Patent Abstract:
Heat-exchanging devices for cooling or heating liquids in a bottle or can, which include in a first embodiment, an elongated cooling or heating tube having a tube bore filled with a refrigerant/heating fluid such as water and sealed at the top, with liquid flow openings provided in the tube, or in a tube connector attached to the tube above a tube seal. The tube or tube connector is fitted with a cap having internal threads for engaging the external threads of the bottle neck of the bottle into which the cooling tube is inserted. In second and third embodiments the insertable tube contains a pair of interconnected reservoirs containing liquids that will create an exothermic or endothermic reaction when mixed. A disc separating the liquids is ruptured by button action at the base of the tube to facilitate mixing of the liquids by gravity. Access to the cooled or heated liquid in the bottle is gained in each case by inverting the bottle in conventional manner to allow a flow of liquid from the bottle through the openings in the upper portion of the tube or the tube connector and into a spout provided in the cap, for drinking purposes. In a preferred embodiment a sports valve may be provided on the spout for sealing the spout against inadvertent leakage or spillage of the contents of the bottle.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of and incorporates by reference copending U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.  60 / 433 , 927 , filed Dec.  18 ,  2002 . 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to devices for maintaining liquids contained in smooth or threaded-neck bottles and cans in a cold or warm state and more particularly, to heat-exchanging tubular devices for cooling or heating liquids in such bottles and cans. The devices include a cooling/heating tube, fitted in one embodiment with a seal near one end and containing one or more refrigerant/heating fluids such as water or an artificial liquid refrigerant, typically known as “blue ice”, as well as other liquids. In one embodiment a single refrigerant or heating liquid is contained and sealed in the tube. In other embodiments a pair of separate, but connected containers create a selected exothermic or endothermic reaction and condition when mixed on demand in the tube. The upper portion of the tube, or a tube connector extending the tube above the seal in the single-liquid first embodiment, is provided with openings which are disposed below a cap to which the tube or tube connector is attached, the cap typically having internal threads for attachment to the threaded bottle neck. In each threaded cap embodiment, a central opening or spout communicates with the openings in the tube connector or tube to facilitate drinking the liquid in the bottle when the bottle containing the tube is inverted in conventional fashion. Furthermore, the typically resilient, and/or flexible internal threads in the cap are designed to removably and threadably engage the threaded bottle or can neck to facilitate extending the cooling/heating tube inside the bottle or can and in contact with the liquid contents when the cap is threaded on the bottle or can neck. In the dual-container embodiment, when the tube is seated in the bottle or can and at least partially submerged in the liquid contained in the vessel and the cap is threaded on the bottle or can neck, the contents of the bottle or can may be maintained in a cool, cold, hot or warm state, depending upon the nature and properties of the fluids in the inserted tube containers, responsive to pressing a button at the bottom of the tube to effect mixing of the liquids in the containers. The liquid in the bottle or can may then be removed for drinking by inverting the bottle or can in conventional fashion. This inversion facilitates a flow of liquid from the bottle or can through the openings in the upper portion of the cooling tube or the tube connector and through the spout in the cap, to the user. In a preferred design the cap includes a sports valve that slides on the spout for sealing the contents of the bottle or can against spillage or leakage due to inadvertent inversion or dropping of the vessel. In a third preferred embodiment, the cooling/heating tube or the dual reservoirs or containers themselves may be inserted in a pre-formed, elongated opening or sleeve molded or otherwise provided in the bottle or can and extending from the bottom thereof, and a button is pressed to rupture a membrane dividing the contents of the containers in the tube to mix the liquids and effect either an exothermic reaction or an endothermic reaction and cool or heat the contents of the bottle or can. In this design the contents of the bottle or can are poured from the spout or neck opening in conventional fashion. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0003]     The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the device for cooling or heating liquids of this invention, more particularly illustrating a perforated cooling or heating tube inserted in and attached to a conventional bottle for cooling or heating and drinking a liquid contained in the bottle as the bottle and tube are oriented in an inverted position;  
         [0005]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the first embodiment bottle and tube combination illustrated in  FIG. 1 , with the bottle in upright configuration and the cooling/heating tube extended from the bottle, more particularly illustrating a preferred cooling/heating tube structure;  
         [0006]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the cooling/heating tube illustrated in  FIG. 2 , more particularly illustrating the elongated cooling/heating tube, a seal joining the upper end of the tube to a tube connector fitted on an internally-threaded cap for engaging the bottle and a valve for sealing the contents of the bottle against inadvertent spillage or leakage;  
