US20130025296A1 - Container Cap With Enhanced Shelf-Life Heating Or Cooling Agent Insert - Google Patents

Container Cap With Enhanced Shelf-Life Heating Or Cooling Agent Insert Download PDF

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Publication number
US20130025296A1
US20130025296A1 US13/442,680 US201213442680A US2013025296A1 US 20130025296 A1 US20130025296 A1 US 20130025296A1 US 201213442680 A US201213442680 A US 201213442680A US 2013025296 A1 US2013025296 A1 US 2013025296A1
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United States
Prior art keywords
self
heating
cavity
cooling
container
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Abandoned
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US13/442,680
Inventor
David D. Leavitt
John R. Bergida
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FROSTY COLD LLC
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FROSTY COLD LLC
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Priority to US13/442,680 priority Critical patent/US20130025296A1/en
Assigned to FROSTY COLD, LLC reassignment FROSTY COLD, LLC ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: LEAVITT, DAVID, BERGIDA, JOHN
Publication of US20130025296A1 publication Critical patent/US20130025296A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65DCONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D81/00Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
    • B65D81/34Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents for packaging foodstuffs or other articles intended to be cooked or heated within the package
    • B65D81/3484Packages having self-contained heating means, e.g. heating generated by the reaction of two chemicals
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24VCOLLECTION, PRODUCTION OR USE OF HEAT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F24V30/00Apparatus or devices using heat produced by exothermal chemical reactions other than combustion
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25DREFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D5/00Devices using endothermic chemical reactions, e.g. using frigorific mixtures
    • F25D5/02Devices using endothermic chemical reactions, e.g. using frigorific mixtures portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25DREFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D31/00Other cooling or freezing apparatus
    • F25D31/006Other cooling or freezing apparatus specially adapted for cooling receptacles, e.g. tanks
    • F25D31/007Bottles or cans

Definitions

  • This invention relates to improvements in self-cooling and self-heating containers designed to increase the shelf-life and effectiveness of the endothermic and exothermic materials used and more particularly to self-cooling and self-heating container caps or lids or inserts having a multi-cavity, independent heat-transfer compartment utilizing water-activated endothermic and exothermic cooling and heating agents, a water-activated mixer within the compartment, a simple actuation means for initiating the cooling or heating processes and a method for using the same.
  • U.S. Pat. No. 3,003,324 discloses a compartmentalized container for cooling beverages consisting of an outer chamber containing the beverage to be chilled, a two-part inner container holding water and the cooling agent separated by a barrier or membrane and a means for making contact between the cooling agent and the water within the inner compartment to facilitate the cooling effect.
  • U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,921 describes a self-heating vessel that comprises a compartment for the substance to be heated that is adjacent to a sealed container containing a heating agent and water in which one of the materials is sealed in a pouch to keep it separated from the other material.
  • the materials are activated to create heat by means of a tearing filament secured to the pouch that can be made to open the pouch in order to trigger the exothermic reaction.
  • the tearing filament extends across the lid below the bottom of the vessel and emerges from between the housing and the vessel in a portion that can be grasped by the user to pull on the tearing filament in order to tear open the pouch and release the contents.
  • Such self-heating and self-cooling containers are useful for heating and cooling liquids, beverages, soups and the like without the use of an external heat source or refrigeration device.
  • any self-heating or self-chilling container it is important for commercial success of any self-heating or self-chilling container that it can be utilized within the preferred processes for making beverages and food. For example, many beverages must be pasteurized before being sealed in a container so that bacteria growth is eliminated and spoilage of the consumable item is minimized. Beverages such as beer, fruit drinks and the like are pasteurized in the body of the container before the lid is fixed to the container, so any self-heating or self-chilling embodiment should be compatible with the existing pasteurization processes and not involve additional process steps.
  • Self-heating and self-chilling containers should also be manufactured using conventional manufacturing materials and equipment with minimal adaptation.
  • a container comprised of an outer compartment for holding a beverage and an inner compartment for holding a cooling agent is shown that can be manufactured with conventional can manufacturing technology.
  • the container is made by first pre-forming the outer compartment such that it can be used to enclose a beverage during pasteurization and then pre-forming the inner compartment, as an integral part of the can lid or as a separate chamber, then inserting the cooling agent into inner the compartment and finally inserting the completed inner compartment into the outer compartment.
  • the lid of the sealed container thus has a portal to access the inner compartment containing the cooling agent and a portal to access the beverage, and can be made with conventional lid manufacturing techniques and affixed to the container using conventional technology.
  • U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,812 discloses caps that contain heating agents that can be fixed to the tops of containers to provide a means of heating the contents of the containers. It is thus evident from the prior art that it is advantageous to incorporate self-heating or self-chilling devices into the caps or lids of containers rather than into the main body of the container in order to be compatible with existing beverage processes and container-manufacturing technology. Such an incorporation must be designed to minimize contamination of the beverage by the heat transfer materials.
  • U.S. Pat. No. 3,023,587 also disclose techniques for improving penetration and release.
  • U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,678 discloses an internal mixing device within the compartment holding the liquid and cooling agent to overcome the inadequate mixing of the contents upon activation that is known to be a problem affecting self-cooling containers.
  • Other similar examples are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,350,732, 7,117,684, 6,889,507, 6,351,953, 6,134,894, and 6,103,280.
  • a container, lid or cap must be adaptable to current container manufacturing techniques and processes; the cooling or heating mechanism must be safe, simple, inexpensive and efficient; the actuation technique for initiating the heating or cooling process must be tamper-evident and simple in order to appeal to the consumer; and the internal chamber holding the liquid and thermal agent must provide rapid and complete contact and mixing between the liquid and the solid thermal agents.
  • Self-heating and self-chilling containers, lids and caps shown in the prior art have not exhibited one or more of the above attributes.
  • a primary object of the invention is to provide a container equipped with a cap or lid coupled to a self-heating or self-cooling device and method which can efficiently and safely heat or cool beverages prior to consumption.
  • Another object of this invention is provide a cap or lid containing a self-heating or self-cooling device which can be manufactured along with the other components of a self-heating or self-cooling container without major alterations in manufacturing machinery or equipment
  • Another object of this invention to use safe and inexpensive heat-transfer materials as part of a self-contained heating or cooling mechanism.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a unique combination of heating or cooling agents that have long shelf life.
  • a further object of this invention to provide a cap or lid containing a self-heating or self-cooling device which can be easily and safely actuated to initiate the heating or cooling process whether or not part of a self-heating or self-cooling container.
  • the present invention provides a cap or lid containing a self-cooling or self-heating device having an independent heat-transfer compartment or insert in which are utilized heat transfer materials consisting of liquid-activated endothermic or exothermic agents, a liquid-activated mixer within the compartment, a simple actuation means for initiating the cooling or heating processes and a method for using the same.
  • the heat-transfer compartment comprises three cavities in which the first and third cavities contain liquid-activated endothermic or exothermic agents that are separated from each other by the second cavity that contains liquid that is sealed off from the first and third cavities. In this manner, exothermic and endothermic agents that are incompatible can be isolated from each other during storage and only brought in contact with each other and the liquid used for activation when it is desired to cool or heat the container.
  • heating and cooling agents can be used in this invention but many of these agents are incompatible when mixed together during storage in the inner compartment prior to use.
  • dry mixtures of urea and ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfamate are very effective cooling agents when mixed with water but will undergo decomposition by acid hydrolysis during storage.
  • Mixtures of calcium oxides and calcium chloride are very effective water-activated heating agents that will react prematurely if stored together as a mixture.
  • this present invention allows mixtures of compatible heating and cooling agents to be stored separately from other mixtures of heating and cooling agents that would not be compatible with them during storage.
  • compatible heat-transfer agents are mixed together and stored in their dry state in the first cavity of the inner compartment while other heat-transfer agents that are incompatible with those stored in the first cavity are mixed together stored in the third cavity of the compartment and the incompatible materials of the first and third cavities are separated from each other by the sealing membranes or barriers that form the second cavity filled with the activating liquid.
  • a user actuates the heating or cooling process by pulling on a tab that is connected to a device that punctures or tears through the seal separating the second cavity from the first and third cavities, thus allowing the liquid activating agent to react with the endothermic or exothermic agents to bring about the desired effect.
  • Pulling on the tab also facilitates mixing of the contents in all three cavities and the liquid also activates an internal mixing device within the third cavity that serves to enhance mixing and contact between the contents of all of the three cavities. The materials mix and either heat or cool the container contents by conduction through the compartment wall.
  • the self-heating or self-cooling container comprises:
  • a closure means typically flat like a lid or shaped to fit over an opening or portal, having dimensions such that the closure means can cover and enclose an outer compartment containing a liquid or beverage to be heated or cooled and form the top end of the outer compartment whereby the compartment also has at least one sidewall and a bottom end whereby the sidewall, lid or cap and the bottom end form a cavity for storing the liquid.
  • the lid is coupled to a self-heating or self-cooling device and is directly and permanently attached to the outer compartment.
  • an alternative closure means typically a threaded cap shaped to fit over an opening or portal, having dimensions such that the closure means can cover and enclose an outer compartment containing a liquid or beverage to be cooled and form the top end of the outer compartment whereby the compartment also has at least one sidewall and a bottom end whereby the sidewall, cap and the bottom end form a cavity for storing the liquid.
  • the cap is either permanently coupled to a self-heating or self-cooling device or to a well that can contain the self-heating or self-cooling device, or can be screwed onto the outer compartment to make contact between the lip of a self-heating or self-cooling device that lies on top of the cavity containing stored beverage such that a leak-free seal is formed between the cap, the lip of the self-heating or self-cooling device and the outer compartment.
  • the cap is not permanently attached to the outer compartment but can be unscrewed and removed to access the beverage in the cavity of the outer compartment and also screwed back on to seal off the cavity containing the beverage when desired.
  • an openable closure means located on, adjacent to incorporated within the surface of the lid of the outer compartment such that the means can be penetrated or opened or removed to provide access to the liquid stored within as is the case for a beverage can; or alternatively, the cap itself comprises an openable closure means as is the case for a beverage bottle.
  • a self-heating or self-cooling device comprising an inner compartment having a smaller diameter and volume than the outer compartment and incorporated into or coupled to the cap or lid forming the top end of the outer compartment such that the inner compartment can be located within the cavity of the outer compartment when the cap or lid containing the inner compartment is affixed to the outer compartment, said inner compartment including: (i) at least one sidewall, a top end and a bottom end, (ii) a first cavity containing a heat-transfer material (i.e., heating or cooling agents) consisting of either an endothermic cooling agent or exothermic heating agent that will react when contacted with a liquid activator, (iii) a second cavity containing a liquid that will activate the heating or cooling process when in contact with the heat-transfer materials, (iv) a third cavity containing a heat-transfer material that is incompatible with the heat transfer material found in the first cavity and that will react when contacted with a liquid activator, (v) a rupturable membrane
  • a self-cooling container as described above whereby a layer of insulation is affixed to the interior or the exterior surface of the sidewall of the outer compartment.
  • a lid containing the self-heating or self-cooling device as described above that also serves as a covering of the top end of a self-heating or self-chilling beverage container and has an openable closure means on the surface of the lid comprising a rupturable tear panel or pull tab which may be ruptured to provide access to the liquid stored within the cavity of the outer compartment of a self-heating or self-chilling container whereby (i) the pull tab has a front end and a bottom end and (ii) the back end of the pull tab is placed adjacent to the rupturable tear panel such that when the front end of the pull tab is pulled away from the lid, the rupturable tear panel ruptures and moves into the cavity, providing access to the beverage stored within.
  • the openable closure means that forms a covering of the top end of the outer compartment of a self-heating or self-chilling container consists of a cap that can be firmly attached to top end of the outer compartment to form a sealed unit comprising: (i) a threaded cap equipped with a female-threaded fitting or other female-threaded means having an exterior surface and an interior surface such that the cap when screwed onto the self-heating or self-chilling container will create a self-contained unit, (ii) a portal or orifice made through the top surface of the cap of sufficient diameter to allow insertion of a self-heating or self-cooling device as described herein; (iii) a self-heating or self-cooling device incorporated into or coupled to the cap through the portal to form a leak-free cap; (iv) a seal or gasket affixed to the interior surface of the cap and forming around the outer circumference of the self-heating or self-cooling device that
  • a lid or cap as described above is directly and permanently attached to the inner compartment of the self-heating or self-cooling device which is then in direct contact with the liquid contained within the outer compartment and located within the cavity of the outer compartment.
  • the inner compartment is self-contained without any seals or penetrations between the contents of the inner compartment and the contents of the cavity of the outer compartment so that contamination of a beverage with cooling agent is virtually eliminated.
  • the diaphragm is affixed to the top of the inner compartment to create a completely self-contained unit that can be activated by the consumer with no contact between the consumer and contents of the inner compartment.
  • the diaphragm and contact interface with the consumer with respect to activating the cooling mechanism is separated from the pull tab at the top of the container whereby the consumer accesses the beverage.
  • the surface of the cap or lid is expanded to form a well that can extend into the interior of the outer compartment cavity, when the lid or cap is secured to the outer compartment, to displace some of the volume of the cavity that contains the liquid to be cooled such that a fourth cavity is formed that does not contain any liquid and is open to the environment.
