or a cover, thereby providing the user with flexibility when holding and inserting the cooling device 200 into a liquid.

The cooling device 300 shown in Figure 3 has a gas canister 302 held in a seat 303 as described above, and is removably connected to a cooling element 304 via a passage 306. The connection between the passage 306 and the cooling element 304 may be any suitable connector, for example a friction fit connector. The passage 306 is held closed by a diaphragm 308, for example a thin sheet of metal or plastic. The diaphragm 308 extends through a slot 310 in the wall of the passage 306 and ends with a tab 312. The slot 310 seals against the diaphragm 308 to avoid gas leaking from the slot 310. Pulling the tab 312 displaces the diaphragm 308 to open the passage 306.

The cooling element 304 includes a gas exhaust 314 that projects through a cover 316, away from a beverage being cooled. The cover 316 is adapted to engage with a container 318, for example via a threaded or friction fit circumferential interface 320. The container 318 is used to hold the beverage being cooled. The container 318 has a double wall: an outer wall 322 provides insulation, and the cooling element 304 is attached to an inner wall 324. In some embodiments the cooling element 304 is integrally formed with the inner wall (and may be embedded in the inner wall), and in some embodiments the inner wall is made of a conducting material such as aluminium or an alloy.

The cooling device 300 effectively comprises two sub-assemblies: the top sub-assembly 326 includes the gas canister 302, passage 306 and diaphragm 308, and the cover 316; the bottom sub-assembly 328 includes the container 318 and cooling element 304. When used, the bottom sub-assembly 328 is removed from the top sub-assembly 326 by disengaging the interface 320, the container 318 is filled with the beverage to be cooled, and the bottom sub-assembly 328 is reconnected to the top sub-assembly 326. The tab 312 is pulled out to open the diaphragm 308, releasing the gas from the gas canister 302 so that the gas passes through the cooling element 304 and out through the gas exhaust 314.

In some embodiments the container 318 is also used as a cover to protect the cooling element and/or to keep the cooling element clean before use. PCT/AU2015/050090 WO 2015/131249 7

The cooling system 400 shown in Figure 4 is used for cooling multiple beverages or larger volumes of liquid. Instead of a small gas canister, a larger gas cylinder 404 is used. The gas cylinder 404 has a standard gas cylinder valve 408 and is connected to the cooling element 410, for example via a connector such as a tube 406. A cruciform support 402 is positioned between the tube 406 and the cooling element 410. In use, the ends of the legs of the cross rest on the rim of a beverage container, suspending the cooling element 410 in the beverage. The gas exhaust 412 extends up between the legs of the cross, away from the beverage. In some embodiments the support 402 is also the interface between the tube 406 and the cooling element 410, for example by providing a threaded or friction fit joint.

The valve 408 is opened and closed for each beverage or unit of liquid that the cooling element 410 is held in until the liquid is cooled as desired. Once empty the gas cylinder 404 can be refilled or replaced.

In some embodiments the cooling element 410 (with or without a support 402) is attached to a stand or outer body (not shown) to facilitate cooling a number of beverages in succession.

It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.

Claims

1. An immersible liquid cooling device comprising: a compressed gas canister; and a cooling element configured to be immersed into a container holding a liquid, the cooling element being operatively in fluid communication with the compressed gas canister and a gas exhaust to release gas; wherein, in use, compressed gas from the canister expands by flowing into the cooling element and out through the gas exhaust, thereby cooling the liquid.

2. The liquid cooling device of claim 1 further comprising a support means adapted to engage with the container to suspend the cooling element in the container.

3. The liquid cooling device of claim 2 wherein the support means comprises an annular flange providing an enclosed volume when placed on the container.

4. The liquid cooling device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the cooling element has a substantially helical shape.

5. The liquid cooling device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the gas is selected from a group consisting of: heptafluoropropane, 2-methylpropane, liquefied petroleum gas, liquid propane gas and liquefied natural gas.

6. The liquid cooling device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the compressed gas canister is detachable.

7. The liquid cooling device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the compressed gas canister is refillable.

8. The liquid cooling device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the compressed gas canister has an internal volume between 150ml and 300ml.