APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING AND CHILLING A BEVERAGE

Abstract

Apparatus for displaying a chilled container in which the container is received in an internal cavity in which the container is in thermal contact with a cradle which is in turn in thermal contact with at least one thermoelectric cooling element while the container remains visible through a window in a front wall of the internal cavity.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/975,464 filed Dec. 18, 2015, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/203,496 filed Jul. 6, 2016, U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/636,418 filed Feb. 8, 2018, and U.S. Patent Application No. 62/687,831 filed Jun. 21, 2018, the contents of each of which are hereby incorporated into this application in their entirety.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates devices and methods for displaying beverages and displaying them while they are maintained at a low temperature. An example of such a system is one that would be used in the commercial establishment such as a bar or restaurant for displaying chilled beverages.

BACKGROUND

There are circumstances were it would be advantageous to be able to display a beverage while maintaining the beverage at a low temperature. For example, in a commercial establishment that sells beverages it would be extremely useful to have this capability. There are, however, challenges in doing so. Some conventional coolers are configured so that their contents are not visible, thus making it impossible to display the beverage while its temperature is being maintained. Also, space in such a setting is at a premium so that a useful cooler would desirably be relatively compact with a small footprint. A useful cooler would also be relatively safety proof and be otherwise well adapted for use in such an environment. Conventional coolers impose compromises which make them less than ideally suited for such use. There is thus a need for a cooler which is adapted for use in such a setting.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary of one or more embodiments in order to provide a basic understanding of the embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated embodiments and is not intended to identify key or critical elements of all embodiments nor set limits on the scope of any or all embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more embodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

According to one aspect of an embodiment there is disclosed an apparatus for chilling a container and a fluid in the container, the apparatus comprising an enclosure comprising a top element with structure defining and a front window and an internal module configured to be at least partially received within the enclosure, the internal module comprising a thermally conductive cradle which when inserted into the enclosure defines with the enclosure an internal cavity dimensioned to receive the container, and at least one thermoelectric cooling element in thermal communication with the thermally conductive cradle. The enclosure may comprise a rigid insulating shell and a surface of the rigid insulating shell may define a bottom of the internal cavity. The surface may be sloped so that a container in the internal cavity leans away from the window and against the thermally conductive cradle. The top element may comprise structure defining an aperture dimensioned to permit insertion of the container into the internal cavity. At least one edge of the aperture may be angled to guide a container when the container is being inserted into the internal cavity. The window may be dimensioned and positioned to permit viewing of at least a portion of the container when the container is in the internal cavity. The thermally conductive cradle may comprise extruded aluminum. The rigid shell may comprise expanded polypropylene. The expanded polypropylene may have surfaces with a closed surface structure. The expanded polypropylene may be substantially covered with a skin which may be made of a metal such as stainless steel or aluminum.

According to another aspect of an embodiment there is disclosed an apparatus for chilling a container and a fluid in the container, the apparatus comprising an enclosure comprising a top element with structure defining and a front window, a thermally conductive cradle configured to be positioned in the enclosure and at least partially defining an internal cavity dimensioned to receive the container, and at least one thermoelectric cooling element in thermal communication with the thermally conductive cradle. The enclosure may comprise a rigid insulating shell and a surface of the rigid insulating shell may define a bottom of the internal cavity. The surface may be sloped so that a container in the internal cavity leans away from the window and against the thermally conductive cradle. The top element may comprise structure defining an aperture dimensioned to permit insertion of the container into the internal cavity. At least one edge of the aperture may be angled to guide a container when the container is being inserted into the internal cavity. The window may be dimensioned and positioned to permit viewing of at least a portion of the container when the container is in the internal cavity. The thermally conductive cradle may comprise extruded aluminum. The rigid shell may comprise expanded polypropylene. The expanded polypropylene may have surfaces with a closed surface structure.

According to another aspect of an embodiment there is disclosed an apparatus for chilling a container and a fluid in the container, the apparatus comprising a top, a base, a first side wall extending between the top and the base, a front wall extending between the top and the base and laterally adjoining the first side wall at substantially a right angle, a third side wall extending between the top and the base and laterally adjoining the front wall at substantially a right angle, a back wall extending between the top and the base and laterally adjoining the first side wall at substantially a right angle and the second side wall at substantially a right angle, the first and second side walls, the front wall, and the back wall together defining a parallelepiped with an internal cavity dimensioned to receive the container, the top comprising structure defining an aperture dimensioned to permit insertion of the container into the cavity and the front wall including a window dimensioned and positioned to permit viewing of at least a portion of the container when the container is in the cavity, and at least one cooling element arranged in the enclosure and in thermal communication with the cavity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a beverage chilling system according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the beverage chilling of FIG. 1 with a beverage container inserted.