  • the fourth cavity conforms to the shape of the inner compartment of the self-cooling device and is made to hold the inner compartment in place.
  • the inner compartment can be held in place within the well of the lid or cap by a pressure seal attached to the circumference of the bottom end of the sidewall of the inner compartment or by modifying the bottom end of the sidewall to form a male threaded fitting that can be screwed into a female threaded fitting formed as a modification of the top expanded end of the well.
  • a separate heating or cooling device or insert that comprises the heat-transfer mechanism, the static spring mixer, the heating or cooling agent, the separating barriers and the liquid to activate the heating or cooling agent can all be manufactured separately from the cap or lid and the container holding the beverage to be heated or cooled, and thus the described heating or cooling device can be inserted into and removed from the cap or lid and thus indirectly from a beverage container for ease of use and to promote efficiency with respect to the manufacturing of the lid, cap, container and the device and with respect to the recycling and reuse of the lids, caps, containers and the spent heat-transfer materials.
  • the sidewall adjacent to the top end of the inner compartment of the self-heating or self-cooling device as described herein is modified to form a lip or concentric ring that extends outward perpendicular to the vertical axis of the sidewall of the inner compartment.
  • the lip has a top surface, a bottom surface, and a gasket attached to the bottom surface of the lip, and is extended such that the bottom surface of the lip forms a leak-free seal of the outer compartment cavity when the modified self-heating or self-cooling device is placed into the cavity of the outer compartment and onto the top of the outer compartment of a beverage container and downward pressured is applied to the top surface of the lip.
  • This downward pressure can be applied by screwing on any standard cap or lid that is typically used to seal a beverage or food container which is typically a glass or plastic bottle.
  • a separate heating or cooling device or insert that comprises the heat-transfer mechanism, the static spring mixer, the heating or cooling agent, the separating barrier and the liquid to activate the heating or cooling agent can all be manufactured and sold separately from the cap or lid and the container holding the beverage to be heated or cooled, and thus the described heating and cooling device can be inserted into and removed from a beverage bottle or other related container having a cap or a lid without the need for a specially modified cap, lid or self-heating or self-chilling container for ease of use and to reduce the cost of use.
  • a self-cooling container as described above is affixed with a pouch, bag or balloon containing the liquid that is positioned to occupy all of the interior space of the second cavity such that the balloon forms the membrane or barrier that separates the liquid in the second cavity from the heating and cooling agents in the first and third cavities.
  • the lid or cap containing the self-heating or self-cooling device when used as part of a self-heating or self-chilling container disclosed herein thus provides several additional benefits, some of which are detailed below.
  • self-chilling beverages do not have to be refrigerated to provide a chilled liquid and since self-heating beverages do not have to be heated externally prior to consumption, their use may reduce the cost borne by retailers of beverage containers to store and market the beverage containers.
  • Self-heating and self-chilling beverage containers may similarly reduce or eliminate the need for vending machines that employ traditional refrigeration methods to store the beverage containers at low temperatures or heating systems to heat the beverages to a higher temperature.
  • Lid and caps containing the self-heating and self-cooling devices are also easier and less costly to manufacture compared to self-heating self-chilling containers where the self-cooling device is part of the body of the container instead of the cap or lid.
  • Self-heating and self-cooling devices that can be used with any standard beverage bottle without modification of the bottle or cap or lid are particularly advantages with respect to cost and ease of use and time to market.
  • the self-heating and self-cooling devices described in this invention are made stable and exhibit longer shelf-life because of the separation and isolation of incompatible heat-transfer materials and the liquid activating agent during storage prior to use.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a self-heating or self-chilling beverage container having a lid containing a self-heating or self-cooling device.
  • FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-heating or self-chilling beverage container illustrating the lid attached to the inner compartment of the self-heating or self-cooling device and coupled to the outer compartment and illustrating: the lid; the cavity containing the beverage; the first cavity of the inner compartment containing the heating or cooling agent; the second cavity of the inner compartment containing the liquid activating material; the third cavity of the inner compartment containing the heating or cooling agent; the rupturable membrane or barrier means separating the first and third cavities from the second cavity; the openable closure or tear panel attached to the top end of the outer compartment; the diaphragm attached to or comprising the top end of the inner compartment having a portal or orifice extending through the diaphragm; the removable plug that is fitted into the orifice located in the center of the diaphragm; the tearing filament attached to the bottom end of the removable plug; the hollow tube forming a conduit for the tearing filament; the plug pull tab attached to the removable plug; the static spring mixer; and the closed
  • FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-heating or self-chilling beverage container illustrating the lid containing the self-heating or self-cooling device showing the opening of the access tear panel and illustrating a rupturing means for rupturing the seal isolating the second cavity such that when the plug pull tab attached to the plug and to the tearing filament are pulled by the user, the tearing filament travels from the third cavity through the second and first cavities, ripping open the barriers surrounding the second cavity, thus allowing the passage of liquids from the second cavity throughout the contents of the first and third cavities.
  • FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-heating or self-chilling beverage container illustrating the lid containing the self-heating or self-cooling device showing the expansion of the static spring mixer and subsequent mixing of the contents of the inner compartment.
  • FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-section through the lower half of the inner compartment of the self-heating or self-cooling device attached to the lid of the self-heating or self-chilling beverage container illustrating: the heat-transfer mechanism; the compressed static spring mixer; the barrier or sealing membrane or balloon fixed between the second and the third cavities; the un-activated heat-transfer mechanism; and the closed tear panel.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates the compressed static spring mixer held in place by the solvent-activated tape and the expanded static spring mixer.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of the heat-transfer mechanism where the tearing filament is affixed to a removable plug inserted into the diaphragm and attached to the plug pull tab.
  • FIG. 8 illustrates the fully extended removable plug attached to the plug pull tab as part of the activated heat transfer mechanism.
  • FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-heating or self-chilling beverage container illustrating the outer compartment with the cavity containing the beverage and a lid having an expanded bottom surface forming a fourth cavity modified with a female-threaded means in which is inserted the threaded self-heating or self-cooling device.
  • FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-section through a self-heating or self-chilling beverage container illustrating the outer compartment with the cavity containing the beverage and a lid having an expanded bottom surface forming a fourth cavity modified with a female-threaded means, and an illustration of the self-heating or self-cooling device insert having: the barrier or sealing membrane isolating the second cavity; the second cavity containing the liquid activating material; the first and third cavities containing the heating or cooling agent; the hollow tube; the tearing filament; the removable plug; the plug pull tab; the static spring mixer; the diaphragm; and the bottom end of the sidewall modified with a male-threaded means.
  • FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-chilling beverage container illustrating the outer compartment with the cavity containing the beverage and a lid having an expanded bottom surface forming a fourth cavity modified with a female-threaded means in which is inserted the self-heating or self-cooling device equipped with a pressure seal.
  • FIG. 12 is a vertical cross-section through a self-heating or self-chilling beverage container illustrating the outer compartment with the cavity containing the beverage and a lid having an expanded bottom surface forming a fourth cavity modified with a female-threaded means, and an illustration of the self-heating or self-cooling device insert having: the first cavity of the inner compartment containing the heating or cooling agent; the second cavity of the inner compartment containing the liquid activating material; the third cavity of the inner compartment containing the heating or cooling agent; the rupturable membrane or barrier means separating the first and third cavities from the second cavity; the openable closure or tear panel or means attached to the top end of the outer compartment; the diaphragm attached to or comprising the top end of the inner compartment having a portal or orifice extending through the diaphragm; the removable plug that is fitted into the orifice located in the center of the flexible diaphragm; the tearing filament attached to the bottom end of the removable plug; the hollow tube forming a conduit for the tearing filament; the
  • FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-section through a self-heating or self-chilling beverage bottle illustrating the threaded cap containing the self-heating or self-cooling device and illustrating: the cavity containing the beverage; the first cavity of the inner compartment containing the heating or cooling agent; the second cavity of the inner compartment containing the liquid activating material; the third cavity of the inner compartment containing the heating or cooling agent; the rupturable membrane or barrier means separating the first and third cavities from the second cavity; the openable closure or tear panel or means attached to the top end of the outer compartment; the diaphragm attached to or comprising the top end of the inner compartment having a portal or orifice extending through the diaphragm; the removable plug that is fitted into the orifice located in the center of the flexible diaphragm; the tearing filament attached to the bottom end of the removable plug; the hollow tube forming a conduit for the tearing filament; the plug pull tab; the static spring mixer; and the tear panel.
  • FIG. 14 is a close view of a vertical-cross-section of a typical beverage bottle and threaded cap illustrating self-heating or self-chilling bottle illustrating a self-heating or self-cooling device equipped with a lip where said device can be inserted into the beverage bottle to heat or cool the bottle without modification of the bottle or the cap.
  • FIG. 1 shows a self-heating or self-cooling container 5 particularly suited for carbonated soft drinks, fruit drinks, beer and other similar beverages that is equipped with a lid 3 at its top end 11 coupled to a self-heating or self-cooling device 51 .
  • the container 5 is a can constructed of conventional materials such as aluminum or other suitable materials and the lid 3 is constructed of materials similar to the can, or a bottle constructed of a plastic material such as polycarbonate as illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14 with a cap 4 constructed of plastic or other materials.
  • the container 5 has an outer compartment 10 having a lid 3 , a bottom end 12 and at least one sidewall 13 , an optional insulation means 14 , an outer compartment 10 that encloses a cavity 16 that contains a beverage 17 to be cooled, an openable closure means 18 and an inner compartment 19 that contains the liquid activating agent 20 , the heat-transfer agents (heating or cooling agents) 21 , a barrier or rupturable membrane 22 that separates the liquid activating agent 20 from the heat-transfer agents 21 , a tear panel or means 23 attached to the top end 11 that provides tamper-free access to the inner compartment 19 while preventing accidental activation of the heat-transfer mechanism 43 comprising the plug pull tab 41 attached to the removable plug 31 , the hollow tube 40 and the tearing filament 33 , a diaphragm 25 attached to or comprising the top end of the inner compartment 19 and accessible through the openable closure or tear panel 23 located near the center of the diaphragm 25 having an interior-oriented surface 26 ,
  • the openable closure means 18 typically consists of a pull tab 6 coupled to the lid 3 of the outer compartment 10 and is generally opened by pulling up on the tab 6 to pivot the tab 6 such that the tab 6 breaks a rupturable tear panel 7 incorporated into the lid 3 attached to the outer compartment 10 , allowing access to the beverage 17 contained within the cavity containing the beverage 16 .
  • the openable closure means 18 is made from the same materials commonly used to manufacture metal cans including steel, aluminum and alloys.
  • an openable closure or tear panel 23 is shown that prevents accidental activation of the cooling mechanism.
  • This tear panel 23 can be any material which will prevent access to heat-transfer mechanism 43 until it is desirable to activate the heat-transfer mechanism 43 by pulling the plug pull tab 41 and related assembly out of the portal 28 attached to the diaphragm 25 and away from the top 11 of the container 5 .
  • the tear panel 23 can be an adhesive foil, a plastic cap or the like which can be peeled back, opened, or otherwise removed by the consumer.
  • the tear panel 23 is shown in the opened position in FIG. 3 .
  • the openable closure 18 means that forms the top end 11 of the outer compartment 10 of a self-heating or self-chilling container 5 consists of a cap 4 that can be firmly attached to top end 11 of the outer compartment 10 to form a sealed unit comprising: (i) a threaded cap 4 equipped with a female-threaded fitting or other female-threaded means 51 having an exterior surface 52 and an interior surface 53 such that the cap 4 when screwed onto the self-heating or elf-chilling container 5 will create a self-contained unit, (ii) a portal or orifice 54 made through the top surface of the cap 4 of sufficient diameter to allow insertion of a self-heating or self-cooling device 55 as described herein; (iii) a self-heating or self-cooling device 55 incorporated into or coupled to the cap 4 through the portal 56 to form a leak-free cap 4 ; (iv) a seal or gasket 57 affixed to the
  • the insulation means 14 may be coupled to the interior and exterior surfaces of the sidewall 13 of the outer compartment 10 to insulate the beverage 17 within the first cavity 16 from the environment.
  • the insulation means 14 is typically made out of a non-toxic material such as expanded polystyrene especially when it is applied to the interior surface of the sidewall 13 where the material would come in contact with the beverage 17 .
  • the inner compartment 19 of the self-heating or self-cooling device 55 is positioned adjacent to the top end 11 of the outer compartment 10 and has at least one sidewall 60 , a top end 34 and a bottom end 49 .
  • the inner compartment 19 also contains a second cavity 36 that contains the liquid activating agent 20 and first 35 and third cavities 37 that contain the heating or cooling agent 21 .
  • the liquid activating agent 20 in the second cavity 36 can be any suitable liquid which will react with the heating or cooling agent 21 in the first 35 and third cavities 37 and will typically be water although other inorganic and organic liquids can be used depending upon the selection of the heating and cooling agent 21 .
  • the cooling agent 21 can be any material which reacts on contact with the liquid activating agent 20 in the second cavity 36 to absorb heat.
