Abstract:
The currently disclosed invention consists of a system for rapidly chilling a beverage within a drinking container while it is being consumed. The preferred embodiment consists of two straight plastic tubes, one fitting inside the other, with ice contained between the outer tube and the inner tube, wherein beverage can be drawn up through the inner tube in the manner of a drinking straw. The tubes are created by extrusion molding, with an optional weight located within the outer tube, surrounding the base of the inner tube, and encased in plastic. Other embodiments of this system are possible, as are described within the specification incorporated herein.

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 
     Field of the Invention 
       [0006]    The invention deals with a new method of chilling a beverage quickly, easily, and safely while it is being consumed, without using ice cubes, which could water down the beverage, or chemical filled units which could contaminate the beverage. 
       Field of Search 
       [0007]    62/5, 62/293, 62/294, 62/371, 62/372, 62/400, 62/457, 62/457.2, 62/457.3, 62/457.4, 220/90.2, 222/146.6, 239/33. 
       REFERENCES CITED 
       [0008]    United States Patent Documents 
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                 7,810,348 
                 Shewchuck, Jeffery D. 
                 Oct. 12, 2010 
                 62/457.2 
               
               
                 D715,143S 
                 Hewitt, Benjamin R. 
                 Oct. 14, 2014 
                 D9/436 
               
               
                 7,140,196 
                 Pfeifer, Thomas J. et al 
                 Nov. 28, 2006 
                 62/457.3 
               
               
                 7,082,784 
                 Roth, Hank et al 
                 Aug. 1, 2006 
                 62/457.2 
               
               
                 7,069,739 
                 Porter, Michael 
                 Jul. 9, 2002 
                 62/457.3 
               
               
                 7,051,550 
                 Roth, Henry et al 
                 May 30, 2006 
                 62/457.2 
               
               
                 6,938,436 
                 Roth, Henry et al 
                 Sep. 6, 2005 
                 62/457.2 
               
               
                 6,761,041 
                 Roth, Henry et al 
                 Jul. 13, 2004 
                 62/457.2 
               
               
                 6,619,068 
                 Won, Gil Suh 
                 Sep. 16, 2003 
                 62/371 
               
               
                 6,584,800 
                 Roth, Hank et al 
                 Jul. 1, 2003 
                 62/257.3 
               
               
                 6,494,056 
                 Roth, Hank et al 
                 Dec. 17, 2002 
                 62/457.3 
               
               
                 6,415,624 
                 Connors, Frank R. et al 
                 Jul. 9, 2002 
                 62/457.3 
               
               
                 5,765,385 
                 Childs, Michael A. 
                 Jun. 16, 1998 
                 62/293 
               
               
                 5,655,384 
                 Joslin, William Daniel Jr. 
                 Aug. 12, 1997 
                 62/294 
               
               
                 5,456,090 
                 McCoy, Mark 
                 Oct. 10, 1995 
                 62/372 
               
               
                 D559,870S 
                 Conlon, Edward B. Jr. 
                 Jan. 15, 2008 
                 D15/90 
               
               
                 5,507,156 
                 Redmon, Christopher L. 
                 Apr. 16, 1996 
                 62/400 
               
               
                 5,394,703 
                 Anthony, Michael 
                 Mar. 7, 1995 
                 62/5 
               
               
                 5,361,604 
                 Pier, Steven J. et al 
                 Nov. 8, 1994 
                 62/547.4 
               
               
                 5,288,019 
                 Gorochow, Erica 
                 Feb. 22, 1994 
                 239//33 
               
               
                 5,129,238 
                 Schwartz, James A. et al 
                 Jul. 14, 1992 
                 62/457.3 
               
               
                 5,009,083 
                 Spinos, Frank T. et al 
                 Apr. 23, 1991 
                 62/400 
               
               
                 4,688,395 
                 Holcomb, Robert R. 
                 Aug. 25, 1987 
                 62/294 
               
               
                 4,669,273 
                 Fischer, Victor H. et al 
                 Jun. 2, 1987 
                 62/294 
               
               
                 4,478,346 
                 Spong, Gary W. 
                 Oct. 23, 1984 
                 220/90.2 
               
               
                 3,840,153 
                 Devlin, Edward J. 
                 Oct. 8, 1974 
                 222/146.6 
               
               
                 3,636,726 
                 Rosenfeld, Nathan et al 
                 Jan. 25, 1971 
                 62/294 
               
               
                 3,591,937 
                 Parks, Eugene H. 
                 Aug. 10, 1971 
                 62/294 
               
               
                 3,525,236 
                 Solhldiah, Nariman 
                 Aug. 25, 1970 
                 62/294 
               
               
                 3,205,677 
                 Stoner, A. M. 
                 Sep. 14, 1965 
                 62/457 
               
