Patent Publication Number: US-5255533-A

Title: Ice box for spherical drink container

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention pertains to an ice box assembly for storing, transporting, and cooling a spherical drink container. 
     1. Background of the Invention 
     In recent years spherical containers for carbonated drinks have come into fairly widespread usage. Such containers, often referred to as &#34;party balls&#34;, are characterized by a radial protrusion extending from a normally upper surface and having a pair of openings for attachment of a pump thereto. The tasks of providing cold storage for this type of container, of transporting it in a cold condition, and of then conveniently dispensing its contents, present unique requirements which have not heretofore been successfully addressed. 
     2. Prior Art 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,506,131 issued Apr. 14, 1970 to Saint-Dizier for &#34;Apparatus for Dispensing Carbonated Beverages&#34;. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,399 issued Dec. 14, 1971 to Addison et al for &#34;Portable Cooler and Support for a Pressurized Keg&#34;. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,622 issued Feb. 5, 1974 to Yanes for &#34;Ice Box for Beer Barrel&#34;. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,142 issued Aug. 16, 1977 to Ruano for &#34;Beer Keg Cooling Container&#34;. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,160 issued Jan. 31, 1978 to Vick for &#34;Insulated Beer Keg Container&#34;. 
     The prior patent which appears to be most pertinent to the present invention is the Saint-Dizier U.S. Pat. No. 3,506,131 which shows an upright barrel 1 housed in a generally cubical container 3 having a removable top lid 5. A copy of that reference is submitted with this application. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the invention an ice box for storing and transporting a party ball includes a housing for completely surrounding both the party ball and a quantity of ice in which it is packed, first removable means forming an opening in the housing for insertion of a pump therein, and spacing means on the interior of the housing for ensuring that the pump-attachment protrusion is aligned with the opening. 
     In its preferred form the invention also includes second removable means providing access to the interior of the housing for adding ice thereto without disturbing the alignment of the pump-attachment protrusion. 
    
    
     DRAWING SUMMARY 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the presently preferred form of my new ice box assembly when a party ball and pump have been installed therein; 
     FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on Line 2--2 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the pump, ice box lids, upper spider, and party ball when removed from the box itself; 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the box and lower spider; and 
     FIG. 5 is an elevation view showing how two of the boxes stack together. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     (FIGS. 1-5) 
     Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 through 5, the presently preferred embodiment of my invention is shown in detail. First, however, a brief description of the party ball will be given. 
     Party ball 10 is substantially spherical in shape and normally contains a carbonated beverage such as beer or a soft drink. On its normally upper surface 11 there is protrusion 12 which is adapted for attachment of a pump. The protrusion 12 has an outer cylindrical wall 14, and in its end face 15 are formed two openings 16 and 17, one being for drawing liquid from the ball and the other being for returning air to the ball. A flat sheet 18 with adhesive material on its under side forms a seal member that normally covers the openings 16 and 17, prior to obtaining access to the contents of the container. The seal member is then removed and thrown away, and the container&#39;s contents, if any are left, would have to be resealed by other means. 
     An open-topped plastic box 20 is of generally cubical shape and has parallel pairs of side walls 22, 24, and a bottom wall 26. Gripping handles 25 are attached to the outer surfaces of the side walls 22. All of the side walls have a downwardly recessed interior shoulder 27 which therefore extends around the entire periphery of the box. 
     A lower spider structure 30 normally rests upon the upper surface of the bottom wall 26 and is selectively removable from the box 20, to make it available for other uses, such as an ordinary ice box used for purposes other than holding a party ball. The lower spider structure 30 includes a plurality of spacer feet 32 which are disposed circumferentially upon the upper surface of the bottom wall 26 and extend upwardly therefrom. When the party ball 10 is inserted into the box 30, it is therefore cradled by the upper surfaces of the spacer feet 32, which engage the lower surface of the drink container and thereby support the drink container in a horizontally centered relationship. 
     A main lid 40 is adapted to closingly engage the open top of the box 20. The bottom side of the lid is recessed at 42 on all four of its edges, and abuts the tops of wide walls 22 and engages the shoulder 27 in a sealing relationship. Main lid 40 also has a central opening 45 therein. The upper portion of the wall of opening 45 is recessed to form a circumferential shoulder 46. The top surface 47 of lid 40 has various recesses 48 which may act as cup holders. 
     An upper spider structure 50 has a plurality of circumferentially arranged spacer fingers 52 adapted to engage the upper surface of the drink container 10 about the circumference of the pump-attachment protrusion 12. The upper spider structure 50 also has a central opening 54 for receiving the pump-attachment protrusion 12. 
     On the bottom side of lid 40 there are four downward protrusions 44 which engage with corresponding recesses 56 in the upper surfaces of the respective spacer fingers 52 of spider 50, for maintaining the pump-attachment protrusion 12 in a horizontally centered relationship relative to the top of box 20. 
     An auxiliary lid 60 is adapted to closingly engage the central opening 45 of the main lid. The outer cylindrical wall of auxiliary lid 60 is recessed at 62 to provide a circumferential shoulder that rests upon the circumferential shoulder 46 of lid 40. The auxiliary lid also has a central opening 64 therein for installing a pump 80 therethrough to provide access to the contents of the drink container. 
     An important advantage of this arrangement is that the auxiliary lid 60 is selectively removable for adding ice to the interior of the ice box 20 without disturbing the alignment of the pump-attachment protrusion 12. 
     A cap 70 is also provided for selectively closing the central opening 64 of the auxiliary lid, when the party ball is being stored or transported, or when the box 20 is used as an ordinary ice box. 
     Walls 24 are provided with latches 28 which have mating parts on the associated edges of the main lid 40. 
     FIG. 5 shows how legs 72 underneath bottom wall 26 of the box 20 interfit with recesses 74 in the top of main lid 40, when it is desired to stack two or more of the boxes vertically. 
     Although the presently preferred form of my invention has been disclosed in some detail, it will be understood that many variations are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention. A detailed disclosure of the presently preferred embodiment has been made in order to comply with requirements of the patent laws, but the scope of the invention is to be measured only in accordance with the appended claims.