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 container holder for holding multiple cylindrical containers. The container holder includes a base, a cover and an insert. The base and the cover each have (a) two opposing equal size vertical side walls, (b) two opposing equal size vertical end walls, and (c) a bottom portion connected to lower ends of the side and end walls. The base and cover have substantially equal length and width so that the cover can be placed on the base to form an assembled container holder with a substantially rectangular cuboid outer surface. The assembled container holder defines an interior space having a height approximately equal to the height of the containers. The interior space of the assembled container holder is capable of accommodating multiple cans with the cans in an upright orientation. The hold insert may contain a freezable liquid for placement between the containers to keep beverages in the containers cool.

A container with active temperature control system is provided. The active temperature control system is operated to heat or cool a chamber sized to receive a beverage therein.

A dispenser (1) for dispensing elongate beverage containers (2), in particular beverage cans, having: a housing (3) with a cylindrical housing part (4), a rear-side insertion opening (12) for inserting beverage containers (2) and a front-side removal element (6), open at the top, for removing the frontmost beverage container (2); a guide channel (10) with a sliding surface (11) sloping downwards towards the front for conveying the upright beverage containers (2) from the rear-side receiving opening (12) into the front-side removal element (6); a chiller device (9) for chilling the beverage containers (2); a clamping device (34) for clamping in place an edge region (35) of an advertising film (33) on the exterior of the cylindrical housing part (4), the clamping device (34) having, on a long side of the cylindrical housing part (4), a clamping strip (36) comprising at least one ventilation opening (37) for dissipating heated air from the chiller device (9) to the surroundings.

In accordance with the principals of the present invention, a frozen tube is adapted to securely surround the can, the frozen tube utilizing high heat capacity/thermal mass to wick heat from the beverage in the can. Contained within the frozen tube, a plurality of fins are provided thus acting as a heatsink. The presence of the fins act as a heatsink by increasing convective, conductive, and radiative heat dissipation if used in the absence of the frozen tube and conductive heat dissipation if used with the frozen tube.

A method and system is disclosed which provides for cooling beverage containers in a retail consumer multiple beverage container package which includes expandable corners, movable panels, and the ability to expand the interior space in the retail consumer multiple beverage container package so as to permit introduction of ice into the retail consumer multiple beverage container package. The interior space is expanded by stretching accordion joints between panels.

A phase change apparatus has a generally tubular housing with an open upper and lower end and a sidewall having inner and outer surfaces with a chamber defined therein. At least one of the surfaces is convoluted, and a phase change material is disposed in the chamber. The upper end of the generally tubular housing engaged the upper end of an insulated cup. At least one passage is defined between the inner and outer surfaces of the generally tubular housing to allow the flow of liquid when the cup is tilted. The phase change material disposed in the chamber absorbs thermal energy from the liquid and then releases the thermal energy back to the liquid to maintain the temperature of the liquid.

A system may include a beverage compartment with a beverage positioned therein, a wetted material disposed about the beverage, at least one sorption cartridge, and a vacuum pump. The sorption cartridge may be in communication with the beverage compartment, and the vacuum pump may be in communication with the sorption cartridge to create a vacuum in the sorption cartridge and the beverage compartment, causing water to evaporate from the wetted material and be captured by the sorption cartridge, thereby lowering the temperature of the wetted material and in turn cooling the beverage. In some instances, the sorption cartridge may be detached from the vacuum pump and the beverage compartment to discharge the captured water therein by way of solar energy. In other instances, the sorption cartridge may be in communication with a heater assembly to blow heated air through the sorption cartridge to discharge the captured water therein.

A cooling coaster includes a coaster body and an internal reservoir. The coaster body has an upper face, a lower face, a plurality of side faces between the upper and lower faces and a stabilizing structure. There is a lip at the upper face. A port communicates between the internal reservoir and one of the faces. A plug is configured to selective seal the port. A cooling substance is provided to the internal reservoir. A method for cooling a beverage includes providing a coaster body having an upper face, a lower face, and a plurality of side faces between the upper and lower faces, through a port, supplying a cooling substance to an internal reservoir in the coaster body and placing a plug in the port to seal the internal reservoir.

A novel self-cooling food product container apparatus and a process for manufacturing the same is disclosed. A self-cooling food product container combined with a substantive vapor transport system producing a humidification cooling process for cooling food and beverage products. Methods of assembling and operating the apparatus are also provided.