               
                 1,721,311 
                 Muenchen, Peter J. 
                 Jul. 16, 1929 
                 N/A 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
       [0009]    For a long time people have been have been working on ways to chill room temperature beverages to an acceptable drinking temperature quickly and efficiently, without the addition of ice which can water down the beverage. Placing the beverage into a refrigerator or freezer unit works, but can take several hours. Placing the beverage in an ice filled container, such as a cooler or tub will also chill the beverage, slightly faster than a refrigerator, but it still requires time to lower the temperature to an acceptable level, and use of this method is limited to sealed containers, such as cans or bottles, and is not adapted to personal containers such as glasses or mugs. 
         [0010]    A number of US Patents disclose a method for chilling the beverage inside a container, most probably a metal can, by attaching a unit containing a liquid or gaseous coolant which is activated by various means when it is desired to chill the beverage within the can. Examples of such containers include US Patents U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,068, U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,385, U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,384, U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,073, U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,395, U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,273, U.S. Pat. No. 3,636,726, U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,937, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,525,236, all of which are incorporated into this document by reference. This method would be effective in chilling a room temperature beverage in a reasonable amount of time, but it has the potential for a variety of problems, including the possibility for contamination of the beverage should the coolant filled unit develop a leak. Even if the coolant is not toxic in nature, it could impart an unpleasant taste or odor to the beverage, which could make it unpalatable. Another possible complication is that beverage cans are for the most part standardized in size. Addition of the coolant filed unit inside the can reduces the amount of beverage which can be put into the can, meaning purchasers of the beverage are getting less for their money. The only way to remedy this problem would be to change the size of the cans to accommodate the additional volume taken up by the added coolant filled unit, which manufacturers would be reluctant to do since it would mean retooling their entire process, which would cause a considerable amount of expense. Therefore this concept, while workable to a point, is not cost effective. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,273 discloses an alternative embodiment of the above described method of cooling a beverage within a container such as a beer or soda can. In this embodiment a refrigerant material is contained in a reservoir and released into an evaporator when the container is opened. Coils around the inside of the can channel the evaporated refrigerant to cool the contents of the can. As already shown, there have been a number of such cooling units developed, but to date none have appeared on the market due to the factors of possible contamination of the beverage should the refrigerant leak into it, and the fact that should any refrigerant containing unit be inserted into a standard beverage can, it limits the amount of beverage that can be put into the can. As in the case of the other embodiments disclosed, in order for the amount of beverage to remain consistent, the size of the can would have to increase, making the can more unwieldy and causing production machinery to require expensive changes which would make production much more costly. 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,346 discloses a drinking container in which a beverage is contained in the bottom of the container and a removable cup fits into the top of the container which is filled with ice. Holes in the bottom of the removable ice cup allow the beverage to pass through the ice to be chilled, and a snap on lid with an incorporated drinking spout allows the user to drink the beverage without interference from the ice. The main drawback to this unit is that the holes in the bottom of the removable ice cup allow water from the melting ice to drip into the beverage thereby diluting it. This may not happen as rapidly as would happen if the ice were placed directly into the beverage, but ice does melt in a warm room, or outside on a warm day, particularly if the beverage is allowed to sit in a warm place for any appreciable length of time. Also, the ice holding cup would not be adaptable to other drinking containers of different sizes, and drinking containers without the attached lid and drinking spout would be difficult to drink from because ice would fall out of the cup when it is tilted to drink from, or be uncomfortably cold when coming into contact with the mouth while drinking, since the ice would not be shielded by being submerged in the beverage. 
         [0013]    Some US Patents, including U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,604 disclose a unit with ice contained within the outer wall of the unit. While this type of unit does chill the beverage relatively quickly, there are disadvantages to this method, including the fact that the entire unit must be placed inside a freezer between uses to the allow the water between the walls to refreeze. Since the units are fairly large, they take up a great deal of space, especially if a refrigerator freezer compartment is used, making it difficult to store enough units for more than two or three drinks to be chilled at a time. This would not be effective should chilling units be desired for a large party, or even for a small group, should people desire more than one drink, since the units would have to be refrozen between uses, and such refreezing takes a considerable amount of time. 
         [0014]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,205,677 discloses a cooling unit comprising a double walled inner cup with a coolant solution enclosed between the inner and outer walls, an outer cup which provides an air space between the inner and outer cup to provide a limited amount of insulating effect, with the ability for a glass to be inserted within the inner cup, allowing a beverage contained within the glass to be cooled by the refrigerant between the walls of the inner cup. The inner cup is proposed to be made of metal, and it is recommended that the outer cup also be made of metal. Since metal sweats when the contents of the container are cold and the outer wall is exposed to air, even the small air space between the inner and outer cups would not prevent some degree of sweating on the outer cup causing it to be uncomfortable to hold, and perhaps causing the container to be slippery, leading to the unit being dropped and the beverage being spilled or the inner glass being broken. Also, because of the shape of the inner cup, only a certain shape of glass could be used, most specifically the type of glass used to serve alcoholic beverages. This would limit the use of the unit for other types of glasses, and other types of beverages. 
         [0015]    U.S. Pat. No. 1,721,311 discloses a unit which comprises a double walled vessel containing a freezing mixture between the inner and outer walls and an inner vessel with a sealable lid which is used to contain the liquid which is to be chilled or frozen. The unit is meant to be used in the same manner as a cocktail shaker to create the chilling or freezing of the inner liquid. The disadvantages of this method are that it requires the specifically designed container in order to be used, and is not adaptable to other types of containers, and that it must be shaken in order for the desired effect to be obtained, which requires both considerable time and effort on the part of the user, and could also be messy should the lid of the container come loose. 
         [0016]    U.S. Design Patent D715,143S discloses an ice filled tube in an icicle shape which is inserted into a wine bottle, with the upper end of the tube acting as a cork to seal the bottle while the wine is chilling. This is the only use for which the unit is designed, and it is not adaptable for other uses. The unit is not usable for drinking from, as there is no passage for the beverage to exit the bottle and the unit must be removed from the bottle in order for the wine to be dispensed. 
