Coolers for beverage containers

Abstract

A cooler for storing beverage containers. The cooler includes a housing defining an interior volume for storing a first beverage container at a first predetermined temperature and a compartment within the interior volume of the housing for storing a second beverage container at a second predetermined temperature below the freezing point of the beverage. The cooler further includes a user interface for receiving user input to dispense the second beverage container and a delivery portal for providing access to the second beverage container. A chute is configured to transport the second beverage container from the compartment to the delivery portal to cause beverage nucleation and form a slush beverage. A cooling unit is configured to maintain the interior volume of the housing at the first predetermined temperature and the compartment at the second predetermined temperature.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE Embodiments described herein generally relate to a cooler for storing beverage containers. In particular, embodiments described herein relate to a cooler for storing a first beverage container at a first temperature and a second beverage container at a second temperature different from the first temperature. [Background technology]

[0002] Beverage containers are often stored in insulated coolers. Such coolers are often used in grocery stores, convenience stores, restaurants, kiosks, movie theaters, and the like. The coolers serve to maintain the beverage containers at a low temperature so that they are ready for consumption by consumers. The coolers also serve to store and organize the beverage containers so that they are displayed to consumers. However, conventional coolers have limited functionality and simply store the beverage containers at a single temperature.

[0003] Thus, there continues to be a need for coolers for beverage containers that have additional features to provide consumers with access to a wider variety of beverage options. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Some embodiments relate to a cooler for beverage containers, the cooler including a housing defining an interior volume for storing a first beverage container at a first predetermined temperature, and a sealed compartment disposed within the interior volume of the housing for storing a second beverage container at a second predetermined temperature below the freezing point of the beverage in the second beverage container. The cooler further includes a user interface for receiving a user input to dispense the second beverage container from the compartment, and a delivery portal for providing access to the second beverage container. The chute is configured to deliver the second beverage container from the compartment to the delivery portal, the chute configured to subject the second beverage container to a mechanical shock to cause beverage nucleation in the second beverage container and form a slush beverage in the second beverage container. The cooling unit is configured to maintain the interior volume of the housing at the first predetermined temperature and the interior volume of the compartment at the second predetermined temperature.

[0005] Some embodiments relate to a beverage container cooler including a housing defining an interior volume for storing a first beverage container and a compartment disposed within the interior volume of the housing for storing a second beverage container. The compartment is sealed. The cooler includes a user interface for receiving a user input to dispense the second beverage container from the compartment, and a door movably connected to the housing and having a delivery bin, the door being movable between a closed position in which the interior volume of the housing is inaccessible and an open position in which the interior volume of the housing is accessible to a consumer. A chute is connected to the compartment configured to deliver the second beverage container to the delivery bin of the door when the door is in the closed position, such that the second beverage container is accessible from outside the housing via the delivery bin.

[0006] Some embodiments relate to a beverage container cooler including a housing having a door and defining an interior volume for storing a first beverage container, the interior volume of the housing being accessible by opening the door of the housing. A compartment is disposed within the interior volume of the housing for storing a second beverage container, the compartment being sealed such that the second beverage container is inaccessible from the interior volume of the housing. A delivery portal is disposed on the housing, the delivery portal communicating with the compartment such that when the second beverage container is dispensed, the second beverage container is accessible from outside the housing via the delivery portal.

[0007] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the compartment may include insulation.

[0008] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the compartment may include an air inlet port and an adjustable damper configured to regulate the flow of air into the compartment through the air inlet port. In some embodiments, the compartment may include a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature within the compartment, which is in communication with a control unit that controls an orientation of the adjustable damper to maintain the compartment at a second predetermined temperature. In some embodiments, the compartment may include an air outlet port to allow the flow of air to exit the compartment.

[0009] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the compartment may include an internal passage for directing the second beverage container toward the chute.

[0010] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the second predetermined temperature can be between -20° C. and 0° C. In some embodiments, the second predetermined temperature can be between -10° C. and -7° C.

[0011] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the chute may include a first section disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cooler with a second section disposed at an angle relative to the first section such that the chute is configured to subject the second beverage container to gravity drop and the beverage in the second beverage container to nucleation. In some embodiments, the second section of the chute may be disposed at a downward angle relative to the transverse plane such that the second section is configured to allow the second beverage container to move by gravity along the second section toward the delivery portal.

[0012] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the cooling unit may include an evaporator for distributing the air flow to the compartments.

[0013] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the housing may include a door movable from a closed position to an open position in which the interior volume of the housing is accessible.

