Refrigerated chest for rapidly quenching beverages and visually identifying when such beverages reach target temperature

• US 20100251755A1
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John C. Lauchnor
• Original Assignee: John C. Lauchnor
• Inventors: Lauchnor, John C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,161,769 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/457.500
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/10 Refrigerator top-coolers
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/28 Quick cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/361 Interactive visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/38 Refrigerating devices characterised by wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/02 by shelves
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/04 by conveyors in general B65G
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/02 Sensors detecting door opening
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/12 Sensors measuring the inside temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/16 Sensors measuring the temperature of products
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 31/007 Bottles or cans

Abstract

The cooling chest for rapidly quenching beverages includes a quench tray for holding containers of beverage. The quench tray is lowered into salt-water or other cooling liquid which is cooled by a refrigeration unit. A processing device determines the temperature of the beverages within the containers within the quench tray and further activates a mechanism for removing the quench tray from the water or cooling liquid when the desired temperature is reached. The processing device can also activate the mechanism for removing the quench tray from the water or cooling liquid when the upper lid or access doors are opened.

Claims

1. A chest for quenching beverages including:

walls forming an interior cooling volume, for holding a cooling liquid;

a refrigeration unit for cooling the cooling liquid;

a quench tray for holding containers of beverage, which moves between a first position and a second position, said first position being within the cooling liquid, and said second position being removed from the cooling liquid;

a sensor for sensing a temperature of the cooling liquid; and

a control device for receiving user input, receiving input for said sensor, for controlling said refrigeration unit, and for controlling movement of said quench tray between said first position and said second position.

2. The chest for quenching beverages of claim 1 wherein said first position is a relatively lower position and said second position is a relatively upper position.

3. The chest for quenching beverages of claim 2 wherein said quench tray moves vertically between said first position and said second position.

4. The chest for quenching beverages of claim 3 further including a mechanism for moving said quench tray between said first position and said second position.

5. The chest for quenching beverages of claim 4 wherein said mechanism includes a rotatable disk affixed to an interior of one of said walls, said rotatable disk including a spiral groove which engages a boss on said quenching tray, whereby rotational movement of said rotatable disk causes vertical movement of said quench tray.

6. The chest for quenching beverages of claim 4 wherein said mechanism includes a hinged elements which can be extended by moving the hinged elements to a more vertical position thereby raising said quench tray to said second position.

7. The chest for quenching beverages of claim 6 wherein said hinged elements responsive to a rod operatively connected to the hinged elements, said rod being operatively connected to a driving mechanism.

8. The chest for quenching beverages of claim 7 wherein said driving mechanism is responsive to said control device.

9. The chest for quenching beverages of claim 8 wherein said driving mechanism is outside of the cooling liquid.

10. The chest for quenching beverages of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said walls are formed of urethane filled stainless steel.

11. The chest for quenching beverages of claim 1 wherein an exterior of at least one of said walls includes at least one light, wherein said at least one light is illuminated in response to said control device when control device determines that the beverages have reached the desired temperature.

12. The chest for quenching beverages of claim 1 wherein said quench tray is moved from said first position to said second position in response to said control unit determining that the beverages have reached the desired temperature.

13. The chest for quenching beverages of claim 1 further including at least one door or lid on an upper surface thereof.

14. The chest for quenching beverages of claim 13 wherein said quench tray is moved from said first position to said second position in response to said control unit determining that said at least one door or lid has been opened.

15. The chest for quenching beverages of claim 1 wherein said quench tray includes a flotation device which receives air to add to the buoyancy of the quench tray.

16. The chest for quenching beverages of claim 15 wherein said flotation device is a ballast container which is rigid.

17. The chest for quenching beverages of claim 15 wherein said flotation device is a ballast container of a fixed volume.

18. The chest for quenching beverages of claim 15 wherein said flotation device is flexible.

19. The chest for quenching beverages of claim 1 wherein said quench tray includes a plurality of compartments for receiving beverage containers and wherein each of said compartments include a container sensor communicating to said control device.

20. The chest for quenching beverages of claim 19 wherein each of said compartments includes an indicator, responsive to said control device, for indicating that the beverage container within the corresponding compartment has reached the desired temperature.