WO2015112192A1 - Rapid spinning liquid immersion beverage supercoolers and ice accelerator aqueous solutions - Google Patents

Rapid spinning liquid immersion beverage supercoolers and ice accelerator aqueous solutions Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2015112192A1
WO2015112192A1 PCT/US2014/047214 US2014047214W WO2015112192A1 WO 2015112192 A1 WO2015112192 A1 WO 2015112192A1 US 2014047214 W US2014047214 W US 2014047214W WO 2015112192 A1 WO2015112192 A1 WO 2015112192A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
container
approximately
ice
beverage
rotating
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2014/047214
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Douglas J. SHUNTICH
Original Assignee
Shuntich Douglas J
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US14/163,063 external-priority patent/US9631856B2/en
Priority claimed from US14/298,117 external-priority patent/US9845988B2/en
Application filed by Shuntich Douglas J filed Critical Shuntich Douglas J
Priority to MX2016009676A priority Critical patent/MX2016009676A/en
Priority to BR112016017072A priority patent/BR112016017072A2/en
Priority to CA2937807A priority patent/CA2937807A1/en
Priority to AU2014379542A priority patent/AU2014379542A1/en
Priority to JP2016566598A priority patent/JP2017516970A/en
Priority to CN201480077561.XA priority patent/CN106133463A/en
Priority to EP14879559.4A priority patent/EP3102896A4/en
Priority to EA201691507A priority patent/EA201691507A1/en
Publication of WO2015112192A1 publication Critical patent/WO2015112192A1/en

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Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25DREFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D31/00Other cooling or freezing apparatus
    • F25D31/006Other cooling or freezing apparatus specially adapted for cooling receptacles, e.g. tanks
    • F25D31/007Bottles or cans
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25DREFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D3/00Devices using other cold materials; Devices using cold-storage bodies
    • F25D3/02Devices using other cold materials; Devices using cold-storage bodies using ice, e.g. ice-boxes
    • F25D3/06Movable containers
    • F25D3/08Movable containers portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25DREFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D16/00Devices using a combination of a cooling mode associated with refrigerating machinery with a cooling mode not associated with refrigerating machinery
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25DREFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D2303/00Details of devices using other cold materials; Details of devices using cold-storage bodies
    • F25D2303/08Devices using cold storage material, i.e. ice or other freezable liquid
    • F25D2303/081Devices using cold storage material, i.e. ice or other freezable liquid using ice cubes or crushed ice
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25DREFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D2400/00General features of, or devices for refrigerators, cold rooms, ice-boxes, or for cooling or freezing apparatus not covered by any other subclass
    • F25D2400/36Visual displays
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25DREFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D2700/00Means for sensing or measuring; Sensors therefor

Definitions

  • This invention relates to cooling and chilling
  • beverages, desserts, and food items and in particular to methods, processes, apparatus, kits and systems for chilling and cooling bottled or canned beverages, desserts, and food items to selected desired temperatures by rapidly rotating and counter-rotating the bottled or canned beverages, desserts, and food items that are immersed in cooled liquids in short time spans, and/or by adding different mixtures of salt and calcium solutions and bags of loose ice to form the immersed cooling liquids.
  • Packaged-ice such as different weights of bagged ice has been popular to be used in portable coolers to chill canned and bottled beverages.
  • Packaged-ice has generally become standardized over the past decades with a few popular sizes in the U.S. and around the world dominating the sales.
  • the 10 lb bag of packaged-ice is the most popular retail version of packaged-ice in the U.S., followed in descending popularity by 20 lb, 8 lb, 7 lb and 5 lb bags of packaged-ice.
  • the bags of packaged-ice generally comprise loose ice cubes, chips and the like, that are frozen fresh water.
  • the standard use of the bags of ice is having the consumer place the bag(s) loosely in cooler containers, and then adding canned and/or bottled beverages, such as sodas, waters to the coolers containing the packaged-ice.
  • sprinkling loose salt on packed-ice in a cooler to produce lower temperatures for certain canned and bottled beverages placed inside.
  • Sprinkling salt has been tried with beer, since beer will not freeze at 32 degrees due to its alcohol content.
  • the use of sprinkling loose salt has problems .
  • the prior art generally does not have ability to supercool beverages below 32-degrees and/or below their own freezing point while keeping them in a liquid state to allow for previously impossible beverage options, such as creating instant milkshakes from super cooled milk beverages and creating instant smoothies from super cooled fruit and vegetable juices without the need to blend-in chopped-ice into the smoothie.
  • a primary objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, apparatus, kits and systems for chilling and cooling bottled or canned beverages, desserts, and food items to selected desired temperatures by rapidly rotating and counter-rotating the bottled or canned
  • a secondary objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, apparatus, kits and systems for chilling and cooling bottled or canned beverages, desserts, and food items to selected desired temperatures, by
  • a third objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, apparatus, kits and systems for chilling and cooling bottled or canned beverages, desserts, and food items rapidly to precise super cooled temperatures which allow for enjoyable 'slush-on-demand' drinking
  • a fourth objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, apparatus, kits and systems to supercool beverages below 32-degrees and/or below their own freezing point while keeping them in a liquid state to allow for previously impossible beverage options, such as creating instant milkshakes from super cooled milk beverages and creating instant smoothies from super cooled fruit and vegetable juices without the need to blend-in chopped-ice into the smoothie.
  • a fifth objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, compositions, apparatus, kits and systems for chilling and cooling beverages, desserts and food items to selected desired temperatures by adding the items to different mixtures of brine solutions and bags of loose ice.
  • a sixth objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, compositions, apparatus, kits and systems for evenly chilling and cooling beverages, desserts and food items by submersing the items in an aqueous selected salinity of an ice-melter mixture, such as sodium chloride salt' and/or calcium chloride, that is combined with loose ice.
  • an aqueous selected salinity of an ice-melter mixture such as sodium chloride salt' and/or calcium chloride
  • a seventh objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, compositions, apparatus, kits and systems for evenly chilling and cooling alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to desired temperatures below freezing by using preselected aqueous salinity solutions of an ice-melter mixture, combined with loose ice.
  • An eighth objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, compositions, apparatus, kits and systems for evenly chilling and cooling desserts by using preselected aqueous salinity solutions of an ice- melter mixture, combined with loose ice.
  • a ninth objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, compositions, apparatus, kits and systems for rapidly chilling beverages, desserts and food items by reducing chill time from hours to minutes.
  • a tenth objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, compositions, apparatus, kits and systems for keeping beverages, foods and desserts chilled for extended lengths of time (greater than
  • the extended periods of time are beneficial for transporting food, dessert and beverage items that take a long time to transport.
  • An eleventh objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, compositions, apparatus, kits and systems, to be used in the creation of homemade and/or chef created ice creams or frozen desserts that require precision temperature control during freezing.
  • the invention provides preferred embodiments for beverage cooling to range of 15 deg-F to 26 deg-F allowing for a wide variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic bottled and canned beverages to be super cooled (from room
  • the invention allows for the rapid and precise cooling into any temperature range desired by maximizing heat-transfer coefficients across multiple regions of the cooling system.
  • the invention is able to minimize beverage cooling times in order to make it practical to incorporate the technology into a vending environment, a bar, or a household or portable beverage supercooling device.
  • thermosensors that are in contact with the beverage container and/or the liquid immersion medium and in communication with a 'smart' electronic timer allows the present invention to inform and/or alert the user to the exact time required and precise temperature obtained (within approx. +/- 1 or 2 deg-F) within the beverage container.
  • the beverage container such as a cylindrical can, and the like, can be spun on axis in a vertical position at very high RPM
  • This process can be repeated until the desired and selected temperature is reached inside the beverage
  • Patent 5,505,054 to Loibl et al. which is incorporated by reference suggest an inverse relationship between cooling times and higher RPM when spinning above 345-400 RPM, which indicates an incomplete understanding of heat transfer inside the canned or bottled beverages which is misleading, limiting, and would not have led to the present invention or discovery.
  • one or more high- volume liquid pumps can be activated in concert with the directional spinning of the beverage container to create turbulent flow and maximize heat transfer away from the beverage container into the liquid medium.
  • this method becomes an energy-efficient way to cool individual canned or bottled beverages rapidly, offering energy-efficiency advantages over larger air-based refrigerated systems that require hours of run-time to cool a few beverages.
  • displays can be provided for counting down the time, for example, in seconds to the user showing time remaining to cool desired beverages, foods.
  • the countdown display can be a lighted display, such as a circular display which rotates changing colors during the cooling process.
  • Novel aqueous solutions of a selected salinity of ice- melter (such as sodium chloride ⁇ salt' and/or calcium chloride) can be poured in a pre-defined amount evenly over a known amount of bagged-ice in a cooler, creating a selected salinity of ice- melter (such as sodium chloride ⁇ salt' and/or calcium chloride)
  • a selected salinity of ice- melter such as sodium chloride ⁇ salt' and/or calcium chloride
  • precisely controlled and evenly distributed temperature (within a few degrees Fahrenheit) can be obtained within the ice-solution mixture.
  • Canned and bottled beverages (and other items) can be submerged in the precision controlled temperature ice-solution mixture to create certain desired effects only possible by chilling items to a known
  • This aqueous solution can be sold in packages, such as but not limited to bottles, and the like, clearly delineated to be used with standardized amounts of packaged-ice in the U.S. and abroad, and in a variety of mixtures to obtain certain precision temperature ranges to create desired cooling effects on beer, beverages, ice-creams, and more.
  • FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away view of a rapid-spinning liquid-immersion single-beverage supercooler with high-speed motor and spinning apparatus, insulated liquid-immersion cavity, optional self-contained refrigeration and heat- transfer system, high-flow liquid turbulence pumps,
  • FIG. 2 is a partial see-through view of a preferred embodiment
  • FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a multiple beverage rapid-spinning liquid-immersion supercooler.
  • FIG. 4 shows the potential telescoping base for automatic rapid beverage ejection from the liquid cooling medium.
  • FIG. 5 shows a touch screen timer user interface containing various inputs, selections, and sensory outputs on a user control interface.
  • FIG. 6 shows a self-contained touch-screen timer user interface containing electrical connections, battery, protective case and cover, attaching bracket, and
  • FIG. 7 is an exploded-view of a self-contained touch-screen timer user interface similar to that shown in FIG. 6.
  • FIG. 8 shows a front view of another heat transfer device for sealed container foods and/or beverages.
  • FIG. 9 shows another front view of the device of FIG. 8, as part of a supercooling kit with the heat transfer device and an ice-accelerator.
  • FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of the device of FIG. 8 where an openable top of the device is removably attachable and where a container has been clipped to the top.
  • FIG. 11 is an upside down view of the top of the device of FIG. 10.
  • FIG. 12 is a front view of the device of FIG. 10 with a container in the inner chamber.
  • FIG. 13 is a cut open view of another embodiment of the device of FIG. 8 with a secondary container holding
  • FIG. 14 is a top view of the devices of FIG. 8.
  • Fig. 15 shows an embodiment of a 51b ice bag of loose ice and 1 liter aqueous solution and cooler with SWIM mix.
  • Fig. 16 shows an embodiment of a 7/81b ice bag of loose ice and 1.5 liter aqueous solution and cooler of SWIM mix.
  • Fig. 17 shows an embodiment of a 101b ice bag of loose ice and 1.75 liter aqueous solution and cooler of SWIM mix.
  • Fig. 18 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of Fig.
  • Fig. 19 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of Fig.
  • Fig. 20 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of Fig. 3 for a 101b ice bag and 1.75 liter aqueous solution with a cooler container.
  • FIG. 21 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of Fig. 3 for using 2 101b ice bags and 2 1.75 liters aqueous solution with a cooler container.
  • FIG. 22 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of Fig. 3 for using 4 101b ice bags and 4 1.75 liters aqueous solution with a cooler container.
  • Rapid-Spinning Liquid-Immersion Supercooler Apparatus 20 Motor head (high speed motor)
  • TABLE 1 illustrates the obtained supercool temperatures and rapid cooling times of various canned and bottled beverages (between 8oz and 16oz) starting at a room
  • 16oz Glass Bottles 22 F (-5. 6 C) 95 sec TABLE 2 illustrates the obtained supercool temperatures and rapid cooling times of various canned and bottled beverages (between 20oz and 2 Liters) starting at a room temperature of approximately 75 F (approximately 24.0 C) using a prototype of a preferred embodiment of the present invention rotating at 2500 rpm (which can include
  • 22 F (-5. 6 C) 260 sec TABLE 2 can also be used for other larger beverage containers, such as but not limited to 48oz, 1 liter and 3 liter plastic bottles, and the like. Additionally,
  • TABLES 1 and 2 can include the specific temperatures an times listed. Additionally, each of the listed specific temperatures and times can be each include approximately in front of the listed temperatures and times, where
  • the times listed in TABLES 1 and 2 are from room temperature to the final temperature. Each of the times listed in both the listed times and in approximately the listed times can be reduced at least half, if the initial temperature is from a refrigerated temperature of
  • the invention can be practiced with different values of rpm (revolutions per minute) and switch times as illustrated in TABLE 3.
  • the operating parameters of rpm and switch times can also be used with the alternatively rotating and counter- rotating of the various beverage containers referenced in TABLES 1 and 2, and can include additional applications for chilling of beverage containers.
  • a beverage container being rotated at approximately 1,000 rpm can be switched between rotations and alternative rotations at switch times of approximately 3/10 of a second per rotation.
  • beverage container rotations in TABLES 1, 2 and 3 can include the beverage containers initially being
  • FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away view of a rapid-spinning liquid-immersion single-beverage supercooler with high-speed motor and spinning apparatus, insulated liquid-immersion cavity, optional self-contained refrigeration and heat- transfer system, high-flow liquid turbulence pumps,
  • FIG. 2 is a partial see-through view of a preferred embodiment of a rapid-spinning liquid-immersion single- beverage supercooler with a top-mounted high-rpm motor, a double-walled ⁇ clear' plastic or glass liquid immersion cavity, an optional bottom-mounted self-contained
  • FIGURES 1-2 illustrate a Rapid-Spinning Liquid- Immersion Beverage Supercooler Apparatus 10 and its associated methods according to the present invention.
  • the device can include a rapid spinning bi-directional motor head 20, beverage holder assembly 25, 26, a thermally insulated liquid immersion cavity 30, and an immersion
  • the immersion cooling/chilling medium 40 can include cooling liquid or substance 45, such as but not limited to ice and water, and/or water saline solution, and/or propylene glycol and water mix, and/or vegetable glycerin and water mix, and/or any glycol mix, and/or glycerin plus water mix, and/or a non-toxic liquid anti-freeze similar t anti-freeze blend such as described in the "Ice-Accelerator Aqueous Solution" U.S. Patent Application Serial No.
  • cooling liquid or substance 45 such as but not limited to ice and water, and/or water saline solution, and/or propylene glycol and water mix, and/or vegetable glycerin and water mix, and/or any glycol mix, and/or glycerin plus water mix, and/or a non-toxic liquid anti-freeze similar t anti-freeze blend such as described in the "Ice-Accelerator Aqueous Solution" U.S. Patent Application Serial No.
  • TABLE 4 shows the various temperatures that can be used for the liquid cooling medium or substance.
  • the number values in TABLE 4 can include the exact number values listed. Additionally, each of the number values can be approximately those values, where the term approximately includes +/- 10%.
  • liquid immersion temperatures below -3 F can very difficult to work with due to premature freezing of contents inside canned containers.
  • some embodiments will seek to minimize time of cooling by using liquid immersion temperatures on the lower end (such as near 0 F) , while home units can benefit from using Liquid Immersion temperatures nearer to the desired supercooling temperatures of 15 F to 18 F in order to allow a supercooled beverage to remain in the liquid indefinitely (after it has been supercooled) without the risk of freezing.
  • a home apparatus unit (such as those described in this application) can be designed in a way that slightly sacrifices speed of supercooling in order to allow for a secondary function (indefinite stay inside the
  • the device 10 can further include a lower beverage container holder 50, one or more high-volume liquid “turbulence” pumps 60, a liquid immersion temperature sensor 80 which is in communication with the user interface microcontroller mechanism 200, an optional beverage container temperature sensor 90, which can be in communication with the user interface controller.
  • the device 10 can further include an optional self- contained refrigeration and heat exchange system 100, which can include a compressor 120 -condenser 140 evaporator 130 refrigeration system in series.
  • the motor 20 and compressor 120 can be D/C (direct current) electronic devices, a single or dual rechargeable battery 28, 150 system can be used to power the entire apparatus.
  • the motor and compressor can be A/C (alternating current) powered via standard electrical outlets.
  • A/C power Electrical connections comprising standard A/C power are shown as item 160 and 170, whereas D/C power connections are shown as wall-plugged transformers 161 and 171 and/or 12V automotive cigarette-lighter adapters 162, 172.
  • the method of operation can involve 1) first filling the liquid immersion cavity with cooling liquid or substance 45, such as but not limited to ice and/or water saline solution, and/or propylene glycol and water mix, and/or vegetable glycerin and water mix, and/or any glycol and/or glycerin plus water mix, and/or a non-toxic liquid antifreeze similar to anti-freeze blend such as described in the "Ice-Accelerator Aqueous Solution" U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14/163,063 filed January 24, 2014 to the same inventor as the subject invention, which is incorporated by reference in its' entirety.
  • cooling liquid or substance 45 such as but not limited to ice and/or water saline solution, and/or propylene glycol and water mix, and/or vegetable glycerin and water mix, and/or any glycol and/or glycerin plus water mix, and/or a non-toxic liquid antifreeze similar to anti-freeze blend such as described in the "Ice-Acc
  • the cooling liquid in the liquid immersion cavity can be used to obtain a desired liquid medium temperature that is many degrees below freezing (32 F) .
  • the optional self-contained refrigeration unit 100 If the optional self-contained refrigeration unit 100 is attached, it will be turned-on and the heat-transfer plugs 95 will be removed so the liquid can flow through the heat transfer system via a pump (not shown) in the
  • a liquid immersion medium temperature of 6.5 F is shown on the touch-screen user interface control 200.
  • the user selects the desired supercool (or non- supercool) temperature for the beverages to attain, the size and type of beverage (drawing depicts a standard 12oz canned beverage) , the starting temperature of the beverage, and removes the motor head and beverage holding apparatus (20, 25, 26, 28, 90) and places a beverage container in the holder.
  • the touch-screen timer which can be an app on a cell-phone or other electronic device, such as but not limited to a laptop computer, personal computer, and the like, and operated remotely via wireless connection (not shown) will show the estimated time for cooling the beverage to the desired drinking temperature selected.
  • the drawing depicts an estimated time of 30 seconds.
  • specialized beverage containers (not shown) that are designed to work with the present invention for home-made or custom mixed beverages that are not manufactured in disposable containers are part of the present invention and may be sold with the device or sold separately.
