FR2853400A1 - Mobile cooler for drinks in cans or bottles uses cold accumulating gel and cooling system with Peltier plates - Google Patents

Abstract

The drinks cooler consists of a thermometer, fans (3) to remove heat, a coolant container (1) with a cold accumulating gel sealed in its walls (6), a chamber (5) to receive bottles or cans and an instant temperature probe (8). It has a Peltier effect thermoelectric cooling system (2) for the gel with a feed (7), a timer with a sound emitter to tell when the required temperature is reached, and a lid (12). The cold accumulating gel can be of finely divided silicium powder with a solvent, preferably ethanol, or it can be of dipropylene glycol ether, distilled water or ammonia. Once the required low temperature has been reached the cooler can be moved about without recharging.

Description

INSTANT BEVERAGE REFRIGERATOR

  The invention relates to an instantaneous mobile beverage refrigerator, light and not using a cold group (compressor, etc.).

  Currently, in mobile installations (car, caravan, boat, plane, etc.) or in private homes, when you want to cool or refresh a drink, you can: - put them in a refrigerator. But the cooling time is particularly long and a refrigerator is not mobile and uses a compressor (cold group) to create cold.

  - Put them in a freezer. But then again the freezer uses a chiller and is not mobile. In addition, the cooling of the drink is not instantaneous.

  We also know an apparatus which cools the drinks by isolating them from the ambient temperature and by using ice.

  This system also has several disadvantages - Drinks are never very cold.

  - It is not always easy to get ice.

  - The device remains very vulnerable to ambient temperature conditions.

  Some other mobile devices cool drinks like a fridge or freezer, but they also have their drawbacks: - The cooling of drinks stops as soon as the compressor is disconnected.

  - They also use a heavy and bulky compressor (cold group).

  There is also known a mobile or static device which allows cooling but again this device accumulates the cold thanks to a cold group compressor. This compressor can be external to the device and disconnected, but the accumulator gels or liquids freeze or freeze at temperatures below -10 Celsius. This does not allow instant cooling of the drinks.

Brief description of the invention

  The object of the invention is to remedy all the aforementioned drawbacks and to provide a completely autonomous mobile or static device. This will allow drinks to be cooled instantly without using a cold group and without being powered. This, in particular, thanks to its accumulator gel which can reach temperatures between 0 and -50 Celsius without it freezing or freezing.

  The cold accumulation gel device has the function of "charging" in cold thanks to the use of Peltier plates which make it possible not to use a cold group (compressor ...). The obvious advantage of Peltier plates is also their weights and sizes. 15 Whether voluntarily or involuntarily, the storage device which is particularly isolated from the outside will perpetuate the heat exchange between itself and the inside of the device and also behave as an active principle.

  The invention can be used whenever there is a need to cool a drink quickly.

  According to the invention, the said device comprises: 25 - a container (1) of Peltier plates allowing the cooling of the cold accumulating gel (2) - cooling fans allowing the evacuation of heat (3) - a plate of aluminum adhering to the walls of the container (4) - a thermal pocket into which the drink will be slid (5) - a cold accumulation gel hermetically contained between the aluminum plate and the drink receptacle pocket (6) - a power supply system allowing the operation of Peltier plates (7) - a thermal probe (8) immersed in the gel and connected to a thermometer - a thermometer (9) - a power light (10) - a timer use of the device (11) - a closure cover not in use (12) According to one embodiment of the invention, the cooling container is of variable size so as to be able to refrigerate bottles, magnum, half-bottles and even cans .

  The container inspired by the present invention is composed as follows: An external fairing and its cover which closes it to ensure hermetic closure. The interior of the fairing (very insulating) is made up of 10 walls covered by aluminum or copper plates which are very cold conductive.

  - Cold (Peltier plates) the object of the invention is to provide cooling of the gel of the device by thermoelectric cooling (Peltier effect). Thermoelectric cooling differs from conventional refrigeration processes. Like refrigeration, thermoelectric phenomena obey the laws of thermodynamics. Only the cooling system differs. In a conventional refrigeration system, the active parts are the evaporator, the condenser and the compressor.

  The evaporation surface is the place where the coolant turns into vapor and thereby changes its absorbed state to make heat. The compressor circulates the refrigerant and applies pressure to the vapors. The condenser helps to release the absorbed heat to the ambient air and transforms the refrigerant under pressure from its vapor phase to the liquid phase.

