Container having coolant reservoir

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a container or cooler device for containing beverage or food, and more particularly to a portable cooler or container including a coolant reservoir or bottle for selectively releasing the coolant or cooling agent into the container and for preserving the beverage or food and for preventing the beverage or food from being spoiled.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical containers or cooler devices for such as picnic purposes are provided for containing beverage or food and comprise a cooler body having a chamber formed therein for receiving and preserving the beverage or food, and a peripheral wall having an inner peripheral compartment formed therein for receiving heat preserving or insulating materials, such as polyurethane foam, or the like.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,257 to Steffes discloses one of the typical coolers or containers comprising a cooler body having a chamber formed therein for receiving and preserving the beverage or food, and a lid for enclosing the chamber of the cooler body.

However, for suitably cooling and preserving the beverage or food received or contained within the cooler body, one or more pre-iced cubes or agents are required to be prepared and engaged into the chamber of the cooler body. It will be inconvenient to prepare the pre-iced cubes or agents.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional containers or coolers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a container including a coolant reservoir or bottle for selectively releasing the coolant or cooling agent into the container and for preserving the beverage or food and for preventing the beverage or food from being spoiled.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a container comprising a housing including a chamber formed by a peripheral wall for receiving a beverage or food therein, and a heat medium reservoir for receiving a heat medium therein, and including a control valve device for selectively releasing the heat medium from the heat medium reservoir into the chamber of the housing and for preserving the beverage or food contained within the housing and for preventing the beverage or food from being spoiled.

The control valve device includes a control valve for selectively controlling and releasing the heat medium from the heat medium reservoir into the chamber of the housing in order to preserve the beverage or food contained within the housing.

The heat medium reservoir includes a temperature gage. The heat medium may be selected from a liquid nitrogen, a gaseous nitrogen, a coolant, or a carbon dioxide.

The housing includes an orifice for coupling to a hose which is coupled to the heat medium reservoir for supplying the heat medium into the chamber of the housing. The housing includes a tubular member for forming the orifice of the housing.

The housing includes an inner peripheral compartment formed in the peripheral wall for receiving a heat insulating material and for maintaining the temperature of the housing.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container or cooler in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the container having the coolant reservoir or bottle received therein for selectively releasing the coolant or cooling agent into the container, and for illustrating the operation of the container;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the other arrangement or application of the container; and

FIG. 4 is a partial cross sectional view illustrating the arrangement or application of the container as shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a container or cooler 1 in accordance with the present invention comprises a cooler body or housing 10 including a chamber 11 formed therein and formed or defined by a peripheral wall 12 for receiving and preserving the beverage or food 80 therein (FIGS. 2, 4), and the housing 10 includes an inner peripheral compartment 13 formed therein for receiving heat preserving or insulating materials 14, such as polyurethane foam, or the like and for maintaining the chamber 11 of the housing 10 at a lower temperature and thus for preserving the beverage or food 80 that are received or contained within the housing 10 and thus for preventing the beverage or food 80 from being spoiled. The housing 10 further includes a lid 15 pivotally attached to the housing 10 for closing the chamber 11 of the housing 10 and thus for suitably retaining the beverage or food 80 within the chamber 11 of the housing 10.

The cooler 1 further includes a coolant or heat medium reservoir or bottle 20 for receiving a pressurized coolant or cooling agent or heat agent or medium 88 therein, such as the liquid nitrogen, gaseous nitrogen, coolant, carbon dioxide, etc., and includes a nozzle or mouth or control valve or means 21 for selectively controlling or releasing the coolant or cooling agent or heat medium 88 from the heat medium reservoir 20 into the chamber 11 of the housing 10 and for preserving the beverage or food 80 and for preventing the beverage or food 80 from being spoiled, and includes a temperature gage 22 for sensing or detecting the temperature in the chamber 11 of the housing 10 and/or in the heat medium reservoir 20. It is to be noted that the heat medium reservoir 20 is commercially available such that the users are not required to prepare and engage the pre-iced cubes or agents into the chamber 11 of the housing 10.

Selectively, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the housing 10 may further include an entrance or orifice 16 formed therein and formed or defined by a tubular member 17 for receiving or coupling to a hose 23 which is coupled to the control valve 21 or directly coupled to the heat medium reservoir 20 for selectively supplying the coolant or cooling agent or heat medium 88 from the heat medium reservoir 20 into the chamber 11 of the housing 10 and for preserving the beverage or food 80 and for preventing the beverage or food 80 from being spoiled. It is further to be noted that the heat medium 88 received or contained within the heat medium reservoir 20 may be last and released into the chamber 11 of the housing 10 for a longer time than that of the pre-iced cubes or agents prepared by the users. The typical containers or cooler devices failed to provide a heat medium reservoir 20 for selectively releasing the coolant or heat medium 88 into the chamber 11 of the housing 10 and for preserving the beverage or food 80.

Accordingly, the container in accordance with the present invention includes a coolant reservoir or bottle for selectively releasing the coolant or cooling agent into the container and for preserving the beverage or food and for preventing the beverage or food from being spoiled.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.