Container Cap Containing Heating Agent Insert

Abstract

A container cap or lid or insert for use in heating food and beverage containers having an independent heating chamber in which are utilized a trigger capable of initiating crystallization of a super-cooled salt solution comprising: a thin metallic strip which is bendable with snap displacement having a centrally located crystallization strike zone consisting of an orifice with a saw-toothed patterned inner diameter; a simple actuation means for initiating the heating process upon contact with the strike zone; and a structure for holding the trigger in position. The independent heating chamber can be made to be a permanent fixture of the cap or lid or may be a removable insert.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claim priority to provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/473,016, filed Apr. 7, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to self-heating containers and more particularly to self-heating container caps or lids having insertable and non-insertable independent heating chambers or devices whereby heating is initiated by the initiation of crystallization of a super-cooled salt solution stored within the chambers. In particular, the invention utilizes a reliable trigger mechanism to initiate crystallization of the super-cooled salt solution that lends itself to the reuse of the device.

2. Description of the Art

Heat packs utilizing super-cooled aqueous salt solutions as a heating agent are described in the prior art. Various solutions such as sodium acetate and calcium nitrate tetrahydrate are used for this purpose. In the past crystallization has been initialized in such heat packs by the scraping of metal to metal in contact with the super-cooled solution or by the insertion of a crystal into the solution. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,077,390 and 4,379,448 describe a flexible metal strip trigger incorporating fissures on the surface of the metal or slits in the metal to initiate contact with the salt solution of sodium acetate whereby crystallization is initiated by flexing the strip. U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,158 discloses a trigger comprising a flexible metal sheet having a plurality of activator cuts that extend through the thin sheet material and the shape of each slit includes a first or central slit and a minor slit that extends through the thin sheet material at one end of said first slit and at an angle to the direction of the major slit. Although such triggering devices are used in heat packs, their use along with super-cooled salt solutions in self-heating food and beverage containers is very limited due to a number of factors.

Self-heating containers useful for preparing heated beverages or food are known in the prior art and typically utilize a water-activated or liquid-activated exothermic materials as the heating agent to heat the container rather than a super-cooled salt solution. The process of heat generation in these devices is typically that of a chemical reaction between the materials with subsequent consumption of the reactants and production of products, some of which can be undesirable when made part of a consumer product. For example, 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. U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,022 discloses a container having a reaction module that contains a solid reactant and a cap module that contains a liquid reactant. Initiation of an exothermic reaction occurs when the two reagents are combined together. U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,753 describes a container equipped with a two-chamber thermal module containing chemical reagents such as calcium oxide and water that are known to produce an exothermic reaction to heat the contents. The container has vents to allow the escape of gas and or steam which is typically generated by the use of exothermic chemical agents.

Such self-heating containers described in the prior art have had limited commercial success. Containers that utilize water-activated chemical heating agents often require complex components, making them expensive and difficult to manufacture. Such water-activated devices are not always reliable because the ingredients fail to properly mix together upon activation or the products of the chemical reaction are toxic or irritating to the user. One particular problem associated with the use of chemical heating agents is the stability of these agents during storage. Mixtures of calcium oxides and calcium chloride, for example, can be effective water-activated heating agents but have a tendency to react prematurely if stored together as a mixture. Self-heating containers described in the prior art that utilize exothermic chemical agents are also not intentionally designed to be recyclable or to facilitate the reuse of the spent chemicals held within, and thus have a reputation of being a wasteful and non-sustainable product and technology.

Self-heating containers that utilize super-cooled aqueous salt solutions as the heating agent in a manner similar to heat packs thus appear to have advantages over water-activated chemical self-heating devices described in the prior art in that only a single, stable chemical is used for heat generation. Here the heat is generated by the phase change that occurs as the super-cooled salt solution changes into a crystallized solid, and no chemical reaction or production of bi-products are involved. Another major advantage of the use of super-cooled salt solutions to generate heat compared to the use of chemical reactants is that the super-cooled material can be regenerated after use from the crystallized salt by heating the material above its melting point in a controlled manner. Self-heating containers that utilize super-cooled salt solutions are thus capable of being re-used or recycled, and are a more sustainable product compared to those devices that use chemical reactants. Such self-heating devices, however, require the use of a triggering mechanism to induce crystallization, and the triggering mechanisms described in the prior art for use in heat packs are not designed for use in beverage and food containers. There is thus a need for a reliable triggering mechanism that can be used to initiate crystallization of a super-cooled salt solution used in a self-heating beverage or food container that is simple to use, low cost and capable of allowing the reuse or recycling of the container or the heating agent.

