Thermoelectric chiller/warmer of contained substance
In one form of the invention, a thermoelectric chiller and warmer is provided which can decrease or increase the temperature of a contained liquid or solid and liquid combination such as a bottled or canned liquid and/or solid. In one embodiment, the thermoelectric chiller/warmer is equipped with one or more cylinders into which containers, such as for example, bottles can be inserted. The liquid or solid is efficiently and evenly chilled or warmed and a specific temperature once obtained may be maintained. Also, a cover may be supplied to enclose the air space around the container located in a cylinder so that moisture is prevented from entering the air space. In one embodiment, one or more containers may be simultaneously chilled or warmed.
The present invention relates to thermoelectric chillers and warmers, and more particularly to devices which can increase or decrease the temperature of any contained liquid such as a bottled or canned liquid or any solid and liquid in combination, and/or can maintain the temperature of the liquid or solid.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThermoelectric chillers and warmers of various types are known in the art. Such devices are typically used in restaurants or homes to quickly chill or warm a drink or food substance, such as for example, a bottle of wine.
However, previous chilling/warming devices have some inherent disadvantages. One of the disadvantages with existing devices is that they do not evenly regulate the temperature of the bottled or canned beverage that is placed inside of them. Another disadvantage is that they cannot adequately regulate the chilling or warming process to a desired selected temperature and maintain that consistent temperature for extended periods of time.
The present invention overcomes these and other problems inherent in existing chilling/warming devices. The present invention provides a warming/chilling device that is, in one form of the invention, a thermoelectric chiller and warmer which can decrease or increase the temperature of a contained liquid or solid such as a bottled or canned liquid and/or solid. In one embodiment, the thermoelectric chiller/warmer is equipped with one or more cylinders into which containers, such as for example, bottles can be inserted. Also, a cover may be supplied to enclose the air space around the container located in a cylinder so that moisture is prevented from entering the air space. In one form of the invention, means for providing uniform cooling/warming of the liquid/solid is further provided.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide a thermoelectric wine chiller equipped with one or multiple cooling cylinders into which wine bottles can be inserted.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a thermoelectric wine chiller having a means of facilitating cooling or warming of a substance.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a thermoelectric chiller/warmer with a means of controlling the desired temperature of a substance.
It is a further object of the present invention to be able to chill/or warm two bottles simultaneously at an equal cooling rate.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a thermoelectric chiller with a means of enclosing the air space around a bottle so that moisture is prevented from entering the air space and preventing moisture condensation inside the cooling zone.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide the means of making the chilled/warmed substance temperature uniform.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a thermoelectric chiller/warmer capable of drawing heat from the second cooling/warming cylinder into the main cooling/warming cylinder so that the second cooling cylinder also chills/warms the second substance at a different temperature than the main cylinder.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a cooling cylinder, the cross-section of which is round, square or any other configuration made of thermally conductive material such as aluminum or copper, and the end of the cylinder is closed with the similar thermally conducting material.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a cooling cylinder thermally insulated around its external walls and the external bottom wall.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a cooling cylinder capped with a thermally insulated cover with which the enclosure of the wine bottle becomes sealed.
SUMMARY OF INVENTIONAt times it is desired to chill or warm liquid or liquid and solids which are either sealed in a container or stored in an open container. In one form of the invention, a thermoelectric chiller and warmer which can decrease or increase the temperature of a contained liquid or solid such as a bottled or canned liquid and/or solid. In one embodiment, the thermoelectric chiller/warmer is equipped with one or more cylinders into which containers, such as for example, bottles can be inserted. Also, a cover may be supplied to enclose the air space around the container located in a cylinder so that moisture is prevented from entering the air space. A means for providing uniform cooling/warming of the liquid/solid is also provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The following terms and definitions will be used through this written description. Bottles, cans and containers of all kinds containing wine or other liquids or solids may be referred to as “bottles”. Although the present invention applies to both a chiller and warmer device, it may be collectively be called a “chiller”, since the chiller becomes the warmer by simply switching the polarity of the DC electrical power or vice versa. Cooling/warming may be collectively called “cooling” or “warming”. Although the present invention applies to any liquid, the liquids are collectively called “wine”. The device that holds the liquid or solid may be called bottle or container or other device. In all embodiments herein described, any singular item is construed also as multiple items without any specific qualifications. For example, any “cooling cylinder” may also be defined as “cooling cylinders”. Also, a “thermoelectric module” may also be defined as “thermoelectric modules”. Further, components shown in the various drawings and/or described herein may be interchangeable with the various embodiments of the present invention even though a particular component(s) may not be described in relation to a specific embodiment.
One embodiment of the 2-cylinder type thermoelectric wine chiller 5 is shown in
The cross-section of the embodiment of
The natural convection heat transfer and its effect on the movement of the wine inside bottle 3 is realized. Under a situation where the wine bottle 3 shown, for example, in
In one embodiment, the main cooling cylinder 34 has an elongated protrusion 45, which may be an integral part of the main cooling cylinder 34 or a separate part to be joined mechanically with cylinder 34. At one end of protrusion 45, a second cooling cylinder 46 is either in contact with protrusion 45 or the two may be mechanically joined. The second cooling cylinder 46 is used for cooling bottled wine that requires less cooling, for instance, a red wine needs to be maintained only at near 20 C whereas a white wine may require cooling to a lower temperature. By making the width and length of protrusion 45 vary, the differential of temperature or coldness of the second cylinder can be adjusted. The width of protrusion 45 ranges from 10 mm to 20 mm or more. In some applications, the protrusion 45 width may be less than 10 mm. Pad 47 functions as a pusher or positioner of the bottle 3 similarly to pad 44. An AC/DC converter 48 may be provided when an AC power source is used. The AC/DC converter 48 can be removed from the main body 31 as a separate component.
