ICE BAG FOR COOLING OF A BEVERAGE

Abstract

The invention relates to an ice bag to cool a beverage without mixing the beverage and the coolant. The bag comprises a chamber (10, 11) for a beverage and a chamber (10, 11) for a coolant, preferable ice. The chambers are separated by a separation layer (12) of foil or plastic, and the beverage is cooled, when said separation layer is in contact with the beverage on one side and with the coolant on the other side.

Claims

1. An ice bag to cool a beverage, the ice bag comprises an inner chamber and an outer chamber, so that the outer chamber substantially surrounds the inner chamber; the inner chamber and the outer chamber are separated by a separation layer of foil or plastic; the inner chamber comprises i. a plurality of ice cube compartments, and ii. an inner inlet for filling a coolant, preferably water to be frozen, into the inner chamber, where the coolant is distributed between the plurality of ice cube compartments, the outer chamber comprises: i. an outer inlet for filling a beverage into the outer chamber, wherein the beverage is cooled, when said separation layer, which separates the inner chamber and the outer chamber, is in contact with the beverage and with the coolant, the ice bag is made of a soft plastic material, and the inner chamber and the outer chamber are either fixed to the same closure element or each comprises a closure element, the closure element(s) is/are resealable mechanisms.

2. The ice bag according to claim 1, wherein the inner chamber comprises at least one or two inner foil sheets, the inner foil sheets constitutes the separation layer between the inner chamber and the outer chamber, and the outer chamber comprises at least one or two outer foil sheets.

3. The ice bag according to claim 2, wherein the inner foil sheets comprises an outer periphery, and two inner foil sheets are joined together by a peripheral joint extending along the major part of the outer periphery of said inner foil sheets, with the exception of a peripheral areal constituting the inner inlet.

4. The ice bag according to claim 2, wherein the outer foil sheets comprises an outer periphery, and the two outer foil sheets are joined together by a peripheral joint extending along the major part of the outer periphery of said outer foil sheets, forming the outer chamber, with the exception of a peripheral areal constituting the outer inlet and the inner inlet.

5. The ice bag according to claim 2, wherein the inner foil sheets and the outer foil sheets comprises an outer periphery, and the two inner foil sheets and the two outer foil sheets are all joined together by a peripheral joint extending along the major part of said outer periphery of said foil sheets with the exception of a peripheral areal constituting the inner inlet and the outer inlet.

6. The ice bag according to claim 1, wherein the inner chamber and the outer chamber both are connected and fixed to the same closure element, the closure element is adapted to open and close the inner inlet, and the closure element is adapted to open and close the outer inlet.

7. The ice bag according to claim 6, wherein the closure element for closing and opening the inner and the outer inlets is a resealable mechanism, preferably a slider zipper, a plastic seal, a zip-lock, an adhesive strip or a Velcro strip.

8. The ice bag according to claim 1 wherein the inner chamber is divided by separate joints into a plurality of ice cube compartments.

9. The ice bag according to claim 1, wherein the inner chamber comprises through-going passages allowing the beverage in the outer chamber to pass through the passages in the inner chamber from one position in the outer chamber to another position in the outer chamber.

10. The ice bag according to claim 1, wherein the ice bag is made of a plastic material, which preferable is polyethylene.

11. The ice bag according to claim 1, wherein the inner chamber is made of a thinner layer of plastic material than the outer chamber.

12. The ice bag according to claim 1, wherein the inner chamber is made of one plastic material and the outer chamber is made of another plastic material.

13. The ice bag according to claim 1, wherein the ice bag comprises a handle.

14. An ice bag for cooling of a beverage, the ice bag comprises an inner chamber and an outer chamber, so that the outer chamber substantially surrounds the inner chamber; the inner chamber and the outer chamber are separated by a separation layer of foil or plastic; the outer chamber comprises i. a plurality of ice cube compartments, and ii. an outer inlet for filling a coolant, preferably water to be frozen, into the outer chamber, where the coolant is distributed between the plurality of ice cube compartments, the inner chamber comprises: i. an inner inlet for filling a beverage into the inner chamber, wherein cooling of the beverage is provided when said separation layer, which separates the inner chamber and the outer chamber, is in contact with the beverage and with the coolant, the ice bag is made of a soft plastic material, and the inner chamber and the outer chamber are either fixed to the same closure element or each comprises a closure element, the closure element(s) is/are resealable mechanisms.