FIG. 3 is another perspective view of a beverage chilling system according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of components of a beverage chilling system according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 4B is a perspective views of a cradle element of a beverage chilling system according to an aspect of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4C is a cutaway plan view of the cradle element of FIG. 4B.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are perspective views of a beverage chilling system showing placement of an insulating element according to an aspect of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5C is a partially hidden perspective view of the cutaway plan view of the insulating element of FIG. 5B.

FIG. 6A is a top plan view of a top for a beverage chilling system according to an aspect of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6B is a cutaway view of the top of FIG. 6A taken along line A-A of FIG. 6A.

FIG. 6C is a cutaway view of the top of FIG. 6A taken along line B-B of FIG. 6A.

FIG. 7A is a front elevation of a beverage chilling system according to an aspect of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7B is a cutaway view of the beverage chilling system of FIG. 7A taken along line A-A of FIG. 7A.

FIG. 8A is a perspective view of a cooling module for a beverage chilling system according to an aspect of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8B is a side view of a cooling module for a beverage chilling system according to an aspect of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8C is a close-up view of a portion of the cooling module for a beverage chilling system shown in FIG. 8B.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a beverage chilling system of FIG. 8B with a back panel removed to show an arrangement of internal components according to an aspect of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a circuit block diagram for use in a beverage chilling system perspective view of a beverage chilling system according to an aspect of an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments are now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to promote a thorough understanding of one or more embodiments. It may be evident in some or all instances, however, that any embodiment described below can be practiced without adopting the specific design details described below. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate description of one or more embodiments.

With initial reference to FIG. 1 there is shown a perspective view of a beverage display/chilling system 100 according to one aspect of an embodiment of the invention. It will be understood that as used herein, the term “chilling” includes both decreasing to a relatively low temperature as well as maintaining at a relatively low temperature. The beverage display/chilling system 100 includes a base 120 and a top 130. As shown, the base 120 includes an aperture 140 provided with a window 150 made of a transparent material such as hardened glass having a thickness of about 4 mm or plastic to avoid ice buildup and condensation and which permits viewing of a bottle 190 inserted into the beverage display/chilling system 100 as shown in FIG. 2. For some applications it may be beneficial to use a thermally insulating glass including a window made of two or more panes of glass with a vacuum or gas in the space between the panes.

In the embodiment shown the top 130 is made of a decorative insulating material such as wood or may be made of a plastic material. The top 130 also has an aperture 160 that is open to permit the bottle 190 to be placed in an internal cavity 170 of the beverage display/chilling system 100. The internal cavity 170 is dimensioned to receive the bottle 190 so that there is sufficient space around the bottle 190 that the bottle 190 does not get stuck and can be freely inserted and removed. As shown the base 120 may also include other features such as vents 180 to facilitate cooling of a cooling element in the beverage display/chilling system 100 in a manner explained more fully below.

The beverage display/chilling system 100 is dimensioned so that it has a minimal footprint. This permits it to fit on a bar counter without taking up excessive amounts of counter space. It is also low enough that the neck of a bottle 190 inserted into the internal cavity 170 protrudes above the top surface of the top 130 to facilitate insertion and removal of the bottle.

With reference to FIG. 3, there is shown a perspective view of the beverage display/chilling system 100 from another angle. From the angle of FIG. 3 the rear venting system can be seen including dual rotary fans 200 and 210. The beverage display/chilling system 100 according to an embodiment uses one or more thermoelectric coolers to cool the internal cavity 170. The fans 200 and 210 are used to remove waste heat generated at the hot side of the thermoelectric cooler(s).

As shown in FIG. 4A, the beverage display/chilling system 100 of FIGS. 1-3 is preferably modular in the sense that it is made up of an outer housing 350 and internal module 340 that is received by the outer housing 350. This is described in more detail in connection with other figures. The outer housing 350 has an outer skin 125 as see in FIG. 3 made of a readily cleaned, durable, aesthetically pleasing material on the front and sides. For example, the enclosure may be made of stainless steel with a thickness of about 1 mm.

As shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, one component of the internal module 340 is a cradle 220 that forms the back and side walls of the internal cavity 170. The cradle 220 is preferably made of a material that is durable and easy to clean and which has good thermal conductivity. For example, one material which could be used is extruded aluminum. The cradle 220 may have a nonstick coating of a material such as PTFE to avoid bottle getting stuck.

FIG. 4C is a cross section taken along line C-C of FIG. 4B showing the extrusion profile for the cradle 220. As can be seen, the surface of the cradle 220 facing towards the front is preferably free of visible fasteners such as screws to present an aesthetically pleasing effect and to avoid surface features that could serve as locations for ice accumulation.

As shown in FIGS. 5A-5C, the outer housing 350 also preferably includes a shell 230 which is enclosed within the skin 125 and provides structural rigidity for the outer housing 350. The shell 230 also insulates the internal cavity 170. The shell 230 may be made of expanded polypropylene (EPP) which has good thermal insulation properties together with good mechanical properties. Another candidate material is expanded polystyrene (EPS) which has also has good thermal insulation properties but is more brittle and fragile. The shell 230 may be rigid enough to serve as a structural part in the beverage display/chilling system 100, with other components attached to it. In production of the EPP the surfaces of the molding tool may be “flecked” in order to give the EPP a harder and more closed surface structure and so making the surface more hygienic. The surfaces of the shell defining internal cavity may be covered with a skin of a metal such as stainless steel or aluminum. The shell may contain guides for routing of wires internal to the beverage display/chilling system 100.

Depending on the specific application, the frame, insulation, and enclosure may be separate components or a single component may serve some or all of these functions. For example, the insulation could serve as the structural frame of the beverage display/chilling system 100. Also, for some applications, a phase change material could be used in conjunction with the insulation to store thermal energy.

As regards the top 130, it is preferably provided with angled edges for the aperture 160 to help guide the bottle into the internal cavity 170 on insertion. This is shown in FIGS. 6A-6C. FIG. 6A is a plan view of the top 130. FIG. 6B is a cross sectional view of the top 130 taken along line A-A of FIG. 6A. FIG. 6C is a cross sectional view of the top 130 taken along line B-B of FIG. 6A.

FIG. 7A is a plan elevation of the beverage display/chilling system 100 according to an aspect of an embodiment. FIG. 7B is a cross section of the beverage display/chilling system 100 taken along line A-A of FIG. 7A. As can be seen, the beverage display/chilling system 100 is preferably constructed so that a bottle in the internal cavity 170 will tend to lean away from the window 150 and against the back wall of the internal cavity 170 which is provided by the cradle 220. This is accomplished by causing the unit to sit at a backwards angle and also by making the floor of the internal cavity 170, which is provided by the shell 230, to assume a pitch which is other than horizontal. For example, the unit may be arranged to lean backwards at least 5 degrees to help ensure good thermal contact between the bottle and the cradle. Also visible in FIG. 7B is a pair of thermoelectric cooling elements 240 and 250, disposed to be in thermal contact with the cradle 220, respective heat sinks 260 and 270 for the thermoelectric cooling elements 240 and 250, and respective fans 200 and 210 for the respective heat sinks 260 and 270. The arrangement shown in FIG. 7A also includes circuitry 280 which is described in more detail below and a light source 290 arranged to illuminate the bottle when the bottle is reposing in the internal cavity 170. The light source 290 may be, for example, an LED module, and, in particular, an LED module configured to be water resistant or waterproof. The light source 290 may be equipped with a dimmer to permit an optimal illumination for ambient light, with the level of the ambient light possibly being measured by a sensor. The arrangement may also include a drip tray 235 to collect condensate and or a hole in the bottom of the beverage display/chilling system 100 to permit drainage of condensate. Also shown in FIG. 7B is a pair of feet at the bottom of the unit. As discussed more fully below, a force sensor could be placed in at least on the these feet to provide an indication of the amount of liquid present in a bottle placed in the unit.

