Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This applications claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/497,360 filed Jun. 15, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    In many parts of the United States, daytime temperatures can extend well over 80° Fahrenheit. People generally consider temperatures over 80° Fahrenheit to be uncomfortable, and temperatures over 80° Fahrenheit are often regarded as being dangerous. 
         [0003]    To address this heat, various cooling devices and methods have been devised. For example, evaporative cooling places liquid vapor-typically water vapor-in the air to cool an ambient area. Evaporation, the process whereby a liquid is converted from its liquid to vapor form, is an endothermic (i.e., a heat absorbing) process. This is because energy is required to break the stronger bonds between the molecules of a liquid, so as to allow them to break free in gaseous form. During evaporation, the liquid may absorb this energy from the surrounding air, which, consequently, gets cooled. This cooling effect is known as evaporative cooling. 
         [0004]    Misters operate under the principle of evaporate cooling. Specifically, misters operate by forcing into their surroundings fine droplets of water (i.e., mist) through small nozzles at high pressure. These fine droplets of water generally evaporate into their surroundings before they reach the ground, and in so doing, absorb heat from the surrounding air. The surrounding air, in turn, gets desirably cooled. The present invention relates generally to the field of portable misting systems. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    Systems and methods for recycling spent ice from coolers are disclosed herein. According to one embodiment, a system for recycling spent ice from a cooler by misting comprises a portable frame. The system includes an inlet that is configured to receive the spent ice. A pump is housed inside the frame. The pump is in communication with the inlet for pumping the spent ice to a mist outlet. 
         [0006]    According to another embodiment, a misting system utilizing spent ice comprises a portable housing and an inner frame. The inner frame is secured inside the housing and is configured to receive ice and at least one of food and beverage. The inner frame has an outlet for passing the melted ice. A lid is provided for selectively enclosing the inner frame. The system includes a pump. The pump is inside the portable housing, and is in communication with the inner frame outlet and an outlet of the portable housing. The pump is configured to pump melted ice from the inner frame to the outlet of the portable housing for use as mist. 
         [0007]    According to yet another embodiment, a method for using a misting system comprises the step of accessing a system having a portable housing. An inner frame is secured inside the housing. The inner frame is configured to receive ice and at least one of food and beverage. The inner frame has an outlet for passing melted ice. The system includes a lid for selectively enclosing the inner frame. A pump is provided inside the portable housing. The pump is in communication with the inner frame outlet and an outlet of the portable housing to pump melted ice from the inner frame to the portable housing outlet for use as mist. The method further includes a step of placing ice and at least one of food and beverage in the inner frame, and a step of allowing at least a portion of the ice in inner frame to melt. The method includes a step for actuating the pump to output at least a portion of the melted ice to the portable housing outlet for use as mist. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures and wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a misting beverage system in accordance with one embodiment of the current invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the misting beverage system of  FIG. 1 , with an inner liner removed; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows a housing of the misting beverage system of  FIG. 1 , with its back wall removed to expose a misting system; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an inner liner that has been taken out of the housing of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is another perspective view of the inner liner of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  shows a top view of the misting beverage system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a front perspective view of the inner liner of  FIG. 4 , showing a recessed portion of the inner liner; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  shows the misting beverage system of  FIG. 1  with a front wall of the housing and a front wall of the inner liner removed; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  shows a misting system in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the current invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  shows a housing of the misting system of  FIG. 9 , with its front wall removed; 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  shows a bottom view of the housing of  FIG. 10 ; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  shows a rotatable support for the housing of  FIG. 10 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for cooling the environment around a user by misting. 
         [0022]    Misting systems are gaining popularity as alternatives to cooling systems such as fans and air conditioners. This is in part because misters are more effective at cooling the environment than fans, and because misters are generally cheaper and environmentally friendlier as compared to air conditioners. Portability of misting systems, however, is a problem. Specifically, to operate, misting systems require as inputs both a source of water and electrical power. And, at outdoor events or gatherings (e.g., picnics, tail gaiting events, camping, et cetera), one or both of these inputs may not be easily available. 
