US20050252234A1

US20050252234A1 - Ice cooler

Info

Publication number: US20050252234A1
Application number: US10/924,946
Authority: US
Inventors: Ik-Sub Kim
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-05-13
Filing date: 2004-08-24
Publication date: 2005-11-17

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ice cooler, and in particular to an improved ice cooler capable of achieving an optimum cooling state in such a manner that an engaging groove of an inner container having a certain bottle (referred to as a Soju (Korean liquor) bottle, a wine bottle, etc.) is engaged with an engaging protrusion of an outer container having ice cubes, and a molten ice water does not directly contact with an outer side of a bottle mounted in the inner container. The ice cooler includes a plurality of lamps that are provided on an outer surface of the outer container and are turned on and off using a power of a charging battery, wherein said inner container includes an opened part in an upper side of the same and a sealed part at an outer circumferential surface of a lower side of the same with a certain height, and a net shaped part integrally connected with an upper side of the sealed part is formed with a certain height.

Description

CLAIMING FOREIGN PRIORITY

The applicant claims and requests a foreign priority, through the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industry Property, based on patent applications filed in the Republic of Korea (South Korea) with patent application numbers 10-2004-0033701 and 10-2004-0054721, respectively filed May 13, 2004 and Jul. 14, 2004 by the applicant. (See the attached Declaration)

