Multi-Silo Soft-Sided Beverage Cooler for Individual Container Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage container systems struggle to efficiently hold and maintain multiple containers at desired temperatures, especially in outdoor settings where refrigeration is not available, and often require cumbersome or heavy hard-sided coolers.
Innovation Solution
A soft-sided cooler system with a multi-layer design incorporating a flexible insulation layer and a convertible exterior, featuring beverage sleeves with built-in dispensing mechanisms that allow for easy access and temperature control, along with a base that facilitates drainage and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If hard-sided coolers are used to maintain beverage containers at desired temperatures, then temperature maintenance is improved, but weight and portability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible insulation layers and soft-sided construction materials that provide thermal insulation while significantly reducing the overall weight and rigidity of the cooler structure, enabling portable temperature maintenance without hard-sided bulk
2Quantity of substance
If multiple beverage containers are held in a single cooler, then beverage variety and quantity are improved, but access convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooler interior is divided into multiple discrete beverage sleeves, each capable of holding a separate container. This segmentation allows individual access to each beverage container without disturbing others, maintaining organization while enabling convenient selective retrieval
Solution Approach 2:
The beverage sleeves are designed with universal compatibility to accommodate various container types (cans, bottles, different sizes) while providing standardized access mechanisms, making the system versatile for multiple beverage storage needs
3Device complexity
If beverage containers are held without individual support, then device simplicity is improved, but container stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Each beverage sleeve incorporates localized structural features (such as contoured interiors, ridges, or gripping surfaces) that provide targeted support and stability for the specific container it holds, while the overall system remains relatively simple without requiring complex external support structures
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 maintains multiple beverage containers at desired temperatures, providing convenience and portability while preventing ice from shifting, allowing users to enjoy chilled or hot beverages without needing to reopen the cooler.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible insulation layer
Data Source
AI summary
A system for holding multiple beverage containers may include a cooler or carrier with toting handles, closing tabs, and base. The base may be formed from a molded plastic, rubber, nylon, or synthetic rubber material. The base may also include feet that hold the base a sufficient height from the ground. The base may have a drain hole located in the base. Extending up from the base may be a multi-layer soft-sided wall where different layers perform different desired functions. For example, an inside layer closest to the internal cavity may be a waterproof layer, a middle layer may be an insulating layer, and an external layer may be a decorative layer. Within the cooler or carrier may be one or more silos with a mating plug within the silo. The silo may be generally cylindrical in shape and configured to accept a beverage container in a manner that allow a beverage within the container to be accessed from outside the cooler.