         [0017]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,140,196 discloses a large storage container for dispensing beverages, which contains a dispenser bowl surrounded by a channel containing a cooling medium. This design can function to a point on a large scale, but does not lend itself to use in individual drinking vessels. 
         [0018]    Several US Patents, including U.S. Pat. No. 7,810,348, U.S. D559,8705, U.S. Pat. No. 6,584,800, U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,056, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,156 disclose a cooling unit which is intended to be used in a container resembling a sports bottle. The common link among all these designs is the fact that the disclosed cooling unit is designed for use within a sports bottle made specifically for use with that particular unit, and would not be adaptable for use in other sports bottles or in other types of drinking vessels, such as glasses or mugs preferred by the user. Also since most sports bottles are standardized in size to fit into standard cup holders or devices allowing them to be clipped onto bicycles and the like, the varying sizes of these specially designed sports bottles could prevent them from being used in this manner, which is a possible reason why they are not found on the market. Also with U.S. Pat. No. 7,810,348 the internal cooling unit is quite large and takes up a considerable amount of space. To hold an adequate amount of beverage, the container would have to be unusually large, which would make it awkward to hold and difficult to drink from. 
         [0019]    US Patents U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,083, U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,156, U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,056, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,584,800 disclose cooling units which are positioned centrally within bottles specifically designed to receive them, and held in place by alignment of a straw or drinking opening which is held in place by the cap of the bottle, or by the straw itself. None of these cooling units incorporate a weight in the lower extremity of the unit, which would lower the center of gravity of the unit stabilizing the unit to prevent it from shifting whatever the position of the unit inside the cup. This lowered center of gravity would also stabilize the position of the cup itself, making it more difficult for the cup to tip, thereby spilling the liquid contained within it. In the case of a cooling unit incorporating an anchoring weight, as in the currently disclosed invention, the cooling unit would not have to be centrally located, but could be mounted in an offset position with regard to the central axis of the outer container, which makes drinking easier, in the same way as the lid on a take out coffee cup allows drinking from the side of the cup rather than the center, for ease in consuming the beverage. 
         [0020]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,238 discloses a freeze pack to be inserted inside a drinking container. The freeze pack is anchored in the container by contacts with the cap of the container. The freeze pack and drinking opening is positioned in an offset alignment to the central axis of the container, which makes drinking from the container easier, but the freeze pack is not weighted at its lower extremity which would lower the center of gravity of the unit and stabilize the position of the freeze pack, and the container as well. Since the freeze pack is designed to meld with the specific container outlined for it, it would not be adaptable for use in other drinking vessels. 
         [0021]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,153 discloses a refrigerant capsule to be inserted into a squeezable container, to cool the contents of said container. The container is squeezed to spread the chilling effect to the enclosed beverage, and to push the chilled beverage out of the container for drinking. This could cause contamination of the contents of the container should the squeezing process cause the refrigerant capsule to crack or rupture, allowing the contents to leak into the beverage within the container. 
         [0022]    US Patents U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,090, U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,056, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,584,800 each disclose a cooling unit centered inside a sports bottle, held in place by an attachment means. None of the attachment means used in these units, however are strong enough to withstand the rough treatment that such bottles tend to receive, such as being knocked over, dropped, or thrown. The attaching means used in these units are also overly complex, causing production costs to be higher. The units are also restricted by design to use within the specific container each has been created for use with, and are not adaptable for use with other containers. 
         [0023]    US Patents U.S. Pat. No. 7,069,739 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,624 recite cooling units specifically designed for use with specific bottles. In the case of U.S. Pat. No. 7,069,739, the cooling unit is lowered into the bottle, being attached to a drinking spout which forms a cap for the bottle. In the case of U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,624, the cooling unit is inserted into a recess molded into the bottle, held in place by a plug which screws into the bottom of the bottle to prevent the cooling unit from falling out. The first cooling unit contains an excessive number of parts, while the second requires an unusually shaped, therefore specially molded bottle, with a separate plug. Both of these units, while being technically feasible to a point, are too complex and therefore too expensive to make for them to come into common use. 
         [0024]    What is needed is a cooling unit which is simple and inexpensive to make, easy to use, and adaptable to a variety of drinking vessels. The current invention meets all of these criteria with a variety of embodiments, as will be shown in the following specification and attached drawings. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    The currently disclosed invention consists of a method for rapidly chilling a beverage within a drinking container without placing the beverage—filled container into a refrigerator or freezer, or adding ice to the drink itself, which would allow the beverage to be watered down by the ice as it melts. The preferred embodiment constitutes a tube with ice contained within the outer walls and an inner opening for the beverage to pass through, being cooled as it goes up to the mouth opening. This is especially useful when using a newly made or newly purchased container of a beverage such as soda or juice, when it is desired to be able to drink the beverage immediately, without placing the beverage into a refrigerator or freezer for an extended period of time to become cold for drinking. Other embodiments will also be described herein, including but not limited to, a beverage cup incorporating a spiral beverage conducting channel, which allows the beverage to spend a longer time surrounded by ice in the ice holding chamber, allowing for faster and more complete cooling, a magnetic beverage container with ice filled units which attach to the container by the use of magnetic strips, and a weighted removable ice tube which would be suitable for use with either a specially designed container, or a traditional glass, cup, or mug. 
         [0026]    An alternative embodiment of the magnetic container could consist of a specially designed glass, travel cup or mug containing special fastening clasps on the inside walls, designed to hold ice filled units shaped to the contour of the interior of the container, thus covering the majority of the inside with ice, encased in plastic. Securing clips molded into the upper edge of the container, or molded separately from high memory plastic and sonic welded to the container, could be fastened over the upper edge of the ice filled units, to help hold them in place. The ice filled units could also incorporate very small protrusions on the side facing the inner wall of the container. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
     Parts List 
       [0000]    
       