         [0023]    Portable coolers for keeping food and beverages at desirably low temperatures, on the other hand, are a common sight at outdoor gatherings. Portable coolers include insulated chambers for housing food and beverages along with ice. The insulated chambers prevent the ice from melting quickly, and the ice may keep the contents of the coolers at low temperatures. Over time, however, the ice in the coolers melts and turns to water. This water is normally emptied out from the coolers (e.g., by drains or by turning the coolers sideways or upside down) to reduce the weight of the coolers for transporting. Embodiments of the present invention utilize water from coolers (i.e., melted ice), which is generally discarded in a manner that provides little or no benefit, for cooling the environment around a user by misting. 
         [0024]    Attention is now directed to  FIG. 1 , which shows one embodiment  100  of a misting beverage system. The misting beverage system  100  comprises an outer shell or housing  102  in which a beverage cooler (or “inner liner”)  200  ( FIG. 4 ) and a misting system  300  ( FIG. 3 ) may reside. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  shows the housing  102  without the inner liner  200 . As can be seen, the housing  102  has a front wall  106 , a back wall  108 , a bottom wall  109 , and first and second side walls  110 ,  112 , respectively. The front wall  106  may have an exterior surface  106   e  and an interior surface  106   i ; the back wall  108 , the bottom wall  109 , the first sidewall  110 , and the second sidewall  112  may also each have an interior surface  108   i ,  109   i ,  110   i ,  112   i  and an exterior surface  108   e ,  109   e ,  110   e , and  112   e , respectively. These interior surfaces  106   i ,  108   i ,  109   i ,  110   i ,  112   i  of the front wall  106 , back wall  108 , bottom wall  109 , first sidewall  110 , and second sidewall  112  collectively define a cavity or chamber  116 . The inner liner  200  and the misting system  300  are housed within the chamber  116 . 
         [0026]    The housing  102  may be made of any durable material(s) and blends, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, thermoplastic olefin, polyvinyl chloride, or other plastics and/or metals. Three recessed openings  120  may extend from the exterior surface  106   e  of the front wall  106  of the housing  102  to its interior surface  106   i ; three recessed openings  120  may also extend from the exterior surface  108   e  of the back wall  108  to its interior surface  108   e . The recessed openings  120  may allow the chamber  116  to be accessed from the exterior surfaces  106   e ,  108   e  of the front and back walls  106 ,  108 , respectively. While the front and back walls  106 ,  108  have been shown in the figures as having three recessed openings  120  each, people of skill in the art will appreciate that a different number of recessed openings  120  may be provided, and that the number of recessed openings  120  in the front wall  106  need not equal the number of recessed openings in the back wall  108 . Each recessed opening  120  may have a corresponding nut  122  permanently secured to the interior surfaces  106   i ,  108   i  of the front and back walls  106 ,  108 , respectively. The nuts  122  may be internally threaded, or may be otherwise configured to secure stops (e.g., fasteners or snap rivets) that are inserted into the openings  120  from the exterior surfaces  106   e ,  108   e  of the front and back walls  106 ,  108 , respectively. 
         [0027]    The exterior surface  106   e  of the front wall  106  may have a first logo placement portion  124 A. The first logo placement portion  124 A is shown in the figures as being generally rectangular; however, people of skill in the art will appreciate that the first logo placement portion  124 A may be of other shapes, and that the exterior surface  108   e  of the back wall  108  may also (or alternatively) include the first logo placement portion  124 A. The first logo placement portion  124 A may provide a convenient space for advertising or other indicia. In some embodiments, the first logo placement portion  124 A is transparent and may allow users to view the misting system  300  from the outside. Embodiments where the first logo placement portion  124 A is absent are also contemplated. The exterior surfaces of the sidewalls  110 ,  112  may also include strips  128  on which logos (or other indicia) may be placed. 