While FIG. 8A shows two thermoelectric coolers, it will be apparent that other number of thermoelectric coolers may be used. Also, as shown, the vertical extents of the thermoelectric coolers is shown as being substantially vertically coextensive with the vertical extent of the contacting wall of the cradle 220. For some applications it may be advantageous to dimension the cooler or coolers so that they are not substantially vertically coextensive with the vertical extent of the contacting wall of the cradle 220. For example, the cooler or coolers may be arranged such that they are primarily in contact with the lower portion of the cradle. This may create the advantage of avoiding spot cooling at the top of the cradle and an attendant excessive accumulation of ice at the top of the cradle.

FIG. 8A shows in more detail the internal module assembly 340 which can be inserted into the housing assembly 350. As shown, the internal module assembly 340 includes the cradle 220, the thermoelectric cooling elements 240 and 250, the heat sinks 260 and 270, the fans 200 and 210, and a back plate 300. As with the skin 125, the back plate 300 may be made of stainless steel. The back plate 300 is attached to the housing using removable fasteners such as screws or the like. Also visible in FIG. 8A is the circuitry 280. For some applications the width of the cradle 200 may be advantageously selected to leave a gap of several millimeters between the sides of the cradle and the sides of a bottle placed in the beverage display/chilling system 100 to avoid ice accumulation issues that could interfere with removing the bottle.

FIG. 8B is a side view of the internal module assembly 340 of FIG. 8A. Again, thermoelectric cooling elements 240 and 250, the heat sinks 260 and 270, the fans 200 and 210, and a back plate 300 are visible as is the circuitry 280. It is advantageous to mount the heatsinks using mounting screws made of a thermally insulating material such as polyamide or nylon to avoid creating heat flow paths between the hot and cold sides of the thermoelectric coolers. For example, the screws may be so-called PEEK (polyetheretherketone) screws, and, in particular, carbon reinforced PEEK screws.

FIG. 8C is enlargement of area A of FIG. 8B. Visible in FIG. 8C is the circuitry 280 in the form of printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) 310 which includes the electronic circuitry for the beverage display/chilling system 100. Also visible in FIG. 8C is a switch 320 which a user can manipulate to turn beverage display/chilling system 100 on and off. The switch 320 can also be a three position switch with the positions respectively being (1) off, (2) cooling on and light source 290 off, and (3) cooling on and light source 290 on. Also visible in FIG. 8C is a temperature sensor 330 which senses a temperature of the hot side of one or both of the thermoelectric cooling elements 240 and 250 and provides a signal indicative the sensed temperature to the circuitry on the PCBA 310. The circuitry on the PCBA 310 can respond to the temperature sensor signal by increasing or decreasing the amount of cooling provided by the thermoelectric cooling elements 240 and 250, for example by increasing or decreasing the speeds of fans 200 and 210 accordingly. The circuitry on the PCBA 310 board can also respond to the temperature signal from the temperature sensor 330 by shutting the beverage display/chilling system 100 off if the temperature signal indicates an abnormal operating condition. The arrangement may also include a temperature sensor 335 in the cooling chamber internal cavity 220 as shown in FIG. 8C for direct monitoring and control of the temperature in the internal cavity 220. For some applications it may be advantageous to enclose the PCBA 310 in an enclosure, made, for example, of steel, to protect the PCBA from physical damage or damage caused by exposure to moisture.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the beverage display/chilling system 100 with the back plate 300 removed and with the internal module assembly 340 inserted into the housing. Visible in FIG. 9 are the fans 200 and 210 and the PCBA 310.

The beverage display/chilling system 100 may be connected to a source of line power 400 as shown in FIG. 10. Alternatively or in addition the beverage display/chilling system 100 may include a battery pack 430 for operation independent of a source of line power. The battery pack 430 may be internal or it may be connected to the beverage display/chilling system 100 by using a dock supplied on the rear of the beverage display/chilling system 100. The dock may be a snap-on dock that mechanically secures the battery pack to the unit. The snap-on dock may mechanically secure the battery pack to the unit through mechanical engagement with the rear of the unit or magnetically. The battery pack may have an outlet such as a USB outlet to permit the user of the option of charging external devices such as cell phones using energy stored in the battery pack. Alternatively the unit may have an internal battery and provision for attaching additional external batteries to extend runtime. A cord supplying line power to the beverage display/chilling system 100 may preferable be arranged to enter the unit from the bottom rather than the back. This may assist in preventing infiltration of water or other liquids into the interior of the beverage display/chilling system 100. It also may facilitate placement of the battery dock on the rear of the beverage display/chilling system 100. In either case, the circuitry may be configured such that the batteries are recharged either while the unit is off or while the unit is in operation. Multiple battery packs could be placed in electrical engagement with the unit simultaneously to permit charging of more than one battery pack at the same time. Also, multiple battery packs could be placed in electrical engagement with the unit simultaneously to extend the maximum runtime of the unit while on battery power.

