Abstract: A cooler chest and can dispensing structure is described for individually dispensing cans therefrom. The structure comprises a cooler chest having a can dispensing structure positioned in the cooler compartment which extends between the opposite ends of the cooler chest. The can dispensing structure is sealed from the interior of the cooler chest to prevent ice and water therein from coming into contact with the cans.

Abstract: An insulating beverage or food container or sleeve is produced with a foam layer disposed on an inner surface of a paper stock. A polymer shrink film layer is arranged in a position along an inside surface of the beverage container. The foam layer is sandwiched between the polymer shrink film layer and the paper stock and decreases the energy transfer between the beverage and the user's hands allowing the user to hold onto the container for an extended period of time without causing user discomfort or pain. The polymer shrink film layer is produced from a shrink film polymer having a percent shrink in the range of 30% or less, and more particularly a percent shrink range of 5 to 10%.

Abstract: The invention provides a low density paperboard material for use in producing an insulated container, and is especially well-suited for making cups. The paperboard material comprises a paperboard web including wood fibers and expanded microspheres, and has a relatively low density ranging from about 6 to about 10 lb/3MSF/mil, a relatively high caliper ranging from about 24 to about 35 mil, and an internal bond strength of at least about 80×10?3 ft-lbf preferably at least 100×10?3 ft-lbf. For applications such as cups the material is also coated on one or both sides with a barrier coating, preferably low density polyethylene, to limit liquid penetration into the web. The low density paperboard material of the invention is convertible for manufacture of containers, particularly cups, and the surface of the low density board may have a Sheffield smoothness of 300 SU or greater.

Abstract: An improved liquid dispenser that is adapted to fit into a refrigerator and that is more user friendly is disclosed. The liquid dispenser includes a hollow body, a top, a bottom, and at least one wall therebetween. The body creates a receptacle for a liquid. The top includes an inlet for the receptacle and the at least one wall includes an outlet for the receptacle. A handle located near a central axis of the body is adapted to carry the liquid dispenser. The liquid dispenser may be stacked vertically with similar configured dispensers.

Abstract: Various aspects of the invention provide user-customizable labels on containers. In one particular example, a label is affixed to an exterior surface of a beverage container. The label comprises a base and a customizable field, with a removable opaque layer of material on the customizable field covering at least a portion of the underlying base. In another example, a user may uniquely identify a container by selectively removing portions of such a removable opaque layer to reveal an underlying second layer of material. The selectively removed portions can thus define a user-created indicium that uniquely identifies the container as the user's own.

Abstract: Methods are provided for decreasing aldehyde content in polyolefin materials comprising combining with the polyolefin material an organic additive compound which reacts with aldehydes to form water and a resulting organic compound. The organic additive compound comprises at least two hydrogen-substituted heteroatoms bonded to carbons of the organic additive compound such that the organic additive compound is reactive with aldehydes present in the polyolefin to form water and the resulting organic compound, which comprises an unbridged five- or six-member ring including the at least two heteroatoms. The resulting organic compound advantageously neither imparts an off-taste to food and beverage products in contact with the polyolefin nor discolors the polyolefin. Preferred polyolefins include polypropylene and polyethylene.

Abstract: Difficulties in retaining can holders in conventional vehicular drink holders are eliminated in a vacuum insulated can holder that includes a cup-shaped metallic outer liner having an upper opening, an opposite bottom and a generally cylindrical side wall extending upwardly from the bottom to the opening. A similarly configured cup-shaped metallic inner liner is nested within the outer liner and spaced therefrom to define vacuum space between the two. The outer liner has an outer diameter just less than the inner diameter of a conventional vehicular beverage holder while the inner diameter of the inner liner is just greater than the outer diameter of a conventional metal beverage can.

Abstract: A champagne glass set in the present invention has a container, a positioning plate and a plurality of glass pieces as main components. The positioning plate has a ring groove disposed at its bottom and a pan-like supporting surface provided with a plurality of holes and inserting recesses disposed therein. The glass pieces can be inserted in centralization into the holes of the supporting surface and placed on the container after being poured with champagne. Moreover, if the positioning plate is taken out of the container and directly placed on a top surface of a table, bottoms of holding stems of the glass pieces can be inserted into the inserting recesses of the supporting surface of the positioning plate and stood erect in the positioning plate with steadiness. Therefore, the champagne glass set is convenient in use, steady in placement without falling, occupied little space, and easy to be stored.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a beverage can that is provided at a top surface of a body thereof with an opening portion. This beverage can includes a bracket and a straw. The bracket is positioned under the top surface of the body, and has a bottom wall of a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the body. In this case, a port is formed on the bottom wall of the bracket. Meanwhile, the straw is interposed between the top surface of the body and the bottom wall of the bracket in such a way as to be elastically projected from the inside to the outside of the can by itself when the opening portion is opened. The straw comprises a cover and a holding part. In this case, the cover is seated on the top of the straw to be selectively opened. The holding part is provided on the lower portion of the straw. A circular groove is formed around the external surface of the side wall of the holding part to elastically engage with the edge of the port of the bracket.

