Apparatus and method for storing, cooling, and releasing things

Abstract

An apparatus and method for storing, cooling, and releasing items, such as canned beverages, is disclosed. A key object of the invention disclosed is to provide a cooler having a smaller footprint and greater height relative to existing solutions. To this end, an apparatus configured according to the present disclosure utilizes one or more thermoelectric cooling elements to lower the temperature of a container, in combination with an air channel arranged along an axis parallel with the container's height. Further, due to the novel dimensions that the apparatus may exhibit, a means for serially releasing items from the container is disclosed, including a retainer assembly and release mechanism disposed within the device's head and a force mechanism disposed within the container's interior.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a tube having a top end, a bottom end, a height, an exterior surface, and an inner cavity;   one or more thermoelectric cooling elements substantially contacting the exterior surface of the tube;   a power source connected to the one or more thermoelectric cooling elements;   an air channel housing disposed adjacent to the tube and comprising an air inlet vent, an air outlet vent, and an air channel, wherein the air channel is arranged parallel to the height of the tube;   a head assembly substantially covering the top end of the tube and having an open position and a closed position.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a fan disposed within the air channel housing. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising at least three thermoelectric cooling elements, disposed substantially equidistant from one another along the height of the tube within the air channel housing. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tube is a substantially cylindrical shape having a diameter and the ratio between the height and the diameter of the tube is at least 3:1. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the air channel housing further comprises:
 a shelf arranged parallel to the height of the tube, wherein the shelf divides the air channel into an upper space and lower space; and   at least one opening in the shelf, wherein the opening is configured to allow air exchange between the upper space and lower space.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the power source is a removable battery disposed adjacent to the air channel housing. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the head assembly comprises a lid, a release mechanism, and a head interior, wherein the head interior is substantially contiguous with the inner cavity of the tube. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the release mechanism comprises:
 a gate having a locked state and an unlocked state, wherein the gate substantially obstructs passage through the head interior when in the locked state;   a trigger coupled to the gate, wherein activation of the trigger changes the gate from its locked state to its unlocked state.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a force mechanism disposed within the inner cavity and coupled to apparatus at a point proximate to the bottom end of the tube. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a bag top frame having a first opening, and a plurality of additional openings, wherein the first opening is fitted to the head assembly; and   a bag base coupled to the bottom end of the tube and comprising a substantially uniform bottom surface, and a top surface having a plurality of depressions, wherein the frame's plurality of additional openings are arranged opposite the base's plurality of depressions on an axis parallel to the height of the tube.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a mount assembly, wherein the mount assembly comprises:
 a detachable fastener configured to secure the apparatus to the mounting assembly, wherein the detachable fastener contacts the apparatus along an axis substantially perpendicular to the height of the tube; and   a mounting plate coupled to the detachable fastener and having a plane arranged substantially parallel to the height of the tube.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a detachable handle having one or more pivotable legs. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a joiner assembly, wherein the joiner assembly comprises:
 a first detachable fastener configured to secure the apparatus to the joiner assembly, wherein the first detachable fastener contacts the apparatus along an axis substantially perpendicular to the height of the tube; and   a second detachable fastener configured to secure the apparatus to the joiner assembly, wherein the second detachable fastener contacts the apparatus along an axis substantially perpendicular to the height of the tube.   
     
     
         14 . An apparatus comprising:
 a container having a top end, a bottom end, a height, an exterior surface, and an inner cavity;   a hinged lid substantially covering the top end of the container;   a gate, disposed proximate to the top end of the container, having a locked state and an unlocked state, wherein the gate in its locked state substantially obstructs passage out of the container's inner cavity;   a release mechanism disposed proximate to the top end of the container, wherein activation of the release mechanism changes the gate from its locked state to its unlocked state and deactivation of the release mechanism returns the gate to its locked state.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein opening the hinged lid activates the release mechanism. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the release mechanism comprises:
 a first slider coupled to the gate and having a first path, wherein the gate changes from its locked state to its unlocked state upon displacement of the first slider and returns to its locked state upon return of the first slider to its initial position;   a second slider having a second path and configured to displace the first slider upon activation of the release mechanism, wherein the second path is partially congruent with the first path and partially divergent with the first path; and   one or more ridges arranged adjacent to the first slider, wherein the one or more grooves cause the second path of the second slider to diverge from the first path of the first slider.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 one or more thermoelectric cooling elements contacting the exterior surface of the container;   a power source connected to the one or more thermoelectric cooling elements;   an air channel housing disposed adjacent to the container and comprising an air inlet vent, an air outlet vent, and an air channel, wherein the air channel is arranged parallel to the height of the container;   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the container is a substantially cylindrical shape having a diameter and the ratio between the height and the diameter of the tube is at least 3:1. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a force mechanism disposed within the inner cavity and coupled to the apparatus at a point proximate to the bottom end of the container. 
     
     
         20 . A method for storing and releasing canned beverages comprising the following steps:
 storing a plurality of canned beverages within a tube having an exterior surface, a height, and a top end, wherein the plurality of canned beverages are arranged in a single column parallel to the height of the tube;   cooling the plurality of canned beverages by means of one or more thermoelectric cooling elements contacting the exterior surface of the tube;   engaging a release mechanism coupled to the tube and disposed proximate to the top end;   releasing a first canned beverage from the tube by means of the release mechanism; and   forcing a second canned beverage towards the top end of the tube by means of the release mechanism.