Cooling Assembly for Drink Container

Abstract

An apparatus includes a cooling assembly having a longitudinal axis extending therethrough. The cooling assembly defines a container cavity extending along the longitudinal axis. The cooling assembly also defines an entrance leading to the container cavity. The entrance and the container cavity are configured to receive a drink container along an insertion direction co-aligned with the longitudinal axis. A thermal-transfer body is configured to be in thermal communication with the container cavity and an exterior of the cooling assembly. The thermal-transfer body is also configured to selectively convey thermal energy from the container cavity to the exterior of the cooling assembly.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a cooling assembly having a longitudinal axis extending therethrough; and   the cooling assembly defining a container cavity extending along the longitudinal axis; and   the cooling assembly also defining an entrance leading to the container cavity; and   the entrance and the container cavity configured to receive a drink container along an insertion direction co-aligned with the longitudinal axis; and   a thermal-transfer body configured to be in thermal communication with the container cavity and an exterior of the cooling assembly; and   the thermal-transfer body also configured to selectively convey thermal energy from the container cavity to the exterior of the cooling assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a cooling device configured to be in thermal communication with the thermal-transfer body; and   the cooling device also configured to move thermal energy from the container cavity to the thermal-transfer body once the cooling device is selectively activated; and   a controller device configured to be in electrical communication with the cooling device; and   the controller device also configured to selectively activate the cooling device in such a way that the cooling device, in use, draws thermal energy away from the container cavity to the exterior of the cooling assembly via the thermal-transfer body.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the cooling device includes a solid-state device.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a rotating device positioned in the cooling assembly; and   the rotating device configured to contact the drink container once the drink container is inserted into the container cavity; and   the rotating device also configured to selectively rotate the drink container along a rotation direction once the drink container is inserted into the container cavity, and once the rotating device contacts the drink container.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein:
 a controller device configured to be in electrical communication with the rotating device; and   the controller device also configured to urge rotational movement of the rotating device.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the thermal-transfer body includes a cooling fluid.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a housing assembly surrounding the container cavity; and   the housing assembly defining the entrance leading to the container cavity; and   a flexible wall supported by the housing assembly; and   the flexible wall positioned at an outer periphery of the container cavity; and   the flexible wall positioned between the container cavity and the thermal-transfer body; and   the flexible wall is configured to prevent fluid communication of the cooling fluid with the drink container once the drink container is inserted into the container cavity.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a ridged wall supported by the housing assembly; and   the ridged wall positioned adjacent to the flexible wall; and   the ridged wall positioned between the flexible wall and a cooling fluid of the thermal-transfer body.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the ridged wall defining passageways; and   the passageways configured to permit fluid communication of the cooling fluid between the container cavity and the flexible wall; and   the ridged wall is configured to receive weight from the cooling fluid contained in the thermal-transfer body in such a way that a relatively lesser amount of weight from the cooling fluid is transferred to the flexible wall via the passageways of the ridged wall.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 an electrical motor connected to the rotating device.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the controller device also configured to be in electrical communication with the electrical motor; and   the controller device also configured to selectively activate the electrical motor in such a way that the electrical motor urges rotation of the rotating device.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a drive gear connected to an output shaft of the electrical motor; and   a driven gear connected to the rotating device; and   the drive gear and the driven gear operatively connected together in such a way that rotation of the electrical motor urges rotation of the rotating device.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a bearing supported by the housing assembly; and   the bearing configured to support rotational movement of the rotating device.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a rotatable base rotatably mounted to the housing assembly; and   the rotatable base configured to contact the bearing; and   the rotatable base configured to support selective rotation of the rotating device about the longitudinal axis; and   the rotatable base connected to the driven gear in such a way that selective rotation of the electrical motor urges selective rotation of the rotatable base and the rotating device via interaction between the drive gear and the driven gear.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a stand support supported by the rotatable base; and   the stand support configured to support vertical alignment of the rotating device; and   the stand support configured to slidably receive, at least in part, the rotating device.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the rotating device includes:
 a stand device having a central stem extending centrally therefrom; and 
 the central stem configured to be slideably supported by the stand support. 
   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a biasing support member supported by the stand support; and   a biasing member positioned between the stand device and the biasing support member; and   the biasing member configured to bias movement of the stand device toward the entrance; and   the flexible wall and the ridged wall are mounted to one side of the biasing support member; and   the electrical motor is configured to be selective activated such that selective activation of the electrical motor, in turn, causes rotation of the rotatable base, the stand support, the biasing support member, the biasing member, the stand device of the rotating device, the flexible wall, the ridged wall, as well rotation of the drink container which is positioned on the stand device.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a plate positioned between the biasing support member and the biasing member; and   the plate configured to contact the biasing member; and   the flexible wall and the ridged wall are mounted to one side of the plate; and   the electrical motor is configured to be selective activated such that selective activation of the electrical motor, in turn, causes rotation of the rotatable base, the stand support, the biasing support member, the biasing member, the plate, the biasing support member, the stand device of the rotating device, the flexible wall, the ridged wall, as well rotation of the drink container which is positioned on the stand device.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a first fluid seal positioned between the plate and the biasing support member; and   the fluid seal configured to prevent inadvertent leakage of the cooling fluid from the thermal-transfer body via the plate and the biasing support member; and   a second fluid seal positioned proximate to the entrance; and   the second fluid seal configured to prevent inadvertent leakage of the cooling fluid via the entrance.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a cover configured to be supported by the housing assembly at the entrance leading to the container cavity.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 a pivot configured to pivotally couple the cover to the housing assembly at the entrance leading to the container cavity.