  • This chemical reaction or related solution process comprises the means by which the mixture of cooling agent 21 and liquid 20 cools the beverage 17 held in the cavity 16 of the outer compartment 10 by heat transfer through the wall of inner compartment 19 from the beverage 17 .
  • the heating agent 21 can be any material which reacts on contact with the liquid activating agent 20 in the second cavity 36 to produce heat.
  • This chemical reaction or related dissolution process comprises the means by which the mixture of heating agent 21 and liquid 20 heats up the beverage 17 held in the cavity 16 of the outer compartment 10 by heat-transfer through the wall of inner compartment 19 from the beverage 17 .
  • the inner compartment 19 should be constructed of a suitable heat transfer material and is preferably made from materials such as steel, aluminum or other metal alloys.
  • cooling agents 21 include urea, potassium fluoride dihydrate, potassium chloride, potassium bromide, potassium iodide, potassium nitrite, potassium nitrate, potassium thiosulfate pentahydrate, potassium cyanide, potassium cyanate, potassium thiocyanide, sodium perchlorite, sodium perchlorate, sodium perchlorite dihydrate, sodium bromide dihydrate, sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate, sodium acetate trihydrate, sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate, sodium cyanide dihydrate, sodium cyanate, ammonium chloride, ammonium bromide, ammonium iodide, ammonium iodate, ammonium nitrite, ammonium nitrate, ammonium cyanide, ammonium thiocyanide, silver nitrate, rubi
  • heating and cooling agents 21 are incompatible when mixed together during storage in the inner compartment 19 prior to use.
  • dry mixtures of urea and ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfamate are very effective cooling agents 21 when mixed with water but will undergo decomposition by acid hydrolysis during storage in their dry state.
  • Mixtures of calcium oxides and calcium chloride are very effective water-activated heating agents 21 that will react prematurely if stored together as a dry mixture.
  • ammonium nitrate can be mixed without decomposition with the following cooling agents 21 : ammonium bisulfate; ammonium bromide; ammonium bicarbonate; ammonium iodide; ammonium magnesium selenate; ammonium manganese sulfate; ammonium phosphate dibasic; ammonium potassium tartrate; ammonium salicylate; ammonium sulfate; ammonium sodium sulfate; ammonium thiocyanate; ammonium persulfate; potassium phosphate; potassium sulfate; potassium sodium tartrate; potassium thiocyanate; potassium iodide; and potassium chloride.
  • urea can be mixed without decomposition with the following chemical agents: afenil; sodium acetate; sodium citrate; sodium nitrate; sodium thiocyanate; sodium thiosulfate; citric acid; tartaric acid; ferric ammonium sulfate; and thiourea.
  • the compounds that are compatible with mixtures containing ammonium nitrate are, however, not compatible with the compounds that are compatible with mixtures containing urea, and cannot be brought into contact together during storage without degradation of the cooling capacity of the mixed materials.
  • heating agents 21 mixtures of calcium oxide, sodium carbonate, and aluminum chloride are compatible with each other but are not compatible with calcium chloride during storage.
  • this present invention allows mixtures of compatible heating and cooling agents 21 to be stored separately from other mixtures of heating and cooling agents 21 that would not be compatible with them during storage.
  • compatible heat-transfer agents 21 are mixed together and stored in their dry state in the first cavity 35 of the inner compartment 19 while other heat-transfer agents 21 that are incompatible with those stored in the first cavity 35 are mixed together stored in the third cavity 37 of the compartment 19 and the incompatible materials 21 of the first 35 and third cavities 37 are separated from each other by the sealing membranes or barriers 22 that form the second cavity 36 filled with the activating liquid 20 .
  • the barrier or rupturable membrane 22 that separates the liquid activating agent 20 from the heating or cooling agent 21 is coupled to the sidewall 60 of the inner compartment 19 to form a second cavity 36 within the base of the first cavity 35 and the top of the third cavity 37 .
  • the first 35 , second 36 and the third cavities 37 can be of different sizes and the rupturable membrane 22 is made out of material that can be punctured by the sharp surfaces 44 of the tearing filament 33 , including rubber, elastomers, latex, polychlororprene, films, plastics etc.
  • the rupturable membrane 22 is sufficiently durability to keep the contents of the second cavity 36 from coming into contact with the contents of the first 35 and third cavities 37 during normal handling.
  • the rupturable membrane 22 may consist of a balloon or plastic bag or pouch containing the liquid 20 that is positioned to occupy all of the interior space of the second cavity 36 such that the balloon forms the membrane or barrier 22 that separates the liquid 20 in the second cavity 35 from the heating or cooling agent 21 in the first 35 and third cavities 37 .
  • the liquid-filled balloon 22 is sufficiently full of liquid 20 so that the filled balloon 22 is tightly pressed against the inner surface 60 of the inner compartment 19 such that none of the material 21 stored in the first 35 or third cavity 37 can pass into the second cavity 36 without rupturing or tearing the balloon or barrier or sealing membrane 22 .
  • the invention exhibits improved shelf-life and stability compared to other self-heating and self-cooling devices that use chemical activation agents without having to rely upon the use of a layer of ammonium chloride disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,472.
  • the means of rupturing the membrane or barrier 22 consists of the heat-transfer mechanism 43 comprising the plug pull tab 41 attached to the removable plug 31 , the hollow tube 40 and the tearing filament 33 .
  • the plug pull tab is located beneath the openable closure or tear panel 23 and is attached to the removable plug 31 that in turn is inserted into the portal 28 connected to the diaphragm 25 when the heat-transfer mechanism 43 is in the inactive position.
  • the plug pull tab 41 is typically made from the same materials commonly used to manufacture metal cans including steel, aluminum and alloys, but can be made from any other suitable material including plastics and related polymers.
  • the removable plug 31 is held in place within the diaphragm 25 by a pressure seal 30 attached to the circumference of the bottom end 29 of the plug 31 or by modifying the bottom end 29 of the plug 31 to faun the male-threaded fitting 32 that can be screwed into the female-threaded fitting 50 formed as a modification of the orifice 28 within the diaphragm 25 .
  • the plug 31 can be made from any suitable material including plastics, metals and polymers.
  • the hollow tube 40 is typically made of plastic and has an inside diameter sufficient to allow free passage of the tearing filament 33 through the tube 40 during activation of the heat-transfer mechanism 43 .
  • the tube 43 is of sufficient length to extend around 0.25 times the length of the inner compartment 19 and is affixed to the bottom end 29 of the removable plug 31 to form a rigid conduit for the tearing filament 33 .
  • the tearing filament 33 is in the form of a string or cord made from plastic, metal wire or natural fiber approximately 1.5 times the length of the inner compartment 19 and is comprised of four separated strands 38 .
  • the tearing filament is attached at its top end to the removable plug 31 and then threaded through the hollow tube 40 during placement of the heat transfer mechanism 43 into the inner compartment 19 along with the heating or cooling agents 21 , activation liquid 20 and barrier or sealing membranes or rupturable membranes 22 .
  • Each strand 38 of the tearing filament 33 has an abrasive coating or abrasive, sharp-edged objects 39 attached to the distal one-third of its length.
  • the abrasive coating typically consists of sharpened particles of garnet or glass having an average diameter of around 1/32 to 1/64 inch or sharpened metal shards of approximately the same size that are glued or applied in a coating onto the surfaces of the strands 38 .
  • the sharpened material is applied such that the sharpened edges of the particles are free to catch onto and rip through the barrier or sealing membrane 22 when brought into contact with the membrane 22 .
  • the tearing filament 33 is inserted through the hollow tube 40 which is in turn located in the first cavity 35 .
  • the heat-transfer material 21 is then added to the third cavity 37 and the distal lengths of each of the strands 38 are stored in the third cavity 37 along with the heat-transfer materials 21 .
  • the barrier or sealing membrane 22 is then positioned above the third cavity to isolate the third cavity 37 from the rest of the inner compartment 19 and the strands 38 are separated from each other and positioned equidistantly from each other such that each strand 38 passes from the third cavity 37 through the barrier 22 into the second cavity 36 .
  • the activating liquid 20 is then poured into the second cavity 36 to fill it and another barrier or sealing membrane 22 is the positioned on top of the second cavity 36 to isolate it from the rest of the inner compartment 19 .
  • the strands 38 then pass from the second cavity 36 through the barrier 22 into the first cavity 36 and then through the hollow tube 40 to terminate in an attachment to the removable plug 31 .
  • the barrier is a balloon or pouch 22
  • the strands pass from the third cavity 35 around the balloon 22 between the sidewall 60 of the inner compartment 19 and the outer surface of the balloon or pouch and enter the first cavity 35 .
  • Heat-transfer material 21 is then added to the first cavity 35 and the inner compartment 19 is assembled and sealed.
  • the beverage consumer first pulls the tab 41 , plug 31 , hollow tube 40 and tearing filament 33 encased in the hollow tube 40 out of the orifice 28 in the diaphragm 25 such that the hollow tube 40 and related assembly is almost fully extended out of the inner compartment 19 , thus rupturing the barriers 22 encasing the second cavity 36 and allowing the contents within the inner container 19 to mix.
  • the consumer then pushes the tab 41 , plug 31 and hollow tube 40 back into the inner compartment 19 and turns the container 5 upside-down and then right-side up so that the liquid 20 in the second cavity 36 will continue to mix with the contents of the inner compartment 19 .
  • the diaphragm 25 is affixed to the top of the inner compartment 19 to create a completely self-contained unit that can be activated by the consumer with no contact between the consumer and contents of the inner compartment 19 .
  • the diaphragm 25 and contact interface with the consumer with respect to activating the cooling mechanism is completely separated from the pull tab 6 at the top of the container 5 whereby the consumer accesses the beverage 17 .
  • the compressed static spring mixer 24 illustrated in FIG. 2 comprises a compressed spring 38 placed but not permanently attached at the bottom of the third cavity 37 and on top of the interior surface of the diaphragm 25 .
  • the compressed spring is held in its compressed state by a solvent-soluble tape or glue 39 whereby the solvent is typically water, and has sufficient tensile strength to be able to spring open and push through into the second cavity 36 from the third cavity 37 while overcoming any resistance presented by remnants of the ruptured membrane 22 .
  • a close view of the compressed spring 38 secured with the solvent-activated tape 39 and the uncompressed spring 40 is shown in FIG. 6 .
  • the compressed spring 38 is activated into becoming a static mixer when solvent dissolves or loosens the solvent soluble tape 39 that holds the spring 38 in its compressed state.
  • the compressed spring 38 can be made of various materials including steel, aluminum, carbon fiber and plastic such that the material has sufficient tensile strength to be effective as a static mixer when the spring is uncoiled.
  • the water soluble tape or glue 39 is well known to those familiar with the prior art and can be procured from various suppliers such as 3M.
  • the tape or glue 39 used to secure the compressed spring 38 must be soluble in the non-aqueous liquid activating agent 20 .
  • the spring 38 uncoils with sufficient force to roil the liquid coolant mixture 20 and improve the contact between clumps of un-dissolved heating or cooling agent 21 in the first 35 and third cavities 37 and isolated pockets of liquid activation agent 20 in the second cavity 36 .
  • the uncoiled spring 40 is now free to move throughout the inner compartment 19 and when the self-heating or self-chilling container 5 is shaken up and down after activation of the heating or cooling mechanism and related processes, the uncoiled spring 40 continues to improve mixing within the inner compartment 19 by moving from the top to the bottom of the inner compartment 19 , breaking up any remaining clumps of un-dissolved material and improving the transfer of heat from the beverage 17 in the cavity 16 located outside of the inner compartment 19 through the sidewall 27 of the inner compartment 19 by creating turbulent mixing forces that promote efficient heat transfer through boundary layers adjacent to the interior and exterior surfaces of the inner compartment 19 .
  • FIGS. 2 through 5 describe a self-heating or self-cooling container 5 equipped with a lid 3 containing the self-heating or self-cooling device 51 whereby the diaphragm 25 is sealed off from the environment by the removable plug 31 that is fitted into an orifice 28 located in the center of the diaphragm 25 .
  • the plug 31 is be held in place within the diaphragm 25 by a pressure seal 30 attached to the circumference of the bottom end 29 of the plug 31 or by modifying the bottom end 29 of the plug 31 to form a male-threaded fitting 32 that can be screwed into a female-threaded fitting 50 formed as a modification of the orifice 28 within the diaphragm 25 .
  • the plug 31 and the fittings 32 and 50 serve as a safety device and minimize the risk of contact between the consumer and the contents of the device 51 when the consumer activates the device 51 .
  • FIGS. 2 through 8 describe an embodiment of the invention where the lid 3 as described above is directly and permanently attached to the outer compartment 10 of the self-heating or self-chilling can 5 and to the inner compartment 19 of the self-heating or self-cooling device 51 , which is then in direct contact with the beverage 17 contained within the outer compartment 10 and located within the first cavity 16 of the outer compartment 10 .
  • FIGS. 2 through 8 describe an embodiment of the invention where the lid 3 as described above is directly and permanently attached to the outer compartment 10 of the self-heating or self-chilling can 5 and to the inner compartment 19 of the self-heating or self-cooling device 51 , which is then in direct contact with the beverage 17 contained within the outer compartment 10 and located within the first cavity 16 of the outer compartment 10 .
