TURBO-CHILL CHAMBER WITH AIR-FLOW BOOSTER
An appliance system including an appliance and a turbo-chilling chamber is provided. The turbo-chilling chamber has a main body portion that typically includes: a rigid distal wall surrounding a foodstuff receiving space that accommodates variously sized foodstuffs (beverage containers); a rigid inner wall having at least one aperture along the length thereof and surrounding the foodstuff when the foodstuff is within the foodstuff receiving space; and a rigid intermediate wall between the rigid inner wall and the rigid distal wall that defines a coolant chamber between the rigid distal wall and the rigid intermediate wall and also defines an air cooling channel between the rigid intermediate wall and the rigid inner wall. A fan moves air through the air cooling channel and the at least one aperture and past the foodstuff. A method of turbo-chilling a foodstuff/beverage container/beverage within the turbo-chilling chamber is also provided.
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This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/849,232, entitled “DIRECT CONTACT TURBO-CHILL CHAMBER USING SECONDARY COOLANT,” filed on Aug. 3, 2010, the same day as the present application, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIndividuals who want to quickly chill a beverage in a beverage container are known to place the beverage container directly and loosely within the freezer compartment of an appliance. However, people frequently forget to remove the beverage container from the freezer compartment, which can result in the beverage within the container freezing solid and/or rupture of the beverage container resulting in a significant mess in the interior of the freezer compartment. The discharged liquid then freezes on the material within the freezer and/or on the wall(s) of the freezer and needs to be cleaned, which is often very time consuming and frustrating for a user.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTIONAn embodiment of the present invention is generally directed toward an appliance system that includes an appliance and a turbo-chilling chamber for chilling a beverage in a beverage container or other foodstuff. The appliance typically has a rear wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, a top, a bottom and at least one door that, when the door is closed, either partially or completely encloses the interior of the appliance. When all doors of the appliance are closed the appliance contains at least one insulated section that is the same size or smaller than the interior volume of the appliance and is suitable for the refrigeration of fresh foods. The rear wall, first side wall, second side wall, top, bottom, and the door each have an interior surface and the turbo-chilling chamber for chilling a beverage within a beverage container (or other foodstuff) is operably engaged to an interior surface of the appliance. The turbo-chilling chamber has a user interfacing (typically user-facing) end that allows a user to insert the beverage container or other foodstuff, an opposite end, and a main body portion. The main body portion typically includes: a rigid distal wall that surrounds a beverage container or other (foodstuff) receiving space that accommodates variously sized beverage containers or foodstuffs and has a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet; a rigid inner wall having a length and at least one aperture along the length of the rigid inner wall where the rigid inner wall surrounds the beverage container (foodstuff) when the beverage container (foodstuff) is positioned within the beverage container (foodstuff) receiving space and defines the beverage container receiving space (foodstuff receiving space); a rigid intermediate wall spaced between the rigid inner wall and the rigid distal wall that defines a coolant chamber between the rigid distal wall and the rigid intermediate wall and also defines an air cooling channel between the rigid intermediate wall and the rigid inner wall; at least one coolant solution that typically includes a solvent and a solute spaced within the coolant chamber; and a fan operably engaged to the opposite end of the turbo-chilling chamber. The fan moves air through the air cooling channel, through the at least one aperture and past the beverage container or other foodstuff spaced within the turbo-chilling chamber when the turbo-chilling chamber is activated.
