A thermal-transfer container sleeve system and method for warming, cooling, or maintaining the temperature of a fluid inside a thermally-conductive container. The thermal-transfer container sleeve is portable, is non-electric and non-fuel-burning, and is not itself a fluid container, which might not be allowed in some places or circumstances. The thermal-transfer container sleeve is easily pre-heated or pre-cooled with standard kitchen equipment. The thermal-transfer container sleeve provides high-thermal-capacitance units attached to the inside of an insulation sleeve in a way that maximizes thermal contact with the thermally-conductive container, but provides additional surface area when not mounted upon a thermally-conductive container to increase the efficiency of pre-heating or pre-cooling.

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 bottle storage includes: a container that contains a bottle; a cooling-warming apparatus surrounding a position where the bottle is contained in the container; a device having a cooling surface facing the bottle and a heat generating surface facing away from the bottle; and a coolant that cools the heat generating surface of the device. The cooling on the cooling surface is performed by current flowing to the device.

An apparatus for conductive and convective cooling of the liquid contents of bottles in a thermally insulating chest. A plate with spaced holes each for receiving a respective bottle with a gap between each of the bottles and the side of the respective hole. A set of legs for supporting and stabilizing the plate within the chest and crushed ice, ice cubes and the like filling the volume between the plate's support surface, the exposed upper portions of the bottles and the associated sides of the chest. Conductive cooling is attained through direct contact between the bottles and the ice. Convective cooling occurs through the liquid contents of the bottles, the colder, more dense liquids in the upper portions of the bottles flowing down into and displacing the less dense and warmer liquid contents upwardly toward the ice.

A bottle storage includes a container that contains a bottle; a cooling-warming apparatus provided to surround a position where the bottle is contained; and an image capturer that captures an image of the bottle contained in the container. The cooling-warming apparatus has a gap at least at a portion of the cooling-warming apparatus corresponding to at least a part of an image capturing region of the image capturer.

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.

The present invention as disclosed herein surrounds a cooling apparatus configured to provide an enclosed envelope and cooling-pack for a reduced form-factor. Embodiments of the present invention provide a cooling apparatus for the transportation of beverage containers in a manner that keeps them colder for longer periods than transport within a non-insulated transportation device. The efficient and compact cooling of beverage containers as provided by the present invention in certain embodiments allows the user to transport the cooling apparatus within a backpack, handbag or other secondary transportation device.

It is an object to provide a heat storage medium capable of maintaining the latent heat capacity even if a supercooling inhibitor is added. A heat storage medium according to an aspect of the present invention is a heat storage medium which undergoes a phase change at a predetermined temperature and contains water, a main agent made of a quaternary ammonium salt forming a semi-clathrate hydrate, a pH adjustor maintaining alkalinity, and a nucleating agent generating cations exhibiting positive hydration. The heat storage medium separates into a first liquid layer containing the main agent and a second liquid layer containing the nucleating agent in an environment with a temperature exceeding the phase change temperature.

An apparatus for cooling a fluid includes a cooling medium (32) and a drive mechanism (37). The cooling medium (32) is arranged to accept, in use, an insert (36) comprising a fluid contained by a wall such that the cooling medium is in thermal contact with a first side of the wall and causes heat from the fluid in contact with a second side of the wall to flow through the wall to the first side to cool the fluid. The drive mechanism (37) is arranged to apply a series of shock accelerations to the wall of the insert for a period of time during cooling of the fluid.

There are provided a cooler container, cold tray, and red wine server in which it is possible to adjust the temperature of an outer surface on the buffer layer side of the container to a temperature that differs from the melting point of a freezing material. The cooler container adjusts temperature of an object to be cooled that includes a beverage or food product, the cooler container having at least a region with a hollow structure, the cooler container including: a thermal storage layer in the region, the thermal storage layer containing a freezing material that changes phase at a specific temperature; and at least one buffer layer in the region, the at least one buffer layer being separated from the thermal storage layer in the region and containing an antifreeze material that is a fluid at a phase transition temperature of the freezing material. The provision of the at least one intervening buffer layer enables the temperature of the outer surface on the buffer layer side of the container to differ from the melting point of the freezing material.