The present application generally relates to devices and methods for transporting items, and it more specifically relates to insulated carriers for use in delivering temperature-controlled items such as perishable food.

A beverage chiller contains two compartments, allowing coolant to be introduced into the first compartment, and allowing a beverage to be introduced into the second compartment. Heat transfer between the first compartment and the second compartment allows for rapid cooling of the beverage.

The invention concerns a method for preparing a cold beverage with an apparatus (1) for mixing and storing a beverage, said apparatus comprising: a container body (2), comprising a floor (21) and a sidewall (22) extending upwardly and longitudinally from the floor to an upper edge (221), a removable and rotatable mixing device (23) positioned within the container body, a motor (3) cooperating with the mixing device (23) through the floor of the container body in order to rotate the mixing device, wherein the method comprises the step of: providing a mixing device (23), a part of said mixing device being covered with ice, positioning said mixing device in the container body (2) in order to cooperate with the motor, introducing at least one beverage liquid in the container body, actuating the motor (3) to rotate the mixing device in the at least one beverage liquid.

Product transport containers are disclosed. Such containers can provide one or more advantages compared to existing containers. For example, product transport containers described herein can maintain a product at a desired temperature for an extended period of time, including without the use of an active heating or cooling component. Such product transport containers described herein may also provide improved breathability, thermal insulation, and/or mechanical strength or dimensional stability. Such containers can include a plurality of walls defining an interior volume and a selectively openable side permitting movement of the product into and out of the interior volume of the container. The walls can be formed from a thermoformed non-woven fabric.

A method for calculating a dry ice block necessary to preserve a product during transport, includes calculating a surface area:weight ratio needed for the dry ice block to preserve the product in at least one of a chilled condition and a frozen condition, and forming the dry ice block into a shape having said surface area:weight ratio. A related apparatus is also provided.

Systems and devices cool content of individual beverage containers without sacrificing portability and cooling performance, and/or maintaining beverage containers cold. Exemplary implementations provide container having enclosed vertical double-wall structure with integral horizontal base defining interior space within enclosed vertical double-wall structure, or having wall structure formed from sheet of flexible material folded to form base and sealed along opposite sides of sheet to define interior space within wall structure and also having interior pocket formed by interior wall attached to interior surface wall structure. Interior space within wall structure is capable of accommodating at least one beverage container. Cooling material is sealed inside the double-wall structure, or removably placed inside interior pocket, to cool and/or maintain cold content of beverage container placed in interior space of container. Method includes providing container including wall structure accommodating cooling material and removably placing cooling material said structure.

The device includes a container (10) having a top (12) and a bottom (14). A receptacle (15) is formed in the container and joined to an orifice (22) at the bottom (14). A cooling medium (26) is contained within the receptacle and able to retain a cooling environment to cool the beverage. In one embodiment, a beverage container has an opening (72) that permits the emptying of the beverage from the container and a coolant capsule (73) within said container. The cooling capsule (73) contains a cooling medium and the capsule is dimensioned such that the capsule is larger than the opening (72) but has surface characteristics (77,78) which permit the beverage within the container to bypass the capsule (73) and to exit the opening.

An apparatus is described herein for storing and transporting food and beverages, comprising a rigid housing configured to fit within a container, the housing comprising a base and a wall extending outwardly from the base, the wall having an inner layer and an outer layer defining a space therebetween, a refreezable material disposed in the space, and a divider panel configured to be removably mounted in the housing. Other products, systems and methods also are disclosed.

A temperature-regulating apparatus is provided to rapidly cool a beverage to a desired temperature. In some variations, the geometry of the temperature-regulating apparatus is configured to rapidly cool a beverage incorporating one or more inner portions that contain a temperature regulating material, such as a phase change material having a high heat capacity. The geometry of the interior of the container may be configured to aid in rapid heat transfer between the beverage therein and the outer shell of the inner portion and may have a length to width aspect ratio of at least 4:1. The inner portion may be formed between the exterior wall of the container and by a single piece of formed metal that extends along the length, width and base walls to form the interior for receiving a beverage. The cavity formed between the outer shell and the exterior wall may be at least 15 mm deep.

The invention relates to a method for cooling a product, in particular an ice cream product, in which at least one cooling element (6, 7) is introduced into a cooling section of a cooling container and in which the product is introduced into a receiving space of the cooling container. The invention further relates to a corresponding cooling container.

The task of the invention is to create a method and a container for cooling a product, e.g. a ready-decorated ice-cream product, which takes into account the special properties of various product components and enables the product to be transported and delivered in optimum condition.

This task is solved by dividing the receiving space into two zones and cooling the first, lower zone of the receiving space to a first temperature below 10 C. and cooling the second, upper zone of the receiving space to a second temperature that is near or above the freezing point of water.