The embodiment shown in
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The embodiment shown in
In one embodiment of the present invention, the cooling cylinder, the cross-section of which is round, square or any other configuration, is made of thermally conductive material such as aluminum or copper, and the end of the cylinder where a bottle may rest is formed with a similar thermally conducting material. In another embodiment of the present invention, the cooling cylinder is thermally insulated around its external walls and the external bottom wall. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the cooling cylinder has a step-up land area. A spacer of thermally conductive material and the thermoelectric module are located between the land area and the heat sink to join the three components mechanically.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, there are more than one cooling cylinders, the main cooling cylinder of which has arms extended outwardly, either integral with the cylinder or thermally conductive pieces mechanically joined with the cylinders, the ends of which are joined with the second and third cylinders. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the second and third cooling cylinder are made of material that exhibits less conducting characteristics than the main cooling cylinder material. In another embodiment of the present invention, two or more cooling cylinders are cooled via a common thermoelectric module. In an alternate embodiment, the external appearance of the entire system is in the shape of a large wine bottle.
Specific embodiments of novel methods and apparatus for construction of novel Thermoelectric Chiller/Warmer of Contained Substance according to the present invention have been described for the purpose of illustrating the matter in which the invention is made and used. It should be understood that the implementation of other variations and modifications of the invention and its various aspects will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and that the invention is not limited by the specific embodiments described. Therefore, it is contemplated to cover the present invention any and all modifications, variations, or equivalents that fall within the true spirit and scope of the basic underlying principles disclosed and claimed herein.
Claims
1. A thermoelectric temperature controlling device that is capable of holding one or more containers storing a substance, comprising;
- a main body having at least one cylinder with a closed bottom and an open top that can accept at least one container;
- one or more covers that connect to the at least one cylinder top; and
- a temperature controlling means for regulating the temperature of the at least one cylinder, said controlling means operably attached to the at least one cylinder.
2. The thermoelectric temperature controlling device of claim 1 wherein the cover connects to the cylinder top and encloses the air space within the cylinder so that moisture is prevented from entering the cylinder.
3. The thermoelectric temperature controlling device of claim 1 wherein the at least one cylinder is constructed of thermally conductive material.
4. The thermoelectric temperature controlling device of claim 1 wherein the at least one cylinder is thermally insulated.
5. The thermoelectric temperature controlling device of claim 1 further including a container positioning means disposed on at least one wall of the at least one cylinder.
6. The thermoelectric temperature controlling device of claim 1 further including a means for rotating a container within the at least one cylinder.
7. The thermoelectric temperature controlling device of claim 1 further including at least one heat sink operably joined to at least one cylinder.
8. The thermoelectric temperature controlling device of claim 7 further including at least one fan positioned to direct air flow toward the at least one heat sink.
9. The thermoelectric temperature controlling device of claim 1 further including a slanted base positioned under the main body so that the at least one cylinder is situated in a tilted position with respect to the surface that the main body and base rest upon.
10. A thermoelectric temperature controlling device that is capable of holding one or more containers storing a substance, comprising:
- a main body having one or more cylinders with a closed bottom portion and an open top portion, said top portion sized to allow a container to pass through and fit inside of the cylinder; and
- a means for regulating the temperature of the one or more cylinders, said regulating means operably connected to the one or more cylinders.
11. The thermoelectric temperature controlling device of claim 10 wherein the means for regulating comprises a thermoelectric module, a heat sink, a spacer, a land area, and a fan.
12. The thermoelectric temperature controlling device of claim 10 wherein the cover connects to the cylinder top and encloses the air space within the cylinder so that moisture is prevented from entering the cylinder.
13. The thermoelectric temperature controlling device of claim 10 wherein the at least one cylinder is constructed of thermally conductive material.
14. The thermoelectric temperature controlling device of claim 10 wherein the at least one cylinder is thermally insulated.
15. The thermoelectric temperature controlling device of claim 10 further including a container positioning means disposed on at least one wall of the at least one cylinder.
16. The thermoelectric temperature controlling device of claim 10 further including a means for rotating a container within the at least one cylinder.
17. The thermoelectric temperature controlling device of claim 10 further including at least one heat sink operably joined to at least one cylinder.
18. The thermoelectric temperature controlling device of claim 17 further including at least one fan positioned to direct air flow toward the at least one heat sink.
19. A thermoelectric temperature controlling device that is capable of holding one or more containers storing a substance, comprising;
- a main body having at least two cylinders, said cylinders having a closed bottom portion and an open top portion wherein said cylinders can accept a container, said cylinders positioned within the main body so that the cylinders thermally communicate;
- a means for adjusting the temperature of the at least two cylinders; and
- a container positioning means located within the at least two cylinders to direct the position of the container when it is positioned in the at least two cylinders.
20. The thermoelectric temperature controlling device of claim 19 further including at least one cover means that operably connects to the at least two cylinder open top portions.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 25, 2003
Publication Date: Dec 15, 2005
Inventor: Yong Lee (Mt. Prospect, IL)
Application Number: 10/627,360