Beverage Cooling Display with Rotating Rollers and Cold Plates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for cooling beverages at point-of-purchase locations are either bulky, inefficient, or obstructive, and fail to provide an attractive display of chilled products, as refrigerators take up space and coolers rely on melting ice that requires frequent replacement.
Innovation Solution
A beverage cooling display system that combines a roller assembly for rotating beverage containers with a cooling assembly using cold plates and a control unit to maintain optimal temperature, allowing for concurrent cooling and display in a compact, eye-catching manner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a refrigerator is used to cool beverages at point of purchase location, then beverages are kept cold, but the refrigerator is large and obtrusive, taking up valuable retail space
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the cooling function into modular cold plates that can be distributed throughout the display structure, eliminating the need for a single large refrigerator unit. Each cold plate independently cools specific beverage containers, allowing the cooling system to be segmented and integrated into the display architecture itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the cooling function with the display structure by integrating cold plates directly into the beverage display rack. The display structure and cooling system become a unified entity, where the same structure that holds and displays beverages also provides the cooling function, eliminating the need for separate refrigerator units.
2Temperature
If a cooler using ice is used to cool beverages, then beverages are chilled, but melting ice needs to be continually changed
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs temperature sensors that automatically monitor cold plate temperature and trigger the cooling assembly when cooling is needed. This self-monitoring and self-activating mechanism eliminates the need for manual intervention to check ice levels or replace melting ice, making the system maintain itself automatically.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses temperature sensors to continuously monitor the temperature of cold plates and provides feedback to the control unit. Based on this feedback, the control unit automatically activates or deactivates the cooling assembly, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains optimal temperature without manual intervention.
3Temperature
If a cooler is used to display beverages, then beverages are kept cold, but the customer cannot get a full view of the products therein
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the cooling function with the display structure by integrating cold plates directly into the beverage display rack. The display structure and cooling system become a unified entity, where the same structure that holds and displays beverages also provides the cooling function, eliminating the need for separate refrigerator units.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies cooling locally at each beverage container position using individual cold plates, rather than enclosing all beverages in a large insulated cooler. This localized cooling approach allows each beverage to be cooled independently while maintaining full visibility of all products from the outside.
4Productivity
If beverages are rotated at high speed, then chilling efficiency is improved, but liquid beverage is substantially agitated
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses variable speed rollers that can dynamically adjust rotation speed based on beverage type and desired cooling rate. The rollers provide controlled, adaptable motion that optimizes heat transfer while preventing excessive agitation, allowing the system to respond to different cooling requirements in real-time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively chills beverages while rotating them to enhance chilling efficiency and presentation, using condensation for temperature regulation and minimizing space usage, making it suitable for retail environments.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling assembly that is configured to cool the beverage container(s)
Implementation Method 2
As the temperature of the cold plate(s) drop below a dew point, condensation collects in the upper cradling surface. The liquid condensate fills the gap between the beverage can and the upper cradling surface, which increases the chilling efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage cooling display system includes a roller assembly that is configured to rotate one or more beverage containers, and a cooling assembly that is configured to cool the one or more beverage containers. A method of cooling and displaying beverages includes rotating one or more beverage containers with a roller assembly, and cooling the one or more beverage containers with a cooling assembly.