Abstract: A self-cooling container for cooling a liquid includes a first portion with a first frangible seal that extends across and seals an evaporator unit containing a refrigerant and a second portion with a second frangible seal that extends across and seals a desiccant chamber containing a desiccant. The first portion rotates axially relative to the second portion. An actuator assembly is between the first portion and the second portion and includes: a cutter assembly, which is coupled to the first portion of the self-cooling container and includes a cutter coupled to a rotatable axle and a pinion gear coupled to the rotatable axle, and a drive gear assembly coupled to the second portion of the self-cooling container and including a ring gear supported by a housing. The pinion gear on the cutter assembly is mated to the ring gear of the drive gear assembly.

Abstract: A self-cooling container for cooling a liquid includes a first portion with a first frangible seal that extends across and seals an evaporator unit containing a refrigerant and a second portion with a second frangible seal that extends across and seals a desiccant chamber containing a desiccant. The first portion rotates axially relative to the second portion. An actuator assembly is between the first portion and the second portion and includes: a cutter assembly, which is coupled to the first portion of the self-cooling container and includes a cutter coupled to a rotatable axle and a pinion gear coupled to the rotatable axle, and a drive gear assembly coupled to the second portion of the self-cooling container and including a ring gear supported by a housing. The pinion gear on the cutter assembly is mated to the ring gear of the drive gear assembly.

Abstract: A heating device includes a flexible housing that defines a plurality of heater segments. Each heater segment includes a first compartment containing a first reactant, a second compartment containing a second reactant, and a frangible seal between the first compartment and the second compartment. The first reactant and the second reactant are configured to react exothermically upon contact with one another.

Abstract: A self-heating container includes a first substance and a second substance that are adapted to produce an exothermic reaction upon contact with each other, a soluble material between the first substance and the second substance, a frangible membrane physically separating the second substance from the soluble material, and a means for rupturing the frangible membrane.

Abstract: A sealed package is disclosed for a self-heating assembly that produces heat by virtue of a liquid reactant reacting exothermically with a solid reactant to heat a product. The sealed package includes an outer container, a lower support structure (e.g., of open cell foam) within the outer container, a layer of the solid reactant above the lower support structure and within the outer container, an upper structure (e.g., of open cell foam, as well) above the solid reactant and within the outer container, and an upper layer that is permeable to liquid and that extends across an otherwise open top of the outer container above the upper structure.

Abstract: A self-cooling container for cooling a liquid includes a first portion with a first frangible seal that extends across and seals an evaporator unit containing a refrigerant and a second portion with a second frangible seal that extends across and seals a desiccant chamber containing a desiccant. The first portion rotates axially relative to the second portion. An actuator assembly is between the first portion and the second portion and includes: a cutter assembly, which is coupled to the first portion of the self-cooling container and includes a cutter coupled to a rotatable axle and a pinion gear coupled to the rotatable axle, and a drive gear assembly coupled to the second portion of the self-cooling container and including a ring gear supported by a housing. The pinion gear on the cutter assembly is mated to the ring gear of the drive gear assembly.

Abstract: A self-heating container assembly has a housing with a first portion and a second portion, each having a cylindrical cross-section. The first portion and the second portion are mated together in a manner that permits the first portion to rotate about a common axis relative to the second portion. A ring gear (or partial ring gear) is on or attached to the first portion and rotates with the first portion of the housing relative to the second portion. A rotatable cutting element is supported by a support connected to the second portion of the housing. There is a pinion gear on the rotatable cutting element. The pinion gear is coupled to the ring gear. A reactant container containing a reactant is adjacent to the rotatable cutting element, such that rotation thereof cuts into the reactant container.

Abstract: A self-heating assembly includes a product tray for containing a product to be heated and a heater tray outside the product tray and configured relative to the product tray to define a reaction space between the heater tray and the product tray. A frangible container made of a shrink film material is inside the reaction space. The frangible container contains a first reactant that is a liquid. A second reactant is outside the frangible container. The first and second reactants are configured to react exothermically upon contact with each other.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating a product includes a storage compartment for a product to be heated and a heater module physically and thermally coupled to the storage compartment. The heater module has a housing that defines a reaction chamber. A rigid barrier is inside the reaction chamber and defines first and second portions thereof. A first reactant is inside the reaction chamber, and a flexible bag (with a second reactant) is in the first portion of the first chemical reactant. The first and second reactants react exothermically upon contact. A piercing element can pierce the flexible bag. After piercing, the a fluid path and one or more fluid channels carry the second reactant to a section of the first portion of the reaction chamber away from where the flexible bag is located.

Abstract: A heating device includes a flexible housing that defines a plurality of heater segments. Each heater segment includes a first compartment containing a first reactant, a second compartment containing a second reactant, and a frangible seal between the first compartment and the second compartment. The first reactant and the second reactant are configured to react exothermically upon contact with one another.