         [0007]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of the inverted first embodiment bottle and cooling/heating tube illustrated in  FIG. 1 , more particularly illustrating a typical flow path of liquid in the bottle through openings in the upper portion or tube connector of the cooling/heating tube and through the spout in the cap, to a user.  
         [0008]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view, partially in section, of a second preferred embodiment of the cooling/heating tube of this invention, fitted with a flexible and/or resilient cap and gasket for mounting the cooling/heating tube in a bottle;  
         [0009]      FIG. 6  is a perspective and longitudinal sectional view of the cooling/heating tube illustrated in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 7  is a perspective and longitudinal sectional view of the bottom end of the cooling/heating tube illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , more particularly illustrating the push-button actuating element;  
         [0011]      FIG. 8  is a top perspective view of an alternative cap for connecting the cooling/heating tube to a bottle or can;  
         [0012]      FIG. 9  is a longitudinal sectional view of the cooling/heating tube illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 10  is a longitudinal sectional view of the middle and lower end of the heating/cooling tube illustrated in  FIG. 9 , more particularly illustrating actuation of the push-button and mixing of the liquid contents of the two containers responsive to upward movement of the push-button;  
         [0014]      FIG. 11  is a sectional view of the bottom end of the cooling/heating tube and the push-button, more particularly illustrating a push-button clip attached to the push-button and positioned in non-engaging configuration with respect to a recess in the interior cooling/heating tube wall;  
         [0015]      FIG. 12  is a sectional view of the bottom end of the cooling/heating tube and the push-button, more particularly illustrating the push-button clip engaging the recess in the interior cooling/heating tube wall to prevent return of the push-button to its original position in the cooling/heating tube;  
         [0016]      FIG. 13  is an exploded view of the straw, top container neck, gasket seal and bottom container neck configuration illustrated in  FIG. 9 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view, partially in section, of another preferred embodiment of the invention wherein the internal components of the cooling/heating tube are positioned in a sleeve or cavity molded or otherwise provided in a bottle or can;  
         [0018]      FIG. 15  is a sectional view of the tube component embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 14 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 16  is a sectional view of the lower end of the tube component embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , with a break-away cap illustrated in place over the push-button element;  
         [0020]      FIG. 17  is a perspective, exploded and sectional view of another embodiment of the invention wherein a cooling/heating tube is inserted in a sleeve or cavity provided in a bottle or can; and  
         [0021]      FIG. 18  is a perspective and sectional view of the cooling/heating tube provided with threads and threaded in the sleeve or cavity provided in the bottle or can. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]     Referring initially to  FIGS. 1-4  of the drawings, a first preferred device for cooling or heating liquids of this invention is generally illustrated by reference numeral  1 . The device  1  is designed to removably seat in a conventional bottle  29  (or a can) having a bottle neck  30 , fitted with neck threads  31  and typically having a neck flange  32  (illustrated in phantom) for normally receiving a cap (not illustrated), threaded on the neck threads  31 . The device  1  is further characterized by an elongated cooling/heating tube  2  which may be of sufficient length to insert inside a bottle  29  of desired height and size and become at least partially submerged in the contents. The cooling/heating tube  2  is designed to receive a refrigerant/heating (heat transfer) fluid  7  ( FIG. 4 ), including water or an artificial fluid, gel or freezable refrigerant or ice substitute such as “blue ice” or methyl-cellulose product, and the like, in non-exclusive particular. The cooling/heating tube  2  is characterized by a cylindrical tube wall  6  that defines a tube bore  3  ( FIG. 3 ) having a selected diameter or cross-section which is commensurate with the diameter or cross-section of the bottle  29 , and is bounded by a closed bottom end  4  and an open top end  5 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The tube wall  6  is typically cylindrical and may have any desired thickness consistent with an acceptable heat transfer coefficient. However, it will be appreciated that the tube wall  6  may define an alternative configuration, as desired.  
