GB2632860A

GB2632860A - Improvements in or relating to cooling

Info

Publication number: GB2632860A
Application number: GB2312960.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Laharnar Mitja
Original assignee: Enviro Cool UK Ltd
Current assignee: Enviro Cool UK Ltd
Priority date: 2023-08-25
Filing date: 2023-08-25
Publication date: 2025-02-26
Also published as: GB2633413A; GB202312960D0; GB202317005D0

Abstract

A cooling apparatus 101 comprises a cavity 102 for receipt of products 401 (beverage cans or bottles) to be cooled, a rotation arrangement 103 rotates the products received in the cavity, and a coolant supply arrangement 104 supplies a cooling liquid to the cavity. The apparatus comprises a holder 201 supporting a group of the products within the cavity for rotation about a rotation axis (AR). The holder may comprise a plurality of spring actuated positioning elements (203, fig 3) independently moveable and urge the products towards its orientated position, whereby a central axis (CA) of the holder aligns with a central axis (CA’, fig 5) of the products and is coincident with the rotation axis. The holder may comprise a base (211, fig 2) supporting the products and may comprise a removable basket (2001, fig 8) having a plurality of segments (801 - 804) for receiving individual products from the group of products. The basket may comprise a central handle (805) having a central stem 806 and grippable member (807) facilitating insertion and removal of the basket from the holder. Rotation may be pulsed or non-continuous for a predetermined period. A vending apparatus comprising the apparatus is also described.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO COOLING

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to cooling.

Background of the Invention

In catering, retail and entertainment sectors, various forms of vending devices are used in order to keep products chilled. For cold beverages these devices form two typical groups -commercial drinks refrigerators and cold beverage vending machines. Both types of device are essentially large glass-fronted refrigerators having hinged or sliding doors in the case of the first group (for manual dispensing) or a dispensing mechanism in the case of the second. They pre-cool and store drinks ready for purchase. In many cases, the drinks are maintained at low temperatures for long periods before they are eventually purchased. As a result, considerable energy is used potentially unnecessarily. Compounding the problem, both types of device operate inefficiently. In use, drinks refrigerators of the first group suffer substantial loss of cold air every time the large door is opened. Vending machines must provide easy passage to the vending tray where the item is collected by the user, resulting in poor sealing. Refrigeration systems generally have a requirement to be exercised through background running cycles to maintain efficiency, but this uses additional energy not directly contributing to chilling the contents.

It is also known for many beverage retailers to stock beverages in open-fronted refrigerated cabinets for ease of access and visibility of product. These cabinets obviously suffer even greater energy wastage. The net result is high levels of wasted electrical energy used keeping drinks in a long-term cold state in readiness for purchasing, regardless of whenever that might occur.

Energy wastage is not confined to corporate sites hosting vending machines. Many small corner shops, petrol stations and cafe outlets host drinks chilling cabinets. For these operators, electrical energy costs will represent a high proportion of their operational overhead. Energy wastage is not the only issue. Since refrigeration systems generate heat, often the wasted heat energy by-product from the refrigeration system causes unwanted warming of the localised area around the machines. This creates an inconsistency in which users must drink their satisfactorily chilled drinks in unsatisfactorily warm areas. Speed of cooling is also an issue, particularly in establishments having a high turnover of beverages, such as at special events -concerts, sporting events and so on. Often at the state of the event drinks are adequately cooled by having been in refrigerators for several hours.

However, once the even it under way, the volume of drinks being sold exceeds the capacity of the refrigerators to chill further drinks. Drinks must then be sold only partially chilled or not chilled at all.

International Patent Publications WO 2011/012902 Al and WO 201 1/1 141 58 A2 disclose a cooling apparatus comprising at least one cavity, the or each cavity for receipt of a single product to be cooled. The apparatus comprises rotation means to rotate a product received in the cavity and cooling fluid supply means to provide a cooling fluid to the cavity. The rotation means is adapted to provide a pulsed or non-continuous rotation for a predetermined period. The apparatus can be a stand-alone device or may be incorporated into a vending machine. The reader is referred to the publications for further background.