With respect to the above, it is important for commercial success of any self-heating 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 milk, coffee drinks and the like are pasteurized in the body of the container before the lid is fixed to the container, so any self-heating embodiment should be compatible with the existing pasteurization processes and not involve addition process steps.

Self-heating containers should also be manufactured using conventional manufacturer 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 heating or 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, inserting the heating or cooling agent into inner the compartment and then 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 heating or 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 or cooling agents that can be fixed to the tops of containers to provide a means of changing the temperature of the contents of the containers. It is thus evident from the prior art that it is advantageous to incorporate a self-heating device and especially a device that utilizes a super-cooled salt solution as the heating agent, 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, however, must be designed to minimize contact between the heating agent and the beverage. However, at the present time, none of these prior self-heating containers, lids or caps have met with commercial success.

In order to be commercially successful, self-heating containers must embody several attributes in addition to being adaptable to current container manufacturing techniques and processes. It is essential that: the heating mechanism must be safe, simple, inexpensive and efficient; the actuation technique for initiating the heating process must be tamper-evident and simple in order to appeal to the consumer; and the device must facilitate and encourage the environmentally safe reuse or recycle of the spent heating agent. Self-heating containers, lids and caps shown in the prior art have not had one or more of the above attributes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a container equipped with a cap or lid coupled to a self-heating device and method which can efficiently and safely heat beverages prior to consumption.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cap or lid containing a self-heating device which can manufactured without major alterations in manufacturing machinery or equipment.

It is another object of this invention to employ an exothermic process with safe and inexpensive materials as a self-contained heating mechanism.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a cap or lid containing a self-heating device which can be easily and safely actuated to initiate the heating process.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a cap or lid containing a self-heating device that can facilitate and encourage the environmentally safe reuse or recycle of the heating agent held within.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a self-heating container comprising:

(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 beverage to be heated 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 first cavity for storing a liquid. Here the lid is coupled to a self-heating device and is directly and permanently attached to the outer compartment.

(b) a 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 beverage to be heated 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 first cavity for storing a liquid. Here the cap is either permanently coupled to a self-heating device or to a well that can contain the self-heating device, or can be screwed onto the outer compartment to make contact between the lip of a self-heating device that lies on top of the first cavity such that a leak-free seal is formed between the cap, the lip of the self-heating 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 first cavity of the outer compartment and also screwed back on to seal off the first cavity 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 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 second cavity containing a heating agent consisting of a super-cooled salt solution that exists as a liquid in its pre-activation state, (iii) an openable closure or tear panel or means attached to the bottom end that provides tamper-free access to the inner compartment while preventing accidental activation of the heating mechanism, (iv) a structure or fixture in the form of a concentric ring that is attached to the interior sidewall of the inner compartment at the bottom quadrant of the compartment that is designed to rigidly hold the trigger in place such that it is in contact with the heating agent and positioned to be struck by an actuator means, (v) an actuator means comprising a solid rod-like or cylindrically shaped piece having an etched, pock-marked or roughened surface with a sharpened end, (vi) a trigger formed from a thin metallic strip having an etched, pock-marked or roughened surface which is bendable with snap displacement and having a centrally located crystallization strike zone consisting of an orifice with a saw-toothed patterned inner diameter, (vii) a flexible diaphragm attached to or comprising the bottom end of the inner compartment and accessible through the openable closure or tear panel having an interior-oriented surface and an exterior-oriented surface whereby the interior-oriented surface is affixed to the rod-like actuator and (viii) a heating mechanism comprising the compressible diaphragm attached to the actuator means that is activated by compressing the diaphragm towards the interior of the inner compartment to allow the actuator means to strike against the saw-tooth surfaces of the trigger in the strike zone, scraping against those surfaces while simultaneously causing the metal strip of the trigger to bend with a snap displacement such that the forces released initiate the crystallization of the super-cooled salt solution, thus releasing heat to heat up the beverage or food stored in the first cavity of the container.