         [0023]     Referring again to  FIGS. 2 and 3  of the drawings in this first preferred embodiment of the invention the top end  5  of the cylindrical cooling/heating tube  2  receives a tube connector  8 , typically having a cylindrically-shaped connector wall  9  that corresponds in size to the diameter of the tube wall  6  of the cooling/heating tube  2 , with the open connector bottom  11  of the tube connector  8  tightly fitted on the upper seal stopper  15  of a seal  14 . The top end of the tube connector  8  is fixed to a cap  19 , having a cap wall  20 , fitted with internal cap wall threads  21  ( FIG. 2 ). Similarly, the top end  5  of the cooling/heating tube  2  is tightly seated on the lower seal stopper  16  of the seal  14  and the connector bottom  111  and top end  5  seat tightly and hermetically against a stopper spacer  17  of larger diameter, which divides the upper seal stopper  15  and the lower seal stopper  16  of the seal  14 . In this manner the tube connector  8  is removably and hermetically connected to the cooling/heating tube  2 , such that the fluid contents of the cooling/heating tube  2 , typically a refrigerant or heating fluid  7 , ( FIG. 4 ) located inside the tube bore  3  of the cooling/heating tube  2  cannot exit the cooling/heating tube  2 . An air space  13  is typically provided in the tube bore  3  of the cooling/heating tube  2  as necessary ( FIG. 4 ), to facilitate expansion of the refrigerant/heating fluid  7  under circumstances where the refrigerant/heating fluid  7  is water or a synthetic fluid that expands as it is heated or changes from the liquid to the frozen state.  
         [0024]     As further illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4  of the drawings, a connector bore  12  is defined by the cylindrical or tubular connector wall  9  of the tube connector  8 , and the connector bore  12  communicates with the spout opening or bore  24  of a spout  23 , which spout opening  24  also communicates with one or more flow openings  10 , provided in the connector wall  9  of the tube connector  8  ( FIG. 4 ). Accordingly, a consumable liquid  33  contained inside the bottle  29  is able to flow downwardly in the direction of the arrows illustrated in  FIG. 4 , from the inverted bottle  29 , through the flow openings  10  in the connector wall  9  of the tube connector  8  and subsequently, through the spout opening  24  of the spout  23 , to the user.  
         [0025]     In another preferred aspect of this embodiment of the invention, a sports valve  25  slides on a valve seat  26  of the spout  23  in the cap  19  and the sports valve  25  includes a valve opening  27 , illustrated in  FIG. 1 , to facilitate exit of the bottle liquid  33  from the inverted bottle  29  directly into the mouth of a user. As further illustrated in  FIG. 3 a  valve cap or cover  28  may be seated over the valve  25  and removably attached to the cap wall shoulder  22  of the cap wall  20  in a friction-fit, to maintain the valve opening  27  free of dust and debris. Furthermore, whether or not a sports valve  25  is utilized in connection with the inverted bottle  29 , the cap  19 , fitted with internal cap wall threads  21  in the cap wall  20  ( FIG. 2 ), is designed to thread on the bottle neck  30  of the bottle  29  by engagement of the cap wall threads  21  and the neck threads  31 , respectively. This connection seals the cap  19  on the bottle  29  and facilitates a flow of bottle liquid  33  from the interior of the bottle  29 , around the cooling/heating tube  2 , through the flow openings  10  and the spout opening  24  in the spout  23  and through the valve opening  27 , when the bottle  29  is inverted.  
         [0026]     In an alternative embodiment, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the sports valve  25  can be removed and the spout opening  24  provided in the top of the cap  19  without a closure and with an optional valve cap or cover  28  ( FIG. 3 ) which typically seats over the cap wall shoulder  22  in a friction-fit to removably cover the spout opening  24  against entry of dust and debris.  
         [0027]     In yet another aspect of this first preferred embodiment of the invention the cooling/heating tube  2  can be designed with the tube connector  8  integrally formed with the cooling/heating tube  2  and the flow openings  10  provided in the upper portion of an integral tube wall  6  of selected length and shape, with a stopper or seal  14  of suitable size tightly and hermetically fitted in the tube bore  3  of the cooling tube  2  to seal the refrigerant/heating fluid  7  inside the cooling/heating tube  2  from the flow openings  10 . Accordingly, the upper end of the tube  2  which is fitted with the flow openings  10  can be attached to the cap  19  such that the cap  19  and the cooling/heating tube  2  are removably threaded onto the bottle neck  30  of the bottle  29  by engaging the neck threads  31  and the corresponding internal cap wall threads  21  in the cap wall  20 . This facility and design eliminates the necessity of providing a separate tube connector  8  and a specially designed seal  14 , illustrated in  FIG. 3  of the drawings. In this alternative design it will be further understood that a sports valve  25  may be utilized in connection with the cap  19  or may be eliminated in favor of a cap wall shoulder  22  and the provision of a removable valve cap  28  that snaps onto the cap wall shoulder  22  in a friction-fit, as described above.  
         [0028]     The following tables illustrate the function of the device for cooling or heating liquids, as the liquid in the bottle contacts the heated, cooled or frozen device:  
                         TABLE I                           16 oz. bottle containing Gatorade out of refrigerator,       with a cooling device containing ice       located inside the bottle: Gatorade temperature       measurements taken while bottle is in the       refrigerator: Room temperature 72° F.            Time                   1:48 p.m.   42.6 F. (starting temperature)       1:50 p.m.   42.6 F.       1:52 p.m.   42.6 F.       1:54 p.m.   42.6 F.       1:57 p.m.   42.8 F.       2:00 p.m.   43.3 F.       2:05 p.m.   44.4 F.       2:10 p.m.   45.9 F.       2:15 p.m.   48.0       2:20 p.m.   49.3 F.       2:30 p.m.   51.3 F.       2:35 p.m.   53.1 F.       2:40 p.m.   54.0 F. (ending temperature)                  
 
