Beverage coaster

Abstract

A beverage coaster including a housing and a volume of coolant. The housing has a base portion and a tubular portion that define a beverage container receiving space and a housing cavity in which the volume of coolant is disposed so that thermal energy of a beverage transfers from the beverage to the volume of coolant to maintain the beverage in a cool state.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A beverage coaster, comprising:
 a housing having a base portion, a tubular portion, and a housing cavity defined by the base portion and the tubular portion, the base portion having a bottom wall, at least one side wall, a peripheral top wall, and an interior top wall, the tubular portion having an inner wall, an outer wall, and a rim, the inner wall and the outer wall extending from the peripheral top wall and the interior top wall of the base portion, respectively, with the outer wall of the tubular portion spaced a distance inwardly from the side wall of base portion, the inner wall of the tubular portion cooperating with the interior top wall of the base portion to define a beverage container receiving space; and   a volume of coolant disposed in the housing sufficient to substantially fill the housing cavity so that when a beverage container containing a beverage is in the beverage receiving space, the beverage is in thermal communication with the volume of coolant such that thermal energy of the beverage transfers from the beverage to the volume of coolant to maintain the beverage in a cool state.   
     
     
         2 . The beverage coaster of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall of the housing is provided with a plurality of feet affixed to the bottom wall of the base portion of the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The beverage coaster of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall of the base portion of the housing has a groove for receiving a rim of a like beverage coaster. 
     
     
         4 . The beverage coaster of  claim 1 , wherein the beverage container receiving space is tapered. 
     
     
         5 . The beverage coaster of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular portion has a height, wherein the base portion has a width, and wherein the ratio of the height to the width is at least about 1:3.