         [0028]    One handle  126  may be secured to each of the exterior surfaces  110   e ,  112   e  of the first and second sidewalls  110 ,  112 , respectively (e.g., by being coupled to the sidewalls  110 ,  112  by appropriate fasteners or by being molded with the sidewalls  110 ,  112 ). The handles  126  may be sturdy and ergonomic, and may allow a user to conveniently lift and transport the housing  102 . 
         [0029]    Attention is now directed to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , which show the inner liner  200 . In some embodiments, the inner liner  200  is made of the same materials as the housing  102 . The inner liner  200  may have a front wall  202 , a back wall  204 , a bottom wall  206 , a first sidewall  208 , and a second sidewall  210 , with each having exterior surfaces  202   e ,  204   e ,  206   e ,  208   e ,  210   e  (see  FIG. 7 ) and interior surfaces  202   i ,  204   i ,  206   i  (not specifically shown),  208   i , and  210   i , respectively. A recessed portion  211  (see  FIG. 7 ) having an exterior surface  211   e  and an interior surface  211   i  (see  FIG. 4 ) may extend between the front wall  202  and the second sidewall  210  of the inner liner  200 . The interior surfaces  202   i ,  204   i ,  206   i ,  208   i ,  210   i , and  211   i  of the front wall  202 , back wall  204 , bottom wall  206 , first sidewall  208 , second sidewall  210 , and recessed portion  211  may collectively define a beverage retaining cavity  212  within the inner liner  200 . The beverage retaining cavity  212  may be substantially insulated (e.g., by placing a hard foam between the exterior and interior surfaces of some or all the walls of the inner liner  200 ). A user may fill the beverage retaining cavity  212  with ice, beverages (e.g., soda cans, beer bottles, juice boxes, et cetera), food (e.g., ice cream, fruit, et cetera), and/or other items that the user desires to store at a low temperature. A protective cover or lid  218  (see  FIG. 6 ) may be provided to substantially close the beverage retaining cavity  212 . The inner liner  200  may include two opposing lid swivel receptacles  217   a ,  217   b  ( FIG. 4 ) to which the lid  218  may be secured, and which may allow the lid  218  to be swiveled open. In other embodiments, the lid  218  may be removable. 
         [0030]    A first handle or gripping portion  216   a  may extend outward from the exterior surface  208   e  of the first sidewall  208 , and a second handle or gripping portion  216   b  may extend outward from the exterior surface  210   e  of the second sidewall  210 . The inner liner  200  may be conveniently handled and transported by using the first and second handles  216   a ,  216   b , respectively. 
         [0031]    As can be seen in  FIG. 5 , the exterior surface  206   e  of the bottom wall  206  of the inner liner  200  may include a drain  220 . The drain  220  may allow liquids in the beverage retaining cavity  212  to be drained out from the cavity  212 . The drain  220  may be adjustable (i.e., it may be closed, opened, slightly opened, et cetera) so as to allow the liquids in the beverage retaining cavity  212  to be drained out at varying rates. The exterior surface  206   e  of the bottom wall  206  may include anchors  222  (e.g., dowels), which, along with the recessed openings  120  as discussed below, allow the inner liner  200  to be anchored within the housing  102 . The exterior surface  206   e  of the bottom wall  206  may also include tabs  223  which allow for securement of a filter to the exterior surface  206   e  of the bottom wall  206 . 
         [0032]    Recessed openings  214  may extend from the exterior surface  202   e  of the front wall  202  of the inner liner  200  to its interior surface  202   i ; these openings  214  correspond to the openings  120  in the front wall  106  of the housing  102 . The openings  214 , which may correspond to the openings  120  in the back wall  108  of the housing  102 , may similarly extend from the exterior surface  204   e  of the back wall  204  to its interior surface  204   i.    
