# US 5,341,657 A · Beverage cooler and container apparatus

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- Number: US 5,341,657 A
- Document ID: US5341657A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/069,748
- Filed: 1993-06-01
- Granted: 1994-08-30
- Earliest claimed: 1993-06-01
- Inventors: James M. Fuller
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5341657A

## CPC

- B67D 3/0009: {provided with cooling arrangements (cooling perse F25)}
- B67D 3/0029: {provided with holders for bottles or similar containers}
- F25D 3/06: Movable containers
- F25D 2331/803: Bottles
- F25D 2331/806: Dispensers
- B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F)
- F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B)

## Abstract

A beverage cooler arranged to complementarily receive and secure a coolant jug therewithin is provided, wherein a puncture tip is directed into the neck of the coolant jug to direct fluid flow therefrom into an outlet conduit. A drain conduit is provided permitting drainage of water runoff from melting ice and the like within the cooler structure.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A beverage container apparatus, comprising,
a rigid container housing symmetrically oriented about a housing axis, having a housing side wall, and the housing side wall including an internally threaded entrance end, and the housing further including a housing floor spaced from the entrance end, the housing floor orthogonally oriented relative to the axis and including a floor opening coaxially aligned with said axis, the housing including a lid arranged for threaded engagement with the entrance end, and
a piercer tip coaxially aligned with the axis oriented medially of the floor opening, and
a fluid jug having a jug neck, wherein the jug neck is arranged for reception through the floor opening, with the piercer tip arranged for reception through the neck for piercing within the neck directing fluid flow from the fluid jug through the floor opening, and
a first fluid conduit in fluid communication with the floor opening, and
the housing including a housing bottom wall spaced from said housing floor, with the first fluid conduit oriented between the bottom wall and the floor, and
the first fluid conduit directed through the container housing into communication with the housing side wall, and having a first valve member mounted to the side wall in operative fluid communication with the first fluid conduit, and
a second fluid conduit directed through the side wall, and including a by-pass conduit extending in fluid communication from the second fluid conduit into and through the floor, and
a sealing ring mounted about the jug neck, and the jug further including a jug side wall and a jug bottom wall, with an elastomeric strap extending from the sealing ring extending along the jug side wall and along the jug floor permitting ease of grasping in removal and insertion of the jug relative to the housing floor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including a second valve member directed through the side wall in fluid communication with the second fluid conduit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including a plurality of rigid skids mounted to the housing side wall oriented parallel to the axis.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 including a first valve tube in fluid communication between the first valve member and the first fluid conduit, wherein the first valve tube projects exteriorly of the housing side wall, with the first valve tube including a connecting port, the connecting port including a removable cap, and a flexible conduit having a flexible conduit coupling arranged for securement of the flexible conduit to the connecting port, and a pump member mounted to the flexible conduit for directing fluid through the connecting port.