Another embodiment of the present invention includes a turbo-chilling chamber for chilling a beverage within a beverage container or other foodstuff. The turbo-chilling chamber has a user facing end and an opposite end. The turbo-chilling chamber is capable of being operably engaged to an interior surface of an appliance. The turbo-chilling chamber typically includes a rigid distal boundary perimeter having a rear wall and side walls that is larger than a beverage container (or the largest foodstuff envisioned to be chilled within it) and typically surrounds all or a portion of the side and the bottom of a beverage container (foodstuff) when the beverage container (foodstuff) is spaced within the turbo-chilling chamber; a rigid inner wall that is typically either cuboid-shaped or cylindrical-shaped; is spaced within the rigid distal boundary perimeter; defines a beverage (foodstuff) receiving space that surrounds the side and bottom of a beverage container (foodstuff) when the beverage container (foodstuff) is spaced within the turbo-chilling chamber; and contains a plurality of apertures that allow airflow therethrough; an at least substantially rigid intermediate wall engaged with the rigid outer wall to form a coolant chamber between the rigid outer wall and the at least substantially rigid or rigid intermediate wall and wherein the at least substantially rigid intermediate wall also forms an airflow channel between the at least substantially rigid intermediate wall and the rigid inner wall; and a fan. The at least substantially rigid inner wall defines a beverage container (foodstuff) receiving space that is sized to receive and capable of receiving various sized beverage containers or other foodstuffs at different times.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention includes a method of turbo-chilling a beverage in a beverage container without the beverage within the beverage container freezing. This method may also be employed to chill foodstuffs generally, including freezing a foodstuff if desired. The method typically contains step of providing an appliance having a rear wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, a top, a bottom and at least one door that, when the door is closed, either partially or completely encloses the interior of the appliance. When all doors of the appliance are closed the appliance contains at least one insulated section that is the same size or smaller than the interior volume of the appliance and suitable for the refrigeration of fresh foods. The rear wall, first side wall, second side wall, top, bottom, and the door each have an interior surface. The method also typically includes providing a turbo-chilling chamber for chilling a beverage within a beverage container (or other foodstuff) having a user interfacing end that allows a user to insert the beverage container (or other foodstuff), an opposite end, and a main body portion. The main body portion typically includes: a rigid distal wall that surrounds a beverage container (foodstuff) receiving space that accommodates variously sized beverage containers and has a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet; a rigid inner wall that has at least one aperture and typically surrounds all or a portion of the beverage container (foodstuff) when the beverage container (foodstuff) is within the beverage container (foodstuff) receiving space and defines the beverage container (foodstuff) receiving space; a rigid intermediate wall spaced between the rigid inner wall and the rigid distal wall that defines a coolant chamber between the rigid distal wall and the rigid intermediate wall and also defines an air cooling channel between the rigid intermediate wall and the rigid inner wall. The method also typically includes the steps of providing at least one coolant spaced within the coolant chamber, providing a fan operably engaged to the opposite end of the turbo-chilling chamber, and providing a coolant system positioned within the appliance where the coolant system includes: a coolant tank; a coolant pump; at least two coolant utility conveying lines that operably connect the coolant tank with the coolant outlet and the coolant inlet of the turbo-chilling chamber; and an evaporator. The method further typically includes the steps of engaging the turbo-chilling chamber with an interior surface of the appliance, operably connecting a first coolant utility conveying line to the coolant inlet of the turbo-chilling chamber, and operably connecting a second coolant utility conveying line to the coolant outlet of the turbo-chilling chamber. The method also typically includes the steps of placing a beverage container (or other foodstuff) within the beverage container (foodstuff) receiving space, activating the coolant pump to move coolant through the coolant system and the coolant chamber of the turbo-chilling chamber the coolant chamber, and activating the fan to move air through the air-flow channel and past the intermediate wall to cool the air and further move the air through the at least one aperture and past the beverage container (foodstuff) to thereby chill the beverage container (foodstuff).
For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the appliance as orientated in
The reference number 10 (
As shown generally in
When the turbo-chilling chamber(s) are removable, they are typically structurally held in place by a mounting bracket that helps support the turbo-chilling chamber and ensures proper engagement of the turbo-chilling chamber with the appliance to allow the turbo-chilling chamber to receive coolant, mechanical power, and/or electrical power as needed. The turbo-chilling chamber(s) optionally can engage a top or side of the appliance mounted bracket and slide into engagement with both the bracket and the appliance. Alternatively, grooves can be constructed in the liner (interior surface) of the appliance that receive, engage, and support the turbo-chilling chamber(s). These too can be positioned on the various surfaces of the interior of the appliance including the top, bottom, and/or sides, but most typically on the top and/or one or more sides of the appliance.
