Device for cooling beverages and method therefor

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for cooling beverages. In particular, the invention relates to a device for attaching to a drinking vessel containing a beverage to be kept cool, and to a method for cooling a beverage contained in a drinking vessel. The cooling device (1) according to the invention for any drinking vessel (2) comprises a lid (3) for covering the opening of the drinking vessel (2), and a cooling element (4), wherein it has a sunshade (6) that covers the vessel (2) laterally and is arranged in an edge region of the underside of the lid (3) which faces downwards during operation, and wherein the cooling element (4) is arranged in a central region of said underside. The invention also relates to a method for cooling a beverage contained in a drinking vessel (2).

Description

Introduction

[0001] The invention relates to a device for cooling beverages. In particular, the invention relates to a device for attaching to a drinking vessel containing a beverage to be kept cool, and to a method for cooling a beverage located in a drinking vessel. State of the art and disadvantages

[0002] Devices for cooling liquids, especially beverages, are known from many areas of technology. They can actively generate a cooling effect, i.e., by supplying energy (e.g., refrigerators), or passively cool by first being cooled themselves and then being placed on or in the medium to be cooled (e.g., ice cubes, cooling elements).

[0003] Active cooling devices are generally used to chill beverages before consumption; once the beverage has been poured, passive cooling is more practical. However, cooling with ice cubes is only acceptable for certain beverages; this method is unsuitable for drinks like wine or beer.

[0004] It is also known that direct sunlight can lead to a strong heating of beverages in a drinking vessel.

[0005] A device for protecting drinking glasses from sunlight is known from German patent application DE 20 2011 101 660 U1. The device comprises a support plate on which the drinking glass or food can be placed, and a rod to which a shade sail or similar object can be attached as sun protection. This protection is positioned between the glass and the side from which the sunlight is coming. This reduces the heating of the glass. A similar device is also known from German patent application BE 1015064 A3. However, neither of these devices can cool the glass or its contents.

[0006] CN 20 2959856 U discloses an ice-fillable cooling container with a lid into which a drinking vessel can be screwed, so that the vessel is approximately half-enclosed. The drinking vessel itself also has a lid. In this way, the beverage is passively cooled for an extended period, which is desirable, for example, on outings. A disadvantage of this solution is that the drinking vessel must be compatible with the cooling container, and the latter is relatively bulky. Therefore, the device is primarily intended for users for whom the space required for the device is less important than the longest possible passive cooling effect. Furthermore, the device is not suitable for use with just any drinking vessel. Problem of the invention and solution

[0007] The invention is therefore based on the objective of providing a device and a method which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0008] The invention is said to provide a device and a method for cooling beverages, which interacts with any drinking vessel. It should allow the beverage to be cooled while being as small as possible.

[0009] The problem is solved by a device according to claim 1 and a method according to dependent claim 12. Advantageous embodiments can be found in the respective dependent claims, the following description, and the figures. Description

[0010] First, the cooling device according to the invention is described. This is followed by a description of its use.

[0011] The cooling device is designed for use with any drinking vessel, such as a wine or beer glass, but also a water glass. The cooling device includes a lid to cover the opening of the drinking vessel, and it is understood that the lid should extend slightly beyond the upper rim of the drinking vessel, for example by 0.5 to 1 cm.

[0012] The cooling device also includes a cooling element.

[0013] The cooling device is characterized by a sunshade, which is positioned at the edge of the underside of the lid (facing downwards during operation) and at least partially covers the container laterally. The sunshade thus serves to protect the contents of the container from direct sunlight. It can advantageously extend slightly beyond half the circumference of the drinking vessel; a completely circumferential design is also possible, although this would obscure the contents. Furthermore, the side of the sunshade facing away from the sun contributes only minimally to radiation protection and is therefore unnecessary. A smaller circumference for the lateral coverage is also conceivable. The corresponding angle, viewed from above, can be, for example, 90°, 100°, 110°, ... 360°.It is clear that the sunshade must be positioned far enough from the vertical axis of the drinking vessel that it either just touches it or is spaced away from it when the lid is on the opening. Preferably, the sunshade is designed like a vertical shield. However, it can also be designed, for example, like a truncated cone segment, provided that the drinking vessel still fits under the lid.

[0014] According to the invention, the cooling element is also arranged in a central area of ​​the underside. This means that it points towards the beverage, thus achieving optimal cooling. Depending on the fill level of the drinking vessel, the cooling element may be located above the rim of the drinking vessel, directly above the surface of the beverage, or even extend into the beverage, resulting in even better cooling. In all cases, there is direct line of sight between the cooling element and the liquid to be cooled; that is, the cooling element is not shielded from the liquid by an additional layer of material. The thickness of the cooling element is preferably 0.5 to 2 cm, and particularly preferably approximately 1 cm. However, it can also have a different shape, such as a lens or cushion. The cooling element is particularly preferably removable from the lid and / or cleanable together with it.The cooling element can preferably be made of or comprise a material with high heat capacity, for example, salt water or propylene glycol enclosed in a plastic casing. The cooling element can be disc-shaped. It can have a round cross-section; however, to increase the circumferential length, it can also be shaped differently, for example, star-shaped. The side facing the beverage can be smooth, which facilitates cleaning. However, it can also be rough or provided with cooling fins or the like to absorb heat from the beverage more quickly for a cooling element of the same size.