         [0029]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE II 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                 16 oz. bottle containing Gatorade; 
               
               
                 cooling device containing frozen “blue ice”: Gatorade 
               
               
                 measurements taken with bottle out 
               
               
                 of refrigerator. Room temperature- 72° F. 
               
             
          
           
               
                 TIME 
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                 1:25 p.m. 
                 57.7 F. (starting temperature) 
               
               
                 1:29 p.m. 
                 52.7 F. 
               
               
                 1:33 p.m. 
                 51.4 F. 
               
               
                 1:37 p.m. 
                 51.4 F. 
               
               
                 1:41 p.m. 
                 52.0 F. 
               
               
                 1:45 p.m. 
                 52.7 F. (ending temperature) 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0030]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE III 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                 24 oz. bottle containing Gatorade; 
               
               
                 cooling device containing frozen “blue ice”: Gatorade 
               
               
                 measurements taken with bottle out of refrigerator 
               
               
                 and sports valve in place. Room temperature- 
               
               
                 86° F. 
               
             
          
           
               
                 TIME 
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                 2:28 p.m. 
                 50.4 F. (starting temperature) 
               
               
                 2:31 p.m. 
                 51.1 F. 
               
               
                 2:33 p.m. 
                 52.0 F. 
               
               
                 2:35 p.m. 
                 53.4 F. 
               
               
                 2:50 p.m. 
                 64.6 F. 
               
               
                 2:53 p.m. 
                 66.2 F. (ending temperature) 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0031]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE IV 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                 24 oz. bottle containing Gatorade; 
               
               
                 cooling device containing frozen “blue ice”: Gatorade 
               
               
                 measurements taken at room temperature- 86° F. 
               
             
          
           
               
                 TIME 
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                 2:56 p.m. 
                 67.1 F. (starting temperature) 
               
               
                 2:59 p.m. 
                 59.2 F. 
               
               
                 3:00 p.m. 
                 59.9 F. 
               
               
                 3:18 p.m. 
                 69.3 F. 
               