As shown in
According to one embodiment of the present invention shown in
The coolant system 69 (
In operation the turbo-chilling system is engaged to the coolant system contained within the appliance by connecting the coolant utility conveying lines 64 via drip-proof, quick connectors 71, 72, as shown in
The beverage container 50 can be any size and commercially available beverage container or a personal use article such as a refillable filtered or unfiltered water bottle. Non-limiting examples include: 12 ounce cans, 20 ounce plastic bottles, glass soda pop and beer bottles, wine bottles (typically ¾ liter), one liter bottles, and two liter bottles, typically soda pop bottles. The beverage containers are typically sealed and optionally resealable after opening. Other foodstuffs may be chilled within the chamber. In the case of each embodiment of the turbo-chilling chambers discussed herein the beverage containers may be optionally rotated or shaken slowly with for example, an ultrasonic shaker, to further enhance the cooling of the beverage within the beverage container. A motor can optionally rotate or shake the container. Moreover, the coolant pump can provide the oscillatory motion by pulsing the pump flow and having the coolant inlet port 54 introduce coolant into the chamber approximately tangentially to the beverage container to provide a fluid shear force on the flexible interior wall or boundary 46. Additionally, the coolant flow can be linked to a drive member via a bulb or paddle so that oscillatory motion can be imparted using the coolant flow via the drive member to the beverage container-flexible wall combination thereby moving the beverage container, for example by rotating or shaking the container. When a motor is used to rotate the beverage container, the motor is typically run such that the beverage container makes about one-eighth to about one-quarter revolutions at an approximate rotational speed range of 10 to 30 revolutions per minute. Slow rotation or shaking the beverage container is one method that the present invention employs to facilitate the prevention of localized freezing of the contents of the beverage container while still allowing for turbo-chilling of the contents of the beverage container by promoting mixing of fluid layers within the beverage container.
In operation, as shown in
Other embodiments of the present invention are shown in
The embodiment of
In yet another version of this embodiment the apertures are all substantially located at the half way point from the end 175 of the inner wall 174. The end 175 typically has at least one, more typically a plurality of apertures to allow airflow therethrough where appropriate and allow the air to continue to be circulated and/or recirculated. The configuration of the apertures both in the end 175 and along the inner wall 174 may be set and/or configured for a particular use as well. The airflow 173 will travel in the airflow-chilling channel 178 between the middle wall 172 and the inner wall 174 to be chilled and then moved past the beverage container thereby chilling the beverage container and the beverage inside.
As with the previous turbo-chilling chamber of the present invention, the outer wall of this embodiment similarly has a coolant inlet 54 and a coolant outlet 56 for coolant to travel through the coolant chamber 152 adjacent the airflow-chilling channel 178 in the turbo-chilling chamber 136. Each of the inlet and outlet typically are connected to the coolant utility conveying lines 64 via quick connectors and the coolant run through a coolant system as discussed above.
In a slight variation of the embodiment shown in
In the case of each of the embodiments of the present invention, the turbo-chilling chamber may have one or more temperature sensors that sense the temperature of the interior of the chamber and/or the surface(s) of the beverage container and provide a signal or otherwise communicate with a processor of a computer system that has a memory subsystem storing code. The computer system has a user interface that is operably connected with the processor. The user interface receives input from the user and transmits a signal of that input to the processor. For example, the user of the appliance and turbo-chilling chamber can select a time period for cooling the beverage (foodstuff), cool the beverage (foodstuff) at a certain temperature and optionally keep the beverage (foodstuff) at a certain temperature, cool the beverage (foodstuff) to a predetermined temperature such as one temperature for white wine, one for red wine (or the particular type of wine) or one for a soda pop beverage. The user interface may be a touch screen panel proximate or remote to the turbo-chilling chamber. Conceivably, an alarm/reminder sound emitter may also be operably connected to and in communication with the computer system and/or processor such that, for example, a signal (audio and/or visual) is transmitted after a predetermined time has elapsed since the turbo-chilling chamber has been activated or a signal (audio and/or visual) is transmitted when the beverage or other foodstuff has reached a certain temperature or approximately a certain temperature.
It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of the present invention, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.
Claims
1. An appliance system:
- an appliance having a rear wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, a top, a bottom and at least one door that, when the door is closed, either partially or completely encloses the interior of the appliance, wherein when all doors of the appliance are closed the appliance contains at least one insulated section that is the same size or smaller than the interior volume of the appliance and is suitable for refrigeration of fresh foods, and wherein the rear wall, first side wall, second side wall, top, bottom, and the door each have an interior surface; and
- a turbo-chilling chamber for chilling a foodstuff operably engaged to an interior surface of the appliance and having a user interfacing end that allows a user to insert the beverage container, an opposite end opposite the user interfacing end and a main body portion, wherein the turbo-chilling chamber comprises: a rigid distal wall that surrounds a foodstuff receiving space that accommodates variously sized foodstuffs and having a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet; a rigid inner wall having a length and at least one aperture along the length of the rigid inner wall where the rigid inner wall surrounds the foodstuff when the foodstuff is positioned within the foodstuff receiving space and defines the foodstuff receiving space; a rigid intermediate wall spaced between the rigid inner wall and the rigid distal wall that defines a coolant chamber between the rigid distal wall and the rigid intermediate wall and also defines an air cooling channel between the rigid intermediate wall and the rigid inner wall; at least one coolant solution comprising a solvent and a solute spaced within the coolant chamber; and a fan operably engaged to the opposite end of the turbo-chilling chamber wherein the fan moves air through the air cooling channel, through the at least one aperture and past the foodstuff spaced within the turbo-chilling chamber when the turbo-chilling chamber is activated.