  • the user places the beverage container in the holder 26 and inserts the beverage down into the liquid immersion medium where it is held in place via the tension spring appendages 50.
  • the center area where the beverage is inserted may be protected with a screen-like cylindrical mesh (not shown) that keeps ice cubes out of the center area for easy insertion and ease of operation during rapid spinning.
  • the mesh must allow the free-flow of liquid immersion medium into and away-from the beverage container.
  • An optional switch (not shown) at the bottom of the beverage tension spring apparatus 50 may be used to communicate with the controller that a beverage is in the system and ready for cooling.
  • the device can be equipped with an automatic telescoping base (as shown in FIGURES 3-4) to rapidly eject the cooled beverage from the liquid immersion medium to prevent nucleation (freezing) of the beverage.
  • the user removed the beverage from the liquid immersion medium (if it has not been automatically lifted or ejected) , removed the container from the holding apparatus and opens the beverage container for consumption.
  • the beverage will provide a "slush-on-demand" effect when nucleated via a variety of means such as slamming on a table or inserting a very small piece of ice into the beverage.
  • the system is then ready to be used again, and will be capable of cooling and/or supercooling dozens or more standard beverages in any given outing with or without electricity (if ice is used and/or batteries are charged) and should be constantly ready for use at a moments' notice.
  • FIG. 2 shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention 310 with a top-mounted high-speed bidirectional motor 320, and other systems similar to those in FIG. 1.
  • a top-mounted high-speed bidirectional motor 320 and other systems similar to those in FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 3 shows a multiple beverage unit 480 similarly designed to the apparatus in FIG. 1, but with the capability to simultaneously rapidly cool several different and varying sized beverage containers in the same liquid immersion medium.
  • FIG. 3 shows a multiple beverage unit 480 similarly designed to the apparatus in FIG. 1, but with the capability to simultaneously rapidly cool several different and varying sized beverage containers in the same liquid immersion medium.
  • the drawing leaves out many of the detailed components shown in FIG. 1.
  • telescoping support 485 below the beverage containers can be used to rapidly and automatically eject the beverages from the liquid immersion medium in order to prevent freezing (nucleation) of the beverages if left in the liquid
  • FIG. 4 shows the telescoping support 485 being fully extended.
  • FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 illustrate preferred embodiments of a built-in or self-contained touch-screen user-interface supercooling Timer 500, 700, their methods and designs.
  • the apparatus 500 described in FIG 5 is meant to show possible displayed input selections and outputs of a supercooling user-interface timer control and display utilizing built-in electronics and algorithms.
  • the user interface of the present invention can contain more, less, or other inputs, selections and outputs than depicted.
  • the device can contain a circuit board 510 and a touch screen display 520.
  • the touch-screen display can contain a variety of user selected inputs such as the desired
  • the outputs to the user interface may include a display of the liquid medium
  • the timer apparatus 700 described in FIGURES 6 and 7 includes the entire touch-screen display 500 described in FIG. 5 set into a self-contained case 710, 715 with protective transparent lid 730, rechargeable battery and connectors 725, a mounting bracket 740, a standardized power adapter and connector 790, 780, and standardized jack 770 and precision temperature probe 750 and small pump 760.
  • the small pump is turned-on periodically via control software algorithms to time the operating of the pump to maximize turbulence within the liquid immersion medium. For example, pumps can create more turbulence in liquid immersion
  • the software algorithms can control the pumps to stir the liquid medium around the temperature probe for several seconds prior to taking a temperature reading in the case of stagnant liquid medium.
  • the apparatus may contain an audible alarm (not shown) to alert users of certain conditions including "timer-done” activity and/or the ability to automatically turn on/off the spinning motor head, change speeds or rpm, and automatically remove the beverage from the liquid cooling medium.
  • an audible alarm not shown to alert users of certain conditions including "timer-done" activity and/or the ability to automatically turn on/off the spinning motor head, change speeds or rpm, and automatically remove the beverage from the liquid cooling medium.
  • processors in the apparatus can be capable of calculating the amount of time required to attain the desired supercooling temperature for the beverages based on a number of inputs including the liquid medium temperature and those listed above and/or others.
  • the software algorithms in the computer can change rotation speeds, switching times based on size and type and shape of the beverage containers (cans or bottles, plastic or glass, different shapes (cylindrical, bottle, square, rectangular) , and the desired final temperatures starting from either room temperature or refrigerated temperature that can include approximately 34F.
  • the apparatus may be manufactured as an integral part of the various liquid-immersion beverage supercooling devices mentioned in the present invention or may be manufactured as an integral part of the various liquid-immersion beverage supercooling devices mentioned in the present invention or may be manufactured as an integral part of the various liquid-immersion beverage supercooling devices mentioned in the present invention or may be manufactured as an integral part of the various liquid-immersion beverage supercooling devices mentioned in the present invention or may be manufactured as an integral part of the various liquid-immersion beverage supercooling devices mentioned in the present invention or may be manufactured as an integral part of the various liquid-immersion beverage supercooling devices mentioned in the present invention or may be manufactured as an integral part of the various liquid-immersion beverage supercooling devices mentioned in the present invention or may be manufactured as an integral part of the various liquid-immersion beverage supercooling devices mentioned in the present invention or may be manufactured as an integral part of the various liquid-immersion beverage supercooling devices mentioned in the present invention or may be manufactured as an integral part of the various liquid-immersion beverage supercooling devices mentioned in the present invention or may be
  • While the preferred embodiments show containers being bottles and cans, the invention can be used to rapidly cool and chill other other shaped containers, such as square, rectangular, triangular, and the like.
  • the invention can be used to rapidly cool and chill desserts, and food items, and the like.
  • the preferred embodiments have the beverage containers being chilled to be mounted by being immersed in a housing of cooling liquid, followed by alternatively rotating and counter-rotating, the invention can be used with other cooling techniques.
  • an insert such as a pipe, tube, oblong shape can be inserted into the cap portion of the larger bottles, such as the 64 ounce or 1 liter or 2 liter or 3 liter bottle, and can contain the cooling liquid sealed from the beverage inside of the beverage container.
  • the beverage container can both rotate in the immersed cooling fluid and rotate about the insert through the cap, so that the cooling fluids substantially decrease the time for chilling the beverages in the beverage containers .
  • the cap portions of the beverage containers can be mounted to the motors, through the cap portions, where elongated inserts (tubes, pipes, oblong shapes) are inserted into the beverages inside of the container.
  • the inserts would contain cooling liquids in either a stationary form or being circulated in and out of the inserts by pumps.
  • the beverage containers would be continuously rotated and counter-rotated about the inserts.
  • the transfer device 810 for sealed container foods and/or beverages that includes an outer body 812, a vertically- oriented inner chamber 814, and an openable top 816, wherein the openable top 816 has a container holding mechanism 18 to hold a container 854 in a vertical orientation inside the inner chamber 814.
  • the device 810 can be configured and dimensioned to hold any amount of containers.
  • the device 810 can include a plurality of container holding mechanisms 818 as shown in the previous embodiments.
  • Device 810 can be configured to hold only one container 854.
  • the outer body 12 can be of any shape and materials. It can be substantially of any shape and/or size. In the embodiment shown, the size of the device 810 (and thus the outer body 812) is such that the device 810 is of not dissimilar to dimensions to a kettle, and thus is aptly sized for use in a kitchen.
  • Device 810 can be portable and usable portably.
  • the device 810 can be powered electrically; the device 810 can be powered by battery (s); the device 810 can include a rechargeable power source.
  • the device 810 can have a viewing portion 20, having an opening 820' in the outer body.
  • the container held in the inner chamber 814 can be viewed by a user while the device 810 is in use.
  • the viewing portion 820 can include a screen 822, which can be plastic, glass or any transparent type material.
  • the screen 822 can be tinted so that the inside container is viewable inside of the inner chamber 814
  • a container type selection means (of any sort under the Sun) so that a user can select what type of container is being introduced into the inner chamber 814 for heat transfer, which selection means may preferably be provided about the outer body 12.
  • buttons can be provided, such as but not limited to buttons, to allow the user to choose various options.
  • buttons there can be a plastic bottle
  • selection element 824 (preferably a button) , a glass bottle selection element 826 (preferably a button), and a can selection element 828 (preferably a button) , as such
  • container can take different times to complete heat transfer (e. g. to supercool, if the device is being used as a super cooler) .
  • buttons are simply one way of providing selection options for a user.
  • a computerized selection system (or any selection system of any type) can be provided.
  • a touch screen icon(s) on a display (which display is preferably lit up and which can include an LED display) which icon(s) can be pressed by a user to make choices of container type (or any other choices) .
  • Such a selection system can include a computer screen with a display.
  • beverage selection elements which can include depressible buttons
  • a first button 830 which can, for example, be pressable by a user to denote the container contains water
  • a second button 832 which can, for example, be pressable by a user to denote the container contains juice
  • a third button 834 which can, for example, be pressable by a user to denote the container contains a fizzy beverage
  • a fourth button 836 which can, for example, be pressable by a user to denote the container contains beer/alcohol
  • the selection features can include lightable elements that are lit to denote when an option is chosen.
  • the container content selection can be provided by way of a computerized system, having a screen, which may have touch screen options touchable and thus selectable on the screen.
  • Container content selections can also include non-beverage option (s), such as soup, tea, and the like.
  • an anticipatory lighting feature 838 (numbered fully in FIG. 8 only to retain clarity for the other drawings) .
  • the anticipatory lighting feature 838 can include a plurality of lights 840, 842, 844, the anticipatory lighting feature 838 configured to light the lights to denote percentage of temperature transfer that is complete, or substantially to denote percentage of temperature transfer that is complete.
  • first light 840 there is provided a first light 840, a second light 842, and a third light 844.
  • the lights can form a circle, the anticipatory lighting feature thus being circular in shape (although it can be any shape and/or configuration) , and each light forming a segment of the circular shape.
  • Each light preferably can include a light emitting element, such as but not limited to an LED (light emitting diode (s)), and a screen, which can preferably be a plastic screen.
  • an action button 846 in a centre of the circle (although in alternate configuration (s) , the action button 846, if there is provided one, can be provided in any location) , which can itself also be a light, and can include a light emitting element and a screen.
  • This action button 846 can be used to activate the device to start the device, such that, for example, if pressed by a user, the device 810 is activated. This can involve heat transfer acceleration system being activated, such as a container disturbance system and/or a liquid immersion disturbance system.
  • the first light 840 can be lit when one third of temperature transfer has taken place; the second light 842 can be lit when two thirds of temperature transfer has taken place, and the third light 844 can be lit when temperature transfer is complete.
  • the action button 846 can also be depressible and can also light up when lit, and can be a different color light to the other lights. When temperature transfer is complete, the action button 846 can turn to a different color (i.e. be lit in a different color) to denote to the user that temperature transfer is complete.
  • the lights 840, 842, 844 light in such a sequence, they are lit in such a way to exactly denote (or substantially exactly denote) percentage of temperature transfer that has taken place.
  • they need not exactly mathematically correctly denote percentage amount of temperature that has taken place and can act as a rough guide for the user. Displaying percentage amount of temperature transfer that has taken place in such a way, especially via the use of lighting, can increase
  • the device can include electronics so that, once options for container type and container content type have been chosen, the device can compute what time and/or
  • lighting mechanism 838 light at such times to denote (or substantially denote) percentage of heat transfer that has taken place, with reference to computations made as to how long heat transfer will take for the chosen option (s) .
  • a front member 848 which is preferably of black (or any color) plastic, but may be of any material.
  • the front member 848 acts as (and
  • a surround for the anticipatory lighting means 36 This may provide support for the anticipatory lighting mechanism 838. This can be useful if the anticipatory lighting mechanism if provided (as in the shown example embodiment in the drawings) around, about, or within the opening 820' in the outer body 812 which forms the viewing portion 820.
  • the front face 850 (which in the shown example embodiment of Figures 8-10 and 12 can include the viewing portion 820 and the anticipatory lighting mechanism 838, amongst other selection elements), is substantially flat in nature, almost as if 'sawn off, the rest of the device 810 appearing substantially circular in shape from a top view. This is best shown in FIG. 14, where it is shown via a top view that in the example shown embodiment, the device 810 can be substantially round in nature from a top view, and the front face 850 appears flat (or substantially flat) compared to a side and back of the device 810.
  • the front flat face 850 can be beneficial for inclusion of such elements.
  • the front flat face 850 can be substantially flat in that it can include curves, and the like, but be of a generally flat nature. Similarly it can include buttons, and the like(as shown in FIG. 14), but be generally flat in nature.
  • the device 810 (and the outer body 812) can be of any shape, not limited to the example as shown in the drawings. Referring to the vertically oriented inner chamber 814, the chamber 814 can be shaped and/or dimensioned in such a way to best facilitate fast temperature transfer between a liquid immersion 860 in the chamber, and a container 854 held in the chamber 814. This can involve dimensioning the chamber 814 to within certain parameters.
  • the device 810 can have a guide (which can, for example, comprise a guide line (such as 894 in FIG. 9), which guide line can be
  • the device 810 can have a plurality of such guides to guide the user as to how much ice or liquid immersion should be placed into the chamber 814 dependent on different container type and/or content of the container.
  • the openable top 816 which can include a container holding mechanism 818
  • the openable top 816 can include a top body 852 and a container holding mechanism 818 for holding a
  • the openable top 816 can be fully removable, although it is feasible it is hinged, ratcheted, and the like, or that it remains
  • FIG. 10 where the top 816 can be seen fully removed from the rest of the outer body 812.
  • a container 854 has been attached to the top 816 via the container holding mechanism 818 (which can be a holding clip 19) . Arrows denote that in the shown example the container 854 has been attached to the top 816 via the holding clip 818, 819 by pushing the container holding mechanism 818 (which can be a holding clip 19). Arrows denote that in the shown example the container 854 has been attached to the top 816 via the holding clip 818, 819 by pushing the
  • container holding mechanism 818 may be configured to hold a plurality of containers at once.
  • the holding mechanism 818 can be located on an underside of the top 816.
  • the container holding mechanism 818 can be integrally formed as part of the top 816.
  • the container holding mechanism 818 can be removably attachable from the top 816.
  • the holding mechanism 818 is not visible (thus a dashed line denotes its presence in FIGURES 8-10 and 12.
  • a basic embodiment of the holding mechanism 818 is however visible in FIG. 11 where there is shown an upside down view of the top 816 alone.
  • the holding mechanism 818 includes a holding clip 819 and is configured to hold either a can via the outside holding rim 856 of the holding mechanism 818, or a bottle via the inside holding rim 858 (which may be a depression) of the holding mechanism 818, which is
  • FIG. 13 An example of a container holding mechanism 818 is shown in FIG. 13, wherein a can is being held via the outer rim 856 of the holding mechanism 818.
  • the outer rim 856 in such an embodiment or any embodiment, can be made out of rubber or rubber-type materials, elastomers, spring biased materials, and the like, so that the container 854 can be resiliently contained and held by the holding mechanism 818.
  • the liquid immersion includes some ice 867.
  • the container holding mechanism 818 can be configured to hold a top of the container 854 (for example, a bottle top (as shown in the drawings), or a top of a can, and the like) .
  • the holding mechanism 818 can be configured to hold only one type of container 854, or can, as in the shown example be configured to hold more than one type of
  • the container holding mechanism 818 can be a universal, or substantially universal, holding mechanism to hold a vast array (or substantially any) container of appropriate size. This can be achieved, (for example), by having a container holding mechanism 818 whereby the size of the holding mechanism (for example the size of a holding rim) is adjustable to conform to substantially any container and/or container top. This may involve a part of the holding mechanism 18 being sizably adjustable. It will be obvious that certain containers 854 can be of differing length. Thus, for example, the container 854 as shown in FIG. 10 (which is a bottle) can be longer in length than a can.
  • the container holding mechanism 818 can be extendible to push the container into the liquid immersion 860, preferably configured to push the or any container into the liquid immersion 860 to an appropriate level to facilitate heat transfer (and/or an appropriate level to facilitate heat transfer in a most accelerated timeframe) .
  • This can be achieved via the holding mechanism 818 being spring-loaded extendible (or by any other techniques) .
  • the holding mechanism 818 can include a spring. (The term 'spring' is used in a broad sense, of such scope to include any
  • a secondary holding mechanism 62 which can, for example, be located toward a base of the inner chamber 814, and can be referred to as a 'base holding mechanism' 862.
  • FIG. 13 shows a secondary container holding mechanism 862 located substantially toward a base of the inner chamber 814.
  • the secondary container holding mechanism 862 can stabilize and/or center the container 854. In embodiments (or in use) where the container 854 is a
  • mechanism 862 is a beverage container holder 862.
  • the secondary container holding mechanism 862 (which can be a beverage container holder) can be a guide,
  • secondary container holding mechanism 862 (which may be a guide) can include at least one arm 864 (and can include two arms as in the shown example of FIG. 13, which can guide the container 854 into position, and can stabilize the container 854.
  • the arm(s) 864 can be resiliently openable, so that they can open outwards when engaged by the container 854 to facilitate holding of containers of varying sizes.
  • the secondary container holding mechanism 862 (which can be a beverage container holder) need not have arm(s) 864 to be resiliently openable and can be resiliently openable in any embodiment, so that it can be pried open to hold a container 854. This can aid tight holding of the container 854 and can allow for holding of a variety of sizes of container (s) 854.
  • the arm(s) 864 can include an engagement portion 866, which can be resiliently outwardly pressable to facilitate holding of varying sizes of container (s) 854.
  • engagement portion 866 can have a flat, or substantially flat, holding surface to engage with and hold the container 854.
  • the arm(s) 864 can further comprise a base flange 868 and an upright flange 870.
  • the arm(s) can further include a holding flange 872.
  • the bottom attachment 874 can attach to the container in any way; for example, it can wrap around a base of the container 854.
  • the bottom attachment 874 can be attachable to the container 854 before the container 854 is entered into the inner chamber 814, and therefore can be provided separately to the device 810, feasibly forming part of a kit.
  • the secondary holding mechanism 862 can be located in any position, not limited to a top or a base of the device 810.
  • the top 816 can have a protruding portion 878.
  • the protruding portion 878 can be useful to facilitate opening (and/or removal) of the top 816 by a user, effectively being used as a handle. As will be shown, the protruding portion 878 can have other use(s).
  • a container moving system which is a broad term for f disturbing the container (and thus disturbing contents of the container, which is preferably a beverage, but can be any content, including food, such as, but not limited to, soup, tea, for example) ; it will be well-known to those with skill in the art that, for example, rotating a beverage container (such as, for example, a can) when the container is, for example, in contact with ice or a cooling liquid immersion, accelerates heat transfer, accelerating cooling of the beverage.
  • a container moving system to accelerate heat transfer.
  • Moving the container 854 can put content of the container (especially where content is fluid based) into a state of turbulence. This turbulence can be extremely beneficial in accelerating heat transfer from the liquid immersion 860 to the container content.