               
                 3:21 p.m. 
                 70.0 F. (ending temperature) 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0032]     The examples illustrate the versatility and effectiveness of the device of this invention in cooling and heating liquids in bottles in the first preferred embodiment of this invention. The device  1  is simple, easy and inexpensive to construct and effective for its intended purposes.  
         [0033]     Referring now to  FIGS. 5-13  of the drawings, in a second preferred embodiment of the invention a second device for cooling or heating liquids is generally illustrated by reference numeral  40  and includes a second cooling/heating tube  41 , which is designed to fit inside a conventional bottle  29 , through the bottle neck  30  and into a bottle liquid  33  (illustrated in  FIG. 4 ). The elongated second cooling/heating tube  41  encloses a top container  46 , which is positioned in inverted configuration, with a top container neck  47  extending downwardly, typically into a gasket seal  64 , as further illustrated in  FIGS. 6, 9  and  10 . The top container  46  is filled with a top container liquid  50  ( FIG. 9 ) and is supported in the second cooling/heating tube  41  at a top container seat  49 . A top container stop  48  is provided near the top of the second cooling/heating tube  41  to facilitate snugly seating the top container  46  inside the second cooling/heating tube  41 , between the top container stop  48  and the top container seat  49 , as illustrated. In a preferred aspect of this embodiment of the invention a typically flexible and/or resilient gasket  42  is provided on the gasket cap  43  at the top end  5  of the second cooling/heating tube  41 , to facilitate threading the gasket threads  42   a  in the flexible gasket  42  on the existing conventional neck threads  31  provided on the bottle neck  30  of the bottle  29 . A spout opening  44   a  is provided in a cap spout  44 , shaped in the gasket cap  43  and the spout opening  44   a  communicates with the open top end  5  of the second cooling/heating tube  41  and one or more flow apertures  45 , provided in the open top end  5  to facilitate pouring the consumable bottle liquid  33  from the bottle  29 , through the respective flow apertures  45  and the open top end  5  and from the cap pour opening  44  when the bottle  29  is inverted for drinking purposes with the second cooling/heating tube  41  in place, as heretofore described with respect to the first preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4  of the drawings.  
         [0034]     A bottom container  51  is also seated in the second cooling/heating tube  41 , beneath the top container  46 , with a bottom container neck  52  facing upwardly and aligned with or slidably receiving the downwardly-extending top container neck  47 , and also typically engaging the gasket seal  64 . As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , a seal  54 , which may be either wax, thin plastic, aluminum foil or the like, is compatible with the heating/cooling reagents and is typically provided in the bottom container neck  52  of the bottom container  51  to prevent the top container liquid  50  from flowing into the bottom container liquid  53  located in the bottom container  51 . While the top container neck  47  may be smaller than the bottom container neck  52  and slidably fitted therein adjacent to the seal  54 , in a preferred arrangement, a tube or straw  62  is inserted in the gasket seal  64  and extends upwardly for fixed attachment inside the top container neck  47 . The straw  62  also projects downwardly and slidably into the bottom container neck  52  adjacent to the seat  54 , to connect the top container  46  and the bottom container  51 , as further illustrated in  FIG. 9  of the drawings. The straw  62  connections are typically sealed by the gasket seal  64 . The straw edge or lip  63  is positioned adjacent to the seal  54  on the straw  62  at the space  52   a  ( FIG. 9 ) and is sufficiently stiff to penetrate and rupture the seal  54 , as hereinafter described. A straw ring  65  is provided on the straw  62  between the extending ends of the