It is known for beverages to be supplied in containers of different sizes and materials, for example a metal can, a plastic bottle, a glass bottle. A challenge exists in ensuring that different types of containers are properly supported during rotation within the cavity of the cooling apparatus. For stable rotation of the container, there should be no angular deviation of the container's central axis with respect to the axis of rotation; however, the extent of support that a container can require to maintain it in a desired orientation during rotation is related to various physical factors such as container height, weight, cross-sectional profile (shape in a radial plane through which a central axis in the longitudinal direction extends perpendicularly and variation in the axial direction), rigidity.

An objective of the present invention is to provide an improved means of rotating multiple containers to be cooled.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect there is provided a cooling apparatus comprising a cavity for receipt of products to be cooled, a rotation arrangement to rotate products received in the cavity, and a coolant supply arrangement to supply a cooling liquid to the cavity; wherein the cooling apparatus comprises a holder to support a group of products received within the cavity for rotation about a rotation axis.

The cooling apparatus is advantageously designed to allow multiple products to be rotated together as a group. This offers several benefits, including reducing the time it takes to cool the products of the group and enabling a plurality of products that have all been cooled to the same extent to be provided at the same time.

In an example, the holder comprises a plurality of positioning elements to urge a group of products received within the holder towards an oriented position in which a central axis of the group of products is aligned with a central axis of the holder, the central axis of the holder in use coincident with the rotation axis.

In an example the plurality of positioning elements comprises a group of spring-actuated positioning elements, the spring-actuated positioning elements of the group spaced equidistantly around the central axis.

In an example the spring-actuated positioning elements of the group each have a contact region resiliently biased radially inwardly towards the central axis.

In an example the spring-actuated positioning elements of the group comprise a wing element that comprises the contract region and is rotatable about a pivot axis that extends at a tangent to a radial plane through which the central axis extends perpendicularly.

In an example the spring-actuated positioning elements of the group are movable independently of each other.

In an example the holder comprises a base element to axially support a group of products received within the holder, the products of the group of products located upon an upper side of the base element.

In an example, the plurality of positioning elements comprises a second group of spring-actuated positioning elements, the spring-actuated positioning elements of the second group spaced equidistantly around the central axis and the second group of spring-actuated positioning elements axially spaced from the group of spring-actuated positioning elements.

In an example the second group of spring-actuated positioning elements comprises spring-actuated positioning elements radially aligned with spring-actuated positioning elements of the group of spring-actuated positioning elements.

The positioning elements serve to stabilise the group of products during rotation in the cavity of the cooling apparatus.

A group of products may be bundled together by a removable packaging element that may remain while the group of products is received by the holder. In other words, the removable packaging element is not removed prior to the group of products being inserted into the holder and the removable packaging element is rotated with the products. Thus, the group of products stay physically associated with each other by the removable packaging element during cooling. Such a removable packaging element may be a cardboard sleeve. a cardboard can topper or plastic can rings, for example.

A group of products may not be so bundled together by a removable packaging element; however, it may be beneficial for them to be physically associated for rotation by the cooling apparatus.

The holder may be provided with a removable basket for receiving multiple products to be 30 cooled.

In an example, the removable basket defines a plurality of segments, each segment for receiving an individual product of the group of products.

In an example the removable basket comprises a central handle for facilitating insertion of the removable basket into, and withdrawal of the removable basket from, the holder.

The removable basket can serve to provide a bundling function like that provided by a removable packaging element. In other words, the removable basket can function to make the products of the group of products easier to move into, and out of, the holder together, and can serve to maintain the group of products together in a particular arrangement prior to, and during, rotation in the holder.

The rotation arrangement of the cooling apparatus may be adapted to provide a pulsed or non-continuous rotation for a predetermined period.

