Portable beverage bottle heaters and coolers

Abstract

A portable temperature changing apparatus for containers includes a cylindrical annular moisture-proof pouch divided into a first compartment filled with a liquid and a second separate compartment holding a solid material capable of producing an endothermic or exothermic reaction upon mixing with the liquid. The seal separating the two separate compartments can be ruptured partially, when desired, enabling communication of the liquid with the solid to activate the temperature altering reaction. A flexible foam insulating layer surrounds the exterior of the annular cylindrical pouch providing insulation, damage protection, and labeling.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is related to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/883,546 filed Jan. 5, 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to portable methods of heating and cooling beverages and, more particularly, this invention relates to outer wraps of chemicals which when forced to mix or change phase can either heat or cool the contents of the beverage container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Prior to the conception and development of the present invention, mothers traveling with infants have had to search for sources of heat to warm a baby's bottle. Or those wanting a cold beverage would need ice or refrigeration to cool a beverage down. Ice or gel packs will eventually melt or warm up, thus they provide only a temporary solution. There are numerous methods or devices disclosed in the prior art literature for on-demand heating and cooling of beverages.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,589,645 discloses an insulating and heating jacket for chilled baby bottles while traveling. It has a one-time-use pouch of solid and an external cardboard and cotton insulating jacket. The pouch must be opened and water poured in to activate the heating which produces a temperature of between 102 and 108 F. With this temperature range, it is doubtful that the heating is very rapid, and a long waiting period is probably necessary before the bottle is warm enough. Another portable heating device for baby bottles is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,165, which teaches using two separated chemical which when deliberately combined start a chemical reaction producing a hot gas, which can in turn heat the bottle contents.

The prior art literature discloses numerous examples of self-cooling and self-heating beverage containers, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,636,726, 4,736,599, 4,784,678, 5,626,022, and 6,502,407. A common feature of nearly all of these is the location of the heating or cooling means internal to the beverage container, such as in a cavity. While this protects the means from damage, it necessitates a custom design of the beverage container thereby greatly increasing the investment and cost to produce these containers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a portable temperature changing apparatus for wrapping around containers, this apparatus consisting of a generally cylindrical annular moisture-proof pouch divided into a first compartment filled with a liquid and a second separate compartment holding a solid material capable of producing an endothermic or exothermic reaction upon mixing with the liquid. The seal separating the two separate compartments can be ruptured partially when desired, enabling communication of the liquid with the solid to activate the temperature altering reaction. A flexible foam insulating layer surrounds the exterior of the annular cylindrical pouch providing insulation, damage protection, and labeling.

In an alternative embodiment designed for reusable heating, a removable generally moisture proof cylindrical annular pouch is a single compartment filled with a normally super-cooled liquid solution. An imbedded activator disk surrounded by the solution can be manually flexed to initiate the heat-liberating freezing of the solution. A flexible exterior foam layer provides insulation and a method to secure the wrap around a standard baby bottle or other container.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a convenient portable method for heating beverage containers, such as baby bottles, when other heating sources are not readily available.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable disposable beverage container wrap that can cool a beverage from ambient to a desirable temperature in a few minutes before drinking.

Still another object of the present invention is to combine a beverage cooling or heating means with the labeling for the beverage container.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a portable reusable heating wrap for baby bottles not needing any immediate source of energy.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a combination cooling/labeling system for portable self-contained beverage cooling that is adaptable to many current bottle designs thus making it less costly to implement than existing ones that drastically redesign the container.

In addition to the various objects and advantages of the present invention described with some degree of specificity above, it should be obvious that additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in the relevant art from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly, when such description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing figures and with the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevation perspective view, partly in section, of a baby bottle with one-time use heating device.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a disposable beverage bottle with a one-time use cooling device and label.

