Method and apparatus for back bar freezer unit

• US 5,269,156 A
• Filed: 09/09/1992
• Issued: 12/14/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David H. Van De Velde
• Original Assignee: David H. Van De Velde
• Inventors: Guido, Anthony Y., van de Velde, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Makay, Albert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOERRLER, WILLIAM CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US07/942,668
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 62/457.4, 62/457.5, 62/457.2, 62/371, 62/530, 220/412
• US Class Current: 62/457.4
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2303/081 using ice cubes or crushed ice
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/803 Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 3/08 portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally

Abstract

A rotationally molded transparent back bar freezer unit having an insulating double wall. A housing receives an inner compartment 30 made of a thermally-conductive material. A recess contoured to match a shape of a fluid container is formed in the inner compartment 30 and defines a second volume. A cooling material, such as ice and salt added to a first volume within the inner compartment 30 cools the fluid container in the second volume through the flexible wall. An access door facilitates presentation, loading and extracting of the fluid container into and from the recess that forms the cooling compartment.

Claims

1. A freezer unit for cooling a fluid container, comprising:

a first housing having a top and containing a first volume for holding a cooling material;

a flexible, interior second housing containing a second volume, said first volume isolated from said second volume with said interior second housing thermally coupling said second volume to said first volume; and

a door coupled to said interior second housing through an opening in said first housing for accessing the fluid container from within said interior second housing when loading door is opened.

2. The freezer unit of claim 1 wherein said door includes an extracting mechanism for extracting the fluid container from within said interior second housing when said door is opened.

3. The freezer unit of claim 1 wherein said door includes an extracting mechanism for extracting the fluid container from within said interior second housing when said door is opened and said door is forward tilted.

4. The freezer unit of claim 1 wherein said first housing is upright.

5. The freezer unit of claim 1 wherein said interior second housing has a complementary shape to the fluid container.

6. The freezer unit of claim 1 wherein said interior second housing has a complementary shape to the fluid container and is conformable to match a shape of the fluid container.

7. The freezer unit of claim 1 wherein said first and second housing are transparent.

8. The freezer unit of claim 1 wherein said first and second housing are transparent and the freezer unit further comprises an illuminated base unit for transmitting illumination into said first and second housings.

9. A freezer unit for cooling a fluid container, comprising:

an insulated upright cylindrical housing having a removable top and containing a first volume for holding a cooling material;

a flexible, interior housing containing a second volume, said first volume isolated from said second volume with said interior housing thermally coupling said second volume to said first volume, said interior housing having a complementary shape to the fluid container; and

a forward opening loading door coupled to said interior housing through an opening in said cylindrical housing for extracting the fluid container from within said interior housing when said loading door is tilted forward.

10. The freezer unit of claim 9 wherein said insulated housing is double walled.

11. The freezer unit of claim 9 wherein said insulated housing is transparent.

12. The freezer unit of claim 9 wherein said flexible housing is conformable to match a shape of the fluid container.

13. A method for cooling a fluid within a container, comprising the steps of:

placing the container within a freezer unit, said freezer unit comprising;

an insulated upright cylindrical housing having a removable top and containing a first volume for holding a cooling material;

a flexible, interior housing containing a second volume, said first volume isolated from said second volume with said interior housing thermally coupling said second volume to said first volume, said interior housing having a complementary shape to the fluid container; and

a forward opening loading door coupled to said interior housing through an opening in said cylindrical housing for extracting the fluid container from within said interior housing when said loading door is tilted forward and inserting the fluid container into said interior housing when said loading door is tilted back;

adding said cooling material into said second volume; and

inserting the fluid container into the inner housing by closing the door.

14. A freezer unit for cooling a fluid container, comprising:

a first housing having a top and containing a first volume for holding a cooling material;

a flexible, interior second housing containing a second volume, said first volume isolated from said second volume with said interior second housing thermally coupling said second volume to said first volume;

a door coupled to said interior second housing through an opening in said first housing for accessing the fluid container from within said interior second housing when said door is opened; and

an extracting mechanism coupled to said door for extracting the fluid container from within said interior second housing when said door is opened.

15. The freezer unit of claim 14 wherein said door and extracting mechanism tilt forward for access to the fluid container within the interior second housing.

16. The freezer unit of claim 14 wherein said first housing is upright.

17. The freezer unit of claim 14 wherein said interior second housing has a complementary shape to the fluid container.

18. The freezer unit of claim 14 wherein said interior second housing has a complementary shape to the fluid container and is conformable to match a shape of the fluid container.

19. The freezer unit of claim 14 wherein said first and second housings are transparent.

20. The freezer unit of claim 14 wherein said first and second housings are transparent and the freezer unit further comprises an illuminated base unit for transmitting illumination into said first and second housings.

21. A freezer unit for cooling a fluid container, comprising:

a first housing having a top and containing a first volume for holding a cooling material;

a flexible, interior second housing containing a second volume, said first volume isolated from said second volume with said interior second housing thermally coupling said second volume to said first volume;

a door coupled to said interior second housing through an opening in said first housing for accessing the fluid container from within said interior second housing when said door is opened; and

an extracting mechanism coupled to said door for extracting the fluid container from within said interior second housing when said door is opened and said door is forward tilted.

22. A freezer unit for cooling a fluid container, comprising:

a first transparent housing having a top and containing a first volume for holding a cooling material;

a flexible, interior second transparent housing containing a second volume, said first volume isolated from said second volume with said interior second housing thermally coupling said second volume to said first volume;

a door coupled to said interior second housing through an opening in said first housing for accessing the fluid container from within said interior second housing when said door is opened; and

an illuminating base unit for transmitting illumination into said first and second housings.

23. An assembly for cooling a fluid container, comprising:

a first housing including,

an outer wall,

an inner, conformable wall,

a first volume defined between said outer wall and said inner wall for holding a cooling material,

a second volume defined by said inner wall,

said second volume conformable to the fluid container,

said second volume thermally coupled to said first volume through said inner wall,

a first opening in said first volume coupled to a second opening in said second volume for accessing the fluid container within the second volume; and

a second housing including,

a wall defining a third volume,

said third volume having a complementary shape to said first housing,

a third opening in said second housing,

said third opening aligning with the first and second openings.

24. The freezer unit of claim 23 wherein said third opening is sealable with a door.

25. The freezer unit of claim 23 wherein said third opening is sealable with a door, said door including an extracting mechanism for extracting the fluid container from within said second volume when said door is opened.

26. A freezer unit for cooling a bottle, comprising:

an outer cylindrical container having a top and a bottom and including,

a base attached to said bottom of said outer cylindrical container,

an insulated door hingeably attached to said outer cylindrical container for access to the inside of said container,

a heel cap attached to said door, said heel cap sized to the outer dimensions of the bottle such that the bottle is held in place against said door;

a bucket having an outer wall and an inner wall including, a volume between said outer wall and said inner wall for holding a cooling material,

said bucket dimensioned to fit within said outer cylindrical container,

said inner wall of said bucket composed of flexible, conformable material sized to the outer dimensions of the bottle; and

a lid, said lid sealing off the volume within the bucket.