With respect to the same self-heating container, the diameter of the rod-like actuator is approximately the same as the diameter of the orifice contained within the trigger as measured at the base of the saw-toothed edges of the orifice, and the surfaces of the actuator and trigger are etched, pock-marked or roughened such that upon activation the actuator surface will rub against the saw-toothed edges of the trigger and compress the solution trapped between the surface deformities of the actuator and the edges of the trigger, initiating crystallization. Crystallization is further enhanced when the trigger is subjected to flexing or bending whereby the surface deformities present in the roughened and etched surface of the trigger are strained such that minute cracks and continuances are formed within the deformities that impart stresses to the super-cooled salt solution in intimate contact with the trigger surface, thus facilitating the crystallization process.

According to an embodiment of the invention, a self-heating container as described above that is affixed to the cap or lid containing the self-heating device may have 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 device as described above that also serves as a covering of the top end of a self-heating beverage container as described above has an openable closure means on the surface of the top end of the outer compartment comprising a rupturable tear panel or pull tab which may be ruptured to provide access to the liquid stored within the first cavity 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 top end of the outer compartment, the rupturable tear panel ruptures and moves into the first cavity, provide access to the liquid stored within.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a self-heating container as described above has an openable closure means consisting 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 container will create a self-contained unit, (ii) a seal or gasket affixed to the interior surface of the cap that can also cover the opening of the outer compartment to create an isolated first 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, (iii) 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 first 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 device which is then in direct contact with the liquid contained within the outer compartment and located within the first 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 first cavity of the outer compartment so that contamination of a beverage with heating agent is virtually eliminated. With respect to the inner compartment, the flexible diaphragm is affixed to the bottom 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 flexible diaphragm and contact interface with the consumer with respect to activating the heating mechanism is completely separated from the pull tab at the top of the container whereby the consumer accesses the beverage. By these features, the cap or lid attached to a self-heating device and the corresponding self-heating 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 first cavity, when the lid or cap is secured to the outer compartment, to displace some of the volume of the first cavity that contains the liquid to be heated up such that a third cavity is formed that does not contain any liquid and is open to the environment. The third cavity conforms to the shape of the inner compartment and is made to hold the inner compartment in place. The inner compartment can be held in place within 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 bottom expanded end of the outer container. In this manner a separate heating device or insert that comprises the heating mechanism and the heating agent can be manufactured separately from the cap or lid of the container holding the beverage to be heated, and thus the described heating 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 heating materials.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the sidewall adjacent to the top end of the inner compartment of the self-heating 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 first cavity when the modified self-heating device is placed into the first 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 device or insert can be manufactured and sold separately from the cap or lid and the container holding the beverage to be heated, and thus the described heating 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 container for ease of use and to reduce the cost of use.

The lid or cap containing the self-heating device when used as part of a self-heating container disclosed herein thus provides several additional benefits, some of which are detailed below. For example, since self-heating beverages do not have to be heated using an external heating source to provide a heated liquid, their use may reduce the cost borne by retailers of beverage containers to heat up the beverage prior to use. Self-heating beverage containers may similarly reduce or eliminate the need for vending machines that heat up the beverage prior to dispensing it to the consumer. Lid and caps containing the self-heating devices are also easier and less costly to manufacture compared to self-heating containers where the self-heating device is part of the body of the container instead of the cap or lid. Self-heating 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.

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 beverage container having a lid containing a self-heating device.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-chilling beverage container illustrating the lid attached to the inner compartment of the self-heating device and coupled to the outer compartment and illustrating: the lid; the first cavity containing the beverage; the second cavity containing the heating agent; the rod-like actuator; the structure or fixture holding the trigger in place; the trigger and the orifice with saw-toothed edges comprising the strike zone; the flexible diaphragm; and the closed tear panel.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-heating beverage container illustrating the lid containing the self-heating device and the opening of the access tear panel and illustrating the activation means contacting the strike zone of the trigger while flexing the trigger and initiating the crystallization of the heating agent.

FIG. 4 is an expanded view of the heating mechanism showing the structure, actuator and trigger.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-heating beverage container illustrating the outer compartment with the first cavity containing the beverage and a lid having an expanded bottom end forming a third cavity modified with a female-threaded means in which is inserted the threaded heating device.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-section through a self-heating beverage container illustrating the outer compartment with the first cavity containing the beverage and a lid having an expanded bottom end forming a third cavity modified with a female-threaded means, and an illustration of the heating device insert having: the second cavity containing the heating agent; the rod-like actuator; the structure or fixture holding the trigger in place; the trigger and the orifice with saw-toothed edges comprising the strike zone; the flexible diaphragm; and the bottom end of the sidewall modified with a male-threaded means.

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-heating beverage container illustrating the outer compartment with the first cavity containing the beverage and a lid having an expanded bottom end forming a third cavity in which is inserted the heating device equipped with a pressure seal.