[0015] The invention thus avoids the disadvantages known from the prior art.

[0016] The invention provides a device for cooling beverages that is compatible with any drinking vessel. No specific design matching between the drinking vessel and the device is necessary, as long as the lid can be placed over the opening, the cooling element can be accommodated within it, and one side of the drinking vessel can be shaded. It allows the beverage to be cooled while maintaining a small size, since the cooling component is located inside the drinking vessel.

[0017] Various embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below.

[0018] In one embodiment, the cooling element is a passive cooling element. By cooling it before use, it is brought to a suitable temperature, for example, between -20°C and +10°C. Depending on the design, this is done either together with the lid or separately; in the latter case, the cooling element is attached to the lid before its intended use. The advantage of this embodiment is its particularly simple, robust, and cost-effective solution.

[0019] In another embodiment, the cooling element is an active cooling element. Such a cooling element does not necessarily need to be pre-cooled, but can continuously cool the beverage during use (until the energy source is depleted), which is particularly advantageous for prolonged and / or repeated use. It is clear that a suitable energy supply must be provided in this case. For example, an electrically operated Peltier element could be used as an active cooling element. Alternatively, the cooling effect could be provided by chemical energy.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the cooling device includes a solar cell to supply energy to the active cooling element, which must then be electrically operable. Since the cooling device is used particularly on warm, sunny days, sufficient solar radiation is generally available, which can then be appropriately converted into electrical energy and supplied to the cooling element. With this solution, energy for cooling can potentially be provided for the entire time the cooling device could be used.

[0021] Preferably, the solar cell is arranged on the top of the lid and / or on the outside of the sunshade. These two surfaces are already present, so they not only provide passive protection from sunlight but also support active cooling. Moreover, these sides are typically the ones directly exposed to sunlight. Curved solar cells are advantageous for use with side sunshades.

[0022] In another embodiment, the edge of the lid interacts with a circumferential groove in the sunshade. This means that the edge is designed so that the lid can be attached to it by means of a groove present in the lid. In this case, the lid is placed onto the sunshade.

[0023] In another embodiment, the edge of the sunshade interacts with a circumferential groove in the lid. In this case, the sunshade is placed onto the lid.

[0024] Preferably, the (partial) height of the sunshade extending above the underside of the lid corresponds to the height of the part of the drinking vessel intended for holding the beverage, or it is no more than, for example, 10%, 20%, 25%, or 30% lower. Particularly in the case of wine or champagne glasses with long stems, it is not necessary for the sunshade to extend further than the top of the stem; this is achieved by appropriately dimensioning the height of the sunshade. The sunshade can thus preferably have a height of 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, or 10 cm.

[0025] In another embodiment, the cooling element is attached to the underside of the lid by means of several spring hooks. Preferably, three such spring hooks are provided, which grip the cooling element so that it remains attached to the lid and does not fall into the beverage. Preferably, the spring hooks are pivotable so that they can be released as needed to remove the cooling element from the lid. This allows the cooling element to be easily replaced or cleaned.

[0026] In a further embodiment, the lid also includes a downward-facing, preferably circumferential, side wall, which typically has a height of 0.5 to 3.0 cm. At the lower end of the side wall, this side wall has form-fitting and / or force-fit devices for holding the downward-facing cooling element, which can thus be inserted into the lid. In this way, a structurally simple attachment of the cooling element to the underside of the lid is achieved. The cooling element preferably has a square shape with a diagonal that is slightly smaller (0.5 to 5 mm) than the inner diameter of the side wall.

[0027] In another embodiment, the cooling device has a basket that can be attached to the underside of the lid to hold the cooling element. The basket preferably has openings for heat exchange and, for example, comprises a large-mesh wire screen. The advantage of this embodiment lies in the flexibility regarding the exact shape of the cooling element; it can also consist of a soft, elastic material ("cushion") filled with the actual cooling agent without the risk of the cooling element falling out. In this embodiment as well, the cooling element is arranged in a central area on the underside of the lid; the basket, due to its openings, merely serves as a holder, as already described above in other embodiments. The actual lid, which rests on the rim of the drinking vessel, is still located above the cooling element.The openings also allow "visual contact" between the cooling element and the liquid to be cooled.

