The disclosure features various embodiments and aspects of a chest for quenching beverages. The chest can include a tank for holding a chilled mixture of ice and water, an ice maker adapted for making ice having an output for ejecting ice into a conduit in fluid communication with the tank, and a plurality of quench trays disposed above the tank for holding containers of beverages located in first and second positions. The trays can be filled with cold water by way of a conduit in fluid communication with the tank. The quench trays can include a compartment defined by a bottom and a plurality of walls, and defining therein a plurality of rows for aligning and containing a plurality of beverage containers. The drawers can further include at least one drain orifice configured to guide water out of the quench tray.

A multi-function fixing kit comprises a stacking insert main body and a retaining ring main body. The retaining ring main body can be removably connected with a storage container. The stacking insert main body can be placed in the storage container. The stacking insert main body is divided into a first layer structure, a second layer structure and a third layer structure from top to bottom to fix various types of beverage containers. A top of the first layer structure can be removably connected with a 12 oz beverage can main body, a top of the second layer structure can be removably connected with a 12 oz beer bottle main body, and a top of the third layer structure can be removably connected with a 12 oz slim beverage can main body. A top of a placing device can be removably connected with a 16 oz beverage can.

Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.

An apparatus for the rapid cooling of packaged beverages that includes a thermally insulated immersion tank capable of containing a liquid refrigerant and an evaporator coil placed within the tank, where the container will be submerged while held by gripping means connected to a vertical rotation axis mounted on a vertically movable cart, both driven by driving means under the control of a control unit that commands a series of sequential steps such as driving the rotation of said axial rotation axis within a predetermined speed range and period of time followed by slowing down of the rotation of said axial rotation axis at a predetermined speed with a simultaneous vertical reciprocating movement of the container by means of the vertically movable cart for a predetermined period of time as many times as established by the control unit.

A method of and apparatus for accelerating the cooling of a beverage can and/or ice tray utilizing at least one body that presents a density and thermal conductivity, defines a standard beverage can and/or ice tray receiving receptacle configured to form a minimum contact surface area of engagement with at least one can and/or tray, and preferably further defines a series of thru-holes, so as to promote accelerated cooling through conduction, convection within a compartment.

A cooler insert for placement into a portable hard cooler or ice chest for separating sandwiches, lunch meats, cheese, vegetables, and the like, and drinks from the materials used to cool these items, is described. Many commercially available portable coolers have rectangular-shaped cooling volumes with at least two of the opposing walls forming a horizontal ledge inside the cooling volume parallel to and below the opening thereof upon which the present cooler insert is supported. The present cooler insert includes three adjacent chambers, a first chamber for containing food items to be cooled, a second chamber for containing clean ice for use for cooling drinks; and a third chamber, having cylindrically-shaped compartments tapered toward the bottom, for holding cans or bottles. Bottom portions of the first two chambers may be formed using aluminum or other conductive metal plates covered with plastic, or using uncoated metal plates for improving conduction to the cooler insert from the cooler. The open top portions of the first and second chambers may be covered with a removable plastic or metal cover, which may also be used as a cutting board, when attached to the side of the cooler.

A portable cooler container with active temperature control system is provided. The active temperature control system is operated to heat or cool a chamber of a vessel to approach a temperature set point suitable for a medication stored in the cooler container.

A system for holding multiple beverage containers may include a cooler or carrier with toting handles, closing tabs, and base. The base may be formed from a molded plastic, rubber or synthetic rubber material. The base may also include feet that hold the base a sufficient height from the ground. The base may have a generally conic tapering drain floor that makes up its top surface. The tapering drain floor may make draining the carrier easier by directing water toward a drain hole located in the base. Extending up from the base may be a multi-layer soft-sided wall where different layers perform different desired functions. For example, an inside layer closest to the internal cavity may be a waterproof layer, a middle layer may be an insulating layer, and an external layer may be a decorative layer.

Methods and apparatuses are provided for cooling of beverages containers, such as cans or bottles, quickly, or on demand. An apparatus may provide for quickly cooling a number of beverage containers when power is available and for storing them, once they have been cooled. The apparatus may include a thermoelectric cooler configured to rapidly cool a beverage container in a cooling cell. The methods may include detecting the presence of a beverage container in a cooling cell and cooling the beverage container to a selected temperature. The availability of external power may be detected and a rapid cooling of a beverage container may begin when power becomes available.

A thermally insulated structure for shipping goods, the structure including an insulated box having a goods receptacle and a phase change material module receptacle. The structure further including a phase change material module, and a set of vacuum panels configured to form an encapsulating layer around the insulated box.