FLAMELESS, PORTABLE HEATING CONTAINER

Abstract

The present invention provides a flameless, portable heating container. In a typical embodiment, the heating container contains a liquid activated heating material (e.g., in pack or disk form) and utilizes a recycled heating design. The design includes a set of chambers or compartments such a: a first compartment for holding a material to be heated; a second compartment containing an activation liquid; and a third compartment comprising a protrusion and a liquid activated heating material activated by the activation liquid, the protrusion being configured to puncture a divider between the second compartment and the third compartment so that the activation liquid contacts and activates the liquid activated heating material. It is understood that for the purposes of this disclosure, the terms chamber and compartment may be used interchangeably.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related in some aspects to co-pending application Ser. No. 12/615,430, filed Nov. 10, 2009, herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As outdoor activity continues to experience a growth in popularity, the need to keep items (e.g., liquid products) warm grows as well. If the user wants to heat the meal, he/she must have access to a heat source such as a grill, fire, or the like. In many outdoor situations, grills and/or fires may not be either available or prudent. Existing approaches fail to provide an efficient design for a flameless, portable heating kit as the generated heat dissipates rapidly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a flameless, portable heating container. In a typical embodiment, the heating container contains a liquid activated heating material (e.g., in pack or disk form) and utilizes a recycled heating design. The design includes a set of chambers or compartments such as: a first compartment for holding a material to be heated; a second compartment containing an activation liquid; and a third compartment comprising a protrusion and a liquid activated heating material activated by the activation liquid, the protrusion being configured to puncture a divider between the second compartment and the third compartment, so that the activation liquid contacts and activates the liquid activated heating material. It is understood that for the purposes of this disclosure, the terms chamber and compartment may be used interchangeably.

A first aspect of the present invention provides a flameless, portable heating container, comprising: a first compartment for holding a material to be heated; a second compartment containing an activation liquid; and a third compartment comprising a protrusion and a liquid activated heating material activated by the activation liquid, the protrusion being configured to puncture a divider between the second compartment and the third compartment, so that the activation liquid contacts and activates the liquid activated heating material.

A second aspect of the present invention provides a flameless, portable heating container, comprising: a first vessel comprising a first compartment for holding material to be heated; a second compartment containing an activation liquid; and a second vessel comprising a third compartment having a protrusion and a liquid activated heating material, the first vessel being rotated within the second vessel to cause the activation liquid to come in contact with the liquid activated heating material.

A third aspect of the present invention provides a method for flameless, portable heating, comprising: receiving a material to be heated into a first compartment of a first vessel of a flameless, portable heating container; receiving an activation liquid into a second compartment of the first vessel of the container; receiving a liquid activated heating material activated by the activation liquid into a third compartment of a second vessel of the container; rotating the first vessel within the second vessel; and activating the liquid activated heating material by bringing the liquid activated heating material into contact with the activation liquid in the event of the rotation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features of this invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a flameless, portable heating kit according to an aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the flameless, portable heating kit of FIG. 1 according to an aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a cut-away view of the flameless, portable heating kit of FIG. 1 according to an aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 4A shows a side cross-sectional view of the flameless, portable heating kit of FIG. 1 according to an aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 4B shows another side cross-sectional view of the flameless, portable heating kit of FIG. 1 according to another aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 5A shows a top cross-sectional view of the flameless, portable heating kit of FIG. 1 according to an aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 5B shows another top cross-sectional view of the flameless, portable heating kit of FIG. 1 according to an aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 6A shows another top cross-sectional view of the flameless, portable heating kit of FIG. 1 according to an aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows another top cross-sectional view of the flameless, portable heating kit of FIG. 1 according to an aspect of the present invention.

The drawings are not necessarily to scale. The drawings are merely schematic representations, not intended to portray specific parameters of the invention. The drawings are intended to depict only typical embodiments of the invention, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As indicated above, the present invention provides a flameless, portable heating container. In a typical embodiment, the heating container contains a liquid activated heating material (e.g., in pack or disk form) and utilizes a recycled heating design. The design includes a set of chambers or compartments such as: a first compartment for holding a material to be heated; a second compartment containing an activation liquid; and a third compartment comprising a protrusion and a liquid activated heating material activated by the activation liquid, the protrusion being configured to puncture a divider between the second compartment and the third compartment, so that the activation liquid contacts and activates the liquid activated heating material. It is understood that for the purposes of this disclosure, the terms chamber and compartment may be used interchangeably.