Abstract: A dish assembly for serving food includes a dish housing that defines a surface, upon which the food can be placed, and an inner compartment, a phase-change material within the inner compartment, and an electrically-conductive element inside the inner compartment and thermally coupled to the phase-change material. In a typical implementation, the phase-change material is adapted to melt in response to the electrically-conductive element being heated by an electromagnetic induction heater. The thus heated dish assembly can facilitate getting hot food to a table while it is still hot, and once at the table, keeping that hot food at least warm for quite some time, while it is consumed.

Abstract: A self-heating assembly includes a product tray for containing a product to be heated and a heater tray outside the product tray and configured relative to the product tray to define a reaction space between the heater tray and the product tray. A frangible container made of a shrink film material is inside the reaction space. The frangible container contains a first reactant that is a liquid. A second reactant is outside the frangible container. The first and second reactants are configured to react exothermically upon contact with each other.

Abstract: A self-heating container assembly has a housing with a first portion and a second portion, each having a cylindrical cross-section. The first portion and the second portion are mated together in a manner that permits the first portion to rotate about a common axis relative to the second portion. A ring gear (or partial ring gear) is on or attached to the first portion and rotates with the first portion of the housing relative to the second portion. A rotatable cutting element is supported by a support connected to the second portion of the housing. There is a pinion gear on the rotatable cutting element. The pinion gear is coupled to the ring gear. A reactant container containing a reactant is adjacent to the rotatable cutting element, such that rotation thereof cuts into the reactant container.

Abstract: A sealed package is disclosed for a self-heating assembly that produces heat by virtue of a liquid reactant reacting exothermically with a solid reactant to heat a product. The sealed package includes an outer container, a lower support structure (e.g., of open cell foam) within the outer container, a layer of the solid reactant above the lower support structure and within the outer container, an upper structure (e.g., of open cell foam, as well) above the solid reactant and within the outer container, and an upper layer that is permeable to liquid and that extends across an otherwise open top of the outer container above the upper structure.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating a product includes a storage compartment for a product to be heated and a heater module physically and thermally coupled to the storage compartment. The heater module has a housing that defines a reaction chamber. A rigid barrier is inside the reaction chamber and defines first and second portions thereof. A first reactant is inside the reaction chamber, and a flexible bag (with a second reactant) is in the first portion of the first chemical reactant. The first and second reactants react exothermically upon contact. A piercing element can pierce the flexible bag. After piercing, the a fluid path and one or more fluid channels carry the second reactant to a section of the first portion of the reaction chamber away from where the flexible bag is located.

Abstract: A self-heating container includes a first substance and a second substance that are adapted to produce an exothermic reaction upon contact with each other, a soluble material between the first substance and the second substance, a frangible membrane physically separating the second substance from the soluble material, and a means for rupturing the frangible membrane.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating a product includes a storage compartment for a product to be heated and a heater module physically and thermally coupled to the storage compartment. The heater module has a housing that defines a reaction chamber. A rigid barrier is inside the reaction chamber and defines first and second portions thereof. A first reactant is inside the reaction chamber, and a flexible bag (with a second reactant) is in the first portion of the first chemical reactant. The first and second reactants react exothermically upon contact. A piercing element can pierce the flexible bag. After piercing, the a fluid path and one or more fluid channels carry the second reactant to a section of the first portion of the reaction chamber away from where the flexible bag is located.

Abstract: A self-heating container includes a first substance and a second substance that are adapted to produce an exothermic reaction upon contact with each other, a soluble material between the first substance and the second substance, a frangible membrane physically separating the second substance from the soluble material, and a means for rupturing the frangible membrane.

Abstract: A self-heating assembly includes a product container for holding a product to be heated and a heater container coupled to the product container. There is a reaction space between the product container and the heater container. There is a support structure (made, for example, of open cell foam) in the reaction space and a granular second reactant distributed throughout the support structure. There is a liquid first reactant in the reaction space. A frangible membrane is configured so that, when intact, it separates the liquid first reactant from the support structure and from the granular second reactant. The liquid first reactant and the granular second reactant are adapted to exothermically react upon contact with one another. The support structure is permeable to the liquid first reactant and is configured to support and substantially maintain the distribution of the granular second reactant throughout the support structure before and during the exothermic chemical reaction.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating a product includes a storage compartment for a product to be heated and a heater module physically and thermally coupled to the storage compartment. The heater module has a housing that defines a reaction chamber. A rigid barrier is inside the reaction chamber and defines first and second portions thereof. A first reactant is inside the reaction chamber, and a flexible bag (with a second reactant) is in the first portion of the first chemical reactant. The first and second reactants react exothermically upon contact. A piercing element can pierce the flexible bag. After piercing, the a fluid path and one or more fluid channels carry the second reactant to a section of the first portion of the reaction chamber away from where the flexible bag is located.