  • Disturbance of the container can also create turbulence in the surrounding liquid immersion, which may also be beneficial in accelerating heat transfer.
  • the container moving system can be a rotational system, configured to rotate the container 854. As described in the previous embodiment, the container moving system can be configured to rotate and counter-rotate the container 854. This has significant benefits and can still further greatly accelerate heat transfer. A rotate and counter-rotate container/beverage moving system can allow for further acceleration of heat transfer. Rotating and then counter- rotating the container can put content of the container into an extremely high state of turbulence, which can be
  • RPM repetitions per minute
  • the container disturbance moving system
  • the motor 880 can include a motor 880 to rotate and counter-rotate the container 854, such as the motor described in the previous embodiment.
  • the motorized rotation can be configured to alternate between clockwise rotation of the container and counter clockwise rotation of the container 854 at regular intervals as described in the previous embodiment.
  • the motorized rotation can be configured to alternate between clockwise rotation of the container and counter clockwise rotation of the container 854 at intermittent intervals, or irregular intervals.
  • motor 880 can be provided at a top of the device 810. S shown in FIG. 10, motor 880 can be within the top of the device and/or within the protruding portion 878 at the top 816 of the device 810. (The motor 880 is shown in dashed lines in the drawings to denote that it is inside the protruding portion 878) .
  • the top 816 in the shown preferred embodiment, can house at least one component of the container moving system.
  • the protruding portion 878 of the top can have
  • the protruding portion 878 can be used to house at least one element that forms part of the container moving system.
  • the motor 880 can be located directly, or substantially directly, above the container holding mechanism 818, which is preferably a holding clip 819.
  • the motor rotates (and more preferably rotates and counter rotates) the container holding mechanism 818, and thus the container.
  • the motor 880 is not limited to rotating the container 854 and can, for example vibrate the container 854) .
  • the container 854 is preferably disturbed (moved) by the motor 880 via the container holding mechanism 818. As such, the container holding mechanism 818 (holding clip 819) forms part of the container moving system.
  • Locating the motor 880 above the container can allow for a simple gearing solution (if one is required) .
  • the motor 880 can be geared with gearing, and have an electronics system, which can be pre-programmed to rotate and counter rotate the container 854 at certain intervals, as described in the previous embodiment. Revolutions per minute (RP ) of rotation and intervals between rotation and counter-rotation can be optimized to accelerate heat transfer so that heat transfer is as fast as possible by being pre-programmed.
  • the device 810 can comprise circuitry configured to rotate and counter rotate a
  • the rotation disturbs the liquid immersion 860, thus putting the liquid immersion into a state of turbulence. As foretasted, this can be beneficial for accelerating heat transfer .
  • the system can include a pump 882.
  • the pump 882 is shown in dashed lines to denote that it is preferably located within the device 810) .
  • the pump 882 can disturb (put into turbulence) the liquid immersion 860, accelerating heat transfer.
  • the device 810 can be configured so that any or none of the moving system can be usable independently; thus, it is feasible that it can be selected by a user that only the liquid immersion moving system motor 880 is used to
  • Such options can be computed by the device 810, which can compute how quick temperature transfer will take place, which speed of heat transfer can be relayed to the user, for example, via a digital reader 883, or any display for displaying data to a user.
  • the device 810 can include a display for relaying information to a user.
  • Such computations (of heat transfer speed) can act in combination with the anticipatory lighting mechanism 838, which can have lights light up to denote (or substantially denote) amount of heat transfer that has taken place, thus communicating to a user how much heat transfer has taken place (and/or how much time is remaining before heat
  • the anticipatory lighting mechanism 838 is just one example of heat transfer speed being relayed to a user, and any method of relaying heat transfer speed (or other
  • the motor 880 can be provided as part of the openable top 816 (which is preferably a
  • the container moving system has an element (such as the motor 880) which requires power in order to function, and where it is disconnected from power source of the device 810 when the top 816 is opened and/or removed, there can be provided a power
  • the device 810 can be configured so that power (and in particular, electricity) , can be conducted from the main body 813 of the device 810 to the top 816, thus powering the motor (or any power-requiring element) .
  • main body 813 of the device 810 can be in contact with a power source (for example, via a wire and plug) , with the openable top 816 (which is a removable top 816 in FIG. 10), being fully removed from the main body 813 (and thus the top 816 (and a motor 880 in an embodiment where the motor 980 is provided within the top) being disconnected from the power source.
  • a power source for example, via a wire and plug
  • FIG. 10-11 One example of such a power transfer solution is shown partially in FIGURES 10-11, where it is shown, in the example embodiment, there is a metallic connection between the main body 813 of the device 810 (i.e. the portion of the device 810 including the inner chamber 814) and the top 816 of the device 810.
  • the main body 813 has at least one (and in fact has two in the shown example) electrical conducting surface 884, which in the shown example is provided by way of metallic contact (s) 885.
  • the openable (and preferably removable) top 816 also has at least one (and in fact has two) electrical conducting surface 884' , which is provided (in the shown example) by way of at least one (and in fact has two) metallic contacts (s) 885'.
  • electricity (power) can be transferred from the main body 813 to the top 816, and thus to the motor 880 (or any power-requiring element) .
  • a power transfer solution whereby power can be transferred from the main body 813 of the device 810 to the top 816 of the device via metallic connection (s) (and/or electrical conduction).
  • the intent is that the top electrical conducting surface (s), and the main body electrical conducting surface (s) engage, thus allowing transfer of power.
  • the motor 880 can be powered even though it does not have direct contact with a power source when the top is opened and/or removed.
  • the power transfer solution can also facilitate secure closing of the device it is also a magnetic solution, so that the top is magnetically held closed when the conducting surface (s) (and/or a metallic surface) of the main body engage .
  • the device 810 is used or usable as a supercooling device, it can be provided as part of a supercooling kit 811.
  • a supercooling kit 811 as shown in FIG. 9 can include device 810, and an ice-melting
  • ice accelerator 886 (which will herein be called an 'ice- accelerator' 886) .
  • the intent is that the ice accelerator 886 can be added to ice which is placed in the inner chamber 814, lowering the freezing point of water content, melting the ice, and thus lowering temperature of the liquid
  • the ice-accelerator 886 is a precision ice-accelerator 886 so that the fluid immersion 860 is cooled within specific and predictable (or
  • the ice-accelerator 866 can be such as the ones described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14/163,063 filed January 24, 2014, and described below
  • the ice-accelerator 886 can be provided as a
  • the formula can be provided in a container, which container can include a containment body 888, a cavity in the containment body 888 for containing the ice
  • the ice accelerator 886 can be mixed prior to
  • kit 811 can include a shaker 892, which allows for manual or
  • an amount of ice-accelerator 886 can be added into the shaker 892.
  • Water or any dilution fluid
  • the mix can then be physically shaken in the shaker 892 (which preferably comprises a containment body 896 and an openable top 898) before it is added into the inner chamber 814.
  • the kit 811 can include the device 810, an ice- accelerator 886, and a shaker 892.
  • the device 810 can be provided in many shapes and forms, and in certain embodiments (even when used, for example, for supercooling) , does not require an ice- accelerator, and can have capacity for self-regulation of temperature of a liquid immersion 860.
  • the device can, for example, include a cooling system for cooling the (or a) liquid immersion 860.
  • the device 810 may, for example, can include a heating system for heating the (or a) liquid immersion 860.
  • Such a heating system can, for example, include a heating element- similar, for example, to a heating element of a kettle, which heats a liquid in the kettle.
  • the temperature ascertaining system can include at least one temperature probe (s) 899 to ascertain temperature of the fluid immersion 860.
  • the probe 899 (or a portion of the probe 899) can be located within the inner chamber 814.
  • a probe 899 is just one example of how to ascertain temperature of the liquid immersion 860 in the inner chamber 814, in no way limiting a scope of an ascertaining system, which can use any means to ascertain temperature of the liquid immersion 860.
  • the digital readout element 883 can communicate
  • Temperature data from the at least one probe 899 can be used by the device 810 to compute data relevant to heat transfer.
  • the device can be configured to be able to regulate temperature of the liquid immersion 860 dependent on content of the container (s) 854.
  • Information pertaining to content of the container (s) 854 can be selected/chosen by the user (via, for example, a container content selection as foretasted) .
  • information pertaining to the type of container that the content is contained in can have been selected/chosen by the user (via, for example, a container type selection as foretasted)
  • the device 810 can allow for input of information regarding container type, and container content; can be configured to compute from the inputted information what temperature the liquid immersion 860 need be, and can be able to regulate the temperature of the liquid immersion 860 to the required temperature; can be able to compute how long heat transfer will take to complete, and can be able to relay time information to the user.
  • the device 810 can be configured to relay computed time data to an anticipatory lighting mechanism 838, which in turn relays time information to the user, most preferably via lighting of lights to denote (or substantially to denote) percentage of heat transfer that has taken place.
  • the first light can illuminate slightly after or before one third of the heat transfer is complete.
  • the lighting mechanism 838 can be fairly exact in terms of timing of light illumination to denote percentage of heat transfer that has taken place.
  • the device 810 can include a heating system for heating the liquid immersion, can include a cooling system for cooling the liquid immersion, and can include ascertaining temperature of the liquid immersion. Data ascertained can be relayed externally to a user, and/or can be used by the device to compute aspects relevant to heat transfer.
  • the device 810 can include a self-regulating temperature system for regulating the temperature of the liquid immersion, which self-regulating temperature system can alter temperature of the liquid immersion dependent on data received (and/or inputted) by the user.
  • the device 810 does not require constant filling of the inner chamber 814, and can have its own liquid immersion 860 source, which may not require re-filling, or may only require refilling intermittently.
  • an ice-accelerator when used as a supercooling device as part of a supercooling kit, an ice-accelerator (preferably a
  • Water can be added to the shaker up to a guide (line) on the shaker, which shaker can be transparent or substantially transparent so the user can use the guide (line) as a guide for how much water
  • the shaker should be added to the shaker.
  • the shaker can then be physically shaken, mixing the water and ice-accelerator.
  • the shaker can be
  • Ice can be added to the inner chamber of the device.
  • the mixed solution from the shaker can then be added to the ice in the inner chamber, thus melting the ice, (forming a liquid immersion) and lowering the temperature of the liquid immersion to below standard water freezing temperature.
  • the top of the device can then be removed and a
  • container for example a container containing a beverage- for example, water
  • a container holding mechanism preferably a holding clip
  • the holding clip can be spring-loaded extendable so that when the top is placed back on to the device/closed, the
  • container is immersed into the liquid immersion to a level which facilitates quick heat transfer between the liquid immersion and the content of the container.
  • the user can choose what type of container the
  • the container is, the information inputted into the device by any means.
  • the user can choose what content is in the container, the information inputted into the device by any means.
  • the device can include electronics so that it can receive the inputted data and compute heat transfer
  • this can simply entail computing length of time it will take for heat transfer.
  • the user can activate the device via an action button.
  • the length of time for heat transfer data information may be synchronized with an anticipatory lighting means, which can include a plurality of lights.
  • the lights can start to light up (preferably lighting up in a sequence, which sequence may be a circular sequence) to denote (or substantially to denote) percentage of heat transfer that has taken place. This can create anticipation in a user.
  • the container is preferably viewable within the inner chamber via a viewing portion.
  • lights of the anticipatory lighting can quickly light in a sequence to denote that temperature transfer is complete.
  • the action button if it is a light
  • the action button can turn a different color (which color may be blue) to denote temperature transfer is
  • the top can be opened and/or removed, and the container removed from the container holding mechanism.
  • nucleation can be initiated via various ways, including but not limited to: slamming the beverage container on a surface; shaking the beverage; tapping the beverage. Nucleation can also be initiated via a nucleation-inducing element, which can be provided with the device and/or kit. Such a nucleation element may, for example, be a prong that is cooled to a low temperature such that, when the container content is engaged by the nucleation-inducing element, nucleation of the container content (beverage) is initiated.
  • the nucleation-inducing element is a nucleation wand which is elongate.
  • (first) container holding mechanism is an essential feature. In aspects of the invention where the (first) container holding mechanism is not an essential feature, the (first) container holding mechanism is not an essential feature
  • ⁇ secondary' container holding mechanism can be defined and/or claimed (if desired) as a container holding
  • mechanism' can be located anywhere about the device.
  • the invention can utilize bottled, and optionally uniquely colored aqueous solutions made of varying
  • salinities of Sodium Chloride (NaCl) or Sea Salt at specific salinities e.g. 120 - 160 °/oo, 180 - 220 °/oo, 230 - 270 °/oo, 280 - 320 °/oo, 330 - 360 °/oo and others
  • °/oo refers to grams per liter of water, or to grams per
  • the aqueous solutions can be contained in bottles of selected quantities (e.g. 1-liter, 1.5-liter, 1.75-liter, 2-liter, and other quantities) for the purpose of being poured over specific quantities of loose ice (5 lbs, 7 lbs, 8 lbs, 10 lbs, and other quantities, from typical bag sizes) in a typical portable beverage cooler to create a Solution- Water-Ice Mix (SWIM) within a specific temperature range below the freezing point of water (32 deg F) .
  • SWIM Solution- Water-Ice Mix
  • the active temperature lowering ingredient in the solution is a salt, such as but not limited to Sodium
  • a catalyst agent such as but not limited to Calcium (Ca) , Calcium Citrate Ca3 (C6H507 ) 2 , and/or other forms of Calcium can be included in the solution for reducing the aggressive corrosive characteristics of the Sodium Chloride on bare metals, leathers, and other substances.
  • Optional buffering additives can also be used in the solution, such as but not limited to vegetable derivatives, such as vegetable glycerin or vegetable glycerol, food coloring, propylene glycol, flavorings, sweeteners, and the like, and any combinations thereof.
  • an optional deterrent additive such as but not limited to Alum, extract of Lemon, orange, lime, and other strong citrus or pepper, or bitter cherries, and the like, and any combination thereof, can be added to act as a pet and child deterrent and safety agent in order to prevent ingestion of significant quantities which may prove harmful in selected applications for children, elderly, pets, and the like.
  • Tables 5-9 show the components of the novel aqueous solutions and their component ranges and amounts for
  • SWIM Solution-Water-ice Mix
  • Approx. 80 Approx. 30 Buffer 0 to Approx. 120 0 to Approx. 90 0 to Approx. Additive 80
  • SWIM temperatures allow certain desirable effects to be achieved on beverages, beer, ice-creams,
  • smoothies, milkshake, popsicles, and cold treat emulsifiers (such as but not limited to FROSTIES® and SLURPEES®) placed in the SWIM that are impossible to achieve using ice alone or by mixing fresh water with ice in a cooler.
  • Effects such as 1) chilling beer to near its freezing point, 2) supercooling bottled or canned beverages, 3) creating frozen popsicles and supercooling popsicles, 4) keeping soft-serve and store bought ice-creams in perfect emulsions, and other effects require specific temperatures that are below the melting point of fresh-water ice (32 deg F) . Most of these effects require temperatures between 5 deg F and 24 deg F, which can be achieved in a SWIM using specific salinities and volumes of Brine-Solution when mixed with standardized bags of ice.
  • the variable that determines the initial temperature of the SWIM is the salinity of the Brine.
  • novel aqueous solutions can also be color coded according to salinity, which is directly related to the resultant SWIM temperature and possible effects.
  • the following TABLE 10 shows how the color code may be used to identify differing salinities of bottled aqueous solutions.
  • the invention can pertain to the specific volumes, salinities, and color coding of the Solution.
  • Blue can represent the coldest SWIM and has the highest salinity.
  • Red can represent the warmest SWIM and the lowest salinity.
  • Other colors such as but not limited to clear, black, white, and other variations, can be used.
  • the invention can pertain to any volume (s) that when mixed exactly with certain standard quantities of bagged-ice will produce a usable SWIM for submerging and supercooling reasonable and expected amounts of canned or bottled
  • a 101b bag of ice plus certain volume of the novel aqueous solution should be expected to allow up to 6 12-oz cans to be submerged in the SWIM.
  • portable coolers such as Styrofoam coolers, plastic
  • coolers and aluminum or metal coolers.
  • Fig. 15 shows an embodiment of a 51b ice bag 910 holding loose ice 912 and 1 liter aqueous solution 914 with a cooler 916 containing the Solution-Water-Ice Mix (SWIM) 918 having a specific temperature range below the freezing point of water (32 deg F) .
  • SWIM Solution-Water-Ice Mix
  • Fig. 16 shows an embodiment of a 7 or 81b ice bag 920 holding loose ice 922 and 1.5 liter aqueous solution 924 with a cooler 926 containing the Solution-Water-Ice Mix (SWIM) 928 having a specific temperature range below the freezing point of water (32 deg F) .
  • SWIM Solution-Water-Ice Mix
  • Fig. 17 shows an embodiment of a 101b ice bag 930 holding loose ice 932 and 1.75 liter aqueous solution 934 with a cooler 936 containing the Solution-Water-Ice Mix (SWIM) 938 having a specific temperature range below the freezing point of water (32 deg F) .
  • SWIM Solution-Water-Ice Mix
  • Fig. 18 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of
  • Fig. 1 for a 51b ice bag 910 and 1 liter aqueous solution 914 with a cooler container 916.
  • Step 1 has the cooler container 916 holding loose ice 912.
  • Step 2 has the aqueous solution from 1 liter container 914 being poured over the ice 912 in the container 916.
  • Solution in container 916 having a salinity of 350 °/oo, where a Blue Colored Aqueous Solution container 916 can be used here.
  • Step 3 has the cooler 916 with Solution-Water-ice Mix (SWIM) 918 inside having temperature of approximately 6F to approximately 9F.
  • Step 4 has the product 919, such as ice cream containers submersed in the SWIM 918, being used to keep the store bought ice cream in a perfect emulsion for outdoor settings.
  • SWIM Solution-Water-ice Mix
  • Specific useful temperature ranges in the SWIM can be expected to last 8 hours in a cooler per 101b bag of ice and 1.75 liters of solution.
  • the temperature ranges of the SWIM can last within indoor and outdoor environments having temperatures of approximately 65F to approximately 85F.
  • Products such as store bought ice cream can stay at approximately 6 to approximately 9F in a soft emulsion state perfect for consumption ( though not in a soft serve state) .
  • the state can be between a not melted state and a not frozen hard state.
  • the products that as store bought ice cream can be kept in a consistent emulsion state in most outdoor
  • Fig. 19 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of Fig. 16 for a 7 or 81b ice bag 920 and 1.5 liter aqueous solution 924 with a cooler container 926.
  • Step 1 has the cooler container 926 holding loose ice 922.
  • Step 2 has the aqueous solution from 1.5 liter container 924 being poured over the ice 922 in the container 926.
  • Step 3 has the cooler 926 with Solution-Water-ice Mix (SWIM) 928 inside having temperature of approximately 15F to approximately 18F.