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-heating beverage container illustrating the outer compartment with the first cavity containing the beverage and a lid having an expanded bottom end forming a third cavity and an illustration of the heating device insert having: the second cavity containing the heating agent; the rod-like actuator; the structure or fixture holding the trigger in place; the trigger and the orifice with saw-toothed edges comprising the strike zone; the flexible diaphragm; and the bottom end of the sidewall equipped with a pressure seal.

FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-section through a self-heating beverage bottle illustrating the threaded cap containing the self-heating device and illustrating the inner compartment coupled to the outer compartment and illustrating: the first cavity containing the beverage; the second cavity containing the heating agent; the rod-like actuator; the structure or fixture holding the trigger in place; the trigger and the orifice with saw-toothed edges comprising the strike zone; the flexible diaphragm; and the closed tear panel.

FIG. 10 is a close view of a vertical-cross-section of a typical beverage bottle and threaded cap illustrating self-heating bottle having a self-heating device equipped with a lip where said device can be inserted into the beverage bottle to heat 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 container 5 particularly suited for milk, coffee, tea and other similar beverages with a lid 3 at its top end 11 coupled to a self-heating device 46. Preferably, the container 5 is a can constructed of conventional materials such as aluminum or other suitable materials, or a bottle constructed of a plastic material such as polycarbonate as illustrated in FIG. 9 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 first cavity 15 that contains a beverage 16 to be heated, an openable closure means 17 and an inner compartment 18 that contains the heating agent 19, a trigger 20 formed from a thin metallic strip, a structure or fixture 21 that holds the trigger 20 in place, a rod-like actuator means 22 for activating the trigger 20, a flexible diaphragm 23 used to apply force to the actuator means 22, and an openable closure or tear panel 24 that prevents accidental activation of the heating mechanism. A close view of the lower half of the inner compartment 18 of the self-heating beverage container 5 illustrating the actuator means 22, the structure 21, the trigger 20 the un-activated flexible diaphragm 23, and the closed tear panel 24 is shown in FIG. 4.

With further reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the openable closure means 17 typically consists of a pull-tab 6 coupled to the top end 11 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 top end 11 of the outer compartment 10, allowing access to the beverage 16 contained within the first cavity 15. Typically, the openable closure means 17 is made from the same materials commonly used to manufacture metal cans including steel, aluminum and alloys.

Alternatively, and in reference to FIG. 9, the openable closure means 17 may consist 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 53 or other female-threaded means having an exterior surface 54 and an interior surface 55 such that the cap 4 when screwed onto the self-heating container 5 will create a self-contained unit, (ii) a portal or orifice 56 made through the top surface of the cap 4 of sufficient diameter to allow insertion of a self-heating device 46 as described herein; (iii) a self-heating device 46 incorporated into or coupled to the cap 4 through the portal 55 to form a leak-free cap 4; (iv) a seal or gasket 57 affixed to the interior surface 55 of the cap 4 and forming around the outer circumference of the self-heating device 46 that can also cover the opening of the outer compartment to create an isolated first cavity 15 within the outer compartment 10 that can contain any enclosed beverage or liquid 16 without leakage or spillage and without any contamination from the environment even when the liquid 16 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 57 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 first cavity 16 of the outer compartment 10.

With further reference to FIG. 2, the inner compartment 18 is positioned adjacent to the bottom end 12 of the outer compartment 10 and has at least one sidewall 27, a top end 28 and a bottom end 29. The inner compartment 18 also contains a second cavity 30 that contains the heating agent 19. The heating agent 19 in the second cavity 30 is typically a super-cooled solution 19 such as aqueous sodium acetate as referred to in U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,390. Here heat is generated by an exothermic process brought about by a phase change that occurs as the super-cooled salt solution 19 changes into a crystallized solid upon activation by the trigger 20, and this heat is absorbed by the beverage 16 in the container 5. The concentration of the salt in solution 19 is sufficient to produce such crystallization in response to activation. To facilitate heat transfer from the inner compartment 18 to the beverage 16, the inner compartment 18 should be constructed of a suitable heat transfer material and is preferably made from materials such as steel, aluminum or other metal alloys.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, the trigger 20 is a thin, flat metal strip with dimensions of around ½ inch in width, 0.001 to 0.004 inches in thickness and of sufficient length to attach to the supports 31, and having an etched, pock-marked or roughened surface which is bendable with snap displacement. The strip can be made of any suitable metal, including iron, steel, tin brass, aluminum, bronze or alloys, but 305 or 312 alloyed steel is preferred so that the trigger 20 will not corrode excessively when in contact with the super-cooled salt solution 19 during storage.