           1 . Beverage Container 
           2 . Removable Lid 
           3 . Lid Guides 
           4 . Lifting Indentation 
           5 . Lifting Protrusion 
           6 . Drinking Opening 
           7 . Drinking Opening Cover 
           8 . Slide Handle 
           9 . Attaching Means 
           10 . Attaching Tab 
           11 . Tube Guide 
           12 . Removable Ice Tube 
           13 . Ice Holding Chamber 
           14 . Beverage Conducting Channel 
           15 . Open Area for Beverage Flow 
           16 . Adapted Beverage Cup 
           17 . Spiral Beverage Conducting Channel 
           18 . Beverage Feed Opening 
           19 . Outer Wall 
           20 . Beverage Tube Opening 
           21 . Disposable Drinking Straw Holder 
           22 . Disposable Drinking Straw 
           23 . Ice Holding Unit 
           24 . Outer Foam Cover 
           25 . Adhesive Magnet Strip 
           26 . Contact Points 
           27 . Magnetic Beverage Container 
           28 . Metal Band 
           29 . Weighted Removable Ice Tube 
           30 . Optional Bendable Section for Disposable Drinking Straw 
           31 . Tip for Securing Disposable Drinking Straw 
           32 . Plastic Housing 
           33 . Anchoring Weight 
           34 . Permanent Drinking Straw 
           35 . Optional Expandable Insert 
       