[0028] Finally, it may be preferable for the sunshade to be foldable and, when folded, smaller than or equal to the diameter of the round lid or the lateral dimensions of the non-round lid. This means that the sunshade, when folded, does not extend beyond the lid when stored on or inside it. In this way, the sunshade of the cooling device can be stored compactly inside the device when it is used in the shade, as it is not needed in this case. Furthermore, this design allows the disassembled device to be flat and thus optimized for shipping. Particularly preferred is the diameter of the cooling element of the lid (or more generally, its dimensions in a top view) greater than or equal to the diagonal of the folded or unfolded sunshade and the width of any handle that may be present.In this way, all components of the cooling device can be positioned flat on top of each other when disassembled, which is advantageous both when storing the device when not in use and when shipping it.

[0029] The lid and sunshade are preferably made of plastic. However, it is also possible to manufacture one or both components from compostable materials such as cardboard, although their lifespan will then be limited. It is also conceivable to print the components on their outer surfaces, similar to beer coasters, for example, for advertising purposes. Stainless steel is also suitable for one or more of the cooling device's components.

[0030] A method for cooling a beverage in a drinking vessel will now be described. This includes the following steps, which do not necessarily have to be carried out in this order: Arranging a cooling element on the underside of a lid; arranging a sunshade on the edge of the lid; placing the lid on an opening of the drinking vessel so that it is sealed, with the cooling element facing the beverage, thus cooling the beverage; rotating the lid into a position where the sunshade is between the beverage-containing part of the drinking vessel and the sun, so that the interior of the drinking vessel is protected from direct sunlight. It is understood that the lid can be rotated on the opening alone, or the drinking vessel together with the cooling device.

[0031] In this way, a beverage contained in the drinking vessel is efficiently kept at a temperature suitable for consumption. The method is particularly preferably carried out using the device according to the invention. To avoid repetition, reference is made to the explanations above.

[0032] If the cooling element is actively designed so that it can be operated with electrical energy, then, according to a preferred embodiment, it is supplied with energy by means of a solar cell arranged on the top of the lid and / or on the outside of the sunshade. In this way, prolonged cooling of the beverage is possible without having to replace the cooling element. Again, reference is made to the explanations above to avoid repetition. Character description

[0033] The invention is explained below using figures as examples. Figure 1 a side view of the cooling device according to the invention on a drinking vessel; Figure 2 a detailed view of the connection point between the lid and sunshade; Figure 3 a view of the underside of an embodiment of a lid; Figure 4 a partial side view of this lid; Figure 5 a foldable sunshade for this lid; Figure 6 a side view of another embodiment of the cooling device; Figure 7 An exploded view of this embodiment.

[0034] In the Figure 1Figure 1 schematically shows a side view of the cooling device 1 according to the invention on a drinking vessel 2. The drinking vessel 2, designed here as a wine glass, is closed at its upper rim (opening) with a lid 3. A cooling element 4 is arranged on the underside of the central area of ​​the lid 3, which is attached to the underside by spring hooks 5. The thickness of the cooling element 4 is dimensioned such that it is located above the liquid level of the largely filled drinking vessel.

[0035] The cooling device 1 also has a sunshade 6. This is arranged on the underside of the lid 3 at its edge. It is slightly spaced from the outside of the drinking vessel 2, leaving a gap of approximately 1 to 10 mm.

[0036] The height of the sunshade 6 corresponds to the height of the part of the drinking vessel 2 intended for holding the beverage, or is slightly less than this height. In this way, the cooling device 1 is relatively small, but still fulfills its purpose sufficiently.

[0037] The edge of the cover 3 interacts with a circumferential groove 7 of the sunshade 6. This is clearly shown in the detailed view of the connection point between the cover 3 and the sunshade 6 according to... Figure 2The edge of the lid 3, which serves as a spring 8, is slightly thickened in this case and engages with the groove 7 located at the upper end of the sunshade in a snap-fit ​​manner, so that the two components 3 and 6 can be connected sufficiently firmly, but can also be separated if necessary. This is particularly advantageous in the case of shipping the cooling device 1; here, the lid 3 with the cooling element 4 and the sunshade 6 can be laid flat on top of each other. Preferably, the sunshade 6 is made of a flexible material, so that it is manufactured as a flat part that only assumes its curved shape when connected to the lid 3. Assembly is preferably carried out without tools. Fig. 2 The interaction of spring hook 5 and cooling element 4 is also evident. The spring hook is preferably flexible, so that the cooling element 4 can be released by bending it.

[0038] In Figure 3Figure 1 shows a view of the underside of another embodiment of a cover 3. This cover comprises a downward-facing side wall 9, which in this case is designed to extend around its entire circumference. Its lower edge is bent inwards, forming a recess. On two approximately opposite sides, the lower edge is widened, providing two retaining devices in the form of extensions 10. Between these extensions 10, a further retaining device in the form of a clip 11 is provided.