[0014] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the door may include a transparent portion such that the interior volume of the housing is visible from the exterior of the housing.

[0015] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the delivery portal may communicate with the compartment via a chute disposed within the housing.

[0016] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the cooler may include a user interface for receiving user input and dispensing the second beverage container.

[0017] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the delivery portal may be located on a door of the housing and the first beverage container is not provided to the delivery portal.

[0018] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the cooler may include a cooling unit configured to maintain the interior volume of the housing at a first predetermined temperature and the compartment at a second predetermined temperature that is below the freezing point of the beverage in the second beverage container. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate the present disclosure and, together with the description, further explain the principles of the disclosure and enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the disclosure.

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooler for beverage containers according to an embodiment.

[0021] [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cooler of FIG. 1 without the beverage container.

[0022] [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the cooler of FIG. 1.

[0023] [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of components of a cooler according to an embodiment.

[0024] [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of components of a cooling unit of a chiller according to an embodiment.

[0025] [Figure 6] 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional side view of a cooler according to an embodiment, with arrows indicating the direction of air flow within the cooler.

[0026] [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a rear perspective view of a compartment of a cooler according to an embodiment.

[0027] [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of components of a cooler compartment according to an embodiment.

[0028] [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of a cooler according to an embodiment.

[0029] [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary computer system on which embodiments may be implemented. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following description is not intended to limit the embodiments to one preferred embodiment. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as defined by the appended claims.

[0031] Beverage container coolers are often used to store beverages at low temperatures such that the beverage container is refrigerated. However, coolers have limited functionality and generally cannot simultaneously store a first group of beverages at a first temperature and a second group of beverages at a second temperature. Providing consumers with the option to select beverage containers at a particular temperature allows consumers to have more options when selecting beverages. For example, consumers may benefit from having the option to purchase beverage containers that contain refrigerated beverage containers or partially frozen slush beverages.

[0032] Additionally, some store owners may wish to offer customers the option of purchasing refrigerated or slush beverages. However, some stores may not be able to provide, or simply prefer not to provide, space within the store for a slush beverage vending or dispensing machine. Thus, in order to conserve space and at the same time provide consumers with additional beverage options, it is desirable to provide a cooler for storing refrigerated beverages that can also store and dispense slush beverages within a beverage container.

[0033] Some embodiments described herein relate to a cooler for beverage containers that is capable of storing and providing to consumers both refrigerated beverage containers and beverage containers containing slush beverages (e.g., super-chilled beverages). In some embodiments described, the cooler for beverage containers includes a housing having an interior volume for storing the beverage containers at a first predetermined temperature, such as a temperature suitable for serving a refrigerated beverage, and a compartment within the interior volume of the housing for storing the beverage containers at a second predetermined temperature that is below the freezing point of the beverage such that the beverage is super-chilled and can therefore be served as a slush beverage.

[0034] In some embodiments, the cooler 100 includes a housing 102 having an interior volume 108 for storing a first beverage container 400 at a first predetermined temperature and a compartment 130 within the interior volume 108 for storing a second beverage container 500 at a second predetermined temperature that is lower than the first predetermined temperature. The cooler 100 includes a door 140 that allows the interior volume 108 to move from a closed position, inaccessible from outside the housing 102, to an open position, thereby allowing a consumer to access the first beverage container 400 within the interior volume 108 of the housing 102. The cooler 100 may further include a delivery portal 180 in communication with the compartment 130, such as by a chute 170. The chute 170 may be configured to deliver the second beverage container 500 from the compartment 130 to the delivery portal 180 to agitate the beverage within the second beverage container 500 and provide a consumer access to the second beverage container 500. The chiller 100 may also include a cooling unit 160 for maintaining the interior volume 108 and the compartment 130 of the housing 102 at first and second predetermined temperatures, respectively.

[0035] In any of the various embodiments described herein, the term "beverage container" may refer to any of a variety of types of containers for storing a beverage. The beverage container may be in the form of a bottle or a can, for example. The beverage container may be constructed of any of a variety of materials, including glass, metal, such as aluminum, or plastic, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), among others.

[0036] As used herein, the term "beverage" includes any consumable free-flowing liquid or semi-liquid product that may be carbonated or non-carbonated, including, but not limited to, soft drinks, water, carbonated water, dairy drinks, juices, alcoholic drinks, sports drinks, smoothies, coffee drinks, tea drinks, and milkshakes, among others. Additionally, the term "slush beverage" includes any beverage described herein that is at least partially frozen, whereby the beverage is partially liquid and partially solid.

