IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0202866
(2005-08-12)
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등록번호 |
US-7260944
(2007-08-28)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Sitterson & Alhadeff P.A.
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
12 |
초록
▼
Self-cooling food and beverage containers and processes for manufacturing such containers with cryogenic high-pressure refrigerant cooling apparatus are disclosed. A self-cooling beverage container apparatus containing a beverage or other food product, a method of storing cryogenic gases which then
Self-cooling food and beverage containers and processes for manufacturing such containers with cryogenic high-pressure refrigerant cooling apparatus are disclosed. A self-cooling beverage container apparatus containing a beverage or other food product, a method of storing cryogenic gases which then cool said food products, and to methods of assembling and operating the apparatus. A self-cooling beverage container includes a container body having an openable portion, a pressure vessel substantially housed within said container body, the pressure vessel having a first chamber for containing a refrigerant and a charging port, an actuation valve system is configurable from a closed configuration wherein the refrigerant is maintained within the pressure vessel to an open configuration wherein said refrigerant is allowed to expand and exit the pressure vessel upon opening of said container whereby refrigerant expansion and flow through said outlet conduit cools the contents of said container.
대표청구항
▼
What I claim is: 1. A self-cooling beverage container comprising: a container body having a top and a bottom, a side wall connecting said top and bottom, said top including an openable portion; a pressure vessel substantially housed within said container body; said pressure vessel including a chamb
What I claim is: 1. A self-cooling beverage container comprising: a container body having a top and a bottom, a side wall connecting said top and bottom, said top including an openable portion; a pressure vessel substantially housed within said container body; said pressure vessel including a chamber for containing a refrigerant and a means for charging said chamber with refrigerant; an actuation valve system having an inlet in fluid communication with said chamber and an outlet in fluid communication with an outlet conduit, said outlet conduit terminating external to said container body; means for providing a temporary seal between said chamber and said actuation valve inlet to allow for charging of said pressure vessel with said container at substantially atmospheric pressure; said actuation valve system configurable from a closed configuration wherein said refrigerant is maintained within said pressure vessel chamber to an open configuration wherein said refrigerant is allowed to expand and flow through said outlet conduit; said actuation valve system maintained in said closed configuration by pressure greater than atmospheric pressure within said container body external to said pressure vessel; and said actuation valve system being automatically configured to said open configuration upon opening of said container body open portion and reduction of pressure within said container body to substantially atmospheric pressure; whereby said actuation valve open configuration allows for refrigerant expansion and flow through said outlet conduit thereby cooling contents of said container. 2. A self-cooling beverage container according to claim 1, wherein said means for charging said pressure vessel chamber with refrigerant includes a check valve. 3. A self-cooling beverage container according to claim 2, wherein said check valve comprises an opening in said pressure vessel leading to said chamber, said outlet conduit disposed within said opening, and a means for sealing between said opening in said pressure vessel and said outlet conduit such that fluid refrigerant is allowed to flow into said pressure vessel through said opening and is prevented from flowing out of said pressure vessel by said means for sealing. 4. A self-cooling beverage container according to claim 3, wherein said means for sealing between said opening in said pressure vessel and said outlet conduit comprises a resilient sleeve. 5. A self-cooling beverage container according to claim 1, wherein said means for providing a temporary seal includes providing said actuation valve with a non-hermetic seal having a generally slow rate of leakage. 6. A self-cooling beverage container according to claim 1, wherein said refrigerant comprises a high pressure cryogenic fluid. 7. A self-cooling beverage container according to claim 1, wherein said cryogenic fluid includes carbon dioxide. 8. A self-cooling beverage container according to claim 1, wherein said pressure vessel includes first and second connectable portions, whereby said pressure vessel may be charged with refrigerant by placement of a solid or liquid cryogenic substance in at least one of said first and second connectable portions and connecting said portions. 9. A self-cooling beverage container according to claim 1, wherein said actuation valve system comprises: said pressure vessel defining an orifice placing said pressure vessel chamber in communication with said outlet conduit; an actuation cap disposed on said pressure vessel in sealing relation with said orifice; said actuation cap in movable engagement with said pressure vessel such that said actuation cap is maintained in a first position in sealing relation with said orifice when pressure within said container body is above atmospheric pressure, and said actuation cap automatically moves to a second position wherein said orifice is unsealed when the pressure within said container is at or below atmospheric pressure, thereby allowing refrigerant to expand and flow from said chamber to atmosphere via said outlet conduit. 10. A self-cooling beverage container according to claim 9, further including a non-hermetic seal having a relatively slow rate of leakage for temporarily sealing said orifice thereby allowing charging of said pressure vessel chamber prior to filling said container with a carbonated beverage. 11. A self-cooling beverage container comprising: a container body having a top and a bottom, a side wall connecting said top and bottom, said top including an openable portion; a pressure vessel substantially housed within said container body; said pressure vessel including a chamber for containing a refrigerant; means for charging said pressure vessel chamber, said means for charging including a charging port external to said container body and a check valve for preventing refrigerant from exiting said pressure vessel chamber through said charging port; an actuation valve system having an inlet in fluid communication with said chamber and an outlet in fluid communication with an outlet conduit, said outlet conduit terminating external to said container body; means for providing a temporary seal between said chamber and said actuation valve inlet to allow for charging of said pressure vessel with said container at substantially atmospheric pressure; said actuation valve system configurable from a closed configuration wherein said refrigerant is maintained within said pressure vessel chamber to an open configuration wherein said refrigerant is allowed to expand and flow through said outlet conduit; said actuation valve system maintained in said closed configuration by pressure greater than atmospheric pressure within said container body external to said pressure vessel; and said actuation valve system being automatically configured to said open configuration upon opening of said container body open portion and reduction of pressure within said container body to substantially atmospheric pressure; whereby said actuation valve open configuration allows for refrigerant expansion and flow through said outlet conduit thereby cooling contents of said container. 