         [0033]    A connecting portion  224  may extend generally horizontally from the top of the recessed portion  211  to the inside of the second handle  216   b , and the connecting portion  224  may include a first aperture  226  and a second aperture  228 . An electrical controller (or electrical switch or connector)  230  (see  FIG. 1 ) may be housed within the first aperture  226 , and a quick connect misting attachment port  232  may be housed within the second opening  228 . 
         [0034]    Attention is now directed to  FIG. 3 , which shows the housing  102  with its back wall  108  removed. As can be seen, a first supporting member  230   a  may be placed on the interior surface  109   i  of the bottom wall  109  of the housing  102  adjacent the interior surface  110   i  of the first sidewall  110 . The supporting member  230   a  may span the length of the interior surface  110   i  of the first sidewall  110 . A second supporting member  230   b  may similarly be placed on the interior surface  109   i  of the bottom wall  109  of the housing  102  adjacent the interior surface  112   e  of the second sidewall  112 . The second supporting member  230   b  may span the length of the interior surface  112   i  of the second sidewall  112 . As can be seen, the inner liner  200  may be placed within the chamber  116  of the housing  102  such that the legs  222  of the inner liner  200  are anchored (e.g., doweled) to the support members  230   a ,  230   b , and the exterior surface  204   e  of the back wall  204  of the inner liner  200  is adjacent the interior surface  108   i  of the back wall  108  of the housing  102 . Other embodiments may use four support members (i.e., one for doweling each leg  222  of the inner liner  200 ) instead of the two support members  230   a ,  230   b.    
         [0035]    Once the inner liner  200  is placed within the chamber  116  in this fashion, each of the three recessed openings  120  in the front wall  106  of the housing  102  correspond to and become adjacent one of the three openings  214  in the front wall  202  of the inner liner  200 , and each of the three recessed openings  120  in the back wall  108  of the housing  102  correspond to and become adjacent one of the three recessed openings  214  in the back wall  204  of the inner liner  200 . Stops  120   s  (see  FIG. 1 ), such as fasteners or rivets, may then be inserted into the recessed openings  120  from the exterior surface  106   e  of the front wall  106  of the housing  102  such that the stops  120   s  penetrate the openings  214  in the front wall  202  of the inner liner  200 . Similarly, stops  120   s  may be inserted into the recessed openings  120  from the exterior surface  108   e  of the back wall  108  of the housing  102  such that the stops penetrate the openings  214  in the back wall  204  of the inner liner  200 . The stops  120   s  help ensure secure retention of the inner liner  200  within the housing  102 . 
         [0036]    In one embodiment, the stops  120   s  permanently secure the inner liner  200  within the housing  102 . Where such permanent securement is desired, a cover or logo may be adhered to one (or both) of the exterior surfaces  106   e ,  108   e  of the front and back walls  106 ,  108  respectively of the housing  102  to cover the stops  120   s  (e.g., over a second logo placement portion  124   b ); tampering of the cover or logo on the second logo placement portion  124   b  may then indicate that a user has attempted to remove the inner liner  200  from the housing  102  by manipulating the stops  120   s.    
         [0037]    Underneath the inner liner  200 , and between the supporting members  230   a ,  230   b  in the housing  102 , rests the misting system  300  ( FIG. 3 ). The misting system  300  may include a filter  302 , a pump  304 , and a battery  306 . 
         [0038]    The filter  302  may be secured by the tabs  223  to the exterior surface  206   e  of the bottom wall  206  of the inner liner  200 . The filter  302  may have an input port  302   i  and an output port  302   o . The input port  302   i  of the filter  302  may be connected via tubing  303  (see  FIG. 3 ), part of which is not shown in the figures for clarity, to the drain  220  of the inner liner  200 . The output port  302   o  of the filter  302  may be connected via the tubing  303  to an input port  304   i  of the pump  304  (see  FIG. 8 ). The filter  302  may prevent sediments, food particles, hard water, and other undesirable materials from being fed to the pump  304 . 