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ice cooler, and in particular to an improved ice cooler capable of achieving an optimum cooling state in such a manner that an engaging groove of an inner container having a certain bottle (referred to as a Soju (Korean liquor) bottle, a wine bottle, etc.) is engaged with an engaging protrusion of an outer container having ice cubes, and a molten ice water does not directly contact with an outer side of a bottle stored in the inner container.
2. Description of the Background Art
In the conventional art, a wine bottle is stored in an ice bucket having many ice cubes therein for cooling the wine stored in the bottle wherein the ice bucket has an opened upper side.
However, since the bottle stored in the ice bucket directly contacts with the ice cubes, as the time is passed, ice melts, and water is generated. At this time, the melted water of the ice cubes directly contacts with the bottle. In an even worse case, when the ice cubes are all melted, the bottle could be flooded within the water of the ice bucket.
In the case that a user takes out the bottle from the ice bucket, the cool ice melted water attached on the outer surface of the bottle may be dropped onto a user's hand or onto a table for thereby causing many inconveniences.
In order to overcome the above problems, the ice cooler of Korean patent laid-open number 10-2004-0006186 (Laid-open date: Jan. 24, 2004) is developed. The above conventional ice cooler will be described.
FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view illustrating a conventional ice cooler. As shown therein, a refrigerant pipe 2 is installed in the interior of a container 1. Ice cubes 3 are installed between the container 1 and the refrigerant pipe 2. A lid 4 having a hole 4 a covers an upper side of the container 1, and a bottle 5 is inserted through the hole 4 a.
At this time, the bottle 5 can be stored in a cool state by a cold air of the refrigerant pipe 2 and the ice cubes 3.
However, in order to use the refrigerant pipe 2, it is needed to freeze it in a freezing chamber, and a plurality of refrigerant pipes are needed. In a drinking bar or a restaurant, a freezer is additionally needed. In addition, a large amount of ice cubes is needed for filling the container 1.
In the above conventional ice container, as the time is passed, ice cubes melt and are mixed with ice melted water, so that ice cubes are melted faster. Therefore, it is impossible to maintain a desired cooling state in the container for a ling time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the above-described problems encountered in the conventional art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an ice cooler capable of maintaining a cooled state of a bottle in such a manner that a bottle is received in an outer container having ice cubes therein, and ice melted water is not directly contacted with an inner container.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an ice cooler by which a bottle can be continuously stored in a cool state by a cooling water in such a manner that a tray is installed between an inner container and an outer container, and cooling water collected when ice cubes are melted in the tray is stored in a bottom of the outer container.
To achieve the above objects, in an ice cooler that includes an outer container of which an upper side is opened for receiving ice cubes therein and an engaging protrusion is protruded with a certain height having threads at a center of an inner lower surface; and an inner container that is inserted into the outer container and has an engaging groove having threads formed in an inner surface with a certain depth wherein an upper side of the same is opened, and a bottle is inserted into the interior of the same, and the engaging groove is engaged with the engaging protrusion, there is provided an improved ice cooler comprising a plurality of lamps that are provided on an outer surface of the outer container and are turned on and off using a power of a charging battery, wherein the inner container includes an opened part in an upper side of the same and a sealed part at an outer circumferential surface of a lower side of the same with a certain height, and a net shaped part integrally connected with an upper side of the sealed part is formed with a certain height.
To achieve the above objects, in an ice cooler that includes a cup shaped outer container for storing a bottle therein, and an inner container that has a certain space for storing a bottle therein wherein an upper side of the same is opened, and the inner container is engaged in the outer container in parallel, there is provided an improved ice cooler comprising upside-down channel shaped inner and outer bent parts are formed in the lower sides of the outer container and the inner container in parallel and are engaged with each other; and a tray that is provided between an outer surface of the inner container and an inner surface of the outer container for storing ice cubes therein.
The tray includes an outer wall that is formed at the same inclination angle as the inclination angle of an inner surface of the outer container so that the tray is received in an inner surface of the outer container; a tray plate that is horizontally formed from a lower side of the outer wall to an outer surface of the inner container for thereby storing ice cubes therein and has a plurality of holes through which the cooled water of the ice cubes flows; and an inner wall that is vertically formed from an inner side of the tray plate to a lower direction along an outer surface of the inner container by a certain length and is inserted into an outer surface of the inner container.
In the tray installed in the outer container, an upside down channel shaped outer bent part has the same inclination angle as the inclination angle of the inner wall slanted at an acute angle at one side of the lower surface of the outer container so that the upside down channel shaped inner bent part of the slanted inner container is inserted at an acute inclination angle.
There is further provided a rubber material impact prevention member formed on a lower surface of the inner container for preventing an impact when the bottle is stored into the inner container.
The tray is an ice pack filled with refrigerant therein.
