Abstract:
A beverage coaster for cooling a beverage is disclosed. The beverage coaster includes a base having the approximate size of a standard beverage can. The base includes a top wall having a radial curve contoured to engage a bottom portion of the beverage can. At least one side wall is connected to the bottom wall and to the top wall, and the height of the side wall is less than the width of the base. A predetermined amount of cooling material is disposed between the top wall and the bottom wall.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional application No. 60/331,858, filed Nov. 20, 2001. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention generally relates to a cooling device for a beverage container. Specifically, the device allows a user to insert the bottom of a beverage container into a pre-formed cavity designed to accept the varying contours of the container&#39;s bottom. As a result, the beverage container is stabilized, while the unconsumed portion of the beverage is kept cold until consumed by the user. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Typically, a user imbibes a cold beverage over the course of a period of time sufficient to allow a remaining portion of the unconsumed beverage to become warm. As this remaining portion of the beverage becomes warm, its taste may become displeasing, and as a result the user is likely to discard the remaining portion of the beverage. To keep this remaining portion of the beverage from becoming warm, a system for maintaining a cold temperature at the lower region of the beverage can is needed. 
     Therefore, in light of the foregoing deficiencies in the prior art, the applicant&#39;s invention is herein presented. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a beverage cooler designed to receive the contoured bottom portion of a beverage container. This beverage cooler is comprised of an outer wall, and a hollow platform having an inner wall that comprises a contoured cavity. Furthermore, cooling material is located within the hollow area bounded by the inner and outer walls of the present invention. As a result, the user is able to insert its beverage container into the present invention, and as time passes the remaining portion of the unconsumed beverage is kept cooled. 
     In some embodiments, an detachable base suitable for contacting a table or other similar supporting surface may be attached to the present invention. 
     In some embodiments, the inner and outer walls may be formed as a single unified section. 
     In some embodiments, an elevated base section could be attached to the bottom of the present invention. 
     In some embodiments, the inner wall may be thinner than the outer wall. 
     In some embodiments, the outer wall could be thicker than the inner wall. 
     In some embodiments, the inner and outer walls could be longitudinally extended. 
     In some embodiments, a support base is attached to the bottom of the outer wall of the present invention. 
    
    
     SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention in use with a beverage container. 
     FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the present invention, illustrating the cavity in which material for keeping a beverage cooled is located. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the present invention utilizing an elevated base section. 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of a further embodiment of the present invention having an elevated base section. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the present invention comprising longitudinally extended inner and outer wall sections. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a beverage base cooler  10 . The cooler  10 , is illustrated as substantially circular in shape, and comprises a platform having a contoured cavity  12  for receiving a beverage container, and a base surface  14 . The platform  16  is comprised of an inner and outer wall  20 ,  22  as shown in FIG.  2 . One of skill in this art would understand that the overall shape of the present invention  10  may be comprised of any shape and size suitable for a container to be used in conjunction with the present invention. The beverage cooling device of the present invention can correspond generally to a variety of beverage containers or can be specifically designed for use in conjunction with certain types of beverage containers or particular containers. 
     The inner and outer walls  20 ,  22  of the present invention may be formed from synthetic or natural materials which include but are not limited to aluminum, steel, plastics, foams or any other suitable material. It is also contemplated that the materials chosen for the inner and outer walls  20 ,  22  possess thermal transfer characteristics desirable for a beverage cooler. Furthermore, the contoured cavity  12  may be pre-formed to any specific shape so that it may engage the specific shape of the corresponding beverage container&#39;s bottom. 
     Turning to FIG. 2, the contoured cavity  12  of the present invention  10  is comprised of an inner wall  20  that is designed to generally correspond in shape to that of the bottom of a beverage container. As a result, the surface area that is in contact between the bottom of the beverage container and the contoured cavity  12  is increased. An additional advantage of the contoured cavity  12 , is that it provides additional lateral support to the beverage container, thereby increasing the container&#39;s resistance to being toppled over. Opposing the contoured cavity  12 , is a base surface  14 , which is designed to contact a table or other suitable support surface. The base surface  14  may be formed from the same material as the platform  16 , as a result the outer wall  22  would serve as the base surface  14  as well. It is also contemplated that the base  14  may be composed of material such as cork, rubber, plastic, or any other similar material. Furthermore, the outer wall  22 , inner wall  20 , and base  14  of the present invention may be formed from a single unified section of material or from discrete sections joined together. 
