Beverage pitcher cold plate station

Abstract

A container and cold plate combination that keeps liquids cold includes an upstanding hollow post that defines in one embodiment an upstanding cavity having an open end at the lowermost end of the container. A hollow insert is inserted into the hollow post and locked therein. The hollow insert is in sufficient surface contact with the hollow post interior and a bottom surface of the hollow insert is in contact with a cold plate. In another embodiment, the pitcher does not include the hollow post but rather the hollow insert is mounted and interlocked directly to the pitcher bottom so as to extend a predetermined distance upwardly into the interior of the pitcher and its bottom is in contact with the cold plate. The cold plate lowers the temperature of the post and insert and the cold is transferred to a liquid in the container.

1 . A combination single or multiple container cold beverage station comprising:
 a one or multiple station cold plate system comprising one or more spaced-apart cold plates having means for maintaining said cold plates at a desired temperature;   a beverage container adapted to have an inverted hollow post extending a predetermined distance upwardly inside the container from a bottom of said container;   said bottom of said container having an opening for access to an interior of said hollow post;   a hollow insert configured to be insertable into said hollow post and to be in sufficient contact with an interior surface of said hollow post so that thermal conductivity may take place between said hollow post and said hollow insert;   means for securing said hollow insert to said bottom of said container to prevent said hollow insert from falling out when the container is lifted; and   said hollow insert having a bottom portion that extends downwardly a desired distance and is configured to be in surface contact with an underlying cold plate of said cold plate system,   wherein through thermal conductivity, a colder temperature of each cold plate transfers said colder temperature through said hollow insert and through said hollow post so as to maintain a beverage temperature at a desired beverage cold temperature.   
   
   
       2 . The beverage station according to  claim 1 , wherein said hollow post is made from a metallic non-insulating material. 
   
   
       3 . The beverage station according to  claim 1 , wherein said hollow insert is made from a metallic non-insulating material. 
   
   
       4 . The beverage station according to  claim 1 , further comprising means for intermittently powering the cold plate system for desired time intervals. 
   
   
       5 . The beverage station according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more designated locations on a housing of said cold plate system for providing indicia for identifying a content of each container disposed on an adjacent cold plate. 
   
   
       6 . A combination single or multiple pitcher cold beverage station comprising:
 a one or multiple station cold plate system comprising one or more spaced-apart cold plates having means for maintaining said cold plates at a desired temperature;   a beverage container adapted to have an opening at its bottom for access to an interior of said container;   a hollow insert configured to be insertable through said opening and to extend a predetermined distance upwardly into said interior of said container;   means for securing said hollow insert to said bottom of said container to prevent said hollow insert from falling out when the container is lifted; and   said hollow insert having a bottom portion that extends downwardly a desired distance when engaged with said access opening of said bottom of said container and is configured to be in surface contact with an underlying cold plate of said cold plate system,   wherein through thermal conductivity, a colder temperature of each cold plate transfers said colder temperature through said hollow insert so as to maintain a beverage temperature at a desired beverage cold temperature.   
   
   
       7 . The beverage station according to  claim 6 , wherein said hollow insert is made from a metallic non-insulating material. 
   
   
       8 . The beverage station according to  claim 6 , further comprising means for intermittently powering the cold plate system for desired time intervals. 
   
   
       9 . The beverage station according to  claim 6 , further comprising one or more designated locations on a housing of said cold plate system for providing indicia identifying a content of each container disposed on an adjacent cold plate.