Abstract: An insulating device for bottles having a lower cylindrical enclosure which telescopically receives an upper enclosure having a dome-shaped upper end, the upper and lower enclosures being provided with mating threads adapted to achieve a quick plunge insertion and sealing feature.

Abstract: A holder for a beverage container, typically a beverage can or a beverage bottle, to provide supplemental cooling to the beverage. The holder includes one or more support ridges, a pedestal, or other beverage container support means to support the bottom of the can or bottle above the holder bottom to create a space for an ice or an ice and water cooling medium. A sealing means between the holder and the beverage container permits the beverage container and the holder to be tipped for drinking without spilling the ice or ice and water used to provide the cooling. Various sealing means include a removable seal subassembly, a single piece gasket that fits on the holder, a seal ring, and a stretch membrane.

Abstract: A coffee server for serving brewed coffee is insulated with a partial vacuum pulled in a void (36) between the walls of an outer vessel (20) and an inner vessel (32). The outer and inner vessels are fabricated of metal and have a top narrow neck opening (22) and (34) that are attached together with a hermetic seal (42). The partial vacuum is for minimizing heat loss conducted through the combined vessels permitting coffee placed inside to retain its useable heat content for at least six hours without additional heat being added. A pour spout neck (44) is fitted to the vessel necks and provides a liquid flow path when the server is tilted to pour coffee that is stored inside. An offset brew though stopper (52) including a hinged cover (58), is removably attached to the pour spout neck with the cover pivoted to permit coffee from a brewer to enter the server through an offset portion of the stopper during the filling process.

Abstract: Sheet material especially for beverage and food containers, and methods of making. The sheet material comprises a layer of paperboard and expanded, preferably non-syntactic, foam layer applied as an unexpanded coating, preferably about 1-76 microns thick, in a liquid carrier, to the paperboard layer. The expanded foam has a remote surface preferably defined by intermingled randomly-spaced peaks and valleys. The coating is preferably sufficiently continuous to prevent a user's finger from touching the substrate, and sufficiently insulating that a person can hold a container of 100 degree C. liquid, having sidewalls made from the sheet material, without discomfort. A cover layer can overlie the foam. The substrate can include a heat seal layer, with the paperboard between the heat seal layer and the expanded foam layer; or with the foam layer between the heat seal layer and the paperboard. Preferred composition for the foam layer is PVDC or AMM.

Abstract: Containers for liquids, commonly dispensed for consumption at a temperature below ambient (such as chilled soft drinks cans) can be maintained for extended periods below ambient, after they have been dispensed from a refrigerated container, by providing a lining member formed from a plastics material having closed cells and providing insulating properties. The lining member may, for instance, have large cells and be dimensioned to fit within the shell of the container, or can be formed as a layer on the internal surface of the shell of the container.

Abstract: A liquor-icing vessel includes an outer vessel and an inner vessel combined together. The outer vessel has a hollow interior and a narrow opening formed in an upper end, and the inner vessel has a flange around the opening and an annular groove formed between the flange and the wall of the opening for the wall of the opening of the outer vessel to fit therein from under when the inner vessel is deposited in the hollow interior of the outer vessel half filled with ice cubes. Then the liquor bottle with liquor stored inside may be cooled by the inner vessel, which is then cooled by the ice cubes or water molten in the outer vessel. Thus the ice cubes or water does not wet the liquor bottle.

Abstract: A container includes a container body with an accommodating space including central and surrounding regions. A plurality of coolant vessels are retained detachably in the surrounding region by a plurality of retaining members against falling towards the central region. The vessels can be filled with coolant so as to keep the accommodating space, in which wine bottles are received, in a cool condition. A bottom wall of the container body is provided with a plurality of spacers so as to space the wine bottles from the bottom wall.

Abstract: A cooler is disclosed that utilizes beverage compartments that are integral to the container holding the refrigerant. The beverage compartments are such that they are completely encircled by yet physically separated from the refrigerant. The design provides easy access to the beverage, close contact between the beverage and refrigerant, and the elimination beverages buried in melting ice.