12. A self-cooling beverage container according to claim 11, wherein said check valve comprises an opening in said pressure vessel leading to said chamber, said outlet conduit disposed within said opening, and a means for sealing between said opening in said pressure vessel and said outlet conduit such that fluid refrigerant is allowed to flow into said pressure vessel through said opening and is prevented from flowing out of said pressure vessel by said means for sealing. 13. A self-cooling beverage container according to claim 11, wherein said means for providing a temporary seal includes providing said actuation valve with a non-hermetic seal having a generally slow rate of leakage. 14. A self-cooling beverage container according to claim 11, wherein said refrigerant comprises a high pressure cryogenic fluid. 15. A self-cooling beverage container according to claim 11, wherein said cryogenic fluid includes carbon dioxide. 16. A self-cooling beverage container according to claim 11, wherein said pressure vessel includes first and second connectable portions, whereby said pressure vessel may be charged with refrigerant by placement of a solid or liquid cryogenic substance in at least one of said first and second connectable portions and connecting said portions. 17. A self-cooling beverage container according to claim 11, wherein said actuation valve system comprises: said pressure vessel defining an orifice placing said pressure vessel chamber in communication with said outlet conduit; an actuation cap disposed on said pressure vessel in sealing relation with said orifice; said actuation cap in movable engagement with said pressure vessel such that said actuation cap is maintained in a first position in sealing relation with said orifice when pressure within said container body is above atmospheric pressure, and said actuation cap automatically moves to a second position wherein said orifice is unsealed when the pressure within said container is at or below atmospheric pressure, thereby allowing refrigerant to expand and flow from said chamber to atmosphere via said outlet conduit. 18. A method for forming a self-cooling beverage container, said method including the steps of: a. forming a plastic beverage container by blow molding fabrication technique, said beverage container including disconnected upper and lower parts; b. forming a pressure vessel by injection molding fabrication technique, said pressure vessel configured to contain refrigerant and to cool contents of said beverage container upon opening of said container by expansion of said refrigerant; c. said pressure vessel having a radially projecting portion thereof sized for snug insertion within said beverage container; and d. connecting said pressure vessel in a generally concentric relation within said beverage container by heat shrinking said upper and lower beverage container parts into sealing engagement with said radially projecting portion of said pressure vessel to form a unitary beverage container having said pressure vessel securely contained therein. 19. A self-cooling beverage container comprising: a two part container body having a top bottle portion, a bottom bottle portion and a container connection means for assembling said top bottle portion to said bottom bottle portion; said bottom bottle portion having a molded body with a longitudinal axis and a base enclosing on one end and a sidewall projecting from said base enclosing; said side wall terminating on an open cylindrical edge; said base enclosing having a through hole; a top bottle portion having a molded body with a longitudinal axis and a having a cylindrical sidewall with an open cylindrical edge and a substantially spherical pressure wall connected to said sidewall and terminating on an smaller diameter open threaded neck; a pressure vessel housed within said bottom bottle portion and having a stud protrusion, wherein said stud protrusion sealingly passes through said bottom bottle portion base enclosing hole; said pressure vessel having a radially projecting portion thereof sized for snug insertion within said two part container and connecting said pressure vessel in a generally concentric relation within said two part container by heat shrinking said top bottle portion and said bottom bottle portion into a sealing engagement with said radially projecting portion of said pressure vessel to form a unitary container having said pressure vessel securely contained therein; said pressure vessel partially filled with dry ice refrigerant; an actuation valve system having an inlet in fluid communication with said chamber and an outlet in fluid communication with an outlet conduit, said outlet conduit terminating external to said container body and through said stud protrusion; a means for providing a temporary seal between said chamber and said actuation valve inlet so that when said dry ice refrigerant sublimates and increases the pressure therein, said temporary seal configures said actuation valve system to a closed configuration from within said pressure vessel and said dry ice refrigerant is maintained in gaseous and liquefied refrigerant form inside said pressure chamber; a pressurized food product filling the concentric space between said container and said pressure vessel; a closure means for sealing said food product within said container so that the food product pressure within said container increases substantially from atmospheric pressure; said food product pressure acting as a hermetic seal means to configure said actuation valve system to a hermetically sealed configuration from without said pressure vessel so that said dry ice refrigerant is maintained in gaseous and liquefied refrigerant form inside said pressure chamber as it sublimates; said hermetic seal means displacing said temporary seal means and configuring said actuation valve system to a hermetically sealed configuration from without said pressure vessel so that when the container sealing means is removed, said pressurized food product looses its pressure and said hermetic seal means configures said actuation valve system to an open state wherein said liquefied refrigerant is allowed to absorb heat from said food product and evaporate and flow through said outlet conduit thereby cooling said food product within said container.
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