Abstract:
A device for keeping canned drinks cold includes a tube having a diameter only slightly larger than the diameter of a can. A disclosed tube is long enough to accommodate six cans stacked end-to-end. At least one end of the tube has a removable cap. An insulating foam encases a major portion of the tube to provide thermal insulation and, optionally, to enable the device to float.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
       [0003]    Not applicable. 
       INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM (EFS-WEB) 
       [0004]    Not applicable. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR A JOINT INVENTOR 
       [0005]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Technical Field 
       [0006]    The invention relates generally to thermally insulated coolers for keeping canned drinks cold. More specifically, the thermally insulated cooler is tubular and holds cans stacked one atop another in end-to-end relation. A tube has an open upper end and a cap that is removable to insert and remove drink cans. A thermally insulating sleeve is disposed around the tube. 
       Background Art 
       [0007]    Thermally insulated coolers are widely used for keeping food and beverages cold. One of the most common uses for a cooler is to keep canned drinks cold. 
         [0008]    The three most common standard sizes for beverage cans in the United States are 12 US fl oz (355 ml), 16 US fl oz (473 ml), and 8.4 US fl oz (250 ml). All three of these standard can sizes have a diameter of 2.60 inches (66.167 mm) at the widest point of the body and a diameter of 2.34 inches (59.44 mm) at the lid. The can sizes differ only in their heights: the 12 fl oz can is 4.81 inches (122.23 mm) tall, the 16 fl oz can is 6.19 inches (157.62 mm) tall, and the 8.4 fl oz can is 3.60 inches (91.50 mm) tall. 
         [0009]    Most coolers are shaped like a box. When drink cans are put into a conventional cooler with substantially flat interior walls, there is wasted space between the cylindrical walls of adjacent cans and between the cans and the walls of the cooler. This wasted space adversely impacts the insulating performance of the cooler. In addition, the cans may shift within the cooler during transport, which can cause the cooler to become unbalanced and more difficult to carry. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The present invention relates to a tubular thermally insulated cooler for accommodating a plurality of drink cans stacked one atop another. The cooler comprises a tube for containing the cans, at least one end of the tube being open for introducing and dispensing cans from the tube. The open end of the tube is selectively closable by a cap that engages the open end of the tube. The tube is at least partially encased in a sleeve of thermally insulating material. 
         [0011]    In a disclosed embodiment, the thermally insulating sleeve is made from polyethylene foam. The thermally insulating sleeve can be 0.25 to 4 inches thick, preferably 0.5 to 3 inches thick, and more preferably 0.5 to 1.5 inches thick. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a thermally insulated can cooler of the disclosed embodiment. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the can cooler of  FIG. 1 , with top and bottom caps exploded from the cooler and an insulating sleeve shown in dotted lines. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a vertical cross sectional view of the can cooler of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a vertical cross sectional view of the can cooler of  FIG. 1  with a plurality of cans stored therewithin. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of full and empty drink cans. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6-11  are vertical cross sectional views of the can cooler of  FIG. 1  illustrating the operation of the cooler to dispense unopened drink cans and to store empty cans for later disposal or recycling. 
           [0018]      FIG. 12  is a side view of the upper portion of a second embodiment of a can cooler with the cap exploded from the tube. 
           [0019]      FIG. 13  is an isometric view of the can cooler of  FIG. 12 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 14  is an isometric view of the can cooler of  FIG. 12  with the cap in place atop the tube. 
           [0021]      FIG. 15  is an isometric view of the upper portion of a third embodiment of a can cooler with the cap exploded from the tube, and with the upper portion of the cap depicted in phantom to reveal interior detail. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views,  FIGS. 1-3  show a thermally insulated can cooler  10 . The can cooler  10  includes a tube  12  having an upper end  14  and a lower end  16 . External threads  20  are formed on the upper and lower ends  14 ,  16  of the tube  12 . An upper cap  24  and a lower cap  26  have internal threads that engage the external threads  20  on the upper and lower ends  14 ,  16  of the tube  12  to removably secure the caps to the ends of the tube. 
         [0023]    The tube  12  has an inner wall  28  that defines an internal cylindrical chamber  30 . The tube of the disclosed embodiment is manufactured from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Other suitable materials include, without limitation, acrylic, polycarbonate, thermoplastics, thermoset resins, nylon, and ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW). 