The trigger 20 has a centrally located crystallization strike zone 32 consisting of an orifice 33 with a saw-toothed patterned inner configuration 34 of approximately ¼^th to ⅜^th inch in diameter at the base of the saw-teeth 35. The entire surface of the trigger 20 is etched, pock-marked and roughened such that some of the surface deformities are deep enough to penetrate through the strip of metal, forming pin-holes and cracks 36 in the trigger 20. The surface is roughened by a process known by those in the art sufficient to create the deformities without so weakening the mechanical integrity of the metal to cause it to break apart when flexed by the actuator 22.

The trigger 20 is secured in place within the lower quadrant of the inner compartment 18 by the fixture 21 which is in turn attached to the inner sidewall 27 of the inner compartment 18 at a location approximately 1 inch above the bottom end 29 of the inner compartment 18. The fixture is a concentric ring shape approximately ¼^th inch to ½ inch in width and thickness having two rectangular support members 31 of approximately ¼^th inch to ½ inch in thickness and ½ inch in width extending outwards from the circumference of the concentric ring to attach to opposite ends of the trigger 20, thus securing the trigger 20 within the center of the fixture 21. The trigger 20 is attached to the each of the two support members 31 by any method known to those experienced in the art including by gluing, pinning or clamping. The fixture 21 and the attached supports 31 can be fabricated of metal, plastic or any other suitably rigid material.

With further reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, the actuator 22 is a rod-like structure having approximately the same as the diameter of the orifice 33 contained within the trigger 20 as measured at the base of the saw-toothed edges 35 of the orifice 33, and of sufficient length to extend from its attachment to the flexible diaphragm 23 at the base of the inner compartment 18 to just below the location of the trigger 20. The actuator 22 is a solid and rigid structure having a top end 38, a bottom end 39 and at least one sidewall 40. The top end 38 of the actuator 22 is sharpened and the bottom end 39 is blunt. At rest the actuator 22 is of sufficient length to penetrate within around 0.25 inches through the orifice 33 of the trigger 22. The bottom end 39 of the actuator 22 is coupled or attached to the interior surface of the flexible diaphragm 23 by a housing 41 such that the housing 41 orients the actuator 22 to move vertically upward towards the strike zone of the trigger 20 without moving significantly side-to-side.

The surface of the actuator 22 is etched, pock-marked or roughened such that upon activation the actuator surface will rub against the saw-toothed edges 37 of the trigger 22 and compress the solution 19 trapped between the surface deformities of the actuator 22 and the edges 37 of the trigger 20, initiating crystallization. The surface is roughened by a process known by those in the art sufficient to create the deformities without so weakening the mechanical integrity of the actuator 22 such that it would break apart upon activation.

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 16 within the first cavity 15 from heat. 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 16.

As shown in FIG. 3, when upward force is applied to the flexible diaphragm 23 attached to the actuator 22, the actuator 22 is driven to scrape across the saw teeth edges 37 of the orifice 33 of the trigger 20 which then bends with a snap displacement to initiate crystallization of the super-cooled salt solution 19. In this manner a separate heating device or insert 46 that consists of the heating mechanism comprising the compressible diaphragm 23 attached to the actuator means 22 is activated by compressing the diaphragm 23 towards the interior of the inner compartment to allow the actuator means 22 to strike against the saw-tooth edges 37 of the trigger 20 in the strike zone, scraping against those surfaces while simultaneously causing the metal strip of the trigger 20 to bend with a snap displacement such that the forces released initiate the crystallization of the super-cooled salt solution 19, thus releasing heat to heat up the beverage or food 16 stored in the first cavity 15 of the container 5.

With respect to the inner compartment 18, the flexible diaphragm 23 is affixed to the bottom of the inner compartment 18 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 18. As an additional safety feature, the flexible diaphragm 23 and contact interface with the consumer with respect to activating the heating mechanism is completely separated from the pull tab 6 at the top of the container 5 whereby the consumer accesses the beverage 16. By these features, the self-heating container 5 is made safe to use.

