Self-Chilling Container

Abstract

A self-chilling container, including an outer wall and an inner wall defining at least one adsorption chamber in a space provided between the outer wall and the inner wall, the adsorption chamber adapted to contain adsorbent material in heat transfer contact with at least the inner wall; the inner wall further defining at least one cooling chamber adjacent to the adsorption chamber, the cooling chamber being in heat transfer contact with the inner wall; at least one inlet disposed at the outer wall for introduction of a gas subliming solid material into the adsorption chamber for adsorption of sublimed gas onto the adsorbent material; and a valve in communication with the adsorption chamber for controlled release of the gas from the adsorption chamber.

Description

BACKGROUND

A self-chilling container is provided for cooling matter disposed within a cooling chamber of the container.

Chilling containers for cooling matter disposed within the containers via adsorption and desorption are known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,005, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a fluid chilling apparatus comprising two sheets of substantially similar size and shape, jointed together at the peripheral edges to form a cavity for retaining adsorbent. The chilling apparatus can be inserted through the neck of a bottle, or the dispensing aperture of a beverage can. These containers are cooled through an endothermic process when adsorbed, pressurized CO₂ is released from adsorbent, which cools the beverage through the walls of the cans that are in thermal contact with the adsorbent.

SUMMARY

A self-chilling container is provided, including an outer wall and an inner wall defining at least one adsorption chamber in a space provided between the outer wall and the inner wall, the adsorption chamber adapted to contain adsorbent material in heat transfer contact with at least the inner wall; the inner wall further defining at least one cooling chamber adjacent to the adsorption chamber, the cooling chamber being in heat transfer contact with the inner wall; at least one inlet disposed at the outer wall for introduction of a gas subliming solid material into the adsorption chamber for adsorption of sublimed gas onto the adsorbent material; and a valve in communication with the adsorption chamber for controlled release of the gas from the adsorption chamber.

Also provided is a method for cooling a container or a substance, including disposing the container or the substance into a cooling chamber in heat transfer contact with an adsorption chamber containing an adsorbent; inserting at least one dry ice pellet into an inlet of the adsorption chamber; permitting the dry ice pellet to sublime into carbon dioxide gas for diffusing into the adsorption chamber to adsorb onto the adsorbent; and releasing the adsorbed carbon dioxide as gas.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of an exemplary embodiment of a self-chilling container.

FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded view of an element of the self-chilling container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional top plan view of an embodiment of an adsorption chamber of the self-chilling container.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional top plan view of another embodiment of the adsorption chamber of the self-chilling container.

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional top plan view of an embodiment of the self-chilling container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A self-chilling container is provided for cooling a separate container, such as for example a beverage container, placed within a cooling chamber of the self-chilling container, or a substance disposed directly within the cooling chamber of the self-chilling container. The cooling effect is achieved by the dual process of adsorption and desorption. A gas is introduced into a chamber containing an adsorbent. As the gas expands, it adheres to the surface of the adsorbent, forming a film thereon (adsorbate). The adsorbate functions as a conductor of thermal energy. The adsorbate is then allowed to separate itself from the adsorbent by the process of desorption, which permits the removal of thermal energy or heat away from the cooling chamber. This may be accomplished by releasing the adsorbate (gas) from the chamber. The release of pressure from the chamber has an endothermic effect on the chamber, resulting in the cooling of material disposed within the container.

The self-chilling apparatus embodiment allows a select amount of CO₂ to be added to the adsorbent quickly and safely, and is also suitable for cooling a large number of beverage containers produced in an assembly line. For example, most can-filling and can-producing lines are designed for high speed production (1200 containers/minute and higher), and cannot tolerate delays caused by charging cooling chambers with gaseous or liquid CO₂. The self-chilling apparatus embodiment eliminates variations that might lead to over-pressurizing the chamber, which could cause explosions of the chamber.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, in one embodiment, at least one adsorption chamber containing an adsorbent is placed adjacent to and in direct thermal contact with a cooling chamber. The cooling effect is achieved by means of the adsorbent material 18 (adsorbent) for receiving and adsorbing an adsorbate in the at least one adsorption chamber within the self-chilling container. The adsorbent material 18 receives a quantity of gas under pressure, which forms the adsorbate. For example, when dry ice is trapped in the cooling chamber. CO₂ gas sublimes and charges the absorbent under high pressure. The desorption of gas from the adsorbent causes both a drop in pressure and a reduction in temperature of the desorbed gas, and a corresponding reduction in temperature of the absorbent. This temperature reduction acts to chill the container or substance disposed within the cooling chamber of the self-chilling container.