[0037] In some embodiments, the cooler 100 is configured for a first beverage container 400 at a first predetermined temperature, and a second beverage container 500 at a second predetermined temperature, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1-3. The cooler 100 includes a housing 102 defining an interior volume 108. The housing 102 may be in the form of a cabinet. The housing 102 may be generally shaped as a rectangular solid, or may have any of a variety of other shapes. For example, the housing 102 may include one or more rounded sidewalls. The cooler 100 may be a free-standing or stand-alone device.

[0038] In some embodiments, the housing 102 of the cooler 100 may include one or more shelves 105 within the interior volume 108 to facilitate storage, organization, and display of the first beverage containers 400. The shelves 105 may be generally planar in configuration. The shelves 105 may be solid plates or may be in the form of a wire mesh or grid to promote airflow through the interior volume 108 of the cooler 100. Each shelf 105 may be disposed in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cooler 100. Additionally, the shelves 105 may be spaced apart from one another along the longitudinal axis of the cooler 100 from the bottom end 106 of the housing 102 to the top end 104 of the housing 102.

[0039] In some embodiments, the housing 102 of the cooler 100 may further include a transparent portion 144, allowing a consumer to view the interior volume 108 of the cooler 100 and the products therein from the exterior of the cooler 100. The transparent portion 144 may comprise a transparent material, such as glass, which may comprise a silica-based glass, or a transparent polymeric material, such as polycarbonate. The transparent portion 144 allows a consumer to view the available beverages without opening the cooler 100, which may result in temperature fluctuations within the housing 102 and may allow moisture to enter the housing 102.

[0040] In some embodiments, the cooler 100 further includes a door 140 that allows a consumer to access the interior volume 108 of the housing 102 so that the consumer can remove the first beverage container 400. The door 140 may form a portion of the housing 102 that defines the interior volume 108 of the housing 102. Thus, in some embodiments, the door 140 may form a sidewall or a portion of a sidewall of the cooler 100. The door 140 may be movable between a first position (closed position) and a second position (open position). In some embodiments, the door 140 may be pivotally connected to the housing 102 so that the door 140 moves between the first position and the second position by rotating about a hinge or pivot point. In some embodiments, the door 140 may be slidably connected to the housing 102 so that the door 140 moves between the first position and the second position by sliding along one or more tracks in the housing 102. The door 140 of the housing 102 may include a transparent portion 144, as described above, which allows a consumer to view the interior volume 108 of the housing 102 through the transparent portion 144 of the door 140. Substantially the entire door 140 may include the transparent portion 144, or only a portion of the door 140, such as a central portion of the door 140, may be transparent.

[0041] The cooler 100 further includes a compartment 130 disposed within the interior volume 108 of the housing 102. The compartment 130 is configured to store a second beverage container 500 separate from the first beverage container 400. In particular, the compartment 130 is configured to store the second beverage container 500 (see FIG. 9) at a second predetermined temperature, which may be a temperature below the freezing point of the beverage in the second beverage container 500, thereby causing the beverage to be subcooled. The compartment 130 may have any of a variety of shapes, and in some embodiments, the compartment 130 is shaped as a cube or rectangular prism, with the compartment 130 defining an interior volume for storing the second beverage container 500. The compartment 130 may be constructed of an insulating material, such as expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam, among other insulating materials that are not susceptible to heat transfer to the compartment 130. The compartment 130 is sealed such that the second beverage container 500 stored within the compartment 130 is inaccessible from outside the compartment 130. Thus, when the door 140 of the cooler 100 is opened, a consumer may remove the first beverage container 400 from the interior volume of the cooler 100, but cannot similarly remove the second beverage container 500 stored within the sealed compartment 130. The second beverage container 500 is instead dispensed to the consumer via the delivery portal 180, as described below. By restricting access to the compartment 130, the compartment 130 can be maintained at a second predetermined temperature without temperature fluctuations caused by a consumer accessing the compartment 130 and the second beverage container 500 therein.

[0042] In some embodiments, the compartment 130 may define a beverage container inlet 131 (see FIG. 1 ) for loading a beverage container into the compartment 130. The beverage container inlet 131 may be in the form of a slot that is sized and shaped to receive the beverage container. Thus, the beverage container inlet 131 may have a can shape, a bottle shape, or may have a rectangular, circular, or oval shape, among others. The beverage container inlet 131 may be configured to receive the beverage container in a sideways or horizontal orientation, such that the beverage container is stored in the compartment 130 on its side. The beverage container inlet 131 may further include a movable cover that removably covers the beverage container inlet 131 to facilitate maintaining the compartment 130 at the second predetermined temperature.