According to a second aspect there is provided a vending apparatus comprising the cooling apparatus of the first aspect, further comprising an insertion and removal arrangement to insert products to be cooled into the cavity and to remove the cooled products therefrom.

Further particular and preferred aspects of the invention are set out in the accompanying dependent claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The present invention will now be more particularly described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure I shows a schematic of a cooling apparatus for cooling multiple containers by rotation, the cooling apparatus comprising a holder according to an example of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the holder of Figure I; Figure 3 shows a side view of the holder of Figure I; Figure 4 shows a group of products; Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the group of products of Figure 4 received within the holder of Figure I; Figure 6 shows a side view of the group of products of Figure 4 received within the holder of Figure I; Figure 7 shows a side view of the group of products of Figure 4 received within the holder of Figure I; Figure 8 shows a perspective view of a basket removably receivable within the holder of Figure I; Figure 9 shows a side view of the basket of Figure 8; Figure 10 shows a second group of products; Figure 11 shows a perspective view of the second group of products of Figure 9 within the removable basket of Figure 8; Figure 12 shows a perspective view of the second group of products within the removable basket of Figure 11, received within the holder of Figure I; Figure 13 shows a side view of the second group of products within the removable basket of Figure II, received within the holder of Figure I; Figure 14 shows a top view of the second group of products within the removable basket of Figure II, received within the holder of Figure I; Figure 15 shows a perspective view of a third group of products located within the removable basket of Figure 11 and within the holder of Figure 1; Figure 16 shows a top view of the third group of products located within the removable basket of Figure 11 and received within the holder of Figure 1; Figure 17 shows a side view of the third group of products located within the removable basket of Figure 11 and received within the holder of Figure 1; and Figure 18 shows a section along line A-A of the view of Figure 17.

Description

Illustrative embodiments and examples are described below in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to embody and implement the apparatus described herein.

It is to be understood that embodiments and examples can be provided in many alternate forms and the invention should not be construed as limited to the embodiments and examples set forth herein but by the scope of the appended claims.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein are to be interpreted as is customary in the art. In addition, features referred to herein in the singular can number one or more, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

Similarly, the terms "comprises", "comprising", "includes", "including", "has" and/or "having" when used herein, specify the presence of the stated feature or features and do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In the following description, all orientational terms, such as upper, lower, radially and axially, are used in relation to the drawings and should not be interpreted as limiting on the invention, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in some instances the drawings may have been exaggerated or simplified for illustrative purposes only.

A schematic of a cooling apparatus 101 for cooling products by rotation is shown in Figure I. In an application, the product is a container in which a liquid is contained. In an application, the container is a beverage container. The beverage container may be a metal, a plastic or a glass container. For example, the beverage container may be a drinks can or a bottle and the liquid it contains may be a still or a carbonated beverage.

Cooling apparatus 101 comprises a cavity 102 for receipt of products to be cooled (not shown in this Figure), a rotation arrangement, indicated at 103, to rotate products received in the cavity 102, and a coolant supply arrangement, indicated at 104, to supply a cooling liquid (not shown) to the cavity 102.

The rotation arrangement 103 may comprise any suitable mechanism for causing rotation of the products. In an example, the rotation arrangement comprises a turntable, which may be a direct-drive turntable. In an example, the rotation arrangement is adapted to rotate the product at a rotational speed of 90 revolutions per minute or more. In an example, the rotational speed is variable, for example selectable according to one or more product characteristics.

The coolant supply arrangement 104 may comprise any suitable mechanism for controlling a supply of a cooling liquid to the cavity 102. In an example, the coolant supply arrangement provides a flow of the cooling liquid to the cavity for filling the cavity before rotation of a product and a flow of the cooling liquid from the cavity for draining the cavity after rotation of the product. The coolant supply arrangement may provide a flow of the cooling liquid through the cavity during rotation of a product. The cooling liquid may be any suitable liquid. In an example, the cooling liquid is supplied to the cavity or a temperature of -10°C or less.