FIG. 10 also shows a power supply unit 410 in addition to the PCB 310, the fans 200 and 210, the light source 290, the cooling units 240 and 250, and the temperature sensors 330 and 335. As mentioned, one of the sensors may be for detecting a level of ambient light, and the light source may be dimmable and dimmed based on the detected level of ambient light. FIG. 10 also shows a wireless communication module 440 for remote communication with beverage display/chilling system 100, using cellular networks, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, ZigBee, LoRa, etc. For example, the temperature(s) may be relayed to be read remotely, e.g., by Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to a control device such as a smart phone running an app.

The sensors may also include a sensor 450 for determining the presence of a bottle in the internal cavity for energy optimization and/or safety shut-off Also, the determination of the presence or absence of the bottle, that is, determining when a bottle is being placed in or withdrawn from the unit, can be used to drive the light source to display a light show when either or both of these events occur. The sensors may also include a sensor 460 for sensing an amount or level of liquid in a bottle inserted into the internal cavity for example optically or by determining net weight, for example for measuring usage patterns. As mentioned, the weight of the liquid in the bottle, assuming one knows the weight of the bottle, may be determined by a reading from a force sensor placed in one of the feet for the unit. The bottle level may be indicated by an indicator, for example, a column of LEDs illuminated up to the same level as the sensed level in the bottle, or may be relayed to be read remotely, e.g., by cellular, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to a control device such as a smart phone running an app. The unit can also relay the information back to, for example, a supplier, using cellular, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi, for example, periodically or when queried by the supplier, as described more fully below.

The sensors 450 and/or 460 can also include sensors for determining machine running time to assist, for example, in determining when the machine may require periodic maintenance. If the beverage display/chilling system 100 has a battery, that is, either an internal battery or an attached battery pack, or both, the sensors can be used to detect battery state or performance, such a charging state, discharge rate, charging rate, state of connection, and so forth.

The sensors 450 and/or 460 can also include a bar code scanner that reads a uniform product code (UPC) of a bottle being inserted to ensure that the bottle being inserted is a product which is authorized for the unit. If it is determined that an unauthorized product has been inserted then the unit can shut down temporarily or until some other condition is satisfied such as an override code being received by the unit. Alternative or additionally, the bar code scanner may be used to determine what type of product is in the bottle inserted in the beverage display/chilling system 100 and the machine can use that data to control its operation. For example, if the beverage display/chilling system 100 determines from scanning the bar code that the inserted product is a red wine then the machine can maintain the cavity at a first temperature but if the beverage display/chilling system 100 determines from scanning the bar code that the inserted product is a white wine then the machine can maintain the cavity at a second temperature which is different from the first temperature. Of course, information about what type of product has been inserted in the cavity can also be provided to the beverage display/chilling system 100 through the wireless communication module 440.

The detection of the removal and reinsertion of the bottle can be used to derive analytics such as a lift count for a given bottle and the amount dispensed per lift. This information can be coupled with other information such as the location of the facility where the unit is deployed, the type of facility, the time of day, date, and so forth to provide valuable marketing information. Information about the location of the unit could be provided by a GPS sensor provided on the unit and/or by a device such as a smart phone in communication with the unit.

Thus, a beverage display/chilling system 100 as just described can gather information about consumption of the product in the unit and make that consumption information available to a remote facility. The remote location can gather information from a multiplicity of beverage display/chilling systems and use that information to identify patterns that the remote facility can use in distribution and marketing. As stated above, the unit can supply consumption information such as how many times the bottle in the unit has been extracted and re-inserted (lift count), amount served per lift or overall, consumption rate, bottle replacement rate, time of day and date for these events, and so on. This consumption information can be used in conjunction with geographical data supplied by the unit itself if the unit is so equipped or by geographical data supplied through the wireless interface or associated with a unique machine identifier of the unit. The data associated with the identifier could also or alternatively include information about the type of establishment in which the unit is deployed. This information coupled with the consumption information may provide a valuable tool for intelligent distribution and marketing. The unit could supply the information to the remote location periodically or when queried.

