Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a fully self contained, portable apparatus specifically designed for storing, cooling, transporting both upright or on the side, and dispensing a beverage, such as beer, from a Sixth barrel of Cornelius keg.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This non-provisional application claims priority to the provisional application Ser. No. 62/108,613 filed on Jan. 28, 2015, which is fully incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to beverage dispensers, and more particularly, to a portable, cooled container and dispenser for a Sixth Barrel or Home Brew (Cornelius) keg of beer or other beverage. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Commercial Kegs: Commercial beer kegs are available in four sizes: Half Barrel, Quarter Barrel, Slim Quarter Barrel and Sixth Barrel. These kegs are also referred to as a Full-Keg, Pony Keg (a shorter version of the full-keg, but same diameter), Slim Quarter and Torpedo Keg (43% narrower than a full-keg but the same height). The approximate full weight and number of drinks in each are as follows: 
     Half Barrel: 160 pounds/165.33-12 oz. drinks 
     Quarter Barrel/Slim Quarter: 90 pounds/82-12 oz. drinks 
     Sixth Barrel: 55 pounds/56-12 oz. drinks (60 cans of beer) 
     The majority of commercial beer kegs sold each year are half barrels. However, the sixth barrel keg is becoming the choice for many establishments, breweries and consumers that wish to use kegs smaller than a half barrel. The small footprint of a sixth barrel allows retailers to have a greater variety of beer in a small space. For the consumer, at approximately 34% the weight of a half-barrel, the sixth barrel provides a more convenient way to enjoy keg beer at home. In addition, consumers are finding more reasons to purchase sixth barrels given their smaller quantity of beer. 
     The Influence of Craft Beers: The popularity of the sixth barrel kegs is growing in response to the growth of craft beers. Craft beer generally refers to beer that is brewed using traditional methods, without adjuncts such as rice or corn, and focuses on flavor, creativity and originality rather than mass appeal. In the past decade, craft beers have gained in popularity in the brewing industry. According to the American Brewers Association, total beer sales dropped 1.9% in 2013. However, craft beer sales grew 17.2%. In addition, craft beer&#39;s share of the total U.S. beer market in dollars grew to more than 14% in 2013, up from 10% in 2012. 
     Craft beers typically cost much more then mass-produced beers. In addition, studies have shown consumers drink less beer when drinking a craft versus a mass-produced beer due to the often higher alcohol content and fuller body of the craft beer. Due to these facts and its convenient size, establishments and consumers often purchase craft beer in the sixth barrel to avoid the costly impact of the beer going bad before it is consumed. 
     Craft beer breweries have responded by making the majority of craft beers available for purchase in the sixth barrel size. In addition, mass produced breweries are making their more popular brands available in the sixth barrel to compete with the crafts. 
     The convenient size and quantity of beer in the sixth barrel coupled with the craft beer trends are driving a change in the keg marketplace. Today, sixth barrels are more abundant than ever and are generally available at your local liquor store. 
     Home Brewing: According to the American Homebrewers Association, there are an estimated 1.2 million homebrewers in the United States. There are two primary methods for containing home brewed beer, bottles and kegs. The Cornelius keg is designed for the home brewer and is similar in size and shape to the sixth barrel. Storing homebrew in a keg is often preferred due to the ease of kegging beer rather than bottling. 
     Given the popularity and portability of the sixth barrel and Cornelius keg, it stands to reason that an ideal apparatus would be a portable container for storing, cooling and dispensing these type of kegs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a portable container and dispenser specifically designed to hold securely in place a Sixth Barrel or Cornelius keg. These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are provided by an insulated container with a housing defining an interior space. The exterior and interior are made of a durable material. 
     The present invention includes a waterproof lid with a latch for locking the lid to the container. A hinged faucet mechanism is located on the top of the container which folds up when in use and down during transport or storage. When placed in the down position, the faucet tucks into a groove on the top of the container providing protection during transport. When the mechanism is in the upright position, the faucet extends vertically wherein the handle is pivoted forward to dispense beer, and back to the vertical position when dispensing is complete. Also on the top section is a removable drip tray located underneath the faucet for catching excess liquid during use. 