  • Step 4 has the product (s) 929, such as canned and bottled beverages submersed in the SWIM 928, being used to keep the store bought beverages in a super cooled liquid state for outdoor settings where a variety of the canned and bottled beverages are supercooled but not allowed to freeze hard due to the consistent temperature of the SWIM.
  • SWIM Solution-Water-ice Mix
  • the super cooled beverages can then be flushed'
  • the super cooled state for beverages submerged in the SWIM will last for 8 to 12 hours or more in a single 101b package of ice with one 1.75 liter aqueous ice-accelerator solution in outdoor settings.
  • the supercooled beverages remain at a temperature below freezing without freezing hard.
  • Fig. 20 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of Fig. 3 for a 101b ice bag 930 and 1.75 liter aqueous
  • Step 1 has the cooler container 936 holding loose ice 932.
  • Step 2 has the aqueous solution from 1.75 liter container 934 being poured over the ice 932 in the container 936. Solution in
  • Step 3 has the cooler 936 with Solution-Water-Ice Mix (SWIM) 938 inside having temperature of approximately 15F to approximately 18F.
  • Step 4 has the product (s) 939, such as canned and bottled beer submersed in the SWIM 938, being used to keep the store bought beer 939 for chilling the beer to its freezing point but not allowing the beer to freeze.
  • SWIM Solution-Water-Ice Mix
  • the chilled beer (or other beverages) submerged in the SWIM will remain at optimal temperatures for 8 to 12 hours or more in a single 101b package of ice with one 1.75 liter aqueous ice-accelerator solution in outdoor settings.
  • the beer will remain in a liquid state near or slightly below (or above) it's freezing point without freezing hard, and at up to 10 degrees below the freezing point of water (32F) .
  • This temperature provides an optimal crispness and flavor as well as allowing the beverage to remain colder , longer during consumption.
  • the temperatures of 22F to 24F are not generally low enough to cause the beer to ⁇ lush' (nucleate) when opened, thereby providing the lowest possible liquid drinking temperatures for beer.
  • FIG. 21 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of Fig. 7 for using 2 101b ice bags 32 and 2 1.75 liters 934 aqueous solution with a cooler container 936.
  • Step 1 has the cooler container 936 holding loose ice 932 from 2 101b bags 930.
  • Step 2 has the aqueous solution from 2 1.75 liter containers 934 being poured over the ice 932 in the
  • Solution in containers 934 can have a salinity of 200 °/oo, where an Orange Colored Aqueous
  • Step 3 has the cooler 936 with Solution-Water-Ice Mix
  • Step 4 has the product (s) 939, such as soft serve ice cream in packages submersed in the SWIM 938, being used to keep the soft serve ice cream in a consistent emulsion state at temperatures between 918 to 21F, and for supercooling beverages .
  • the super cooled beverages can then be 'slushed'
  • the supercooled state for beverages submerged in the SWIM will last for 8 to 12 hours or more in a single 101b package of ice with one 1.75 liter aqueous ice-accelerator solution in outdoor settings.
  • the supercooled beverages remain at a temperature below freezing without freezing hard.
  • FIG. 22 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of Fig. 7 for using 4 101b ice bags 930 and 4 1.75 liters 934 aqueous solution with a cooler container 936.
  • Step 1 has the cooler container 936 holding loose ice 932 from 4 101b bags 930.
  • Step 2 has the aqueous solution from 4 1.75 liter containers 934 being poured over the ice 932 in the container 936.
  • Solution in containers 934 can have a salinity of 200 °/oo, where an Green Colored Aqueous Solution container can be used here.
  • Step 3 has the cooler 936 with Solution-Water-Ice Mix
  • Step 4 has the product (s) 939, such as store bought ice cream, gelatos, popsicles (frozen or unfrozen) submersed in the SWIM 938, for supercooling beverages rapidly.
  • Supercooling can take approximately 20 to approximately 60 minutes with the invention, and can be reduced further to approximately 5 minutes or less by article devices such as a spinning device, and the like.
  • a timer can be used to prevent freezing. The timer can calculate time based on the SWIM temperature, size of the beverage container (s) and starting temperature (s) of the beverage container (s) .
  • desserts such as ice- cream
  • other types of edible foods such as but not limited frozen yogurt, sorbet, sherbet, ice milk, smoothies, milk shakes, and the like, which prevents melting or hard freezing of the foods.
  • Other types of foods can be used with the invention, such as but not limited to fish, meat, poultry, and the like.

Abstract

Methods, processes, apparatus, kits and systems for chilling and cooling bottled or canned beverages, desserts, and food items to selected desired temperatures by rapidly rotating and counter-rotating the bottled or canned beverages, desserts, and food items that are immersed in cooled liquids in short time spans. Cooling can also be done separately or in combination with different mixtures of brine solutions and bags of loose ice, by creating an aqueous solution composition of certain salinity of ice- melter (such as sodium chloride ^salt' and/or calcium chloride). The composition is poured in a pre-defined amount evenly over a known amount of bagged-ice. Precisely controlled and evenly distributed temperature (within a few degrees Fahrenheit) can be obtained within the ice-solution mixture.

Description

RAPID SPINNING LIQUID IMMERSION BEVERAGE SUPERCOOLERS A D ICE ACCELERATOR AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14/298,117 filed June 6, 2014, which claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 61/966,106 filed February 18, 2014, and this application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14/163,063 filed January 24, 2014. The entire disclosure of each of the applications listed in this paragraph are incorporated herein by specific reference thereto.
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to cooling and chilling
beverages, desserts, and food items, and in particular to methods, processes, apparatus, kits and systems for chilling and cooling bottled or canned beverages, desserts, and food items to selected desired temperatures by rapidly rotating and counter-rotating the bottled or canned beverages, desserts, and food items that are immersed in cooled liquids in short time spans, and/or by adding different mixtures of salt and calcium solutions and bags of loose ice to form the immersed cooling liquids. BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART
Packaged-ice, such as different weights of bagged ice has been popular to be used in portable coolers to chill canned and bottled beverages. Packaged-ice has generally become standardized over the past decades with a few popular sizes in the U.S. and around the world dominating the sales. For example, the 10 lb bag of packaged-ice is the most popular retail version of packaged-ice in the U.S., followed in descending popularity by 20 lb, 8 lb, 7 lb and 5 lb bags of packaged-ice.
In Canada, the United Kingdom (UK), and other European countries, other standard sizes such as but not limited to 6 lb (2.7 kg), and 26.5 lb (12 kg) are also very popular forms of packaged-ice.
The bags of packaged-ice generally comprise loose ice cubes, chips and the like, that are frozen fresh water. The standard use of the bags of ice is having the consumer place the bag(s) loosely in cooler containers, and then adding canned and/or bottled beverages, such as sodas, waters to the coolers containing the packaged-ice.
Due to the melting properties of the fresh-water ice, canned and bottled beverages placed in ice cannot be chilled below 32 degrees Fahrenheit for any significant length of time, which is the known general freezing point. Over the years the addition of ice-melters such as salt have been known to be used to lower the melting point of fresh-water ice. Forms of using salt have included
sprinkling loose salt on packed-ice in a cooler to produce lower temperatures for certain canned and bottled beverages placed inside. Sprinkling salt has been tried with beer, since beer will not freeze at 32 degrees due to its alcohol content. However, the use of sprinkling loose salt has problems .
Due to the uneven spread of salt on ice, it is
impossible to know or control precisely the resulting temperate below 32 degrees on various ice-cubes in the cooler obtained by sprinkling of salt. Salt sprinkling has inevitably resulted in some of the beverages "freezing hard" while others remain liquid and sometimes at temperatures above 32 degrees. As such, the spreading of salt or other ice-melters on packaged-ice in a cooler to obtain colder temperatures than 32 degrees is an impractical method to know and control precisely the resulting temperature of ice- cubes in a cooler environment.
Some recent trends in custom cold beverage creation at home and at commercial establishments rely on traditional refrigeration and/or placing ice inside the beverage to obtain cold temperatures. At home custom beverage creating devices such as SODASTREAM ® by Soda-Club (C02) Atlantic GmbH, and KEURIG COLD ™ by Keurig Green Mountain Inc. each rely on one of these traditional methods for cooling, and each of these devices having significant drawbacks.
Traditional refrigeration offers a relatively slow and inefficient method of cooling, requiring hours to obtain approximately 40 F drinking temperatures.
Placing ice inside a beverage, while providing very rapid cooling and xice-cold' temperature, has the drawbacks of; 1) watered-down flavoring, 2) introducing impurities, and 3) causing premature de-carbonation of carbonated beverages .
The non-traditional method of cooling canned and bottled beverages rapidly by spinning then on their
longitudinal axis while the can or bottle is in contact with ice or 'ice-cold' liquid (usually fresh water at or near approximately 32 deg-F) has also been attempted. See for example, U.S. Patent 5,505,054 to Loibl et al. This patent describes a rapid beverage cooling method and device that attempts to reduce beverage cooling times from hours to close to a minute without putting ice in the beverage.
Other devices, such as the SPINCHILL ™ device, shown on the web at www.spinchill.com use portable type drills with a suction cup which can attach to one end of a canned beverage and claim 'cooling times' of 60 seconds or less for canned beverages spun at roughly 450rpm in a standard ice-cooler containing ice and/or iced-water, though the term 'cooling' is used loosely and generally describes a beverage
temperature between 40 - 50 F or thereabouts.
These non-traditional beverage cooling devices
mentioned above and their techniques generally spin canned or bottled beverages at a constant rpm (revolutions per minute) rate in one-direction only. These devices generally expose surface are of the can or bottle over and over again to ice or cold liquid in order to rapidly cool the beverage.
These devices also seek to minimize agitation inside the canned or bottled beverage by spinning them at
relatively mild rates of 350 - 500 rpm which, they claim, is optimal for rapid cooling and prevents undesirable foaming of carbonated beverages and beer.
These devices will still require a few to several minutes of spinning in a cooling medium in order to obtain 'ice-cold' drinking temperatures for the beverages, and have no automated way of communicating exactly when a beverage has reached its' optimal or lowest drinking temperature.
Moreover, none of these devices seek to maximize heat transfer coefficients (thereby minimizing cooling times) via utilization of 1) Liquid-immersion, 2) Turbulent fluid flow within the beverage container, and 3) Turbulent fluid-flow within the cooling medium. It has been known for many years that alcoholic and non-alcoholic bottled and canned beverages of all varieties, including bottled water, can be super cooled below 32 deg-F while remaining liquid for short periods of time. What is not generally known is how to cool these beverages rapidly to precise super cooled temperatures which allow for
enjoyable slush-on-demand' drinking experiences while preventing unwanted or premature freezing which can result in undesirable effects such as 1) premature foaming or release of carbonation in an undesirable way, and 2) hard frozen or Achunky' frozen beverages which are difficult to consume .
In addition, the prior art generally does not have ability to supercool beverages below 32-degrees and/or below their own freezing point while keeping them in a liquid state to allow for previously impossible beverage options, such as creating instant milkshakes from super cooled milk beverages and creating instant smoothies from super cooled fruit and vegetable juices without the need to blend-in chopped-ice into the smoothie.
Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A primary objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, apparatus, kits and systems for chilling and cooling bottled or canned beverages, desserts, and food items to selected desired temperatures by rapidly rotating and counter-rotating the bottled or canned
beverages, desserts, and food items that are immersed in cooled liquids in short time spans.
A secondary objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, apparatus, kits and systems for chilling and cooling bottled or canned beverages, desserts, and food items to selected desired temperatures, by
automatically communicating exactly when a beverage has reached its' optimal or lowest drinking temperature.
A third objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, apparatus, kits and systems for chilling and cooling bottled or canned beverages, desserts, and food items rapidly to precise super cooled temperatures which allow for enjoyable 'slush-on-demand' drinking
experiences while preventing unwanted or premature freezing which can result in undesirable effects such as 1) premature foaming or release of carbonation in an undesirable way, and 2) hard frozen or 'chunky' frozen beverages which are difficult to consume.
A fourth objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, apparatus, kits and systems to supercool beverages below 32-degrees and/or below their own freezing point while keeping them in a liquid state to allow for previously impossible beverage options, such as creating instant milkshakes from super cooled milk beverages and creating instant smoothies from super cooled fruit and vegetable juices without the need to blend-in chopped-ice into the smoothie.
A fifth objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, compositions, apparatus, kits and systems for chilling and cooling beverages, desserts and food items to selected desired temperatures by adding the items to different mixtures of brine solutions and bags of loose ice.
A sixth objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, compositions, apparatus, kits and systems for evenly chilling and cooling beverages, desserts and food items by submersing the items in an aqueous selected salinity of an ice-melter mixture, such as sodium chloride salt' and/or calcium chloride, that is combined with loose ice.
A seventh objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, compositions, apparatus, kits and systems for evenly chilling and cooling alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to desired temperatures below freezing by using preselected aqueous salinity solutions of an ice-melter mixture, combined with loose ice.
An eighth objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, compositions, apparatus, kits and systems for evenly chilling and cooling desserts by using preselected aqueous salinity solutions of an ice- melter mixture, combined with loose ice.
A ninth objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, compositions, apparatus, kits and systems for rapidly chilling beverages, desserts and food items by reducing chill time from hours to minutes.
A tenth objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, compositions, apparatus, kits and systems for keeping beverages, foods and desserts chilled for extended lengths of time (greater than
approximately 12 to approximately 24 hours) without using an external power supply source such as electricity or fuel, below freezing. The extended periods of time are beneficial for transporting food, dessert and beverage items that take a long time to transport.
An eleventh objective of the present invention is to provide methods, processes, compositions, apparatus, kits and systems, to be used in the creation of homemade and/or chef created ice creams or frozen desserts that require precision temperature control during freezing. The invention provides preferred embodiments for beverage cooling to range of 15 deg-F to 26 deg-F allowing for a wide variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic bottled and canned beverages to be super cooled (from room
temperature) - remaining in liquid form - in as little as 10 to 20 seconds in some cases (less or more depending on size and type of container and liquid immersion temperatures) .
In addition to supercooling, the invention allows for the rapid and precise cooling into any temperature range desired by maximizing heat-transfer coefficients across multiple regions of the cooling system.
By maximizing the heat transfer coefficients of the entire beverage cooling system via a sub-cooled liquid immersion medium and turbulent flow in both the beverage container and the liquid immersion medium, the invention is able to minimize beverage cooling times in order to make it practical to incorporate the technology into a vending environment, a bar, or a household or portable beverage supercooling device.
The addition of temperature sensors that are in contact with the beverage container and/or the liquid immersion medium and in communication with a 'smart' electronic timer allows the present invention to inform and/or alert the user to the exact time required and precise temperature obtained (within approx. +/- 1 or 2 deg-F) within the beverage container.
To create turbulent flow within the beverage container and simultaneously prevent unwanted nucleation during cooling (either nucleation of the carbonation within the liquid or nucleation-freezing of the liquid) the beverage container such as a cylindrical can, and the like, can be spun on axis in a vertical position at very high RPM
(generally >1000 RPM, and potentially as high as 10,000 RPM or more) for short periods of time (generally less than 1 second, but can be more or less) and then spun in the reverse direction for an equally short period of time.
This process can be repeated until the desired and selected temperature is reached inside the beverage
container. This rapid spinning and reversing direction process greatly improves heat transfer and thus greatly reduces beverage cooling times compared to the prior art.
Moreover, prior art patents (see for example, U.S.
Patent 5,505,054 to Loibl et al., which is incorporated by reference suggest an inverse relationship between cooling times and higher RPM when spinning above 345-400 RPM, which indicates an incomplete understanding of heat transfer inside the canned or bottled beverages which is misleading, limiting, and would not have led to the present invention or discovery. For another embodiment, in order to create turbulent flow within the liquid immersion medium, one or more high- volume liquid pumps can be activated in concert with the directional spinning of the beverage container to create turbulent flow and maximize heat transfer away from the beverage container into the liquid medium.
By maximizing heat transfer coefficients and reducing cooling time, this method becomes an energy-efficient way to cool individual canned or bottled beverages rapidly, offering energy-efficiency advantages over larger air-based refrigerated systems that require hours of run-time to cool a few beverages.
In another embodiment, displays can be provided for counting down the time, for example, in seconds to the user showing time remaining to cool desired beverages, foods.
The countdown display can be a lighted display, such as a circular display which rotates changing colors during the cooling process.
Novel aqueous solutions of a selected salinity of ice- melter (such as sodium chloride ^salt' and/or calcium chloride) can be poured in a pre-defined amount evenly over a known amount of bagged-ice in a cooler, creating a
precisely controlled and evenly distributed temperature (within a few degrees Fahrenheit) can be obtained within the ice-solution mixture. Canned and bottled beverages (and other items) can be submerged in the precision controlled temperature ice-solution mixture to create certain desired effects only possible by chilling items to a known
temperature below 32 degrees.
This aqueous solution can be sold in packages, such as but not limited to bottles, and the like, clearly delineated to be used with standardized amounts of packaged-ice in the U.S. and abroad, and in a variety of mixtures to obtain certain precision temperature ranges to create desired cooling effects on beer, beverages, ice-creams, and more.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments which are illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away view of a rapid-spinning liquid-immersion single-beverage supercooler with high-speed motor and spinning apparatus, insulated liquid-immersion cavity, optional self-contained refrigeration and heat- transfer system, high-flow liquid turbulence pumps,
temperature sensors, digital control (s) and various power adapters .
FIG. 2 is a partial see-through view of a preferred
embodiment of a rapid-spinning liquid-immersion single- beverage supercooler with a top-mounted high-rpm motor, a double-walled 'clear' plastic or glass liquid immersion cavity, an optional bottom-mounted self-contained
refrigeration and heat-transfer system, high-flow liquid turbulence pumps, temperature sensors, digital control (s) and various potential power adapters.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a multiple beverage rapid-spinning liquid-immersion supercooler.
FIG. 4 shows the potential telescoping base for automatic rapid beverage ejection from the liquid cooling medium.
FIG. 5 shows a touch screen timer user interface containing various inputs, selections, and sensory outputs on a user control interface.
FIG. 6 shows a self-contained touch-screen timer user interface containing electrical connections, battery, protective case and cover, attaching bracket, and
temperature sensor with mini-pump.
FIG. 7 is an exploded-view of a self-contained touch-screen timer user interface similar to that shown in FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 shows a front view of another heat transfer device for sealed container foods and/or beverages.
FIG. 9 shows another front view of the device of FIG. 8, as part of a supercooling kit with the heat transfer device and an ice-accelerator. FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of the device of FIG. 8 where an openable top of the device is removably attachable and where a container has been clipped to the top.
FIG. 11 is an upside down view of the top of the device of FIG. 10.
FIG. 12 is a front view of the device of FIG. 10 with a container in the inner chamber.
FIG. 13 is a cut open view of another embodiment of the device of FIG. 8 with a secondary container holding
mechanism.
