Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    None 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for chilling bottles, and more particularly still or sparkling wine bottles. 
         [0003]    Prior methods of chilling wine bottles deploy a container filled with either ice or ice water. The temperature of the bottle contents eventually comes to equilibrium with the ice or ice water temperature. A large volume of ice or ice water is used to chill the wine rapidly. While it is desirable to serve white wines in a temperature range of about 42° F. to about 55° F., the more ice or ice water used to chill the bottle quickly, the more likely the wine is to be too cold, that is between about 36° to 32° F. toward the end of a meal. 
         [0004]    It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide a superior method and apparatus for chilling beverages, including wine bottles . . . . 
         [0005]    It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus and method for cooling wine with ice or cold water that does overly chill beverage, yet keeps them cold and within a desired temperature range for table use over many hours. 
         [0006]    It is another object of the invention to provide such an apparatus for use in an improved method which is adaptable to different size beverage container. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0007]    In the present invention, the first object is achieved by providing a container, comprising a vessel capable of retaining a fluid have a bottom and substantially upright sidewalls connected to and surrounding the bottom, the sidewall having an upward termination at the rim of the vessel, wherein the improvement consists of an inner cylindrical support member attached to an interior bottom of the vessel, and having a plurality of spaced apart perforation that extend upward from about half the height of the vessel to an upper rim of the inner cylinder. 
         [0008]    A second aspect of the invention is characterized in that the vessel has doubles walls, and/or handles and a lid. 
         [0009]    A third aspect of the invention is providing a cylindrical form with perforation on an upper portion thereof, for attachment to the inside of a vessel. 
         [0010]    The above and other objects, effects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional elevation of a first embodiment of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional elevation of another embodiment of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional elevation of another embodiment of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional elevation of another embodiment of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional elevation of another embodiment of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional elevation of another embodiment of the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7A  is a cross-sectional elevation of another embodiment of the invention, 
           [0018]      FIG. 7B  is an exterior elevation view of the interior portion of the container. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8A  is a cross-sectional elevation of another embodiment of the invention, 
           [0020]      FIG. 8B  is an exterior elevation view of the interior portion of the container. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 8 , wherein like reference numerals refer to like components in the various views, there is illustrated therein a new and improved Bottle Chilling Container and Method, generally denominated  100  herein. 
         [0022]    In accordance with the present invention, bottle chilling apparatus  100  comprises an outer container or vessel  110  and an inner column  120 . The inner column  120  is preferably perforated in an upper portion below the rim  125  with a plurality of holes  128 . The rim  125  of the inner column preferably extends upward to about the same height or just below the outer containers rim  115 . The inner column is a preferably an inner cylindrical support member attached to an interior bottom of the vessel, and preferably has a plurality of spaced apart perforation on an upper portion of the columns upright walls. 
         [0023]    The container  100  is used to chill or maintain the temperature of beverage bottles, especially wine and champagne. The inner column  120  is optionally another fluid retaining container bonded at the exterior bottom thereof to the interior bottom  113   a  of the outer container  110 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . Starting the perforation  128  at about ⅓ to ½ the height of the bottle  10  allow the lower portion of cavity  118  outside the sealed column  120  to fill with ice water or a slush of ice and water and either preclude or delay the flow of this liquid can flow into the inner column through the holes  128 . In other words, in the process of use, a wine bottle (or other beverage container) is placed in and supported by the inner column  120 ; the outer cavity is filled with ice to the rim  115  of the outer container or vessel. As the ice chills the bottle it melts, but because of interstices between sold ice chunks and shrinkage on melting, the resulting water remains below the lowest hole  128  and this very cold, near 32 F water does not enter the column  120  and make direct contact with the bottle  10 . However, if desired, a small quantity of water can be poured into column  120  and ice or an ice-water mixture placed in cavity  118 . 
         [0024]    In use, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a bottle or beverage container  10  is inserted into the inner column  120  and ice and optionally some water is placed in the annular cavity  118  formed between the inner upright wall  112  of the outer container  110  and the exterior of the inner column  120 . Ice and optionally ice and some water are placed in cavity  118 . 
         [0025]    While the bottle container for chilling  100  is preferably deployed to chill wine and champagne container, preferably wine and champagne bottles, it is applicable to other beverage, such as apple cider, hard cider, perry, beer, mead, which may or may not be artificially or naturally carbonated, as well as non-alcoholic beverages. 
         [0026]    While most beverage containers are cylindrical, the apparatus can be readily adapted to accommodate a range of container shapes, such as rectangular container, and depending on the size of the inner column, to accommodate both cylindrical and non-cylindrical containers of different sizes. Hence, the reference to bottles is not limited to any particular size or shape beverage container absent further express limitations. 
         [0027]    The holes  128  provide a means for conduction to chill the bottle  10 , which will also chill slowly due to loss of heat to the cold inner wall  129  of the column  120 . The inner wall  129  of the column  120  is cooled by direct conduction and radiation from the ice or ice water mixture. However, the solid nature of the column below holes  128  precludes ice water, such as will be formed as ice melts, from directly contacting the wine in the bottle  10 . Hence, wine if pre-chilled will easily be maintained in the temperature range of about 41° to 52° F. for many hours, depending on the ambient temperature. If the wine bottle is warmer, it will also chill, but more slowly. By avoiding direct contact of the ice water and/or slush with the bottle, chilling is much slower to avoid the beverage container content from approaching the slush temperature of circa 32° F. It should be understood below about 40°, further chilling is generally undesirable from taste, aroma and flavor perception. However, as this threshold is subject to personnel and regional tastes, the device  100  can be configured with more or larges holes  128 , or lower holes  128  (that is the lowest holes on column  120  are closer to the bottom of the container  110 ) to allow colder chilling and/or establish a colder minimum temperature that will be reached. 
