U.S. patent application number 12/749712 was filed with the patent office on 2010-10-07 for self-chilling beverage can.
Invention is credited to John R. Bergida.
Application Number | 20100251731 12/749712 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42825045 |
Filed Date | 2010-10-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100251731 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bergida; John R. |
October 7, 2010 |
Self-Chilling Beverage Can
Abstract
A self-chilling beverage can is disclosed that includes outer
and inner compartments. The outer compartment has at least one
sidewall, a top end, and a bottom end such that a cavity is formed
for retaining a liquid. The inner compartment has at least one
sidewall, a top end, and a bottom end collectively forming a second
cavity to retain a substance. The substance can either be water or
a coolant. The coolant is selected such that an endothermic
reaction occurs when the coolant comes into contact with water. A
balloon is affixed to the bottom end of the inner compartment. The
balloon may comprise either water or the coolant, and contents of
the balloon are initially separated from contents of the second
cavity. Means for puncturing the balloon are provided such that a
user can puncture the balloon and access the liquid by a single
motion.
Inventors: |
Bergida; John R.; (Front
Royal, VA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LATHROP & GAGE LLP
2345 GRAND Boulevard, SUITE 2400
KANSAS CITY
MO
64108
US
|
Family ID: |
42825045 |
Appl. No.: |
12/749712 |
Filed: |
March 30, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61166136 |
Apr 2, 2009 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
62/4 ; 220/212;
220/270; 220/506; 220/592.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 17/4012 20180101;
F25D 2331/805 20130101; F25D 5/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/4 ; 220/270;
220/506; 220/592.2; 220/212 |
International
Class: |
F25D 5/02 20060101
F25D005/02; B65D 17/34 20060101 B65D017/34; B65D 25/04 20060101
B65D025/04; B65D 81/38 20060101 B65D081/38; B65D 51/00 20060101
B65D051/00 |
Claims
1. A self-chilling beverage can comprising: an outer compartment
having at least one sidewall, a top end, and a bottom end
collectively forming a first cavity for storing a liquid; the top
end having a rupturable tear panel to provide access to the liquid
stored within the first cavity; a pull tab having a front end and a
back end, the back end of the pull tab being adjacent to the
rupturable tear panel, such that when the front end of the pull tab
is pulled away from the top end, the rupturable tear panel ruptures
and moves into the first cavity, opening the first cavity and
providing access to the liquid; an inner compartment having at
least one sidewall, a top end and a bottom end; the inner
compartment located inside the first cavity and having second and
third cavities separated by a rupturable membrane; and a puncturing
member underneath the rupturable tear panel, the puncturing member
extending into the first cavity and the second cavity and resting
above the rupturable membrane, such that when the front end of the
pull tab is pulled to provide access to the first cavity, the
rupturable tear panel pushes the puncturing member down towards the
rupturable membrane of the inner compartment, eventually puncturing
the rupturable membrane and allowing substances present in the
second and third cavities to mix.
2. The self-chilling beverage can of claim 1, wherein one or both
of the inner and outer compartments are made primarily of
aluminum.
3. The self-chilling beverage can of claim 1, wherein at least one
spacing member couples the top end of the inner compartment to the
top end of the outer compartment, the spacing member being of a
rigid construction such that the spacing between the sidewalls and
ends of the inner and outer compartments remains generally
constant.
4. The self-chilling beverage can of claim 3, wherein the spacing
member includes a rivet.
5. The self-chilling beverage can of claim 3, further comprising: a
first substance in the second cavity; a second substance in the
third cavity; wherein the first and second substances come into
contact with one another and cause an endothermic reaction when the
rupturable membrane in punctured; the top end of the inner
compartment including a seal restricting substances in the second
and third cavities from entering the first cavity, the seal being
maintained when the puncturing member extends into the first and
second cavities to puncture the rupturable membrane; and an
insulation layer coupled to the outer compartment to insulate
contents of the first cavity from heat.