The ice pack is formed in a circular plate shape for storing ices therein, and a certain space is formed in the interior of the circular plate for filling refrigerant therein, and a first hole is formed at a center of the circular plate so that a bottle can pass through, and a second hole is formed at the circular plate wherein the second hole is formed by the number of at least one.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings which are given only by way of illustration and thus are not limitative of the present invention, wherein;
FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view illustrating a conventional ice cooler;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an ice cooler according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional taken along line A-A′ of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a separated cross sectional view illustrating an ice cooler according to the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a view illustrating an inner container of an ice cooler according to another embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 6A and 6B are cross sectional views illustrating an engaged state of an inner container and an outer container according to another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a disassembled perspective view illustrating an inner container and an outer container according to the present invention; and
FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view illustrating an engaged state of an inner container and an outer container according to further another embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a tray having an ice pack according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
First, FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an ice cooler according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a cross sectional taken along line A-A′ of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a separated cross sectional view illustrating an ice cooler according to the present invention, FIG. 5 is a view illustrating an inner container of an ice cooler according to another embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 6A and 6B are cross sectional views illustrating an engaged state of an inner container and an outer container according to another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a disassembled perspective view illustrating an inner container and an outer container according to the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view illustrating an engaged state of an inner container and an outer container according to further another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a tray having an ice pack according to the present invention.
The ice cooler according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in FIGS. 2 through 5, an outer container 20 is formed in such a manner that an upper side of the same is opened for storing ice cubes 50, and an engaging protrusion 21 having a certain height thread at a center of an inner lower side is formed.
An inner container 30 is inserted into the interior of the outer container 20 and has an opened upper side through which a bottle 40 is inserted and taken out. The inner container 30 stores the bottle 40 therein and has an engaging groove 31 having threads in an inner surface with a certain depth at the center of the lower surface wherein the engaging groove 31 is engaged with the engaging protrusion 21.
The inner container 30 having an engaging groove 31 is threaded with the engaging protrusion 21 of the outer container 20, and the ice cubes 50 are stored between the outer container 20 and the inner container. The bottle 40 is stored in the interior of the inner container.
At this time, the ice pack that is commercially available may be inserted between the outer container 20 and the inner container 30 except for the ice cubes 50. The size of the ice pack is determined with a size that can be inserted between the outer container 20 and the inner container 30.
In addition, the ice cubes 50 are stored between the outer container 20 and the inner container 30 for thereby providing a good visibility to the users, so that it is possible to achieve a certain image effect.
The ice pack with a certain size is inserted between the outer container 20 and the inner container, and common ice cubes 50 are provided thereon.
In addition, the inner container 30 is configured to store various bottles 40 such as a Soju (Korean liquor) bottle, beer bottle, whiskey bottle, beverage bottle, etc. therein.
In addition, since the sizes and lengths of Soju bottle, beer bottle, wine bottle, beverage bottle, etc. are different, the sizes and lengths of the inner container 30 and the outer container 20 are determined based on the sizes and lengths of the above bottles 40.
The bottle 40 may be stored in the inner container 30 or the stuff (beverage or liquor) stored in the bottle 40 may be directly stored in the interior of the inner container 30. The liquid stored in the interior of the inner container 30 may be dipped up using a certain scoop or other container.
The outer container 20 may be preferably formed of a metal material or a synthetic material or may be formed of a ceramic material.
The inner container 30 may be formed of a metal stainless material or a synthetic resin material.
As shown in FIG. 5, the inner container 30 includes an opening in an upper side, and a sealing part 30 b in a lower side with a certain height. An integral net shaped part 30 a is formed in an upper side of the sealing part 30 b with a certain height.
Here, the net shaped portion 30 a may be formed in the entire portions of the inner container or the sealing part 30 b may be formed in the entire portions of the same. A part of the same may be formed of the sealing part 30 b or may be formed of the net shaped part 30 a in connection with the sealing part 30 b.
The net shaped part 30 a may be formed of a metal stainless material or a synthetic resin material.
In addition, a plurality of lamps 22 are provided in an outer circumferential surface of the outer container 20 wherein they are turned on and off by the charged battery 24.
A plurality of lamps 22 are connected with the charged battery 24 connected with the switch 23 and the power connection part 25, and the lamps 22 are turned on and off based on the power switch 23 in connection with the charged battery 24.
The charged battery 24 is connected with the power connection part 25 and always keeps a charging state in connection with the power connection part 25.
The operation of the ice cooler according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in FIG. 6A through 7, there is provided a cut-shaped outer container 20. The inner container 30 is inserted into the interior of the outer container 20. Upside-down channel shaped inner and outer bent parts 29 and 39 are formed in the lower center portions of the inner and outer containers 20 and 30 so that the inner and outer containers 20 and 30 are engaged with each other.