2. The appliance system of claim 1, wherein the foodstuff is a beverage within a beverage container, the foodstuff receiving space is a beverage container receiving space and wherein the rigid distal wall of the turbo-chilling chamber extends around at least a portion of the perimeter of the beverage container when the beverage container is spaced within the beverage container receiving space, but not the top of the beverage container and the turbo-chilling chamber further comprises a cover moveable between a beverage actuating position and a closed position and wherein the turbo-chilling chamber further comprises a motor that shakes or rotates the beverage container when the beverage container is spaced within the chamber.
3. The appliance system of claim 2, wherein the appliance comprises a plurality of turbo-chilling chambers operably engaged to one or more of the interior surfaces of the appliance and the cover is hingedly connected to the main body portion of the turbo-chilling chamber.
4. The appliance system of claim 1, wherein the foodstuff is a beverage within a beverage container, the foodstuff receiving space is a beverage container receiving space and wherein the coolant solution flows through the coolant chamber and through a coolant system positioned within the appliance and wherein the coolant system comprises: a coolant tank; a coolant pump; an evaporator; and at least two coolant utility conveying lines that operably connect the coolant tank with the coolant outlet and the coolant inlet and enable flow of the coolant through the coolant system when the coolant pump is engaged and when the coolant utility conveying lines are connected with the turbo-chilling chamber.
5. The appliance system of claim 4, wherein the coolant comprises a water and solute solution where the solute depresses the freezing point temperature of the water.
6. The appliance system of claim 1, wherein the inner wall comprises a rigid cylindrical section and a rigid base section that optionally contains one or more apertures and engages the cylindrical section and wherein the cylindrical section comprises a plurality of apertures.
7. The appliance system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of apertures are larger proximate the end of the inner wall furthest from the fan and the apertures are more densely spaced proximate the end of the inner wall closest to the fan.
8. The appliance system of claim 4, wherein the coolant tank is either part of the evaporator cover or in contact with the evaporator cover.
9. The appliance system of claim 8, wherein the coolant tank is positioned within a freezer compartment within the appliance and the coolant in the tank can be maintained at a temperature lower than that of the freezer compartment.
10. The appliance system of claim 4, wherein the coolant tank is positioned within a freezer compartment within the appliance such that the coolant in the tank can be maintained at a temperature lower than that of the freezer compartment.
11. The appliance system of claim 1, wherein the foodstuff is a beverage within a beverage container, the foodstuff receiving space is a beverage container receiving space and wherein the appliance includes both a refrigerated section and a freezer section, and wherein the turbo-chilling chamber is located within the refrigerator section or within the freezer section.
12. The appliance system of claim 1, wherein the foodstuff is a beverage within a beverage container and the appliance system further comprises a pump that drives the coolant and provides oscillatory motion to the beverage to be chilled in the turbo-chilling chamber.
13. The appliance system of claim 1, wherein the appliance includes a freezer section, the turbo-chilling chamber is located within the freezer section, and the turbo-chilling chamber is capable of freezing the foodstuff within the turbo-chilling chamber at a slower or faster rate than placing the foodstuff within the freezer section outside of the turbo-chilling chamber
14. The appliance system of claim 4, wherein the insulated section or sections of the appliance comprise foam insulation and the coolant utility conveying lines that connect the coolant tank with the coolant outlet and the coolant inlet of the turbo-chilling chamber and enable flow of the coolant through the coolant system when the coolant pump is engaged are spaced within and held in place by at least a portion of the foam insulation and the coolant utility conveying lines each have a chamber engaging end and a coolant tank engaging end that each have a drip-proof quick connector engaged thereto that operably and releasably engages the coolant tank and the outlet or the inlet of the turbo-chilling chamber to one another.