FIG. 14 is a top view of the devices of FIG. 8.
Fig. 15 shows an embodiment of a 51b ice bag of loose ice and 1 liter aqueous solution and cooler with SWIM mix.
Fig. 16 shows an embodiment of a 7/81b ice bag of loose ice and 1.5 liter aqueous solution and cooler of SWIM mix.
Fig. 17 shows an embodiment of a 101b ice bag of loose ice and 1.75 liter aqueous solution and cooler of SWIM mix.
Fig. 18 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of Fig.
1 for a 51b ice bag and 1 liter aqueous solution with a cooler container.
Fig. 19 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of Fig.
2 for a 7 or 81b ice bag and 1.5 liter aqueous solution with a cooler container. Fig. 20 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of Fig. 3 for a 101b ice bag and 1.75 liter aqueous solution with a cooler container.
FIG. 21 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of Fig. 3 for using 2 101b ice bags and 2 1.75 liters aqueous solution with a cooler container.
FIG. 22 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of Fig. 3 for using 4 101b ice bags and 4 1.75 liters aqueous solution with a cooler container.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applications to the details of the particular arrangements shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of
limitation .
In the Summary above and in the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features (including method steps) of the invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the
invention, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally.
In this section, some embodiments of the invention will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout, and prime notation is used to indicate similar elements in alternative embodiments.
The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown.
Unless otherwise defined, technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described below.
Any publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the present specification, including any definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods and examples given are illustrative in nature only and not intended to be limiting. Accordingly, this invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the illustrated embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these illustrated embodiments are provided solely for exemplary purposes so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the
invention to those skilled in the art. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and from the claims.
A list of the components will now be described.
10 Rapid-Spinning Liquid-Immersion Supercooler Apparatus 20 Motor head (high speed motor)
25, 26 Beverage-holder assembly
28 single or dual rechargeable battery
30 Thermally insulated liquid immersion cavity
40. Liquid immersion medium
45. Ice 50 Lower beverage container holder
60 Liquid turbulence pumps
80 Liquid immersion temperature sensor
90 Beverage container temperature sensor
95 heat-transfer plugs
100 Self contained refrigeration & heat exchange system/unit
120 compressor
130 evaporator
140 condenser
150 battery system
160, 170 electrical connections
161 wall-plugged transformer
162 12V automotive cigarette-light adapter
171 wall-plugged transformer
172 12V automotive cigarette-light adapter
200 Interface microcontroller mechanism
310 rapid-spinning liquid-immersion single-beverage supercooler
320 bi-directional motor
330 glass or plastic liquid immersion cavity
400 Self-contained refrigeration unit
480 Multiple beverage unit
485 Telescoping support
500 Timer 510 Circuit board
520 Display
530 liquid medium temperature
540 countdown timer
550 temperature
560 container size
570 starting drink temperature
580 Start-end button
590 Reset button
600 container position selection
610 up and down arrow selections
620 turbo-pump on/off selection
630 bag or membrane use selection
700 Timer apparatus
710 self-contained case
715 self-contained case
725 rechargeable battery and connectors
730 protective transparent lid
740 mounting bracket
750 precision temperature probe
760 pump
770 standardized jack
780 Connector
790 Power adapter
810 Additional Embodiment 811 kit
812 outerbody
813 main body
814 inner chamber
816 top/lid
818 container holding mechanism
819 clip
820 viewing portion/window
820' opening
822 screen
824 plastic bottle selection element/button
826 glass bottle selection element/button
828 can selection element/button
830 first button (water)
832 second button (juice)
834 third button (fuzzy beverage, such as soda)
836 fourth button (beer/alcohol)
838 light mechanism
840 first light
842 second light
844 third light
846 actuation switch/button
848 front member
850 front face
852 top body 854 container with liquid to be cooled
856 outer rim
858 inside holding rim
860 liquid immersion
862 secondary holding n
864 arm
866 engagement portion
867 ice
868 base flange
870 upright flange
872 holding flange
874 bottom attachment
876 centering holder
878 protruding portion
880 motor
882 pump
883 digital reader
884 conducting surface
884' conducting surface
885 metallic contact
885' metallic contact
886 ice accelerator
888 containment body
890 lid
892 shaker 894 guide
896 containment body
898 top
899 probe
910. 51b bag of loose ice
912. loose ice in the bag
914. 1 liter container of saline solution composition
916. cooler housing
918. SWIM mix
919. products to be cooled/chilled
920. 71b or 81b bag of loose ice
924. 1.5 liter container of saline solution composition
926. cooler housing
928. SWIM mix
929. products to be cooled/chilled
930. 101b bag of loose ice
934. 1.75 liter container of the saline solution composition
936. cooler housing
938. SWIM mix
939. products to be cooled/chilled
TABLE 1 illustrates the obtained supercool temperatures and rapid cooling times of various canned and bottled beverages (between 8oz and 16oz) starting at a room
temperature of approximately 75 F (approximately 24.0 C) using a prototype of a preferred embodiment of the present invention rotating at 2500 rpm (which can include
approximately 2500 rpm) and switching directions every 0.65 seconds (which can include approximately 0.65 seconds). The term approximately can include +/- 10%.
These cooling times and temperatures are significantly faster and lower than those mentioned in referenced in the prior art, such as those described in U.S. Patent 5,505,054 to Loibl et al., and have no undesirable ^side-effects' of pre-released carbonation or foaming.
TABLE 1
Container Type/Size Final Beverage Temp Time (Seconds)
8oz Plastic Bottles 18 F (-7. 8 C) 40 sec
22 F (-5. 6 C) 35 sec
8oz Cans 18 F (-7. 8 C) 20 sec
22 F (-5. 6 C) 16 sec
12oz Cans 18 F (-7. 8 C) 24 sec
12oz Cans 22 F (-5. 6 C) 18 sec
16oz Cans 18 F (-7. 8 C) 32 sec
16oz Cans 22 F (-5. 6 C) 25 sec
12oz Plastic Bottles 18 F (-7. 8 C) 55 sec
12oz Plastic Bottles 22 F (-5. 6 C) 45 sec
16oz Glass Bottles 22 F (-5. 6 C) 95 sec TABLE 2 illustrates the obtained supercool temperatures and rapid cooling times of various canned and bottled beverages (between 20oz and 2 Liters) starting at a room temperature of approximately 75 F (approximately 24.0 C) using a prototype of a preferred embodiment of the present invention rotating at 2500 rpm (which can include
approximately 2500 rpm) and switching directions every 0.65 seconds (which can include approximately 0.65 seconds). The term approximately can include +/- 10%. These cooling times and temperatures have no undesirable 'side-effects' of pre- released carbonation or foaming.
TABLE 2
Container Type/Size Final Beverage Temp Time (Seconds)
20oz Plastic Bottles 18 F (-7. 8 C) 75 sec
22 F (-5. 6 C) 60 sec
20oz Cans 18 F (-7. 8 C) 45 sec
22 F (-5. 6 C) 35 sec
32oz Plastic Bottles 18 F (-7. 8 C) 95 sec
22 F (-5. 6 C) 80 sec
64oz Plastic Bottles 18 F (-7. 8 C) 150-210 sec
22 F (-5. 6 C) 120-280 sec
2 Liter Plastic Bottles 18 F (-7. 8 C) 300 sec
22 F (-5. 6 C) 260 sec TABLE 2 can also be used for other larger beverage containers, such as but not limited to 48oz, 1 liter and 3 liter plastic bottles, and the like. Additionally,
different glass bottles having the sizes listed in the above tables can also be included.
TABLES 1 and 2 can include the specific temperatures an times listed. Additionally, each of the listed specific temperatures and times can be each include approximately in front of the listed temperatures and times, where
approximately can include +/- 10%.
The times listed in TABLES 1 and 2 are from room temperature to the final temperature. Each of the times listed in both the listed times and in approximately the listed times can be reduced at least half, if the initial temperature is from a refrigerated temperature of
approximately 34F to the supercooled temperature.
While the switch times between rotating and counter- rotating has been tested at 0.65 seconds (including
approximately 0.65 seconds), the invention can be practiced with different values of rpm (revolutions per minute) and switch times as illustrated in TABLE 3.
TABLE 3
Operating Broad Range Narrow Range Preferred
Parameter
Rotation (RPM) 500-10, 000 1, 000-5, 000 2, 500
Switch Time (Sec) 1/10 - 2 3/10 - 1 0.3 - 0.7 While the rpm and seconds list specific values, each of the values can include approximately those values, where approximately includes +/- 10%.
The operating parameters of rpm and switch times can also be used with the alternatively rotating and counter- rotating of the various beverage containers referenced in TABLES 1 and 2, and can include additional applications for chilling of beverage containers. For example, a beverage container being rotated at approximately 1,000 rpm can be switched between rotations and alternative rotations at switch times of approximately 3/10 of a second per rotation.
The beverage container rotations in TABLES 1, 2 and 3 can include the beverage containers initially being
alternatively rotated between clockwise (CW) and counter- clockwise (CCW) , by starting at clockwise (CW) or starting at counter-clockwise (CCW) .
FIRST EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away view of a rapid-spinning liquid-immersion single-beverage supercooler with high-speed motor and spinning apparatus, insulated liquid-immersion cavity, optional self-contained refrigeration and heat- transfer system, high-flow liquid turbulence pumps,
temperature sensors, digital control (s) and various power adapters. It shows a high-rpm (revolutions per minute) motor mounted at the top capable of rapidly spinning the beverage and rapidly changing the direction of spin. Support, holding/retaining mechanisms for various sized canned and bottled beverages are also shown.
FIG. 2 is a partial see-through view of a preferred embodiment of a rapid-spinning liquid-immersion single- beverage supercooler with a top-mounted high-rpm motor, a double-walled ^clear' plastic or glass liquid immersion cavity, an optional bottom-mounted self-contained
refrigeration and heat-transfer system, high-flow liquid turbulence pumps, temperature sensors, digital control (s) and various potential power adapters.
FIGURES 1-2 illustrate a Rapid-Spinning Liquid- Immersion Beverage Supercooler Apparatus 10 and its associated methods according to the present invention. In first preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the device can include a rapid spinning bi-directional motor head 20, beverage holder assembly 25, 26, a thermally insulated liquid immersion cavity 30, and an immersion
cooling/chilling medium 40.
The immersion cooling/chilling medium 40 can include cooling liquid or substance 45, such as but not limited to ice and water, and/or water saline solution, and/or propylene glycol and water mix, and/or vegetable glycerin and water mix, and/or any glycol mix, and/or glycerin plus water mix, and/or a non-toxic liquid anti-freeze similar t anti-freeze blend such as described in the "Ice-Accelerator Aqueous Solution" U.S. Patent Application Serial No.
14/163,063 filed January 24, 2014 to the same inventor as the subject invention, which is incorporated by reference in its' entirety.
TABLE 4 shows the various temperatures that can be used for the liquid cooling medium or substance.
TABLE 4
LIQUID COOLING MEDIUM/SUBSTANCE TEMPERATURES Broad Range Narrow Range Preferred
-20 F to + 34 F -5 F to +32 F + 5 F to + 20 F
The number values in TABLE 4 can include the exact number values listed. Additionally, each of the number values can be approximately those values, where the term approximately includes +/- 10%.
The liquid immersion temperatures below -3 F can very difficult to work with due to premature freezing of contents inside canned containers. Also, some embodiments (for example in a commercial and/or vending machine application of this invention) will seek to minimize time of cooling by using liquid immersion temperatures on the lower end (such as near 0 F) , while home units can benefit from using Liquid Immersion temperatures nearer to the desired supercooling temperatures of 15 F to 18 F in order to allow a supercooled beverage to remain in the liquid indefinitely (after it has been supercooled) without the risk of freezing.
In other words, a home apparatus unit (such as those described in this application) can be designed in a way that slightly sacrifices speed of supercooling in order to allow for a secondary function (indefinite stay inside the
machine) of the supercooled beverage.
Referring to FIGURES 1-2, the device 10 can further include a lower beverage container holder 50, one or more high-volume liquid "turbulence" pumps 60, a liquid immersion temperature sensor 80 which is in communication with the user interface microcontroller mechanism 200, an optional beverage container temperature sensor 90, which can be in communication with the user interface controller.
The device 10 can further include an optional self- contained refrigeration and heat exchange system 100, which can include a compressor 120 -condenser 140 evaporator 130 refrigeration system in series. The motor 20 and compressor 120 can be D/C (direct current) electronic devices, a single or dual rechargeable battery 28, 150 system can be used to power the entire apparatus. Alternatively the motor and compressor can be A/C (alternating current) powered via standard electrical outlets.
Electrical connections comprising standard A/C power are shown as item 160 and 170, whereas D/C power connections are shown as wall-plugged transformers 161 and 171 and/or 12V automotive cigarette-lighter adapters 162, 172.
The method of operation can involve 1) first filling the liquid immersion cavity with cooling liquid or substance 45, Such as but not limited to ice and/or water saline solution, and/or propylene glycol and water mix, and/or vegetable glycerin and water mix, and/or any glycol and/or glycerin plus water mix, and/or a non-toxic liquid antifreeze similar to anti-freeze blend such as described in the "Ice-Accelerator Aqueous Solution" U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14/163,063 filed January 24, 2014 to the same inventor as the subject invention, which is incorporated by reference in its' entirety.
The cooling liquid in the liquid immersion cavity can be used to obtain a desired liquid medium temperature that is many degrees below freezing (32 F) .
If the optional self-contained refrigeration unit 100 is attached, it will be turned-on and the heat-transfer plugs 95 will be removed so the liquid can flow through the heat transfer system via a pump (not shown) in the
refrigeration unit to cool the liquid immersion medium.
This is required if ice is not used in the liquid immersion medium, but optional when ice is used. In the drawing in FIG. 1, a liquid immersion medium temperature of 6.5 F is shown on the touch-screen user interface control 200. 2) Next the user selects the desired supercool (or non- supercool) temperature for the beverages to attain, the size and type of beverage (drawing depicts a standard 12oz canned beverage) , the starting temperature of the beverage, and removes the motor head and beverage holding apparatus (20, 25, 26, 28, 90) and places a beverage container in the holder. The touch-screen timer, which can be an app on a cell-phone or other electronic device, such as but not limited to a laptop computer, personal computer, and the like, and operated remotely via wireless connection (not shown) will show the estimated time for cooling the beverage to the desired drinking temperature selected. The drawing depicts an estimated time of 30 seconds. Note: specialized beverage containers (not shown) that are designed to work with the present invention for home-made or custom mixed beverages that are not manufactured in disposable containers are part of the present invention and may be sold with the device or sold separately.
3) Next the user places the beverage container in the holder 26 and inserts the beverage down into the liquid immersion medium where it is held in place via the tension spring appendages 50. Note: the center area where the beverage is inserted may be protected with a screen-like cylindrical mesh (not shown) that keeps ice cubes out of the center area for easy insertion and ease of operation during rapid spinning. The mesh must allow the free-flow of liquid immersion medium into and away-from the beverage container. An optional switch (not shown) at the bottom of the beverage tension spring apparatus 50 may be used to communicate with the controller that a beverage is in the system and ready for cooling.
4) Next the user presses 'go' or 'start' or other begin-cooling command on the user interface 200 and the device automatically spins the beverage and rapidly reverses direction over and over according to the microcontroller algorithms. When the timer is complete, the device
automatically stops spinning and alerts the user that the beverage has reached the desired temperature and the
operation is complete. In the case of supercooling, it is possible the device can be equipped with an automatic telescoping base (as shown in FIGURES 3-4) to rapidly eject the cooled beverage from the liquid immersion medium to prevent nucleation (freezing) of the beverage.
5) Finally the user removed the beverage from the liquid immersion medium (if it has not been automatically lifted or ejected) , removed the container from the holding apparatus and opens the beverage container for consumption. In the case of supercooling, the beverage will provide a "slush-on-demand" effect when nucleated via a variety of means such as slamming on a table or inserting a very small piece of ice into the beverage. The system is then ready to be used again, and will be capable of cooling and/or supercooling dozens or more standard beverages in any given outing with or without electricity (if ice is used and/or batteries are charged) and should be constantly ready for use at a moments' notice.
FIG. 2 shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention 310 with a top-mounted high-speed bidirectional motor 320, and other systems similar to those in FIG. 1. Of note is the clear, double-walled (or triple- walled) glass or plastic liquid immersion cavity 330, and a "see-through" self-contained refrigeration unit 400.
FIG. 3 shows a multiple beverage unit 480 similarly designed to the apparatus in FIG. 1, but with the capability to simultaneously rapidly cool several different and varying sized beverage containers in the same liquid immersion medium. For simplicity, the drawing leaves out many of the detailed components shown in FIG. 1. An optional
telescoping support 485 below the beverage containers can be used to rapidly and automatically eject the beverages from the liquid immersion medium in order to prevent freezing (nucleation) of the beverages if left in the liquid
immersion medium after supercooling is complete. FIG. 4 shows the telescoping support 485 being fully extended. FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 illustrate preferred embodiments of a built-in or self-contained touch-screen user-interface supercooling Timer 500, 700, their methods and designs. The apparatus 500 described in FIG 5 is meant to show possible displayed input selections and outputs of a supercooling user-interface timer control and display utilizing built-in electronics and algorithms. The user interface of the present invention can contain more, less, or other inputs, selections and outputs than depicted.
The device can contain a circuit board 510 and a touch screen display 520. The touch-screen display can contain a variety of user selected inputs such as the desired
supercool temperature 550, the container size and type 560, the starting drink temperature 570, the a start-end button 580, a reset button 590, a container position selection 600, up and down arrow selections 610, a turbo-pump on/off selection 620, a bag or membrane use selection 630, and other selections as required. The outputs to the user interface may include a display of the liquid medium
temperature 530, a countdown timer 540, a battery level indicator (if appropriate) and a container position
indicator (not shown) .
The timer apparatus 700 described in FIGURES 6 and 7 includes the entire touch-screen display 500 described in FIG. 5 set into a self-contained case 710, 715 with protective transparent lid 730, rechargeable battery and connectors 725, a mounting bracket 740, a standardized power adapter and connector 790, 780, and standardized jack 770 and precision temperature probe 750 and small pump 760. The small pump is turned-on periodically via control software algorithms to time the operating of the pump to maximize turbulence within the liquid immersion medium. For example, pumps can create more turbulence in liquid immersion
mediums .
The software algorithms can control the pumps to stir the liquid medium around the temperature probe for several seconds prior to taking a temperature reading in the case of stagnant liquid medium.
The apparatus may contain an audible alarm (not shown) to alert users of certain conditions including "timer-done" activity and/or the ability to automatically turn on/off the spinning motor head, change speeds or rpm, and automatically remove the beverage from the liquid cooling medium.
