Self chilling beverage system

Abstract

The currently disclosed invention consists of a system for rapidly chilling a beverage within a drinking container while it is being consumed. The preferred embodiment consists of two straight plastic tubes, one fitting inside the other, with ice contained between the outer tube and the inner tube, wherein beverage can be drawn up through the inner tube in the manner of a drinking straw. The tubes are created by extrusion molding, with an optional weight located within the outer tube, surrounding the base of the inner tube, and encased in plastic. Other embodiments of this system are possible, as are described within the specification incorporated herein.

What is claimed is: 
     
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         16 . A self chilling beverage system which comprises: a non-mechanical cooling unit to lower the temperature of a designated beverage when combined with either a specially designed beverage container, or with a personal beverage container. 
     
     
         17 . The self chilling beverage system of  claim 16  which comprises a removable ice tube designed to fit inside a beverage container with a removable lid, said beverage container incorporating tube guides on the upper edge of said beverage container allowing said removable ice tube to be secured in position within said beverage container. 
     
     
         18 . The self chilling beverage system of  claim 17  in which said removable lid incorporates an underside and an upper side, a drinking opening located within the boundaries of said removable lid, a drinking opening cover incorporating an upper surface and a lower surface, said drinking opening cover being capable of alternating between an open and closed position with regard to said drinking opening, said drinking opening cover being attached to the underside of said removable lid by use of an attaching tab and an attaching means, a slide handle located on the upper surface of said drinking opening cover to alternate said drinking opening cover between the open and closed positions, and a lifting indentation or lifting protrusion to remove said removable lid from said beverage container. 
     
     
         19 . The self chilling beverage system of  claim 17  wherein said removable ice tube comprises an ice holding chamber, a beverage conducting channel, and open areas for beverage flow. 
     
     
         20 . The self chilling beverage system of  claim 19 , wherein said removable ice tube incorporates an upper opening to be used for drinking, said upper opening being available for use whether or not said removable lid is affixed to said beverage container, as said removable lid incorporates a drinking opening with a drinking opening cover which can be in an open position for drinking. 
     
     
         21 . The self chilling beverage system of  claim 19 , wherein said removable ice tube is in the form of a weighted removable ice tube, comprising a plastic housing enclosing an ice holding chamber, with a permanent drinking straw in either a straight or spiral configuration, positioned within said ice holding chamber of said removable ice tube in such a way that said permanent drinking straw is surrounded by an identical thickness of ice in every direction, and a weight is positioned inside the lower extremity of said plastic housing directly below said ice holding chamber, circled around said permanent drinking straw near the bottom, partially or totally encased in plastic to prevent exposure to the beverage in said beverage container and the liquid in said ice holding chamber, said weight positioned in such a way as to contribute to a lower center of gravity for said beverage container, or any drinking vessel in which said weighted removable ice tube might be used, allowing said weighted removable ice tube to remain in position within said beverage container without rising and losing contact with said beverage or causing said container to tip from a center of gravity which is too high, and allowing said weighted removable ice tube to be used in a variety of personal drinking utensils in addition to said beverage container. 
     
     
         22 . The self chilling beverage system of  claim 21  wherein said weighted removable ice tube incorporates said permanent drinking straw within said weighted ice tube, with said upper opening containing a tip to enable a short disposable drinking straw, with a section to adapt to different angles for additional drinking comfort, to be inserted, for use in consuming the beverage within said beverage container. 
     
     
         23 . The self chilling beverage system of  claim 21 , wherein said weighted removable ice tube incorporates said permanent drinking straw positioned in the exact center of said ice holding chamber within said weighted removable ice tube, the exact center of said ice holding chamber being that point where all diameters of said ice holding chamber meet when crossing said ice holding chamber, ensuring that said permanent drinking straw would be completely surrounded by a layer of ice having a uniform thickness on all sides, wherein said permanent drinking straw is of sufficient diameter to allow a full length disposable drinking straw to be inserted within said permanent drinking straw. 
     
     
         24 . The self chilling beverage system of  claim 21 , wherein said plastic housing of said weighted removable ice tube is molded in an upper section and a lower section allowing an expandable insert to be glued or sonic welded in place between said upper section and said lower section, wherein said expandable insert allows said weighted removable ice tube to expand upward without breaking if necessitated by the expansion of the water inside said ice holding chamber during the freezing process. 
     
     
         25 . The self chilling beverage system of  claim 17  wherein an adapted beverage cup is positioned inside said beverage container in such a way as to create an ice holding chamber between the inner wall of said beverage container and the outer wall of said adapted beverage cup, and a removable lid. 
     
     
         26 . The self chilling beverage system of  claim 25 , wherein said adapted beverage cup incorporating an annular body consisting of a base and a wall including an outer surface and an inner surface, is positioned as the inside wall of said ice holding chamber, wherein a spiral beverage conducting channel is positioned around the outer surface of said adapted beverage cup within said ice holding chamber in such a way that said spiral beverage conducting channel is contacted by ice on three sides, increasing the cooling effect created by said ice holding chamber. 
     
     
         27 . The self chilling beverage system of  claim 26 , wherein said spiral beverage conducting channel, having an upper extremity and a lower extremity, incorporates a beverage feed opening at said lower extremity to allow beverage to enter said spiral beverage conducting channel, and a beverage tube opening at said upper extremity which allows said beverage to exit said spiral beverage conducting channel through a disposable drinking straw holder molded into the upper edge of the beverage container, said beverage tube opening so designed as to be used as a drinking means if desired. 
     
     
         28 . The self chilling beverage system of  claim 16  comprising a magnetic beverage container with an inside surface and an outside surface, wherein a magnet attracting metal strip or strips can be secured into indented areas around said outside surface of said magnetic beverage container at one or a plurality of levels. 
     
     
         29 . The self chilling beverage system of  claim 28 , incorporating one or a plurality of ice holding units which are formed in a semi-circular shape, the outside surface of said semi-circular units being covered with foam or another insulating material, and incorporating a stick on magnetic strip to form a magnetic attraction with said magnet attracting metal strip or strips mounted around the outside surface of said magnetic beverage container, and contact points being included on said ice holding unit which make contact with said metal strip or strips on said magnetic beverage container, securing said ice holding unit in place. 
     
     
         30 . The self chilling beverage system of  claim 16 , wherein said semi-circular ice holding units which do not incorporate magnetic strips or a foam covering on said outer surfaces of said ice holding units and said beverage container incorporates clips on the inside wall of said beverage container, allowing said semi-circular ice holding units to be inserted inside said beverage container and attached to said clips.