Cooling apparatus 101 also comprises a controller 105 for controlling operation of the cooling apparatus 101. The controller may comprise a data processor with access to data storage. The controller may control various functions associated with the rotation arrangement and the coolant supply arrangement According to the specific arrangement shown, cooling apparatus 101 further comprises a cavity lid 106 to selectively close and open the cavity 102 for allowing a product to be inserted into and withdrawn from the cavity 102. In an example the cavity lid 107 is hinged to a body 107 of the cooling apparatus 101 in which the cavity 102 is defined.

According to the present invention, the cooling apparatus 101 allows a group of products (not shown in this Figure) to be received in the cavity 102 and rotated together about a rotation axis.

A holder 201 according to a specific example of the present invention is indicated, and shown within the cavity 102 of cooling apparatus 101, the holder 200 to support a group of products for rotation about a rotation axis AR.

Products received by the holder 201 are received within an internal region 202 thereof. The holder 201 has a central axis CA. In this Figure, the holder 201 is shown within the cavity 102 of the cooling apparatus 101 with the central axis CA thereof coincident with the rotation axis AR.

In use, the holder 201 is rotated about its central axis CA, whereby a group of products received within the internal region 202 thereof is rotated about rotation axis AR.

An axial direction AD, a radial direction RD, a radial plane RP and a circumferential direction CD with respect to the rotation axis AR are indicated.

A perspective view of the holder 201 is shown in Figure 2 and a side view of the holder 201 is shown in Figure 3.

The holder 201 is usable in a cooling apparatus in which products to be cooled, such as cans or bottles, are in an upright orientation when being rotated. The holder 201 serves to maintain the products properly vertical for stable rotation. Further, the holder 201 serves to maintain the products of a received group of products in a stable position relative to each other, and relative to the central axis CA.

The illustrated holder 201 comprises a plurality of positioning elements, such as positioning elements 203-210, to urge a group of products received within the holder 201 towards an oriented position in which a central axis of the group of products is coincident with the central axis CA of the holder.

According to the illustrated example, the plurality of positioning elements comprises a group of spring-actuated positioning elements, such as group of positioning elements 203206, the spring-actuated positioning elements of the group spaced equidistantly around the central axis CA.

According to the illustrated example also, the spring-actuated positioning elements of the group of positioning elements 203-206 each have a contact region, such as contact region 301 of positioning element 203, resiliently biased radially inwardly towards the central axis CA.

To effect the biasing of the contact region, the spring-actuated positioning elements comprise a biasing member, such as indicated biasing member 302 of positioning element 203, which in this specific illustrated example is a torsional spring. It is to be understood that the biasing may be achieved in other examples with a different type of biasing member or arrangement.

The contact region 301 of the positioning element 203 is shown in Figures 2 & 3 in an at rest position in which it is at its radially closest possible position to the central axis CA. The contact region 301 is movable from the at rest position, radially further away from the central axis CA, against the biasing force provided by the biasing member 302.

In this specific illustrated example, each of the spring-actuated positioning elements of the group of positioning elements 203-206 comprises a wing element that that comprises the contract region and is rotatable about a pivot axis that extends at a tangent to a radial plane through which the central axis extends perpendicularly.

Thus, positioning element 203 comprises a wing element 303 that is rotatable about a pivot axis PA to move contact region 301 inwardly towards and outwardly away from the central axis CA. The pivot axis PA is shown to extend at a tangent to radial plane RP', to which the central axis CA of the holder 201 is normal. Thus, in a general sense, contact region 301 of the pivotable wing element 303 of positioning element 203 is movable up-and-down as opposed to side-to-side.

