Beverage cooler and heater assembly
According to some embodiments, a beverage heating and cooling assembly is provided which includes a collar and beverage retainer assembly for connection to retain the assembly below a mounting substrate. The beverage retainer assembly may include a housing with an active heating or cooling system, such as a thermoelectric engine, which is positioned within or adjacent to the housing and beneath the mounting substrate or similar planar structure. The assembly allows for a clean installation of an active thermal system for beverages in order to keep the beverages cold or warm as desired.
1. A beverage heating and cooling assembly, comprising:
a housing having a first thermal engine compartment and a second drink retaining compartment;
a beverage retainer disposed within said drink retaining compartment;
a thermoelectric engine assembly to transfer heat to and from the beverage retainer, said thermoelectric engine assembly being laterally adjacent to said beverage retainer;
a collar rotatable to engage one of said beverage retainer or a portion of said housing during installation;
said beverage retainer and said thermoelectric engine assembly being disposed in said housing;
said housing being larger than a radially inner dimension of said collar such that a plurality of straight fasteners extending through channels and openings in said housing and from said housing toward said collar are capable of engaging an under surface of a mounting substrate, and wherein said fasteners are spaced outwardly of said collar; and,
wherein said collar is capable of capturing said mounting substrate on an upper surface and said plurality of fasteners for said engaging said under surface of said mounting substrate.
2. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 1 , said collar having one of a pin or a track for connecting with said beverage retainer.
3. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 2 , said one of said beverage retainer and said portion of said housing having the other of said pin or said track for connecting with said collar.
4. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 1 further comprising a spacer disposed between said housing and said collar.
5. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 1 , said first engine compartment formed at least in part by a cover.
6. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 5 , said cover having a plurality of air flow apertures.
7. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 1 , said thermoelectric engine assembly including a thermal engine.
8. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 7 , said thermoelectric engine assembly including a thermal transfer body engaging said thermal engine.
9. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 1 further comprising a fan for moving air across said thermal engine assembly.
10. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 7 further comprising said thermal engine in thermodynamic communication with at least one of a thermal transfer body and said beverage retainer.
11. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 1 further comprising a housing top cover.
12. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 11 , said plurality of fasteners passing through said housing top cover.
13. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 1 , said housing engaging said beverage retainer.
14. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 13 , said beverage retainer being formed of a metallic material.
15. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 1 , said housing having channels for passage of said fasteners.
16. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 1 , said housing having a housing top cover with an upstanding neck.
17. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 16 , said neck having one of a track or a pin.
18. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 17 , said collar having the other of said track or said pin.
19. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 16 , said beverage retainer having luminaires at an upper end.
20. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 19 , said collar having a notch aligned with said luminaires for illumination of said beverage retainer.
21. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 1 , said collar having a trim ring.
22. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 1 further comprising a pusher disposed within said beverage retainer to force a beverage container toward said thermoelectric engine assembly.
23. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 22 , said pusher formed in said beverage retainer.
24. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 22 , said pusher formed separate of said beverage retainer and connected thereto.
25. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 22 , said pusher formed on an insert which is positioned within said beverage retainer.
26. The beverage heating and cooling assembly of claim 1 , wherein said collar is threadably engaging said one of a beverage retainer and said portion of said housing.
27. An active thermal beverage assembly, comprising:
a collar and a beverage retainer assembly;
said collar twistably engaging said beverage retainer assembly, said beverage retainer assembly including a beverage retainer, a housing and a neck wherein a planar structure may be captured between said collar and said beverage retainer assembly, said housing having a size which is larger than a radially inner dimension of said collar;
said housing surrounding said beverage retainer and said laterally adjacent thermoelectric engine assembly;
at least one fastener extending through channels and openings formed in said housing from said housing toward said planar structure and said collar, said at least one fastener capable of engaging said planar structure, forcing said beverage retainer assembly downward and causing frictional engagement between said collar and said beverage retainer assembly, and further pulling said collar downwardly against said planar structure.
28. An active thermal beverage assembly, comprising:
a collar which twists to engage a beverage retainer assembly including, a neck during installation;
said beverage retainer assembly including a housing having a first beverage retainer compartment, a second thermal engine compartment, a beverage retainer, and a said neck, said housing having a size which is larger than a hole in a mounting substrate;
a thermoelectric engine assembly in thermal communication with a beverage retainer to add or remove heat to said beverage retainer;
at least, one fastener extending upwardly through channels and openings formed in said housing, said fasteners capable of engaging an undersurface of said mounting substrate and pulling said collar downwardly against an upper surface of said mounting substrate.
29. The active thermal beverage assembly of claim 28 , further comprising a threaded connection between said collar and said beverage retainer assembly.
30. The active thermal beverage assembly of claim 29 further comprising a spacer disposed between said collar and said beverage retainer assembly.
31. The active thermal beverage assembly of claim 28 , further comprising a bayonet connection between said collar and said beverage retainer assembly.