     The present invention includes a mechanism for holding a Sixth Barrel or Cornelius keg firmly in its center eliminating the ability for the keg to move side to side, or up and down within the container. In order to accomplish this, the inside base of the container is equipped with various molded tracks designed to correspond to the bottom of the Sixth Barrel and Cornelius kegs. As these kegs are placed into the container, the molded tracks hold the base of the keg and secure it within the center of the container. The inside top of the container has molded tracks that correspond to the top of the Sixth Barrel and Cornelius kegs. When these kegs are placed within the container and the top is closed, the keg is clamped into the center of the container, held in place by the inside bottom molded tracks and inside top molded tracks of the container. This feature also creates a consistent thickness between the keg and the inside walls of the container. This space is used for placing ice evenly around the keg within the container. 
     The present invention further includes a tap (not shown) located inside the container for connecting to the keg. A single-gauge pressure adjusting regulator and disposable carbon dioxide cartridge are provided to control the flow of beer to the faucet. The regulator and carbon dioxide are attached on the outside of the container for easy access and are protected by a hinged door that opens and closes. Plastic tubing connects the tap, regulator, and faucet. 
     For moving the container, two wheels are connected to a rectilinear and elongated axle extending through the container at the bottom and outward. In addition, a pull handle is located on the same side of the container as the wheels and extends above the top. Furthermore, handles are located on the sides of the container. 
     A drain cock directly conjoined to the side of the container can be opened or closed to allow liquid resulting from condensation or during cleaning to be removed from the container. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In referring to the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of the entire portable container with the handle in the down locked position; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the entire portable container showing the wheels and the circular plaque mounting location on the side of the portable container; 
         FIG. 3  is a symmetrical side view of the entire portable container with the left side view being a mirror image of the right side view; 
         FIG. 4  is a back view of the entire portable container showing the handle in the down position; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom perspective view of the entire portable container with the handle in the down locked position; 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the entire portable container with the handle in the down locked position; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the entire portable container with the handle extended in the up position for dispensing beverages; 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of the entire portable container with the handle extended in the up position for dispensing beverages; 
         FIG. 9  a symmetrical side view of the entire portable container, with the left side view being a mirror image of the right side view, and the handle extended in the up position for dispensing beverages; 
         FIG. 10  is a back view of the entire portable container with the handle extended in the up position for dispensing beverages; 
         FIG. 11  is a cut away of  FIG. 7  to show the placement of a Sixth Barrel or Cornelius kegs inside the portable container; 
         FIG. 12  is a cut away of  FIG. 10  to show the placement of a Sixth Barrel or Cornelius keg inside the portable container; 
         FIG. 13  is a top view of the portable container with the top of the portable container removed to show the placement of a Sixth Barrel or Cornelius keg inside the portable container; 
         FIG. 14  is a top view of the portable container with the top of the portable container removed without a Sixth Barrel or Cornelius keg inside the portable container; 
         FIG. 15  is a cut away of  FIG. 7  to show the inside of the portable container without a Sixth Barrel or Cornelius keg inside the portable container; 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective top view of the removable lid of the portable container without the handle attached; 
         FIG. 17  is a perspective bottom view of the removable lid of the portable container; 
         FIG. 18  is a perspective top view of the removable lid of the portable container with the handle attached and extended in the up position; 
         FIG. 19  is a back cut away view of the handle showing the placement of the tap and the CO 2  container; 
         FIG. 20  is a side cut away view of the handle showing the placement of the tap and the CO 2  container; 
         FIG. 21  is a front perspective cut away view of the handle showing the placement of the tap and the CO 2  container; 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , a portable container  100  is provided for transporting a Sixth Barrel or Cornelius keg and dispensing a beverage. The portable container  100  has a lower receiver portion  105  and a removable lid  107 . The lower receiver  105  portion has a pair of bands, a lower band  110   a  and an upper band  110   b , extending around the exterior circumference of the lower receiver  105 . The exterior surface area of the lower receiver  105  between the lower band  110   a  and the upper band  110   b  is a marking and branding area  115 . The marking and branding area  115  has a smooth and flat surface that is adaptive to receive a wrap, band, sticker, or other covering bearing a message, theme, or advertisement (not shown). The lower receiver  105  has a badge button  120  that is adapted to receive a badge that is secured to the lower receiver  105  by adhesive, magnetic, or by frictional attachment. The lower receiver  105  has a pair of side handles  125   a ,  125   b  for grasping the portable container  100 . The portable container  100  has a pair of wheels  110   a ,  110   b , on the front side of the portable container  100 . The lower receiver  105  also has a lower handle  130  on the front side of the receiver  105  between the pair of wheels  110   a ,  110   b , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 5 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7-10  shows the portable container  100  with the handle  150  extended in the up position to dispense a beverage. The removable lid  107  frictionally engages the lower receiver portion  105 . The lower receiver  105  has an extension  160  that is integrated and part of the lower receiver  105  at the front of the lower receiver  105 . On top of the extension  160  there is a locking toggle  170 . When the handle  150  is in the down position, the locking toggle  170  fits through a locking slot  180  in the handle. The locking toggle  170  can then be rotated to lock the handle in place thereby securing the lid  107  to the lower receiver  105 . The handle  150  is pivotally attached by an axel to the back of the lower receiver  105 . 