top container neck  47  and the bottom container neck  52  to stabilize the straw  62  in place, as illustrated in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . As further illustrated in  FIG. 9 , a push-button  55  is slidably seated in the bottom end  4  of the second cooling/heating tube  41  and rests against the inside bottom of the bottle  29 , for purposes which will be hereinafter described. A bottom end cap  4   a  is applied in a friction-fit to the bottom end  4  of the second cooling/heating tube  41  to protect the push button  55  prior to removal and insertion of the second cooling/heating tube  41  into the bottle  29  ( FIG. 5 ).  
         [0035]     Referring now to  FIGS. 5-7 ,  9 - 12 ,  17  and  18  of the drawings, a push-button  55  is slidably captured in the bottom end  4  of both the second cooling/heating tube  41  and a third cooling/heating tube  67  of a third device for cooling or heating liquids  66  ( FIGS. 17 and 18 ) and in the latter case, communicates with a bottle sleeve  34  ( FIG. 17 ) that is molded or otherwise provided in the bottom of the bottle  29 . For example, as further illustrated in  FIG. 17 , a bottle depression  36  typically extends from the side of the bottle  29  to the sleeve interior  34   a  of the bottle sleeve  34  that receives the third cooling/heating tube  67 , to facilitate slidable upward movement of the push-button  55 , as hereinafter further described. In both embodiments a push-button gasket  56  is typically seated on the push-button  55  adjacent to a round push-button flange  57  ( FIGS. 9 and 10 ) to seat the push-button  55  in the bottom end  4  of the second cooling/heating tube  41  and the third cooling/heating tube  67 . One or more, spaced-apart push-button clips  59  are typically molded or otherwise provided in the inside wall of the second cooling/heating  41  and the third cooling/heating tube  67 , adjacent to the push-button gasket  56  of the push-button  57  ( FIGS. 11 and 12 ) and are designed to position the push-button  55  in the third cooling/heating tube  67  (as well as the second cooling/heating tube  41 ) in a desired upwardly-displaced position, as further hereinafter described. When installed, the push-button  55  engages the bottom end of the bottom container  51  in the second cooling/heating tube  41 , as further illustrated in  FIGS. 9 and 10  of the drawings. The push-button  55  which is mounted in the third cooling/heating tube  67  illustrated in  FIGS. 17 and 18  is typically likewise configured and seated therein.  
         [0036]     In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention the third device for cooling or heating liquids  66  includes a third cooling/heating tube  67  which is typically provided in a preferred design with tube threads  68  ( FIG. 18 ) that engage corresponding sleeve threads  34   b  provided in the bottle sleeve  34 , extending into the interior of the bottle  29  from the bottom end thereof, for accommodating the third cooling/heating tube  67 . Alternatively, it will be appreciated from a consideration of  FIG. 17  of the drawings, that the third cooling/heating tube  67  can be typically inserted in a bottle sleeve  34  provided in the bottle  29  at the bottom end of the bottle  29  in a friction-fit or maintained therein by other techniques known to those skilled in the art, rather than using the tube threads  68  illustrated in  FIG. 18 .  
         [0037]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 14-16  of the drawings, in still another alternative embodiment of the invention, the internal components of the third cooling/heating tube  67  can be manufactured in place inside the bottle sleeve  34  of the bottle  29  or installed therein after manufacture of the bottle  29  and bottle sleeve  34 , according to techniques known to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the top container  46 , with a supply of top container liquid  50  and the bottom container  51 , with a supply of bottom container liquid  53 , connected as described above at a gasket seal  64 , can be inserted in or assembled in the sleeve interior  34   a  of the bottle sleeve  34 , with the push-button  55  slidably captured in and protruding from the bottom end of the bottle sleeve  34 , as illustrated. Accordingly, as illustrated in  FIG. 15 , the bottle depression  36  in the bottom of the bottle  29  can be shaped to terminate inwardly in a push-button seat ring  58  that engages the push-button flange  57  and captures the push-button  55  in the bottom end of the bottle sleeve  34 .  