According to this example, the contact regions of the spring-actuated positioning elements of the group of positioning elements 203-206 are movable independently of each other. Thus, each positioning element 203-206 can react individually to a force applied thereon to radially displace the contact region thereof further from the central axis CA of the holder 201, such as a force arising from movement of a group of products received therebetween as the group of products experiences centrifugal force during rotation.

As also shown, in this example, the holder 201 comprises a base element 211 to axially support a group of products received within the holder 201, the products of the group of products located upon an upper side 212 of the base element 211.

According to the illustrated example, the upper side 212 of the base element 211 presents a substantially planar surface, extending in the radial plane RP' to which the central axis CA extends perpendicularly. The axial support provided by the base element 211 serves to facilitate the orientation of a product inserted into the holder 201 in a desired upright position.

According to the present example, the plurality of positioning elements 203-210 comprising a second group of spring-actuated positioning elements, comprising positioning elements 207-210, the spring-actuated positioning elements of the second group spaced equidistantly around the central axis CA and the second group of spring-actuated positioning elements 207-210 axially spaced from the group of spring-actuated positioning elements 203-206.

According to the illustrated example the second group of spring-actuated positioning elements 207-210 comprises spring-actuated positioning elements that are radially aligned with spring-actuated positioning elements of the group of spring-actuated positioning elements 203-206. More specifically, positioning elements 203 and 207 are shown radially aligned, as are positioning elements 204 and 208, 205 and 209, and 206 and 210. According to this example, the positioning elements 207-210 are movable independently of each other, and independently of the positioning elements 203-206.

Although in the specific illustrated example each of the two groups of spring-actuated positioning elements comprises 4 positioning elements, with each positioning element of one group radially aligned with a positioning element of the other group, it is to be appreciated that each group may comprise a different number of positioning elements and that each group may comprise a different number of positioning elements to the other, and also that one or more positioning elements of the groups may not be radially aligned with positioning element of a different group. Further, it is to be understood that the holder may comprise one or more additional groups of spring-actuated positioning members.

The holder 201 comprises an engagement member 304 extending from the underside 305 of the base element 211, the engagement member 304 for use in operatively connecting the holder 201 to the rotation means 103 of the cooling apparatus 101.

A group of products 401 is shown in Figure 4. The group of products 401 comprises a plurality of containers 402-405 that are bundled together by a removable packaging element 406. According to this illustrated example, the plurality of containers 402-405 comprises 4 beverage cans, and the packaging element 406 is a cardboard sleeve. The packaging element 406 may alternatively be a cardboard can topper or plastic can rings. As indicated, the containers 402-405 are arranged evenly around a central axis CA' of the group of products 401. Thus, the weight of the products is distributed uniformly about the central axis CA' of the group.

Figures 5, 6 & 7 respectively show a perspective, a side, and a top view of the group of products 401 received within holder 201.

As the group of products 401 is being inserted into the holder 201, still bundled together by the packaging element 406, the spring-actuated positioning elements 203-210 are forced, through contact by the group of products 401, from the at rest position, away from the central axis CA of the holder 201. Following insertion of the group of products 401 into the holder 201, the spring-actuated positioning elements 203-210 act on the group of products 401 to centralise the group of products 401 between them. Thus, the positioning elements 203-210 function to urge the group of products 401 towards an oriented position in which the central axis CA' of the group of products is coincident with the central axis CA of the holder 201, which in use is coincident with the rotation axis AR. Assuming the group of products 401 is fully inserted into the holder 201 such that the group of products 401 is located upon the upper side 212 of the base 211, the base 211 provides axial support to the group of products 401. This facilitates maintaining the group of products 401 in an upright position, which in turn facilitates proper alignment of the central axis CA' of the group of products 401 with the central axis CA of the holder 201. In addition, grip on the group of products 401 by the positioning elements 203-210 functions to maintain the group of products in rotation with the holder 201.

As the group of products 401 is being withdrawn from the holder 201, the contact with the positioning elements 203-210 is removed, allowing the positioning elements 203-210 to be urgingly returned to the at rest position.