[0039] The cooling element 4 is inserted into the lid 3. It is flat and approximately square in shape. Its corners rest on the extensions 10 and on the bent lower edge. Since the clip 11 is spring-loaded, it can provide sufficient pressure to secure the cooling element 4 inside the lid 3.

[0040] Figure 4Figure 1 shows a partial side view of this cover 3, although it could in principle also be any of the other covers 3 mentioned. It has two slots 12 on its upper edge. These interact with the in Figure 5 The hooks 13 shown are located at the top edge of the sunshade 6, which is only partially depicted. A row of holes is provided in its central area to increase elasticity. Thus, the sunshade 6 can be easily folded along this line to approximately halve its length, which can be, for example, 15 cm. Since the drawing is approximately to scale, it is evident that a folded sunshade 6 is smaller than the diameter of the lid 3, so that it can also be stored inside the lid 3 when not in use.

[0041] In Figure 6 Figure 1 shows a side view of another embodiment of the cooling device 1. Figure 7Figure 1 shows an exploded view of this embodiment (without the cooling element 4). Hatching has been omitted for clarity. The cooling device 1 comprises, in addition to the lid 3 with side wall 9 and the sunshade 6, and the cooling element 4, a basket 14 with a depth of approximately 2.5 cm, into which the cooling element 4 can be inserted. The latter is designed here as a soft cushion, so that it could not be securely held in one of the previously described embodiments of the lid 3. The basket 14 is located below the lid 3 and points towards the drinking vessel 2. Thus, the cooling element 4 can be positioned very close to the liquid, ensuring efficient cooling with minimal loss.

[0042] In the illustrated embodiment, the sunshade 6 has an upper edge designed as a thread or bayonet fitting. The cover 3 can be connected to this. The basket 14, which is bent horizontally at its edge, can be clamped between the upper edge of the sunshade 6 and the inside of the cover 3, so that it is securely fixed in its position when the cooling device 1 is in operation. Reference symbol list

[0043] 1 Cooling device 2 Drinking vessel 3 Lid 4 Cooling element 5 Spring hook 6 Sunshade 7 Groove 8 Spring 9 Side panel 10 Extension 11 Clip 12 Slot 13 Hook 14 Basket

Claims

1. Cooling device (1) for any drinking vessel (2), comprising a lid (3) for covering the opening of the drinking vessel (2), and a cooling element (4), characterized by the fact that the cooling device (1) has a sunshade (6) which is arranged in a peripheral area of ​​the underside of the lid (3) facing downwards during operation, covering the vessel (2) laterally, and the cooling element (4) is arranged in a central area of ​​said underside.

2. Cooling device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cooling element (4) is a passive cooling element.

3. Cooling device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cooling element (4) is an active cooling element.

4. Cooling device (1) according to claim 3, wherein the cooling device (1) comprises a solar cell for supplying energy to the cooling element (4), which is arranged on a top surface of the lid (3), and / or on an outside surface of the sunshade (6).

5. Cooling device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the edge of the lid (3) interacts with a circumferential groove (7) of the sunshade (6).

6. Cooling device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sunshade (6) corresponds to the height of the part of the drinking vessel (2) intended to hold the beverage, or is less than 25% below it.

7. Cooling device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the cooling element (4) is attached to the underside of the lid (3) by means of several spring hooks (5).

8. Cooling device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the lid (3) also comprises a downwardly pointing side wall (9) at the lower end of which form-fitting and / or force-fitting devices for holding the downwardly pointing cooling element (4) which can thus be inserted into the lid (3) 9. Cooling device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the same comprises a basket (14) which can be attached below the lid (3) to the lid for receiving the cooling element (4).

10. Cooling device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sunshade (6) is foldable and, when folded, is smaller than or equal to the diameter of the lid (3).

11. Cooling device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the dimension of the lid (3) in a top view is greater than or equal to the diagonal of the folded or unfolded sunshade (6) and the width of any handle (15) that may be present, so that all components can be positioned flat on top of each other when the cooling device (1) is disassembled.

12. A method for cooling a beverage contained in a drinking vessel (2), comprising the following steps: - arranging a cooling element (4) on the underside of a lid (3); - arranging a sunshade (6) on an edge of the lid (3); - placing the lid (3) on an opening of the drinking vessel (2) so that the cooling element (4) points towards the beverage, thereby cooling the beverage; - rotating the lid (3) into a position in which the sunshade (6) is located between the beverage-containing part of the drinking vessel (2) and the sun, so that the interior of the drinking vessel (2) is protected from direct sunlight.

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein the cooling element (4) is actively designed and is supplied with energy by means of a solar cell arranged on a top side of the lid (3) and / or on an outside side of the sunshade (6).

14. Method according to one of claims 12 or 13, wherein the same is carried out using a cooling device (1) as defined in one of claims 1 to 11.

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