Abstract:
A transportable cooler comprises a bottom panel having lateral and transverse edge portions and a plurality of upright panels attached thereto and extending upward therefrom forming a vessel with an interior. The plurality of upright panels includes a front panel having a front surface and plurality of pockets extending from the front surface to the interior of the vessel. A cold plate disposed in the interior cools each pocket, directly or indirectly, to chill a beverage container inserted in the pocket.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of non-provisional application Ser. No. 11/047,031 filed Jan. 31, 2005 entitled Cooler With Individual Container Pockets, and a continuation-in-part of provisional application Ser. No. 160/716,269 Filed Sep. 12, 2005 entitled Cold Plate Refrigerator. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates generally to refrigeration equipment, and, more particularly, to a cooler for beverages and the like.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Coolers for use with ice are used in convenience stores and other commercial environments to place containers of beverages for easy access by consumers. Ice coolers typically take the form of a barrel or chest positioned near a store entrance, near the cash register, at the end of an isle or other locations to spur an impulse purchase. These containers are filled with ice and the beverage containers are placed on the ice and onto the ice. As the ice melts, the beverage containers sink forcing a consumer to fish around in the ice for the desired container. In addition to having a cold, wet hand, which is unpleasant, the consumer is sometimes exposed to germ-laden water. Barrel and chest coolers also have the disadvantage of placing the beverage containers at waist level instead of at eye level. It is desirable to have a cooler wherein melting ice does not wet the beverage containers and contaminate the water or containers.  
         [0004]     A problem with barrel and chest coolers is capacity. Typically, capacity is limited by the barrel or chest opening. A barrel opening increases in size with barrel diameter which is limited by distance between aisles, or, when located at the end of an aisle, by shelf width. Similarly, a chest opening is limited by shelf width. It is therefore desirable to have a cooler whose capacity is not limited by shelf width or distance between shelves.  
         [0005]     Another problem with chest and barrel coolers is the inability to remove a single container without disturbing remaining containers. It is therefore desirable to have a cooler wherein containers can be removed, one at a time, without disturbing the remaining containers.  
         [0006]     Refrigerators are widely used for cooling food items and beverages. With beverages, the cooler is repeatedly opened and closed, not only to remove a beverage, but to see what beverage is available. It is therefore desirable to have a cooler that indicates what beverage is available without actually opening the door. It is also desirable to have beverage coolers that are mobile, if not portable, for placement on a retail floor as the need arises. Many such coolers use ice which can be quite messy; so, it would be advantageous to have a unit that is compact and cools efficiently without ice.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. Briefly summarized, according to the present invention, a cooler, comprises a bottom panel having lateral and transverse edge portions and a plurality of upright panels attached thereto and extending upward therefrom forming a vessel with an interior. The plurality of upright panels includes a front panel having a front surface and plurality of front pockets extending from the front surface to the interior of the vessel. A divider panel in the interior divides the interior into upper and lower chambers. A cold plate disposed in the upper chamber cools the plurality of front pockets.  
         [0008]     These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate similar or identical features that are common to the figures. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a cooler with pockets for containers according to the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the cooler taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a cooler similar to  FIG. 1  but having a lower access panel.  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of a cooler according to the present invention featuring a display panel attached to support ribs.  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view similar to  FIG. 2  but illustrating another preferred embodiment of the cooler utilizing refrigeration equipment.  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a cooler similar to  FIG. 1  but utilizing refrigeration equipment.  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a sectional view similar to  FIG. 5  but illustrating another preferred embodiment with a cold plate abutting container pockets. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , a cooler  10  is provided for cooling beverage containers  12  or other items. Cooler  10  has a bottom panel  12  and a plurality of upright panels forming a vessel capable of holding water. Bottom panel  12  has lateral and transverse edge portions and is polygonal shaped. Preferably bottom panel  12  is rectangular in shape with a front edge portion, a rear edge portion and side edge portions, but may be triangular or other shapes. In a retail environment, a triangular shape is especially adapted for the end of a row of shelving or alongside a row of shelving allowing access to beverage containers from two sides, A rectangular shape is preferable at the end of a row of shelving because it protrudes less from the end of the shelving while holding more containers.  
         [0017]     The plurality of upright panels includes a front panel  16  attached to base  14  and extending upward therefrom. Similarly a rear panel  18  and end panels  20 ,  22  also attach to base  14  and extend upward forming a vessel with an interior  24  adapted to hold fluid. Naturally, the number of upright panel will match the number of edge portions of bottom panel  14 . Front panel  16  has an exterior front surface and plurality of pockets  26  extending from the exterior front surface to the interior  24  of the vessel. Similarly, rear panel  18  has an exterior surface and plurality of pockets  28  extending from the exterior surface to the interior  24  of the vessel. Pockets  26 ,  28  are shown arranged in rows and columns but may be arranged in any order. Each pocket is preferably spaced from adjacent pockets to facilitate contact with the cooling medium.  