15. A method for cooling a beverage using an ice bag according to claim 1, the method comprises the following steps: a. filling the inner chamber with a coolant, preferable water, b. freezing the coolant to ice, c. filling the outer chamber with the beverage to be cooled.

16. A method for cooling a beverage using an ice bag according to claim 15, the method comprises the following steps: a. filling the outer chamber with a coolant, preferable water, b. freezing the coolant to ice, c. filling the inner chamber with the beverage to be cooled.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0106] The ice bag according to the invention will now be described in more detail with regard to the accompanying figures. The figures show one way of implementing the present invention and is not to be construed as being limiting to other possible embodiments falling within the scope of the attached claim set.

[0107] FIG. 1 shows the ice bag filled with coolant and beverage.

[0108] FIG. 2 shows a cross section of the ice bag.

[0109] FIG. 3 shows the ice bag made of four foil layers.

[0110] FIG. 4 shows the inner chamber.

[0111] FIG. 5 shows the ice bag from the front.

[0112] FIG. 6a shows the closure element from the top.

[0113] FIG. 6b shows the closure element with the inner inlet opened.

[0114] FIG. 6c shows the closure element with the outer inlet opened.

[0115] FIGS. 7a and 7b shows an embodiment, where the inner foil sheets are shorter than the outer foil sheets.

[0116] FIG. 8 shows an embodiment, where the inner foil sheets are less wide than the outer foil sheets.

[0117] FIG. 9 shows an embodiment, where the inner foil sheets are less wide and shorter than the outer foil sheets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

[0118] FIG. 1 shows the ice bag 1 filled with coolant and beverage. The ice bag is substantially rectangular in shape comprising two long sides 47 and two short sides 48. The outside of the ice bag is visible, with the outer foil sheet 17 forming the outer chamber 11 and the closure element 30 comprising the inner inlet 14 and the outer inlet 15. The inner inlet 14 and the outer inlet 15 preferable are placed in one of the short sides 48.

[0119] The inner chamber 10 of the ice bag may be partly visible through the outer foil sheet 17 and the beverage, with ice cube compartments 13. The stop 31 separates the inner inlet and the outer inlet. An inner opening slider 32 is movable along the inner inlet to open or close the inner inlet. An outer opening slider 33 is movable along the outer inlet to open or close the outer inlet. In FIG. 1, both the inner opening slider 32 and the outer opening slider 33 are in a closed position. The two other foil sheets 17 are joined together at the outer periphery 29. An air layer 39 is formed in the outer chamber 11 in the part of the ice bag facing upward.

[0120] FIG. 2 shows a cross section of the ice bag 1. The ice bag comprises an inner chamber 10 and an outer chamber 11. The inner chamber 10 is divided in a number of ice cube compartments 13, where the ice cube departments are separated by separate joints 18. The ice bag is full with water or ice in the ice cube compartments 13 of the inner chamber 10 and wine in the outer chamber 11. An air layer 39 is formed, in the part of the ice bag facing upward, at the upper placed of the outer foil sheets 17.

[0121] The inner chamber is made of two inner foil sheets 16. Water may be filled into the inner chamber 10 through an inner inlet in the closure element 30. The water is divided between the ice cube compartments 13. Water may pass through small openings in the separate joints 18 to fill all the ice cube compartments. The outer chamber 11 is surrounding the inner chamber 10. The outer chamber is made of two outer foil sheets 17. Beverage to be cooled may be poured into the ice bag through the outer inlet in the closure element 30. The inner foil sheets 16 is forming the separation layer 12 separating the inner chamber 10 and the outer chamber 11, avoiding the beverage and the ice/water to be mixed. Further, the thin separation layer 12 ensures a close contact for heat exchange between the coolant/ice in the inner chamber and the beverage in the outer chamber.

[0122] When water has been filled into the inner chamber 10, the ice bag 1 may be placed in a freezer to freeze the water to ice. When a beverage needs cooling the ice bag is taken from the freezer and the beverage is poured into the outer chamber. The ice bag then cools down the beverage.