[0043] In some embodiments, the compartment 130 may further define an interior passageway 132 configured to sequentially guide the second beverage containers 500 from the beverage container inlet 131 to the beverage container outlet 134 and may be connected to the chute 170 (see FIG. 9 ). The second beverage containers 500 are sequentially guided through the passageway 132 such that the beverage containers inserted first into the compartment 130 will be the first to be removed from the compartment 130. The passageway 132 may have a serpentine configuration. Further, in some embodiments, the passageway 132 may be defined by one or more tracks 133. The track 133 may be a wire track having an inclined surface configured to allow the second beverage containers 500 to roll along the track 133 by gravity. The second beverage containers 500 may be stored in the compartment 130 in a sideways orientation to facilitate rolling of the second beverage containers 500 along the passageway 132.

[0044] In some embodiments, the cooler 100 further includes a cooling unit 160 configured to maintain the temperature of the interior volume 108 of the housing 102 at a first predetermined temperature and further to maintain the temperature of the compartment 130 at a second predetermined temperature. The second predetermined temperature may be different from the first predetermined temperature and may be less than the first predetermined temperature. In some embodiments, the first predetermined temperature is a temperature suitable for cooling or refrigerating the first beverage container 400, for example, about 0.5°C to about 10°C, or about 1°C to about 7°C, or about 2°C to about 5°C. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the first predetermined temperature may be selected based on the type of beverage stored in the first beverage container. In some embodiments, the second predetermined temperature may be about -20°C to about 0°C, or about -10°C to about -7°C, such that the beverage in the second beverage container 500 is below the freezing point of the beverage. The second predetermined temperature may be selected such that the particular beverage in the second beverage container is supercooled. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, different beverages may have different freezing points. Thus, the second beverage container 500 stored in the compartment 130 may be supercooled. A "supercooled" liquid is a liquid that is at a temperature below its freezing point but remains in a liquid state. The supercooled liquid remains in a liquid state until it is agitated, such as by shaking the beverage container or subjecting it to mechanical shock or jolt. Agitation causes the supercooled liquid to undergo a phase change to form a solid or partially solid. In this manner, by maintaining the beverage at a second predetermined temperature, the second beverage container 500 provides a supercooled beverage, i.e., a slush beverage within the second beverage container 500 when agitated.

[0045] In some embodiments, the cooling unit 160 may include an evaporator 162 in communication with a compressor 164, a condenser 166, and an expansion valve 168 for circulating the refrigerant, as shown, for example, in FIG. 5. The evaporator 162 distributes cooled air to the interior volume 108 of the housing 102 and further to the compartments 130 within the housing 102. The evaporator 162 may include a fan to facilitate air circulation. In alternative embodiments, other types of cooling units capable of maintaining the interior volume 108 of the housing 102 at a first predetermined temperature and the compartments 130 at a second predetermined temperature may be used, such as thermoelectric cooling systems, among others.

[0046] In some embodiments, the compartment 130 is disposed toward the top end 104 of the housing 102 of the cooler 100 such that the compartment 130 is directly adjacent to the evaporator 162 disposed at the top end 104 of the housing 102. Generally, the air provided by the evaporator 162 is at a lowest temperature immediately adjacent the evaporator 162, and as the air circulates within the housing 102, the temperature of the air increases. Thus, by positioning the compartment 130 directly adjacent the evaporator 162, cooled air is provided to the compartment 130 to assist in maintaining the compartment 130 at the second predetermined temperature.

[0047] In some embodiments, the compartment 130 includes an air inlet port 137 for receiving cooling air from the evaporator 162 and an air outlet port 139 for allowing air within the compartment 130 to escape from the compartment 130. In some embodiments, the air inlet port 137 and the air outlet port 139 may be located on the back surface 135 of the compartment 130, as shown in FIG. 7. However, in alternative embodiments, the air inlet port 137 and / or the air outlet port 139 may be located in different portions of the compartment 130, such as on a top surface or a bottom surface of the compartment 130, respectively.

