Abstract:
A cooling system built into a drinking mug. The mug contains a cooling ribbon spirally wound about the interior beverage holding area of the mug. A mobile cylinder container interconnects the ribbon channel with a replaceable nitrogen gas cartridge housed in a vacuum chamber located in the bottom of the mug. The cooling system is hand activated by a spring-loaded mechanism which moves the mobile cylinder container into and out of engagement with the ribbon channel. This arrangement buffers the ribbon channel from the gas cartridge and ensures that only measured amounts of the cooling gas from the gas cartridge are inserted into the ribbon channel. This arrangement also provides a means for supplementing the amount of cooling gas in the ribbon channel.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to cooling devices, and more particularly to a device for cooling a beverage in a mug by means of an action or combined actions followed by a reaction or simultaneous reactions which flow in a closed system cycle without the need of any previous cooling by refrigeration. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In general terms this invention comprises a cooling system inside of a mug that can be used and reused to cool any type of beverage at any time. The system can also be inactive if a person wishes to use the mug with a natural or hot drink. The mug contains a cooling ribbon spirally wound about the interior beverage holding area of the mug. A mobile cylinder container interconnects the ribbon channel with a replaceable nitrogen gas cartridge housed in a vacuum chamber located in the bottom of the mug. The cooling system is hand activated by a spring-loaded mechanism which will move the mobile cylinder container into and out of engagement with the ribbon channel. This arrangement buffers the ribbon channel from the gas cartridge and ensures that only measured amounts of the cooling gas from the gas cartridge are inserted into the ribbon channel. This arrangement also provides a means for supplementing the amount of cooling gas in the ribbon channel. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a mug constructed according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1, including a partial cut away view of the beverage holding portion of the mug interior; 
     FIG. 3 is a section view along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a section view along the line 4--4 of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross section view of the lower portion of the mug shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a front view of present invention counter; 
     FIG. 7 is a front elevation view, partly in section of the present invention gas cartridge; 
     FIG. 8 is a top view of the gas cartridge shown in FIG. 7; and 
     FIG. 9 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the gas cartridge in a storage pack. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like elements are indicated by like numerals, there is shown an embodiment of a mug 1 constructed according to the present invention. The mug 1 has an open top 2, a closed bottom 3, and is shaped and formed by a cylindrically curved, hollow body 4 extending from the closed bottom 3 to the open top 2. The central longitudinal axis of the mug 1 is defined as its vertical axis and the mug&#39;s radial axis is defined as its horizontal axis. The hollow body 4 has an exterior surface wall 5, and an interior surface wall 6 defining a mug interior beverage holding portion 7. A conventional handle 8 is fixedly attached to the mug exterior surface wall 5. In one embodiment of the invention the exterior surface wall has decorations in contrast relief 9, having space for engraving 10. The exterior surface wall 5 also has corrugations 11 adjacent to the closed bottom 3. Also visible through on the exterior surface wall are a push button 12 and a counter 13 which are described in detail below. Sandwiched between the exterior surface wall 5 and the interior surface wall 6 is an insulation layer 14 composed of a mixture of 90% plaster and 10% bicarbonate sodium. The mug bottom 3 has a detachable cover 15 with threads 18 threadingly attached to the bottom 3 of the mug body 4. 
     As may be most clearly seen from FIGS. 2 and 5, the mug 1 also contains a generally flat, hollow, flexible ribbon channel 20 spirally wound around the mug interior 7 between the interior surface wall 5 and the insulation layer 14. The ribbon channel 20 has an open lower end 21 and an open upper end 22. The ribbon channel 20 also has a series of internal protrusions 23 partially obstructing the internal passageway 24 of the ribbon channel 20. 
     The bottom 3 of the mug interior 7 is formed into a vacuum chamber 30. The mug bottom cover interior surface 16 forms the floor of the vacuum chamber 30. The mug interior surface wall 6 forms the wall of the vacuum chamber 30. A circular element 31, having an upper surface 34 and a lower surface 35, is radially attached about its circumference to the mug interior surface wall 6. The circular element lower surface 35 forms a ceiling for the vacuum chamber 30. The circular element 31 lies in a plane parallel to the mug bottom cover interior surface 16. 
     Referring more particularly to FIGS. 2, 5, 7, &amp; 8, the vacuum chamber 30 contains a gas cartridge 40. The gas cartridge 40 contains a gas, usually in a liquid form such as liquid nitrogen, which is of a type which causes a cooling effect when released from the gas cartridge 40. The gas cartridge 40 is generally round and has a top 41, bottom 42 and is formed by a wall 43 extending from the bottom 42 to the top 41, said wall 43 defining a hollow interior space 47. The gas cartridge top 41 terminates in a threaded neck 44 having a hollow iris 45 opening into the gas cartridge interior 47. A seal 46 is initially placed into the iris 45 to prevent the contents in the interior 47 from escaping from the cartridge 40. The gas cartridge 40 shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 can be viewed in more detail in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 respectively. FIG. 9 illustrates one technique for storing, shipping or holding the gas cartridge 40 separate from the mug wherein 130 represents protective packaging and 131 represents a protective cap placed over the gas cartridge neck 44. 