         [0024]    The internal diameter of the tube  12  is dimensioned to receive a can of the type described above. As previously indicated, the outer diameter of a standard U.S. can is 2.60 inches. In one embodiment the tube is a length of standard three-inch PVC pipe, which has an inner diameter of 3.068 inches. The three-inch pipe will accommodate a standard 2.6 inch diameter can with about 0.2 inches clearance all around. 
         [0025]    In another disclosed embodiment, a custom-made length of PVC tubing has an inner diameter of 2.68 inches, leaving 0.04 inches clearance between a can and the inner wall  28  of the tube  12 . That clearance permits drink cans to slide easily into and out of the tube, leaves very little room for the cans to rattle around inside the tube, and leaves minimal air around the cans in the tube that might adversely impact insulation performance. 
         [0026]    The section of the tube  12  between the threaded ends is jacketed in a sleeve  40  of a thermally insulating, foamed thermoplastic. The insulating sleeve  40  of the disclosed embodiment is formed of polyethylene foam of the general material from which noodle-style pool toys are made. Other materials, such as ethylene vinyl acetate foam, may be substituted for the polyethylene foam. 
         [0027]    The thermally insulating sleeve  40  can be 0.25 to 4 inches thick, preferably 0.5 to 3 inches thick, and more preferably 0.5 to 1.5 inches. Advantageously, the sleeve  40  not only thermally insulates the tube  12  but also is sufficiently buoyant to enable the cooler  10  to float. 
         [0028]      FIG. 4  illustrates a plurality of cans  50  contained within the tube. In the disclosed embodiment, the tube  12  holds four cans  50  stacked one atop another in end-to-end relation. Stated differently, the longitudinal axes of the cans  50  are aligned, with the lower end of one can abutting the upper end of an adjacent can. As previously indicated, the height of a U.S. standard 12 fl oz can is 4.81 inches (122.23 mm). Thus a stack of four cans is approximately 19.24 inches (488.92 mm) high. 
         [0029]    The tube  12  has a length closely corresponding to the height of the stack of cans  50 . In this way the stack fits closely within the tube and does not rattle back and forth. In the disclosed embodiment, the tube is approximately 19.4 inches from the inner surface of one cap  24  to the inner surface of the opposite cap  26 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 5  is a schematic depiction of drink cans illustrating the numbering convention to be used in explaining the drawings. A fluid level within the can may be represented by a wavy line. A can generally, without regard to whether it is full or empty, has no wavy line and is referenced by the numeral  50 . A can with the fluid level near the top indicates a full, unopened can  52 , and a can with the fluid level near the bottom indicates an empty can  54 . 
         [0031]    In addition, the illustrated can cooler  10  can hold four cans  50 . The individual cans are referenced by the letters A, B, C, and D. So for example, the first can will be identified by the reference numeral  50 A if referenced without regard to whether it is full or empty; it will be identified by the reference numeral  52 A if it is a full, unopened can; and it will be identified by the reference numeral  54 A if it is an empty can. 
         [0032]    Having a removable cap  24 ,  26  on each end  14 ,  16  of the tube  12  provides the advantage that empty cans  54  may be stored in the cooler  10  without hindering access to unopened cans  52 .  FIGS. 6-11  illustrate a method for dispensing cans from and returning cans to the tube  12  in a manner that permits empty cans  54  to be stored for later disposal or recycling, while not impeding access to remaining unopened cans  52  in the tube  12 . 
         [0033]    A cooler  10  with a full complement of cans  50  is shown in  FIG. 4 . In  FIG. 6 , the upper cap  24  is removed from the upper end  14  of the tube  12 , the tube is tilted to cause a first unopened can  52 A to slide out, and the cap  24  is replaced. After the drink in the can  52  has been consumed, the bottom cap  26  is removed from the lower end  16  of the tube  12 , as shown in  FIG. 7 , and empty can  54 A is replaced at the bottom of the stack. This action pushes the stack of cans upward, positioning the next unopened can  52 B in position at the top  14  of the tube  12  to be dispensed next. The bottom cap  26  is then replaced, as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0034]    When it is desired to remove another drink can from the cooler  10 , the user removes the upper cap  24 , tilts the tube  12  to permit the next unopened can  52 B to slide out, and replaces the cap onto the lower end  16  of the tube. After the drink in the can  54  has been consumed, the bottom cap  26  is removed from the lower end  16  of the tube  12 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , and empty can  54 B is replaced at the bottom of the stack. This action advances the stack of cans upward, moving the next unopened can  52 C into position at the top of the tube  12  to be dispensed next. The bottom cap  26  is then replaced, as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0035]    This procedure is continued until the user does not wish to remove any more unopened drink cans  52 , or until all if the drinks have been consumed. 
