Chilling apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for chilling beverage containers such as bottles or cans includes a fluid tank containing chilling liquid cooled by a refrigeration unit and a membrane of collapsible thermoplastic polyurethane includes an internal chamber for supporting the container in the liquid, the membrane in the form of a shaped sleeve that surrounds the container to prevent the container coming into direct contact with the chilling liquid but which permits the liquid to transfer heat from the container to cool the contents of the container. A vacuum withdraws air from the internal chamber to draw the membrane into contact with the container and a drive arrangement rotates the sleeve and bottle. A refrigerated fluid supply system directs externally chilled fluid at the rotating membrane and recycles heated fluid for rechilling.

1 . Cooling apparatus for chilling a beverage container, comprising a housing defining internally thereof a chilling tank adapted to receive a low freezing point chilling fluid and a shaped sleeve of resiliently deformable material closed at a lower end and open at an upper end and defining internally thereof an internal chamber for receiving, encircling and supporting the beverage container to be chilled and an exterior surface in contact with and cooled by the chilling fluid, means for withdrawing the air and lowering the pressure in said internal chamber and thereby cause the sleeve material to be drawn, at least in part, into engagement with the exterior surface of the beverage container and transfer heat between the chilling fluid and the beverage container, and means for controlling and maintaining the temperature of the chilling fluid at a predetermined temperature. 
   
   
       2 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising means for moving the sleeve within the chilling fluid and in a predetermined manner based in part on the geometry and external shape of one and the other, respectively, of said beverage container and sleeve. 
   
   
       3 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 2 , further wherein said sleeve is generally longitudinally elongated, cylindrical shaped and thin walled. 
   
   
       4 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 3 , further including means for controlling the shape of the sleeve during collapse of the wall into engagement with the exterior surface of the beverage container. 
   
   
       5 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said means for controlling comprises an axially elongated rib on the exterior surface of the sleeve, the rib extending between the opposite ends of the sleeve and operating to permit inward radial collapse of the wall but inhibit axial movement of the lower end towards the upper end and shortening of the sleeve shape. 
   
   
       6 . The cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is a single piece. 
   
   
       7 . The cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve comprises a thermoplastic material. 
   
   
       8 . The cooling apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the thermoplastic material comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer. 
   
   
       9 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the means for controlling and maintaining the temperature of the chilling fluid includes a fluid pump and a refrigeration unit in fluid communication with a reservoir to pump chilling fluid from the refrigeration unit to the chilling tank and circulate and withdraw chilling fluid from the chilling tank the temperature of which fluid is raised as a result of heat transfer between the sleeve during contact with the chilling fluid circulated in the tank, and a thermostat to maintain the temperature of the chilling fluid in the chilling tank at a predetermined temperature. 
   
   
       10 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the thermostat operates to maintain the chilling fluid at a temperature of between −30° C. and 5.0° C. 
   
   
       11 . The cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the chilling fluid is selected from a group consisting of a glycol, a mixture of glycol and water, and brine. 
   
   
       12 . The cooling apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said means for moving includes a motor and mechanical linkage arrangement for rotating the sleeve and an adjustable timer mechanism for setting and controlling the duration of sleeve rotation relative to the chilling fluid, the adjustable timer when timed-out stopping the rotation of the beverage container and the operation of the means for maintaining and controlling. 
   
   
       13 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a screen element disposed in encircling relation about the sleeve, said screen element operating to maintain the cross-sectional shape of the sleeve during positioning of the container therewithin and movement of the screen and bottle assembly but not inhibiting fluid circulation against and heat transfer between the exterior surface of the screen. 
   
   
       14 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said housing includes an opening communicating with said chilling tank, and a closure movable between closed and open positions relative to said opening for gaining and closing access to the chilling tank,   said sleeve extends downwardly from said opening,   said means for withdrawing the air and lowering the pressure in the internal chamber of said sleeve comprises a port in said closure operably connected to apparatus to withdraw air through the port and from said compartment when the closure is in said closed position, and further comprising   means for transmitting a signal that the closure is interlocked and in sealed relation with the housing opening.   
   
   
       15 . A method of cooling a container comprising the steps of: (a) providing a cooling apparatus, the apparatus including a tank provided with a low freezing point cooling fluid and a thin walled sleeve of a resiliently deformable polymeric material immersed, at least in part, in the cooling fluid, the sleeve being upwardly open and including an internal chamber sized to receive the container, (b) placing the container in the internal chamber of the sleeve, and (c) withdrawing the air in the chamber to lower the pressure therein and draw the wall of the sleeve into engagement with the container, the engagement of the sleeve wall material with the container causing heat to transfer from the container to the cooling fluid. 
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising the steps of rotating the container in the chilling fluid and directing externally chilled cooling fluid about the sleeve. 
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 15 , further wherein the step of directing is performed by an array of fluid jets that substantially simultaneously direct chilled fluid external to the tank towards the exterior of the sleeve, and further wherein the duration of fluid circulation is set according to a desired degree of cooling of the container. 
   
   
       18 . A wine bottle cooler comprising a housing defining an interior tank for receiving a mixture of low freezing point liquid for cooling the bottle, a sleeve open at an upper end and closed at a lower end and defining internally thereof a chamber for receiving the bottle, the sleeve disposed in the tank for supporting the bottle in the cooling liquid, a closure juxtaposed with the upper end and movable between open and closed positions for gaining and closing access to the internal chamber, means for evacuating any air from the sleeve when the closure is in said closed position, and fluid pumping means for circulating chilling fluid at a predetermined temperature into the tank and around the bottle and from the tank. 
   
   
       19 . The wine bottle cooler as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein a motor and a mechanical linkage is provided to rotate the sleeve about a central longitudinal axis thereof and sufficiently rapidly relative to the chilling fluid to induce turbulent flow in the fluid and effectuate heat transfer between the bottle and the chilling fluid when the air is evacuated from the sleeve. 
   
   
       20 . The wine bottle cooler as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein said fluid pumping means comprises a pump for introducing chilled fluid external to the tank into the tank, an elongated fluid distribution tube fluidly connected to the pump and disposed, at least in part, in the tank and in juxtaposed relation along and between the opposite ends of the sleeve, and a plurality of outlet nozzles to discharge and circulate the external chilled fluid passed through the distribution tube radially inwardly towards the sleeve.