초록 ▼

A beverage dispenser for gravitationally dispensing a liquid from a bottle such as standard sized bottles commonly used in the drinking water industry. The dispenser preferably includes a removable top closeable over a space large enough to hold and fully enclose the inverted bottle, a base having a

A beverage dispenser for gravitationally dispensing a liquid from a bottle such as standard sized bottles commonly used in the drinking water industry. The dispenser preferably includes a removable top closeable over a space large enough to hold and fully enclose the inverted bottle, a base having a substantially flat bottom surface for maintaining the bottle in an inverted position and mating surfaces for receiving the removable top, a collar having an aperture sized to receive a neck portion of the bottle and disposed within the base for supporting the bottle in the inverted position, a reservoir attached to the collar for receiving the liquid from the bottle, whereby the neck portion of the inverted standard sized bottle extends downward through the aperture of the collar, and a spigot extending from the reservoir for dispensing the liquid from the reservoir.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A beverage dispenser for gravitationally dispensing a liquid from a bottle, the dispenser comprising: a removable top; a base having a substantially flat bottom surface for maintaining said bottle in an inverted position and mating surfaces for receiving said removable

The invention claimed is: 1. A beverage dispenser for gravitationally dispensing a liquid from a bottle, the dispenser comprising: a removable top; a base having a substantially flat bottom surface for maintaining said bottle in an inverted position and mating surfaces for receiving said removable top, wherein said removable top in combination with said base are capable of fully enclosing said bottle; a collar having an aperture sized to receive a neck portion of said bottle and disposed within said base for supporting said bottle in said inverted position; a reservoir attached to said collar for receiving a liquid from said bottle, whereby said neck portion of said bottle extends downward through said aperture of said collar; a spigot extending from said reservoir for dispensing said liquid from said reservoir; at least one securing mechanism for holding said removable top to said base and holding said bottle to said collar so as to minimize leakage when the dispenser is moved; and a space surrounding said reservoir and extending upward in fluid communication with a volume enclosed by said top in combination with said base, wherein ice is placed within said space surrounding said reservoir so as to cool both liquid within said reservoir and liquid within said bottle. 2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said liquid comprises drinking water. 3. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said bottle comprises a standard sized bottle, said bottle of a type commonly used with commercial floor standing bottled water dispensers. 4. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said removable top includes insulation material for insulating said dispenser and said liquid therein. 5. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said removable top comprises an opaque material. 6. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said collar comprises a water guard of a type commonly used with commercial floor standing bottled water dispensers. 7. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said reservoir comprises a thermally conductive material, and wherein a coolant placed within said space is capable of cooling both said reservoir and said volume enclosed by said top in combination with said base. 8. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising at least one active element in thermal contact with said reservoir, said reservoir comprising a thermally conductive material and said active element capable of changing the temperature of said reservoir and said liquid therein. 9. The dispenser of claim 8, wherein said active element comprises a thermoelectric element configured for cooling said reservoir and said liquid therein. 10. The dispenser of claim 8, wherein said active element comprises a thermoelectric element configured for heating said reservoir and said liquid therein. 11. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising at least one handle disposed on a side of said dispenser for lifting said dispenser to move said dispenser from place to place. 12. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a carrying frame attached to said base, wherein said carrying frame comprises at least one handle for lifting said dispenser to move said dispenser from place to place. 13. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a carrying frame attached to said base, wherein said carrying frame comprises at least one shoulder strap for lifting said dispenser to move said dispenser from place to place. 14. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a carrying frame attached to said base, wherein said carrying frame comprises at least one tie down feature for securing said dispenser to an object. 15. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising: a carrying frame attached to said base, said carrying frame comprising at least one handle and at least one shoulder strap for lifting said dispenser to move said dispenser from place to place and at least one tie down feature for securing said dispenser to an object, wherein said liquid comprises drinking water, said bottle comprises a standard sized bottle of a type commonly used with commercial floor standing bottled water dispensers, said removable top includes insulation material for insulating said dispenser and liquid therein, and said collar comprises a water guard of a type commonly used with commercial floor standing bottled water dispensers. 16. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said base is integrally fit within a vehicle utility box, and said spigot extends from surfaces of said vehicle utility box. 17. A method of using a dispenser for gravitationally dispensing a liquid from a bottle, the method comprising: closing a removable top over a space containing said bottle; maintaining said bottle in an inverted position using said removable top and a base having a substantially flat bottom surface, wherein said removable top in combination with said base fully encloses said bottle; supporting said bottle with a collar having an aperture sized to receive a neck portion of said bottle and disposed within said base; receiving a liquid from said bottle into a reservoir attached to said collar, whereby said neck portion of said bottle extends downward through said aperture of said collar; and dispensing liquid from said reservoir through a spigot extending from said reservoir, wherein said dispenser includes at least one securing mechanism for holding said removable top to said base and holding said bottle to said collar so as to minimize leakage when the dispenser is moved, and said dispenser further includes a space surrounding said reservoir and extending upward in fluid communication with a volume enclosed by said top in combination with said base, wherein ice is placed within said space surrounding said reservoir so as to cool both liquid within said reservoir and liquid within said bottle. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein said liquid comprises drinking water. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein said bottle comprises a standard sized bottle, said bottle of a type commonly used with commercial floor standing bottled water dispensers. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein said dispenser further comprises: a carrying frame attached to said base, said carrying frame comprising at least one handle and at least one shoulder strap for lifting said dispenser to move said dispenser from place to place and at least one tie down feature for securing said dispenser to an object, further wherein said liquid comprises drinking water, said bottle comprises a standard sized bottle of a type commonly used with commercial floor standing bottled water dispensers, said removable top includes insulation material for insulating said dispenser and liquid therein, and said collar comprises a water guard of a type commonly used with commercial floor standing bottled water dispensers.