The outer container 20 is formed of double outer walls 20 a for thereby forming a sealed vacuum space 20 b. Therefore, the inner temperature of the outer container 20 is kept by the sealed vacuum space 20 b.
A tray 60 is engaged between an outer surface of the inner container 30 and an inner surface of the outer container 20 for storing ice cubes 50 therein.
The tray 60 has an outer wall 61 at the same inclination as the inclination of the inner surface of the outer container 20 so that the tray 60 is installed in an inner surface of the outer container 20. A tray plate 63 is horizontally formed from the lower side of the outer wall 61 to the outer surface of the inner container 30 wherein the tray plate 63 has a plurality of holes 64 so that the melted water from the ice cubes 50 flow through the holes 64. An inner wall 62 is vertically formed with a certain length in the direction of the lower side along an outer surface of the inner container 30 so that it is inserted into the outer surface of the inner container 30 from the inner side of the tray plate 63.
A rubber impact prevention member 70 is provided in a lower surface of the inner container 30 in order to prevent a certain impact when the bottle 50 is inserted thereinto. The impact prevention member 70 includes a groove 71 so that it is installed in the inner bent portion 39 of the inner container 30.
The operation of the ice cooler according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in FIG. 8, a cup shaped outer container 20 is provided. There are provided a short wall 26 and a long wall 27 configured in such a manner that the upside down channel-shaped outer bent portion 29′ is inclined at a certain angle in the direction of the center portion at a lower side of the outer container so that the inner container 30 is stored in the interior of the outer container 20 at a certain inclination angle when the inner container 30 is received into the interior of the outer container 20.
Here, when the inner bent portion 39 of the inner container 30 is installed in the outer bent portion 29′, the bent portions 32 and 33 contacting with the lower surface and lateral surface of the inner container 30 at a right angle contact with the inner side of the outer container 20.
At this time, the tray 80 capable of storing the ice cubes 50 is engaged between the inner and outer containers 20 and 30.
The tray 80 includes an outer wall 81 formed at the same inclination angle as the inclination angle of the inner surface of the outer container 20 so that it is installed at an inner surface of the outer container 20. In addition, a tray plate 83 is horizontally formed from the lower side of the outer wall 81 to an outer surface of the inner container 30 wherein the tray plate 83 has a plurality of holes 84 so that the melted water of the ice cubes 50 flows when the ice cubes 50 are stored. An inner wall 82 is formed in a lower direction at a certain inclination angle along an outer surface of the inner container 30 so that it is inserted into an outer surface of the inner container 30 in the inner side of the tray plate 83.
As shown in FIG. 9, the tray 60 is preferably an ice pack 65 filled with refrigerant so that it has a cooling function.
The ice pack 65 filled with refrigerant is formed in a circular plate 66 so that the ice cubes 50 can be stored therein and has a certain space 67 configured so that the refrigerant is filled in the interior of the circular plate 66. A first hole 67 is formed at a center portion of the circular plate 66 so that the bottle 40 can pass through. A second hole 68 is formed in the circular plate 66. An injection port 69 is formed in one side of the circular plate 66 so that refrigerant can be inputted. Here, the hole 68 may be provided in multiple numbers.
The method of the use of the ice cooler according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The engaging groove 31 of the lower surface of the inner container 30 with a bottle therein is engaged with the engaging protrusion 21 formed in a lower surface of the outer container 20.
The inner container 30 is inserted into the interior of the outer container 20, and the ice cubes 50 are filled between the inner container 30 and the outer container 20.
The ice pack is inserted between the outer container 20 and the inner container 30, and a plurality of ice cubes 50 are provided on the upper side of the ice pack.
The bottle is stored in the inner container 30 inserted into the interior of the outer container 20, so that the cooled air of the ice cubes filled between the outer container 20 and the inner container 30 is transferred to the bottle 40 through the body of the inner container 30, and the bottle 40 stored in the inner container 30 does not directly contact with the ices.
At this time, the bottle 40 keeps a cooled state, and the temperature of the ice cubes 50 filled between the outer container 20 and the inner container 30 and the temperature of the bottle 40 are similar. Therefore, the water drops are not formed on the outer surface of the bottle 40. In the present invention, the user's hands do not need to directly contact with the cooled water of the ice cooler. It is easy and convenient to use the ice cooler according to the present invention.
A plurality of the lamps 22 installed in an outer circumferential surface are turned on of off using the switch 23 installed in a lower surface of the outer container 20.
The ice cubes filled between the outer container 20 and the inner container 30 are melted as the time is passed. At this time, in the case that the inner container 30 is formed of the net shaped part 30 a, the melted water of the upper ice cubes flows to the sealed part 30 b along the outer surface of the net shaped part 30 a and flows to the lower surface of the outer container 20 and are collected therein. Namely, in the present invention, the melted water does not flow into the inner container 30, so that the water does not contact with the bottle stored in the inner container 30.
When a lot of the ice coolers each formed of the inner and outer containers are stored after using it, the engaging grooves 31 of the inner containers 30 are separated from the engaging protrusions 21 of the outer containers 20, and the outer containers 20 and the inner containers 30 are separated from one another. The outer containers 20 and the inner containers 30 are sequentially inserted into the containers. Namely, a plurality of the outer containers 20 and a plurality of the inner containers 30 are stacked into one another.