         [0018]     Still referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , cooler  10  has a lid  30  preferably hingedly attached to rear panel  18 . Alternatively, lid  30  may simply rest atop the upright panels in a recess formed therein. Lid  30  may have a contoured configuration for aesthetic appeal or may be planar. Lid  30  swings open to provide access to the interior  20  of the cooler for adding ice for cooling. Lid  30  may be spaced from the topmost pockets to provide more space for ice. When added, ice will fill some of the spaces between the pockets. As the ice melts, water will fill voids between pockets and provide contact for heat transfer from the pockets. As the pockets cool, the containers in the pockets will also cool. To retard heat loss through the upright panels, interior panel surfaces not having a pocket can be insulated with foam, double walled construction, or a spray on insulating coating. In addition, the portions of the pockets immediately adjacent an insulated surface may also be insulated.  
         [0019]     A drain pipe  32  disposed along the bottom of the vessel collects water and is used to drain the vessel through a drain opening in one of the bottom or upright panels. Drain pipe  32  is preferably perforated so that it does not clog with ice particles. When the ice melts and the vessel is filled with water, it is time to drain the water. Water may be drained at other times as is convenient.  
         [0020]     A plurality of coasters or wheels  34  are mounted on base panel  14  for easy transport of the cooler from one location on a merchandise floor to another.  
         [0021]     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , instead of ice, the vessel may be filled with a fluid, such as air or water, or other heat conductive means or material, to be used for cooling by conventional refrigeration means (not shown) carried in a bottom compartment below the pockets. A divider panel  36  divides the cooler into an upper fluid holding vessel and a lower compartment for refrigeration equipment. One of the upright panels, the front panel as illustrated, has an access panel  38  adapted to provide access to the lower compartment. This configuration eliminates the chore of periodically changing the ice. Where it is desired or most practical to use ice, the bottom compartment can be used to store additional containers instead of refrigeration equipment. Such stored containers would be at a temperature cooler than room temperature and always ready for insertion into available pockets.  
         [0022]     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the cooler  10  may be shortened to fit on a tabletop or countertop where all containers are at eye level. In this case, lid  30  should be planar and the top surface used for displaying chips, nuts or other items complimentary to the beverages available in the pockets.  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIGS. 5-6 , a cooler  510  is provided for cooling beverage containers  512  or other items. Cooler  510  has a bottom panel  514  and a plurality of upright panels  516 ,  518 ,  520 ,  522  forming a vessel. Bottom panel  514  has lateral and transverse edge portions and is polygonal shaped. Preferably bottom panel  514  is rectangular in shape with a front edge portion, a rear edge portion and side edge portions, but may be triangular or other shapes. In a retail environment, a triangular shape is especially adapted for the end of a row of shelving or alongside a row of shelving allowing access to beverage containers from two sides, A rectangular shape is preferable at the end of a row of shelving because it protrudes less from the end of the shelving while holding more containers.  
         [0024]     The plurality of upright panels includes a front panel  516  attached to base  514  and extending upward therefrom. Similarly, a rear panel  518  and end panels  520 ,  522  also attach to base  514  and extend upward forming a vessel, preferably with an interior  524  adapted to hold fluid. Naturally, the number of upright panel will match the number of edge portions of bottom panel  514 . Front panel  516  has an exterior front surface and plurality of front pockets  526  extending from the exterior front surface to the interior  524  of the vessel. Similarly, rear panel  518  has an exterior surface and plurality of rear pockets  528  extending from the exterior surface to the interior  524  of the vessel. Pockets  526 ,  528  are shown arranged in rows and columns but may be arranged in any order. Each pocket is preferably spaced from adjacent pockets to facilitate contact with the cooling medium.  
         [0025]     Still referring to  FIGS. 5-6 , as the pockets cool, the containers in the pockets will also cool. To retard heat loss through the upright panels, interior panel surfaces not having a pocket can be insulated with foam, double walled construction, or a spray on insulating coating. In addition, the portions of the pockets immediately adjacent an insulated surface may also be insulated.  
         [0026]     A drain pipe  532  may be disposed along the bottom of the vessel to collect condensation and is used to drain the vessel through a drain opening in one of the panels. A plurality of coasters or wheels  534  are mounted on base panel  514  for easy transport of the cooler from one location on a merchandise floor to another.  
         [0027]     A divider panel  536  divides the cooler into an upper chamber or compartment and a lower compartment for refrigeration equipment, such as compressor  540 . One of the upright panels, the front panel as illustrated, has an access panel  538  adapted to provide access to the lower compartment.  