The above description includes examples of one or more embodiments. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the aforementioned embodiments, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of various embodiments are possible. Accordingly, the described embodiments are intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is construed when employed as a transitional word in a claim. Furthermore, although elements of the described aspects and/or embodiments may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural is contemplated unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated. Additionally, all or a portion of any aspect and/or embodiment may be utilized with all or a portion of any other aspect and/or embodiment, unless stated otherwise.

Claims

1. Apparatus for chilling a container and a fluid in the container, the apparatus comprising:

an enclosure comprising a top element with structure defining and a front window; and

an internal module configured to be at least partially received within the enclosure, the internal module comprising a thermally conductive cradle which when inserted into the enclosure defines with the enclosure an internal cavity dimensioned to receive the container, and at least one thermoelectric cooling element in thermal communication with the thermally conductive cradle.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the enclosure comprises a rigid insulating shell.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein further comprising a metallic skin on a surface of the rigid insulating shell defining a bottom of the internal cavity.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the surface is sloped so that a container in the internal cavity leans away from the window and against the thermally conductive cradle.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the top element comprises structure defining an aperture dimensioned to permit insertion of the container into the internal cavity.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the top element comprises structure such that at least one edge of the aperture is angled to guide a container when the container is being inserted into the internal cavity.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the window is dimensioned and positioned to permit viewing of at least a portion of the container when the container is in the internal cavity.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the thermally conductive cradle comprises extruded aluminum.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the thermally conductive cradle comprises extruded aluminum with a nonstick coating.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the nonstick coating comprises PTFE.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rigid shell comprises expanded polypropylene.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the expanded polypropylene has a surface with a metallic skin.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a sensor arranged to measure a parameter of the apparatus.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the parameter is a temperature of a hot side of the at least one thermoelectric cooling element.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the parameter is a temperature of a hot side of the at least one thermoelectric cooling element.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the parameter is a temperature of a the internal cavity.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 further comprising a wireless communication module arranged to receive a value of the parameter and for generating a wireless signal indicative of the value.

18. Apparatus for chilling a container and a fluid in the container, the apparatus comprising:

an enclosure comprising a top element with structure defining and a front window;

a thermally conductive cradle configured to be positioned in the enclosure and at least partially defining an internal cavity dimensioned to receive the container, and

at least one thermoelectric cooling element in thermal communication with the thermally conductive cradle.

19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein the enclosure comprises a rigid insulating shell with a metallic skin.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein a surface of the rigid insulating shell defines a bottom of the internal cavity.

21. Apparatus as claimed in claim 20 wherein the surface is sloped so that a container in the internal cavity leans away from the window and against the thermally conductive cradle.

22. Apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein the top element comprises structure defining an aperture dimensioned to permit insertion of the container into the internal cavity.

23. Apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein the top element comprises structure such that at least one edge of the aperture is angled to guide a container when the container is being inserted into the internal cavity.

24. Apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein the window is dimensioned and positioned to permit viewing of at least a portion of the container when the container is in the internal cavity.

25. Apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein the thermally conductive cradle comprises extruded aluminum.

26. Apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein the rigid shell comprises expanded polypropylene.

27. Apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein the expanded polypropylene has a surface with a closed surface structure.

28. Apparatus for chilling controlling a temperature of a container and a fluid in the container, the apparatus comprising:

a top;

a base;

first side wall extending between the top and the base;

a front wall extending between the top and the base and laterally adjoining the first side wall at substantially a right angle;

a third side wall extending between the top and the base and laterally adjoining the front wall at substantially a right angle;

a back wall extending between the top and the base and laterally adjoining the first side wall at substantially a right angle and the second side wall at substantially a right angle;

the first and second side walls, the front wall, and the back wall together defining a parallelepiped with an internal cavity dimensioned to receive the container;

the top comprising structure defining an aperture dimensioned to permit insertion of the container into the cavity and the front wall including a window dimensioned and positioned to permit viewing of at least a portion of the container when the container is in the cavity; and

at least one cooling element arranged in the enclosure and in thermal communication with the cavity.