[0123] FIG. 3 shows that the ice bag may be made of four foil layers, two inner foil layers 16 and two outer foil layers 17. First, the two inner foil layers are joined together to form the inner chamber by joining the outer periphery 29 of the two inner foil layers, except at the location of the inlet. Then the separation joints are made in the inner chamber. Next, the outer foil layers are joined to the inner foil layers by joining the outer periphery 29 of all foil layers, except at the location of the inner and outer inlets.

[0124] The four foil layers in FIG. 3 are rectangular in shape having two long sides 47 and two short sides 48. But, the foil layers may have any shape suitable for making an ice bag.

[0125] FIG. 4 shows the inner chamber 10. The inner chamber is made of two inner foil sheets 16 joined at the outer periphery 29 with the peripheral joint 23, except at the location of the inner inlet 14. FIG. 4 shows the inner chamber, before the outer chamber is added, and before the closure element is added.

[0126] Separate joints 24 are made to divide the inner chamber in several ice cube compartments 26. The separate joints 24 may be shorter than the ice cube compartments 26. A separate joint 24 between two ice cube compartments 26 may comprise individual joints (not shown), where the separation joint is divided in several individual joints with a small opening between each individual joint, allowing water to flow from one ice cube compartment to another ice cube compartment. Water can also flow from one ice cube compartment to the next ice cube compartment through openings 28 next to the separation joints 24. Thereby, all ice cube compartments 26 in the inner chamber 10 can be filled by water poured into the inner chamber through the inner inlet 14.

[0127] Through-going passages 25 may be made in the inner chamber 10 by welding or melting the edges of the through-going passages 25 to join the two inner foil sheets together, making a passage from one side of the inner chamber to the other side of the inner chamber.

[0128] In FIG. 4 the through-going passages 25 are placed in the lower part of the inner chamber 10, but the through-going passages may be placed in any position in the inner chamber.

[0129] FIG. 5 shows the ice bag 1 from the front. Therefore, only one of the outer foil sheets 17 can be seen. The opposite placed outer foil sheet is not visible. The inner foil sheets 16 with the ice cube compartments 26 are visible through the outer foil sheet 17. All the foil sheets are joined together by a peripheral joint 23 in the outer periphery 29. Also, the foil sheets are joined to the closure element 30. The closure element forms an inner inlet 14 and an outer inlet 15. A stop 31 is made in the closure element between the inner inlet and the outer inlet.

[0130] The bag may also comprises a handle 41 as shown on FIG. 5, which may be made by the two outer foil sheets having an additional section, in which a handle may be made, to make it easier to carry the ice bag 1. The handle 41 is located at one of the long sides 47 of the ice bag, the handle has about the same length as the bag. Preferable, the handle is located at the long side 47 furthest away from the outer inlet 15. Preferably, four finger holes 40 are placed centred at the middle of the handle 40, through which fingers can be entered holding the bag. Centring the holes gives a better balance, when walking with it. The finger holes are about 2 cm wide, with about 1 cm between them.

[0131] FIG. 6a shows the closure element 30 from the top. The closure element comprises a slider zipper 34 made of plastic material; the slider zipper comprises a first zipper strip 35 and a second zipper strip 36. The first zipper strip and the second zipper strip can engage each other to close the slider zipper, or they can be separated to open the slider zipper.

[0132] The slider zipper 34 is divided in two parts, the inner inlet 14 and the outer inlet 15. A stop 31 divides the inner inlet and the outer inlet. The inner inlet and the outer inlet can be opened or closed separately. An inner opening slider 32 can open or close the inner inlet. In FIG. 6a, the inner inlet is closed, as the first zipper strip 35 and the second zipper strip 36 engages closing the inner inlet. An outer opening slider 33 can open or close the outer inlet. In FIG. 6a, the outer inlet 15 is closed as the first zipper strip 35 and the second zipper strip 36 engages closing the outer inlet.

[0133] The inner inlet 14 can be opened by moving the inner opening slider towards the stop 31, the inner opening slider then separates the first zipper strip 35 and the second zipper strip 36, opening the inner inlet. When moving the inner opening slider away from the stop 31 towards the long side of the ice bag, then the inner opening slider makes the first zipper strip and the second zipper strip engage, and thereby closing the inner inlet.

