Patent Publication Number: US-6334329-B1

Title: Wine box cooling device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to wine cooling devices and more particularly pertains to a new wine box cooling device for cooling and keeping cool a wine box. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of wine cooling devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, wine cooling devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Des. Pat. No. 282,138; U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,072; U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,944; U.S. Des. Pat. No. 583,652; U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,381; and U.S. Des. Pat. No. 340,167. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new wine box cooling device. The inventive device includes a housing. The housing has a base portion and cover portion. The base portion comprises a bottom wall. The bottom wall has a peripheral edge. A peripheral wall is integrally coupled to and extends upwardly from the peripheral edge such that a front wall, a back wall and a pair of side walls are defined. The front wall has a top edge. The top edge of the front wall a depression therein. A cover portion comprises a top wall. The top wall has a peripheral edge. A perimeter wall is integrally coupled to and extends downwardly from the peripheral edge of the top wall such that a proximal wall, a distal wall and two side walls are defined. The cover portion has a size adapted to cover the base portion. An ice block is positioned within the base portion and a wine box is positioned on the ice block such that a pour spout of the wine box extends over the depression. 
     In these respects, the wine box cooling device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of cooling and keeping cool a wine box. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of wine cooling devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new wine box cooling device construction wherein the same can be utilized for cooling and keeping cool a wine box. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new wine box cooling device apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the wine cooling devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new wine box cooling device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art wine cooling devices, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a housing. The housing has a base portion and cover portion. The base portion comprises a bottom wall. The bottom wall has a peripheral edge. A peripheral wall is integrally coupled to and extends upwardly from the peripheral edge such that a front wall, a back wall and a pair of side walls are defined. The front wall has a top edge. The top edge of the front wall a depression therein. A cover portion comprises a top wall. The top wall has a peripheral edge. A perimeter wall is integrally coupled to and extends downwardly from the peripheral edge of the top wall such that a proximal wall, a distal wall and two side walls are defined. The cover portion has a size adapted to cover the base portion. An ice block is positioned within the base portion and a wine box is positioned on the ice block such that a pour spout of the wine box extends over the depression. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new wine box cooling device apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the wine cooling devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new wine box cooling device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art wine cooling devices, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new wine box cooling device which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new wine box cooling device which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new wine box cooling device which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such wine box cooling device economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new wine box cooling device which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new wine box cooling device for cooling and keeping cool a wine box. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new wine box cooling device which includes a housing. The housing has a base portion and cover portion. The base portion comprises a bottom wall. The bottom wall has a peripheral edge. A peripheral wall is integrally coupled to and extends upwardly from the peripheral edge such that a front wall, a back wall and a pair of side walls are defined. The front wall has a top edge. The top edge of the front wall a depression therein. A cover portion comprises a top wall. The top wall has a peripheral edge. A perimeter wall is integrally coupled to and extends downwardly from the peripheral edge of the top wall such that a proximal wall, a distal wall and two side walls are defined. The cover portion has a size adapted to cover the base portion. An ice block is positioned within the base portion and a wine box is positioned on the ice block such that a pour spout of the wine box extends over the depression. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new wine box cooling device that is adapted for cooling conventional wine boxes which are often used at outdoor events and are subject to temperature variations. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new wine box cooling device that has a carrying means for easy carrying of the device. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a new wine box cooling device according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the present invention in a closed position. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the carrying means present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective exploded view of the labeling means of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new wine box cooling device embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the wine box cooling device  10  generally comprises a housing  12 . The housing  12  includes a base portion  14  and a cover portion  40 . The base  14  and cover  40  portions each preferably comprises a plastic material. 
     The base portion  14  comprises a bottom wall  16 . The bottom wall  16  has a peripheral edge  18 . A peripheral wall  20  is integrally coupled to and extends upwardly from the peripheral edge  18  such that a front wall  22 , a back wall  24  and a pair of side walls  26  are defined. The front wall  22  has a top edge  28 . The top edge  28  of the front wall  22  a depression therein  30 . The depression  30  is preferably positioned generally between and ideally equidistant from the side walls  26 . The peripheral wall  20  preferably has a height between 2 and 4 inches. 
     The cover portion  40  comprises a top wall  42 . The top wall  42  has a peripheral edge  44 . A perimeter wall  46  is integrally coupled to and extends downwardly from the peripheral edge  44  of the top wall  42  such that a proximal wall  48 , a distal wall  50  and two side walls  52  are defined. An inner perimeter length of the perimeter wall  46  is substantially equal to an outer perimeter length of the peripheral wall  20  such that the cover portion  40  may be extended over the base portion  14  to define a closed position as depicted in FIG.  2 . The proximal wall  48  has a bottom edge  54  having a slot  56  therein. The slot  56  is positioned to generally correspond with the depression  30 . The perimeter wall  46  has a height generally greater than 3 times the height of the peripheral wall  20 . The perimeter wall  46  ideally has a height generally between 12 and 16 inches. The slot and depression are preferably rounded. 
     A panel comprises  58  a flexible material. The flexible material comprising a conventional insulating material. The panel  58  ideally has a width greater than 3 times a width of the bottom wall  16  and a length substantially equal to a length of the bottom wall  16 . 
     A carrying means  60  for carrying the device comprises a pair of rods  62 . Each of the rods has a first end  64  and a second  66  end. Each of the rods  62  has an elongate channel  68  extending through the first  64  and second  66  ends. A continuous cord  70 , such that it forms a loop, extends through the elongate channels  68  of the first and second rods. The rods  62  may be placed on opposite sides of the housing  12  and the cord  70  placed under the bottom portion  14  such that the rods  62  define handles for carrying the housing  12 . 
     A labeling means labels the cover portion  40  so that the user knows what kind of wine is contained within. The labeling means includes a transparent panel  72 . The transparent panel has four edges  74 . Three of the edges are securely attached to an outside surface of the proximal wall  48  such that a fourth edge  76  allows access behind the transparent panel  72 . The transparent panel  72  preferably comprises a plastic material. Each of a plurality of cards  78  has a shape adapted for is positioned between the proximal wall  48  and the transparent panel  72 . The cards  78  may be written on and placed behind the transparent panel such that indicia on the card is visible. 
     In use, an ice block  4  is wrapped in the panel  58 . The ice block  4  is positioned on the bottom wall  16  and a conventional wine box  6  is positioned on the ice block  4  such that the pour spout  8  coupled to the wine box  6  extends over the depression  30 . The cover portion  40  is positioned over the base portion  14  and the wine box  6  is used in a conventional manner. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.