Expanding gas direct impingement cooling apparatus

Abstract

A cooling system for packaged beverages includes a cabinet or housing which may be insulated. The housing has a door and may optionally include shelves. The user places a quantity of packaged beverages into the housing and, via a user interface of the system, identifies the package type and quantity of the packaged beverages in the housing. The system injects a measured amount of liquefied gas (e.g., liquid nitrogen) into the cabinet and prevents the door from opening for a predetermined period of time based on the package type and quantity selected by the user. The door is then unlocked, an optional alert may be sounded, and the user can open the door to remove some or all of the packaged beverages from the cabinet which have been cooled to between about 30 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cooling system comprising:
 a housing configured to receive a beverage package, wherein the housing defines a chamber and the housing comprises a door and an electronically controlled lock, wherein the electronically controlled lock is operable to prevent the door from opening when engaged;   a gasification manifold operable to receive liquefied gas from a reservoir and provide the liquefied gas to the chamber;   a valve operable to provide the liquefied gas to the gasification manifold from the reservoir when the valve is open and prevent flow of the liquefied gas from the reservoir to the gasification manifold when the valve is closed; and   a controller operable to selectively open and close the valve and to selectively engage the electronically controlled lock to selectively prevent the door from opening.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the electronically controlled lock comprises a solenoid;   the controller is further operable to selectively engage the solenoid such that the door is prevented from opening while the valve is open; and   the controller selectively engages and disengages the electronically controlled lock as a function of the beverage package.   
     
     
         3 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the electronically controlled lock comprises a solenoid;   the controller is further operable to selectively engage the solenoid such that the door is prevented from opening for a predetermined period of time after opening the valve;   the predetermined period of time is determined as a function of the beverage package; and   an open time of the valve is determined as a function of the beverage package.   
     
     
         4 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cooling system further comprises a user interface operable to receive beverage package data from a user;   the beverage package data is indicative of a type and a quantity of the beverage package in the chamber; and   the controller engages and disengages the electronically controlled lock the valve as a function of the beverage package type and quantity received via the user interface.   
     
     
         5 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cooling system further comprises a fan configured to draw gases from the chamber and exhaust the gases outside of the chamber when activated; and   the controller is further operable to activate the fan when the door is opened.   
     
     
         6 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cooling system further comprises a fan configured to draw gases from the chamber and exhaust the gases outside of the chamber when activated;   the controller is further operable to activate the fan when the door is opened; and   the fan is configured as a venturi exhaust system.   
     
     
         7 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cooling system further comprises a fan configured to draw gases from the chamber and exhaust the gases outside of the chamber when activated;   the controller is further operable to activate the fan when the door is opened; and   the cooling system further comprises a duct configured to fluidly connect to the fan, said duct operable to conduct the gases drawn from the chamber by the fan to a location remote from the housing.   
     
     
         8 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the chamber is substantially cubic;   the chamber has a top having a width;   the gasification manifold is annular and located at the top of the chamber; and   the gasification manifold has an outer diameter that is between approximately 60% and 75% of the width of the top of the chamber.   
     
     
         9 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the chamber has a top defining a plane;   the gasification manifold comprises a plurality of spray nozzles;   the plurality of spray nozzles are operable to convert the liquefied gas to a mist;   the spray nozzles are mounted at approximately 30 degrees with respect to the plane defined by the top of the chamber; and   the spray nozzles are angled inward to spray toward a center of the chamber.   
     
     
         10 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cooling system further comprises a regulator;   the regulator is configured to provide the liquefied gas from the reservoir at approximately 1 bar of pressure and a rate of approximately 0.5 liters per minute.   
     
     
         11 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cooling system further comprises a battery operable to provide power to the controller;   the housing supports the battery;   the cooling system further comprises a solar cell configured to charge the battery; and   the housing supports the solar cell.   
     
     
         12 . A cooling system comprising:
 a housing configured to receive a beverage package, wherein the housing defines a chamber and the housing comprises a door and an electronically controlled lock, wherein the electronically controlled lock is operable to prevent the door from opening when engaged;   a valve operable to provide the liquefied gas to the chamber from a reservoir when the valve is open and prevent flow of the liquefied gas from the reservoir to the chamber when the valve is closed; and   a controller operable to selectively open and close the valve and to selectively engage the electronically controlled lock to selectively prevent the door from opening, wherein the controller selectively engages and disengages the electronically controlled lock as a function of the beverage package.   
     
     
         13 . The cooling system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the electronically controlled lock comprises a solenoid; and   the controller is further operable to selectively engage the solenoid such that the door is prevented from opening while the valve is open.   
     
     
         14 . The cooling system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the controller is further operable to selectively engage the electronically controlled lock such that the door is prevented from opening for a predetermined period of time after opening the valve;   the predetermined period of time is determined as a function of the beverage package; and   an open time of the valve is determined as a function of the beverage package.   
     
     
         15 . The cooling system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the cooling system further comprises a user interface operable to receive beverage package data from a user;   the beverage package data is indicative of a type and a quantity of the beverage package in the chamber; and   the controller engages and disengages the electronically controlled lock as a function of the beverage package type and quantity received via the user interface.   
     
     
         16 . The cooling system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the housing further comprises a door;   the cooling system further comprises a fan configured to draw gases from the chamber and exhaust the gases outside of the chamber when activated;   the controller is further operable to activate the fan when the door is opened; and   the fan is configured as a venturi exhaust system.   
     
     
         17 . The cooling system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the housing further comprises a door;   the cooling system further comprises a fan configured to draw gases from the chamber and exhaust the gases outside of the chamber when activated;   the controller is further operable to activate the fan when the door is opened; and   the cooling system further comprises a duct configured to fluidly connect to the fan, said duct operable to conduct the gases drawn from the chamber by the fan to a location remote from the housing.   
     
     
         18 . The cooling system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the chamber is substantially cubic;   the chamber has a top having a width;   the cooling system further comprises a gasification manifold operable to receive the liquefied gas from the valve and provide the liquefied gas to the chamber;   the gasification manifold is annular and located at the top of the chamber; and   the gasification manifold has an outer diameter that is between approximately 60% and 75% of the width of the top of the chamber.   
     
     
         19 . The cooling system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the cooling system further comprises a gasification manifold operable to receive the liquefied gas from the valve and provide the liquefied gas to the chamber;   the chamber has a top defining a plane;   the gasification manifold comprises a plurality of spray nozzles;   the plurality of spray nozzles are operable to convert the liquefied gas to a mist;   the spray nozzles are mounted at approximately 30 degrees with respect to the plane defined by the top of the chamber; and   the spray nozzles are angled inward to spray toward a center of the chamber.   
     
     
         20 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cooling system further comprises a regulator;   the regulator is configured to provide the liquefied gas from the reservoir at approximately 1 bar of pressure and a rate of approximately 0.5 liters per minute.