         [0039]    A user of the misting beverage system  100  may place food and beverages that he desires to keep at lower temperatures in the beverage retaining cavity  212  of the inner liner  200 , along with ice. Eventually, as the ice melts, the spent water may drain out of the drain  220  in the bottom wall  206  of the inner liner  200  into the input port  302   i  of the filter  302 . The filtered water may then be fed from the output port  302   o  of the filter  302  to the input port  304   i  of the pump  304 . 
         [0040]    The pump  304  may have an output port  304   o  ( FIG. 3 ), and the pump  304  may be configured to force water that is inputted at its input port  304   i  out the output port  304   o  at high pressure. Specifically, tubing  303  may be connected to the output port  304   o  of the pump  304 , and the tubing  303  may be routed adjacent the exterior surface  211   e  of the recessed portion  211  (see  FIG. 7 ) to the quick connect misting attachment port  232  in the inner liner  200 . In this way, the pump  304  may direct the water (i.e., spent ice) of the inner liner  200  to the misting attachment port  232  at a high pressure. 
         [0041]    Power to operate the pump  304  may be provided by the battery  306  that is electrically coupled to the pump  304 . The battery  306  may be rechargeable, and an electrical cable may be routed from the battery (e.g., adjacent the exterior surface  211   e  of the recessed portion  211 ) to the electrical controller or switch  230 . The switch  230  may allow the pump  304  to be turned on and off for providing misting on demand. The switch  230  may also allow the pump  304  to pump the water up to the quick connect misting attachment port  232  at varying rates. The switch  230  (or a separate attachment thereto) may also include an electrical connector (not specifically shown) into which a charging cable can be inserted to recharge the battery  306  with standard electrical power (e.g., at one hundred and ten or two hundred and twenty volts). 
         [0042]    The quick connect misting attachment port  232  may be configured for the quick attachment of a misting member that may spray the water (i.e., the spent ice) that is fed to the misting attachment port  232  by the pump  304  into its surroundings. The fine droplets of water sprayed out the misting member may evaporate before they reach the ground, and in so doing, may cool the surroundings of the misting beverage system  100  by evaporative cooling. The misting member may also be used to create a make-shift fountain for kids to play in, particularly in more humid climates where the air is less conducive to evaporative cooling. 
         [0043]    The inner liner  200  of the misting beverage system  100  may also include a telescoping misting mast receiver  233 . The second sidewall  112  of the housing  102  may have an opening  117  ( FIG. 2 ) which allows the telescoping misting mast receiver  233  to be accessed from outside the housing  102  while the beverage retaining chamber  212  is closed by the lid  218 . The misting mast receiver  233  may allow for a misting mast (not shown in the figures) to be removably coupled to the housing  102 . The misting mast may output mist from water (i.e., the spent ice) originating in the inner liner  200  (e.g., via the quick connect misting attachment port  232 ). The misting mast may have multiple misting nozzles and/or an adjustable height or direction, and provide the misting beverage system  100  with increased versatility. 
         [0044]    Thus, as has been described, the highly advantageous misting beverage system  100  allows users to cool their surroundings by evaporative cooling and concurrently keep their food and beverages at lower temperatures. It will be appreciated, however, that the beverage retaining chamber  212  need only be filled with water to effectuate misting. 
         [0045]    Attention is now directed to  FIGS. 9 through 12 , which depict a stand-alone mister  400  according to another embodiment of the current invention. A key difference between the stand-alone mister  400  and the misting beverage system  100  is that the stand-alone mister  400  does not include its own beverage cooler/inner liner; rather, the stand-alone mister  400  is configured to interact with commonly available stand-alone beverage coolers. The mister  400  includes an outer shell or housing  402  having a front wall  404 , a back wall  406 , a top wall  408 , a bottom wall  409 , and two sidewalls  410 ,  412 , respectively. 