     The mug bottom cover interior surface 16 has a flat sealing material 32 made from Silicon rubber or the like across its entire surface. An elevated concave central circular section 33 made also of Silicon rubber or the like, is attached centrally to the flat sealing material 32. The concave circular section 33 matches the general shape of the gas cartridge bottom 42. The purpose of the section 33 is to act as a shock absorber for the gas cartridge 40 as well as to hold the gas cartridge 40 fixed in place. The sealer 32 provides a hermetic seal to the vacuum chamber 30 when the bottom cover 15 is threadingly attached to the mug bottom 3. The corrugations 11 on the side of the bottom cover 15 assist in tightening the cover 15 on the mug body 4. The vacuum chamber 30 insulates the gas cartridge 40 from external temperature changes and so stabilizes the gas content volume in the cartridge 40, to an almost constant temperature inside the vacuum chamber 30. 
     Attached to the circular element lower surface 35 is a gas cartridge neck support 36 with a central, vertical, internal threaded opening 37 having an internal radial diameter slightly greater than the external radial diameter of the gas cartridge neck 44. Positioned and attached within the opening 37 is a hollow, conic vertical needle 38, opening through the circular element 31 to the circular element&#39;s upper surface 34. The gas cartridge 40 is installed within the mug 1 by first attaching the gas cartridge bottom 42 to the circular section 33 attached to the bottom cover interior surface 16. The bottom cover 15 with attached gas cartridge 40 is then fitted into the vacuum chamber 30 so that the gas cartridge neck 44 threadingly engages the gas cartridge neck support 36. As the bottom cover 15 is screwed onto the mug exterior surface wall 5, the gas cartridge neck 44 tightens and moves further into the gas cartridge neck support 36 thereby causing the needle 38 to enter the gas cartridge iris 45 and pierce the gas cartridge seal 46. 
     The mug also contains a control chamber 50 directly above the vacuum chamber 30. The vacuum chamber ceiling element upper surface 34 forms the floor of the control chamber 50. The mug interior surface wall 6 forms the wall of the control chamber 50. A circular element 51, having an upper surface 54 and a lower surface 55, is radially attached about its circumference to the mug interior surface wall 6. The circular element lower surface 55 forms a ceiling for the control chamber 50. The circular element 51 lies in a plane parallel to the vacuum chamber ceiling element 31. 
     A cylindrical pipe housing 60 is mounted on the vacuum chamber ceiling element upper surface 34 within said control chamber. The housing 60 has a generally rectangular shape is positioned centrally so that the longitudinal axis of the housing lies along a diameter of the vacuum chamber ceiling element 31. The housing 60 has two long walls 61, a floor 62 attached to said vacuum chamber ceiling element upper surface 34, a short wall 63 forming abutting the mug interior surface wall 6, the push button 12 acting as an opposite short wall 63&#39;, and a flat ceiling 64 attached to said control chamber ceiling element lower surface 55 and enclosing the housing 60. The long walls 61, floor 62, short walls 63, 63&#39;, and ceiling 64 define a cylindrical pipe housing interior 69. 
     The cylindrical pipe housing 60 contains a mobile cylinder container 70 within its interior 69. The mobile cylinder container 70 has a generally cylindrical shape with a central longitudinal axis positioned along the horizontal, radial axis of the mug 1 and coincident with the longitudinal central axis of the cylindrical pipe housing 60. The mobile cylinder container 70 has two ends, a spring end 71 and a push end 72, and a cylindrically curved wall 73 extending between both ends 71, 72 and defining an enclosed hollow interior 74. The spring end 71 is connected by means of a horizontal spiral spring element 65 to the cylindrical pipe housing short wall 63. The push end 72 is connected by means of a stiff horizontal element 66 to the push button 12 acting as an opposite short wall 63&#39;. The mobile cylinder container 70 has a neutral, &#34;rest&#34; position in the cylindrical pipe housing 60 in the middle of the housing longitudinal axis. The mobile cylindrical container 70 has a top 77 and a bottom 78, said top 77 abutting the cylindrical pipe housing ceiling 64 and said bottom 78 resting on said cylindrical pipe housing floor 62. The mobile cylinder container wall external surface 76 contains two circular grooves 75 about its radial circumference. Each groove 75 is positioned longitudinally approximately 1/4 of the distance from one end 71, 72 to the other end 72, 71, respectively. An `O` ring 67 is inserted into each groove 75. 
