FR2888484A1 - Drink e.g. white wine, cooling apparatus for table, has cooling body with two series of alveoli partially receiving glass and bottle, respectively, and support units to maintain body at distance from support surface receiving support units - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus has a cooling body (2) containing a coolant e.g. water, and having two series of alveoli partially receiving a glass (6) and a bottle (6 1), respectively, to be cooled. The body is equipped with support units (20) maintaining the body at a distance from a support surface receiving the units. One of the series of alveoli is delimited by a tube extending in projection from an upper surface (10) of the body, where the alveoli emerge on both the sides of the cooling body. Each of the other series of alveoli has a widened section at the level of a lower surface of the body.

Description

The present invention relates to the technical field of devices

  adapted to cool containers containing a beverage and more specifically the devices for cooling drinks during their consumption or tasting.

  In the state of the art, it is known various solutions adapted to cool during consumption or tasting, a drink such as white wine placed in a container such as a bottle. It is thus known to place a bottle in a bucket filled with ice to cool or keep its contents cool. This widespread solution has the major disadvantage of requiring wiping the bottle before serving the drink.

  In an attempt to overcome this drawback, it has been proposed to use a bucket incorporating a refrigerant fluid to be cooled before receiving the bottle. Such a bucket makes it possible to cool the bottle without wetting it.

  If the prior art has proposed various solutions for cooling the beverage contained in a bottle, it appears the need to cool also the drink contained in the glasses. Indeed, the tasting of a drink can be carried out for a relatively long time and in an atmosphere whose temperature is high so that it appears that the drink in the glass reaches a temperature higher than that recommended to appreciate its taste qualities. .

  The present invention therefore aims to provide a device capable of cooling a drink, that is to say to place and / or maintain a predetermined temperature ideal for tasting, for the duration necessary for consumption.

  The present invention also aims to provide a simple cooling device, compact and suitable for cooling including a bottle and glasses containing a drink.

  To achieve such an objective, the object of the invention relates to an apparatus for cooling containers containing the beverage in the form of a refrigerant body containing a refrigerant in which are arranged cells adapted to receive each at least partially , a container to cool.

  According to a preferred embodiment, the refrigerant body comprises firstly a series of cells of the first type adapted to receive each as a container, a glass, and secondly a cell of the second type adapted to receive as a that container, a bottle.

  Advantageously, each cell opens on either side of the refrigerant body.

  In order to limit the size of the apparatus, the refrigerating body is equipped with support means adapted to keep said body at a distance from a support surface receiving the support means. Thus, the refrigerant body directly cools the body of the glasses especially on foot.

  According to an advantageous characteristic of embodiment, the cell of the second type is delimited by a tube projecting from the upper face of the refrigerant body.

  Advantageously, the tube also extends projecting from the lower face to form the support means.

  In the embodiment, the refrigerant body is a hollow body containing the refrigerant having an upper face extending away from a lower face connected to the upper face by a peripheral wall.

  According to an alternative embodiment, the refrigerant body has a circular section.

  For example, the refrigerant body comprises substantially at its center, the cell of the second type, and distributed in a circle, the cells of the first type.

  According to an exemplary embodiment, the refrigerant body has a height of between 4 and 8 cm and preferably of the order of 6 cm while the support means have a height of between 4 and 8 cm and preferably of order of 6 cm.

  Various other characteristics appear from the description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of non-limiting examples, embodiments of the subject of the invention.

  Figure 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a cooling apparatus according to the invention.

  Figure 2 is a top view of a cooling apparatus according to the invention.

  Figure 3 is an elevational sectional view taken substantially along lines III-III of FIG. 2.

  Figs. 1 to 3 illustrate an embodiment of a device, utensil or apparatus 1 adapted for cooling containers containing the beverage. The apparatus according to the invention is in the form of a body 2 containing a refrigerant 3 of any known type. The refrigerant body 2 is arranged to have cells each adapted to receive at least partially a container to be cooled, such as a bottle, a glass or a can. Advantageously, the refrigerant body 2 is adapted to simultaneously cool a bottle 61 and a series of glasses 6, limited to six in the illustrated example. Of course, the refrigerant body 2 may comprise a different number of cells.

  According to an advantageous characteristic of embodiment, the refrigerating body 2 comprises firstly, a series of cells of first type 5 adapted to receive each as a container, a glass 6 and on the other hand, at least one cell 51 of second type adapted to receive as a container, a bottle 61. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, each cell 5, 51 opens on either side of the refrigerant body 2.

  As is more particularly apparent from FIG. 3, the refrigerant body 2 has an upper face 10 extending at a distance and superimposed from a lower face 11 connected to the upper face by a peripheral wall 12. The upper 10 and lower 11 faces are arranged to include openings arranged in correspondence to form the cells 5, 51. Thus, each cell 5, 51 is delimited by a tube 15 connecting the upper and lower surfaces 10 and 11 opening on either side of the body 2 through the openings arranged in the faces 10, 11.