     
         [0062]    The described drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective equivalent embodiments. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0063]      FIG. 1  shows a side cutaway view of a self chilling beverage system incorporating a beverage cup, a removable ice tube and a removable lid with a drinking opening. 
           [0064]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of said removable ice tube, as it would be seen if it were not inserted within said self chilling beverage container. 
           [0065]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of said removable lid, with said drinking opening. 
           [0066]      FIG. 4  shows a down view of said removable lid with said drinking opening cover in the closed position. 
           [0067]      FIG. 5  shows a down view of said drinking opening cover as it would appear if not attached to said snap on lid. 
           [0068]      FIG. 6  shows a down view of said removable lid with said drinking opening cover in the open position. 
           [0069]      FIG. 7  shows a side cutaway view of said self chilling beverage system incorporating an adapted beverage cup, a spiral beverage conducting channel, and a removable lid. 
           [0070]      FIG. 8  shows a down view of an ice holding unit to be attached to the outside of a magnetic beverage container. 
           [0071]      FIG. 9  shows a down view of said magnetic beverage container. 
           [0072]      FIG. 10  shows a side view of said ice holding unit as seen from the inside of the curve. 
           [0073]      FIG. 11  shows a side view of said magnetic beverage container. 
           [0074]      FIG. 12  shows a side view of a disposable drinking straw with a bendable section. 
           [0075]      FIG. 13  shows a side cutaway view of a weighted removable ice tube which is designed to allow it to be used in a regular glass, cup, or mug, if desired, without a special cup being required, said weighted removable ice tube containing a permanent drinking straw. 
           [0076]      FIG. 14  shows a down view of said weighted removable ice tube. 
           [0077]      FIG. 15  shows a side view of one embodiment of said disposable drinking straw. 
           [0078]      FIG. 16  shows a down view of said weighted removable ice tube illustrating a permanent drinking straw located in the center of said ice holding chamber filled with ice. 
           [0079]      FIG. 17  shows a side cutaway view of said weighted removable ice tube with said disposable drinking straw inserted within said permanent drinking straw inside said ice holding chamber. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0080]      FIG. 1  is a side cutaway view of the beverage container  1  incorporating a removable ice tube  12  and a removable lid  2 , which could be solid, or could incorporate drinking opening  6  and drinking opening cover  7  as illustrated in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 6 . Lid guides  3  keep said removable lid  2  in a secure position for safe and spill free drinking. Drinking opening  6  is positioned along the outer edge of said removable lid  2  as shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 6 , for easy access by the user. Said removable lid  2  also incorporates a drinking opening cover  7  which is shown in  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 6  show said drinking opening cover  7  in the closed and open positions respectively. In this embodiment said drinking opening cover  7  is attached to the underside of said removable lid  2  by use of an attaching means  9 , also shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 6 . A slide handle  8 , incorporated into said drinking opening cover  7  is visible above the top of said removable lid. Removable ice tube  12  is shown in position within said beverage container  1 , secured in position by tube guide  11 , which is attached to the inside of said beverage container  1  preferably by sonic welding. Said removable ice tube  12  extends nearly to the bottom of said beverage container  1 , to enable it to be completely surrounded by the beverage inside said beverage container  1 . Said removable ice tube  12  consists of a beverage conducting channel  14 , surrounded by an ice holding chamber  13 , which is filled with water which turns to ice when said removable ice tube  12  is placed inside of a refrigerator freezer compartment or large freezer unit between uses. Said ice holding chamber  13  is enclosed within a plastic housing  32 . A narrow strip on one side of said beverage conducting channel  14  is not covered by said ice holding chamber  13 . This section is open to the beverage contained within said beverage container  1 , where open areas for beverage flow  15  allow beverage to travel from said beverage container  1  into said beverage conducting channel  14  to be cooled as it travels upward to said drinking opening  6 , so it will be cold when consumed. This also insures that said beverage will remain in its original state, rather than being watered down by melting ice. Cooling action would also radiate outward through said plastic housing  32 , allowing the beverage contained within said beverage container  1  to begin the cooling process before being drawn into said beverage conducting channel  14 , accelerating the cooling speed of said beverage when the drinking process begins. If desired, an insulating material such as but not limited to styrofoam, could be incorporated around the outside of said beverage container  1 , in a space molded into the unit specifically for this purpose, reducing the lessening of cooling effect by radiation of warmer temperatures from the surrounding air into said beverage container  1 . 
         [0081]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of said removable ice tube  12 , as it would be seen if it were not inserted within said beverage container  1 . The inner section of the unit is shown without said plastic housing  32  containing said ice holding chamber  13 , to make it easier to see said open areas for beverage flow  15 , and the process by which they operate. 
         [0082]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of said removable lid  2 , with said drinking opening  6  which is not visible in this figure. Said slide handle  8 , incorporated into said drinking opening cover  7  is visible above the top edge of said removable lid  2 . A lifting indentation  4  is shown positioned on the side of said removable lid  2 , allowing said removable lid  2  to be removed when desired by the action of pulling up on said lifting indentation  4  with the fingers. 