[0048] In some embodiments, an adjustable damper 138 is disposed at each air inlet port 137 of the compartment 130. The adjustable damper 138 serves to regulate the flow of cooling air into the compartment 130 to regulate the temperature of the compartment 130, thereby maintaining the second compartment 130 at a second predetermined temperature, which in some embodiments may be, for example, about -20°C to about 0°C. The adjustable damper 138 may include a panel that is adjustable in pitch or orientation to control the amount of air entering the air inlet port 137. The adjustable damper 138 may be adjusted by a drive mechanism such as a motor or actuator. The adjustable damper 138 may be electronically controlled, whereby the orientation of the damper 138 may be adjusted to increase or decrease the amount of air flow through the air inlet port 137, which increases or decreases the temperature of the compartment 130.

[0049] In some embodiments, the compartment 130 further includes at least one temperature sensor 136, as shown in FIG. 8. The temperature sensor 136 may be positioned in the compartment 130 to measure the temperature in the compartment 130. The temperature sensor 136 may be a thermistor or a thermocouple, among other temperature sensing devices. To maintain the temperature in the compartment 130 at the second predetermined temperature, the temperature sensor 136 communicates with the control 150, which is configured to adjust the orientation or pitch of an adjustable damper 138 at the air inlet port 137 of the compartment 130 based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 136 to increase or decrease the temperature in the compartment 130. For example, if the predetermined temperature of the compartment 130 is −8° C. and the temperature sensor 136 detects a temperature in the compartment 130 of −2° C., the control unit 150 adjusts the adjustable damper 138 to increase the air flow into the compartment 130 to decrease the temperature.

[0050] During operation of the cooler 100, the evaporator 162 provides airflow within the housing 102, for example in a manner as shown in FIG. 6. Cooled air flows from the evaporator 162 into the interior volume 108 of the housing 102 of the cooler 100 and also into the compartment 130 through the air inlet port 137 of the compartment 130. The amount of air flowing into the compartment 130 through the air inlet port 137 is regulated by an adjustable damper 138. The air circulates within the compartment 130 and cools the second beverage container therein. The air within the compartment 130 exits the compartment 130 through the air outlet port 139 and flows into the interior volume 108 of the housing 102 of the cooler 100.

[0051] To dispense the second beverage container 500 from the compartment 130, the cooler 100 may further include a user interface 120 for receiving user input to dispense the second beverage container 500 from the compartment 130. The user input may be a selection of a second beverage container to be sub-cooled and stored in the compartment 130. The user interface 120 may be disposed on the housing 102 and may be disposed external to the housing 102 such that the user interface 120 may be accessed without opening the door 140 of the cooler 100. The user interface 120 may include one or more buttons, levers, handles, switches, or actuators for receiving user input. In some embodiments, the user interface 120 may include an electronic display, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or light emitting diode (LED) display, for displaying instructions or other information to a consumer. In some embodiments, the user interface 120 may include a touch screen display for receiving user input and displaying instructions or information to a user. The user interface 120 may further include means for accepting payment from a user, such as a credit card reader, a mobile device or mobile application scanner, or a slot for receiving coins, bills, or tokens, among other payment methods.

[0052] The cooler 100 may include a control unit 150 for coordinating operations for dispensing the second beverage container 500 from the compartment 130. Upon receiving a user input from the user interface 120 to dispense the second beverage container 500, the control unit 150 may cause the second beverage container 500 to be released from the compartment 130, such that the second beverage container 500 is delivered to a delivery portal 180 of the cooler 100. The delivery portal 180 may be located in any of various portions of the housing 102 or the door 140 of the housing 102 to provide a consumer with access to the dispensed beverage container.

[0053] In some embodiments, the second beverage container 500 is delivered from the compartment 130 to the delivery portal 180 via a chute 170, as shown in FIG. 9. The chute 170 may be configured to subject the second beverage container 500 to a mechanical impact to cause nucleation of the beverage within the second beverage container 500 in order to provide a slush beverage within the second beverage container 500. The first beverage container 400 is not similarly provided to the delivery portal 180; instead, the first beverage container 400 must be removed from the interior volume 108 of the cooler 100. In some embodiments, the compartment 130 may be in direct communication with the delivery portal 180.

