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.

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, nylon, 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 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. Within the cooler or carrier may be one or more silos with a mating plug within the silo. The silo may be generally cylindrical in shape and configured to accept a beverage container in a manner that allow a beverage within the container to be accessed from outside the cooler.

A cooling arrangement for refrigerators is provided, which allows better control and temperature maintenance for beverage cans, which facilitates access to them without having to open other cooling chamber of the refrigerator and also prevents an abrupt shift of the cans which can generate overflows of the liquid contents when opening them.

A beverage can holding container (20) is removably positionable within an interior area (12) of a refrigerator (10). The container has an interior area (36) that holds a plurality of beverage cans (22). A plurality of handles (46, 58, 60) are provided to facilitate removing the container from the refrigerator and transporting the container with the beverage cans therein to a location away from the refrigerator where the beverages will be consumed.

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 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.

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.

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.

A temperature regulator may include a housing extending longitudinally from a first, open end to a second, closed end. The housing may include an outer wall, an inner wall disposed radially inward from the outer wall, and an insulating medium disposed between the outer wall and the inner wall, wherein the insulating medium is a vacuum-sealed chamber having air substantially removed therefrom.

A refrigerator includes a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment. A refrigerating compartment door opens and closes the access to the refrigerating compartment. A dispenser is disposed on a front surface of the refrigerating compartment door, and the dispenser has a cavity to dispense at least one of water and ice. An opening is defined in the front surface of the refrigerating compartment door, and the opening is disposed below the cavity. An accommodation chamber is defined in the refrigerating compartment door to communicate with the opening, and the accommodation chamber has a bottom surface inclined downward toward the opening to accommodate a plurality of beverage containers. An auxiliary door is opened and closed to allow access to the opening. An insertion hole, through which the beverage container is inserted, is provided in a rear side of the accommodation chamber, and a cover allows access to the insertion hole.