     Additionally, FIG. 2 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the invention in which cooling material  18 , having suitable characteristics to keep a beverage cooled, is disposed within the cavity  17  bounded by the inner and outer walls  20 ,  22  of the present invention  10 . This cooling material may consist of material such as frozen water, refrigerant gel, refrigerant gel sold under the trademark ELUE ICE®, or any other aqueous solution possessing a slow phase change known in the art. It is also contemplated that this cooling material  18  may be inserted into the cavity  17  by the user via an insertion port located within the present invention, or as a step in the manufacturing process. 
     The contoured cavity  12  is designed so that the bottom of the liquid holding container and the surface of the contoured cavity  12  share a large amount of common surface area. As a result, the thermal transfer between the present invention  10  and the beverage container is increased and beverage coolness is enhanced. Located at the bottom of the platform&#39;s  16  outer wall  20  is an optional recessed region  19 . Within the recessed region  19 , an optional alternative base surface  14   a  may be attached within the recessed region  19  via adhesives, staples, or any other similar method of connecting the base  14  to the recessed region  19 . This base surface  14   a  may be formed from material such as cork, rubber, polymeric material, or any other material suitable for a beverage cooler base. 
     It is also contemplated that the outer wall  22  of the present invention  10  may have an increased cross-sectional thickness, than the inner-wall  20 , and serves to further isolate the cooling material  18  disposed within the cavity  17  from the surrounding external environment. As a result, the coldness of the cooling material  18  is not as readily thermally transferred to the external environment, thereby providing increased cooling capacity to the beverage container inserted within the present invention  10 . Additionally, the inner wall  20  may be designed to have a thinner cross-sectional area than the outer wall  22 . This provides for increased thermal transfer between the cooling material  18  within the contoured cavity  12  and the beverage container. 
     Turning to FIG.  3  and FIG. 4, a further embodiment of the present invention  110  is illustrated. This embodiment contemplates the use of an elevated base section  114 . The use of the elevated base section  114  serves to further protect and isolate the surface upon which the beverage base cooler  10  is placed, from condensation created by the beverage container and the platform  16 . Furthermore, this elevated section  114  may be formed from metal, cork, plastic, rubber, or any other material that is suitable for elevating the platform  116  above the support surface upon which the present invention  110  is resting. In one embodiment, the elevated base section  114  comprises a hollow annular section that attaches to the bottom of the platform  116 , as shown in FIG.  4 . It is also contemplated that the elevated base section  114  and the platform  16  are formed as a single unified section. This base section  114  may comprise any shape, size or configuration suitable for isolating the platform  116  from the surface upon which the present invention  110  rests. Additionally, this elevated section may be integrated into the design of the present invention  110 , or it may be comprised of a separate, detachable section. 
     In a further embodiment, FIG. 5 illustrates a beverage base cooler  210  that retains all of the configuration characteristics as mentioned in the aforementioned embodiments, but further utilizes a longitudinally extended inner and outer wall  220 ,  222 . By extending the inner wall  220  and the outer wall  222  longitudinally, the present invention  210  is capable of providing additional cooling capacity to a greater portion of the unconsumed beverage that resides within the beverage container. Additionally, this embodiment of the present  210  is able to provide additional support and protection against the toppling of the beverage container while it is inserted within the contoured cavity  212  of the present invention  210 . 
     In use, the beverage cooling device of the present invention may be held to the bottom portion of a beverage container by frictional forces between the inner surface of the beverage cooling device and the outer surface of the beverage container. The frictional forces will allow the cooling device to remain on the beverage container when the container is lifted by a user to take a drink. The frictional forces between the container and the cooling device are preferably strong enough to allow that cooling device to remain on the container when the container is lifted but to also allow the cooling device to be easily removed from the container. It is also contemplated that the fit between the beverage cooling device and the beverage container be more loose such that when the container is lifted for drinking purposes, the beverage container will be lifted out of the cooling device and the device will remain resting on a surface. 
     The foregoing disclosure is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limiting thereof. Although one or more embodiments of the invention have been described, persons of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that numerous modifications could be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosed invention. As such, it should be understood that all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention. The written description and drawings illustrate the present invention and are not to be construed as limited to the specific embodiments disclosed.