[0054] In some embodiments, the chute 170 may include a first section 172 that is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cooler 100 and a second section 174 that is disposed at an angle to the transverse axis of the cooler 100, such that the second beverage container 500 falls by gravity within the first section 172 of the chute 170 onto the second section 174. In this manner, the chute 170 applies a mechanical impact to the second beverage container 500 to cause nucleation of a supercooled beverage within the second beverage container 500, thereby producing a slushy beverage within the second beverage container 500. The first section 172 of the chute 170 may have a height h1 of about 6 to about 50 inches, or about 12 to about 36 inches, such that the drop provides sufficient mechanical impact to cause nucleation of the beverage within the second beverage container 500 without overly agitating the beverage, resulting in the carbonated beverage spilling or "exploding" upon opening. Further, the height h1 of the chute 170 is limited by the height of the interior volume 108 of the cooler 100. The second section 174 of the chute 170 may be disposed at a downward angle θ1 with respect to the horizontal axis of the cooler 100. The angle may be from about 1 to about 20 degrees, or may be from about 5 to about 15 degrees. In this manner, after the second beverage container 500 drops through the first section 172 onto the second section 174 of the chute 170, the second beverage container 500 may move or roll by gravity along the second section 174 toward the chute exit 176 and the delivery portal 180.

[0055] In some embodiments, the first compartment 172 of the chute 170 may be located at the rear portion 101 of the cooler 100 opposite the door 140. In this manner, the interior volume 108 of the front portion 103 of the housing 102 closer to the door 140 may be used for storage of the first beverage container 400. The second compartment 174 of the chute 170 extends from the rear portion 101 of the housing 102 toward the door 140 of the housing 102 at the front portion 103 of the housing 102 and terminates at a chute outlet 176. The chute outlet 176 may communicate with a delivery portal 180 located on the housing 102, such as on the door 140. In this manner, the delivery portal 180 may be easily accessible to consumers. In some embodiments, the chute 170 may communicate with a delivery portal 180 on the door 140, which may include a delivery bin 182 for holding dispensed beverage containers. The delivery bin 182 may be in communication with the chute 170 when the door 140 is in the closed configuration. The delivery bin 182 receives the second beverage container 500 dispensed from the compartment 130 through the chute 170 and is accessible to a consumer from outside the cooler 100. In this manner, a consumer does not need to open the door 140 of the cooler 100 to access the dispensed second beverage container 500.

[0056] In operation, a consumer may access the interior volume 108 of the cooler 100, such as by opening the door 140 of the cooler 100, to access a first beverage container 400 stored at a first predetermined temperature, such that the first beverage container 400 is cooled or refrigerated. Alternatively, a slush beverage may be dispensed from the cooler 100 by providing an input, such as a beverage selection, to the user interface 120. Upon receiving the input, the cooler 100 may dispense a second beverage container 500 from the compartment 130, the second beverage container 500 being stored at a second predetermined temperature that is below the freezing point of the beverage in the second beverage container. The second beverage container 500 containing the supercooled liquid is subjected to mechanical impact within the chute 170 by falling by gravity through the first section 172 of the chute 170 onto the second section 174 of the chute 170, thereby causing beverage nucleation and generating the slush beverage within the second beverage container 500. The chute 170 conveys the second beverage container 500 containing the slush beverage to a delivery portal 180 of the cooler 100 for access or removal by the consumer.

[0057] 10 illustrates an exemplary computer system 700 in which embodiments or portions thereof may be implemented as computer readable code. The control unit 150 discussed herein may be a computer system having all or some of the components of the computer system 700 for implementing the processes discussed herein.

[0058] Where programmable logic is used, such logic may be executed on a commercially available processing platform or a special purpose device. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that embodiments of the disclosed subject matter may be practiced with a variety of computer system configurations, including multi-core multiprocessor systems, minicomputers, and mainframe computers, computers linked or clustered with distributed functionality, and pervasive or small computers that may be embedded in virtually any device.

[0059] For example, at least one processor device and memory may be used to implement the embodiments described above. The processor device may be a single processor, multiple processors, or a combination thereof. The processor device may have one or more processor "cores."

[0060] Various embodiments of the present invention may be implemented with respect to this exemplary computer system 1000. After reading this description, it will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art how one or more of the present inventions can be implemented using other computer systems and / or computer architectures. Although operations may be described as sequential processes, some of the operations may in fact be performed in parallel, simultaneously, and / or in a distributed environment, and may be performed by program code stored locally or remotely for access by a single or multi-processor machine. Additionally, in some embodiments, the order of operations may be rearranged without departing from the spirit of the disclosed subject matter.

[0061] The processor device 1004 may be a special purpose or general purpose processor device. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the processor device 1004 may also be a single processor in a multi-core / multi-processor system operating alone or in a cluster of computing devices operating in a cluster or server farm. The processor device 1004 is connected to a communications infrastructure 1006, such as a bus, message queue, network, or multi-core message passing scheme.