     The handle  150  has a bottom side that lies flush against the lid  107  when the handle  150  is in the down position. When the handle  150  is extended in the up position there is a faucet  190  for dispensing beverages located on the bottom side of the handle  150 . The lid  107  has a faucet recess  200  to accommodate the faucet  190  when the handle  150  is in the down position. The lid  107  also has a handle recess  210  extending from the back of the lid  107  to the front of the lid  107 . The handle recess  210  frictionally engages the handle  150  when it is in the down position. The handle  150  has a hand slot  220  near its distal end. The handle  150  and wheels  110   a , 110   b , are located on opposite sides of the lower receiver  105  which permits safe and easy movement of the portable container by lowering the center of gravity of the load below the handle  150  during transport. 
     The handle  150  has a top side. The top side has a removable panel  250  that covers a component recess  260 . The component recess accommodates a regulator  280  and a CO 2  cartridge  290 . Regulators and CO 2  cartridges are well known in the field and can be obtained from suppliers such as Leland Limited. The CO 2  cartridge  290  is threadably attached to the regulator  280  so that it can be easily replaced when the CO 2  runs low or is depleted. A first flexible tube (not shown) extends from the regulator  280  to the keg tap  300  to push CO 2  into the Sixth Barrel or Cornelius keg and displace the liquid beverage. A second flexible tube (not shown) extends from the keg tap  300  to the faucet  190  for dispensing the displaced liquid beverage from the Sixth Barrel or Cornelius keg. 
     The lid  107  frictionally engages the lower receiver  105 . The lid  107  may be removed from the lower receiver  105  when the handle  150  is in the up position thereby providing access to an internal compartment  350 . The internal compartment  350  has a bottom  270  with generally circular sidewalls  360  extending from the bottom  270  to the top rim  295  of the lower receiver  105 . The sidewalls  360  are insulated in order to minimize the temperature differential between the internal compartment  350  and the exterior and minimize air exchange. The insulation can be an air barrier, polyurethane foam, or foam. The bottom  270  of the internal compartment  350  has a first substantially circular mating ridge  400  and a second substantially circular mating ridge  410 . The first mating ridge  400  and the second mating ridge  410  extend substantially perpendicular to the bottom  270 . The first mating ridge  400  will frictionally mate with a Sixth Barrel to hold it in place. The second mating ridge will frictionally mate with a Cornelius Keg to hold it in place. The space between either the Sixth Barrel or the Cornelius Keg and the sidewall  360  can be filed with ice, dry ice, an ice blanket or some other cooling medium to chill the keg. The lower receiver  105  has a drain plug (not shown) adjacent to the bottom  270  that has a channel extending from the internal compartment  350  to the exterior to allow fluids to be drained from the internal compartment  350 . 
     When the lid  107  is frictionally attached to the lower receiver  105  the bottom side of the lid  107  seals off the internal compartment  350 . The bottom side of the lid  107  has a first mating recess  420  and a second mating recess  430 . The first mating recess  420  and the second mating recess  430  indent substantially perpendicular to the bottom side of the lid  107 . The first mating recess  420  will frictionally mate with a Sixth Barrel to hold it in place. The second mating recess  430  will frictionally mate with a Cornelius Keg to hold it in place. The lid  107  is insulated to maintain a temperature differential between the temperature of the interior compartment  350  and the external temperature. The insulation can be an air barrier, polyurethane foam, or foam. 
     Variations or modifications to the subject matter of this invention may occur to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the invention as described herein. Such variations are intended to be encompassed within the scope of any claims of this invention that may issue upon this application. The description of the preferred embodiment, as depicted in the drawings, is set forth for illustrative purposes only and should not limit the scope of any claims that may issue upon this application.