With further reference to FIG. 2, an openable closure or tear panel 24 is shown that prevents accidental activation of the heating mechanism. This tear panel 24 can be any material which will prevent access to flexible diaphragm 23 until it is desirable to access the flexible diaphragm 24 and activate the heating mechanism. The tear panel 24 can be an adhesive foil, a plastic cap or the like which can be pealed back, opened, or otherwise removed by the consumer. The tear panel 24 is shown in the opened position in FIG. 3.

FIGS. 2 through 4 describe a self-heating container 5 equipped with a lid 3 as described above is directly and permanently attached to the outer compartment 10 of the self-heating can 5 and to the inner compartment 18 of the self-heating device 46, which is then in direct contact with the beverage 16 contained within the outer compartment 10 and located within the first cavity 15 of the outer compartment 10. In another embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 6 through 8, the surface of the lid 3 is expanded to form a well that can extend into the interior of the first cavity 15 when the lid 3 is secured to the outer compartment 10 to displace some of the volume of the first cavity 15 that contains the liquid 16 to be heated such that a third cavity 47 is formed that does not contain any liquid 16 and is open to the environment. The third cavity 47 conforms to the shape of the inner compartment 18 of the self-heating device 46 and is made to hold the inner compartment 18 in place. The inner compartment 18 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 18 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 device or insert 46 that comprises the heating mechanism, the heating agent 19, the actuator 21, the fixture 22, the un-activated flexible diaphragm 23, and the closed tear panel 24 can all be manufactured separately from the lid 3 and the container 5 holding the beverage to be heated 16, and thus the described heating device 46 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 46 and with respect to the recycling and reuse of the container 5 and its components.

FIG. 10 describes another embodiment of the invention where the sidewall 27 adjacent to the top end 28 of the inner compartment 18 of the self-heating device 46 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 60, and a gasket 61 attached to the bottom surface 60 of the lip 58, and is extended such that the bottom surface 60 of the lip 58 forms a leak-free seal of the first cavity 15 when the modified self-heating device 46 is placed into the first cavity 15 of the outer compartment 10 and onto the top 11 of the outer compartment 10 of a beverage container 62 and downward pressure is applied to the top surface of the lip 58. This downward pressure can be applied by screwing on any standard cap 63 or lid that is typically used to seal a beverage or food container which is typically a glass or plastic bottle 62. In this manner a separate heating device or insert 46 that comprises the heating mechanism, the heating agent 19, the actuator 21, the fixture 22, the un-activated flexible diaphragm 23, and the closed tear panel 24 can all be manufactured and sold separately from the cap 63 and the container holding the beverage to be heated 62, and thus the described heating device 46 can be inserted into and removed from a beverage bottle 62 or other related container having a cap 63 without the need for a specially modified cap 4 or self-chilling container 5 for ease of use and to reduce the cost of use.

The caps 4 or lids 3 containing the heating device 46 can all be manufactured separately from the container 5 holding the beverage 16 to be heated, and thus the described heating device 46 can be inserted into and removed from the beverage container 5 for ease of use and to promote efficiency with respect to the manufacturing of the container 5 and the device 46 and with respect to the recycling and reuse of the container 5 or the insert 46. The insertable device 46 facilitates reuse of the heating materials 19 in that the device 46 containing the heating materials 19 can be removed after use and slowly warmed to melt the crystallized salt above the melting temperature of the salts in such a manner as to make a stable super-cooled salt solution 19. The device containing the super-cooled salt solution 19 is then ready for use as a thermal agent 19 to be inserted into the self-heating container 5.

With respect to the above, the operation of the present self-heating container 5 equipped with a lid 3 or a cap 4 containing a self-heating device 46 or the self-heating device 46 used as an insert is safe and simple. A customer first pulls away the tear panel 24 located at the bottom of the container 5 to gain access to the heating mechanism, applies pressure to the flexible diaphragm 23 with a finger thereby causing the force to be exerted upon the actuator means 22 and driving the actuator 22 to scrape against the trigger 20 at the strike zones while causing the trigger 20 to bend with a snap displacement. This action initiates crystallization of the super-cooled salt solution 9 in the inner compartment 18 with the corresponding release of heat to the beverage 16 stored in the first compartment 15 of the container 5, thus heating up the beverage 16. The beverage is consumed through the openable closure means 17 by pulling on the pull tab 6 or unscrewing the bottle cap.

Alternatively, the consumer may remove the cap 63 from a standard beverage bottle 62, which typically contains an airspace at the top, select a self-heating device 46equipped with a lip 58, activate the heating mechanism of the device in the same manner as above, insert the self-heating device 46 into the opening at the top of the beverage container 62, and then tightly attaché the cap 63 and wait for the beverage 16 to heat up sufficiently for consumption. The consumer can then remove the cap 63 and the device 46 and consume the beverage 16.