[0062] The computer system 1000 also includes a main memory 1008, e.g., random access memory (RAM), and may also include a secondary memory 1010. The secondary memory 1010 may include, for example, a hard disk drive 1012 or a removable storage drive 1014. The removable storage drive 1014 may include a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, a flash memory, or the like. The removable storage drive 1014 reads from and / or writes to a removable storage unit 1018 in a well-known manner. The removable storage unit 1018 may include a floppy disk, a magnetic tape, an optical disk, a universal serial bus (USB) drive, or the like, which are read from and written to by the removable storage drive 1014. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the removable storage unit 1018 includes a computer usable storage medium having stored thereon computer software and / or data.

[0063] Computer system 1000 (optionally) includes a display interface 1002 (which may include input and output devices such as a keyboard, mouse, etc.) that transfers graphics, text, and other data from a communications infrastructure 1006 (or from a frame buffer, not shown) for display on a display unit 1030.

[0064] In alternative implementations, the secondary memory 1010 may include other similar means for allowing computer programs or other instructions to be loaded into the computer system 1000. Such means may include, for example, a removable storage unit 1022 and interface 1020. Examples of such means may include program cartridges and cartridge interfaces (such as those found in video game devices), removable memory chips (such as EPROMs or PROMs) and associated sockets, and other removable storage units 1022 and interfaces 1020 that may transfer software and data from the removable storage unit 1022 to the computer system 1000.

[0065] Computer system 1000 may also include a communications interface 1024. Communications interface 1024 allows software and data to be transferred between computer system 1000 and external devices. Communications interface 1024 may include a modem, a network interface (such as an Ethernet card), a communications port, a PCMCIA slot and card, or the like. The software and data transferred through communications interface 1024 may be in the form of signals, which may be electronic, electromagnetic, optical, or other signals capable of being received by communications interface 1024. These signals may be provided to communications interface 1024 via communications path 1026. Communications path 1026 carries signals and may be implemented using wire or cable, fiber optics, a phone line, a cellular phone link, an RF link, or other communications channel.

[0066] As used herein, the terms "computer program medium" or "computer usable medium" are used generally to refer to media such as removable storage unit 1018, removable storage unit 1022, and a hard disk installed in hard disk drive 1012. Computer program medium and computer usable medium may also refer to memory, such as main memory 1008 and secondary memory 1010, which may be memory semiconductors (e.g., DRAM, etc.).

[0067] Computer programs (also called computer control logic) are stored in the main memory 1008 and / or the secondary memory 1010. Computer programs may also be received via the communications interface 1024. Such computer programs, when executed, enable the computer system 1000 to perform the embodiments discussed herein. In particular, the computer programs, when executed, enable the processor device 1004 to perform the processes of the embodiments discussed herein. Such computer programs thus represent controllers of the computer system 1000. If the embodiments are implemented using software, the software may be stored in a computer program product and loaded into the computer system 1000 using the removable storage drive 1014, the interface 1020, and the hard disk drive 1012, or the communications interface 1024.

[0068] An embodiment of the present invention may also be directed to a computer program product including software stored on any computer usable medium. Such software, when executed on one or more data processing devices, causes the data processing devices to operate as described herein. An embodiment of the present invention may employ a computer usable or readable medium. Examples of computer usable media include, but are not limited to, primary storage devices (e.g., any type of random access memory), secondary storage devices (e.g., hard drives, floppy disks, CD ROMs, ZIP disks, tapes, magnetic and optical storage devices, MEMS, nanotechnology storage devices, etc.).

[0069] It is understood that the Detailed Description section, and not the Summary and Abstract sections, are intended to be used to interpret the claims. The Summary and Abstract sections may set forth one or more, but not all, exemplary embodiments of the invention as contemplated by the inventor(s), but are not intended to limit the scope of the invention and the appended claims in any way.

[0070] The present invention has been described above with the aid of functional building blocks illustrating the implementation of certain functions and their relationships. The boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined herein for the convenience of description. Alternative boundaries can be defined so long as the specified functions and their relationships are appropriately performed.

[0071] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments makes the general nature of the present invention fully apparent, and others may, by applying the knowledge of those skilled in the art, easily modify and / or adapt such specific embodiments to various applications without undue trial and error and without departing from the general concept of the present invention. Such adaptations and modifications are therefore intended to be within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments, based on the teaching and guidance presented herein. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology used herein is for the purpose of explanation and not of limitation, and therefore, the phraseology or terminology used herein should be interpreted by those skilled in the art in light of the teaching and guidance of the present specification.

