Millercoors LLC

Coors Brewing Company

Jason Morgan Kelly

Christopher Paul Ramsey

Vong Hoss

Gregory Clegg Spooner

Herbert Bruce Smith

Ray Alan Toms

Charles Ho Fung

Michael Palmisano

Daniel Alan Thiemann

Elaine A Duecker

Cecil E Giarratano

Darin G McKnight, Ii

Eric A Haas

Giuseppe Leonardo Quarini

Alexandre Roland Dachs

Andrew Sant

A convertible beverage container package having an integrated cooler compartment is provided that is sized to contain a number of cans in a box shape during transit, storage, and sale and which can be converted to a portable cooler configured to receive ice for cooling the cans contained therein. The shape of the convertible beverage container package allows a compact package for storage and transport, which can be selectively expanded to receive ice. In some cases, the received ice may surround two or more sides of the beverage cans. In one case, the shape of the convertible beverage container package may direct ice inside the package to contact the canned beverages on at least three sides.

Convertible beverage container package having an integrated cooler compartment

Methods and systems of a mobile beer-dispensing system are provided. The system includes a mobile cart, a beer storage tank or container mounted to the mobile cart, a pressurization system configured to selectively force beer from the storage tank, a beer-dispensing tap, a fluid transport line configured to convey the beer from the storage tank to the tap, and an integrated cooling system that keeps the storage tank and the fluid transport lines cool.

Mobile beer-dispensing system

A double walled container is provided for insulating a beverage. An outer insulating shell or container is secured to the inner container that holds the beverage. A gap exists between the outer container and inner container and the air in the gap acts as an insulating barrier. The inner container is preferably a standard aluminum container. The outer container is preferably made from aluminum or a plastic polymer.

Double walled beverage container and method of making same

A thermal barrier maintains a beverage within a container at a desired temperature. The barrier may include gas or liquid filled microcapsules and a base material having microencapsulated solid-liquid phase change material, or combinations thereof. The thermal barrier may include a cooling element attached to the exterior of the container, the interior of the container, or free-floating within the container. Other embodiments include a container holder incorporating phase change materials to control temperature of the beverages. The holder includes enclosing sidewalls and a plurality of cavities to receive one or more containers. Gaps between the cavities and the enclosing sidewalls are filled with phase change materials, such as microencapsulated phase change materials. Another embodiment provides a double walled pitcher with phase change materials and a base material filling the space between the walls. The phase change material and base material sealed between the walls enable the pitcher to be re-used.

Thermal barrier liner for containers

A system, method and device determine the state of a beverage and communicate information regarding the beverage. A communication device runs an application that determines the start temperature of the beverage to be cooled and sets a desired end temperature. Thermochromatic inks are used on the container label or packaging of the container to convey temperature information. A camera of the communication device senses temperature information of an image of the container. The application then determines an amount of time for cooling the beverage also taking into consideration the type and size of container. The beverage is placed in a cooling device, a timer is initiated by the user, and the application later generates a message indicating the beverage has reached the desired end temperature. The user may link information generated from the application to social networking sites for purposes such as generating invitations to friends within the social network.

System and method for determining the state of a beverage

A double walled container is provided for insulating a beverage. An outer insulating shell or container is secured to the inner container that holds the beverage. A gap exists between the outer container and inner container and the air in the gap acts as an insulating barrier. The inner container is preferably a standard aluminum container. The outer container is preferably made from aluminum or a plastic polymer. The outer container may have annular or longitudinal grooves that assist in securing the outer container to the inner container, and the grooves may also provide an enhanced gripping surface as well as a visually pleasing aesthetic design. The outer container may include a base, or the base may be eliminated in favor of a sleeve configuration for the outer container.

A thermal barrier liner maintains a beverage within a container at a desired temperature. The liner may include a closed cell substrate, a base layer having gas or liquid filled microcapsules, a base layer having microencapsulated solid-liquid phase change material, or combinations thereof. In other embodiments, an integral cooling element incorporates solid/liquid phase change material. The cooling element can either be attached to the exterior of the container, the interior of the container, or free-floating within the container. Other embodiments include container holders or direct beverage holders incorporating phase change materials to control temperature of the beverages. The embodiments may further include thermochromatic ink to provide a visible color indication of temperature changes for the beverage.

A thermal barrier liner is preferably spray coated onto the internal surface of a container. The liner is provided in embodiments including a closed cell substrate, a base layer having gas or liquid filled microcapsules, a base layer having microencapsulated solid-liquid phase change material, or combinations thereof. For the closed cell substrate embodiment, when the liner is under pressure within the container prior to the container being opened, the liner maintains a minimum thickness. When the container is opened and as pressure is released within the container, the liner expands to achieve equilibrium. The liner can be supplemented with a foaming agent to create cellular structures. Voids created by the microcapsules enhance the thermal barrier characteristics of the liner. The phase change material changes phase from a solid to a liquid state upon absorbing heat.

A packaging container is used to package a regulated fluid dispensing system including a regulated fluid dispensing device and a beverage container. The packaging includes carry handles, and a perforation pattern that allows a front panel of the packaging container to be removed thus exposing working parts of the dispensing device. The dispensing system may remain housed within the packaging during use that assists in stabilizing and protecting the dispensing system.

Regulated fluid dispensing system packaging

A device and method are provided for dispensing a beverage from a pressurized container. The dispensing device includes an integral source of compressed gas for maintaining the beverage within the container at a desired pressurized state. The dispensing device also includes a regulator for controlling the flow of gas from the compressed gas source to the interior of the container, as well as a pressure relief mechanism that accounts for potential over pressurization of the container. The beverage is selectively dispensed by actuation of a tap handle. Delivery is achieved through the device by a resilient delivery tube, and the delivery tube is either pinched closed or allowed to decompress by the actuation of the tap handle. In another embodiment, a check valve is used to control flow of the beverage in which the tap handle activates a transfer rod to seat and unseat a check element.

Regulated fluid dispensing device and method of dispensing a carbonated beverage

A thermal barrier liner is provided to maintain a beverage within a container at a desired temperature. The thermal barrier liner is installed so as to make intimate contact with the internal surface of the container. According to a method of the invention, the liner is pre-made and mechanically inserted in the container prior to securing the top of the container to the sidewall. A closed cell structure is incorporated in the thermal barrier material. The closed cell structure causes the thermal barrier material to be gas permeable such that voids in the closed cell structure equilibrate with ambient pressure conditions. The voids change size based on changes in ambient pressure conditions as compared to pressure conditions in the thermal barrier material.

Inserted thermal barrier liner for containers

A device and method are provided for dispensing a beverage from a pressurized container. The dispensing device includes an integral source of compressed gas for maintaining the beverage within the container at a desired pressurized state. The dispensing device also includes a regulator for controlling the flow of gas from the compressed gas source to the interior of the container, as well as a pressure relief mechanism that accounts for potential over pressurization of the container. The beverage is selectively dispensed by actuation of a tap handle. Delivery is achieved through the device by a resilient delivery tube, and the delivery tube is either pinched closed or allowed to decompress by the actuation of the tap handle.

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Arvada, CO, United States of America

Jason Morgan Kelly