         [0046]      FIG. 10  shows the housing  402  with its front wall  404  removed, exposing a misting system compartment  414 . A misting system  416  that may be generally the same as the misting system  300  (e.g., the misting system  400  may also include filter, a pump, and a rechargeable battery) resides in the misting system compartment  414 . The bottom wall  409  of the housing  404  may include an inlet or connector  418  (see  FIG. 11 ), and water from coolers (i.e., spent ice) or from other sources (e.g., taps, water bodies, et cetera) may be routed into the inlet  418  by tubing. From there, the water may be filtered and pushed out by the pump towards a misting attachment port  420  (see  FIG. 9 ). The misting attachment port  420 , as with port  232  in embodiment  100 , may be configured for the attachment of a misting member. An electrical connector or switch  422  may also be provided adjacent the front wall  404  to recharge the battery and to control the misting operations. And similar to embodiment  100 , the top wall  408  of the housing  402  may include a gripping portion  424  that is sturdy and ergonomic to allow the mister  400  to be conveniently handled. 
         [0047]    As shown in  FIG. 12 , the mister  400  may have a top rotatable support  426 . The top rotatable support  426  may include a first V-shaped portion  428  and a second V-shaped portion  430 . The first V-shaped portion  428  may comprise a first leg  432  having ends  432   a ,  432   b , and a second leg  434  having ends  434   a ,  434   b . The ends  432   b ,  434   b  of legs  432 ,  434 , respectively, may intersect to form the V-shape. The second V-shaped portion  430  may similarly comprise a first leg  436  having ends  436   a ,  436   b , and a second leg  438  having ends  438   a ,  438   b . The ends  436   b ,  438   b  of the legs  436 ,  438  may intersect to form the V-shape. A connecting portion  440  may extend between the end  434   a  of the second leg  434  of the first V-shaped portion  428  and the end  438   a  of the second leg  438  of the second V-shaped portion  430 . An insertion member  442  may extend from the end  432   a  of the first leg  432  of the first V-shaped portion  428 ; an insertion member  444  may similarly extend from the end  436   a  of the first leg  436  of the second V-shaped portion  430 . The top rotatable support  426  may be configured such that in its initial position, the first V-shaped portion  428  is adjacent the first sidewall  410  of the housing  402 , the second V-shaped portion  430  is adjacent the second sidewall  412  of the housing  402 , and the connecting portion  440  is adjacent the top wall  408  of the housing  402 . The first and second sidewalls  410 ,  412  may each include openings into which the insertion members  442 ,  444  may be respectively inserted to secure the top rotatable support  426  to the housing  402 . 
         [0048]    As the inlet  418  of the housing  402  may be located at its bottom wall  409 , it may be desirable to rest the housing  402  on its back wall  406  so that the inlet is easily accessible. However, resting the housing  402  on its back wall  406  may cause the housing  402  to get dirty. To avoid this problem, the top rotatable support  426  may be rotated along direction D (see  FIG. 9 ) such that the connecting member  440  becomes adjacent the back wall  406 . The housing  402  may also have a bottom rotatable support  446  that is generally similar to the top rotatable support  428  and which has a connecting member  448  adjacent the bottom wall  409  of the housing  409  in its initial position; the bottom rotatable support  446  may be rotated along direction D′ to cause the connecting member  448  to also become adjacent the back wall  406  of the housing  402 . The housing  402  may then be rested such that its back wall  406  is adjacent but spaced apart from the ground. As will be appreciated, when not in use, the rotatable supports  428 ,  446  may be rotated back to their original positions. 
         [0049]    The front wall  404  of the housing  402  may also include a telescoping misting mast receiver  421 . As with the embodiment  100 , the misting mast receiver  421  may allow an adjustable misting mast (not shown) to be secured to the housing  402 . The rotatable supports  428 ,  446  may allow the back wall  406  to be adjacent (and spaced from) from the ground to enable the misting mast to extend vertically upwards from the front wall  404 . 
         [0050]    Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Embodiments of the present invention have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not depart from its scope. A skilled artisan may develop alternative means of implementing the aforementioned improvements without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
         [0051]    It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims. Not all steps listed in the various figures need be carried out in the specific order described.

Technology Category: 4