Portable Cooling System and Associated Method

• US 20080245803A1
• Filed: 04/04/2007
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ignatios Angelidis
• Original Assignee: Ignatios Angelidis
• Inventors: Angelidis, Ignatios
• Application Number:
  US11/696,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20080245803A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/592.17
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 41/0038 comprising additional heating or cooling means, i.e. use of thermal energy in addition to stored material

Abstract

A portable cooling system is provided including a beverage container holding a cooled beverage or a digestable cooling element, and an air duct including an inlet and an outlet. During operation of the personal cooling system, an inner surface of the air duct contacts an outer surface of the beverage container. More particularly, a powered fan is coupled to the air duct, to draw outside air with an initial temperature into the inlet. Additionally, the powered fan is coupled to the air duct to pass the outside air through the air duct to thermally engage the outer surface of the beverage container, and to push the outside air through the outlet with a reduced temperature from said initial temperature.

Claims

1. A portable cooling system comprising:

a beverage container for holding at least one of a cooled beverage and a digestable cooling element;

an air duct including an inlet and an outlet, wherein an inner surface of at least a portion of said air duct contacts an outer surface of said beverage container; and

at least one powered fan coupled to said air duct, for drawing outside air with an initial temperature into said inlet, passing said outside air through said air duct to thermally engage said outer surface of said beverage container, and pushing said outside air through said outlet with a reduced temperature from said initial temperature.

2. The portable cooling system according to claim 1 including one powered fan coupled to said air duct,

wherein said beverage container comprises a top opening for covering with a removable top, said beverage further comprising a base, and a side portion;

and wherein said inner surface of at least a portion of said air duct includes an inner surface of said air duct between said inlet and said outlet contacting an outer surface of the side portion of said beverage container.

3. The portable cooling system according to claim 2 wherein said outlet contacts said outer surface of said side portion of the beverage container adjacent said top opening.

4. The portable cooling system according to claim 3 wherein said powered fan is positioned adjacent said outlet for pushing said outside air through at least one slit in the air duct adjacent said outlet.

5. The portable cooling system according to claim 4 wherein said powered fan is powered by at least one portable power source coupled to said outer surface of said beverage container.

6. The portable cooling system according to claim 3 wherein said inlet contacts said outer surface of said side portion of the beverage container adjacent said base.

7. The portable cooling system according to claim 6 wherein said inlet is for draining condensation collected in said air duct adjacent said base during operation of said portable cooling system.

8. The portable cooling system according to claim 2 wherein said air duct between said inlet and said outlet contacting said outer surface of said beverage container comprises a serpentine network including:

a plurality of channels extending at least a portion of the circumference of said outer surface of said beverage container, said plurality of channels adjacently positioned from said inlet to said outlet; and

a plurality of turns for passing said outside air from said inlet between adjacent channels of said plurality of channels to said outlet.

9. The portable cooling system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one of a cooled beverage and a digestable cooling element comprises ice, and wherein the temperature of said at least one of a cooled beverage and a digestable cooling element increases from an initial temperature to an increased temperature upon said passing the outside air through said air duct and thermally engaging the outside air with said outer surface of said beverage container.

10. The portable cooling system according to claim 1 wherein one of said beverage container and said air duct are comprised of an aluminum material.

11. The portable cooling system according to claim 5 further comprising a switch coupled to said portable power source for selectively turning the portable cooling system on and off.

12. The portable cooling system according to claim 1 wherein further comprising an insulative jacket for covering said air duct and said outer surface of said beverage container for providing thermal insulation for said air duct to thermally engage said outer surface of said beverage container.

13. A portable cooling system comprising:

a cooling element comprising one of a cooled beverage and ice;

a beverage container having a receptacle, wherein the cooling element is positioned within the receptacle;

an air duct including an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet and outlet are separated by at least one of a serpentine network and a nearly linear configured network, wherein an inner surface of at least a portion of said at least one of a serpentine network and a nearly linear configured network contacts an outer surface of said beverage container; and

at least one powered fan coupled to said air duct, for drawing outside air with an initial temperature into said inlet, passing said outside air through said at least one of a serpentine network and a nearly linear configured network to thermally engage said outer surface of said beverage container, and pushing said outside air through said outlet with a reduced temperature from said initial temperature.

14. A method for portably cooling an individual, comprising:

providing a beverage container holding at least one of a cooled beverage and a digestable cooling element;

contacting an outer surface of said beverage container with an inner surface of at least a portion of an air duct, said air duct including an inlet and an outlet;

coupling at least one powered fan to said air duct;

drawing outside air with an initial temperature into said inlet;

thermally engaging said outside air with said outer surface of said beverage container as said outside air is passed through said air duct; and

pushing said outside air through said outlet with a reduced temperature from said initial temperature.

15. The method for portably cooling an individual according to claim 14 including one powered fan coupled to said air duct, further comprising:

covering a top opening of said beverage container with a removable top, said beverage container further comprising a base, and a side portion;

and wherein said inner surface of at least a portion of said air duct includes an inner surface of said air duct between said inlet and said outlet contacting an outer surface of the side portion of said beverage container.

16. The method for portably cooling an individual according to claim 15 wherein said air duct between said inlet and said outlet contacting said outer surface of said beverage container comprises a serpentine network including:

a plurality of channels extending at least a portion of the circumference of said outer surface of said beverage container, said plurality of channels adjacently positioned from said inlet to said outlet; and

a plurality of turns for passing said outside air from said inlet between adjacent channels of said plurality of channels to said outlet.