  Each container (glass 6 or bottle 61) is thus surrounded by a diffusion surface on at least a part of its height, especially outside the foot of the glasses. Each cell has, of course, a shape adapted to receive a range of containers. In the illustrated example, each cell 5, 51 has a constant circular cross section across its entire height. Of course, the section of each cell 5, 51 may be different from a circular shape and not be constant over the entire height. Thus, each cell 5 may have at the bottom face 11 an enlarged section to facilitate removal of the glass.

  According to a preferred embodiment, the cells of the first type are distributed in a concentric circle at the center of the refrigerant body while the cell of the second type 51 is arranged at the center of the body 2. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the refrigerant body 2 has a circular section. If in the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the upper and lower faces 11 have a circular shape, it is clear that the body 2 according to the invention may have a different shape such as polygonal.

  The refrigerant body 2 thus constitutes a closed body adapted to contain a cooling fluid such as water. According to an exemplary embodiment, an access opening 17 provided with a stopper 18 may be provided to allow the refrigerant to be changed.

  According to an advantageous characteristic of embodiment, the refrigerating body 2 is equipped with support means 20 adapted to maintain the body at a determined distance from a bearing surface. In the example illustrated, the bearing surface is constituted by a plate 21 resting on a table 22. The plate 21 is intended to collect any condensates from the body 2. The plate 21 is preferably not secured to the body 2 Of course, the body 2 can rest directly on the table 22 or be permanently equipped with the plate 21.

  Advantageously, the support means 20 of the body 2 are constituted by a tubular extension of the tube 15 delimiting the cell of the second type 51. The tube 15 thus has an extension 20 projecting from the lower face 11. support means 20 make it possible to position the body 2 at a level chosen to ensure the cooling of the body of the glasses. For example, the support means 20 have a height of between 4 and 8 cm and preferably of the order of 6 cm, while the refrigerant body 2 has a height of between 4 and 8 cm and preferably of the order 6 cm.

  Of course, it can be provided to perform differently the support means 20. For example, the support means 20 of the body 2 can be made by feet extending from the lower face 11.

  According to another advantageous feature of embodiment, the tube 15 delimiting the second type of cell 51 comprises a tubular extension 25 projecting from the upper face 10 so as to surround the bottle 61. The tube 15 provided with the extensions 20, 25 which thus extend on either side of the refrigerant body constitutes a diffusion surface for the cold surrounding the major part of the bottle to keep it cool.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the cooling apparatus 1 is adapted to be placed on a table 22. Of course, it can be envisaged that the apparatus according to the invention can be hung on the edge of a table.

  For this purpose, the plate 21 is fixed to the body 2 while the latter is equipped with fixing means of the clamp type to be hung on the edge of a table.

  It follows from the foregoing description that the apparatus 1 according to the invention is in the form of a compact body which before use is placed for example in a refrigerator or freezer. Such an apparatus 1 makes it possible to cool or maintain at a cold temperature the beverage contained in glasses and a bottle, thanks to the refrigerant fluid embedded in the body 2 which diffuses the cold to the glasses and to the bottle. The body 2 can be made for example of plastic or metal. In the same direction, the body 2 may be made of a porous material incorporating a refrigerant.

  The invention is not limited to the examples described and shown because various modifications can be made without departing from its scope.

Claims (8)

  1 - Apparatus for cooling containers containing beverage, characterized in that it is in the form of a refrigerant body (2) containing a refrigerant fluid (3) in which are formed adapted cells (5, 51) to receive each at least partially, a container to be cooled.   2 - Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the refrigerant body comprises firstly a series of cells of the first type (5) adapted to receive each as a container, a glass (6), and other part of a second type of cell (51) adapted to receive as a container, a bottle (61).   3 - Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each cell (5, 51) opens on either side of the refrigerant body.   4 - Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the refrigerant body (2) is equipped with support means (20) adapted to maintain said body away from a bearing surface receiving the means of support.   - Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the cell of the second type (Si) is defined by a tube (15) projecting from the upper face (10) of the refrigerant body.   6 - Apparatus according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the tube (15) protrudes from the underside to form the support means.   7 - Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the refrigerant body (2) is a hollow body containing the refrigerant fluid (3) having an upper face (10) extending at a distance from a face lower part (11) connected to the upper face by a peripheral wall (12).   8 - Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the refrigerant body (2) has a circular section.   9 - Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the refrigerant body (2) comprises substantially in its center, the cell of second type (51), and distributed in a circle, the cells of the first type (5).   - Apparatus according to claims 4 and 8, characterized in that the refrigerant body (2) has a height of between 4 and 8 cm and preferably of the order of 6 cm while the support means (20) have a height between 4 and 8 cm and preferably of the order of 6 cm.