         [0083]      FIG. 4  shows a down view of said removable lid  2  with said drinking opening cover  7  in the closed position in relation to said drinking opening  6 . Said drinking opening cover  7  is positioned on the underside of said removable lid  2 , attached to the underside of said removable lid  2  by attaching means  9 . Drinking opening  6  is shown positioned along the outer edge of said removable lid  2  for easy access by the user. Said drinking opening cover  7  extends slightly beyond the edge of said drinking opening  6  to prevent said beverage from leaking out when said drinking opening cover  7  is closed. Its outer boundaries are indicated in the drawing by dotted lines A lifting protrusion  5  is shown positioned on the side of said removable lid  2 , allowing said removable lid  2  to be removed when desired by the action of pulling up on said lifting protrusion  5  with the fingers. If desired said lifting indentation  4  could be used instead of said lifting protrusion  5 . 
         [0084]      FIG. 5  shows a down view of said drinking opening cover  7  as it would appear if not attached to said removable lid  2 . Attaching tab  10 , incorporating an opening for said attaching means  9 , is shown as part of said drinking opening cover  7 . Said slide handle  8  is also shown. 
         [0085]      FIG. 6  shows a down view of said removable lid  2  with said drinking opening cover  7  in the open position in relation to said drinking opening  6 . Said drinking opening cover  7  is positioned on the underside of said removable lid  2 , attached to the underside of said removable lid  2  by attaching means  9 . Drinking opening  6  is shown positioned along the outer edge of said removable lid  2  for easy access by the user. Said drinking opening cover  7  extends slightly beyond the edge of said drinking opening  6  to prevent said beverage from leaking out when said drinking opening cover  7  is closed. The outer boundaries of drinking opening cover  7  are indicated in the drawing by dotted lines. Said lifting protrusion  5  is shown positioned on the side of said removable lid  2 , allowing said removable lid  2  to be removed when desired by the action of pulling up on said lifting protrusion  5  with the fingers. If desired said lifting indentation  4  could be used instead of said lifting protrusion  5 . 
         [0086]      FIG. 7  is a side cutaway view of said self chilling beverage system  1 , comprising said beverage container  1 , an adapted beverage cup  16  which is inserted inside said beverage container  1 , a spiral beverage conducting channel  17 , and a removable lid  2 . Said beverage container  1  in the embodiment illustrated herein consists of an outer wall  19  with said adapted beverage cup  16  inserted within said outer wall  19 , leaving a space between said outer wall  19  and said adapted beverage cup  16 , which performs as said ice holding chamber  13  when it is filled with water and the entire unit is placed inside a refrigerator freezer compartment or large freezer unit. Said adapted beverage cup  16  incorporates a spiral beverage conducting channel  17 , which travels from the lower extremity of said adapted beverage cup  16  circling the outside of said adapted beverage cup  16  all the way to the upper extremity, culminating in a beverage tube opening  20 , which connects to disposable drinking straw holder  21  at the upper edge of said adapted beverage cup  16 . The current illustration shows a straight disposable drinking straw  22  inserted within said disposable drinking straw holder  21 . Said spiral beverage conducting channel  17  is located inside said ice holding chamber  13 , causing said spiral beverage conducting channel  17  to be surrounded by ice on three sides. This allows beverage traveling upward through said spiral beverage conducting channel  17  to be exposed to the temperature of the ice within said ice holding chamber  13  which chills said beverage as it passes through said spiral beverage conducting channel  17 , allowing it to reach the user of said self chilling beverage system as a perfectly chilled beverage without a prolonged wait, and allowing said beverage to remain in its original state, and not be watered down by melting ice. Cooling action from the ice contained in ice holding chamber  13  would also radiate inward through the outside of said adapted beverage cup  16 , to begin the cooling process of the beverage inside said adapted beverage cup  16  before said beverage is drawn into said spiral beverage conducting channel  17 , accelerating the cooling speed of said beverage when the drinking process begins. If desired, an indented spiral path could be molded into the outer wall of said adapted beverage cup  16  to allow said spiral beverage conducting channel  17  more exposure within said adapted beverage cup  16 . Said spiral beverage conducting channel  17  incorporates a beverage feed opening  18  on the lower extremity, which allows said beverage to be drawn up into said spiral beverage conducting channel  17  when drinking, and allows excess beverage to return to said adapted beverage cup  16  when said spiral beverage conducting channel  17  is not being used for drinking. Between uses said self chilling beverage container may be rinsed by removing said removable lid  2 , and placed inside a refrigerator freezer compartment, or inside a large freezer unit, to return to its frozen state and be ready for future use. 