FIG. 1 shows a flameless, portable heating kit (hereinafter kit 1) according to an aspect of the present invention. As shown, kit 1 generally comprises a beverage compartment 10 having a rotation mechanism that includes a semi-helical groove 51 locking mechanism. In a typical embodiment, kit 1 includes a heating compartment 20, which will be further described in detail below.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of kit 1 of FIG. 1 according to an aspect of the present invention. As shown, kit 1 comprises cap 13a, opening 13, and side wall 17 of beverage compartment 10. As further depicted, below bottom 15 of the heating compartment is an activation liquid compartment 35 that contains a liquid 33 (e.g., water) for activating liquid activated heating material 31 (e.g., in a pouch 32) to create and distribute heat within kit 1 to hat any beverage that may be contained within beverage compartment 10. Along these lines, liquid activate heating material 31 is typically positioned within heating compartment 20 along with a protrusion 40. When beverage compartment 10 and activation liquid compartment 35 are rotated (e.g., via rotation mechanism 60 of FIG. 1), protrusion will pierce a divider along the bottom of activation liquid compartment 35. This action will cause the activation liquid contained in activation liquid compartment 35 to come in contact with and activate liquid activated heating material 31, which is resting along bottom 25 of heating compartment 20 (e.g., in a ring-like manger around protrusion 40). As further shown, heating compartment 20 includes a top portion having ridges 55 for receiving beverage compartment 10 and activation liquid compartment 35 in a telescoping fashion.

FIG. 3 shows a cut-away view of kit 1 when assembled. As shown, heat compartment 10 comprises side wall 17, and inner wall 11. Typically, a beverage to be heated or kept heated will be positioned within beverage compartment 10. As further shown, activation liquid compartment 35 is positioned between beverage compartment 10 and heating compartment 20. Activation liquid compartment 35 generally comprises compartment bottom 39 on which rests a divider 39 having a puncture point 39a. Further, activation liquid compartment 35 will contain an activation liquid 33 that will activate liquid activated heating material 31 heating compartment 20. Specifically, as indicated above, a rotation mechanism 60 of heating compartment 20 causes heating compartment 20 to be rotated with respect to beverage compartment 10 and activation liquid compartment 35. This rotation causes downward movement of beverage compartment 10 and activation liquid compartment 35 to effect the puncturing of divider 39 by protrusion 41. As a result, activation liquid 33 will contact and activate liquid activated heating material 31 and heat (or keep heated) any beverage within beverage compartment 10. In a typical embodiment, rotation mechanism 60 comprises a latch device 50 that includes a groove 51 and a peg 55. This latch device 50 will allow a user to lock heating compartment 20 so that rotation and inadvertent activation of liquid activated heating material 31 does not occur.

FIG. 4A shows a side cross-sectional view of kit 1. As depicted, a liquid (e.g., beverage) is positioned within beverage compartment 10, while activation liquid 33 is positioned within activation compartment 20. As heating compartment 20 is rotated (e.g., via groove 62 and peg 55 of latch device 50 on rotation mechanism 60, point 41 of protrusion 40 will pierce divider 39 via puncture point 39a to cause activation liquid 33 to enter space S and activate liquid activated heating material 31 (which rests along bottom 25 of heating compartment 20).

FIG. 4B shows another side cross-sectional view of kit 1. Specifically, FIG. 4B shows the rotation of heating compartment 20 with respect to beverage compartment 10 and activation liquid compartment 35, the puncturing of divider 39 and the resulting flow of heat within kit 1.

FIGS. 5A-B show a top cross-sectional view of kit 1. As depicted, peg 55 fits within angular groove 51 to create locking mechanism 50. Specifically, peg 55 can be inserted into groove 51 as shown in FIG. 5B to prevent rotation of heating compartment 20. FIGS. 6-7 show another embodiment of locking mechanism 50. Specifically, FIG. 6 shows an angular motion of peg 55 within groove 51, while FIG. 7 shows a notch 53 implementation of locking mechanism 50.