  • the surface of the lid 3 is expanded to form a well that can extend into the interior of the cavity 16 containing the beverage 17 , when the lid 3 is secured to the outer compartment 10 , to displace some of the volume of the cavity 16 that contains the liquid 17 to be cooled such that a fourth cavity 15 is formed that does not contain any liquid 17 and is open to the environment.
  • the fourth cavity 15 conforms to the shape of the inner compartment 19 of the self-cooling device 51 and is made to hold the inner compartment 19 in place.
  • the inner compartment 19 can be held in place within the well of the lid 3 by a pressure seal 49 attached to the circumference of the top end 28 of the sidewall 27 of the inner compartment 19 or by modifying the top end 28 of the sidewall 27 to form a male-threaded fitting 50 that can be screwed into a female-threaded fitting 52 formed as a modification of the top expanded end of the well.
  • a separate heating or cooling device or insert 51 that comprises the heating or cooling mechanism 43 , the static spring mixer 45 , the heating or cooling agent 21 , the separating barrier 33 and the liquid 20 to activate the heating or cooling agent 21 can all be manufactured separately from the lid 3 and the container 5 holding the beverage 17 to be cooled, and thus the described cooling device 51 can be inserted into and removed from the lid 3 and thus indirectly from a beverage container 5 for ease of use and to promote efficiency with respect to the manufacturing of the lid 3 , container 5 and the device 51 and with respect to the recycling and reuse of the lids, caps, containers and the spent heat-transfer materials 21 .
  • FIG. 14 describes another embodiment of the invention where the sidewall 27 adjacent to the top end 28 of the inner compartment 19 of the self-cooling device 51 as described herein is modified to form a lip 58 or concentric ring that extends outward perpendicular to the vertical axis of the sidewall 27 of the inner compartment 19 .
  • the lip 58 has a top surface 59 , a bottom surface 61 , and a gasket 62 attached to the bottom surface 61 of the lip 58 , and is extended such that the bottom surface 61 of the lip 58 forms a leak-free seal of the cavity 16 when the modified self-cooling device 51 is placed into the cavity 16 of the outer compartment 10 and onto the top 11 of the outer compartment 10 of a beverage container 63 and downward pressured is applied to the top surface of the lip 58 .
  • This downward pressure can be applied by screwing on any standard cap 64 or lid that is typically used to seal a beverage or food container which is typically a glass or plastic bottle 63 .
  • a separate heating or cooling device or insert 51 that comprises the heating or cooling mechanism 43 , the static spring mixer 45 , the heating or cooling agent 21 , the separating barrier 22 and the liquid 20 to activate the heating or cooling agent 21 can all be manufactured and sold separately from the cap or lid 64 and the container holding the beverage to be cooled 63 , and thus the described heating or cooling device 51 can be inserted into and removed from a beverage bottle 63 or other related container having a cap or a lid 64 without the need for a specially modified cap 4 , lid 3 or self-heating or self-chilling container 5 for ease of use and to reduce the cost of use.
  • the operation of the present self-heating or self-cooling container 5 equipped with a lid 3 or a cap 4 containing a self-heating or self-cooling device 51 or the self-heating or self-cooling device 51 used as an insert is safe and simple.
  • a customer first pulls away the tear panel 26 located at the top of the container 5 to gain access to the heat-transfer mechanism 43 , then pulls the plug pull tab 41 and extends the mechanism 43 out of the top of the inner compartment 19 to rupture the rupturable membrane 22 .
  • the liquid 20 from second cavity 36 enters the first 35 and third cavities 37 and reacts or solubilizes the heating or cooling agent 21 in the third cavity 37 initiating either an endothermic reaction that absorbs heat from the beverage 17 and cools the beverage 17 or an exothermic reaction to heat up the beverage 17 .
  • the liquid 20 from the second cavity 36 also travels to the compressed spring 38 and dissolves the solvent-activated tape 39 and the spring 38 is uncoiled with sufficient force to thoroughly mix the materials in the inner compartment 19 speed up the heating or cooling process.
  • the beverage 17 is consumed through the openable closure means 18 by pulling on the pull tab 6 or unscrewing the bottle cap 4 .
  • the consumer may remove the cap 64 from a standard beverage bottle 62 , which typically contains an airspace at the top, select a self-heating or self-cooling device 51 equipped with a lip 58 , activate the heat-transfer mechanism 43 of the device 51 in the same manner as above, insert the self-heating or self-cooling device 51 into the opening at the top of the beverage container 63 , and then tightly attaché the cap 64 and wait for the beverage 17 to cool sufficiently for consumption. The consumer can then remove the cap 64 and the device 51 and consume the beverage 17 .

Abstract

A container cap or lid used to make a self-heating or self-cooling container having an improved shelf-life and an independent heat-transfer compartment or insert in which are utilized liquid-activated endothermic or exothermic agents, a liquid-activated mixer within the compartment, a simple actuation means for initiating the cooling or heating processes and a method for using the same.

Description

    RELATED APPLICATIONS
  • This application claims the benefit of priority to Application Ser. No. 61/473,011, filed Apr. 7, 2011, incorporated herein by reference.
  • BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  • 1. Field of the Invention
  • This invention relates to improvements in self-cooling and self-heating containers designed to increase the shelf-life and effectiveness of the endothermic and exothermic materials used and more particularly to self-cooling and self-heating container caps or lids or inserts having a multi-cavity, independent heat-transfer compartment utilizing water-activated endothermic and exothermic cooling and heating agents, a water-activated mixer within the compartment, a simple actuation means for initiating the cooling or heating processes and a method for using the same.
  • 2. Description of the Art
  • Self-cooling and self-heating containers that utilize water-activated or liquid-activated endothermic and exothermic materials are known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,003,324 discloses a compartmentalized container for cooling beverages consisting of an outer chamber containing the beverage to be chilled, a two-part inner container holding water and the cooling agent separated by a barrier or membrane and a means for making contact between the cooling agent and the water within the inner compartment to facilitate the cooling effect. U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,921 describes a self-heating vessel that comprises a compartment for the substance to be heated that is adjacent to a sealed container containing a heating agent and water in which one of the materials is sealed in a pouch to keep it separated from the other material. The materials are activated to create heat by means of a tearing filament secured to the pouch that can be made to open the pouch in order to trigger the exothermic reaction. The tearing filament extends across the lid below the bottom of the vessel and emerges from between the housing and the vessel in a portion that can be grasped by the user to pull on the tearing filament in order to tear open the pouch and release the contents. Such self-heating and self-cooling containers are useful for heating and cooling liquids, beverages, soups and the like without the use of an external heat source or refrigeration device.
  • With respect to the above, it is important for commercial success of any self-heating or self-chilling container that it can be utilized within the preferred processes for making beverages and food. For example, many beverages must be pasteurized before being sealed in a container so that bacteria growth is eliminated and spoilage of the consumable item is minimized. Beverages such as beer, fruit drinks and the like are pasteurized in the body of the container before the lid is fixed to the container, so any self-heating or self-chilling embodiment should be compatible with the existing pasteurization processes and not involve additional process steps.
  • Self-heating and self-chilling containers should also be manufactured using conventional manufacturing materials and equipment with minimal adaptation. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,678 a container comprised of an outer compartment for holding a beverage and an inner compartment for holding a cooling agent is shown that can be manufactured with conventional can manufacturing technology. Here the container is made by first pre-forming the outer compartment such that it can be used to enclose a beverage during pasteurization and then pre-forming the inner compartment, as an integral part of the can lid or as a separate chamber, then inserting the cooling agent into inner the compartment and finally inserting the completed inner compartment into the outer compartment. The lid of the sealed container thus has a portal to access the inner compartment containing the cooling agent and a portal to access the beverage, and can be made with conventional lid manufacturing techniques and affixed to the container using conventional technology.
  • In a similar manner, U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,812 discloses caps that contain heating agents that can be fixed to the tops of containers to provide a means of heating the contents of the containers. It is thus evident from the prior art that it is advantageous to incorporate self-heating or self-chilling devices into the caps or lids of containers rather than into the main body of the container in order to be compatible with existing beverage processes and container-manufacturing technology. Such an incorporation must be designed to minimize contamination of the beverage by the heat transfer materials.
  • Because membranes that separate liquids from cooling and heating agents are often difficult to reliably penetrate or fail to completely empty their contents in a rapid manner, several inventions in the prior art such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,023,587 also disclose techniques for improving penetration and release. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,678 discloses an internal mixing device within the compartment holding the liquid and cooling agent to overcome the inadequate mixing of the contents upon activation that is known to be a problem affecting self-cooling containers. Other similar examples are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,350,732, 7,117,684, 6,889,507, 6,351,953, 6,134,894, and 6,103,280.
  • One particular problem associated with the use of chemical heating and cooling agents is the stability of these agents during storage. Many effective endothermic chemicals are not compatible with each other and will decompose or react when mixed together. For example, mixtures of urea and ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfamate are very effective cooling agents when activated with water but will undergo decomposition by acid hydrolysis during storage of the dry mixture. Mixtures of calcium oxides and calcium chloride are very effective water-activated heating agents that will react prematurely if stored together as a mixture. U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,472 describes a means of improving the stability of such heat transfer chemicals by separating them from each other during storage by a layer of ammonium chloride. In their dry state and in their separated condition the chemical heat transfer materials are stable and inactive and are activated when mixed with water. This invention may improve stability of the chemical agents but requires the use of a layer of ammonium chloride between the incompatible heating and cooling agents which adds to the cost of the resultant self-heating and self-cooling devices. Ammonium chloride also has a tendency to form a hard and somewhat impermeable barrier between the heat transfer agents during storage that inhibits mixing and slows down the desired thermal effect upon activation of the materials with water. There is thus a further need to improve the shelf-life and stability of self-heating and self-cooling devices that use chemical activation agents without having to rely upon the use of a layer of ammonium chloride.
  • Besides stability and acceptable shelf-life, self-cooling and self-heating containers, lids or caps must embody several attributes in order to be commercially successful. A container, lid or cap must be adaptable to current container manufacturing techniques and processes; the cooling or heating mechanism must be safe, simple, inexpensive and efficient; the actuation technique for initiating the heating or cooling process must be tamper-evident and simple in order to appeal to the consumer; and the internal chamber holding the liquid and thermal agent must provide rapid and complete contact and mixing between the liquid and the solid thermal agents. Self-heating and self-chilling containers, lids and caps shown in the prior art have not exhibited one or more of the above attributes.
  • SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
  • A primary object of the invention is to provide a container equipped with a cap or lid coupled to a self-heating or self-cooling device and method which can efficiently and safely heat or cool beverages prior to consumption.
  • Another object of this invention is provide a cap or lid containing a self-heating or self-cooling device which can be manufactured along with the other components of a self-heating or self-cooling container without major alterations in manufacturing machinery or equipment
  • Another object of this invention to use safe and inexpensive heat-transfer materials as part of a self-contained heating or cooling mechanism.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a unique combination of heating or cooling agents that have long shelf life.
  • A further object of this invention to provide a cap or lid containing a self-heating or self-cooling device which can be easily and safely actuated to initiate the heating or cooling process whether or not part of a self-heating or self-cooling container.
  • Accordingly, the present invention provides a cap or lid containing a self-cooling or self-heating device having an independent heat-transfer compartment or insert in which are utilized heat transfer materials consisting of liquid-activated endothermic or exothermic agents, a liquid-activated mixer within the compartment, a simple actuation means for initiating the cooling or heating processes and a method for using the same. The heat-transfer compartment comprises three cavities in which the first and third cavities contain liquid-activated endothermic or exothermic agents that are separated from each other by the second cavity that contains liquid that is sealed off from the first and third cavities. In this manner, exothermic and endothermic agents that are incompatible can be isolated from each other during storage and only brought in contact with each other and the liquid used for activation when it is desired to cool or heat the container.
  • As previously mentioned in the description of the prior art, a wide variety of heating and cooling agents can be used in this invention but many of these agents are incompatible when mixed together during storage in the inner compartment prior to use. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,472, dry mixtures of urea and ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfamate are very effective cooling agents when mixed with water but will undergo decomposition by acid hydrolysis during storage. Mixtures of calcium oxides and calcium chloride are very effective water-activated heating agents that will react prematurely if stored together as a mixture.
  • Accordingly, this present invention allows mixtures of compatible heating and cooling agents to be stored separately from other mixtures of heating and cooling agents that would not be compatible with them during storage. Here compatible heat-transfer agents are mixed together and stored in their dry state in the first cavity of the inner compartment while other heat-transfer agents that are incompatible with those stored in the first cavity are mixed together stored in the third cavity of the compartment and the incompatible materials of the first and third cavities are separated from each other by the sealing membranes or barriers that form the second cavity filled with the activating liquid.
  • When it is desirable to use the device, a user actuates the heating or cooling process by pulling on a tab that is connected to a device that punctures or tears through the seal separating the second cavity from the first and third cavities, thus allowing the liquid activating agent to react with the endothermic or exothermic agents to bring about the desired effect. Pulling on the tab also facilitates mixing of the contents in all three cavities and the liquid also activates an internal mixing device within the third cavity that serves to enhance mixing and contact between the contents of all of the three cavities. The materials mix and either heat or cool the container contents by conduction through the compartment wall.