     The mobile cylinder container 70 has an aperture 80 formed in its wall 73 at the top 77, said top aperture 80 extending from the external wall surface 76 through to the interior wall surface 79. The aperture 80 is positioned longitudinally approximately 1/3 of the distance from the push end 72 toward the spring end 71. The mobile cylinder container 70 also has an aperture 81 formed in its wall 73 at the bottom 78, said bottom aperture 81 extending from the external wall surface 76 through to the interior wall surface 79. The aperture 81 is positioned longitudinally at the approximate midpoint of the mobile cylinder container 70. 
     The vacuum chamber ceiling element 31 has an aperture 39 formed centrally therein extending from the ceiling element lower surface 35 to its upper surface 34. The aperture 39 is coincident with the hollow open-ended needle 38. The cylindrical pipe housing floor 62 has an aperture 68 formed centrally therein, said aperture 68 being coincident with the vacuum chamber ceiling element aperture 39. When the mobile cylinder container 70 is at rest, the container bottom aperture 81 is coincident with the cylindrical pipe housing floor aperture 68 thereby establishing an open channel from the mobile cylinder container interior 74, through the cylindrical pipe housing floor 62, through the vacuum chamber ceiling element 31, through the needle 38 and into the gas cartridge interior 47. When the push button 12 acting as an opposite short wall 63&#39;, is pressed, the mobile cylinder container 70 is shifted toward the short wall 63 thereby eliminating the alignment between the mobile cylinder container bottom aperture 81 and the cylindrical pipe housing floor aperture 68 and effectively sealing the bottom aperture 81. The &#34;O&#34; rings 67 prevent the contents of the gas cartridge 40 from escaping into the cylindrical pipe housing interior 69. The mobile cylinder container 70 will then return to the initial rest position by the action of spring element 65 resisting compression thereby allowing further flow from the gas cartridge interior 47 into the mobile cylinder container 70. 
     The control chamber circular element 51 has an aperture 52 formed centrally therein extending from the circular element lower surface 55 its upper surface 54. One end of an open pipe element 25 is inserted into the aperture 52. The opposite end of the open pipe element 25 is connected to the lower end 21 of the ribbon channel 20. When the mobile cylinder container 70 is at rest, the container top aperture 80 is off-set from said circular element central aperture 52 thereby effectively sealing the top aperture 80. The &#34;O&#34; rings 67 prevent the contents of the gas cartridge 40 from escaping into the cylindrical pipe housing interior 69. When the push button 12 acting as an opposite short wall 63&#39;, is pressed, the mobile cylinder container 70 is shifted toward the short wall 63 thereby bringing into alignment the mobile cylinder container top aperture 80 and the circular element aperture 52 establishing an open channel from the mobile cylinder container interior 74 through the circular element aperture 52 into the pipe element 25 and the ribbon channel 20 thereby allowing the contents of the mobile cylinder chamber interior 74 into the pipe 25 and ribbon channel 20. The mobile cylinder container 70 will then return to the initial rest position by the action of spring element 65 resisting compression thereby halting any further flow of the mobile cylinder container contents into the pipe 25. 
     As stated above the ribbon channel 20, is interconnected at its lower end 21 by the pipe element 25. The mug insulation layer 14 contains a generally vertical, hollow return pipe 26 having an open top end 27 and an open bottom end 28. The ribbon channel upper end 22 is joined to the return pipe upper end 22. The return pipe lower end 28 extends through the control chamber 50 into the vacuum chamber 30 terminating in a double action valve 48. The valve 48 is normally closed by a vacuum in the vacuum chamber 30. The closed position of the valve 48 is visible through an acrylic transparent visor 49 in the vacuum chamber interior wall 6 extending through to the mug exterior wall 5 thereby indicating exteriorly that a vacuum in the vacuum chamber 30 has been attained. The valve 48 opens from the pressure of gas in the ribbon channel 20 which is felt through the return pipe 26 to the pipe&#39;s bottom end 28. The valve 48 closes again after the vacuum in the vacuum chamber draws 30 in enough gas from the return pipe 26 to establish an equilibrium. 
     As may be most clearly seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, within the control chamber 50 there exists a pump housing 90 mounted on the vacuum chamber ceiling element upper surface 34 within said control chamber 50 parallel to and adjacent to the cylindrical pipe housing 60. The housing 90 has a generally rectangular shape having two long walls 91, a floor 92 attached to said vacuum chamber ceiling element upper surface 34, a short wall 93 abutting the mug interior surface wall 6, a flat ceiling 94 attached to said control chamber ceiling element lower surface 55, and an opposite short wall 95. The long walls 91, floor 92, short walls 93, 95, and ceiling 94 define a pump housing interior 96. The pump housing 90 is positioned so that the longitudinal axis of the housing 90 lies parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical pipe housing 60 wherein one of the pump housing long walls 91 abuts a cylindrical pipe housing long wall 61. 
