Expandable Ice-Pod Sleeve for Long-Lasting Beverage Chilling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage chilling devices fail to maintain the chilled temperature of canned or bottled beverages for an extended period, especially in outdoor settings, due to inefficiencies in thermal energy transfer and insulation, and are not adaptable to various container sizes or shapes.
Innovation Solution
A portable, reusable chiller device comprising a variably expandable annular cylindrical sleeve with pods made of high thermal conductivity materials, joined by elastic bands, and a cap with a built-in seal, which fits snugly over the beverage container to maximize thermal contact and insulation, maintaining the chilled temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed diameter cylindrical sleeve is used for chilling beverages, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it cannot adapt to various container sizes and shapes, creating annular spaces that reduce thermal energy transfer efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The chiller sleeve is designed with elastic bands that allow it to dynamically expand and contract, adapting to different container diameters. The elastic bands provide the necessary flexibility while maintaining structural integrity, enabling the chiller to conform to various container sizes without requiring multiple fixed-size components.
Solution Approach 2:
The chiller employs a flexible sleeve structure composed of elastic bands rather than a rigid fixed-diameter cylinder. This flexible design allows the sleeve to expand or contract radially to match the diameter of different beverage containers, eliminating annular spaces and maximizing thermal contact surface area.
2Loss of energy
If non-freezing cooling liquid is used in the chiller, then the chiller can maintain flexibility and adaptability, but the thermal energy transfer efficiency is reduced compared to solid ice
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes the phase transition properties of water by employing frozen ice pods within the flexible sleeve. The ice pods maintain their solid frozen state for maximum thermal energy transfer while the flexible sleeve structure adapts to different container sizes. The elastic bands allow the rigid ice pods to be contained within a flexible configuration that conforms to various container diameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The chiller divides the cooling function into multiple discrete ice pods rather than using a single block of ice or liquid coolant. These segmented ice pods are contained within the flexible sleeve, allowing them to be distributed around the beverage container for optimal thermal contact while maintaining the flexibility needed to adapt to different container sizes.
3Reliability
If multiple compartments with sub-compartments are used in the chiller, then insulation can be provided, but the device complexity increases and economic factors are negatively affected
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines the insulation function with the structural framework by integrating insulating material into the sleeve walls themselves rather than creating separate inner and outer compartments. This merging of functions reduces the number of discrete components while maintaining effective thermal insulation between the ice pods and the external environment.
4Loss of energy
If the chiller sleeve is made rigid for structural stability, then manufacturing is easier, but it cannot fully contact containers of varying diameters, reducing thermal energy transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The chiller transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic flexible structure using elastic bands. This allows the sleeve to adapt its diameter to match different beverage containers while maintaining structural stability during use. The elastic bands provide the necessary flexibility without significantly complicating the manufacturing process.
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 device effectively keeps beverages chilled for an extended period by ensuring direct and full thermal contact with the container, regardless of size or shape, and is adaptable to different diameters through elastic expansion, providing superior thermal insulation.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of elastic bands for adjusting an inner diameter of the annular cylindrical sleeve
Implementation Method 2
pods made of high thermal conductivity materials
Implementation Method 3
it is to be frozen to become icy condition (charged thermal energy)
Implementation Method 4
A cap with built-in seal structure is installed to seal and insulate the ice cold condition inside
Data Source
AI summary
A mechanical apparatus comprised of a plurality of pods in the form of an annular cylindrical sleeve. All pods containing liquid are to be frozen for the purpose of dynamically transfer/impart its charged thermal energy to a directly contacted beverage object placed within. The pods are joined to each other by latitudinal elastic bands allowing it to expand readily and grip onto varying size beverage containers. Furthermore, the plurality of pods and a beverage container are disposed in an insulated holder; a sealable cap is then inserted to seal off and insulate the discharging of thermal energy therein from ambient conditions. A beverage in the form of can or bottle might be placed in the apparatus to achieve desired chill temperature for an extended length of time in high ambient temperature conditions.