[0134] Likewise, the outer inlet 15 can be opened by moving the outer opening slider 33 towards the stop 31, and the outer inlet can be closed by moving the outer opening slider 33 away from the stop 31 towards the side of the ice bag.

[0135] FIG. 6b shows that when the inner opening slider 32 is moved to engage the stop 31, the inner inlet 14 is fully open. The outer inlet 15 is closed as the outer opening slider 33 still is in the closed position.

[0136] FIG. 6c shows that when the outer opening slider 33 is moved to engage the stop 31, the outer inlet 15 is fully open. The outer inlet 14 is closed as the inner opening slider 32 still is in the closed position.

[0137] FIGS. 7a, 7b and 7c shows an alternative embodiment, where the inner foil sheets 16 are shorter than the outer foil sheets 17. This leaves a passage 71 below the inner chamber 10, where the beverage can move from one side of the inner chamber to the other side of the inner chamber. FIG. 7c shows the ice bag 1 made of the outer foil sheets 17 and inner foil sheets 16, with the passage 71 below the inner foil sheets, and the closure element 30. The inner foil sheets 16 are shown with a dotted line, as it is inside the ice bag 1, covered by the outer foil sheet 17.

[0138] FIGS. 8 and 9 shows alternative embodiments, where the inner foil sheets 16, shown with a dotted line, are less wide than the outer foil sheets 17. In FIG. 8, the inner foil sheets 16 are joined with the outer foil sheets 17 in the bottom and at the closing element 30. In FIG. 9, the inner foil sheets 16 are both less wide and shorter than the outer foil sheet 17, and the inner foil sheets 16 and the outer foil sheets 17 are only joined at the closing element 30.

[0139] The opening for the inner chamber has a flexible open-close function. This means that the user can decide for himself which cooling medium he wants to use, which can provide increased functionality. If the inner chamber is filled with e.g. diluted juice, this will be able to function as a cooling medium during freezing. When the liquid that is to be cooled has been poured into the outer chamber, cooled and poured out again, part of the cooling medium in the inner chamber, e.g. the diluted juice, will have melted into liquid. This cold liquid (juice water) can then-through the flexible closing function-be poured out and also enjoyed chilled. In short, a two-in-one function-cold wine for the adults and juice for the children in the same ice pack. Correspondingly, you will also be able to choose to pour juice concentrate into the inner chamber and general water in the outer chamber. Cold chilled water can then be mixed with melted juice concentrate.

[0140] The inner chamber is constructed like an ice cube bag in thin plastic-outer chamber also is in thin plastic-when using, the liquid that you want to cool may be poured into the outer chamber and then poured out. The ice cubes in the inner chamber itself have such a large cooling capacity that there are still ice cubes in the inner chamber after usealthough they have of course become a little smaller due to the meltdown. It is possible to use these residual ice cubes to cool other liquids, e.g. soda as regular ice cubes, as both the inner chamber and the outer chamber are made of thin PE plastic, which can be easily broken to gain access to the ice cubes. You could say that it is another two-in-one functioncold wine and cold soda/drinks at the same time.

[0141] The ice bag is designed in the preferred embodiment so that the cooling element (inner chamber) is in the middle of the liquid (the through-going passages and the practical filling of liquid means that the liquid will always be distributed on both sides of the cold inner chamber. The ice bag cooling from the middle, has the effect that the cold inner chamber can cool from both sides simultaneously (large cooling surface), which enables a very fast cooling, a bottle of wine from 21 degrees to 6 degrees in 5 min. This construction makes, that you can get a much higher cooling effect per volume (cm.sup.3), than a construction which only cool from the outside. This good cooling effect means that the ice bag can remain relatively compact and can thus be placed more easily in a fridge-freezer and easy to take away from home.

[0142] The material the ice bag is made of is a soft thin transparent plastic film (PE). This makes the cooling unit very compact and flexible, which means that it can very easily fit in a fridge-freezer, as it can be positioned so that it adapts to the other frozen goods in the freezer. The thin plastic film (e.g. 35 m) in the inner chamber also helps to ensure a very fast cooling transfer effect between ice and liquid. The other patents referred to have a thicker material between the cooling element and liquid, which the cooling must first pass through. The soft transparent foil of both the outer and inner chamber also means that it is easy to feel by physically touching the bag whether the cooling element (the ice cubes) has arrived in solid form and is therefore ready for use. The other patents that refer to the cooling element hidden in a solid form without temperature identification and this makes it difficult to see when the cooling unit has reached a sufficiently low temperature so that it can be used.

