A beverage holder includes a platform with a slot disposed therethrough. First and second L-shaped rails extend downwardly from an underside of the platform on either side of the slot. The first and second rails are configured to retain cans, at upper portions of the cans, in a sliding manner therebetween. The slot is centrally positioned between the first and second L-shaped rails and configured to suspend bottle top portions therefrom.

Beverage chillers are disclosed. A beverage chiller may include a container platform that receives a beverage container and a chiller tank. The chiller tank may have a central axis and may have an agitator. The chiller tank may be filled with water. A conveyor may move the container platform and beverage container into the chiller tank. The container platform and beverage container may rotate in a first direction in the chiller tank and the agitator may rotate the water in a second direction.

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

A liquid receptacle has an inner vessel for holding a liquid, an insulated outer shell spaced from the inner vessel, and a chamber defined between the inner vessel and the outer shell. A phase change material is disposed in the chamber for absorbing thermal energy from the liquid and then releasing the thermal energy back to the liquid to maintain the temperature of the liquid.

A multiple temperature storage assembly includes a sleeve that has an opening therein for accessing an interior of the sleeve and to receive food items for storage. The sleeve is comprised of a thermally insulating material to retain the food items at a selected temperature. A door is hingedly coupled to the sleeve for opening and closing the opening. A disk is slidably positioned within the sleeve such that the disk defines an upper section of the sleeve and a lower section of the sleeve. The disk is comprised of a thermally insulating material to inhibit thermal communication between the upper and lower sections. Thus, each of the upper and lower sections can store a respective one of warm food items and cold food items. A tube is slidably coupled to the sleeve. The tube has a chamber therein that is fluidly discrete from the sleeve when the tube is slidably coupled to the sleeve for storing dry objects.

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

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

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

According to some embodiments, a beverage heating and cooling assembly is provided which includes a collar and beverage retainer assembly for connection to retain the assembly below a mounting substrate. The beverage retainer assembly may include a housing with an active heating or cooling system, such as a thermoelectric engine, which is positioned within or adjacent to the housing and beneath the mounting substrate or similar planar structure. The assembly allows for a clean installation of an active thermal system for beverages in order to keep the beverages cold or warm as desired.

Devices that utilize phase change materials to maintain objects, such as beverage containers, within a precise temperature range for extended periods, without the need for ice, open flames, or mechanical heating or refrigeration, are disclosed. Methods of maintaining such objects within a precise temperature range for extended periods, without the need for ice, open flames, or mechanical heating or refrigeration, are also disclosed.