         [0038]     In operation, and referring again to  FIGS. 5-18  of the drawings, in the embodiments detailed above regarding the second cooling/heating tube  41  and the third cooling/heating tube  67 , after the respective cooling or heating tubes ( FIGS. 5-13 ,  17  and  18 ) or tube components ( FIGS. 14-16 ) are provided with caps or inserted in the corresponding bottle sleeves  34  in the bottle  29 , respectively, cooling or heating of the bottle liquid  33  in each case is effected by the following procedure: Under circumstances where the flexible gasket or cap  42  of the second cooling/heating tube  41  is tightly threaded on the bottle neck  30  pressure is exerted on the push button  55 , forcing it upwardly. If the bottom end  4  of the third cooling/heating tube  67  is covered by a break-away cap  70 , typically as illustrated in  FIGS. 15 and 16 , the break-away cap  70  is initially removed from the bottom end of the bottle  29 , thus exposing the push-button  55 . The exposed push-button  55  is then pushed upwardly, thus forcing the bottom container  51  in the third cooling/heating tube  67  upwardly in each case, as illustrated in  FIGS. 10-12 . Both actions force the seal  54  in the bottom container neck  56  against the straw lip  63  of the straw  62 , thus rupturing the seal  54  ( FIG. 10 ) and allowing the top container  50  liquid to flow through the straw  62  and into the bottom container liquid  53  located in the bottom container  51 , to define a heating or cooling liquid mixture  72 . The push-button  55  is typically maintained in the upward position by operation of the push-button clip or clips  59  that lie adjacent to a corresponding clip seat or seats  59   a , provided in the internal wall of the respective second and third cooling/heating tubes  41  and  67 , ( FIGS. 11 and 12 ), to facilitate a steady flow of top container liquid  50  into the bottom container liquid  53 . Mixing of the top container liquid  50  with the bottom container liquid  53  into the liquid mixture  72  ( FIG. 10 ) causes either a heating or cooling effect inside the second cooling/heating tube  41  or the third cooling/heating tube  67 , or in the bottle sleeve  34  where no tube is used, as illustrated in  FIGS. 14-16 , depending upon the properties of the top container liquid  50  and bottom container liquid  53 , thus cooling or heating the consumable bottle liquid  33  in the bottle  29 . Since the bottle sleeve  34  serves the same purpose as the second and third cooling/heating tubes  41  and  67 , pressing the push button  55  operates to commingle the top container liquid  50  and bottom container liquid  53  in the same manner as described above with respect to the devices illustrated in  FIGS. 5-13  and  17 - 18 . Typical cooling reagents are ammonium thiocyanate and ammonium hydroxide, although various other cooling/heating reagents can be used, according to the knowledge of those skilled in the art. Drinking of the bottle liquid  33  is then effected by inverting the bottle  29  in conventional fashion to facilitate a flow of bottle liquid  33  from the interior of the bottle  29 , through the flow apertures  45  in the gasket cap  43  and the open top end  5 , in the case of the second cooling/heating tube  41 , or directly through the bottle neck  30  of the bottle  29 , in the case of the third cooling/heating tube  67  inserted in the bottle sleeve  34 , or the sans tube embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 14-16 , all as heretofore described with respect to the first device for cooling or heating liquids  1  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5 .  
         [0039]     While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made in the invention and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5