Referring to FIG. 1, an adsorption chamber 16 is a cavity or space situated between an outer wall and an inner wall of the self-chilling container. The outer and inner walls define a side portion of the self-chilling container. The outer and inner walls may also define a bottom portion and in part a top portion of the self-chilling container. The top portion of the self-chilling container is open ended but may include a lid or cover 24. In one embodiment, a substance or container may be loaded into the cooling chamber of the self-chilling container by entry through the top portion. In another embodiment, a container may be loaded into the cooling chamber through an opening in the side portion.

The adsorbent contained in the self-chilling container is in particulate form. An example of a suitable adsorbent is particulate activated carbon, which may be packed or compressed. This will minimize the volume occupied by the adsorbent so far as is consistent with maintaining a substantially porous structure to allow ready desorption of gas from the adsorbent in the inner regions of the body of the adsorbent. Carbon dioxide is a chilling gas suitable where the adsorbent is activated carbon. The adsorbent may be surrounded by a layer of phenolic resin and/or a glass coating which can be applied to the outer and inner walls of the self-chilling container. Other adsorbent materials may include zeolites or metal oxides for example.

Referring to FIG. 1, the self-chilling container shown generally at 10 includes an outer wall 12 and an inner wall 14. The adsorption chamber 16 comprises a cavity or space provided between and, substantially defined by, the outer wall 12 and inner wall 14. At least the inner wall may comprise a thermal transfer material, such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The adsorption chamber 16 contains an adsorption material 18, and surrounds at least one cooling chamber 20 which is substantially defined by the inner wall 14. The adsorption material 18 may occupy all of the adsorption chamber 16 or a portion thereof.

Referring also to FIG. 2, in one embodiment a bottom portion 15 of the self-chilling container 10 contains a coolant inlet chamber 30. The coolant inlet chamber 30 has at least one optionally sealable aperture 32 or hole that serves as a port for the insertion of one or a plurality of dry ice pellets 34 into the self-chilling container 10 as shown in FIG. 2, and communicates with the adsorption chamber 16. Upon insertion of the dry ice pellets 34 into the aperture 32, the pellets 34 enter the adsorption chamber 16 and begin to sublimate into carbon dioxide gas. The gas diffuses into and throughout the adsorption chamber 16, increasing the internal pressure of the adsorption chamber 16. After a sufficient amount of carbon dioxide gas has been introduced into the adsorption chamber 16 and a chilling effect is desired, the internal pressure may be relieved by means of a valve 22 located at an upper portion 17 of the self-chilling container 10 to initiate desorption and the chilling effect. The valve 22 may be user controlled, or may be activated by a mechanical or electronic controller (not shown).

The carbon dioxide gas comes into contact with the adsorbent 18 from solid carbon dioxide (dry ice) entering the adsorbent chamber 16 through an inlet, and subliming. The inlet may comprise an inlet chamber 30 having one or a plurality of apertures or holes 32 in communication with the adsorbent chamber 16. The inlet chamber 30 may include a cover 31 to prevent leakage of gas from the adsorbent chamber 16 back out through the inlet chamber 30. The holes 32 of the inlet chamber may be adjustable as to their diameter so as to control the amount of carbon dioxide gas that enters the adsorbent chamber 16. The holes 32 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are circular by way of example only, but any shape may be used.

In one embodiment, cylindrical dry ice pellets 34 (in certain embodiments about 16 mm diameter) are inserted into the holes 32 of the inlet chamber 30 and the cover 31 closed. Other pellet shapes may be used. The dry ice pellets 34 are trapped in the self-chilling container by closing or scaling the holes 32 of the container with the cover 31 for example. When the holes 32 are closed to the external environment, the dry ice sublimes and expands through the holes and diffuses throughout the adsorbent 18 in the adsorption chamber 16. As expansion continues, the pressure in the adsorption chamber 16 increases and the adsorbent 18 adsorbs the CO₂ vapor. Over time (in certain embodiments about approximately 30 minutes), all the dry ice sublimes to CO₂ vapor impregnating the adsorbent 18. The cooling process occurs when the pressure in the adsorption chamber 16 is relieved through the valve 22 which communicates with the adsorption chamber 16. As the pressure is released, CO₂ gas adsorbed onto the adsorbent 18 is released, resulting in cooling the gas and the adsorbent. Heat is transferred from the container or substance disposed in the cooling chamber 20, through the inner wall 14, to the adsorbent 18, thus cooling the container or substance. This endothermic process may be used to cool a beverage or beverage container disposed in the cooling chamber 20, for example.