[0072] The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. 1. A cooler for beverage containers, comprising: a housing defining an interior volume for storing a first beverage container at a first predetermined temperature; a compartment disposed within the interior volume of the housing for storing the second beverage container at a second predetermined temperature below the freezing point of the beverage in the second beverage container, the compartment being sealed; a user interface for receiving user input to dispense the second beverage container from the compartment; a delivery portal for providing a consumer with access to the second beverage container; a chute configured to deliver the second beverage container from the compartment to the delivery portal, the chute configured to subject the second beverage container to a mechanical impact to cause nucleation of the beverage within the second beverage container to form a slush beverage within the second beverage container; and a cooling unit configured to maintain the interior volume of the housing at the first predetermined temperature and the compartment at the second predetermined temperature; The first beverage container is not provided to the delivery portal.

2. The cooler of claim 1 , wherein the compartment comprises insulation.

3. The cooler of claim 1 , wherein the compartment further comprises an air inlet port and an adjustable damper configured to regulate the flow of air into the compartment through the air inlet port.

4. 4. The cooler of claim 3, wherein the compartment further comprises a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature within the compartment, the temperature sensor in communication with a control unit that controls an orientation of the adjustable damper to maintain the compartment at the second predetermined temperature.

5. The cooler of claim 3 , wherein the compartment further comprises an air outlet port for allowing air flow to exit the compartment.

6. The cooler of claim 1 , wherein the compartment includes an interior passage for directing the second beverage container toward the chute.

7. The cooler of claim 1 , wherein the second predetermined temperature is between −20° C. and 0° C.

8. The cooler of claim 7, wherein the second predetermined temperature is between -10°C and -7°C.

9. 2. The cooler of claim 1, wherein the chute comprises a first section disposed parallel to a longitudinal axis of the cooler and a second section disposed at an angle relative to the first section, such that the chute is configured to subject the second beverage container to gravity drop such that the beverage in the second beverage container undergoes nucleation.

10. 10. The cooler of claim 9, wherein the second section of the chute is disposed at a downward angle relative to a transverse plane, whereby the second section is configured to allow the second beverage container to move by gravity along the second section toward the delivery portal.

11. The cooler of claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit comprises an evaporator for distributing a flow of air to the compartment.

12. The cooler of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a door movable from a closed position to an open position providing access to the interior volume of the housing.

13. 1. A cooler for beverage containers, comprising: a housing defining an interior volume for storing a first beverage container at a first predetermined temperature; a compartment disposed within the interior volume of the housing for storing a second beverage container at a second predetermined temperature different from the first predetermined temperature, the compartment being sealed; a user interface for receiving user input to dispense the second beverage container from the compartment; a door movably connected to the housing, the door having a delivery portal, the door being movable between a closed position in which the interior volume of the housing is inaccessible to a consumer and an open position in which the interior volume of the housing is accessible by a consumer to provide access to the first beverage container; a chute connected to the compartment and configured to deliver the second beverage container to the delivery portal when the door is in the closed position, whereby the second beverage container is accessible from outside the housing through the delivery portal.

14. The cooler of claim 13 , wherein the door includes a transparent portion such that an interior volume of the housing is visible from outside the housing.

15. 14. The cooler of claim 13, wherein the compartment is configured to maintain the second beverage container at the second predetermined temperature that is below the freezing point of the beverage in the second beverage container.

16. 1. A cooler for beverage containers, comprising: a housing having a door and defining an interior volume for storing a first beverage container at a first predetermined temperature, the interior volume of the housing being accessible by opening the door of the housing; a compartment disposed within the interior volume of the housing for storing a second beverage container at a second predetermined temperature different from the first predetermined temperature, the compartment being sealed such that the second beverage container is inaccessible from the interior volume of the housing; a delivery portal disposed on the housing and communicating with the compartment such that when the second beverage container is dispensed, the second beverage container is accessible from outside the housing through the delivery portal; a chute configured to connect the second beverage container from the compartment to the delivery portal; The first beverage container is not delivered to the delivery portal.

17. 17. The cooler of claim 16, further comprising a user interface for receiving user input to dispense the second beverage container.

18. The cooler of claim 16 , wherein the delivery portal is disposed on the door of the housing.

19. 17. The cooler of claim 16, further comprising a cooling unit configured to maintain the interior volume of the housing at the first predetermined temperature and the compartment at the second predetermined temperature that is below the freezing point of the beverage in the second beverage container.

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