A cooler has a body and a lid that co-operate. The lid is movable between closed and open positions. The lid is a freezable reservoir. A filler port is located inside the lid. The entrance of the filler port into the lid is located at a height part way between the inside and outside walls of the lid. The lid has a downwardly extending hollow peripheral formation. The filler port is spanwise inset from the peripheral formation. The lid has spanwise extending internal formations that stiffen the lid and divide the internal chamber into sub-volumes connected by necks through which liquid can flow. The inside and outside walls of the lid may be connected. The lid is provided with a fill to line visible from the filling port to discourage over-filling. The lid may have an insulated cap, and the cooler may have an insulated jacket.

An actively heated mug has a body with a chamber that can receive and hold a beverage and a heating element to actively heat the chamber, batteries, and circuitry that controls the operation of the heating element. A user interface is electrically connected to the circuitry and has one or more buttons actuatable a) to turn on the heating element, b) to adjust a temperature setting to one of multiple temperature settings to control the operation of the heating element to heat or maintain the liquid at a user selected temperature setting, and c) to turn off the heating element.

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.

The invention relates to packaging (10) for the cooled storage of at least one product (12), with (a) an outer casing (14) that comprises (i) a base (22) and (ii) at least three walls (24), (b) an inner compartment (16) for accommodating the product (12) and (c) a coolant compartment (18) that (i) surrounds the inner compartment (16) on at least three sides and (ii) is water-tight, wherein (d) the outer casing (14) surrounds the coolant compartment (18) and wherein (e) the outer casing (14) and the inner compartment (16) are designed in such a way that the coolant compartment (18) is water-tight and can be filled with water such that, after the water freezes, the water cools the products (12) in the inner compartment (16).

An actively heated drinkware container includes a vessel with a chamber that receives and holds a volume of liquid. The drinkware container includes a heating module with a first heating element operable to heat one portion of the chamber and a second heating element operable to heat another portion of the chamber, the second heating element spaced from the first heating element. Operation of the first and second heating elements generates a circulation current in the volume of liquid in the chamber that mixes the liquid and diffuses a temperature of the liquid to thereby reduce temperature stratification of the liquid in the chamber and so that a temperature of the liquid throughout the volume of liquid in the chamber is approximately uniform.

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.

The present invention relates to an ice formation device that can be used to form and store ice and ice cubes. The ice formation device includes an outer bucket, a cylinder, and a lid. The cylinder is sized to snugly fit within the outer bucket to form a water tight seal with the outer bucket. The outer bucket has channels and pockets that are filled with water when the cylinder is inserted into the outer bucket, and the water is frozen to form ice/ice cubes. The cylinder can be re-inserted into the outer bucket after ice is formed and stored in the outer bucket, to allow for subsequent ice formation when the outer bucket contains ice cubes that have been released from the outer bucket's channels and pockets. The ice formation device can also be used as an ice bucket for chilling a bottle or other items that can be placed inside the cylinder once ice has been formed between the cylinder and the outer bucket.

A dispenser system for providing variable carbonation can include a carbonated water source in communication with a carbonated water valve for controlling flow of carbonated water through the dispenser system; a still water source in communication with a still water valve for controlling flow of still water through the dispenser system; a nozzle in fluid communication with the carbonated water source and still water source; a processing device adapted to modulate the carbonated water and still water valves within a modulate cycle to achieve a ratio of carbonated to non-carbonated water; and a pour mechanism adapted to provide an input to the processing device to dispense the beverage.

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.

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.