# US 9,907,318 B2 · Cooling assembly for chilling or freezing liquid ingredients > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,907,318 B2 - Document ID: US9907318B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/214,582 - Filed: 2014-03-14 - Published: 2014-10-30 - Granted: 2018-03-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-15 - Assignees: Industrial Revolution, Inc. - Applicants: Industrial Revolution, Inc. - Inventors: Graeme Esarey; Lee Rawls - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9907318B2 ## CPC - A23G 9/086: {using a rotatable container containing the cooling medium} - A01J 9/04: with cooling arrangements - B65D 25/2858: {provided on a local area of the upper (top) wall, e.g. U-shaped} - B65D 51/249: {the closure being specifically formed for supporting the container} - B65D 81/18: providing specific environment for contents, e.g. temperature above or below ambient (with thermal insulation B65D81/38) - B65D 85/78: for ice-cream - F25D 3/06: Movable containers - F25D 3/08: portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally - F25D 5/02: portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally - A23G 9/10: using containers which are rotated or otherwise moved in a cooling medium - B65D 2525/283: combined with container closing means, e.g. stopper - B65D 2525/288: by pivoting action - F25D 2303/083: using cold storage material disposed in closed wall forming part of a container for products to be cooled - A23G: COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF - A01J: MANUFACTURE OF DAIRY PRODUCTS - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - 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 Cooling assemblies having a sealable cooling chamber formed as the interior volume of a curved or spherical outer container and a sealable inner canister are disclosed. The outer container may be provided as a multi-layer container having an external elastomeric shell. The external elastomeric shell may have an inner framework including a plurality of longitudinal ribs and a reinforcing wall. A movable flap adjustable between a projecting condition in which the flap extends from the exterior surface of the outer container and a closed position in which the flap doesn't project may be provided for supporting the cooling assembly in a stationary condition and the flap may be used as a handle for opening a lid. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A spherical cooling assembly comprising: a sealable inner canister; a sealable outer container; a cooling chamber formed between the sealable inner canister and the sealable outer container, wherein the spherical cooling assembly comprises at least one movable flap, the flap being partially spherical and adjustable between an extended position in which it projects from an exterior surface of the outer container and a closed position in which it approximates the spherical curvature of the exterior surface of the outer container; wherein the flap is adjustable between the closed position and the extended position without unsealing the outer container and without unsealing the inner canister; wherein when the flap is in the closed position an internal surface of the flap faces a surface of the spherical cooling assembly and when the flap is in the extended position it has been pivoted from the closed position more than 90 degrees and the flap can be retained in the extended position; and wherein the flap is configured such that when it is in the closed position, the spherical cooling assembly can be rolled over a surface passing over the entire flap without obstructing the rolling, and when the flap is in the extended position, the flap obstructs the rolling, whereby the flap can be used for stabilizing the spherical cooling assembly when in the extended position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The spherical cooling assembly of claim 1, additionally comprising at least one canister lid for sealing an access opening of the sealable inner canister, wherein the at lease one movable flap is associated with the at least one canister lid. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The spherical cooling assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer container has at least one access port providing access to the cooling chamber and the spherical cooling assembly additionally comprises at least one lid for sealing the at least one access port of the outer container, wherein the at least one movable flap is associated with the at least one lid. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The spherical cooling assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one movable flap is flush with the exterior surface of the outer container in the closed position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The spherical cooling assembly of claim 1, comprising at least two movable flaps, each movable flap being adjustable between an extended position in which it projects from an exterior surface of the outer container and a closed position in which it is flush with the exterior surface of the outer container. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The spherical cooling assembly of claim 5, wherein the at least two movable flaps are located opposite one another. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The spherical cooling assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one movable flap is mounted for pivotal rotation about a pivot axis to position the at least one movable flap in the extended and closed positions. ### Claim 8 A spherical cooling assembly comprising: a sealable inner canister; a sealable outer container; a cooling chamber formed between the inner canister and the outer container, wherein the outer container comprises an external elastomeric shell having a spherical curvature forming at least a portion of a sphere and a rigid internal shell; a first lid sealing the outer container or the inner canister, the first lid being removable and having an adjustable flap attached thereto, the flap being adjustable between a closed position and an extended position without unsealing the outer container and without unsealing the inner canister, whereby when the flap is in the extended position it can be manually gripped about a perimeter thereof for use in removing the first lid; wherein the flap includes an internal surface that faces a surface of the cooling assembly when the flap is in the closed position, and wherein the flap includes a partially spherical curvature of the external elastomeric shell; and wherein the flap is configured such that when it is in the closed position, the spherical cooling assembly can be rolled over a surface passing over the entire flap without obstructing the rolling, and when the flap is in the extended position, the flap obstructs the rolling, whereby the flap can be used for stabilizing the spherical cooling assembly when in the extended position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The spherical cooling assembly of claim 8, wherein the external elastomeric shell has an inner structural framework comprising a plurality of inwardly extending longitudinal ribs. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The spherical cooling assembly of claim 9, wherein the longitudinal ribs are formed integrally with the external elastomeric shell. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The spherical cooling assembly of claim 8, wherein the external elastomeric shell has an inner reinforcing wall. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The spherical cooling assembly of claim 11, wherein the inner reinforcing wall extends along a substantially vertical direction when a polar region of the cooling assembly rests on a horizontal support. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The spherical cooling assembly of claim 11, wherein the external elastomeric shell additionally includes a plurality of inwardly extending longitudinal ribs. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The spherical cooling assembly of claim 11, wherein a plurality of cut-outs are provided in the inner reinforcing wall. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The spherical cooling assembly of claim 14, wherein the rigid internal shell includes a plurality of tabs positioned for interfacing with the plurality of cut-outs in the inner reinforcing wall. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The spherical cooling assembly of claim 8 wherein the first lid has an edge portion that mates against a rim of the external elastomeric shell when the first lid is secured to the inner canister or outer container. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The spherical cooling assembly of claim 8 wherein the flap is configured such that an outer end portion of the flap has a greater lateral width than an inner end portion of the flap. ### Claim 18 (depends on 8) The spherical cooling assembly of claim 8 further comprising a second lid, the second lid being secured to the spherical cooling assembly to seal the inner canister or to seal the outer container, such that the second lid is disposed on an opposite facing portion from the first lid, on the spherical cooling assembly, when both the first lid and second lid are secured to the spherical cooling assembly. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The spherical cooling assembly of claim 18 wherein the second lid has a second adjustable flap that can be positioned between a closed position and an extended position without unsealing either the inner canister or outer container. ### Claim 20 (depends on 8) The spherical cooling assembly of claim 8 wherein when the flap is in the extended position, it has been pivoted from the closed position more than 90 degrees and is retained in the extended position. ### Claim 21 (depends on 8) The spherical cooling assembly of claim of claim 8 wherein the internal surface of the flap is concave.