  • Specifically, the self-heating or self-cooling container comprises:
  • (a) a closure means, typically flat like a lid or shaped to fit over an opening or portal, having dimensions such that the closure means can cover and enclose an outer compartment containing a liquid or beverage to be heated or cooled and form the top end of the outer compartment whereby the compartment also has at least one sidewall and a bottom end whereby the sidewall, lid or cap and the bottom end form a cavity for storing the liquid. Here the lid is coupled to a self-heating or self-cooling device and is directly and permanently attached to the outer compartment.
  • (b) an alternative closure means, typically a threaded cap shaped to fit over an opening or portal, having dimensions such that the closure means can cover and enclose an outer compartment containing a liquid or beverage to be cooled and form the top end of the outer compartment whereby the compartment also has at least one sidewall and a bottom end whereby the sidewall, cap and the bottom end form a cavity for storing the liquid. Here the cap is either permanently coupled to a self-heating or self-cooling device or to a well that can contain the self-heating or self-cooling device, or can be screwed onto the outer compartment to make contact between the lip of a self-heating or self-cooling device that lies on top of the cavity containing stored beverage such that a leak-free seal is formed between the cap, the lip of the self-heating or self-cooling device and the outer compartment. Here the cap is not permanently attached to the outer compartment but can be unscrewed and removed to access the beverage in the cavity of the outer compartment and also screwed back on to seal off the cavity containing the beverage when desired.
  • (c) an openable closure means located on, adjacent to incorporated within the surface of the lid of the outer compartment such that the means can be penetrated or opened or removed to provide access to the liquid stored within as is the case for a beverage can; or alternatively, the cap itself comprises an openable closure means as is the case for a beverage bottle.
  • (d) a self-heating or self-cooling device comprising an inner compartment having a smaller diameter and volume than the outer compartment and incorporated into or coupled to the cap or lid forming the top end of the outer compartment such that the inner compartment can be located within the cavity of the outer compartment when the cap or lid containing the inner compartment is affixed to the outer compartment, said inner compartment including: (i) at least one sidewall, a top end and a bottom end, (ii) a first cavity containing a heat-transfer material (i.e., heating or cooling agents) consisting of either an endothermic cooling agent or exothermic heating agent that will react when contacted with a liquid activator, (iii) a second cavity containing a liquid that will activate the heating or cooling process when in contact with the heat-transfer materials, (iv) a third cavity containing a heat-transfer material that is incompatible with the heat transfer material found in the first cavity and that will react when contacted with a liquid activator, (v) a rupturable membrane or barrier means separating the first and third cavities from the second cavity and which isolates the second cavity, (vi) an openable closure or tear panel or means attached to the top end that provides tamper-free access to the inner compartment while preventing accidental activation of the heating or cooling mechanism, (vii) a diaphragm attached to or comprising the top end of the inner compartment and accessible through the openable closure or tear panel located near the center of the diaphragm having an interior-oriented surface, an exterior-oriented surface and a portal or orifice extending through the diaphragm; (viii) a removable plug that is fitted into the orifice located in the center of the diaphragm that is held in place within the diaphragm by a pressure seal attached to the circumference of the bottom end of the plug or by modifying the bottom end of the plug to form a male threaded fitting that can be screwed into a female threaded fitting formed as a modification of the orifice within the diaphragm, (ix) a tearing filament attached to the bottom end of the removable plug that is of sufficient length to extend around 1.5 times the length of the inner compartment from the top end of the inner compartment through the first cavity and adjacent to or through the membrane or barrier separating the second cavity from the first and third cavities and finally terminating in the third cavity, said tearing filament comprised of four separated strands that have an abrasive coating or abrasive, sharp-edged objects attached to the distal one-third of each strand to form a puncturing means for rupturing the membrane or barrier separating the first and third cavities from the second cavity, (x) a hollow tube of sufficient length to extend around 0.25 times the length of the inner compartment that is affixed to the bottom end of the removable plug to form a rigid conduit for the tearing filament, (xi) a plug pull tab attached to the top end of the removable plug such that when the tab and plug attached to the tearing filament are pulled by the user, the tearing filament travels from the third cavity through the second and first cavities, ripping open the barriers surrounding the second cavity, thus allowing the passage of liquids from the second cavity throughout the contents of the first and third cavities to promote rapid diffusion and ensure complete and thorough contact between the solid and liquid components or reactants, (xii) a heat transfer mechanism comprising the plug pull tab attached to the removable plug, the hollow tube and the tearing filament that is activated by pulling the tab and related assembly out of the portal attached to the diaphragm and away from the top of the container to allow the sharpened surfaces of the tearing filament to travel and to penetrate the membranes or barriers separating the two cavities such that the liquid from the second cavity gains access to the heating and cooling agents in the first and third cavities and (xiii) a static spring mixer consisting of compressed spring held in its compressed state by a solvent-soluble tape or glue where the solvent is typically water located in the third cavity containing the heating or cooling agents adjacent to the interior surface of the bottom of the inner container such that the static spring mixer expands to mix the contents of the first, second and third cavities upon activation by water.
  • According to an embodiment of the invention, a self-cooling container as described above whereby a layer of insulation is affixed to the interior or the exterior surface of the sidewall of the outer compartment.
  • According to another embodiment of the invention, a lid containing the self-heating or self-cooling device as described above that also serves as a covering of the top end of a self-heating or self-chilling beverage container and has an openable closure means on the surface of the lid comprising a rupturable tear panel or pull tab which may be ruptured to provide access to the liquid stored within the cavity of the outer compartment of a self-heating or self-chilling container whereby (i) the pull tab has a front end and a bottom end and (ii) the back end of the pull tab is placed adjacent to the rupturable tear panel such that when the front end of the pull tab is pulled away from the lid, the rupturable tear panel ruptures and moves into the cavity, providing access to the beverage stored within.
  • According to another embodiment of the invention, the openable closure means that forms a covering of the top end of the outer compartment of a self-heating or self-chilling container consists of a cap that can be firmly attached to top end of the outer compartment to form a sealed unit comprising: (i) a threaded cap equipped with a female-threaded fitting or other female-threaded means having an exterior surface and an interior surface such that the cap when screwed onto the self-heating or self-chilling container will create a self-contained unit, (ii) a portal or orifice made through the top surface of the cap of sufficient diameter to allow insertion of a self-heating or self-cooling device as described herein; (iii) a self-heating or self-cooling device incorporated into or coupled to the cap through the portal to form a leak-free cap; (iv) a seal or gasket affixed to the interior surface of the cap and forming around the outer circumference of the self-heating or self-cooling device that can also cover the opening of the outer compartment to create an isolated cavity within the outer compartment that can contain any enclosed beverage or liquid without leakage or spillage and without any contamination from the environment even when the liquid is pressurized under those pressures typical of a carbonated beverage, and (v) a top end of the outer compartment equipped with a male-threaded fitting or other male threaded means that can mate with the threaded cap when screwed together to form a tight-fitting seal between the cap, the gasket, the top end of the outer compartment and the cavity of the outer compartment.
  • According to another embodiment of the invention, a lid or cap as described above is directly and permanently attached to the inner compartment of the self-heating or self-cooling device which is then in direct contact with the liquid contained within the outer compartment and located within the cavity of the outer compartment. As shown above, the inner compartment is self-contained without any seals or penetrations between the contents of the inner compartment and the contents of the cavity of the outer compartment so that contamination of a beverage with cooling agent is virtually eliminated. With respect to the inner compartment of the self-heating or self-cooling device, the diaphragm is affixed to the top of the inner compartment to create a completely self-contained unit that can be activated by the consumer with no contact between the consumer and contents of the inner compartment. As an additional safety feature, the diaphragm and contact interface with the consumer with respect to activating the cooling mechanism is separated from the pull tab at the top of the container whereby the consumer accesses the beverage. By these features, the self-heating or self-chilling container is made safe to use.
  • According to another embodiment of the invention, the surface of the cap or lid is expanded to form a well that can extend into the interior of the outer compartment cavity, when the lid or cap is secured to the outer compartment, to displace some of the volume of the cavity that contains the liquid to be cooled such that a fourth cavity is formed that does not contain any liquid and is open to the environment. The fourth cavity conforms to the shape of the inner compartment of the self-cooling device and is made to hold the inner compartment in place. The inner compartment can be held in place within the well of the lid or cap by a pressure seal attached to the circumference of the bottom end of the sidewall of the inner compartment or by modifying the bottom end of the sidewall to form a male threaded fitting that can be screwed into a female threaded fitting formed as a modification of the top expanded end of the well. In this manner a separate heating or cooling device or insert that comprises the heat-transfer mechanism, the static spring mixer, the heating or cooling agent, the separating barriers and the liquid to activate the heating or cooling agent can all be manufactured separately from the cap or lid and the container holding the beverage to be heated or cooled, and thus the described heating or cooling device can be inserted into and removed from the cap or lid and thus indirectly from a beverage container for ease of use and to promote efficiency with respect to the manufacturing of the lid, cap, container and the device and with respect to the recycling and reuse of the lids, caps, containers and the spent heat-transfer materials.
  • According to another embodiment of the invention, the sidewall adjacent to the top end of the inner compartment of the self-heating or self-cooling device as described herein is modified to form a lip or concentric ring that extends outward perpendicular to the vertical axis of the sidewall of the inner compartment. The lip has a top surface, a bottom surface, and a gasket attached to the bottom surface of the lip, and is extended such that the bottom surface of the lip forms a leak-free seal of the outer compartment cavity when the modified self-heating or self-cooling device is placed into the cavity of the outer compartment and onto the top of the outer compartment of a beverage container and downward pressured is applied to the top surface of the lip. This downward pressure can be applied by screwing on any standard cap or lid that is typically used to seal a beverage or food container which is typically a glass or plastic bottle. In this manner a separate heating or cooling device or insert that comprises the heat-transfer mechanism, the static spring mixer, the heating or cooling agent, the separating barrier and the liquid to activate the heating or cooling agent can all be manufactured and sold separately from the cap or lid and the container holding the beverage to be heated or cooled, and thus the described heating and cooling device can be inserted into and removed from a beverage bottle or other related container having a cap or a lid without the need for a specially modified cap, lid or self-heating or self-chilling container for ease of use and to reduce the cost of use.
  • According to another embodiment of the invention, a self-cooling container as described above is affixed with a pouch, bag or balloon containing the liquid that is positioned to occupy all of the interior space of the second cavity such that the balloon forms the membrane or barrier that separates the liquid in the second cavity from the heating and cooling agents in the first and third cavities.
  • The lid or cap containing the self-heating or self-cooling device when used as part of a self-heating or self-chilling container disclosed herein thus provides several additional benefits, some of which are detailed below. For example, since self-chilling beverages do not have to be refrigerated to provide a chilled liquid and since self-heating beverages do not have to be heated externally prior to consumption, their use may reduce the cost borne by retailers of beverage containers to store and market the beverage containers. Self-heating and self-chilling beverage containers may similarly reduce or eliminate the need for vending machines that employ traditional refrigeration methods to store the beverage containers at low temperatures or heating systems to heat the beverages to a higher temperature. Lid and caps containing the self-heating and self-cooling devices are also easier and less costly to manufacture compared to self-heating self-chilling containers where the self-cooling device is part of the body of the container instead of the cap or lid. Self-heating and self-cooling devices that can be used with any standard beverage bottle without modification of the bottle or cap or lid are particularly advantages with respect to cost and ease of use and time to market. In particular, the self-heating and self-cooling devices described in this invention are made stable and exhibit longer shelf-life because of the separation and isolation of incompatible heat-transfer materials and the liquid activating agent during storage prior to use.
  • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND DRAWINGS
  • The objects of the present invention and the associated advantages thereof will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the following drawings in which:
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a self-heating or self-chilling beverage container having a lid containing a self-heating or self-cooling device.
  • FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-heating or self-chilling beverage container illustrating the lid attached to the inner compartment of the self-heating or self-cooling device and coupled to the outer compartment and illustrating: the lid; the cavity containing the beverage; the first cavity of the inner compartment containing the heating or cooling agent; the second cavity of the inner compartment containing the liquid activating material; the third cavity of the inner compartment containing the heating or cooling agent; the rupturable membrane or barrier means separating the first and third cavities from the second cavity; the openable closure or tear panel attached to the top end of the outer compartment; the diaphragm attached to or comprising the top end of the inner compartment having a portal or orifice extending through the diaphragm; the removable plug that is fitted into the orifice located in the center of the diaphragm; the tearing filament attached to the bottom end of the removable plug; the hollow tube forming a conduit for the tearing filament; the plug pull tab attached to the removable plug; the static spring mixer; and the closed tear panel.
  • FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-heating or self-chilling beverage container illustrating the lid containing the self-heating or self-cooling device showing the opening of the access tear panel and illustrating a rupturing means for rupturing the seal isolating the second cavity such that when the plug pull tab attached to the plug and to the tearing filament are pulled by the user, the tearing filament travels from the third cavity through the second and first cavities, ripping open the barriers surrounding the second cavity, thus allowing the passage of liquids from the second cavity throughout the contents of the first and third cavities.
  • FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-heating or self-chilling beverage container illustrating the lid containing the self-heating or self-cooling device showing the expansion of the static spring mixer and subsequent mixing of the contents of the inner compartment.
  • FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-section through the lower half of the inner compartment of the self-heating or self-cooling device attached to the lid of the self-heating or self-chilling beverage container illustrating: the heat-transfer mechanism; the compressed static spring mixer; the barrier or sealing membrane or balloon fixed between the second and the third cavities; the un-activated heat-transfer mechanism; and the closed tear panel.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates the compressed static spring mixer held in place by the solvent-activated tape and the expanded static spring mixer.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of the heat-transfer mechanism where the tearing filament is affixed to a removable plug inserted into the diaphragm and attached to the plug pull tab.
  • FIG. 8 illustrates the fully extended removable plug attached to the plug pull tab as part of the activated heat transfer mechanism.
  • FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-heating or self-chilling beverage container illustrating the outer compartment with the cavity containing the beverage and a lid having an expanded bottom surface forming a fourth cavity modified with a female-threaded means in which is inserted the threaded self-heating or self-cooling device.
  • FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-section through a self-heating or self-chilling beverage container illustrating the outer compartment with the cavity containing the beverage and a lid having an expanded bottom surface forming a fourth cavity modified with a female-threaded means, and an illustration of the self-heating or self-cooling device insert having: the barrier or sealing membrane isolating the second cavity; the second cavity containing the liquid activating material; the first and third cavities containing the heating or cooling agent; the hollow tube; the tearing filament; the removable plug; the plug pull tab; the static spring mixer; the diaphragm; and the bottom end of the sidewall modified with a male-threaded means.
  • FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-chilling beverage container illustrating the outer compartment with the cavity containing the beverage and a lid having an expanded bottom surface forming a fourth cavity modified with a female-threaded means in which is inserted the self-heating or self-cooling device equipped with a pressure seal.
  • FIG. 12 is a vertical cross-section through a self-heating or self-chilling beverage container illustrating the outer compartment with the cavity containing the beverage and a lid having an expanded bottom surface forming a fourth cavity modified with a female-threaded means, and an illustration of the self-heating or self-cooling device insert having: the first cavity of the inner compartment containing the heating or cooling agent; the second cavity of the inner compartment containing the liquid activating material; the third cavity of the inner compartment containing the heating or cooling agent; the rupturable membrane or barrier means separating the first and third cavities from the second cavity; the openable closure or tear panel or means attached to the top end of the outer compartment; the diaphragm attached to or comprising the top end of the inner compartment having a portal or orifice extending through the diaphragm; the removable plug that is fitted into the orifice located in the center of the flexible diaphragm; the tearing filament attached to the bottom end of the removable plug; the hollow tube forming a conduit for the tearing filament; the plug pull tab; the static spring mixer; and the bottom end of the sidewall equipped with a pressure seal.
  • FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-section through a self-heating or self-chilling beverage bottle illustrating the threaded cap containing the self-heating or self-cooling device and illustrating: the cavity containing the beverage; the first cavity of the inner compartment containing the heating or cooling agent; the second cavity of the inner compartment containing the liquid activating material; the third cavity of the inner compartment containing the heating or cooling agent; the rupturable membrane or barrier means separating the first and third cavities from the second cavity; the openable closure or tear panel or means attached to the top end of the outer compartment; the diaphragm attached to or comprising the top end of the inner compartment having a portal or orifice extending through the diaphragm; the removable plug that is fitted into the orifice located in the center of the flexible diaphragm; the tearing filament attached to the bottom end of the removable plug; the hollow tube forming a conduit for the tearing filament; the plug pull tab; the static spring mixer; and the tear panel.
  • FIG. 14 is a close view of a vertical-cross-section of a typical beverage bottle and threaded cap illustrating self-heating or self-chilling bottle illustrating a self-heating or self-cooling device equipped with a lip where said device can be inserted into the beverage bottle to heat or cool the bottle without modification of the bottle or the cap.
  • DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
  • With reference to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a self-heating or self-cooling container 5 particularly suited for carbonated soft drinks, fruit drinks, beer and other similar beverages that is equipped with a lid 3 at its top end 11 coupled to a self-heating or self-cooling device 51. Preferably, the container 5 is a can constructed of conventional materials such as aluminum or other suitable materials and the lid 3 is constructed of materials similar to the can, or a bottle constructed of a plastic material such as polycarbonate as illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14 with a cap 4 constructed of plastic or other materials.
  • With reference to FIG. 2, the container 5 has an outer compartment 10 having a lid 3, a bottom end 12 and at least one sidewall 13, an optional insulation means 14, an outer compartment 10 that encloses a cavity 16 that contains a beverage 17 to be cooled, an openable closure means 18 and an inner compartment 19 that contains the liquid activating agent 20, the heat-transfer agents (heating or cooling agents) 21, a barrier or rupturable membrane 22 that separates the liquid activating agent 20 from the heat-transfer agents 21, a tear panel or means 23 attached to the top end 11 that provides tamper-free access to the inner compartment 19 while preventing accidental activation of the heat-transfer mechanism 43 comprising the plug pull tab 41 attached to the removable plug 31, the hollow tube 40 and the tearing filament 33, a diaphragm 25 attached to or comprising the top end of the inner compartment 19 and accessible through the openable closure or tear panel 23 located near the center of the diaphragm 25 having an interior-oriented surface 26, an exterior-oriented surface 27 and a portal or orifice 28 extending through the diaphragm 25, a removable plug 31 that is fitted into the orifice 28 located in the center of the diaphragm 25 that is held in place within the diaphragm 25 by a pressure seal 30 attached to the circumference of the bottom end 29 of the plug 31 or by modifying the bottom end 29 of the plug 31 to form a male-threaded fitting 32 that can be screwed into a female-threaded fitting 50 formed as a modification of the orifice 28 within the diaphragm 25, a tearing filament 33 attached to the bottom end 29 of the removable plug 31 that is of sufficient length to extend around 1.5 times the length of the inner compartment 19 from the top end 34 of the inner compartment 19 through the first cavity 35 and adjacent to or through the membrane or barrier 22 separating the second cavity 36 from the first 35 and third cavities 37 and finally terminating in the third cavity 37, said tearing filament 33 comprised of four separated strands 38 that have an abrasive coating or abrasive, sharp-edged objects 39 attached to the distal one-third of each strand to form a rupturing means for rupturing the membrane or barrier 22 separating the first 35 and third 37 cavities from the second cavity 36, a hollow tube 40 of sufficient length to extend around 0.25 times the length of the inner compartment 19 that is affixed to the bottom end 29 of the removable plug 31 to form a rigid conduit for the tearing filament 33, a plug pull tab 41 attached to the top end 42 of the removable plug 31 such that when the tab 41 and plug 31 attached to the tearing filament 33 are pulled by the user, the tearing filament 33 travels from the third cavity 37 through the second 36 and first cavities 35, ripping open the barriers 22 surrounding the second cavity 36, thus allowing the passage of liquids 20 from the second cavity 36 throughout the contents of the first 35 and third cavities 37 to promote rapid diffusion and ensure complete and thorough contact between the solid 21 and liquid 20 components or reactants, a heat-transfer mechanism 43 that is activated by pulling the tab 41 and related assembly out of the portal 28 attached to the diaphragm 25 and away from the top 11 of the container 5 to allow the sharpened surfaces 44 of the abrasive coating 39 of the tearing filament 33 to travel and to penetrate the membranes or barriers 22 separating the two cavities 35 & 37 such that the liquid 20 from the second cavity 36 gains access to the heating and cooling agents 21 in the first 35 and third cavities 37; a static spring mixer 45 consisting of compressed spring 46 held in its compressed state by a solvent-soluble tape or glue 47 where the solvent is typically water located in the third cavity 37 containing the heating or cooling agents 21 adjacent to the interior surface 48 of the bottom 49 of the inner compartment 19 such that the static spring mixer 45 expands to mix the contents of the first 35, second 36 and third cavities 37 upon activation by liquid 20 and the closed tear panel 23 as is shown in FIG. 5.
  • With further reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the openable closure means 18 typically consists of a pull tab 6 coupled to the lid 3 of the outer compartment 10 and is generally opened by pulling up on the tab 6 to pivot the tab 6 such that the tab 6 breaks a rupturable tear panel 7 incorporated into the lid 3 attached to the outer compartment 10, allowing access to the beverage 17 contained within the cavity containing the beverage 16. Typically, the openable closure means 18 is made from the same materials commonly used to manufacture metal cans including steel, aluminum and alloys.
  • With further reference to FIG. 2, an openable closure or tear panel 23 is shown that prevents accidental activation of the cooling mechanism. This tear panel 23 can be any material which will prevent access to heat-transfer mechanism 43 until it is desirable to activate the heat-transfer mechanism 43 by pulling the plug pull tab 41 and related assembly out of the portal 28 attached to the diaphragm 25 and away from the top 11 of the container 5. The tear panel 23 can be an adhesive foil, a plastic cap or the like which can be peeled back, opened, or otherwise removed by the consumer. The tear panel 23 is shown in the opened position in FIG. 3.
  • Alternatively and in reference to FIGS. 13 and 14, the openable closure 18 means that forms the top end 11 of the outer compartment 10 of a self-heating or self-chilling container 5 consists of a cap 4 that can be firmly attached to top end 11 of the outer compartment 10 to form a sealed unit comprising: (i) a threaded cap 4 equipped with a female-threaded fitting or other female-threaded means 51 having an exterior surface 52 and an interior surface 53 such that the cap 4 when screwed onto the self-heating or elf-chilling container 5 will create a self-contained unit, (ii) a portal or orifice 54 made through the top surface of the cap 4 of sufficient diameter to allow insertion of a self-heating or self-cooling device 55 as described herein; (iii) a self-heating or self-cooling device 55 incorporated into or coupled to the cap 4 through the portal 56 to form a leak-free cap 4; (iv) a seal or gasket 57 affixed to the interior surface 58 of the cap 4 and forming around the outer circumference of the self-heating or self-cooling device 55 that can also cover the opening of the outer compartment 10 to create an isolated cavity 16 within the outer compartment 10 that can contain any enclosed beverage or liquid 17 without leakage or spillage and without any contamination from the environment even when the liquid 17 is pressurized under those pressures typical of a carbonated beverage, and (v) a top end 11 of the outer compartment 10 equipped with a male-threaded fitting or other male threaded means 59 that can mate with the threaded cap 4 when screwed together to form a tight-fitting seal between the cap 4, the gasket 57, the top end 11 of the outer compartment and the cavity 16 of the outer compartment 10.
  • With further reference to FIG. 2, the insulation means 14 may be coupled to the interior and exterior surfaces of the sidewall 13 of the outer compartment 10 to insulate the beverage 17 within the first cavity 16 from the environment. The insulation means 14 is typically made out of a non-toxic material such as expanded polystyrene especially when it is applied to the interior surface of the sidewall 13 where the material would come in contact with the beverage 17.
  • With further reference to FIG. 2, the inner compartment 19 of the self-heating or self-cooling device 55 is positioned adjacent to the top end 11 of the outer compartment 10 and has at least one sidewall 60, a top end 34 and a bottom end 49. The inner compartment 19 also contains a second cavity 36 that contains the liquid activating agent 20 and first 35 and third cavities 37 that contain the heating or cooling agent 21. The liquid activating agent 20 in the second cavity 36 can be any suitable liquid which will react with the heating or cooling agent 21 in the first 35 and third cavities 37 and will typically be water although other inorganic and organic liquids can be used depending upon the selection of the heating and cooling agent 21. The cooling agent 21 can be any material which reacts on contact with the liquid activating agent 20 in the second cavity 36 to absorb heat. This chemical reaction or related solution process, known as an endothermic reaction or process, comprises the means by which the mixture of cooling agent 21 and liquid 20 cools the beverage 17 held in the cavity 16 of the outer compartment 10 by heat transfer through the wall of inner compartment 19 from the beverage 17. Alternatively, the heating agent 21 can be any material which reacts on contact with the liquid activating agent 20 in the second cavity 36 to produce heat. This chemical reaction or related dissolution process, known as an exothermic reaction or process, comprises the means by which the mixture of heating agent 21 and liquid 20 heats up the beverage 17 held in the cavity 16 of the outer compartment 10 by heat-transfer through the wall of inner compartment 19 from the beverage 17. To facilitate heat-transfer from the beverage 17, the inner compartment 19 should be constructed of a suitable heat transfer material and is preferably made from materials such as steel, aluminum or other metal alloys.
  • A wide variety of endothermic chemical compounds can be used as cooling agents in this invention and such chemicals are disclosed in the prior art. When the liquid activating agent 20 is water, typical cooling agents 21 include urea, potassium fluoride dihydrate, potassium chloride, potassium bromide, potassium iodide, potassium nitrite, potassium nitrate, potassium thiosulfate pentahydrate, potassium cyanide, potassium cyanate, potassium thiocyanide, sodium perchlorite, sodium perchlorate, sodium perchlorite dihydrate, sodium bromide dihydrate, sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate, sodium acetate trihydrate, sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate, sodium cyanide dihydrate, sodium cyanate, ammonium chloride, ammonium bromide, ammonium iodide, ammonium iodate, ammonium nitrite, ammonium nitrate, ammonium cyanide, ammonium thiocyanide, silver nitrate, rubidium nitrate, ammonium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate, ammonium pyrophosphate and ammonium metaphosphate. Alternatively, a wide variety of exothermic chemical compounds can be used as heating agents in this invention and such chemicals are also disclosed in the prior art. When the liquid activating agent 20 is water, typical heating agents 21 include calcium oxide, calcium chloride and sodium carbonate.