     Within the pump housing 90 there is a block-like, rubber plunger 100 having a cross section equal to the cross section of the pump housing interior 96. The longitudinal length of the plunger 100 is substantially less than the longitudinal length of a long wall 91. A horizontal rod 101 interconnects the plunger 100 with a knob 111 external to the mug 1. The rod 101 extends through a central aperture 102 in the pump housing short wall 93 and through an aperture 103 extending through the mug interior surface wall 6 through to the mug exterior surface wall 5 into said knob 111. A spiral spring element 104 is positioned about said horizontal rod 101 and is attached at one end to said plunger 100 and at the other end to said short wall 93. The opposite short wall 95 has an aperture 105 formed therein. A hollow, open-ended pipe 57 in the control chamber 50 interconnects said opposite short wall aperture 105 with the vacuum chamber 30 through a hole 58 in the vacuum chamber ceiling element 31. The pump housing interior 96 contains a flap valve 106 across said opposite short wall aperture 105. One of the pump housing long walls 91 contains another aperture 107 near to said opposite short wall 95. The long wall aperture 107 contains a sphere valve 108 in a housing 109 with a pipe element 110 attached thereto outside of the pump housing 90, but within the control chamber interior 53 unoccupied by said pump housing 90 and said cylindrical pipe housing 60. The housing 109 contains a spring element 112 acting on the sphere valve 108 to push it downward thereby closing the valve 108 and sealing off the space 97 from the pipe element 110. When the knob 111 is pushed out thereby drawing the plunger 100 toward the short wall 93 and creating a vacuum in the space 97 between the plunger 100 and the opposite short wall 95, the flap valve 106 will open. The spring element 104 will be compressed and will exert force attempting to push the plunger 100 back toward the opposite short wall 95. The vacuum caused in the space 97 will draw in any gas within the vacuum chamber 30 through the pipe 57 and the open flap valve 106 into the space 97. By releasing the knob 111 or pushing it into the mug 1, the plunger 100 will be forced toward the opposite short wall 95 compressing the space 97 and increasing the gas pressure within said space 97. The increased pressure within the space 97 will act on the flap valve 106 to close it snugly against the aperture 105 thereby sealing off the vacuum chamber 30 from the space 97. The increased pressure in the space 97 will force the sphere valve 108 to move against the spring element 112 thereby opening the space 97 to the pipe element 110 and into the control chamber interior 53. Several openings 17 are formed in the mug body 4 leading into the control chamber interior 53. The openings 17 provide a venting means for any gas removed from the vacuum chamber 30 into the pump housing space 97 and into the control chamber interior 53. 
     In the present embodiment of the invention, the mug 1 has a counter 120 visible through an acrylic transparent visor 13 in the mug body 4. The counter 120 is comprised of a counter housing 121 mounted on the cylinder pipe housing ceiling 64 immediately above the push button 12. A cooling counter numeral cylinder 122 is contained in said counter housing 121 and rotatably mounted on an axle 124 fixedly attached to said housing 121. The cylinder axle 124 is transverse to the vertical axis of the mug 1. The numeral cylinder circumference 123 has numerals imprinted thereon and said axle 124 is positioned within said counter housing 121 so that the cylinder circumference 123 and numerals thereon is aligned with said acrylic transparent visor 13. The counter cylinder 122 has a spur wheel 125 radially attached thereto. The spur wheel 125 interacts with an upwardly projecting lever 126 vertically attached to the junction of the cylindrical pipe housing push button 12 and stiff element 66. Whenever the push button 12 is pushed, the lever 126 also advances thereby rotating the spur wheel 122. The counter cylinder 122 has a plurality of concave semispheric openings 127 about one side. A retainer element 128 attached to said counter housing 121 interacts with said semispheric openings 127 restricting the turn of the cylinder 122 to the next adjacent opening 127 with each push of the push button 12. The numeral cylinder 122 numerals appear in the transparent visor 13 to indicate the number of coolings available or used before the gas cartridge 40 requires replacement. 
     The insulation 14 shown in FIG. 2 is not only insulates the mug interior 7 but also insulates the ribbon channel 20, the return pipe 26 and the inlet pipe element 25. This can be obtained by various methods at very low cost and extremely effective. A suggested method is an insulation compound formed by a mixture 90% of plaster with 10% of bicarbonate sodium. The insulation 14 will prevent the ribbon channel 20 from cooling the exterior surface wall 5, thereby directing all of the cooling effect into the mug interior 7. The mug 1 may be manufactured of various materials. In this embodiment of the invention metal is used, preferably aluminum with a very small percentage of chromium for finish. 
     It is understood that the above-described embodiment is merely illustrative of the application. Other embodiments may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.