The software algorithms contained in micro
processors (computer) in the apparatus can be capable of calculating the amount of time required to attain the desired supercooling temperature for the beverages based on a number of inputs including the liquid medium temperature and those listed above and/or others. The software algorithms in the computer can change rotation speeds, switching times based on size and type and shape of the beverage containers (cans or bottles, plastic or glass, different shapes (cylindrical, bottle, square, rectangular) , and the desired final temperatures starting from either room temperature or refrigerated temperature that can include approximately 34F.
The apparatus may be manufactured as an integral part of the various liquid-immersion beverage supercooling devices mentioned in the present invention or may be
manufactured as a stand-alone device to be used in any standard beverage cooler.
While the preferred embodiments show containers being bottles and cans, the invention can be used to rapidly cool and chill other other shaped containers, such as square, rectangular, triangular, and the like.
Although the preferred embodiments describe rapidly cooling beverages, the invention can be used to rapidly cool and chill desserts, and food items, and the like.
Although the preferred embodiments have the beverage containers being chilled to be mounted by being immersed in a housing of cooling liquid, followed by alternatively rotating and counter-rotating, the invention can be used with other cooling techniques. For example, an insert such as a pipe, tube, oblong shape can be inserted into the cap portion of the larger bottles, such as the 64 ounce or 1 liter or 2 liter or 3 liter bottle, and can contain the cooling liquid sealed from the beverage inside of the beverage container. The beverage container can both rotate in the immersed cooling fluid and rotate about the insert through the cap, so that the cooling fluids substantially decrease the time for chilling the beverages in the beverage containers .
Other embodiments can allow for the larger containers, such as a 2 liter bottle, and the like, to not have to be immersed in a liquid housing, where the beverage container is in a bath effect. The invention can allow for
eliminating the main housing so that the beverage containers are not immersed in any cooling liquid. The cap portions of the beverage containers, can be mounted to the motors, through the cap portions, where elongated inserts (tubes, pipes, oblong shapes) are inserted into the beverages inside of the container. The inserts would contain cooling liquids in either a stationary form or being circulated in and out of the inserts by pumps. The beverage containers would be continuously rotated and counter-rotated about the inserts.
ADDITIONAL EMBODIMENT
Referring to the Figures 8-14, there is shown a
transfer device 810 for sealed container foods and/or beverages, that includes an outer body 812, a vertically- oriented inner chamber 814, and an openable top 816, wherein the openable top 816 has a container holding mechanism 18 to hold a container 854 in a vertical orientation inside the inner chamber 814.
The device 810 can be configured and dimensioned to hold any amount of containers. The device 810 can include a plurality of container holding mechanisms 818 as shown in the previous embodiments. Device 810 can be configured to hold only one container 854.
Referring to the outer body 812, the outer body 12 can be of any shape and materials. It can be substantially of any shape and/or size. In the embodiment shown, the size of the device 810 (and thus the outer body 812) is such that the device 810 is of not dissimilar to dimensions to a kettle, and thus is aptly sized for use in a kitchen.
Device 810 can be portable and usable portably. The device 810 can be powered electrically; the device 810 can be powered by battery (s); the device 810 can include a rechargeable power source.
The device 810 can have a viewing portion 20, having an opening 820' in the outer body. The container held in the inner chamber 814 can be viewed by a user while the device 810 is in use. The viewing portion 820 can include a screen 822, which can be plastic, glass or any transparent type material. The screen 822 can be tinted so that the inside container is viewable inside of the inner chamber 814
There can be provided a container type selection means (of any sort under the Sun) so that a user can select what type of container is being introduced into the inner chamber 814 for heat transfer, which selection means may preferably be provided about the outer body 12.
Various selection element can be provided, such as but not limited to buttons, to allow the user to choose various options. For example, there can be a plastic bottle
selection element 824 (preferably a button) , a glass bottle selection element 826 (preferably a button), and a can selection element 828 (preferably a button) , as such
different types of container (s) can take different times to complete heat transfer (e. g. to supercool, if the device is being used as a super cooler) .
There can be provided a light emitting element by each selection element which is illuminated to denote when the selection element is chosen. It will be obvious that buttons are simply one way of providing selection options for a user. A computerized selection system (or any selection system of any type) can be provided. In a computerized selection system, a touch screen icon(s) on a display (which display is preferably lit up and which can include an LED display) which icon(s) can be pressed by a user to make choices of container type (or any other choices) . Such a selection system can include a computer screen with a display.
In the shown example (provided by way of example only) , there are provided four beverage selection elements (which can include depressible buttons) , with a first button 830 (which can, for example, be pressable by a user to denote the container contains water) ; a second button 832 (which can, for example, be pressable by a user to denote the container contains juice) ; a third button 834 (which can, for example, be pressable by a user to denote the container contains a fizzy beverage) ; a fourth button 836 (which can, for example, be pressable by a user to denote the container contains beer/alcohol) .
The selection features can include lightable elements that are lit to denote when an option is chosen. The container content selection can be provided by way of a computerized system, having a screen, which may have touch screen options touchable and thus selectable on the screen. Container content selections can also include non-beverage option (s), such as soup, tea, and the like.
(Container content selection elements in the shown example embodiment are numbered in FIG. 8 only to retain clarity for the other drawings) . There can be provided an anticipatory lighting feature 838 (numbered fully in FIG. 8 only to retain clarity for the other drawings) . Preferably the anticipatory lighting feature 838 can include a plurality of lights 840, 842, 844, the anticipatory lighting feature 838 configured to light the lights to denote percentage of temperature transfer that is complete, or substantially to denote percentage of temperature transfer that is complete.
In the shown example, there is provided a first light 840, a second light 842, and a third light 844. In the shown preferred embodiment, the lights can form a circle, the anticipatory lighting feature thus being circular in shape (although it can be any shape and/or configuration) , and each light forming a segment of the circular shape. Each light preferably can include a light emitting element, such as but not limited to an LED (light emitting diode (s)), and a screen, which can preferably be a plastic screen.
In the shown preferred embodiment, there is also provided an action button 846 in a centre of the circle (although in alternate configuration (s) , the action button 846, if there is provided one, can be provided in any location) , which can itself also be a light, and can include a light emitting element and a screen. This action button 846 can be used to activate the device to start the device, such that, for example, if pressed by a user, the device 810 is activated. This can involve heat transfer acceleration system being activated, such as a container disturbance system and/or a liquid immersion disturbance system.
In the embodiment as shown (where there are three light segments), the first light 840 can be lit when one third of temperature transfer has taken place; the second light 842 can be lit when two thirds of temperature transfer has taken place, and the third light 844 can be lit when temperature transfer is complete. When all the lights are lit, it user will know that temperature transfer is complete. The action button 846 can also be depressible and can also light up when lit, and can be a different color light to the other lights. When temperature transfer is complete, the action button 846 can turn to a different color (i.e. be lit in a different color) to denote to the user that temperature transfer is complete.
Preferably, if the lights 840, 842, 844 light in such a sequence, they are lit in such a way to exactly denote (or substantially exactly denote) percentage of temperature transfer that has taken place. However, they need not exactly mathematically correctly denote percentage amount of temperature that has taken place and can act as a rough guide for the user. Displaying percentage amount of temperature transfer that has taken place in such a way, especially via the use of lighting, can increase
anticipation of the user.
The device can include electronics so that, once options for container type and container content type have been chosen, the device can compute what time and/or
temperature is required to complete heat transfer. Such computation can synchronize with the anticipatory lighting mechanism 838 so that the lights of the anticipatory
lighting mechanism 838 light at such times to denote (or substantially denote) percentage of heat transfer that has taken place, with reference to computations made as to how long heat transfer will take for the chosen option (s) .
In the embodiment of Figures 8, 9, 10 and 12, there is provided a front member 848, which is preferably of black (or any color) plastic, but may be of any material. In the shown embodiment, the front member 848 acts as (and
therefore is) a surround for the anticipatory lighting means 36. This may provide support for the anticipatory lighting mechanism 838. This can be useful if the anticipatory lighting mechanism if provided (as in the shown example embodiment in the drawings) around, about, or within the opening 820' in the outer body 812 which forms the viewing portion 820.
In the shown example embodiment (and in no way limiting the scope of the invention) , the front face 850 (which in the shown example embodiment of Figures 8-10 and 12 can include the viewing portion 820 and the anticipatory lighting mechanism 838, amongst other selection elements), is substantially flat in nature, almost as if 'sawn off, the rest of the device 810 appearing substantially circular in shape from a top view. This is best shown in FIG. 14, where it is shown via a top view that in the example shown embodiment, the device 810 can be substantially round in nature from a top view, and the front face 850 appears flat (or substantially flat) compared to a side and back of the device 810.
This can be important as if, for example, the front face 50 were also round as is the side and the back in the example embodiment, manufacture, attachment, and cost of elements such as the anticipatory lighting mechanism 838 can become challenging or expensive. A flat (or
substantially flat) front face 850 can be beneficial for inclusion of such elements. The front flat face 850 can be substantially flat in that it can include curves, and the like, but be of a generally flat nature. Similarly it can include buttons, and the like(as shown in FIG. 14), but be generally flat in nature. It will be obvious, nevertheless, that the device 810 (and the outer body 812) can be of any shape, not limited to the example as shown in the drawings. Referring to the vertically oriented inner chamber 814, the chamber 814 can be shaped and/or dimensioned in such a way to best facilitate fast temperature transfer between a liquid immersion 860 in the chamber, and a container 854 held in the chamber 814. This can involve dimensioning the chamber 814 to within certain parameters. The device 810 can have a guide (which can, for example, comprise a guide line (such as 894 in FIG. 9), which guide line can be
provided on the outer body 812, or, for example, within the inner chamber 814) to denote to a user how much ice or liquid (immersion) should be placed into the chamber 814. The device 810 can have a plurality of such guides to guide the user as to how much ice or liquid immersion should be placed into the chamber 814 dependent on different container type and/or content of the container.
Referring to the openable top 816 which can include a container holding mechanism 818, in the shown example embodiment, the openable top 816 can include a top body 852 and a container holding mechanism 818 for holding a
container 854 in the inner chamber 814. The openable top 816 can be fully removable, although it is feasible it is hinged, ratcheted, and the like, or that it remains
connected to the device 810 when opened, which is shown in FIG. 10, where the top 816 can be seen fully removed from the rest of the outer body 812. A container 854 has been attached to the top 816 via the container holding mechanism 818 (which can be a holding clip 19) . Arrows denote that in the shown example the container 854 has been attached to the top 816 via the holding clip 818, 819 by pushing the
container 854 up into the holding clip 818, 819. 'Holding mechanism' is a term used as a broad term to include any method of holding container 854. It is feasible the
container holding mechanism 818 may be configured to hold a plurality of containers at once.
As shown, the holding mechanism 818 can be located on an underside of the top 816. The container holding mechanism 818 can be integrally formed as part of the top 816. The container holding mechanism 818 can be removably attachable from the top 816. In many of the drawings, the holding mechanism 818 is not visible (thus a dashed line denotes its presence in FIGURES 8-10 and 12. A basic embodiment of the holding mechanism 818 is however visible in FIG. 11 where there is shown an upside down view of the top 816 alone. In the shown example, the holding mechanism 818 includes a holding clip 819 and is configured to hold either a can via the outside holding rim 856 of the holding mechanism 818, or a bottle via the inside holding rim 858 (which may be a depression) of the holding mechanism 818, which is
configured to hold a top of a bottle. An example of a container holding mechanism 818 is shown in FIG. 13, wherein a can is being held via the outer rim 856 of the holding mechanism 818. The outer rim 856, in such an embodiment or any embodiment, can be made out of rubber or rubber-type materials, elastomers, spring biased materials, and the like, so that the container 854 can be resiliently contained and held by the holding mechanism 818.
In FIG. 13, the liquid immersion includes some ice 867. The container holding mechanism 818 can be configured to hold a top of the container 854 (for example, a bottle top (as shown in the drawings), or a top of a can, and the like) . The holding mechanism 818 can be configured to hold only one type of container 854, or can, as in the shown example be configured to hold more than one type of
container 854 (e.g. to hold a can container or a bottle container) . The container holding mechanism 818 can be a universal, or substantially universal, holding mechanism to hold a vast array (or substantially any) container of appropriate size. This can be achieved, (for example), by having a container holding mechanism 818 whereby the size of the holding mechanism (for example the size of a holding rim) is adjustable to conform to substantially any container and/or container top. This may involve a part of the holding mechanism 18 being sizably adjustable. It will be obvious that certain containers 854 can be of differing length. Thus, for example, the container 854 as shown in FIG. 10 (which is a bottle) can be longer in length than a can. This can lead to a shorted container (such as a can) being less fully immersed in the liquid immersion 860 (liquid immersion shown in Figures 10, 12 and 13. This can negatively impact speed and accuracy of heat transfer. Thus the container holding mechanism 818 can be extendible to push the container into the liquid immersion 860, preferably configured to push the or any container into the liquid immersion 860 to an appropriate level to facilitate heat transfer (and/or an appropriate level to facilitate heat transfer in a most accelerated timeframe) . This can be achieved via the holding mechanism 818 being spring-loaded extendible (or by any other techniques) . Thus the holding mechanism 818 can include a spring. (The term 'spring' is used in a broad sense, of such scope to include any
compressible element) .
There can be provided a secondary holding mechanism 62, which can, for example, be located toward a base of the inner chamber 814, and can be referred to as a 'base holding mechanism' 862. FIG. 13 shows a secondary container holding mechanism 862 located substantially toward a base of the inner chamber 814. The secondary container holding mechanism 862 can stabilize and/or center the container 854. In embodiments (or in use) where the container 854 is a
beverage container, the secondary container holding
mechanism 862 is a beverage container holder 862.
The secondary container holding mechanism 862 (which can be a beverage container holder) can be a guide,
configured to guide the container into position. The
secondary container holding mechanism 862 (which may be a guide) can include at least one arm 864 (and can include two arms as in the shown example of FIG. 13, which can guide the container 854 into position, and can stabilize the container 854.
The arm(s) 864 can be resiliently openable, so that they can open outwards when engaged by the container 854 to facilitate holding of containers of varying sizes. The secondary container holding mechanism 862 (which can be a beverage container holder) need not have arm(s) 864 to be resiliently openable and can be resiliently openable in any embodiment, so that it can be pried open to hold a container 854. This can aid tight holding of the container 854 and can allow for holding of a variety of sizes of container (s) 854.
The arm(s) 864 can include an engagement portion 866, which can be resiliently outwardly pressable to facilitate holding of varying sizes of container (s) 854. The
engagement portion 866 can have a flat, or substantially flat, holding surface to engage with and hold the container 854. In such an example embodiment, the arm(s) 864 can further comprise a base flange 868 and an upright flange 870. The arm(s) can further include a holding flange 872. There can be provided a bottom attachment 874 for a bottom of the container 854 (which attachment 874 can be conical, as shown) to facilitate holding of the container 854, which can be achieved via insertion of the attachment 874 into a centering holder 876.
The bottom attachment 874 can attach to the container in any way; for example, it can wrap around a base of the container 854. The bottom attachment 874 can be attachable to the container 854 before the container 854 is entered into the inner chamber 814, and therefore can be provided separately to the device 810, feasibly forming part of a kit.
There can be provided a secondary holding mechanism 862 and/or holding element (s) to hold the container 854 (or any amount of containers if the device 810 is configured for holding a plurality of containers) . The secondary holding mechanism 862 can be located in any position, not limited to a top or a base of the device 810.
The top 816 can have a protruding portion 878. The protruding portion 878 can be useful to facilitate opening (and/or removal) of the top 816 by a user, effectively being used as a handle. As will be shown, the protruding portion 878 can have other use(s).
There can be provided a container moving system, which is a broad term for f disturbing the container (and thus disturbing contents of the container, which is preferably a beverage, but can be any content, including food, such as, but not limited to, soup, tea, for example) ; it will be well-known to those with skill in the art that, for example, rotating a beverage container (such as, for example, a can) when the container is, for example, in contact with ice or a cooling liquid immersion, accelerates heat transfer, accelerating cooling of the beverage. Thus there can be provided a container moving system to accelerate heat transfer. Moving the container 854 can put content of the container (especially where content is fluid based) into a state of turbulence. This turbulence can be extremely beneficial in accelerating heat transfer from the liquid immersion 860 to the container content.
Disturbance of the container can also create turbulence in the surrounding liquid immersion, which may also be beneficial in accelerating heat transfer.
The container moving system can be a rotational system, configured to rotate the container 854. As described in the previous embodiment, the container moving system can be configured to rotate and counter-rotate the container 854. This has significant benefits and can still further greatly accelerate heat transfer. A rotate and counter-rotate container/beverage moving system can allow for further acceleration of heat transfer. Rotating and then counter- rotating the container can put content of the container into an extremely high state of turbulence, which can be
beneficial for acceleration of heat transfer.
One benefit of such a rotate and counter-rotate
disturbance can be that it allows for RPM (revolutions per minute) speeds at which regular (one directional) rotation ceases to cause significant further acceleration in heat transfer speeds, whilst with a rotation and counter-rotation disturbance, such RPM speeds continue to still further accelerate heat transfer.
Preferably the container disturbance (moving system) ,
(especially when it is a rotate and counter-rotate system) , can include a motor 880 to rotate and counter-rotate the container 854, such as the motor described in the previous embodiment. The motorized rotation can be configured to alternate between clockwise rotation of the container and counter clockwise rotation of the container 854 at regular intervals as described in the previous embodiment. The motorized rotation can be configured to alternate between clockwise rotation of the container and counter clockwise rotation of the container 854 at intermittent intervals, or irregular intervals.
While the motor can be provided at different locations motor 880 can be provided at a top of the device 810. S shown in FIG. 10, motor 880 can be within the top of the device and/or within the protruding portion 878 at the top 816 of the device 810. (The motor 880 is shown in dashed lines in the drawings to denote that it is inside the protruding portion 878) . Thus the top 816, in the shown preferred embodiment, can house at least one component of the container moving system.
The protruding portion 878 of the top can have
different benefits. It can aid opening and/or removal of the top 816 by a user (who can use the protruding portion 878 as a handle to grip the top 816 in order to open and/or remove it) , and the protruding portion 878 can be used to house at least one element that forms part of the container moving system.
The motor 880 can be located directly, or substantially directly, above the container holding mechanism 818, which is preferably a holding clip 819. Preferably the motor rotates (and more preferably rotates and counter rotates) the container holding mechanism 818, and thus the container. (The motor 880 is not limited to rotating the container 854 and can, for example vibrate the container 854) . The container 854 is preferably disturbed (moved) by the motor 880 via the container holding mechanism 818. As such, the container holding mechanism 818 (holding clip 819) forms part of the container moving system.
Locating the motor 880 above the container can allow for a simple gearing solution (if one is required) .