The method of the use of the ice cooler according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in FIGS. 6A through 7, the inner bent part 39 formed in a lower surface of the inner container 30 with the bottle 40 therein is engaged with the outer bent part 29 formed in a lower surface of the outer container 20. An impact prevention member 70 is installed in a lower side of the inner container 20, so that an impact sound does not occur due to the impact when the bottle 40 is inserted. In addition, the bottle 40 is not broken.
The tray 60 is installed between the inner container 30 and the outer container 20, and the ice cubes 50 are filled in the interior of the tray 60.
The cooled air generated by the ice cubes 50 filled in the tray 60 is transferred to the bottle 40 through the body of the inner container 30, so that the upper side of the bottle 40 is cooled.
A vacuum space 20 b is not formed in the outer container 20, so that the ice cubes 50 are not exposed to the external temperature.
At this time, when the ice cubes 50 of the tray 60 are continuously melted for a certain time period, the cooled water flows. The following cooled water is collected in the lower surface of the outer container 20 through the holes 64 of the tray 60. The lower side of the bottle 40 is cooled by the cooled water gathered in the lower surface of the outer container 20.
In addition, since the ice cubes 50 are separated from the cooled water, the ice cubes are slowly melted.
In the present invention, since the ice cubes 50 are filled between the inner and outer containers 20 and 30, and the cooled water of the ice cubes 50 does not contact with the bottle 40, the user can use the bottle that is not wet.
In the case that a lot of the ice coolers are used in a certain place, the inner containers 30 and the outer containers 20 are separated, and the separated outer and inner containers 20 and 30 and the trays 60 are stacked. It is possible to efficiently manage the ice coolers in a small space.
The method of the use of the ice cooler according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described.
As shown in FIG. 8, the tray 80 is installed in the interior of the outer container 20. At this time, the center of the slanted inner wall 82 of the tray 80 is arranged in the straight line with the slanted outer bent part 29′ of the outer container 20.
In addition, the inner bent part 39 formed in the lower surface of the inner container 30 with the bottle 40 therein is engaged with the outer bent part 29′ formed in the lower side of the outer container 20. An impact prevention member 70 is installed in a lower side of the inner container 30 for thereby preventing a certain impact when the bottle 40 is inserted. In addition, it is possible to prevent the bottle 40 from being broken, and an impact sound does not occur in the present invention.
At this time, the bent parts 32 and 33 of the outer container 20 contact with the inner side of the outer container 20, so that the inner container 30 can be more stable supported with respect to the outer container 20.
When the bottle 40 is inserted into the slanted inner container 30 at a certain inclination angle, it is possible to achieve a good outer look. The present invention may be well adapted for wine bottles in a luxury restaurant.
As shown in FIG. 9, the ice pack 65 frozen in a freezing chamber of a refrigerator (not shown) is installed in the outer container 20. The ice cubes 50 are provided. The ice cubes 50 slowly melt in cooperation with the refrigerant of the ice pack 65.
Here, the ice pack 65 is formed in a circular plate shape. Therefore, a lot of the ice packs 65 can be frozen in a small space. Therefore, the ice coolers according to the present invention can be effectively used in a business place.
As described above, the engaging groove of the inner container with the bottle therein is engaged with the engaging protrusion of the outer container, and the ice cubes are provided between the outer container and the inner container. The cooled air of the ice cubes in the outer container is transferred to the inner container, and the cooled air is directly transferred to the bottle of the inner container. The melted water of the ices does not directly contact with the bottle in the outer container. The user does not directly contact with the water of the outer surface of the bottle. Therefore, it is possible to conveniently use the bottle. A plurality of the lamps are installed in an outer circumferential surface of the outer container for thereby achieving a good outer look. The ice cubes filled between the outer and inner containers can be viewed on a plane for thereby achieving a good visible outer look. The outer containers and the inner containers can be easily separated from each other. The separated outer and inner containers can be stacked sequentially for thereby achieving an easier storing.
In the present invention, the tray is installed between the inner container and the outer container. The bottle is stored in the inner container, and a small amount of ices is stored in the tray, so that the bottle can be effectively stored in a cooled state.
In addition, in the present invention, the cooled water generated when the ices are melted in the tray is gathered in the lower surface of the outer container, so that the bottle can be effectively kept in the cooled state.
Furthermore, the cooled water generated when the ices of the tray are melted is gathered in the lower surface of the outer container, so that the cooled water and the ices are fully separated. Therefore, it is possible to store the ices of the tray for a long time in a non-melting state.
As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described examples are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the meets and bounds of the claims, or equivalences of such meets and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An ice cooler that includes an outer container of which an upper side is opened for receiving ice cubes therein and an engaging protrusion is protruded with a certain height having threads at a center of an inner lower surface; and an inner container that is inserted into the outer container and has an engaging groove having threads formed in an inner surface with a certain depth wherein an upper side of the same is opened, and a bottle is inserted into the interior of the same, and the engaging groove is engaged with the engaging protrusion, an improved ice cooler comprising:

a plurality of lamps that are provided on an outer surface of the outer container and are turned on and off using a power of a charging battery,

wherein said inner container includes an opened part in an upper side of the same and a sealed part at an outer circumferential surface of a lower side of the same with a certain height, and a net shaped part integrally connected with an upper side of the sealed part is formed with a certain height.

2. An ice cooler that includes a cup shaped outer container for storing a bottle therein, and an inner container that has a certain space for storing a bottle therein wherein an upper side of the same is opened, and said inner container is engaged in the outer container in parallel, an improved ice cooler, comprising:

upside-down channel shaped inner and outer bent parts that are formed in the lower sides of the outer container and the inner container in parallel and are engaged with each other; and

a tray that is provided at a center portion between an outer surface of the inner container and an inner surface of the outer container for storing ice cubes therein.

3. The cooler of claim 2, further comprising a rubber material impact prevention means formed on a lower surface of the inner container for preventing an impact when the bottle is stored into the inner container.

4. The cooler of claim 2, wherein said tray includes:

an outer wall that is formed at the same inclination angle as the inclination angle of an inner surface of the outer container so that the tray is received in an inner surface of the outer container;

a tray plate that is horizontally formed from a lower side of the outer wall to an outer surface of the inner container for thereby storing ice cubes therein and has a plurality of holes through which the cooled water of the ice cubes flows; and

an inner wall that is vertically formed from an inner side of the tray plate to a lower direction along an outer surface of the inner container by a certain length and is inserted into an outer surface of the inner container.

5. The ice cooler of claim 4, further comprising a rubber material impact prevention means formed on a lower surface of the inner container for preventing an impact when the bottle is stored into the inner container.

6. The ice cooler of claim 4, wherein said tray installed in the outer container has an inner wall in which the inner container is formed at an acute inclination angle therein, and an upside down channel shaped outer bent part has the same inclination angle as the inclination angle of the inner wall slanted at an acute angle at one side of the lower surface of the outer container so that the upside down channel shaped inner bent part of the slanted inner container is inserted at an acute inclination angle.

7. The cooler of claim 6, further comprising a rubber material impact prevention means formed on a lower surface of the inner container for preventing an impact when the bottle is stored into the inner container.

8. The cooler of claim 2, wherein said tray is an ice pack filled with refrigerant therein.