It is to be understood that in this example each of the products 402-405 has radial symmetry about its own central (longitudinal) axis, for example product 405 has radial symmetry about its central axis 601, the group of products 401 generally has radial symmetry about its central axis CA'. This feature contributes to balanced rotation of the group of products 401 about the rotation axis AR. When in the desired orientation during rotation of the group of products 401 about the rotation axis AR, the central axis of each product 402-205 is parallel to the rotation axis AR (radially displaced from the rotation axis AR).

The products 402-405 of the group of products 401 are physically associated by the removable packaging element 406. In other words, the removable packaging element 406 keeps the products 402-405 of the group of products 401 together in a particular arrangement prior to, and during, rotation in the holder 201.

In some scenarios a plurality of products may not be so physically associated yet it is desirable for them to be kept in a particular arrangement during rotation in the holder 201.

In a preferred embodiment, and in the present embodiment, the holder 201 comprises apparatus for receiving and physically associating products for rotation in the holder 201.

Turning now to Figures 8 & 9, according to the present illustrated example, the holder 201 is provided with a removable basket 2001 for receiving multiple products to be cooled. Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the removable basket 2001 and Figure 9 shows a side view.

As shown, the removable basket 2001 defines a plurality of segments, such as segments 801-804, each segment for receiving an individual product of a group of products to be cooled.

The segments 801-804 are arranged evenly around a central axis CA" of the removable basket 2001.

According to this specific illustrated example, the plurality of segments 801-804 comprises four segments; however, it is to be appreciated that the removable basket 2001 could define a different number of segments in other examples. The removable basket 2001 can serve to provide a bundling function like that provided by the removable packaging element 406 of group of products 401.

According to present example, the removable basket 2001 comprises a central handle 805 for facilitating insertion of the basket 2001 into, and withdrawal of the basket 2001 from, the holder 201. In this example, the central handle 805 comprises a stem 806 and a grippable member 807 at a free end of the stem 806.

As shown, in this example, the central axis CA" of the removable basket 2001 extends through the central handle 805.

According to the illustrated example, the removable basket 2001 has a base 808 from which an outer retaining panel for each segment, for example outer retaining panel 809 of segment 801 and outer retaining panel 810 of segment 804, extends upwardly. A divider panel between adjacent segments, for example divider panel 811 between segments 801 and 804, extends upwardly from the base 808 and, in this specific illustrated example, extends radially outwardly from stem 806. As shown, in this example, the base 808 is profiled to provide a slot region between neighbouring outer retaining panel, for example slot region 812 connecting between outer retaining panels 809 and 810 of segments 801 and 804.

A second group of products 1001 is shown in Figure 10. The group of products 1001 comprises a plurality of containers 1002-1005. Unlike the products 1002-1005 of Figure 4, the products 1002-1005 of this Figure are not physically associated by any packaging element. According to this illustrated example, the plurality of containers 1002-1005 comprises 4 beverage bottles.

Figure 11 shows the group of products 1001 received within the basket 2001. As shown, each of the products 1002-1005 is located in a respective one of the segments 801-803 of the basket 2001, for example product 1002 is located within segment 801. With this arrangement, the weight of the products 1002-1005 is distributed uniformly about the central axis CA" of the holder, which is also the central axis of the group of products 1001. Figure 11 shows the group of products 1001 received within the basket 2001. As shown, each of the products 1002-1005 is located in a respective one of the segments 801-803 of the basket 2001, for example product 1002 is located within segment 801. With this arrangement, the weight of the products 1002-1005 is distributed uniformly about the central axis CA" of the holder, which is also the central axis of the group of products 1001.