FIG. 3 is an elevation perspective view, partly in section, of a portable reusable heating wrap for a baby bottle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND VARIOUS ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the present invention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity and understanding, identical components which have identical functions have been identified with identical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated in the drawing figures.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the invention 10 is illustrated. A baby bottle 12 has threads 14 at the top for a mating nipple assembly, not shown. One example is the Avent 9-oz Natural Feeding System. While this one has an hour-glass contour as shown, many other shapes and height/diameter ratios would also be acceptable. A two-compartment annular pouch 20 is in close contact with the outer side-wall surface of the bottle 16. A thin layer of protective and insulating foam 18 surrounds substantially all of the side wall area of the pouch 20 and bottle 16. Inside the upper compartment of the pouch 20 is a liquid 22, typically water or an aqueous salt solution. The lower compartment of the pouch 20 holds solid crystals, pellets, or powder 24 that will produce heat when mixed with the liquid. There are many examples of suitable exotherm-producing solids, such as a preferred mixture of calcium oxide and an anhydrous chloride salt. One of several alternatives would be anhydrous magnesium sulfate as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,328,136. A membrane 25 separates the upper compartment and its liquid 22 from the lower compartment and its solid material 24. Membrane 25 is in one embodiment pressure sensitive so that firm pressure to the upper compartment will intentionally rupture the membrane 25 sufficiently to allow the liquid 22 to mix with the solids 24. Technology of this nature is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,134 and is hereby incorporated by reference. In an alternative embodiment, a pull string mechanism as described below could be used to rupture the membrane 25.

FIG. 2 provides an exploded perspective elevation view of a second embodiment of the invention for cooling a beverage bottle 30 with a disposable self-cooling jacket 33 that is sandwiched between an insulating layer 18 and the bottle 30. The exterior of the insulating layer 18 is suitable for printing on and thus serves also as the product label 32. The cooling jacket 33 has an upper compartment with a liquid 22 and a lower compartment with a reactive solid 34. A membrane 25 separates the two compartments until deliberately ruptured. Preferably, the membrane 25 may be ruptured by a pull string 26, or alternatively by firm pressure where membrane 26 is a pressure-sensitive membrane. Massaging the insulating layer further mixes the two ingredients causing an endothermic physical or chemical reaction that cools the beverage in the bottle 30. Water is the typical liquid ingredient 22, and examples of acceptable solids are urea and ammonium nitrate, but many others also are acceptable. For product design purposes, it is desirable to be able to cool a 12 fluid ounce (˜350 grams) drink from approximately 90 F to 40 F. By reference to data provided in U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,945, the cooling jacket would need to contain about 150 grams of water and 250 grams of a urea/ammonium nitrate blend. The water segment of the jacket might then typically measure 21 cm long by 7 cm high by 1.0 cm thick.

FIG. 3 depicts a third embodiment of the invention illustrating in a sectional elevation view a reusable portable method of heating the contents of a baby bottle 12. A flexible polymeric pouch 20 is attached at the outer surface to a thin flexible outer foam layer 18 that insulates and holds the pouch and its liquid contents 28 in close contact to the outer surface 16 of the bottle 12. A hook and loop fastener 19, such as Velcro®, along the two lateral vertical edges of the foam layer 18 enable easy securing and removal of the two layers to the bottle surface 16. Accessible through a small window, not shown, in the outer foam layer 18 is a flexible activation disk 38 that triggers a phase change of the super-cooled liquid 28. Examples of a suitable liquid and activator are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,077,390 and 4,872,442, and are hereby incorporated by reference. Aqueous sodium acetate solution would be a preferred liquid. Upon activation by manually flexing activator 38, the solution rapidly starts freezing thus liberating the latent heat of the phase change to a solid. In the case of the preferred sodium acetate solution, this occurs rapidly but with a temperature limited to about 130 F. This temperature is adequate to provide a significant temperature difference for heat transfer while still being at a sufficiently safe temperature to prevent overheating. For reuse, the wrap is removed and placed in boiling water for about 10 minutes to melt to a liquid solution. The exterior surface of the foam layer can be printed on to include instructions and/or logos.