In another embodiment, the inlet chamber 30 can be physically separable from the adsorption chamber 16. The separated inlet chamber 30 can be constructed as a separate housing and charged with dry ice pellets at a location remote from the container 10, after which the inlet chamber housing is inserted into or otherwise contacted with the adsorption chamber 16, in certain embodiments being sealed in that process. The CO₂ gas then may sublime and pass through holes 32 in communication with the adsorption chamber 16 to charge the adsorbent 18.

An advantage of using dry ice 34 to charge the adsorption chamber 16 is increased speed of the process. The dry ice pellets 34 can be added to the adsorption chamber 16 much quicker than gas; primarily due to their higher density and ease of manipulation. Additionally, the dimensions of the pellet determine the ultimate volume (and pressure) of CO₂ vapor that will charge the adsorbent 18. Furthermore, the dimensions of the inlet chamber 30 may be controlled to effectively limit the amount of CO₂ that can charge the adsorption chamber 16.

In another embodiment, a thermally-conductive material may be in direct thermal contact with the adsorbent 18. This thermally-conductive material is adapted to transfer heat between at least the container inner wall 14 and the adsorbent 18. The thermally-conductive material functions as a catalyst for the transfer of heat from the cooling chamber 20 into the center of a body of adsorbent material 18 in the adsorption chamber 16.

As shown in FIG. 3, the thermally-conductive material may be in particulate form (heat transfer particles), and the heat transfer particles 42 may be a different average size than the average size of the adsorbent material particles 18. Where the heat transfer particles 42 are substantially larger or smaller than the adsorbent material particles 18, both types of particles can pack together in an array, and the smaller particles may fit into the interstices between adjacent larger particles. In this way, a compact, porous structure can be created in which there is a plurality of effective heat transfer paths between the body of adsorbent material 18 and the inner wall 14. Suitably, the heat transfer particles 42 are substantially evenly dispersed through the adsorbent material 18, so as to create a largely homogenous body of adsorbent material 18 and heat transfer particles 42. In certain embodiments, the heat transfer particles 42 are formed from aluminum or an alloy thereof.

Additionally or alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, the thermally-conductive material may comprise a resilient sheet 44 that is sized, configured and disposed so as, when placed within the adsorption chamber 16, to be contiguous and in heat transfer contact as shown generally at 46 with at least the inner wall 14 of the self-chilling container 10 over at least a part of its surface area. With such an arrangement, the sheet provides a good heat transfer path between the inner wall 14 of the cooling chamber 20 and the adsorbent material 18 in the interior of the adsorption chamber 16.

In one such embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the thermally conductive resilient sheet 44 adopts the substantial form of a letter “S” when disposed within the adsorption chamber 16 of the self-chilling container 10. Additionally or alternatively, the sheet 44 of heat transfer material may include a heat conducting fin, formed of thermally-conductive sheet material placed within the adsorption chamber 16, that is sized, shaped and disposed so as to be in contact with at least the inner wall 14 of the chilling container. Such a fin 44 or a plurality of fins can be configured and disposed to sub-divide an interior of the adsorption chamber 16 into separate compartments for containing the adsorbent 18.

Various types of containers such as for example beverage cans, bottles or kegs, and or substances, for example fluids, are easily insertable into the cooling chamber 20 of the self-chilling container 10 for cooling. The cooling chamber 20 may be adapted for holding specifically sized containers in customized wells, or for holding cases of containers in a large open space, and is able to quickly and sufficiently cool the containers. As shown in FIG. 5, the cooling chamber 20 of the self-chilling container 10 may be constructed and arranged as a plurality of cooling compartments 48 adapted for use in cooling a plurality of beverage containers. The cooling compartments 48 may be rectangular in cross section as in the embodiment shown, or may be circular in cross section and cylindrical in volume. Similarly, the outer wall 12 and/or the inner wall 14 of the self-chilling container 10 may be rectangular or circular in cross section.