Abstract: A holder for a beverage container, typically a can or a bottle, to provide supplemental cooling to the beverage. The holder includes support ridges, pedestal, or other support means to support the bottom of the can or bottle above the holder bottom to create a space for an ice or an ice and water cooling medium. A sealing means between the holder and the beverage container permits the container and the holder to be tipped for drinking without spilling the ice or ice and water used to provide the cooling.

Abstract: A cup holder for a conventional beverage cup that has a generally inverted frusto-conical side wall and an upper access opening surrounded by a radially outwardly extending peripheral bead adapted to be connected to a disposable lid by a snap fit within a downwardly and radially outwardly depending peripheral skirt on the lid. The insulated cup holder includes a double walled insulating vessel including an inner liner and an outer liner spaced therefrom to define an insulating space and snugly receives a conventional cup so as to insulate the contents of the cup to assist in maintaining its temperature at a desired level.

Abstract: A holder for a beverage container, typically a beverage can or a beverage bottle, to provide supplemental cooling to the beverage. The holder includes one or more support ridges, a pedestal, or other beverage container support means to support the bottom of the can or bottle above the holder bottom to create a space for an ice or an ice and water cooling medium. A sealing means between the holder and the beverage container permits the beverage container and the holder to be tipped for drinking without spilling the ice or ice and water used to provide the cooling. Various sealing means include a removable seal subassembly, a single piece gasket that fits on the holder, a seal ring, and a stretch membrane.

Abstract: A vacuum-insulated beverage container has a body and a vacuum-insulated liner enclosed by the body. Seals between the body and the liner prevent all types of leaks of the beverage held in the liner. A handle is attached to the container in a manner that the handle is removable and is only attached with one removable fastener. Nesting drinking cups are provided that removably attach to the container and to one another. The drinking cups can be separated from one another by directly pulling the cups apart or by rotating one cup relative to another.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a molded, one-piece, chilling pitcher with a compartment for holding a beverage, and an integral dividing wall that forms a wedge-shaped cooling chamber for holding a cooling medium such as ice. The main body of the pitcher is formed by a conical exterior wall and an integral base. The cooling chamber is formed between the arcuate shaped exterior wall and the dividing wall to produce a wedged-shaped configuration that facilitates the filling and emptying of ice into and from the chamber. This wedge-shape and the relatively wide radius of the dividing wall allow ice cubes or chips to be poured into the cooling chamber in a relatively compact manner, and allow the surface of the ice to flushly engage the surface of the dividing wall to improve the cooling rate of the pitcher.

Abstract: An insulating paperboard container is disclosed including a container body having a side wall and a bottom wall with the one side wall including a base layer and an insulating layer on at least a portion of the base layer, preferably on an inside surface of the side wall. The insulating layer being selectively adhered to at least a portion of the base layer such that the selective adhering of the insulating layer to the base layer creates air pockets between the insulating layer and the base layer with the air pockets being expandable in response to contact with a heated liquid. Such a container is formed from an insulating stock material comprising a paperboard base layer and an insulating layer overlying at least a portion of at least of one surface of the base layer with the insulating layer being selectively adhered to the surface of the base layer forming enclosed regions between the base layer and the insulating layer.

Abstract: The temperature-storing cup/pot structure mainly comprises a cup/pot and a seat. The bottom face of the cup/pot is disposed with a temperature-storing conducting element. A temperature-storing acting body of the seat is fixed by an insulating member and is pushed by a resilient member. The temperature-storing acting body should be preheated to a desired temperature and then is moved on the seat. The resilient member will make the temperature-storing acting body close contact with the temperature-storing conducting element of the cup/pot to keep the cup/pot hot or cold for a period of time. It does not need the plug. It has no electrical wire connection problem. And, it can be used for a hot or cold drink.

Abstract: A beverage cooler for holding beverage containers and fluid therein. The beverage cooler includes a container with a base and a perimeter side wall upwardly extending around the base of the container. The perimeter side wall terminates at an upper edge defining an upper opening into the container. The container has a dividing wall therein which has an interior face. The perimeter side wall and the interior face of the dividing wall define a reservoir with a open top which is designed for holding a fluid therein. The container has a spigot in fluid communication with the reservoir and outwardly extending from the perimeter side wall of the container. The dividing wall has a top face having a pair of bores therein. Each of the bores of the dividing wall has a holding sleeve inserted therein adapted for holding a stack of beverage containers therein.