15. The appliance system of claim 1, wherein the turbo-chilling chamber is integral with the appliance.
16. The appliance system of claim 1, wherein the turbo-chilling chamber is removably engaged to the appliance.
17. A turbo-chilling chamber for chilling a beverage within a beverage container, having a user facing end and an opposite end, and capable of being operably engaged to an interior surface of an appliance comprising:
- a rigid distal boundary perimeter having a rear wall and side walls that is larger than a beverage container and surrounding the side and bottom of a beverage container when the beverage container is spaced within the turbo-chilling chamber;
- a rigid inner wall that is either cuboid-shaped or cylindrical-shaped; spaced within the rigid distal boundary perimeter; defines a beverage receiving space that surrounds the side and bottom of a beverage container when the beverage container is spaced within the turbo-chilling chamber; and contains a plurality of apertures that allow airflow therethrough;
- an at least substantially rigid intermediate wall engaged with the rigid outer wall to form a coolant chamber between the rigid outer wall and the at least substantially rigid intermediate wall and wherein the at least substantially rigid intermediate wall also forms an airflow channel between the at least substantially rigid intermediate wall and the rigid inner wall; and
- a fan; and
- wherein the at least substantially rigid inner wall defines a beverage container receiving space that is sized to receive and capable of receiving various sized beverage containers at different times.
18. The turbo-chilling chamber of claim 17, wherein the rigid distal wall of the turbo-chilling chamber extends around the perimeter of the beverage container and the turbo-chilling chamber further comprises a cover moveable between a beverage inserting and removing position and a closed position that at least substantially prevents air from outside the turbo-chilling chamber from entering the turbo-chilling air when the cover is in the closed position and wherein the airflow channel is defined by the at least substantially rigid intermediate wall and the rigid inner wall.
19. The turbo-chilling chamber of claim 17, wherein the turbo-chilling chamber further comprises at least one coolant inlet and one coolant outlet wherein both the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet have a quick-connect configuration formed by drip proof quick connectors that receive and operably engage a coolant utility conveying line that operably connects a coolant tank with the coolant outlet and the coolant inlet.
20. The turbo-chilling chamber of claim 19, wherein the coolant comprises a water and solute solution where the solute depresses the freezing point temperature of the water and wherein the airflow channel is defined by the at least substantially rigid intermediate wall and the rigid inner wall and the cover is hingedly connected to the rigid distal boundary perimeter.
21. The turbo-chilling chamber of claim 17, wherein the at least substantially rigid intermediate wall is rigid.
22. A method of turbo-chilling a beverage in a beverage container without the beverage within the beverage container freezing comprising the following steps:
- providing an appliance having a rear wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, a top, a bottom and at least one door that, when the door is closed, either partially or completely encloses the interior of the appliance, wherein when all doors of the appliance are closed the appliance contains at least one insulated section that is the same size or smaller than the interior volume of the appliance and suitable for the refrigeration of fresh foods, and wherein the rear wall, first side wall, second side wall, top, bottom, and the door each have an interior surface;
- providing a turbo-chilling chamber for chilling a beverage within a beverage container having a user interfacing end that allows a user to insert the beverage container, an opposite end, and a main body portion comprising: a rigid distal wall that surrounds a beverage container receiving space that accommodates variously sized beverage containers and having a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet; a rigid inner wall having at least one aperture therein that surrounds the beverage container when the beverage container is within the beverage container receiving space and defines the beverage container receiving space; a rigid intermediate wall spaced between the rigid inner wall and the rigid distal wall that defines a coolant chamber between the rigid distal wall and the rigid intermediate wall and also defines an air cooling channel between the rigid intermediate wall and the rigid inner wall;
- providing at least one coolant solution spaced within the coolant chamber; and
- providing a fan operably engaged to the opposite end of the turbo-chilling chamber;
- providing a coolant system positioned within the appliance wherein the coolant system comprises a coolant tank; a coolant pump; at least two coolant utility conveying lines that operably connect the coolant tank with the coolant outlet and the coolant inlet of the turbo-chilling chamber; and an evaporator;
- engaging the turbo-chilling chamber with an interior surface of the appliance;
- operably connecting a first coolant utility conveying line to the coolant inlet of the turbo-chilling chamber;
- operably connecting a second coolant utility conveying line to the coolant outlet of the turbo-chilling chamber;
- placing a beverage container within the beverage container receiving space;
- activating the coolant pump to move coolant through the coolant system and the coolant chamber of the turbo-chilling chamber the coolant chamber; and
- activating the fan to move air through the air-flow channel and past the intermediate wall to cool the air and further move the air through the at least one aperture and past the beverage container to thereby chill the beverage container.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 3, 2010
Publication Date: Feb 9, 2012
Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION (BENTON HARBOR, MI)
Inventors: TUSHAR V. KULKARNI (SAINT JOSEPH, MI), GUOLIAN WU (SAINT JOSEPH, MI)
Application Number: 12/849,274
International Classification: F25D 25/00 (20060101); F25D 13/00 (20060101);