While a presently preferred and various alternative embodiments of the present invention have been described in sufficient detail above to enable a person skilled in the relevant art to make and use the same, it should be obvious that various other adaptations and modifications can be envisioned by those persons skilled in such art without departing from either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A portable disposable self-heating apparatus for a container, comprising:

a) a generally cylindrical annular moisture-proof pouch including a first separate compartment and a second separate compartment, said annular pouch enveloping the outer sidewall surface of such container;

b) a predetermined liquid disposed within said first separate compartment;

c) predetermined particulate solid material capable of producing an exotherm upon mixing with said liquid, wherein said particulate solid material is disposed within said second separate compartment at least partially adjacent to said first separate compartment;

d) a sealing means separating said first separate compartment from said second separate compartment;

e) a rupturing means to breach said sealing means to enable, when desired, communication of liquid between said first separate compartment and said second separate compartment; and

g) a flexible foam insulating layer on exterior of said annular cylindrical pouch.

2. The portable self-heating apparatus for a container, according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined particulate material consists of at least anhydrous calcium oxide and zero to 50 percent other anhydrous solid material.

3. The portable self-heating apparatus for a container, according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined particulate material consists of at least anhydrous magnesium sulfate and zero to 50 percent other anhydrous solid material.

4. The portable self-heating apparatus for a container, according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined liquid disposed within said first separate compartment is at least 90 percent water.

5. The portable self-heating apparatus for a container, according to claim 1, wherein said flexible foam insulating layer has an exterior surface that is printable with one of instructions, logo and combinations thereof.

6. The portable self-heating apparatus for a container, according to claim 1, wherein said rupturing means is a pressure-sensitive seal between said first separate compartment and said second separate compartment.

7. The portable self-heating apparatus for a container, according to claim 1, wherein said rupturing means is a pull string attached to a portion of said sealing means between said first separate compartment and said second separate compartment.

8. A portable self-cooling apparatus for a container comprising:

a) a generally cylindrical annular moisture-proof pouch including a first separate compartment and a second separate compartment, said annular pouch sized to fit in close contact around the outer sidewall surface of said such container;

b) a predetermined liquid disposed within said first separate compartment;

c) predetermined particulate solid material capable of producing an endothermic reaction upon mixing with said liquid, wherein said particulate solid material is disposed within said second separate compartment;

d) a sealing means separating said first separate compartment from said second separate compartment;

e) a rupturing means to breach said sealing means to allow, when desired, communication of liquid between said first separate compartment and said second separate compartment; and

f) a flexible foam insulating layer on exterior of said annular cylindrical pouch, wherein said exterior surface of said foam insulating layer is imprintable as a label for said container.

9. The portable self-cooling apparatus for a container, according to claim 8, wherein said predetermined liquid disposed within said first separate compartment is at least 90 percent water.

10. The portable self-cooling apparatus for a container, according to claim 8, wherein said predetermined particulate material is one of urea, ammonium nitrate, and combinations thereof.

11. The portable self-cooling apparatus for a container, according to claim 8, wherein said rupturing means is a pressure-sensitive seal between said first separate compartment and said second separate compartment.

12. The portable self-cooling apparatus for a container, according to claim 8, wherein said rupturing means is a pull string attached to a portion of said sealing means between said first separate compartment and said second separate compartment.

13. A portable reusable self-heating apparatus for bottles comprising:

a) a substantially rectangular flexible liquid-tight pouch of a first predetermined width and first predetermined length;

b) a preselected liquid solution that remains as a super-cooled liquid until mechanical nucleation of crystallization, wherein said liquid solution is disposed within said flexible liquid-tight pouch;

c) a flexible freezing activator located interior to said flexible pouch and in contact with said liquid solution;

d) a substantially rectangular flexible foam sheet secured to one side of said rectangular flexible pouch, said flexible foam sheet having a second width substantially equal to said first predetermined width and a second predetermined length exceeding said first predetermined length;

e) a fastening means secured at least to area adjacent said lateral edges of said flexible foam sheet.

14. The portable reusable self-heating apparatus for bottles, according to claim 13, wherein said preselected liquid is substantially a sodium acetate solution.

15. The portable reusable self-heating apparatus for bottles, according to claim 13, wherein said preselected liquid is substantially a solution of dextrose, sodium thiosulfate, and water.

16. The portable reusable self-heating apparatus for bottles, according to claim 13, wherein said fastening means is a hook and loop fastener.

17. The portable reusable self-heating apparatus for bottles, according to claim 13, wherein said first predetermined length is between about 12 centimeters and 50 centimeters.