  • As previously mentioned here in the description of the prior art, many of the heating and cooling agents 21 are incompatible when mixed together during storage in the inner compartment 19 prior to use. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,472, dry mixtures of urea and ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfamate are very effective cooling agents 21 when mixed with water but will undergo decomposition by acid hydrolysis during storage in their dry state. Mixtures of calcium oxides and calcium chloride are very effective water-activated heating agents 21 that will react prematurely if stored together as a dry mixture.
  • As a further illustration taken from U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,472 with respect to cooling agents 21, ammonium nitrate can be mixed without decomposition with the following cooling agents 21: ammonium bisulfate; ammonium bromide; ammonium bicarbonate; ammonium iodide; ammonium magnesium selenate; ammonium manganese sulfate; ammonium phosphate dibasic; ammonium potassium tartrate; ammonium salicylate; ammonium sulfate; ammonium sodium sulfate; ammonium thiocyanate; ammonium persulfate; potassium phosphate; potassium sulfate; potassium sodium tartrate; potassium thiocyanate; potassium iodide; and potassium chloride. Similarly, urea can be mixed without decomposition with the following chemical agents: afenil; sodium acetate; sodium citrate; sodium nitrate; sodium thiocyanate; sodium thiosulfate; citric acid; tartaric acid; ferric ammonium sulfate; and thiourea. The compounds that are compatible with mixtures containing ammonium nitrate are, however, not compatible with the compounds that are compatible with mixtures containing urea, and cannot be brought into contact together during storage without degradation of the cooling capacity of the mixed materials. With respect to heating agents 21, mixtures of calcium oxide, sodium carbonate, and aluminum chloride are compatible with each other but are not compatible with calcium chloride during storage.
  • Accordingly, this present invention allows mixtures of compatible heating and cooling agents 21 to be stored separately from other mixtures of heating and cooling agents 21 that would not be compatible with them during storage. Here compatible heat-transfer agents 21 are mixed together and stored in their dry state in the first cavity 35 of the inner compartment 19 while other heat-transfer agents 21 that are incompatible with those stored in the first cavity 35 are mixed together stored in the third cavity 37 of the compartment 19 and the incompatible materials 21 of the first 35 and third cavities 37 are separated from each other by the sealing membranes or barriers 22 that form the second cavity 36 filled with the activating liquid 20.
  • With further reference to FIG. 2, the barrier or rupturable membrane 22 that separates the liquid activating agent 20 from the heating or cooling agent 21 is coupled to the sidewall 60 of the inner compartment 19 to form a second cavity 36 within the base of the first cavity 35 and the top of the third cavity 37. The first 35, second 36 and the third cavities 37 can be of different sizes and the rupturable membrane 22 is made out of material that can be punctured by the sharp surfaces 44 of the tearing filament 33, including rubber, elastomers, latex, polychlororprene, films, plastics etc. The rupturable membrane 22 is sufficiently durability to keep the contents of the second cavity 36 from coming into contact with the contents of the first 35 and third cavities 37 during normal handling.
  • Alternatively, the rupturable membrane 22 may consist of a balloon or plastic bag or pouch containing the liquid 20 that is positioned to occupy all of the interior space of the second cavity 36 such that the balloon forms the membrane or barrier 22 that separates the liquid 20 in the second cavity 35 from the heating or cooling agent 21 in the first 35 and third cavities 37. The liquid-filled balloon 22 is sufficiently full of liquid 20 so that the filled balloon 22 is tightly pressed against the inner surface 60 of the inner compartment 19 such that none of the material 21 stored in the first 35 or third cavity 37 can pass into the second cavity 36 without rupturing or tearing the balloon or barrier or sealing membrane 22. Thus chemical agents that cannot be brought into direct contact in the dry state without a reaction destructive of their capacity to serve as heat-transfer agents 21 can be stored prior to activation in the container 10. In this manner, the invention exhibits improved shelf-life and stability compared to other self-heating and self-cooling devices that use chemical activation agents without having to rely upon the use of a layer of ammonium chloride disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,472.
  • The means of rupturing the membrane or barrier 22 consists of the heat-transfer mechanism 43 comprising the plug pull tab 41 attached to the removable plug 31, the hollow tube 40 and the tearing filament 33. The plug pull tab is located beneath the openable closure or tear panel 23 and is attached to the removable plug 31 that in turn is inserted into the portal 28 connected to the diaphragm 25 when the heat-transfer mechanism 43 is in the inactive position. The plug pull tab 41 is typically made from the same materials commonly used to manufacture metal cans including steel, aluminum and alloys, but can be made from any other suitable material including plastics and related polymers. The removable plug 31 is held in place within the diaphragm 25 by a pressure seal 30 attached to the circumference of the bottom end 29 of the plug 31 or by modifying the bottom end 29 of the plug 31 to faun the male-threaded fitting 32 that can be screwed into the female-threaded fitting 50 formed as a modification of the orifice 28 within the diaphragm 25. The plug 31 can be made from any suitable material including plastics, metals and polymers. The hollow tube 40 is typically made of plastic and has an inside diameter sufficient to allow free passage of the tearing filament 33 through the tube 40 during activation of the heat-transfer mechanism 43. The tube 43 is of sufficient length to extend around 0.25 times the length of the inner compartment 19 and is affixed to the bottom end 29 of the removable plug 31 to form a rigid conduit for the tearing filament 33.
  • The tearing filament 33 is in the form of a string or cord made from plastic, metal wire or natural fiber approximately 1.5 times the length of the inner compartment 19 and is comprised of four separated strands 38. The tearing filament is attached at its top end to the removable plug 31 and then threaded through the hollow tube 40 during placement of the heat transfer mechanism 43 into the inner compartment 19 along with the heating or cooling agents 21, activation liquid 20 and barrier or sealing membranes or rupturable membranes 22. Each strand 38 of the tearing filament 33 has an abrasive coating or abrasive, sharp-edged objects 39 attached to the distal one-third of its length. The abrasive coating typically consists of sharpened particles of garnet or glass having an average diameter of around 1/32 to 1/64 inch or sharpened metal shards of approximately the same size that are glued or applied in a coating onto the surfaces of the strands 38. The sharpened material is applied such that the sharpened edges of the particles are free to catch onto and rip through the barrier or sealing membrane 22 when brought into contact with the membrane 22.
  • During assembly of the device 51, the tearing filament 33 is inserted through the hollow tube 40 which is in turn located in the first cavity 35. The heat-transfer material 21 is then added to the third cavity 37 and the distal lengths of each of the strands 38 are stored in the third cavity 37 along with the heat-transfer materials 21. The barrier or sealing membrane 22 is then positioned above the third cavity to isolate the third cavity 37 from the rest of the inner compartment 19 and the strands 38 are separated from each other and positioned equidistantly from each other such that each strand 38 passes from the third cavity 37 through the barrier 22 into the second cavity 36. The activating liquid 20 is then poured into the second cavity 36 to fill it and another barrier or sealing membrane 22 is the positioned on top of the second cavity 36 to isolate it from the rest of the inner compartment 19. The strands 38 then pass from the second cavity 36 through the barrier 22 into the first cavity 36 and then through the hollow tube 40 to terminate in an attachment to the removable plug 31. Alternatively, if the barrier is a balloon or pouch 22, the strands pass from the third cavity 35 around the balloon 22 between the sidewall 60 of the inner compartment 19 and the outer surface of the balloon or pouch and enter the first cavity 35. Heat-transfer material 21 is then added to the first cavity 35 and the inner compartment 19 is assembled and sealed.
  • As shown in FIG. 3, when a user of the device 51 pulls on the plug pull tab 41, force is applied to the removable plug 31 attached to the tearing filament 33 causing the filament 33 to travel from the third cavity 35 through the second 36 and first cavities 37, ripping open the barriers 22 surrounding the second cavity 36 and allowing the passage of liquids 20 from the second cavity 36 throughout the contents of the first 35 and third cavities 37 to promote rapid diffusion and ensure complete and thorough contact between the solid 21 and liquid 20. During typical use, the beverage consumer first pulls the tab 41, plug 31, hollow tube 40 and tearing filament 33 encased in the hollow tube 40 out of the orifice 28 in the diaphragm 25 such that the hollow tube 40 and related assembly is almost fully extended out of the inner compartment 19, thus rupturing the barriers 22 encasing the second cavity 36 and allowing the contents within the inner container 19 to mix. The consumer then pushes the tab 41, plug 31 and hollow tube 40 back into the inner compartment 19 and turns the container 5 upside-down and then right-side up so that the liquid 20 in the second cavity 36 will continue to mix with the contents of the inner compartment 19.
  • With respect to the inner compartment 19 of the self-cooling device 51, the diaphragm 25 is affixed to the top of the inner compartment 19 to create a completely self-contained unit that can be activated by the consumer with no contact between the consumer and contents of the inner compartment 19. As an additional safety feature, the diaphragm 25 and contact interface with the consumer with respect to activating the cooling mechanism is completely separated from the pull tab 6 at the top of the container 5 whereby the consumer accesses the beverage 17. By these features, the self-cooling container 5 is made safe to use.
  • The compressed static spring mixer 24 illustrated in FIG. 2 comprises a compressed spring 38 placed but not permanently attached at the bottom of the third cavity 37 and on top of the interior surface of the diaphragm 25. The compressed spring is held in its compressed state by a solvent-soluble tape or glue 39 whereby the solvent is typically water, and has sufficient tensile strength to be able to spring open and push through into the second cavity 36 from the third cavity 37 while overcoming any resistance presented by remnants of the ruptured membrane 22. A close view of the compressed spring 38 secured with the solvent-activated tape 39 and the uncompressed spring 40 is shown in FIG. 6. The compressed spring 38 is activated into becoming a static mixer when solvent dissolves or loosens the solvent soluble tape 39 that holds the spring 38 in its compressed state. The compressed spring 38 can be made of various materials including steel, aluminum, carbon fiber and plastic such that the material has sufficient tensile strength to be effective as a static mixer when the spring is uncoiled. The water soluble tape or glue 39 is well known to those familiar with the prior art and can be procured from various suppliers such as 3M. Alternatively, if the liquid activating agent 20 is not water, then the tape or glue 39 used to secure the compressed spring 38 must be soluble in the non-aqueous liquid activating agent 20. There are many examples shown in the technical literature of tapes and glues that are soluble in liquids other than water and can be used for this invention in the event that the liquid activating agent 20 is an alcohol, ketone, acetate or hydrocarbon or the like.
  • As shown in FIG. 4, when liquid loosens or dissolves the tape 39, the spring 38 uncoils with sufficient force to roil the liquid coolant mixture 20 and improve the contact between clumps of un-dissolved heating or cooling agent 21 in the first 35 and third cavities 37 and isolated pockets of liquid activation agent 20 in the second cavity 36. The uncoiled spring 40 is now free to move throughout the inner compartment 19 and when the self-heating or self-chilling container 5 is shaken up and down after activation of the heating or cooling mechanism and related processes, the uncoiled spring 40 continues to improve mixing within the inner compartment 19 by moving from the top to the bottom of the inner compartment 19, breaking up any remaining clumps of un-dissolved material and improving the transfer of heat from the beverage 17 in the cavity 16 located outside of the inner compartment 19 through the sidewall 27 of the inner compartment 19 by creating turbulent mixing forces that promote efficient heat transfer through boundary layers adjacent to the interior and exterior surfaces of the inner compartment 19.
  • FIGS. 2 through 5 describe a self-heating or self-cooling container 5 equipped with a lid 3 containing the self-heating or self-cooling device 51 whereby the diaphragm 25 is sealed off from the environment by the removable plug 31 that is fitted into an orifice 28 located in the center of the diaphragm 25. The plug 31 is be held in place within the diaphragm 25 by a pressure seal 30 attached to the circumference of the bottom end 29 of the plug 31 or by modifying the bottom end 29 of the plug 31 to form a male-threaded fitting 32 that can be screwed into a female-threaded fitting 50 formed as a modification of the orifice 28 within the diaphragm 25. The plug 31 and the fittings 32 and 50 serve as a safety device and minimize the risk of contact between the consumer and the contents of the device 51 when the consumer activates the device 51.