[0143] The ice bag has a special construction of the outer chamber in thin flexible PE plastic and is only welded around the perimeter. The special construction with the thin soft plastic foil of the outer chamber means that when the ice bag is put into use and laid flat, the outer chamber automatically adapts to the liquid in the ice bag. The liquid settles at the bottom against the outer chamber and the flexible outer chamber ensures that the inner chamber with the ice cubes will always float on top of this liquid. The through-going holes and the practical filling ensure that liquid also gets on the upper side of the ice bag.

[0144] The floating inner ice-chamber with through-going holes actually increase the relative cooling effectcooling per cm.sup.3 liquid in the outer chamberas the liquid in the outer chamber is being taped/reduced. The floating inner chamber-laid flat in a vertical positionhas the same cooling contact surface, above and beneth, the floating inner ice-chamber, wether the outer chamber is 100% full of liquid or e.g. only 50% full. This is based on the natural principle that ice has a lower desity then liquid, e.g. wine, hence allways float independently of the actual liquid volume in the outer chamber.

[0145] Known prior art products have a fixed cooling contruction, hence having a reduced cooling effect, when liquid is being taped/reduced. Some of the cooling surface in known prior art products will not be in contact with the remaining liquid, but air instead, when the liquid volume becomes less after taping. Hence the cooling effectiveness and cooling speed becomes less comparred to the cooling performance of this invention.

[0146] The upper part of the flexible outer chamber, when in use it lies flat on a surface, also has the function of automatically adapting to the amount of liquid and air that lies above the ice cubes/inner chamber. Due to the through-going holes in the inner chamber, the air that is always in the ice bag during use will always settle at the top. I.e. when the ice bag lies flat, the air will be trapped between the inner chamber with the ice cubes and the upper outer chamber part that faces upwards. This air will always be warmer than the liquid, since this air gets heat through the plastic foil from room temperature, but the liquid is cooled by ice in the inner chamber. Since the air in the upper part of the bag is relatively warmer and the outer chamber is flexible, the outer chamber facing upwards will be inflated and form an air cushion insulation between room temperature and the cold inner chamber, which is very effective because good insulating properties of air. This has the very special function that the insulation effect from the air cushion actually gets better and better, the less liquid there is in the ice bag. That is the more you pour from the ice pack, the better the remaining liquid is isolated.

[0147] Through-going holes in the inner chamber allow for accelerated cooling through greater liquid flow past the cooling medium/inner chamber. The through-going holes in the inner chamber enable the liquid that is to be cooled to easily circulate around the cold inner chamber, which increases the cooling speed. This can e.g. be done by turning the ice bag from one end to the other when it is lying on a flat surface. You get a similar effect if you transport the ice pack away from home, which automatically creates a little liquid movement in the ice pack.

[0148] In exemplary embodiments E1-E15, the invention may relate to:

[0149] E1. An ice bag to cool a beverage, the ice bag (1) comprises an inner chamber (10) and an outer chamber (11), so that the outer chamber substantially surrounds the inner chamber; [0150] the inner chamber (10) and the outer chamber (11) are separated by a separation layer (12) of foil or plastic; [0151] the inner chamber (10) comprises [0152] i. a plurality of ice cube compartments (13), and [0153] ii. an inner inlet (14) for filling a coolant, preferably water to be frozen, into the inner chamber (10), where the coolant is distributed between the plurality of ice cube compartments (13), [0154] the outer chamber (11) comprises: [0155] i. an outer inlet (15) for filling a beverage into the outer chamber (11), [0156] wherein the beverage is cooled, when said separation layer (12), which separates the inner chamber (10) and the outer chamber (11), is in contact with the beverage and with the coolant.

[0157] E2. The ice bag according to embodiment E1, wherein the inner chamber (10) comprises at least one or two inner foil sheets (16), the inner foil sheets constitutes the separation layer (12) between the inner chamber (10) and the outer chamber (11), and the outer chamber comprises at least one or two outer foil sheets (17).