Figures 12, 13 & 14 respectively show a perspective, a side and a top view of the second group of products 1001 located within the basket 2001 and received within the holder 201. 15 As the basket 2001 is being inserted into the holder 201, the spring-actuated positioning elements 203-210 of the holder 201 are forced, through contact by the basket 2001 and/or group of products 1001, from the at rest position, away from the central axis CA of the holder 201. Following insertion of the basket 2001, with the group of products 1001 located therein, into the holder 201, the spring-actuated positioning elements 203-210 act to centralise the group of products 1001, between them. The positioning elements 203210 function to urge the group of products 1001 towards an oriented position in which the central axis CA" of the group of the products 1001 -and of the basket 2001 -is coincident with the central axis CA of the holder 201, which in use is coincident with the rotation axis AR.

Assuming the products 1001-1004 are fully inserted into the basket 2001 such that that the group of products 1001 is located upon the base 808 of the basket 2001, and that the basket 2001 is fully inserted into the holder 201 such that the base 808 of the basket 2001 is located upon the upper side 212 of the base 211 of the holder, the base 211 provides axial support to the group of products 1001. This facilitates maintaining the group of products 1001 in an upright position, which in turn facilitates proper alignment of the central axis CA" of the group of products 1001 with the central axis CA of the holder 201. It should be appreciated also that the outer retaining and divider panels of the basket 2001 can also assist with the proper positioning of the products 1001-1004.

It can be seen in Figures 12, 13 & 14 that the slot regions between neighbouring outer retaining panels of the basket 2001 allow positioning elements 203-210 of the holder 201 to contact the group of products 1001 received within the basket 2001, for example, the slot region 812 between the outer retaining panels 809 and 810 of segments 801 and 804 is suitably dimensioned and radially positioned with respect to positioning elements 206 and 210 for each of the positioning elements 206 and 210 to make contact with products 1002 and 1005 (which are received respectively in segments 801 and 804).

In addition, gripping contact between the positioning elements 203-210 and the group of products 1001 and basket 2001 received in the holder 201 functions to keep the received group of products 1001 and basket 2001 in rotation with the holder 201. In other words, spinning of the group of products 1001 and basket 2001 relative to the holder 201 is inhibited.

As the basket 2001, and the group of products 1001 located therein, is being withdrawn from the holder 201, the contact with the positioning elements 203-210 is removed, allowing the positioning elements 203-210 to return to the at rest position.

In some scenarios a plurality of products may be physically associated yet it is still desirable for them to be located within the basket 2001 for rotation in the holder 201. This may be the case, for example, if the products are bundled together by a removable packaging element connecting upper ends of the products rather than wrapping around bodies of the products.

Figure 15 shows a third group of products 1501 received within the basket 2001 and located within the holder 201. The third group of products 1501 comprises products I 502- 1505, and they are physically retained together by a removable packaging element 1506.

According to this illustrated example, the plurality of containers 1502-1506 comprises 4 bottles, and the packaging element 1506 is a cardboard sleeve, through which the necks of the bottles extend. The packaging element 1506 may in other examples differ from that shown. As indicated, the bottles 1502-1505 are arranged evenly around a central axis CA' of the group of products 1001, so that the weight of the bottles is distributed uniformly about the central axis CA' of the group.

As also shown, the central handle 805 of the basket 2001 extends through the packaging element 1506 of the group of products 1501. As the group of products 1501 is inserted into the basket 2001, the central handle 805 is passed through the packaging element 1506 and each of the bottles 1502-1506 is placed within a respective one of the segments of the basket 2001, for example bottle 1502 is shown positioned in segment 801.

A top view of the third group of products 1501 in the basket 2001 and in the holder 201 is shown in Figure 16. A side view of the third group of products 1501 in the basket 2001 and in the holder 201 is shown in Figure 17, and a section view of the third group of products 1501 in the basket 2001 and in the holder 201, along the line A-A of Figure 17, is shown in Figure 18.

