Compact thermoelectric wine cooler and humidor

• US 20060213206A1
• Filed: 03/23/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovative Displayworks LLC
• Original Assignee: Innovative Displayworks, Inc.
• Inventors: Linder, Nathan W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,178,343 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/3.600
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/48 HVAC for a wine cellar
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/02 using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/0251 by a gas
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 11/00 Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/803 Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/804 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/36 Visual displays

Abstract

A wine cooler is provided which may also function as a humidor. The wine cooler is embodied in a cabinet preferably made from wood. The cabinet includes a base and a lid. The wine cooler further includes a bottle tray positioned within an upper area of the base. The bottle tray includes a plurality of semicircular recesses formed in the tray, each of which are adapted to receive a wine bottle. A plurality of circulation slots are disposed through the bottle tray for assisting with air circulation within the wine cooler. The wine cooler further includes a thermoelectric cooling system comprising at least one thermoelectric couple, each thermoelectric couple having a cold and hot junction, wherein the cold junction is attached to the lower surface of the bottle tray and a first heat sink is attached to the hot junction, and wherein the at least one thermoelectric couple is adapted to be powered by a 12 VDC source.

Claims

1. A wine cooler and humidor comprising:

a rectangular cabinet comprising,

a base including four vertically oriented sidewalls, four vertically oriented legs, and a horizontally oriented bottom side, wherein the legs define four corners of the cabinet, each of the sidewalls are joined between a pair of legs, and the bottom side is attached to lower edges of the four sidewalls and to sides of the legs and positioned above a supporting surface; and

a lid hingedly attached to an upper portion of the base, the lid including four side edges and a topside;

a bottle tray having an upper and lower surface, the tray positioned within an upper area defined by the base in a generally horizontal manner, the bottle tray including,

a first plurality of generally semicircular recesses formed in the tray, each of which are adapted to receive a wine bottle, the recesses being positioned laterally next to each other, and

a plurality of longitudinal circulation slots disposed through the bottle tray, wherein the plurality of slots are adapted for assisting with air circulation within the wine cooler; and

a thermoelectric cooling system comprising at least one thermoelectric couple, each thermoelectric couple having a cold and hot junction,

wherein the cold junction is attached to the lower surface of the bottle tray and a first heat sink is attached to the hot junction,

wherein the at least one thermoelectric couple is adapted to be powered by a 12 VDC source.

2. The wine cooler and humidor according to claim 1, wherein the bottle tray acts as a cold pan which functions as a second heat sink which absorbs heat desired to be expelled from the hot junction.

3. The wine cooler and humidor according to claim 1, further including at least one circulating fan for extracting heat from the first heat sink and directing the heat outside of the cabinet through a vent disposed through one of the sidewalls or the bottom side of the base.

4. The wine cooler and humidor according to claim 1, further including a 12 VDC converter for receiving 110 or 120 AC and converting the same to 12 VDC.

5. The wine cooler and humidor according to claim 1, further including a temperature controller for maintaining a desired temperature within the wine cooler.

6. The wine cooler and humidor according to claim 1, further including an ON/OFF switch.

7. The wine cooler and humidor according to claim 1, further including a digital temperature readout device.

8. The wine cooler and humidor according to claim 1, further including a digital hygrometer readout device.

9. The wine cooler and humidor according to claim 1, further including a sliding cabinet drawer adapted to be positioned within a lower area of the base in a generally horizontal storage arrangement, and wherein the drawer is adapted to be pulled out from a drawer opening disposed through a sidewall of the base.

10. The wine cooler and humidor according to claim 1, further including a humidifier device.

11. The wine cooler and humidor according to claim 1, wherein the cabinet is constructed from wood for absorbing and releasing humidity.

12. The wine cooler and humidor according to claim 1, wherein the bottle tray includes three recesses for receiving three regular sized wine bottles.

13. The wine cooler and humidor according to claim 12, wherein the longitudinal circulation slots are positioned one each side of the first plurality of semicircular recesses.

14. The wine cooler and humidor according to claim 12, wherein the longitudinal circulation slots are positioned within the first plurality of semicircular recesses.

15. The wine cooler and humidor according to claim 14, each one of the first plurality of semicircular recesses including a plurality of radially concentric ribs protruding upwardly from each recess, wherein the plurality of ribs are adapted for supporting a wine bottle.

16. The wine cooler and humidor according to claim 1, further including a pair of handles attached to a pair the sidewalls of the base which oppose each other.

17. The wine cooler and humidor according to claim 1, further including a lid interior panel disposed within an underside of the lid.

18. The wine cooler and humidor according to claim 17, the interior panel further including a second plurality of generally semicircular recesses formed in the lid which are adapted to receive a wine bottle when the lid is closed.

19. The wine cooler and humidor according to claim 1, wherein the topside of the lid has an arcuate convex shape.