The foregoing description of various aspects of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and, obviously, many modifications and variations are possible. Such modifications and variations that may be apparent to a person skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A flameless, portable heating container, comprising:

a first compartment for holding a material to be heated;

a second compartment containing an activation liquid; and

a third compartment comprising a protrusion and a liquid activated heating material activated by the activation liquid, the protrusion being configured to puncture a divider between the second compartment and the third compartment so that the activation liquid contacts and activates the liquid activated heating material.

2. The flameless, portable heating container of claim 1, wherein

an outer surface of the first compartment having at least one semi-helical grove, wherein a first end of the groove is closer to the top of the container than a second end of the groove, for receiving a peg on an inner surface of the third compartment, and

wherein the peg is positioned on the inner surface of the third compartment such that when the peg is disposed in a first position at the first end of the groove, the protrusion and the divider are a distance apart, and that when the peg is disposed in a second position at the second end of the groove, the protrusion punctures the divider.

3. The flameless, portable heating container of claim 2, wherein the peg slides from the first position to the second position by traveling along the groove, in the event that the first compartment is rotated with respect to the third compartment.

4. The flameless, portable heating container of claim 1, wherein the first compartment and second compartment sit within the third compartment such that a space remains between an inner surface of the third compartment and outer surfaces of the first and second compartments, wherein a heat energy yielded from the activation of the liquid activated heating material travels through the space and into the first compartment.

5. A flameless, portable heating container, comprising:

a first vessel comprising a first compartment for holding material to be heated and a second compartment containing an activation liquid; and

a second vessel comprising a third compartment having a protrusion and a liquid activated heating material, the first vessel being rotated within the second vessel to cause the activation liquid to come in contact with the liquid activated heating material.

6. The flameless, portable heating container of claim 5, the rotation of the first vessel within the second vessel causing the protrusion to puncture a divider between the second compartment and the third compartment to cause the activation liquid to come in contact with the liquid activated heating material.

7. The flameless, portable heating container of claim 5, wherein

an outer surface of the first vessel having at least one semi-helical grove, wherein a first end of the groove is closer to the top of the vessel than a second end of the groove, for receiving a peg on an inner surface of the second vessel, and

wherein the peg is located on the inner surface of the second vessel such that when the peg is disposed in a first position at the first end of the groove, the protrusion and the second compartment containing the activation liquid are a distance apart, and that when the peg is disposed in a second position at the second end of the groove, the protrusion punctures into the second compartment, causing the activation liquid to come in contact with the liquid activated heating material.

8. The flameless, portable heating container of claim 7, wherein the peg slides from the first position to the second position by traveling along the groove, in the event that the first vessel is rotated with respect to the second vessel.

9. The flameless, portable heating container of claim 5, wherein the first vessel sits within the second vessel and a space remains between an inner surface of the second vessel and an outer surface of the first vessel, wherein a heat energy produced from the activation of the liquid activated heating material travels through the space and into the first compartment.

10. A method for flameless, portable heating, comprising:

receiving a material to be heated into a first compartment of a first vessel of a flameless, portable heating container;

receiving an activation liquid into a second compartment of the first vessel of the container;

receiving a liquid activated heating material activated by the activation liquid into a third compartment of a second vessel of the container;

rotating the first vessel within the second vessel; and

activating the liquid activated heating material by bringing the liquid activated heating material into contact with the activation liquid in the event of the rotation.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the rotation further comprises a protrusion situated on an inner surface of the second vessel puncturing a divider between the second compartment and the third compartment, causing the activation liquid to come in contact with the liquid activated heating material.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the rotation is guided by at least one peg and grove set, wherein when the peg and groove set is in a first position, the liquid activated heating material is not in contact with the activation liquid, and when the peg and groove set is in a second position, the liquid activated heating material is in contact with the activation liquid.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising heating the material to be heated with a heat energy yielded from the activation of the liquid activated heating material, wherein the heat energy transfers naturally from the interior of the second vessel to the interior of the first compartment.