         [0028]    The inner column  120  is preferably round in cross-section and has a diameter slightly larger than a standard champagne or sparkling wine bottle, or optionally champagne or sparkling wine magnum so that it can receive and hold upright bottles ranging in size from a relatively narrow bottle for 750 ml of wine to a wider magnum bottle holding approximately 1.5 L. The inner container also prevents the bottle  10  from tipping over, as can occur in a wine ice bucket as it becomes empty. 
         [0029]    Red and rose wines can also be chilled slightly from 66° F. to about 54° F. and/or maintained at this temperature depending on the quantity of ice and or/ice water placed in the annular cavity  118 . It should be appreciated that while an ice water mixture that forms in the cavity  118  will approach 32° F., the wine in the inner container  120  will avoid being cooled to below a desired serving temperature for many hours. 
         [0030]    In a more preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 2-6 , the outer container has insulated walls and more preferably a double wall construction (in which air between the walls provides insulation) to prevent heat transfer to the ice in the container  110  which would hasten the melting of the ice. It is also preferred that the outer container have handles  140 , as shown in  FIG. 3-6 . 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , in another embodiment, the outer container preferably has an inverted frustro-conical inner wall  112   c  in at least an upper portion for ease of adding ice to a wider opening at the rim  115 , than at the lower wall portion  112   b.    
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 5-6 , it is also preferred to provide a lid  130  with a central aperture  132  for the upper portion of the wine bottle  10  to freely extend upward. The lid  130  further preclude melting of the ice, and more absorption of heat from a warmer bottle, extending the serving time or provide more rapid initial chilling. In  FIG. 6 , lid  130  is itself insulated with an inner annular cavity  138 . The lid is intended to space the open top of the container  110  along the perimeter of the rim 
         [0033]      FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrates embodiment in which a central column  120  as described above can be adding to or detached from an existing outer container  110 . In  FIG. 7 , the central column  120  is an integrated vessel with a bottom portion that removably attaches to the interior of an outer container via an embedded magnetic  701  or suction cup  702 , or combination thereof. A similar structured central column  120  can also be permanently attached to the outer container  110  to provide the functional equivalent of the first embodiment of the container  100  in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0034]    In  FIG. 8 , the container  120  is formed by a bottom cup that is intended to receive a cylindrical wall. The bottom cup  122 , likewise as in  FIG. 7 , deploys either an embedded magnet  701  or suction cup  702  to attach to the interior vessel. The wall  123  has an inner channel  124  to receive the wall of the cylindrical tube  121 . A rubber seal, gasket or o-ring may be deployed in the recess of cup wall to provide a fluid type seal. Alternatively the portion of the wall  128  that is inserted in the cup may have a rubber or elastic coating, covering or cladding to form such a seal. The cup itself may be rubber or/an elastic material at least in the wall receiving portion to provide such a barrier to fluid flow. 
         [0035]    By providing a detachable inner container  120 , the inner container  120  can be removed to accommodate larger beverage containers with the large container  110 . 
         [0036]    However, as fluid flow is gradual and minimized, the bottle will still not be chilled to too low a temperature. According, the seal between the wall  128  and cup  122  need only be substantial to the extent that the flow of water or slush is lower than it would be without the wall like barrier  128 . 
         [0037]    The perorations  128  can have size, shape and total open areas so long as the wall  125  is reasonably rigid and not reduced in strength by them. The size, shape and open area can be constant with height, or change with height as in a gradient or abrupt change, such as in  FIG. 4 . To the extent that the ice shrinks on melting and any interstices between solid ice particles will be filled with fluid, it is desirable that the size of the perforation be smaller than the size of ice cubes, and more preferably crushed ice so that the step of filling the vessel with ice between the inner container and the vessel wall does not inadvertently introduce ice in the lower portion of the inner container. However, to the extent it is desirable to cool a warm or tepid beverage bottle quickly; some ice and or ice water slush can be introduced into the inner container. According the perforation preferable has a diameter or longest width (for non-circular perforations) that is larger than about 1 mm (about 1/25 th  of an inch and smaller than 25 mm (about 1″). The total area of the perforation, within the upper or perforated portion of the wall  128 , can be about 10% to 90% of the wall areas, but preferably about 20% to 80% of the wall areas, and more preferably about 30% to 60% of the wall area. 
         [0038]    To the extent that the container  100  is intended only to maintain beverage bottles at a cool temperature without further chilling, the inner column  120  need not have many or any holes  128 . However, the rim  125  should still preferably extend proximal to the height of the outer container rim  115  to preclude accidental overfilling that unintentionally introduces liquid into the inner column  128 . 
         [0039]    To the extend it is not intended to provide ice to totally fill the outer container, the height of rim  125  can be lowered considerably such as to about or somewhat below the mid-point of walls  112  of the outer container  110 . In such case, it would also be possible to forgoes or use less holes  128  below the rim  125 . 
         [0040]    The description of a feature, aspect or element of one embodiment of the invention is not intended to not does it preclude its combination with other features, aspects or elements of other embodiments of the invention. 
         [0041]    While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Technology Category: 2