         [0028]     A cold plate  542  provides cooling for front and rear pockets  526 ,  528  which cool the beverage containers  512 . Cold plate  542  is disposed in the upper compartment and is connected to the compressor  540  in the lower compartment via inlet and outlet tubes  544 ,  546 . Cold plate may extend from the bottom of the upper compartment to the bottom of the upper compartment, or, to conserve material and weight, may be disposed in only the upper portion of the upper compartment. When disposed in the upper portion of the upper compartment, cold air gravitates to the lower portion causing air to continuously circulate. Spaces in the interior of the upper compartment may be filled with a heat transfer medium for more effective cooling.  
         [0029]     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , a cooler  710  is provided for cooling beverage containers  712  or other items. Cooler  710  has a bottom panel  714  and a plurality of upright panels forming a vessel. The plurality of upright panels includes a front panel  716  attached to base  714  and extending upward therefrom. Similarly, a rear panel  718  and end panels (not shown) also attach to base  714  and extend upward forming a vessel with an interior  724 . Front panel  716  has an exterior front surface and plurality of front pockets  726  extending from the exterior front surface to the interior  724  of the vessel. Similarly, rear panel  718  has an exterior surface and plurality of rear pockets  728  extending from the exterior surface to the interior  724  of the vessel. Pockets  726 ,  728  are shown arranged in rows and columns but may be arranged in any order. As the pockets cool, the containers in the pockets will also cool. To retard heat loss through the upright panels, interior panel surfaces not having a pocket can be insulated with foam, double walled construction, or a spray-on insulating coating. In addition, the portions of the pockets immediately adjacent an insulated surface may also be insulated.  
         [0030]     A drain pipe  732  may be disposed along the bottom of the vessel to collect condensation and is used to drain the vessel through a drain opening in one of the panels. A plurality of coasters or wheels  734  are mounted on base panel  714  for easy transport of the cooler from one location on a merchandise floor to another.  
         [0031]     A divider panel  736  divides the cooler into an upper chamber or compartment and a lower compartment for refrigeration equipment, such as compressor  740 . One of the upright panels has an access panel adapted to provide access to the lower compartment.  
         [0032]     A cold plate  742  provides cooling for front and rear pockets  726 ,  728  which cool the beverage containers  712 . Cold plate  742  is disposed in the upper compartment and is connected to the compressor  740  in the lower compartment via inlet and outlet tubes  742 ,  744 . Cold plate may extend from the bottom of the upper compartment to the bottom of the upper compartment, or, to conserve material and weight, may be disposed in only the upper portion of the upper compartment. When disposed in the upper portion of the upper compartment, cold air gravitates to the lower portion causing air to continuously circulate. Spaces in the interior of the upper compartment may be filled with a heat transfer medium for more effective cooling.  
         [0033]     Still referring to  FIG. 7 , front and rear pockets  726 ,  728  preferably have bottom extensions that abut cold plate  742 . Each bottom extension has a general triangular configuration owing to its angled orientation relative to the front and rear panels. Forming the bottom extensions of a heat conductive material, such as a heat conductive polymer for example, promotes efficient cooling.  
         [0034]     It can now be appreciated that a cold plate resides in the upper compartment. The cold plate is preferably vertically oriented to aid convection cooling wherein cooler, denser air descends as warmer, lighter air rises in the cooler. Naturally, the greater the height of cold plate  20 , the greater the convection cooling. Convection cooling is sufficient for cooling beverages without a fan thereby simplifying the construction and operation of the cooler. While a fan is not necessary, a fan can be used for faster cooling.  
         [0035]     While the invention has been described with particular reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements of the preferred embodiments without departing from invention. For example, the pockets can be arranged to resemble the contour of familiar beverage containers instead of the rows and columns illustrated. Also, in humid environments, the pockets can have drain holes to remove condensate. In addition, it is possible to dispose the cold plate in a sidewall in the upper compartment. It is accordingly intended that the claims shall cover all such modifications and applications as do not depart from the true spirit and scope of the invention.  
       ELEMENT LIST  
       [0000]    
       
           10  cooler  
           12  beverage containers  
           14  base panel  
           16  front panel  
           18  rear panel  
           20 ,  22  end panels  
           24  interior of water holding vessel  
           26  front pockets  
           28  rear pockets  28   
           30  lid  
           32  drain pipe  
           34  wheels  
           36  divider panel  
           38  access panel  
           510  cooler  
           512  beverage containers  
           514  bottom panel  
           516  front panel  
           518  rear panel  
           520 ,  522  end panels  
           524  interior of vessel  
           526  front pockets  
           528  rear pockets  
           532  drain pipe  
           534  coasters or wheels  
           536  divider panel  
           538  access panel  
           540  compressor  
           542  cold plate  
           544  inlet tube  
           546  outlet tube  
           712  beverage containers  
           714  bottom panel  
           716  front panel  
           718  rear panel  
           724  interior of vessel  
           726  front pockets  
           728  rear pockets  
           732  drain pipe  
           734  coasters or wheels  
           736  divider panel  
           740  compressor  
           742  cold plate  
           744  inlet tube  
           746  outlet tube