Cooler Beverage Insert With Flexible Receptacles for Stable Ice Spacing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Portable coolers lack effective means to organize and stabilize beverages, leading to inefficient use of space and difficulty in maintaining optimal temperature due to haphazard placement of drinks.

Innovation Solution

A beverage stabilizing insert comprising cylindrical receptacles with inwardly protruding protuberances and apertures, made from polymeric material, designed to fit into portable coolers, providing organized storage and securing drinks in an upright position.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If beverages are placed haphazardly in coolers, then ease of operation is improved (quick placement), but organization and space utilization deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of beverage placementVSAvoidspace utilization efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooler interior is segmented into multiple cylindrical receptacles, each designed to hold a single beverage container. This segmentation provides predefined placement zones that guide users during insertion while maintaining organized arrangement and optimal spacing throughout the cooler volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If beverages are placed without organization, then ease of operation is improved (simple insertion), but temperature maintenance deteriorates due to poor spacing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeverage insertion simplicityVSAvoidtemperature consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

Each cylindrical receptacle provides a localized optimized environment with specific dimensional characteristics and protuberance configurations tailored to accommodate different beverage container sizes. This local customization ensures proper spacing and thermal contact with ice while maintaining simple drop-in operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Stability of the object's composition

If protuberances are added to receptacle sidewalls, then beverage stability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeverage positioning stabilityVSAvoidreceptacle structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protuberances on the receptacle sidewalls automatically engage with corresponding features on the beverage container during insertion. This self-service mechanism provides stable positioning and upright orientation without requiring additional active components, complex mechanisms, or manual adjustment by the user.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Productivity

If multiple receptacles are joined together, then organization is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveorganizational functionalityVSAvoidmanufacturing simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple cylindrical receptacles are merged into a single integrated polymeric component through conventional molding processes. The receptacles share common sidewalls and are formed as one piece, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing and assembly operations while providing organized multi-container capacity within the cooler.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20250353653A1Drink stabilizing insert for portable cooler

Publication Date: 2025.11.20 SHUPE TIMINA

AI summary

A beverage stabilizing implement operable to insert into a portable cooler and adapted to secure a plurality of beverages within the cooler while allowing free disposition of ice around the beverages, the beverage stabilizing implement comprising a plurality of interconnected cylindrical receptacles having open top and bottom ends, In some embodiments, the stabilizing implement comprises a plurality of interiorly-jutting protuberances formed of a flexible polymeric materials for receiving beverage containers of varying diameters.