         [0087]      FIG. 8  shows a down view of an ice holding unit  23  to be attached to the outside of a magnetic beverage container  27 . Said ice holding unit comprises an outer wall  19 , and an outer foam cover  24 , which prevents cold generated by the ice inside said ice holding unit  23  from being lost to the outside air, but instead directs it toward the beverage contained inside the magnetic beverage container  27 , illustrated in  FIG. 11 . An adhesive magnet strip  25  is attached to the inner curved surface of said ice holding unit  23 . Contact points  26  bring said ice holding unit  23  into contact with said magnetic beverage container  27 , allowing cold from the ice inside said ice holding unit  23  to radiate inward, chilling the beverage contained within said magnetic beverage container  27 . If desired, said ice holding unit  23  could be manufactured without said outer foam cover  24 , and said adhesive magnet strip  25 , allowing said ice holding unit  23  to be inserted into an alternative adaptation of said magnetic beverage container  27 , which does not include the indented metal strip illustrated in  FIG. 11 , and secured by clips inside said beverage container to allow the beverage contained inside said alternative adaptation of said magnetic beverage container  27  to be chilled before drinking. One ice holding unit  23  could be attached to said magnetic beverage container  27 , two ice holding units  23  could be used, one on each side of said magnetic beverage container  27 , or if desired several smaller ice holding units  23  could be spaced around the inside of said magnetic beverage container for increased cooling effect. 
         [0088]      FIG. 9  shows a down view of said magnetic beverage container  27 . Said ice holding unit  23  could be attached magnetically to the outside of said magnetic beverage container  27 , or if the adhesive magnetic strip is omitted, said ice holding unit  23  could be inserted on the inside of an alternative adaptation of said magnetic beverage container  27 , and secured by clips inside said alternative adaptation of said magnetic beverage container  27 , allowing said beverage to be chilled before drinking. 
         [0089]      FIG. 10  shows a side view of said ice holding unit  23 , as seen from the inside of the curve. Said outer foam cover  24  is visible on the ends of said ice holding unit  23 . Said adhesive magnet strip  25  is shown located in the center of said ice holding unit  23 , with contact points  26  located above and below said adhesive magnet strip  25  where said ice holding unit  23  comes into contact with said magnetic beverage container  27 , allowing cold generated by ice within said ice holding unit  23  to penetrate into the beverage within said magnetic beverage container  27 . The width of said adhesive magnet strip  25  would be determined by the amount of magnetic attraction required to securely attach said adhesive magnet strip  25  to said magnetic beverage container  27 . Said ice holding unit  23  would extend upward and downward from said adhesive magnet strip for a sufficient distance to allow the required cooling effect to occur. Changes in these dimensions would not alter the scope of the invention and would not disqualify any particular embodiment from the protection offered by any patent granted to the invention. 
         [0090]      FIG. 11  shows a side view of said magnetic beverage container  27 . Said magnetic beverage container  27  could be constructed of a material such as aluminum, glass, or plastic, or any other material which has a high conductivity for cold. A metal band  28  is shown circling the outside of said magnetic beverage container  27 . Said metal band is constructed of a metal, such as thin steel sheeting, which is susceptible to magnetic attraction, allowing said ice holding units  23  to be attached to said magnetic beverage container  27 . Said metal band is shown as being indented into the circumference of said magnetic beverage holder  27 , allowing the outer side of said ice holding unit  23  to be flush with the outside of said magnetic beverage container  27 , giving more surface area for cold absorbtion. If desired, more than one indented metal band  28  could be positioned around the outer circumference of said magnetic beverage container  27 , at different heights, allowing for an even more effective cooling process. 
         [0091]      FIG. 12  shows a side view of a disposable drinking straw  22 . The illustration shows said disposable drinking straw  22  incorporating an optional bendable section  30  which allows the angle of the disposable drinking straw  22  to be changed to make drinking easier. Said disposable drinking straw  22  could also be constructed as one straight, solid piece if desired, for which see the embodiment of the disposable drinking straw  22  shown in  FIG. 15 . 
         [0092]      FIG. 13  shows a side cutaway view of a weighted removable ice tube  29 , which is designed to allow it to be used in a regular glass, cup, or mug, if desired, without a special cup being required, since the weight of said anchoring weight  33  would serve to hold said weighted removable ice tube  29  upright and stationary, making use of a customized beverage container unnecessary. Said weighted removable ice tube  29  contains a permanent drinking straw  34 . Said permanent drinking straw  34  is illustrated as a straight tube in the center of said weighted removable ice tube  29 , but if desired said permanent drinking straw  34  could be molded in a narrow spiral ascending through the center of said weighted removable ice tube  29 , to allow said beverage more time and distance to be exposed to the cooling effects of said ice holding chamber  13 . In this case, only the shortened version of said disposable drinking straw  22  could be used. Said weighted removable ice tube  29  consists of a plastic housing  32  with said permanent drinking straw  34  centered in a vertical alignment within said plastic housing  32 . The upper extremity of said permanent drinking straw  34  incorporates a tip for securing disposable drinking straw  31  to hold disposable drinking straw  22 . Use of said disposable drinking straw  22  is suggested, but not required, since, if desired, the user of the unit could simply drink from said tip for securing disposable drinking straw  31  in the same manner as one would drink from the drinking tip of a sports bottle. On its lower extremity, said weighted removable ice tube  29  incorporates an anchoring weight  33  which is molded in the form of a ring which fits around the base of said permanent drinking straw  34 . Said anchoring weight  33  could be made of a heavy material, including but not limited to metal or heavy plastic, coated with clear plastic, and separated by a wall of plastic from said beverage tube opening  19 , as illustrated in  FIG. 17 , to prevent it from coming into contact with said beverage, thus eliminating the risk of contaminating said beverage. 