It will be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely exemplary, and that one skilled in the art may make variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such variations and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as described and claimed herein. Further, all embodiments disclosed are not necessarily in the alternative, as various embodiments of the invention may be combined to provide the desired result.

Claims

1. A self-chilling container comprising:

an outer wall and an inner wall defining at least one adsorption chamber in a space provided between the outer wall and the inner wall, the at least one adsorption chamber adapted to contain adsorbent material in heat transfer contact with at least the inner wall;

the inner wall further defining at least one cooling chamber adjacent to the at least one adsorption chamber, the at least one cooling chamber being in heat transfer contact with the inner wall;

at least one inlet disposed at the outer wall for introduction of a gas subliming solid material into the at least one adsorption chamber for adsorption of sublimed gas onto the adsorbent material; and

a valve in communication with the at least one adsorption chamber for controlled release of the gas from the at least one adsorption chamber.

2. The self-chilling container according to claim 1, wherein the adsorbent material comprises compressed particulate.

3. The self-chilling container according to claim 1, wherein the adsorbent material comprises at least one of particulate activated carbon, zeolite, or metal oxide.

4. The self-chilling container according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cooling chamber is adapted to hold for cooling any of a single container, a plurality of containers or a substance.

5. The self-chilling container according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cooling chamber comprises a plurality of cooling compartments.

6. The self-chilling container according to claim 5, wherein the cooling compartments are at least one of rectangular or cylindrical in cross section.

7. The self-chilling container according to claim 1, wherein the at least one inlet comprises at least one inlet chamber in fluid communication with the at least one adsorption chamber.

8. The self-chilling container according to claim 7, wherein the at least one inlet chamber comprises at least one aperture for receiving at least one dry ice pellet.

9. The self-chilling container according to claim 8, wherein the at least one inlet chamber is removably mountable to the at least one adsorption chamber for receiving the at least one dry ice pellet, and adapted for sealable contact with the at least one adsorption chamber.

10. The self-chilling container according to claim 8, further comprising a removable cover for the at least one inlet chamber.

11. The self-chilling container according to claim 1, wherein the adsorbent material is surrounded by a layer of at least one of phenolic resin or glass which coats at least one of the outer wall and the inner wall of the self-chilling container.

12. The self-chilling container according to claim 1, further comprising a thermally conductive material in thermal contact with the adsorbent material and adapted to transfer heat between the inner wall and the adsorbent material.

13. The self-chilling container according to claim 12, wherein the thermally conductive material is in compressed particulate form having particles of different average size than particles of the adsorbent material.

14. The self-chilling container according to claim 12, wherein the thermally conductive material is substantially evenly dispersed among the particles of the adsorbent material.

15. The self-chilling container according to claim 12, wherein the thermally conductive material comprises a resilient planar sheet contiguous with the inner wall over at least a part of the resilient planar sheet surface.

16. The self-chilling container according to claim 15, wherein said resilient planar sheet is substantially S-shaped.

17. The self-chilling container according to claim 15, wherein the thermally conductive material comprises at least one fin extending outwardly from the inner wall.

18. The self-chilling container according to claim 12, wherein the thermally conductive material is formed from at least one of aluminum or an alloy thereof.

19. The self-chilling container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the inner wall or outer wall is rectangular in cross section.

20. The self-chilling container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the inner wall or outer wall is circular in cross section.

21. In a method for cooling a container or a substance, the improvement comprising:

disposing the container or the substance into a cooling chamber in heat transfer contact with an adsorption chamber containing an adsorbent;

inserting at least one dry ice pellet into an inlet of the adsorption chamber;

permitting the at least one dry ice pellet to sublime into carbon dioxide gas for diffusing into the adsorption chamber to adsorb onto the adsorbent; and

releasing the adsorbed carbon dioxide as gas.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said inserting comprises inserting the at least one dry ice pellet into an aperture of an inlet chamber in fluid communication with the adsorption chamber, and closing or scaling the aperture.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein said inserting comprises inserting the at least one dry ice pellet into an inlet chamber at a location remote from the adsorption chamber, and releasably connecting the inlet chamber to the adsorption chamber.