After consuming the beverage 16, the consumer may then recycle the self-heating container 5 as a unit or as in one embodiment, remove the heating device 46 from the self-heating container 5 and recycle the heating device 46 and the remaining component of the self-heating container 5 separately. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the consumer may warm up the device 46 to restore the super-cooled salt solution 19 from the crystallized salt, refill the container 5 with a beverage 16, insert the device 46 into the container 5, activate the device 46 as described herein and heat up the beverage 16. In this embodiment, the invention can be reused for its intended purpose, reducing waste.

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

1. An self-heating container cover for use in heating food and beverage containers comprising:

a. a closure means, shaped to fit over the opening or portal of a container and to enclose an outer compartment of the container holding the materials to be heated and forming the top end of the outer compartment such that the sidewall, cover and the bottom end of the compartment form a first cavity for storing the materials to be heated;

b. an openable closure means located attached or coupled to the surface of the cover such that the means can be penetrated or opened or removed to provide access to the materials stored within the outer compartment of the container;

c. a self-device device comprising an inner compartment having a smaller diameter and volume than the outer compartment and attached or coupled to the cover 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 cover 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 second cavity containing a heating agent consisting of a super-cooled salt solution that exists as a liquid in its pre-activation state, (iii) an openable closure or tear panel or means attached to the bottom end that provides tamper-free access to the inner compartment while preventing accidental activation of the heating mechanism, (iv) a structure or fixture in the form of a concentric ring that is attached to the interior sidewall of the inner compartment at the bottom quadrant of the compartment that is designed to rigidly hold the trigger in place such that it is in contact with the heating agent and positioned to be struck by an actuator means, (v) an actuator means comprising a solid rod-like or cylindrically shaped piece having an etched, pock-marked or roughened surface with a sharpened end, (vi) a trigger formed from a thin metallic strip having an etched, pock-marked or roughened surface which is bendable with snap displacement and having a centrally located crystallization strike zone consisting of an orifice with a saw-toothed patterned inner diameter, (vii) a flexible diaphragm attached to or comprising the bottom end of the inner compartment and accessible through the openable closure or tear panel having an interior-oriented surface and an exterior-oriented surface whereby the interior-oriented surface is affixed to the rod-like actuator and (viii) a heating mechanism comprising the compressible diaphragm attached to the actuator means that is activated by compressing the diaphragm towards the interior of the inner compartment to allow the actuator means to strike against the saw-tooth surfaces of the trigger in the strike zone, scraping against those surfaces while simultaneously causing the metal strip of the trigger to bend with a snap displacement such that the forces released initiate the crystallization of the super-cooled salt solution, thus releasing heat to heat up the beverage or food stored in the first cavity of the container.

2. A self-heating container cover according to claim 1 whereby the preferred heating agent is a super-cooled solution of aqueous sodium acetate.

3. A self-heating container cover according to claim 1 whereby the crystallized heating agent can be regenerated by slowly warming the crystallized salt above the melting temperature of the salt in such a manner as to make a stable super-cooled salt solution.

4. A self-heating container cover according to claim 1 whereby the trigger is a thin, flat metal strip with dimensions of around ½ inch in width, 0.001 to 0.004 inches in thickness and of sufficient length to attach to the supports, and having an etched, pock-marked or roughened surface which is bendable with snap displacement.

5. A self-heating container cover according to claim 1 whereby the trigger can be made of any suitable metal, including iron, steel, tin brass, aluminum, bronze or alloys and 305 or 312 alloyed steel such that the trigger will not corrode excessively when in contact with the super-cooled salt solution during storage.

6. A self-heating container cover according to claim 1 whereby trigger has a centrally located crystallization strike zone consisting of an orifice with a saw-toothed patterned inner configuration of approximately ¼th to ⅜th inch in diameter at the base of the saw-teeth.

7. A self-heating container cover according to claim 1 whereby the entire surface of the trigger is etched, pock-marked and roughened such that some of the surface deformities are deep enough to penetrate through the strip of metal, forming pin-holes and cracks in the trigger.

8. A self-heating container cover according to claim 1 whereby the trigger is secured in place within the lower quadrant of the inner compartment by the fixture which is in turn attached to the inner sidewall of the inner compartment at a location approximately 1 inch above the bottom end of the inner compartment.

