BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates generally to a cooling device for a beverage and more specifically to a cooling device which may be attached to a beverage container to cool the beverage as it flows from the container through the device.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0002] The invention provides a cooling device for a beverage which includes a container which is attachable to a beverage container, into which is placed a coolant substance, and which has an inlet formation, an outlet formation and a channel former which, when disposed in the container and appropriately orientated, extends from the inlet formation to the outlet formation.

[0003] The beverage container may be attached to the inlet, allowing the beverage to flow from the beverage container through the inlet formation.

[0004] The coolant substance may be a liquid, such as water, or a gel-like substance Alternatively, the coolant substance may include at least two reactants that react together endothermically.

[0005] The coolant material may be an aqueous admixture in which a flavouring, a sweetener or a colorant may be dissolved or suspended.

[0006] Once the coolant material is placed within the container, it may be cooled, by any appropriate means. [0007] The channel former may be withdrawn from the container to provide a passage through the coolant material, extending from the inlet formation to the outlet formation.

[0008] The cooling device may include a perforated tubular member which is inserted into the passage, once the channel former is removed, to extend there along.

[0009] Alternatively, the channel former is tubular and the tubular member extends within the channel former prior to the channel former being removed from the container.

[0010] The channel former and the tubular member may be removably attached to the inlet or the outlet of the container. Preferably the channel former is attached to the outlet formation whilst the tubular member is attached to the inlet formation.

[0011] The channel former and the tubular member may each include attachment means for engagement with the inlet or outlet formation.

[0012] The respective attachment means may include a resiliently deformable annular ring which slips over a mouth of the beverage container to locate adjacent an under surface of a lip of the mouth to resist withdrawal of the device from the mouth.

[0013] The respective attachment means may include a first threaded arrangement for engagement with complementary threads of the inlet formation or the outlet formation, as the case may be and, alternatively to the annular ring, a second threaded arrangement for engagement with complementary threads on the beverage container mouth. [0014] The inlet and outlet of the container may be diametrically opposed.

[0015] The container may be any suitable shape, for example spherical or ovoid.

[0016] The inlet formation may be either a recessed formation, recessed within the container body, or a projecting formation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The invention is further described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates, in perspective, a cooling device in accordance with a first embodiment engaged with a beverage container;

Figure 2 illustrates in exploded perspective, the cooling device of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 illustrates in longitudinal section, the cooling device of Figure 1 engaged with the beverage container;

Figure 4 illustrates in exploded perspective, a cooling device in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 illustrates, in longitudinal section, the cooling device of Figure 4;

Figure 6 illustrates, in exploded perspective, a cooling device in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention;

Figure 7 illustrates, in longitudinal section, the cooling device of Figure 6;

Figure 8 illustrates, in exploded perspective, the cooling device in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention; and Figure 9 illustrates, in longitudinal section, the cooling device of Figure 8. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0018] The accompanying drawing illustrates a cooling device 10, in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, which includes a spherical container 12, in this embodiment, shaped like a soccer ball, made of a suitable plastics material, in which is located a coolant material 14, which in this particular embodiment is water which is subsequently frozen.

[0019] It must be understood that the use of water can in no way be interpreted to limit the generality of coolant materials that may be used in the cooling device 10 of the invention and that any suitable liquid or gel material can be used in its stead. And, when describing the various embodiments of the invention, like reference numerals denote like features.

[0020] The container has an outlet formation 16, which includes a mouth 18 and a threaded neck 20 (see Figures 2 and 3). The device includes a cap 22 which is threadedly engaged with the thread of the neck to close the drinking outlet 16.

[0021] Diametrically opposed to the outlet 16 is an inlet formation 24 which includes an internally threaded formation 25 defining an inlet 26.

[0022] A channel former 28 is provided which has a cylindrical elongate member 30 which has, at one end, a stopper 32, comprising an axially inner threaded section 34, which is shaped and dimensioned complementarily to the threaded formation 25, and an axially outer cap section 36, which is internally threaded to engage with a threaded mouth 38 of a beverage container 40.

[0023] In use, the channel former 28 is inserted into the container 12, through the inlet 26, with the member 30 leading, until a leading edge 41 of the threaded section 34 abuts a lip 44 of the inlet formation. At this point, to engage the channel former

28 with the container 12, the channel former is axially rotated so that the threaded section engages with the threaded formation 25. Once fully engaged, the channel former substantially extends between the inlet formation 24 and the outlet formation 16. [0024] An annular seal 42 is provided, in use seated at a base of the threaded section 34, between this section 34 and the cap section 36, to provide watertight engagement of the channel former 28 with the lip 44 of the inlet formation 24.