  • FIGS. 2 through 8 describe an embodiment of the invention where the lid 3 as described above is directly and permanently attached to the outer compartment 10 of the self-heating or self-chilling can 5 and to the inner compartment 19 of the self-heating or self-cooling device 51, which is then in direct contact with the beverage 17 contained within the outer compartment 10 and located within the first cavity 16 of the outer compartment 10. In another embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 9 through 12, the surface of the lid 3 is expanded to form a well that can extend into the interior of the cavity 16 containing the beverage 17, when the lid 3 is secured to the outer compartment 10, to displace some of the volume of the cavity 16 that contains the liquid 17 to be cooled such that a fourth cavity 15 is formed that does not contain any liquid 17 and is open to the environment. The fourth cavity 15 conforms to the shape of the inner compartment 19 of the self-cooling device 51 and is made to hold the inner compartment 19 in place. The inner compartment 19 can be held in place within the well of the lid 3 by a pressure seal 49 attached to the circumference of the top end 28 of the sidewall 27 of the inner compartment 19 or by modifying the top end 28 of the sidewall 27 to form a male-threaded fitting 50 that can be screwed into a female-threaded fitting 52 formed as a modification of the top expanded end of the well. In this manner a separate heating or cooling device or insert 51 that comprises the heating or cooling mechanism 43, the static spring mixer 45, the heating or cooling agent 21, the separating barrier 33 and the liquid 20 to activate the heating or cooling agent 21 can all be manufactured separately from the lid 3 and the container 5 holding the beverage 17 to be cooled, and thus the described cooling device 51 can be inserted into and removed from the lid 3 and thus indirectly from a beverage container 5 for ease of use and to promote efficiency with respect to the manufacturing of the lid 3, container 5 and the device 51 and with respect to the recycling and reuse of the lids, caps, containers and the spent heat-transfer materials 21.
  • FIG. 14 describes another embodiment of the invention where the sidewall 27 adjacent to the top end 28 of the inner compartment 19 of the self-cooling device 51 as described herein is modified to form a lip 58 or concentric ring that extends outward perpendicular to the vertical axis of the sidewall 27 of the inner compartment 19. The lip 58 has a top surface 59, a bottom surface 61, and a gasket 62 attached to the bottom surface 61 of the lip 58, and is extended such that the bottom surface 61 of the lip 58 forms a leak-free seal of the cavity 16 when the modified self-cooling device 51 is placed into the cavity 16 of the outer compartment 10 and onto the top 11 of the outer compartment 10 of a beverage container 63 and downward pressured is applied to the top surface of the lip 58. This downward pressure can be applied by screwing on any standard cap 64 or lid that is typically used to seal a beverage or food container which is typically a glass or plastic bottle 63. In this manner a separate heating or cooling device or insert 51 that comprises the heating or cooling mechanism 43, the static spring mixer 45, the heating or cooling agent 21, the separating barrier 22 and the liquid 20 to activate the heating or cooling agent 21 can all be manufactured and sold separately from the cap or lid 64 and the container holding the beverage to be cooled 63, and thus the described heating or cooling device 51 can be inserted into and removed from a beverage bottle 63 or other related container having a cap or a lid 64 without the need for a specially modified cap 4, lid 3 or self-heating or self-chilling container 5 for ease of use and to reduce the cost of use.
  • With respect to the above, the operation of the present self-heating or self-cooling container 5 equipped with a lid 3 or a cap 4 containing a self-heating or self-cooling device 51 or the self-heating or self-cooling device 51 used as an insert is safe and simple. A customer first pulls away the tear panel 26 located at the top of the container 5 to gain access to the heat-transfer mechanism 43, then pulls the plug pull tab 41 and extends the mechanism 43 out of the top of the inner compartment 19 to rupture the rupturable membrane 22. Once the membrane 22 is ruptured, the liquid 20 from second cavity 36 enters the first 35 and third cavities 37 and reacts or solubilizes the heating or cooling agent 21 in the third cavity 37 initiating either an endothermic reaction that absorbs heat from the beverage 17 and cools the beverage 17 or an exothermic reaction to heat up the beverage 17. The liquid 20 from the second cavity 36 also travels to the compressed spring 38 and dissolves the solvent-activated tape 39 and the spring 38 is uncoiled with sufficient force to thoroughly mix the materials in the inner compartment 19 speed up the heating or cooling process. The beverage 17 is consumed through the openable closure means 18 by pulling on the pull tab 6 or unscrewing the bottle cap 4.
  • Alternatively, the consumer may remove the cap 64 from a standard beverage bottle 62, which typically contains an airspace at the top, select a self-heating or self-cooling device 51 equipped with a lip 58, activate the heat-transfer mechanism 43 of the device 51 in the same manner as above, insert the self-heating or self-cooling device 51 into the opening at the top of the beverage container 63, and then tightly attaché the cap 64 and wait for the beverage 17 to cool sufficiently for consumption. The consumer can then remove the cap 64 and the device 51 and consume the beverage 17.
  • While the preferred form of the present invention has been shown and described above, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the subject invention is not limited by the Figures and that the scope of the invention includes modifications, variations and equivalents which fall within the scope the attached claims. Moreover, it should be understood that the individual components of the invention include equivalent embodiments without departing from the spirit of this invention.

Claims (14)

1. A self-heating or self-cooling container cover equipped with a self-heating or self-cooling device whereby the cover forms the top to a container, comprising:
a. A first openable closure means incorporated within the cover such that the means can be penetrated or opened or removed to provide access to the liquid stored within the container; and
b. a self-heating or self-cooling device incorporated into or coupled to the cover such that the device can be located within the cavity of the container when the cover is affixed to the container, said device including: (i) at least one sidewall, a top end and a bottom end, (ii) a first cavity containing a heat-transfer material (i.e., heating or cooling agents) consisting of either an endothermic cooling agent or exothermic heating agent that will react when contacted with a liquid activator, (iii) a second cavity containing a liquid that will activate the heating or cooling process when in contact with the heat-transfer materials, (iv) a third cavity containing a heat-transfer material that is incompatible with the heat transfer material found in the first cavity and that will react when contacted with a liquid activator, (v) a rupturable membrane or barrier means separating the first and third cavities from the second cavity and which isolates the second cavity, (vi) an second openable closure or tear panel or means attached to the top end that provides tamper-free access to the interior or the device while preventing accidental activation of the heating or cooling mechanism, (vii) a diaphragm attached to or comprising the top end of the device and accessible through the second openable closure or tear panel located near the center of the diaphragm having an interior-oriented surface, an exterior-oriented surface and a portal or orifice extending through the diaphragm; (viii) a removable plug that is fitted into the orifice located in the center of the diaphragm that is held in place within the diaphragm by a pressure seal attached to the circumference of the bottom end of the plug or by modifying the bottom end of the plug to form a male threaded fitting that can be screwed into a female threaded fitting formed as a modification of the orifice within the diaphragm, (ix) a tearing filament attached to the bottom end of the removable plug that is of sufficient length to extend around 1.5 times the length of the inner compartment from the top end of the inner compartment through the first cavity and adjacent to or through the membrane or barrier separating the second cavity from the first and third cavities and finally terminating in the third cavity, said tearing filament comprised of four separated strands that have an abrasive coating or abrasive, sharp-edged objects attached to the distal one-third of each strand to a puncturing means for rupturing the membrane or barrier separating the first and third cavities from the second cavity, (x) a hollow tube of sufficient length to extend around 0.25 times the length of the inner compartment that is affixed to the bottom end of the removable plug to form a rigid conduit for the tearing filament, (xi) a plug pull tab attached to the top end of the removable plug such that when the tab and plug attached to the tearing filament are pulled by the user, the tearing filament travels from the third cavity through the second and first cavities, ripping open the barriers surrounding the second cavity, thus allowing the passage of liquids from the second cavity throughout the contents of the first and third cavities to promote rapid diffusion and ensure complete and thorough contact between the solid and liquid components or reactants, (xii) a heat transfer mechanism comprising the plug pull tab attached to the removable plug, the hollow tube and the tearing filament that is activated by pulling the tab and related assembly out of the portal attached to the diaphragm and away from the top of the container to allow the sharpened surfaces of the tearing filament to travel and to penetrate the membranes or barriers separating the two cavities such that the liquid from the second cavity gains access to the heating and cooling agents in the first and third cavities and (xiii) a static spring mixer consisting of compressed spring held in its compressed state by a solvent-soluble tape or glue where the solvent is typically water located in the third cavity containing the heating or cooling agents adjacent to the interior surface of the bottom of the inner container such that the static spring mixer expands to mix the contents of the first, second and third cavities upon activation by water.
2. A self-heating or self-cooling container cover according to claim 1 in which the first openable closure means consist of a rupturable tear panel or pull tab which may be ruptured to provide access to the liquid stored within the container whereby (i) the pull tab has a front end and a bottom end and (ii) the back end of the pull tab is placed adjacent to the rupturable tear panel such that when the front end of the pull tab is pulled away from the lid, the rupturable tear panel ruptures and moves into the cavity, providing access to the beverage stored within.
3. A self-heating or self-cooling container cover according to claim 1 whereby the tear panel can be an adhesive foil, a plastic cap or the like which can be peeled back, opened, or otherwise removed by the consumer.
4. A self-heating or self-cooling container cover according to claim 1 whereby the cover performs as the first openable closure means when configures as a cap that can be firmly attached to top end of the container to form a sealed unit comprising: (i) a threaded cap equipped with a female-threaded fitting or other female-threaded means having an exterior surface and an interior surface such that the cap when screwed onto the self-heating or self-chilling container will create a self-contained unit, (ii) a portal or orifice made through the top surface of the cap of sufficient diameter to allow insertion of a self-heating or self-cooling device as described herein; (iii) a self-heating or self-cooling device incorporated into or coupled to the cap through the portal to form a leak-free cap; (iv) a seal or gasket affixed to the interior surface of the cap and forming around the outer circumference of the self-heating or self-cooling device that can also enclose the opening of the container to create an isolated cavity within the container that can contain any enclosed beverage or liquid without leakage or spillage and without any contamination from the environment even when the liquid is pressurized under those pressures typical of a carbonated beverage, and (v) a top end of the container equipped with a male-threaded fitting or other male threaded means that can mate with the threaded cap when screwed together to form a tight-fitting seal between the cap, the gasket, the top end of the container and the cavity of the container.
5. A self-heating or self-cooling container cover according to claim 1 whereby the sidewalls of the self-heating or self-cooling device is constructed of a suitable heat transfer material and is preferably made from materials such as steel, aluminum or other metal alloys.
6. A self-heating or self-cooling container cover according to claim 1 in which the self-heating or self-cooling device has a first cavity, a second cavity and a third cavity whereby the first and third cavities contain water-activated heating or cooling agents and the second cavity contains water.
7. A self-heating or self-cooling container cover according to claim 1 in which the self-heating or self-cooling device allows compatible heating and cooling agents to be mixed together and stored in their dry state in the first cavity of the device while other heating and cooling agents that are incompatible with those stored in the first cavity are mixed together stored in the third cavity of the device and the incompatible materials of the first and third cavities are separated from each other by the sealing membranes or barriers that form the second cavity filled with water.
8. A self-heating or self-cooling container cover according to claim 1 in which the rupturable membrane is made out of material that can be punctured by the sharp surfaces of the tearing filament, including rubber, elastomers, latex, polychlororprene, films and plastics.
9. A self-heating or self-cooling container cover according to claim 1 in which the rupturable membrane consists of a balloon or plastic bag or pouch containing the liquid that is positioned to occupy all of the interior space of the second cavity such that the balloon forms the membrane or barrier that separates the liquid in the second cavity from the heating or cooling agent in the first and third cavities.
10. A self-heating or self-cooling container cover according to claim 1 in which the means of rupturing the membrane or barrier consists of a plug pull tab attached to the removable plug, the hollow tube and the tearing filament.
11. A self-heating or self-cooling container cover according to claim 1 in which the plug pull tab is made from the same materials commonly used to manufacture metal cans including steel, aluminum and alloys, but can be made from any other suitable material including plastics and related polymers.
12. A self-heating or self-cooling container cover according to claim 1 in which the removable plug is made from any suitable material including plastics, metals and polymers.
13. A self-heating or self-cooling container cover according to claim 1 in which the hollow tube is made of plastic and has an inside diameter sufficient to allow free passage of the tearing filament through the tube during activation of the heat-transfer reaction and is of sufficient length to extend around 0.25 times the length of the device and is affixed to the bottom end of the removable plug to form a rigid conduit for the tearing filament.
14. A self-heating or self-cooling container cover according to claim 1 in which the tearing filament is in the form of a string or cord made from plastic, metal wire or natural fiber approximately 1.5 times the length of the device and is comprised of four separated strands. The tearing filament is attached at its top end to the removable plug and then threaded through the hollow tube during placement of the heating or cooling agents, activation liquid and barrier or sealing membranes or rupturable membranes. Each strand of the tearing filament has an abrasive coating or abrasive, sharp-edged objects attached to the distal one-third of its length. The abrasive coating typically consists of sharpened particles of garnet or glass having an average diameter of around 1/32 to 1/64 inch or sharpened metal shards of approximately the same size that are glued or applied in a coating onto the surfaces of the strands. The sharpened material is applied such that the sharpened edges of the particles are free to catch onto and rip through the barrier or sealing membrane when brought into contact with the membrane.
US13/442,680 2011-04-07 2012-04-09 Container Cap With Enhanced Shelf-Life Heating Or Cooling Agent Insert Abandoned US20130025296A1 (en)

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US20170101233A1 (en) * 2015-10-07 2017-04-13 Changi Wu Enclosure apparatus for dispensing container
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