         [0036]    As noted, the tube  12  of the cooler  10  has a length closely approximating the height of the stack of cans to be stored. By controlling the length of the tube in this manner, the stack of cans does not have much room above or below for the stack to rattle back-and-forth. However, there are other ways to prevent the cans from shifting. For example, in one embodiment, the two caps  24 ,  26  have coil springs attached to them in a manner similar to the arrangement of a flashlight battery cap. 
         [0037]    While the cooler  10  is dimensioned to hold four cans  30 , the cooler can be provided in a longer or shorter length to accommodate a greater or lesser number of cans. The tube  12  of the disclosed embodiment is approximately 0.25-0.50 inches (6.35-12.7 mm) longer than the stack of cans  30  to accommodate the stack of cans while minimizing movement of the stack of cans within the tube. So, for example, a stack of six cans  30  is 28.7 inches (733.4 mm) tall, so a tube for containing six cans would preferably be 29-29.25 inches tall. 
         [0038]    Optionally the caps  24 ,  26  can be secured to the tube  12  by a cord, chain, or strap (not shown) to prevent the caps from becoming separated from the cooler and lost. 
         [0039]    While the disclosed cooler  10  has caps  24 ,  26  that screw onto the threaded ends of the tube  12 , other cap configurations can be employed. For example, the caps  24 ,  26  and tube  12  can be configured for an interference fit such that the caps snap on and off the ends of the tube, in the same manner that the cap on a can of tennis balls snaps on and off. As another alternative, the caps  24 ,  26  can be pivotably mounted to the ends of the tube  12  by hinges such that the caps open and close over the ends of the tube. A latch is provided to selectively keep the caps secured in the closed position. 
         [0040]    Referring now to  FIGS. 12-14 , another embodiment of a can cooler  110  is shown. The cooler  110  has a tube  112  manufactured of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) of the same general type as used in plastic tennis ball cans. The upper end of a can  50  can be seen loaded in the tube  112  in  FIG. 13 . An insulating jacket  113  of the type discussed above surrounds a major portion of the tube  112 . An outwardly extending annular flange  114  is located at the open end or ends of the tube  112 . Again, it can be of the same general type used in plastic tennis ball cans. 
         [0041]    A cap  116 , manufactured from a deformable, resilient material such as polyethylene, has an upper surface  118  with a downwardly depending edge  120 . An undercut  122  is formed on the inner surface of the edge  120  of the cap  116 . The cap  116  snaps over the flange  114  of the tube  112 , the undercut  122  of the cap being captured underneath the flange to selectively close the end of the tube. 
         [0042]    With reference to  FIG. 15 , a tubular cooler  210  comprises a tube  212 , a major portion of which is thermally insulated by a sleeve  213  of the type described above. The tube  212  has an annular flange  214  formed at an end. The flange  214  has cutouts  216  extending inward from the outer periphery of the flange. A cap  220  has an upper surface  222  and a downwardly depending edge  224  (both shown in phantom). A pair of radially extending tabs  226  project inward from the edge  224 . The tabs  226  are configured and aligned to fit through the cutouts  216  in the flange  214  when the cap  220  is placed on an open end of the tube  212 . 
         [0043]    To install the cap  220  atop the tube  212  of the cooler  210 , the cap is positioned on the flange  214  and the cap rotated until the tabs  226  are aligned with the cutouts  216  in the flange. The cap  212  is advanced downward and rotated such that the tabs  226  are captured beneath the flange  214 . To remove the cap  220 , the process is reversed—the cap is rotated until the tabs  226  align with the cutouts  216  in the flange  214 , and the cap is then lifted off the end of the tube  212 . 
         [0044]    With respect to all embodiments, one end of the tube can be permanently closed off and drink cans inserted and removed through only one end of the tube. Or, both ends of the tube can be open and selectively closed with a cap so that cans can be dispensed from both ends. 
         [0045]    As used herein, words such as top, bottom, left, right, horizontal, vertical, and the like are used with reference to the drawings for convenience of description. Use of these words is not intended to limit the invention to any particular orientation. 
         [0046]    Finally, it will be understood that the foregoing embodiments have been disclosed by way of example, and that other modifications may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.