[0025] Before the former 28 is fully engaged with the container 12, not yet fully extending between the inlet and the outlet formations, water is introduced into the container, via the mouth 18, which flows into the container between the walls of the container and the channel former. The former can then be engaged to its full extent within the container before the water is frozen, by any suitable means.

[0026] Once the water is frozen, the channel former can be unscrewed from the threaded formation 25 and the elongate member 30 withdrawn from the container to leave a cylindrical passage formed in the ice, extending from the inlet formation 24 to the outlet formation 16. [0027] The elongate member 30 can be manufactured from a material which limits adherence of the ice to its surface thus facilitating relatively easy withdrawal.

[0028] The device 10 can then be engaged with the mouth 38 of the beverage container 40 (as described above). Once the device 10A is fixed to the beverage container in this manner, a person (not shown) can use the device to cool the beverage content of the beverage container by placing his mouth over the outlet formation 16 and, by tilting the container 40 and cooling device 10A combination, allow the beverage to flow from the container 40, through the ice channel, to his mouth. As the beverage flows through the passage, it is cooled by contact with the ice. The ice melts as a consequence and dilutes the beverage and, if the ice contains a flavouring or colorant, the beverage will be flavoured or coloured accordingly.

[0029] In another embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the cooling device 10A has an elongate member 30A which is tubular and therefore provides a conduit 50 through which the beverage, from the beverage container 38, can flow from the inlet formation 24 to the outlet formation 16. In this embodiment, the channel former 28A need not to be removed. The beverage flowing through the conduit 50 is then cooled as it comes into contact with the cooled walls of the tubular elongate member 30A cooled by the surrounding ice. [0030] A conduit plug (not shown) can be inserted, into an open end of the conduit

50 of the elongate member 30A of the cooling device 10A to prevent water from filling the conduit 50. [0031] In a further embodiment of the invention, a cooling device 10B is provided which includes, in addition to the channel former 28, a perforated tubular device 52 (see Figures 6 and 7). This device 52 differs from the channel former 28A of the second embodiment in that the counterpart to the elongate member 30 of the former 28A is a perforated tubular member 54 which includes a plurality of axially arranged parallel perforations 56. It is contemplated to be within the scope of the invention that the perforations can be of any shape and orientation on the member 54. At one end of the elongate member 54, like the channel former 28 and 28A, there is a respective stopper 32, a threaded section 34 and a cap section 36.

[0032] Once the channel former 28 has been removed from the container 12 and a passage has been formed in the ice, the perforated tubular device 52 is inserted into the container, tubular member 54 leading, to extend within and along the passage, and engaged with the inlet formation 24 of the container 12 in much the same manner as described with respect to the channel former 28 in the preceding paragraphs.

[0033] Unlike with the channel former 28A, the inclusion of a perforated tubular member 54 in the passage allows direct contact of the beverage with the ice, through the perforations, as it flows through the tubular member. Once again the ice will partially melt and mix with the beverage thus diluting it and, if the ice includes a flavouring or colorant, these additives will impart to the beverage a flavouring or colouration.

[0034] A still further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figures 8 and 9. In this embodiment, instead of removing the channel former 28 from the container 12, before the perforated tubular device 52 can be inserted therein, as described with reference to the cooling device 10B the channel former 28A, i.e. the tubular embodiment, is engaged with the outlet formation 16 of the cooling device 10C. The stopper 32 of this particular channel former 28A however is adapted to engage with the external threads of the neck 20 of the formation 16. Thus the stopper has the features of the cap 22, with internal threads on an inner surface of a collar formation 60 which at least partially overlaps a length of the member 30.

[0035] Concurrently, the threaded section 34 of the perforated tubular device 52 is engaged with the threaded formation 25C of the inlet formation 24. As the tubular member 54 has a smaller diameter to the counterpart tubular member 30 of the channel former 28A, the tubular member 54 of the perforated tubular device 52 can be contained within the conduit 50 of this member 30 as illustrated in Figure 9. Thus, when the channel former 28A is removed by unscrewing the stopper of the former 28A from the outlet formation 16, the perforated tubular device 52 remains behind within the passage formed by the channel former 28A.

[0036] A stopper plug (not shown) can be inserted into the open end of the cap section 36 of the stopper 32 of the perforated tubular device 52 to prevent water pouring through the open end of the cap section when water is introduced into the container. The plug is removed when the cooling device 10C is attached to the beverage container and after the water is frozen.

[0037] Alternatively to the inlet formation 24 of any of the devices (10, 10A, 10B and 10C) having a threaded formation 25. This externally projecting formation can be replaced by a threaded recessed formation (not shown). The threaded section 34 of the stopper 32 of any one of the channel formers (28 and 28A) and the tubular member 54 will then engage with the threads of recessed formation.