Liquid cooling and dispensing device

A dispensing device for cooling and dispensing fluid from a suitable fluid container, such as a bottle or the like, comprising:

• a vessel for containing a cooling media including support means on said vessel for supporting said fluid container in a generally inverted position within said vessel;
• a conduit within said vessel in contact with cooling media therein, said conduit including a fluid inlet and outlet;
• and
• valve means for removably connecting said fluid container to the conduit inlet, said valve means including a valve outlet, an elongated vent tube which extends into said fluid container for venting said fluid container to the atmosphere, and a movable element for movement into sealing engagement with the outlet of said valve to prevent fluid flow through said valve, said conduit inlet including an engagement member for engaging said movable valve element to move said valve element out of sealing engagement with said valve outlet upon coupling of said valve to said inlet of said conduit.

A heat transfer unit, comprising:

• a substantially flat first wall;
• a plurality of generally upstanding fins mounted on said first wall for defining a sinuous path of travel;
• a substantially flat second wall for mounting on said first wall to define a closed, substantially flat path of travel between said walls and fins wherein said fins and first wall are integrally molded of resilient plastic material;
• and
• connection means between said first and second wall for sealing the same by engagement of said resilient material with said second wall.

A fluid cooling and dispensing device for use with a fluid container, comprising:

• a housing defining a chamber for supporting a cooling media;
• a conduit having an inlet and an outlet positioned within said chamber in a heat transfer relationship with said cooling media;
• a check valve to prevent leakage of fluid from said container prior to connection thereof with said conduit inlet;
• a coupler for removably connecting the fluid container to the conduit inlet, said conduit including means for connection thereof to the fluid container so that fluid will pass therethrough into the conduit outlet and be cooled by the cooling media;
• complementary means for sealingly engaging said check valve upon connection of the coupler thereto and means for opening said check valve to allow fluid flow from the container into said conduit, said check valve including a movable element, a valve seat, and means for biasing the movable element into engagement with the valve seat;
• valve release means on the complementary means for moving the movable valve element out of engagement with said valve seat upon the connection of the coupler thereto, said valve release means comprising an upstanding part which engages the movable element upon connection of the coupler with the complementary means;
• and
• means for venting the inside of said fluid container to the atmosphere.

A fluid cooling and dispensing device, comprising:

• an insulated container defining a cooling chamber for containing a suitable cooling media, such as ice;
• heat transfer means defined in said container for circulating fluid through the cooling media, said heat transfer means including a fluid inlet, a fluid dispenser, and means defining a flat, sinuous path of travel for said fluid mounted at an angle relative to said container;
• and
• a selectively operable valve having a first end adapted to be coupled to said fluid inlet and a second end adapted to be coupled to a fluid container, said valve including shutoff means to selectively prevent fluid flow therethrough.

A fluid cooling and dispensing device, comprising:

• a container defining a cooling chamber for containing a suitable cooling media;
• heat transfer means defined in said container for circulating fluid through the cooling media, the heat transfer means comprising a fluid inlet, a fluid dispenser, and means defining a flat tortuous path of travel generally along a plane positioned at an angle so as to induce gravity flow of the fluid therethrough;
• and
• a selectively operable valve means having a first end adapted to be coupled to said fluid inlet and a second end adapted to be coupled to said fluid container, said valve including shutoff means to selectively prevent fluid flow therethrough.