It can be seen in Figures 15 to 18 that the slot regions between neighbouring outer retaining panels of the basket 2001 allow positioning elements 203-210 of the holder 201 to contact the group of products 1501 received within the basket 2001, for example, the slot region 812 between the outer retaining panels 809 and 810 of segments 801 and 804 is suitably dimensioned and radially positioned with respect to positioning elements 206 and 210 for each of the positioning elements 206 and 210 to make contact with the packaging element 1506.

Each component of the holder, and similarly the removable basket disclosed herein, may be fabricated from any suitable material or material, may be produced using any suitable process or processes and may have any suitable dimensions.

In an application the cooling apparatus is incorporated in a vending apparatus, which comprises an insertion and removal arrangement to insert a product to be cooled into the cavity and to remove the cooled product therefrom. Preferably, the vending apparatus comprises a storage compartment for storing a product or range of products and a product selection arrangement for selecting a product from the storage compartment to be cooled.

The vending apparatus may incorporate or be associated with include a payment collection arrangement such as a coin-operated mechanism or a card-reading apparatus for deducting a charge from a card.

Although illustrative embodiments and examples of the invention have been disclosed in detail herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise embodiment and examples shown and/or described and that various changes and modifications can be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

Claims I. A cooling apparatus comprising a cavity for receipt of products to be cooled, a rotation arrangement to rotate products received in the cavity, and a coolant supply arrangement to supply a cooling liquid to the cavity; wherein the cooling apparatus comprises a holder to support a group of products received within the cavity for rotation about a rotation axis.
2. The cooling apparatus of claim I, the holder comprising a plurality of positioning elements to urge a group of products received within the holder towards an oriented position in which a central axis of the group of products is aligned with a central axis of the holder, the central axis of the holder in use coincident with the rotation axis.
3. The cooling apparatus of claim 2, the plurality of positioning elements comprising a group of spring-actuated positioning elements, the spring-actuated positioning elements of the group spaced equidistantly around the central axis.
4, The cooling apparatus of claim 3, the spring-actuated positioning elements of the group each having a contact region resiliently biased radially inwardly towards the central 20 axis.
5. The cooling apparatus of claim 4, the spring-actuated positioning elements of the group comprising a wing element that comprises the contract region and is rotatable about a pivot axis that extends at a tangent to a radial plane through which the central axis extends perpendicularly.
6. The cooling apparatus of any one of claims 2 to 5, the spring-actuated positioning elements of the group movable independently of each other.
7. The cooling apparatus of any one of claims 2 to 5, the group of spring-actuated positioning elements comprising four spring-actuated positioning elements.
8. The cooling apparatus of any one of claims 2 to 7, the holder comprising a base element to axially support a group of products received within the holder, the products of the group of products located upon an upper side of the base element
9. The cooling apparatus of any one of claims 2 to 8, the plurality of positioning elements comprising a second group of spring-actuated positioning elements, the spring-actuated positioning elements of the second group spaced equidistantly around the central axis and the second group of spring-actuated positioning elements axially spaced from the group of spring-actuated positioning elements.
10. The cooling apparatus of claim 9, the second group of spring-actuated positioning elements comprising spring-actuated positioning elements radially aligned with spring-actuated positioning elements of the group of spring-actuated positioning elements.
II. The cooling apparatus of any one of claims 2 to 10, the holder provided with a removable basket for receiving multiple products to be cooled.
12. The cooling apparatus of claim II, the removable basket defining a plurality of segments, each segment for receiving an individual product of the group of products.
13. The cooling apparatus of claim 12, the plurality of segments comprising four segments.
14. The cooling apparatus of any one of claims 11 to 13, the removable basket comprising a central handle for facilitating insertion of the removable basket into, and withdrawal of the removable basket from, the holder.
15. The cooling apparatus of any one of claims I to 14, the rotation arrangement adapted to provide a pulsed or non-continuous rotation for a predetermined period.
16. A vending apparatus comprising the cooling apparatus of any one of claims I to 15, further comprising an insertion and removal arrangement to insert products to be cooled into the cavity and to remove the cooled products therefrom.