The motor 880 can be geared with gearing, and have an electronics system, which can be pre-programmed to rotate and counter rotate the container 854 at certain intervals, as described in the previous embodiment. Revolutions per minute (RP ) of rotation and intervals between rotation and counter-rotation can be optimized to accelerate heat transfer so that heat transfer is as fast as possible by being pre-programmed. Thus the device 810 can comprise circuitry configured to rotate and counter rotate a
container at a particular speed, with a particular
interval (s) between clockwise rotation and counter-clockwise rotation as described in the previous embodiment.
The rotation disturbs the liquid immersion 860, thus putting the liquid immersion into a state of turbulence. As foretasted, this can be beneficial for accelerating heat transfer .
Referring to FIG. 12, the system can include a pump 882. (The pump 882 is shown in dashed lines to denote that it is preferably located within the device 810) . The pump 882 can disturb (put into turbulence) the liquid immersion 860, accelerating heat transfer. There can be an option for a user to use the liquid immersion moving system (which can include a pump 882) only, without use of the motor 880.
Whilst this can lead to slower heat transfer than if both liquid immersion and container moving system were used in tandem, it can (if, for example, the container moving system with a motor 80) leads to a less noise being put out by the device 810 when used.
The device 810 can be configured so that any or none of the moving system can be usable independently; thus, it is feasible that it can be selected by a user that only the liquid immersion moving system motor 880 is used to
accelerate heat transfer, or the pump 882 is used, or that both are used together, which can lead to particularly accelerated heat transfer. Such options can be computed by the device 810, which can compute how quick temperature transfer will take place, which speed of heat transfer can be relayed to the user, for example, via a digital reader 883, or any display for displaying data to a user. The device 810 can include a display for relaying information to a user. Such computations (of heat transfer speed) can act in combination with the anticipatory lighting mechanism 838, which can have lights light up to denote (or substantially denote) amount of heat transfer that has taken place, thus communicating to a user how much heat transfer has taken place (and/or how much time is remaining before heat
transfer is completed) , and increasing anticipation in a user .
The anticipatory lighting mechanism 838 is just one example of heat transfer speed being relayed to a user, and any method of relaying heat transfer speed (or other
information) can be used to relay information to a user.
Referring to FIG. 10, the motor 880 can be provided as part of the openable top 816 (which is preferably a
removable top) . In such a case, where the container moving system has an element (such as the motor 880) which requires power in order to function, and where it is disconnected from power source of the device 810 when the top 816 is opened and/or removed, there can be provided a power
transfer solution in order to transfer power from a main body 813 (shown in FIG. 10) of the device 810 to the motor 880 when the top 816 is opened and/or removed. The device 810, can be configured so that power (and in particular, electricity) , can be conducted from the main body 813 of the device 810 to the top 816, thus powering the motor (or any power-requiring element) .
As shown in FIG. 10, main body 813 of the device 810, can be in contact with a power source (for example, via a wire and plug) , with the openable top 816 (which is a removable top 816 in FIG. 10), being fully removed from the main body 813 (and thus the top 816 (and a motor 880 in an embodiment where the motor 980 is provided within the top) being disconnected from the power source.
One example of such a power transfer solution is shown partially in FIGURES 10-11, where it is shown, in the example embodiment, there is a metallic connection between the main body 813 of the device 810 (i.e. the portion of the device 810 including the inner chamber 814) and the top 816 of the device 810. In the shown example (in no way limiting a scope of the power transfer solution) , as shown in FIG. 10, the main body 813 has at least one (and in fact has two in the shown example) electrical conducting surface 884, which in the shown example is provided by way of metallic contact (s) 885. As shown in FIG. 11, the openable (and preferably removable) top 816 also has at least one (and in fact has two) electrical conducting surface 884' , which is provided (in the shown example) by way of at least one (and in fact has two) metallic contacts (s) 885'. Thus electricity (power) can be transferred from the main body 813 to the top 816, and thus to the motor 880 (or any power-requiring element) .
Thus there is provided a power transfer solution whereby power can be transferred from the main body 813 of the device 810 to the top 816 of the device via metallic connection (s) (and/or electrical conduction). The intent is that the top electrical conducting surface (s), and the main body electrical conducting surface (s) engage, thus allowing transfer of power. Thus the motor 880 can be powered even though it does not have direct contact with a power source when the top is opened and/or removed. It is feasible that the power transfer solution can also facilitate secure closing of the device it is also a magnetic solution, so that the top is magnetically held closed when the conducting surface (s) (and/or a metallic surface) of the main body engage .
If the device 810 is used or usable as a supercooling device, it can be provided as part of a supercooling kit 811. In such a case, such a supercooling kit 811, as shown in FIG. 9 can include device 810, and an ice-melting
accelerator 886 (which will herein be called an 'ice- accelerator' 886) . The intent is that the ice accelerator 886 can be added to ice which is placed in the inner chamber 814, lowering the freezing point of water content, melting the ice, and thus lowering temperature of the liquid
immersion 860. Preferably the ice-accelerator 886 is a precision ice-accelerator 886 so that the fluid immersion 860 is cooled within specific and predictable (or
substantially predictable) temperature parameters, which can facilitate greater likelihood of nucleation and/or cool content of the container to within intended temperature parameters. The ice-accelerator 866 can be such as the ones described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14/163,063 filed January 24, 2014, and described below
The ice-accelerator 886 can be provided as a
concentrated ice-melting formula, such as a liquid, or in granular form) . The formula can be provided in a container, which container can include a containment body 888, a cavity in the containment body 888 for containing the ice
accelerator 886, and a lid 890 for closing the cavity.
The ice accelerator 886 can be mixed prior to
introduction into the inner chamber 814. Thus the kit 811 can include a shaker 892, which allows for manual or
mechanical or motorized shaking of the contents. Thus an amount of ice-accelerator 886 can be added into the shaker 892. Water (or any dilution fluid) can be added into the shaker 892 with the ice accelerator 886. There can be provided a guide 894 on the shaker 892 to guide the user in adding a correct amount of water and/or ice-accelerator into the shaker. The mix can then be physically shaken in the shaker 892 (which preferably comprises a containment body 896 and an openable top 898) before it is added into the inner chamber 814. In a preferred embodiment of such a supercooling kit 811, the kit 811 can include the device 810, an ice- accelerator 886, and a shaker 892.
The device 810 can be provided in many shapes and forms, and in certain embodiments (even when used, for example, for supercooling) , does not require an ice- accelerator, and can have capacity for self-regulation of temperature of a liquid immersion 860. The device can, for example, include a cooling system for cooling the (or a) liquid immersion 860. The device 810 may, for example, can include a heating system for heating the (or a) liquid immersion 860. Such a heating system can, for example, include a heating element- similar, for example, to a heating element of a kettle, which heats a liquid in the kettle.
As shown in FIG. 13, there can be provided a
temperature ascertaining system for ascertaining temperature of the liquid immersion 860. The temperature ascertaining system can include at least one temperature probe (s) 899 to ascertain temperature of the fluid immersion 860. The probe 899 (or a portion of the probe 899) can be located within the inner chamber 814. A probe 899 is just one example of how to ascertain temperature of the liquid immersion 860 in the inner chamber 814, in no way limiting a scope of an ascertaining system, which can use any means to ascertain temperature of the liquid immersion 860. There can be provided a (digital) readout element 883.
The digital readout element 883 can communicate
externally to a user the temperature of the liquid immersion 860. Such information can be displayed in any way to the user. Temperature data from the at least one probe 899 (or any other technique for ascertaining temperature) can be used by the device 810 to compute data relevant to heat transfer. The device can be configured to be able to regulate temperature of the liquid immersion 860 dependent on content of the container (s) 854. Information pertaining to content of the container (s) 854 can be selected/chosen by the user (via, for example, a container content selection as foretasted) . Similarly information pertaining to the type of container that the content is contained in can have been selected/chosen by the user (via, for example, a container type selection as foretasted)
Thus the device 810 can allow for input of information regarding container type, and container content; can be configured to compute from the inputted information what temperature the liquid immersion 860 need be, and can be able to regulate the temperature of the liquid immersion 860 to the required temperature; can be able to compute how long heat transfer will take to complete, and can be able to relay time information to the user. The device 810 can be configured to relay computed time data to an anticipatory lighting mechanism 838, which in turn relays time information to the user, most preferably via lighting of lights to denote (or substantially to denote) percentage of heat transfer that has taken place. The first light can illuminate slightly after or before one third of the heat transfer is complete. The lighting mechanism 838 can be fairly exact in terms of timing of light illumination to denote percentage of heat transfer that has taken place.
The device 810 can include a heating system for heating the liquid immersion, can include a cooling system for cooling the liquid immersion, and can include ascertaining temperature of the liquid immersion. Data ascertained can be relayed externally to a user, and/or can be used by the device to compute aspects relevant to heat transfer.
Thus the device 810 can include a self-regulating temperature system for regulating the temperature of the liquid immersion, which self-regulating temperature system can alter temperature of the liquid immersion dependent on data received (and/or inputted) by the user.
The device 810 does not require constant filling of the inner chamber 814, and can have its own liquid immersion 860 source, which may not require re-filling, or may only require refilling intermittently. In Use
The invention will now be described in use with reference to one example embodiment (in no way limiting a scope of the invention, where the device 810 is used for supercooling as part of a supercooling kit. Because the example is taken by way of example only, no limitation should be read onto the invention from this description of the invention in action.
Thus, when used as a supercooling device as part of a supercooling kit, an ice-accelerator (preferably a
concentrate) can be added to a shaker. Water can be added to the shaker up to a guide (line) on the shaker, which shaker can be transparent or substantially transparent so the user can use the guide (line) as a guide for how much water
(and/or ice-accelerator) should be added to the shaker. The shaker can then be physically shaken, mixing the water and ice-accelerator. Alternatively, the shaker can be
mechanically shaken such as by a rotatable member, or automatically, for example, in a blender type device.
Ice can be added to the inner chamber of the device. The mixed solution from the shaker can then be added to the ice in the inner chamber, thus melting the ice, (forming a liquid immersion) and lowering the temperature of the liquid immersion to below standard water freezing temperature. The top of the device can then be removed and a
container (for example a container containing a beverage- for example, water) may then be clipped onto the top via a container holding mechanism (preferably a holding clip) . The holding clip can be spring-loaded extendable so that when the top is placed back on to the device/closed, the
container is immersed into the liquid immersion to a level which facilitates quick heat transfer between the liquid immersion and the content of the container.
The user can choose what type of container the
container is, the information inputted into the device by any means. The user can choose what content is in the container, the information inputted into the device by any means. The device can include electronics so that it can receive the inputted data and compute heat transfer
requirements accordingly. In a fairly basic embodiment, this can simply entail computing length of time it will take for heat transfer.
The user can activate the device via an action button. The length of time for heat transfer data information may be synchronized with an anticipatory lighting means, which can include a plurality of lights. The lights can start to light up (preferably lighting up in a sequence, which sequence may be a circular sequence) to denote (or substantially to denote) percentage of heat transfer that has taken place. This can create anticipation in a user.
The container is preferably viewable within the inner chamber via a viewing portion.
In one preferred embodiment, when temperature transfer is complete, lights of the anticipatory lighting can quickly light in a sequence to denote that temperature transfer is complete. Once temperature transfer is complete, the action button (if it is a light) can turn a different color (which color may be blue) to denote temperature transfer is
complete .
Once the temperature transfer is complete (preferably denoted by the device to the user in some way, most
preferably by a lighting mechanism) , the top can be opened and/or removed, and the container removed from the container holding mechanism.
Dependent on certain criteria, if the container content is a beverage and it has been supercooled, nucleation can be initiated via various ways, including but not limited to: slamming the beverage container on a surface; shaking the beverage; tapping the beverage. Nucleation can also be initiated via a nucleation-inducing element, which can be provided with the device and/or kit. Such a nucleation element may, for example, be a prong that is cooled to a low temperature such that, when the container content is engaged by the nucleation-inducing element, nucleation of the container content (beverage) is initiated.
In one embodiment of such a nucleation-inducing
element, the nucleation-inducing element is a nucleation wand which is elongate.
In the present application, the element entitled λ secondary container holding mechanism' is termed
'secondary' with reference to a first and second aspect of the invention, where an openable top which includes a
(first) container holding mechanism is an essential feature. In aspects of the invention where the (first) container holding mechanism is not an essential feature, the
Λ secondary' container holding mechanism can be defined and/or claimed (if desired) as a container holding
mechanism', and can be located anywhere about the device.
ICE ACCELERATOR AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
The invention can utilize bottled, and optionally uniquely colored aqueous solutions made of varying
salinities of Sodium Chloride (NaCl) or Sea Salt at specific salinities ( e.g. 120 - 160 °/oo, 180 - 220 °/oo, 230 - 270 °/oo, 280 - 320 °/oo, 330 - 360 °/oo and others), where °/oo refers to grams per liter of water, or to grams per
kilograms of water (g/kg of water). The aqueous solutions can be contained in bottles of selected quantities ( e.g. 1-liter, 1.5-liter, 1.75-liter, 2-liter, and other quantities) for the purpose of being poured over specific quantities of loose ice (5 lbs, 7 lbs, 8 lbs, 10 lbs, and other quantities, from typical bag sizes) in a typical portable beverage cooler to create a Solution- Water-Ice Mix (SWIM) within a specific temperature range below the freezing point of water (32 deg F) .
The active temperature lowering ingredient in the solution is a salt, such as but not limited to Sodium
Chloride (NaCl) or Sea Salt and the like. Additionally, a catalyst agent, such as but not limited to Calcium (Ca) , Calcium Citrate Ca3 (C6H507 ) 2 , and/or other forms of Calcium can be included in the solution for reducing the aggressive corrosive characteristics of the Sodium Chloride on bare metals, leathers, and other substances.
Optional buffering additives, can also be used in the solution, such as but not limited to vegetable derivatives, such as vegetable glycerin or vegetable glycerol, food coloring, propylene glycol, flavorings, sweeteners, and the like, and any combinations thereof.
In addition, an optional deterrent additive (s) such as but not limited to Alum, extract of Lemon, orange, lime, and other strong citrus or pepper, or bitter cherries, and the like, and any combination thereof, can be added to act as a pet and child deterrent and safety agent in order to prevent ingestion of significant quantities which may prove harmful in selected applications for children, elderly, pets, and the like.
Tables 5-9 show the components of the novel aqueous solutions and their component ranges and amounts for
Solution-Water-ice Mix (SWIM) used in coolers. Each table can represent a bottled aqueous solution.
TABLE 5-SWIM TEMPERATURE Approx. 22F to Approx. 24F
Values in grams per kilograms of water
Component Broad Range Narrow Range Prefer . Amnt
Figure imgf000071_0001
Approx . 40 Approx. 15
Buffer 0 to Approx. 100 0 to Approx. 80 0 to Approx. Additive 60
Deterrent 0 to Approx. 20 0 to Approx. 10 0 to Approx. Additive 7.5
TABLE 7- SWIM TEMPERATURE Approx. 15F to Approx. 18F Values in grams per kilograms of water
Component Broad Range Narrow Range Prefer. Amnt
Salt Approx 60 to Approx. 230 to Approx. 250
Approx. 290 Approx 270
Calcium Approx 1 to Approx 10 to Approx. 15
Approx. 60 Approx. 20
Buffer 0 to Approx. 100 0 to Approx. 80 0 to Approx. Additive 70
Deterrent 0 to Approx. 20 0 to Approx. 10 0 to Approx. Additive 7.5
TABLE 8- SWIM TEMPERATURE Approx. 10F to Approx. 13F Values in grams per kilograms of water
Component Broad Range Narrow Range Prefer. Amnt
Salt Approx 60 to Approx. 280 to Approx. 300
Approx. 340 Approx 320
Calcium Approx 1 to Approx 10 to Approx. 20
Approx. 80 Approx. 30 Buffer 0 to Approx. 120 0 to Approx. 90 0 to Approx. Additive 80
Deterrent 0 to Approx. 20 0 to Approx. 10 0 to Approx. Additive 7.5
TABLE 9- SWIM TEMPERATURE Approx. 6F to Approx. 9F
Values in grams per kilograms of water
Component Broad Range Narrow Range Prefer. Amnt
Salt Approx 60 to Approx. 330 to Approx. 345
Approx. 360 Approx 360
Calcium Approx 1 to Approx 10 to Approx. 25
Approx. 100 Approx. 40
Buffer 0 to Approx. 140 0 to Approx. 100 0 to Approx. Additive 90
Deterrent 0 to Approx. 20 0 to Approx. 10 0 to Approx. Additive 7.5
The specific SWIM temperatures allow certain desirable effects to be achieved on beverages, beer, ice-creams,
smoothies, milkshake, popsicles, and cold treat emulsifiers (such as but not limited to FROSTIES® and SLURPEES®) placed in the SWIM that are impossible to achieve using ice alone or by mixing fresh water with ice in a cooler.
Effects such as 1) chilling beer to near its freezing point, 2) supercooling bottled or canned beverages, 3) creating frozen popsicles and supercooling popsicles, 4) keeping soft-serve and store bought ice-creams in perfect emulsions, and other effects require specific temperatures that are below the melting point of fresh-water ice (32 deg F) . Most of these effects require temperatures between 5 deg F and 24 deg F, which can be achieved in a SWIM using specific salinities and volumes of Brine-Solution when mixed with standardized bags of ice.
Assuming consumers mainly utilize quanta of
standardized bagged ice in their portable coolers (5 lbs, 7 lbs, 8 lbs, or 10 lbs) , certain volumes of the novel aqueous solution work best in saturating these standard amounts of ice. See Figures 15-17.
Assuming most consumers will immediately pour the room temperature aqueous solution over the ice, the variable that determines the initial temperature of the SWIM is the salinity of the Brine.
The novel aqueous solutions can also be color coded according to salinity, which is directly related to the resultant SWIM temperature and possible effects. The following TABLE 10 shows how the color code may be used to identify differing salinities of bottled aqueous solutions. TABLE 10 COLOR CODE CHART
COLOR SWIM TEMP. (F) SALINITY SOLUTION PRODUCT APPLICATION
BLUE 6 - 9° 330 - 360 °/oo Ice Creams GREEN 10 - 13° 280 - 320 °/oo Supercooling
drinks rapidly
YELLOW 15 - 18° 230 - 270 °/oo Supercooling
drinks
ORANGE 18 - 21° 180 - 220 °/oo Soft Serve Ice
Cream
RED 22 - 24° 120 - 160 °/oo Beer Chilling
The invention can pertain to the specific volumes, salinities, and color coding of the Solution. Blue can represent the coldest SWIM and has the highest salinity. Red can represent the warmest SWIM and the lowest salinity. Other colors, such as but not limited to clear, black, white, and other variations, can be used.
Specific volumes can be used for specific sized bagged ice; 1-liter for 5 lbs, 1.5-liter for 7-8 lbs, and 1.75 - 2 liter for 10 lbs. (See Figures 15-22.)