         [0093]    The exact weight of said anchoring weight  33  would be determined by the amount of weight required to hold said weighted removable ice tube  29  securely inside a beverage container without allowing it to float to the top or move around within said beverage container, which would interfere with the cooling effect. Between said plastic housing  32  and said permanent drinking straw  34  is ice holding chamber  13  which is filled with water, which freezes when the unit is placed inside the freezer compartment of a refrigerator or inside a large freezer unit. If desired, a special rack could be designed to hold said weighted removable ice tubes  29  when units are placed within said freezing compartment, to save space. When said beverage is consumed by being drawn upward through said permanent drinking straw  34 , the passage of said beverage through the ice surrounding said permanent drinking straw  34 , causes said beverage to become chilled, without the danger of being watered down by melting ice. Cooling action would also radiate outward through said plastic housing  32 , allowing the beverage contained within said beverage container to begin the cooling process before being drawn into said permanent drinking straw  34 , accelerating the cooling speed of said beverage when the drinking process begins. Said permanent drinking straw  34  may protrude slightly through the bottom of said plastic housing  32 , to allow beverage to pass into said permanent drinking straw  34  when it is in use and to return to the glass or mug in which it is positioned when said permanent drinking straw  34  is not in use. Between uses, said weighted removable ice tube  29  can be removed from the cup, glass, or mug, rinsed, and placed within a refrigerator freezer compartment, or a large freezer unit to be ready for its next use. 
         [0094]      FIG. 14  shows a down view of said weighted removable ice tube  29 , showing said plastic housing  32 , surrounding said permanent drinking straw  34 , with said ice holding chamber  13  positioned between said plastic housing  32  and said permanent drinking straw  34 , which is located in the exact center of said ice holding chamber  13 , with the exact center of said ice holding chamber being that point where all diameters of said ice holding chamber meet when crossing said ice holding chamber. Said ice holding chamber is shown as being filled with ice. Said permanent drinking straw  34  is hollow, to allow beverage to pass through when drinking, and also allowing said disposable drinking straw  22  to be inserted inside said permanent drinking straw  34  if desired. 
         [0095]      FIG. 15  shows a side view of one embodiment of said disposable drinking straw  22 . The length and diameter of said disposable drinking straw  22  can vary depending upon which embodiment it is being used with. Said disposable drinking straw  22  may or may not contain said optional bendable section for disposable drinking straw  30 . Differing size parameters, or the inclusion or omission of said optional bendable section for disposable drinking straw  30  do not change the scope of the invention, and would not disqualify any particular embodiment from the protection offered by any patent granted to the invention. 
         [0096]      FIG. 16  shows a down view of said weighted removable ice tube  29  illustrating a permanent drinking straw  34  located in the exact center of said ice holding chamber  13 , which is shown as being filled with ice. Said permanent drinking straw  34  is hollow, allowing said disposable drinking straw  22  to be inserted inside said permanent drinking straw  34  if desired, as illustrated in  FIG. 17 . 
         [0097]      FIG. 17  shows a side cutaway view of said weighted removable ice tube  29  with said disposable drinking straw  22  inserted within said permanent drinking straw  34 , which is located in the exact center of said ice holding chamber  13 . Said anchoring weight  33  is located within the bottom section of plastic housing  32 , surrounded by plastic, preventing it from being exposed to the beverage within the container into which said weighted removable ice tube has been placed. The exact weight of said anchoring weight  33  would be determined by the amount of weight required to hold said weighted removable ice tube  29  securely inside a beverage container without allowing it to float to the top which would interfere with the cooling effect, or move around inside the container which would interfere with the stability of the container since the lowered center of gravity afforded by the weight would make the container less likely to tip and cause the contents to spill. Said permanent drinking straw is open on the lower end, which is located even with, or possibly extending slightly below the lower extremity of said weighted removable ice tube  29 , allowing beverage to be drawn up, either through said permanent drinking straw  34  or through said disposable drinking straw  22  when it is inserted into said permanent drinking straw  34 . Said plastic housing  32  may be divided into two sections just below the upper extremity of said plastic housing  32 . An optional expandable insert  35  molded of a flexible material, such as but not limited to urethane or silicone, may be located between these two sections, to allow for expansion of the water inside said ice holding chamber  13  when it freezes, preventing breakage of said plastic housing  32  or said permanent drinking straw  34  by the increasing pressure of said freezing water. Between uses, said weighted removable ice tube  29  can be removed from the cup, glass, or mug, rinsed, and placed within a refrigerator freezer compartment, or a large freezer unit to be ready for its next use. 
         [0098]    It should be emphasized that the present invention is not limited to the specific materials or configurations listed in the specification. Any other materials or configurations which could be used without altering the performance and intent of the invention would be acceptable alternatives. Therefore the invention need not be limited to the specific materials and configurations illustrated herein to be covered by this specification. All alternative modifications and variations of the present invention which fall within the spirit and scope of the invention are intended to be afforded equal protection under any patent granted for this invention. 
         [0099]    The currently described invention is not limited to those embodiments described herein. Any design which obtains the desired results, and does not depart from the spirit and scope of the currently described invention would be considered to fall under the protection of any patents applied to this invention.