[0158] E3. The ice bag according to embodiment E2, wherein the inner foil sheets (16) comprises an outer periphery (29), and two inner foil sheets (16) are joined together by a peripheral joint (23) extending along the major part of the outer periphery (29) of said inner foil sheets (16), with the exception of a peripheral areal constituting the inner inlet (14).

[0159] E4. The ice bag according to any of the embodiments E2 or E3, wherein the outer foil sheets (17) comprises an outer periphery (29), and the two outer foil sheets (17) are joined together by a peripheral joint (23) extending along the major part of the outer periphery (29) of said outer foil sheets (17), forming the outer chamber (11), with the exception of a peripheral areal constituting the outer inlet (15) and the inner inlet (14).

[0160] E5. The ice bag according to any of the embodiments 2-4, wherein the inner foil sheets (16) and the outer foil sheets (17) comprises an outer periphery (29), and the two inner foil sheets (16) and the two outer foil sheets (17) are all joined together by a peripheral joint (23) extending along the major part of said outer periphery (29) of said foil sheets with the exception of a peripheral areal constituting the inner inlet (14) and the outer inlet (15).

[0161] E6. The ice bag according to any of the embodiments 1-5, wherein the inner chamber (10) and the outer chamber (11) both are connected and fixed to the same closure element (30), the closure element is adapted to open and close the inner inlet (14), and the closure element is adapted to open and close the outer inlet (15).

[0162] E7. The ice bag according to any of the embodiment 6, wherein the closure element (30) for closing and opening the inner and the outer inlets (14, 15) is a resealable mechanism, preferably a slider zipper, a plastic seal, a zip-lock, an adhesive strip or a Velcro strip.

[0163] E8. The ice bag according to any of the embodiments 1-7 wherein the inner chamber (10) is divided by separate joints (24) into a plurality of ice cube compartments (26).

[0164] E9. The ice bag according to any of the embodiments 1-8, wherein the inner chamber (10) comprises through-going passages (25) allowing the beverage in the outer chamber (11) to pass through the passages (25) in the inner chamber (10) from one position in the outer chamber (11) to another position in the outer chamber (11).

[0165] E10. The ice bag according to any of the embodiments 1-9, wherein the ice bag (1) is made of a plastic material, which preferable is polyethylene.

[0166] E11. The ice bag according to any of the embodiments 1-10, wherein the inner chamber (10) is made of a thinner layer of plastic material than the outer chamber (11).

[0167] E12. The ice bag according to any of the embodiments 1-11, wherein the inner chamber (10) is made of one plastic material and the outer chamber (11) is made of another plastic material.

[0168] E13. The ice bag according to any of the embodiments 1-12, wherein the ice bag comprises a handle.

[0169] E14. An ice bag for cooling of a beverage, the ice bag (1) comprises an inner chamber (10) and an outer chamber (11), so that the outer chamber substantially surrounds the inner chamber; [0170] the inner chamber (10) and the outer chamber (11) are separated by a separation layer (12) of foil or plastic; [0171] the outer chamber (11) comprises [0172] iii. a plurality of ice cube compartments (13), and [0173] iv. an outer inlet (15) for filling a coolant, preferably water to be frozen, into the outer chamber (11), where the coolant is distributed between the plurality of ice cube compartments, [0174] the inner chamber (10) comprises: [0175] i. an inner inlet (14) for filling a beverage into the inner chamber, [0176] wherein cooling of the beverage is provided when said separation layer (12), which separates the inner chamber and the outer chamber, is in contact with the beverage and with the coolant.

[0177] E15. A method for cooling a beverage using an ice bag according to embodiments 1-14, the method comprises the following steps: [0178] a. filling the inner chamber (10) with water, [0179] b. freezing the water to ice, [0180] c. filling the outer chamber (11) with the beverage to be cooled.

[0181] Although the present invention has been described in connection with the specified embodiments, it should not be construed as being in any way limited to the presented examples. The scope of the present invention is set out by the accompanying claim set. In the context of the claims, the terms comprising or comprises do not exclude other possible elements or steps. Also, the mentioning of references such as a or an etc. should not be construed as excluding a plurality. The use of reference signs in the claims with respect to elements indicated in the figures shall also not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Furthermore, individual features mentioned in different claims, may possibly be advantageously combined, and the mentioning of these features in different claims does not exclude that a combination of features is not possible and advantageous.