The invention can pertain to any volume (s) that when mixed exactly with certain standard quantities of bagged-ice will produce a usable SWIM for submerging and supercooling reasonable and expected amounts of canned or bottled
beverages per amount of bagged-ice. For example; a 101b bag of ice plus certain volume of the novel aqueous solution should be expected to allow up to 6 12-oz cans to be submerged in the SWIM. Several embodiments are described below for actual applications of the novel invention that can be used with portable coolers, such as Styrofoam coolers, plastic
coolers, and aluminum or metal coolers.
Fig. 15 shows an embodiment of a 51b ice bag 910 holding loose ice 912 and 1 liter aqueous solution 914 with a cooler 916 containing the Solution-Water-Ice Mix (SWIM) 918 having a specific temperature range below the freezing point of water (32 deg F) .
Fig. 16 shows an embodiment of a 7 or 81b ice bag 920 holding loose ice 922 and 1.5 liter aqueous solution 924 with a cooler 926 containing the Solution-Water-Ice Mix (SWIM) 928 having a specific temperature range below the freezing point of water (32 deg F) .
Fig. 17 shows an embodiment of a 101b ice bag 930 holding loose ice 932 and 1.75 liter aqueous solution 934 with a cooler 936 containing the Solution-Water-Ice Mix (SWIM) 938 having a specific temperature range below the freezing point of water (32 deg F) .
Fig. 18 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of
Fig. 1 for a 51b ice bag 910 and 1 liter aqueous solution 914 with a cooler container 916. Step 1 has the cooler container 916 holding loose ice 912. Step 2 has the aqueous solution from 1 liter container 914 being poured over the ice 912 in the container 916. Solution in container 916 having a salinity of 350 °/oo, where a Blue Colored Aqueous Solution container 916 can be used here.
Step 3 has the cooler 916 with Solution-Water-ice Mix (SWIM) 918 inside having temperature of approximately 6F to approximately 9F. Step 4 has the product 919, such as ice cream containers submersed in the SWIM 918, being used to keep the store bought ice cream in a perfect emulsion for outdoor settings.
Specific useful temperature ranges in the SWIM can be expected to last 8 hours in a cooler per 101b bag of ice and 1.75 liters of solution. The temperature ranges of the SWIM can last within indoor and outdoor environments having temperatures of approximately 65F to approximately 85F.
Products such as store bought ice cream (in pint, quart, ½ gallon sizes, and the like) can stay at approximately 6 to approximately 9F in a soft emulsion state perfect for consumption ( though not in a soft serve state) . The state can be between a not melted state and a not frozen hard state. The products that as store bought ice cream can be kept in a consistent emulsion state in most outdoor
temperature settings between approximately 60F to
approximately 90F for approximately 8 to approximately 12 hours or longer depending on the type of cooler and amount of ice used with the aqueous solution. Fig. 19 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of Fig. 16 for a 7 or 81b ice bag 920 and 1.5 liter aqueous solution 924 with a cooler container 926. Step 1 has the cooler container 926 holding loose ice 922. Step 2 has the aqueous solution from 1.5 liter container 924 being poured over the ice 922 in the container 926. Solution in
container 926 having a salinity of 250 °/oo, where an Yellow Colored Aqueous Solution container 926 can be used here.
Step 3 has the cooler 926 with Solution-Water-ice Mix (SWIM) 928 inside having temperature of approximately 15F to approximately 18F. Step 4 has the product (s) 929, such as canned and bottled beverages submersed in the SWIM 928, being used to keep the store bought beverages in a super cooled liquid state for outdoor settings where a variety of the canned and bottled beverages are supercooled but not allowed to freeze hard due to the consistent temperature of the SWIM.
The super cooled beverages can then be flushed'
(nucleated) on demand by either striking the container with a hand or against an object such as a table with mild force or by placing a small crystal of ice into the supercooled beverage. The resulting slush is soft and easily consumed with or without a straw as nearly half of the beverage remains in a liquid state. This effect allows the beverage to maintain a preferred cold temperature (scientifically referred to as a 'frigorific' temperature) for several minutes after the initial slushing effect.
The super cooled state for beverages submerged in the SWIM will last for 8 to 12 hours or more in a single 101b package of ice with one 1.75 liter aqueous ice-accelerator solution in outdoor settings. The supercooled beverages remain at a temperature below freezing without freezing hard.
Fig. 20 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of Fig. 3 for a 101b ice bag 930 and 1.75 liter aqueous
solution 934 with a cooler container 936. Step 1 has the cooler container 936 holding loose ice 932. Step 2 has the aqueous solution from 1.75 liter container 934 being poured over the ice 932 in the container 936. Solution in
container 936 having a salinity of 250 °/oo, where a Red Colored Aqueous Solution container 934 can be used here. Step 3 has the cooler 936 with Solution-Water-Ice Mix (SWIM) 938 inside having temperature of approximately 15F to approximately 18F. Step 4 has the product (s) 939, such as canned and bottled beer submersed in the SWIM 938, being used to keep the store bought beer 939 for chilling the beer to its freezing point but not allowing the beer to freeze.
The chilled beer (or other beverages) submerged in the SWIM will remain at optimal temperatures for 8 to 12 hours or more in a single 101b package of ice with one 1.75 liter aqueous ice-accelerator solution in outdoor settings. The beer will remain in a liquid state near or slightly below (or above) it's freezing point without freezing hard, and at up to 10 degrees below the freezing point of water (32F) . This temperature provides an optimal crispness and flavor as well as allowing the beverage to remain colder , longer during consumption. The temperatures of 22F to 24F are not generally low enough to cause the beer to ^lush' (nucleate) when opened, thereby providing the lowest possible liquid drinking temperatures for beer.
FIG. 21 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of Fig. 7 for using 2 101b ice bags 32 and 2 1.75 liters 934 aqueous solution with a cooler container 936. Step 1 has the cooler container 936 holding loose ice 932 from 2 101b bags 930. Step 2 has the aqueous solution from 2 1.75 liter containers 934 being poured over the ice 932 in the
container 936. Solution in containers 934 can have a salinity of 200 °/oo, where an Orange Colored Aqueous
Solution container can be used here.
Step 3 has the cooler 936 with Solution-Water-Ice Mix
(SWIM) 938 (x 2) at temperatures between 918 to 21F. Step 4 has the product (s) 939, such as soft serve ice cream in packages submersed in the SWIM 938, being used to keep the soft serve ice cream in a consistent emulsion state at temperatures between 918 to 21F, and for supercooling beverages .
The super cooled beverages can then be 'slushed'
(nucleated) on demand by either striking the container with a hand or against an object such as a table with mild force or by placing a small crystal of ice into the supercooled beverage. The resulting slush is soft and easily consumed with or without a straw as nearly half of the beverage remains in a liquid state. This effect allows the beverage to maintain a preferred cold temperature (scientifically referred to as a 'frigorific' temperature) for several minutes after the initial slushing effect.
The supercooled state for beverages submerged in the SWIM will last for 8 to 12 hours or more in a single 101b package of ice with one 1.75 liter aqueous ice-accelerator solution in outdoor settings. The supercooled beverages remain at a temperature below freezing without freezing hard.
Soft-serve ice-creams such as those provided by Dairy Queen® and other ice-cream or custard stores generally require a temperature between 18F and 21F to maintain their soft emulsion, whereas store-bought container ice-cream will melt to liquid at these temperatures and therefore require the 6F to 9F temperature ice-accelerator to maintain their textures. FIG. 22 shows the four steps of using the embodiment of Fig. 7 for using 4 101b ice bags 930 and 4 1.75 liters 934 aqueous solution with a cooler container 936.
Step 1 has the cooler container 936 holding loose ice 932 from 4 101b bags 930. Step 2 has the aqueous solution from 4 1.75 liter containers 934 being poured over the ice 932 in the container 936. Solution in containers 934 can have a salinity of 200 °/oo, where an Green Colored Aqueous Solution container can be used here.
Step 3 has the cooler 936 with Solution-Water-Ice Mix
(SWIM) 938 (x 4) at temperatures between 10 to 13F. Step 4 has the product (s) 939, such as store bought ice cream, gelatos, popsicles (frozen or unfrozen) submersed in the SWIM 938, for supercooling beverages rapidly. Supercooling can take approximately 20 to approximately 60 minutes with the invention, and can be reduced further to approximately 5 minutes or less by article devices such as a spinning device, and the like. A timer can be used to prevent freezing. The timer can calculate time based on the SWIM temperature, size of the beverage container (s) and starting temperature (s) of the beverage container (s) .
The term "approximately" or "approx." can include +/- 10 percent of the number adjacent to the term.
Although the invention references desserts such as ice- cream, other types of edible foods can be used, such as but not limited frozen yogurt, sorbet, sherbet, ice milk, smoothies, milk shakes, and the like, which prevents melting or hard freezing of the foods. Other types of foods can be used with the invention, such as but not limited to fish, meat, poultry, and the like.
While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain
embodiments or modifications which it has presumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.

Claims

I claim:
1. A method for rapidly chilling beverages, comprising the steps of:
providing a container for a beverage;
providing a housing with a cooling liquid inside;
immersing the beverage container in the cooling liquid; mounting the beverage container inside of the housing; alternatively rotating the beverage container in different directions while maintaining the beverage
container on one axis; and
rapidly cooling the beverage inside the container to a selected chilled temperature less than approximately 34F.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the beverage container includes: a can.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the beverage container includes: a bottle.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mounting step includes the step of mounting the beverage container in an upright vertical position along the one axis.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of alternatively rotating includes the step of:
continuously alternatively rotating the beverage container between approximately 500 rpm and approximately 1,000 rpm in both rotating and counter-rotating directions.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of
alternatively rotating includes the step of:
switching between each of the rotating and the counter- rotating directions between approximately 1/10 of a second and approximately 2 seconds.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of
alternatively rotating includes the step of:
continuously alternatively rotating the beverage container between approximately 1,000 rpm and approximately 5,000 rpm in both rotating and counter-rotating directions.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of
alternatively rotating includes the step of:
switching between each of the rotating and the counter- rotating directions between approximately 3/10 of a second and approximately 1 second.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of alternatively rotating includes the step of:
continuously alternatively rotating the beverage container up to approximately 2,500 rpm in both rotating and counter-rotating directions.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of
alternatively rotating includes the step of:
switching between each of the rotating and the counter- rotating directions between approximately 0.3 seconds and approximately 0.7 second.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the beverage containers are selected from 18 oz container and a 20 oz container, and the step of rapidly cooling includes the step of rapidly cooling the beverage in the container to less than
approximately 26F in less than approximately one minute.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the beverage containers are selected from 18 oz container and a 20 oz container, and the step of rapidly cooling includes the step of rapidly cooling the beverage in the container to less than
approximately 26F in less than approximately 30 seconds.
13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: providing a display for a temperature input; providing a temperature sensor for the cooling liquid; providing a motor for the mounted container;
inputting the selected chilled temperature onto the display; and
automatically alternating the rotating and the counter- rotating of the beverage container until the temperature sensor for the beverage container reaches the selected chilled temperature.
14. A rapid-spinning liquid-immersion beverage super cooler system, comprising:
a housing with a cooling liquid inside;
a mount for supporting a container with a beverage inside of the housing in a vertical orientation so that the beverage container is immersed in the cooling liquid; and a motor for alternatively rotating and counter-rotating the beverage container in the immersed liquid until the the beverage inside the container is cooled to a selected chilled temperature less than approximately 34F within less than approximately one minute, while maintaining the
beverage container along one vertical axis.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the beverage container includes: a can.
16. The system of claim 14, wherein the beverage container includes: a bottle.
17. The system of claim 14, wherein the mount includes: a support for maintaining the beverage container in a continuous vertical orientation, wherein the rotating and the counter-rotating is along the one vertical axis.
18. The system of claim 14, further comprising:
a temperature sensor for the cooling liquid;
a display for a temperature input, so that the selected chilled temperature is inputted onto the display, and the motor automatically alternates between the rotating and the counter-rotating of the beverage container until the
temperature sensor for the beverage container reaches the selected chilled temperature.
19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:
a beverage container size indicator on the display so that a selected beverage container size is inputted onto the display.
20. The system of claim 14, further comprising:
a second mount for supporting a second container with a beverage inside of the housing so that the second beverage container is immersed in the cooling liquid, and wherein the motor is used for alternatively rotating and counter- rotating the second beverage container in the immersed liquid until the beverage inside the second container is cooled to the selected chilled temperature less than
approximately 34 F within less than approximately one minute.
21. The system of claim 14, further comprising:
a display for indicating remaining time in seconds it takes to complete cooling of the beverage container.
22. The system of claim 14, further comprising:
a display for indicating remaining time in a circular lighted display it takes to complete cooling of the beverage container wherein the lighted display rotates from one color to another color.
23. A method of pre-chilling and cooling beverages and dessert to selected temperatures, comprising the steps of providing a cooler;
providing selected amounts of loose ice for insertion into the cooler;
providing products selected from at least one of pre¬ packaged beverages and pre-packaged desserts;
submersing the products in the cooler with the loose ice; forming a selected amount of an aqueous ice-melter composition having a selected salinity;
pouring the aqueous ice-melter composition into the cooler over the submersed products in the loose ice; and
cooling and chilling the products in the cooler to selected temperatures below approximately 32F.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of providing selected amounts of loose ice includes the step of:
providing at least one bag of the loose ice, the bags being selected from at least one of 5 pound bag, 7 pound bag, 8 pound bag, 10 pound bag.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of forming the selected amount of the aqueous ice-melter composition includes the step of:
forming a one liter container of the aqueous ice-melter composition for the 5 pound bag of the loose ice.
26. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of forming the selected amount of the aqueous ice-melter composition includes the step of:
forming a one and a half liter container of the aqueous ice-melter composition for the 7 or 8 pound bag of the loose ice .
27. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of forming the selected amount of the aqueous ice-melter composition includes the step of:
forming a one and three quarter liter container of the aqueous ice-melter composition for the 10 pound bag of the loose ice.
28. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of forming the selected amount of the aqueous ice-melter composition includes the step of:
forming the aqueous ice-melter composition having the selected salinity from a mixture of salt and calcium.
29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of: providing the salinity of the mixture to be
approximately 120 °/oo to approximately 160 °/oo.
30. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of: providing the salinity of the mixture to be
approximately 180 °/oo to approximately 220 °/oo.
31. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of: providing the salinity of the mixture to be
approximately 230 °/oo to approximately 270 °/oo.
32. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of: providing the salinity of the mixture to be
approximately 280 °/oo to approximately 320 °/oo.
33. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of: providing the salinity of the mixture to be
approximately 330 °/oo to approximately 360 °/oo.
34. An aqueous solution and ice water composition for cooling and chilling beverages and desserts to selected temperatures below approximately 32f, comprising:
a mixture of salt and calcium having a selected
salinity to form an aqueous solution; and
a selected amount of loose ice combined with the aqueous solution to form a solution-water ice mix having a selected temperature, and wherein beverage and dessert products submersed in the solution-water ice mixture are cooled and chilled to below approximately 32F.
35. The aqueous solution and ice water composition of claim 34, wherein the salinity of the solution is approximately 120 °/oo to approximately 160 °/oo, and the temperature of the solution-water ice mix is approximately 22F to
approximately 24F.
36. The aqueous solution and ice water composition of claim 34, wherein the salinity of the solution is
approximately 180 °/oo to approximately 220 °/oo, and the temperature of the solution-water ice mix is approximately 18F to approximately 21F.
37. The aqueous solution and ice water composition of claim 34, wherein the solution salinity is approximately 230 °/oo to approximately 270 °/oo, and the solution-water ice mix temperature is approximately 15F to approximately 18F.
38. The aqueous solution and ice water composition of claim 34, wherein the solution salinity is approximately 280 °/oo to approximately 320 °/oo, and the solution-water ice mix temperature is approximately 10F to approximately 13F.
39. The aqueous solution and ice water composition of claim 34, wherein the solution salinity is approximately 330 °/oo to approximately 360 °/oo, and the solution-water ice mix temperature is approximately 6F to approximately 9F.
40. A portable beverage and dessert cooling syst
comprising :
a bag of loose ice; a portable cooler housing the loose ice from the bag, so that at least one product selected from at least one of beverage and a dessert, allows for the product to be submersed in the loose ice within the cooler; and
a container of an aqueous solution having a selected salinity, wherein the aqueous solution is poured from the container into the cooler having the at least one product being submersed in the ice where the product is chilled to selected temperature less than approximately 32F.
41. The portable beverage and dessert cooling system of claim 40, wherein the bag is selected from at least one of pound bag, 7 pound bag, 8 pound bag, 10 pound bag.
42. The portable beverage and dessert cooling system of claim 40, wherein the container includes a selected amount of salt and calcium, and the container is selected from at least one liter container, one and a half liter container, one and three quarter liter container, and a two liter container.
PCT/US2014/047214 2014-01-24 2014-07-18 Rapid spinning liquid immersion beverage supercoolers and ice accelerator aqueous solutions WO2015112192A1 (en)

Priority Applications (8)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
MX2016009676A MX2016009676A (en) 2014-01-24 2014-07-18 Rapid spinning liquid immersion beverage supercoolers and ice accelerator aqueous solutions.
BR112016017072A BR112016017072A2 (en) 2014-01-24 2014-07-18 BEVERAGE SUPER-COOLERS WITH LIQUID IMMERSION AND RAPID CENTRIFUGATION AND AQUEOUS ICE ACCELERATOR SOLUTIONS
CA2937807A CA2937807A1 (en) 2014-01-24 2014-07-18 Rapid spinning liquid immersion beverage supercoolers and ice accelerator aqueous solutions
AU2014379542A AU2014379542A1 (en) 2014-01-24 2014-07-18 Rapid spinning liquid immersion beverage supercoolers and ice accelerator aqueous solutions
JP2016566598A JP2017516970A (en) 2014-01-24 2014-07-18 High-speed rotating liquid immersion type beverage supercooler and ice-melting promoting substance aqueous solution
CN201480077561.XA CN106133463A (en) 2014-01-24 2014-07-18 Atwirl liquid-immersed beverage subcooler and ice accelerator aqueous solution
EP14879559.4A EP3102896A4 (en) 2014-01-24 2014-07-18 Rapid spinning liquid immersion beverage supercoolers and ice accelerator aqueous solutions
EA201691507A EA201691507A1 (en) 2014-01-24 2014-07-18 DEVICES OF IMMERSION DRINKING OF DRINKS QUICKLING LIQUID AND AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS FOR ACCELERATION OF THE ICE MELTING PROCESS

Applications Claiming Priority (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US14/163,063 US9631856B2 (en) 2013-01-28 2014-01-24 Ice-accelerator aqueous solution
US14/163,063 2014-01-24
US201461966106P 2014-02-18 2014-02-18
US61/966,106 2014-02-18
US14/298,117 US9845988B2 (en) 2014-02-18 2014-06-06 Rapid spinning liquid immersion beverage supercooler
US14/298,117 2014-06-06

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