Disclosed is a drinking cup including a cup body and a cup bottom. The cup bottom is connected to one side of the cup body, the cup bottom and the cup body enclose a water-holding cavity with an opening opposite to the cup bottom, the water-holding cavity is configured for holding liquid drinks, the cup bottom is protruded toward the water-holding cavity to form a temperature regulating portion. The temperature regulating portion has a temperature regulating cavity inside, and the temperature regulating cavity is filled with heat exchange substances, to exchange heat with the liquid drinks. The present application solves the technical problem that the existing water cup cannot adjust the water temperature.

An apparatus for accommodating a beverage includes an outer vessel defining a vessel cavity for receiving a cooling agent, a container having a lid and a beverage receptacle and a port. The lid is configured for engagement with the outer vessel to releasably mount the container to the outer vessel. The beverage receptacle defines a receptacle chamber for accommodating a liquid beverage for consumption by a user. The receptacle chamber is isolated from the vessel cavity. The beverage receptacle comprises a thermal conductive material and is at least partially disposed within the vessel cavity of the outer vessel when the container is mounted to the outer vessel whereby thermal energy is transferred from the cooling agent to the liquid beverage. The port defines a port opening in fluid communication with the receptacle chamber to permit distribution of the liquid beverage to the user. The outer vessel and mounted container may be positioned within a freezing apparatus to freeze the cooling agent, e.g., water about the beverage receptacle.

A refrigerated food storage box has been disclosed. This refrigerated food storage box has an inner box comprising a set of inner walls and an inner base, together enclosing a food storage compartment. There is also an outer box comprising a set of outer walls and an outer base, wherein each outer wall is located at a predetermined distance from a corresponding inner wall and the outer base is located at the predetermined distance from the inner base, thereby creating a thermal cavity between the inner box and the outer box. There is at least one plate-type heat exchanger located within the thermal cavity, wherein each plate-type heat exchanger having a hollow cavity therein. Note that the hollow cavity capable of receiving temperature controlled air from a refrigeration unit, thereby capable of altering the temperature inside the food storage compartment.

A floating beverage holder designed to chill and maintain a cold beverage container in an upright position on water. The beverage holder includes an open cavity sized and shaped to accommodate a desired beverage container, or multiple beverage containers. A first sealed compartment substantially surrounds the cavity and includes a freezable material, such as water, refrigerant or a gel. A second compartment filled with a buoyant and insulative material, such as a polyurethane, substantially surrounds the first compartment. A hard outer shell protects the insulative material of the second compartment. The body of the holder is shaped to provide stability on the water surface.

An actively heated or cooled food container can have a lid movable between an open and a closed position and an insulated body to which the lid can be attached. The insulated body can have a sidewall that defines a perimeter of the container body and a base, the sidewall and base defining one or more chambers that can be sealed by the lid. The food container can have a temperature control system that can include one or more heating or cooling elements in thermal communication with one or both of the sidewall and the base and operable to heat or cool one or both of the sidewall and the base to thereby heat or cool the one or more chambers in the food container.

A container with active temperature control is provided. The container has a body with a chamber that receives a liquid. A temperature control system housed in the portable body has one or more heating element in thermal communication with at least a portion of the chamber to heat the liquid. Control circuitry controls the operation of the one or more heating elements and one or more power storage elements to provide electrical energy to the one or more heating element and/or control circuitry. The control circuitry controls the one or more heating elements to add heat to the liquid in the receiving portion to maintain the temperature of the liquid at a predetermined temperature or increase the temperature of the liquid above said predetermined temperature. The container can have a cooling element (e.g., a phase change material) that can remove heat from the liquid poured into the chamber.

A food service system is formed using a plurality of units capable of being interlocked together in a variety of customizable configurations. The units of the food service system include a food service bar with buffet pan chillers, a work table, a cashier station, and variety of connecting pieces for linking each of the units together. The food service bar comprises a sneeze guard that protects the food contained within the bar on three sides and can be broken down and folded down and into itself when the bar is being transported or stored. The buffet pan chillers are double sided and configured such that when frozen, may accommodate a shallow food pan on one side and then flipped over to accommodate a deep food pan on the other side while still maintaining the same serving height. Each unit is configured to receive multiple sizes of wheels or casters.

Disclosed embodiments include portable devices for cold chain storage and methods of fabricating portable devices for cold chain storage. In an illustrative embodiment, a portable device for cold chain storage includes a container defining therein a storage region. The container includes an inner cylinder, and the storage region is defined coaxially inwardly of the inner cylinder. The inner cylinder includes phase change material disposed therein, and the phase change material is in thermal communication with the storage region. The inner cylinder also includes evaporative coils disposed therein. The evaporative coils are embedded in the phase change material. The container also includes a thermally insulated outer cylinder. An outer wall of the outer cylinder is disposed radially outwardly of an outer wall of the inner cylinder.

A storage bin for a refrigerator appliance is provided. The storage bin defines a storage compartment for receiving food articles and may be removably received within a chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance. The storage bin may further include a carrying handle, such that it is easily portable outside the refrigerator appliance. The storage bin may have cold pack material and/or insulating material in its walls such that the storage compartment remains cool for a period of time after the storage bin is removed from the refrigerator appliance. Due to the fact that the storage bin is chilled and easily portable, it is ideal for grocery shopping, for taking on a picnic, or for any other use involving travel with food items that must remain cool during transport.

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.