  In thermoelectric refrigeration nothing essential is changed. The refrigerant in the two liquid and gaseous phases is replaced by two asymmetrical conductors.

  The cold junction (surface of the evaporator) becomes cold because there is absorption of energy by the electrons when they pass from a semiconductor towards another, instead of the absorption of energy by the refrigerant when it changes from the liquid state to the vapor state.

  The compressor is replaced by the source of direct electric current, which pumps electrons from one semiconductor to another.

  The difference between the two refrigeration methods is that the thermoelectric system cools without the use of a mechanical device and without coolant.

  The differential between the hot side and the cold side can reach 40 80 Celsius.

  - The aluminum plate will be fixed to the walls of the container.

  - The thermal pocket: intended to receive the drink, will be made of insulating material.

  - Cold storage device (gel): another object of the invention 5 is to provide a system which operates preferentially with a gel intended to fulfill the functions of the cold accumulator during the time when the cold generator is energized and release accumulated cold as soon as the generator is disconnected.

  To obtain a gel resistant to temperatures ranging from 0 'to - 500 10 Celsius, the composition of this gel must be such that the gelling agent is finely divided silica powder, and a polar solvent, preferably Ethanol.

  The composition according to the invention is such that it comprises: 1) mono methyl glycol ether (50% by volume) 2) distilled water (20% by volume) 3) ammonia (10% by volume) 4) Ethanol (20% by volume) The process according to the invention is such that the following steps are carried out: a) a mixture of at least 50% (by volume) of mono is carried out 25 dipropylene glycol methyl and gelling agent (silica powder) to obtain a paste.

  b) A polar solvent is added, preferably Ethanol, in order to obtain a 20% gel (by volume).

  c) 20% (by volume) of distilled water is added.

  d) The material obtained is passed through an agitator for 30 minutes.

  e) 10% ammonia (by volume) is then added.

  f) The material obtained is passed again through an agitator for 30 minutes.

  g) There is thus obtained a gel of satisfactory viscosity called "accumulator gel", in the previous examples.

  This gel can then be introduced into the cooling container.

  - The power supply system: The system according to the invention requires a fairly large power supply of the order of 80 Watts, for example 6 amperes at 16 volts in direct current.

  - The thermometer: The thermometer will instantly tell us the temperature inside the gel, transmitted by the probe. This will allow us, as soon as 5 when the indicated temperature is below Celsius, to reconnect the device in order to accumulate cold again at 50 Celsius.

  - The indicator light: This indicator will tell us that the device is on or not.

  - The timer with bell: This will allow you to program the time necessary to obtain the desired temperature, depending on the type of drink introduced into the container. The bell will notify us when this temperature is reached.

  Drawings: PL. 1/2 PL bottle refrigerator. 2/2 refrigerator 1/2 bottle or can

Claims (10)

  1) Beverage cooler with mobile accumulation, characterized in that it comprises: - A thermometer (9) - Cooling fans allowing the evacuation of heat (3) - A cooling container (1) - An accumulator gel cold contained hermetically in the walls of the container (6) - A pocket for receiving the bottles (5) - A device for measuring the instantaneous temperature inside the container (probe) (8), for controlling the critical temperature of use - A gel cooling system with thermoelectric cooling device (Peltier effect) (2) Aluminum plates on the walls of the container (4) - A thermoelectric system supply system (7) - A timer with buzzer to warn of reaching the desired temperature (11) - A closing cover when not in use (12) - A power indicator (10) 2) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cold is accumulated by a gel.   3) Device according to claims 1 to 2 characterized in that the cooling system of the accumulator gel is thermoelectric cooling (Peltier effect).   4) Device according to claims 1 to 3 characterized in that thanks to its accumulator gel, the device can be mobile and used without being powered.   5) Device according to claims 1 to 4 characterized in that the 40 critical temperature of the accumulator gel can be indicated by means of the probe connected to the thermometer.   6) Device according to claim 2 characterized in that the gel comprises at least one gelling agent and at least one polar solvent.   7) Device according to claim 6 characterized in that the gelling agent is finely divided silica powder.   8) Device according to claim 6 characterized in that the polar solvent is preferably Ethanol.   9) Device according to any one of claims 6 to 8 characterized in that the accumulator gel comprises Dipropylene glycol Ether.   10) Device according to any one of claims 6 to 9 15 characterized in that the accumulator gel comprises distilled water.   1 1) Device according to any one of claims 6 to 10 characterized in that the accumulator gel comprises ammonia.