9. A self-heating container cover according to claim 1 whereby the fixture is a concentric ring shape approximately ¼th inch to ½ inch in width and thickness having two rectangular support members 31 of approximately ¼th inch to ½ inch in thickness and ½ inch in width extending outwards from the circumference of the concentric ring to attach to opposite ends of the trigger to secure the trigger within the center of the fixture.

10. A self-heating container cover according to claim 1 whereby the actuator is a rod-like structure having approximately the same as the diameter of the orifice contained within the trigger as measured at the base of the saw-toothed edges of the orifice, and of sufficient length to extend from its attachment to the flexible diaphragm at the base of the inner compartment to just below the location of the trigger.

11. A self-heating container cover according to claim 1 whereby the actuator is a solid and rigid structure having a top end, a bottom end and at least one sidewall whereby the top end of the actuator is sharpened and the bottom end is blunt.

12. A self-heating container cover according to claim 1 whereby the actuator is of sufficient length to penetrate within around 0.25 inches through the orifice of the trigger.

13. A self-heating container cover according to claim 1 whereby the bottom end of the actuator is coupled or attached to the interior surface of the flexible diaphragm by a housing such that the housing orients the actuator to move vertically upward towards the strike zone of the trigger without moving significantly side-to-side.

14. A self-heating container cover according to claim 1 whereby the surface of the actuator is etched, pock-marked or roughened such that upon activation the actuator surface will rub against the saw-toothed edges of the trigger and compress the heating agent trapped between the surface deformities of the actuator and the edges of the trigger, initiating crystallization.

15. A cover according to claim 1 consisting of a flat lid closure means that is directly and rigidly attached to the outer compartment and to the self-heating device which is then in direct contact with the material contained within the outer compartment and located within the first cavity of the outer compartment.

16. A cover according to claim 15 whereby the lid 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 material stored within the first cavity of the outer compartment of a self-heating 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 first cavity, provide access to the material stored within.

17. A cover according to claim 15 that is expanded to form a well that can extend into the interior of the first cavity, when the cover is secured to the outer compartment, to displace some of the volume of the first cavity that contains the material to be heated such that a third cavity is formed that does not contain any material and is open to the environment. The third cavity conforms to the shape of the inner compartment of the self-heating device and is made to hold the inner compartment in place.

18. A cover according to claim 17 whereby the self-heating device is held in place within the well of the cover by a pressure seal attached to the circumference of the sidewall of the inner compartment.

19. A cover according to claim 17 whereby the self-heating device is held in place within the well of the cover by modifying the bottom end of the sidewall of the inner compartment of the self-cooling device 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.

20. A cover according to claim 17 whereby the self-heating device can be manufactured separately from the cover and the container holding the materials to be heated, and can be inserted into and removed from the cover and thus indirectly from a container for ease of use and to promote efficiency with respect to the manufacturing of the cover, container and the device and with respect to the recycling and reuse of the cover, containers and the spent heating materials.

21. A cover according to claim 1 consisting of a threaded cap that functions as both a closure means and an openable closure means.

22. A cover according to claim 21 whereby the threaded cap is rigidly attached to the self-heating device and fitted to outer compartment such that the cap can be screwed onto the top of the outer compartment to seal off the first cavity that contains the contents of the outer compartment and unscrewed and removed to access the materials in the first cavity of the outer compartment when desired.

23. A cover according to claim 21 whereby the sidewall adjacent to the top end of the inner compartment of the self-heating device is modified to form a lip or concentric ring that extends outward perpendicular to the vertical axis of the sidewall of the inner compartment such that 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 first cavity when the modified self-heating device is placed into the first cavity of the outer compartment and onto the top of the outer compartment of the container and downward pressured is applied to the top surface of the lip when a threaded cap is screwed onto the outer compartment to seal or close off the outer compartment.

24. A cover according to claim 21 whereby the threaded cap can be screwed onto the outer compartment to make contact between the lip of a self-heating device that lies on top of the first cavity such that a leak-free seal is formed between the cap, the lip of the self-heating device and the outer compartment whereby the cap is not permanently attached to the outer compartment but can be unscrewed and removed to access the material in the first cavity of the outer compartment and also screwed back on to seal off the first cavity when desired.

25. A cover according to claim 21 whereby the separate self-heating device can be manufactured and sold separately from the cover and the container, and the self-heating 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 container for ease of use and to reduce the cost of use.