6. The self-chilling beverage can of claim 1, wherein the top end
of the inner compartment includes a seal restricting substances in
the second and third cavities from entering the first cavity, the
seal being maintained when the puncturing member extends into the
first and second cavities to puncture the rupturable membrane.
7. The self-chilling beverage can of claim 1, further comprising: a
first substance in the second cavity; and a second substance in the
third cavity; wherein the first and second substances come into
contact with one another and cause and endothermic reaction when
the rupturable membrane is punctured.
8. The self-chilling beverage can of claim 1, wherein the second
cavity consists primarily of water, and the third cavity comprises
a substance selected from a group consisting of ammonium nitrate,
sodium carboxyl methyl cellulose, sodium chloride, hydrated sodium
acetate, potassium chloride, potassium nitrate, ammonium chloride,
water, urea, and guar gum.
9. The self-chilling beverage can of claim 1 wherein the second
cavity comprises a substance selected from a group consisting of
ammonium nitrate, sodium carboxyl methyl cellulose, sodium
chloride, hydrated sodium acetate, potassium chloride, potassium
nitrate, ammonium chloride, water, urea, and guar gum, and the
third cavity consists primarily water.
10. The self-chilling beverage container of claim 1 wherein one of
the second and third cavities contains primarily water and the
other cavity comprises about 98% ammonium nitrate, about 1% sodium
carboxyl methyl cellulose and about 1% sodium chloride.
11. The self-chilling beverage container of claim 1 wherein one of
the second and third cavities includes water, and the other cavity
includes ammonium nitrate.
12. The self-chilling beverage container of claim 1 wherein one of
the second and third cavities contains primarily water, and the
other cavity comprises of about 65 to 130 parts urea, about 35 to
80 parts hydrated sodium acetate, about 18 to 40 parts potassium
chloride, about 18 to 30 parts ammonium chloride, about 6 to 10
parts guar gum, about 85 to 140 parts water and potassium
nitrate.
13. The self-chilling beverage can of claim 1, wherein an
insulation layer is coupled to the outer compartment to insulate
contents of the first cavity from heat.
14. The self-chilling beverage can of claim 12, wherein the
insulation layer is made of a non-toxic material.
15. The self-chilling beverage can of claim 1, wherein only the
rupturable membrane separates the contents of the second and third
cavities.
16. A self-chilling beverage can comprising: an outer compartment
having at least one sidewall, a top end, and a bottom end such that
a cavity is formed for retaining a liquid; an inner compartment
having at least one sidewall, a top end, and a bottom end; a
rupturable membrane separating the inner compartment into a first
chamber and a second chamber, one of the chambers including water
and the other including a coolant, the coolant being selected such
that an endothermic reaction occurs when the coolant comes into
contact with the water; and means for puncturing the rupturable
membrane and allowing access to the cavity with a single motion by
a user.
17. The self-chilling beverage can of claim 16, wherein: one or
both of the inner and outer compartments are made primarily of
aluminum; and the top end of the inner compartment includes a seal
restricting the water or the coolant from coming into contact with
the liquid.
18. The self-chilling beverage can of claim 16, wherein an
insulation layer is coupled to the outer compartment to insulate
contents of the cavity from heat.
19. self-chilling beverage can comprising: an outer compartment
having at least one sidewall, a top end, and a bottom end such that
a first cavity is formed for retaining a liquid; an inner
compartment having at least one sidewall, a top end, and a bottom
end such that a second cavity is formed for retaining a substance;
the substance being either water or a coolant; the coolant being
selected such that an endothermic reaction occurs when the coolant
comes into contact with the water; a balloon affixed to the bottom
end of the inner compartment, said balloon comprising either water
or a coolant; the water or the coolant within the balloon initially
separated from the substance in the second cavity; means for
puncturing the balloon and allowing access to the liquid in the
first cavity with a single motion by a user; and wherein contents
of the balloon and contents of the second cavity cause an
endothermic reaction when mixed together.
20. self-chilling beverage can comprising: an outer compartment
having at least one sidewall, a top end, and a bottom end such that
a first cavity is formed for retaining a liquid; the top end having
a rupturable tear panel to provide access to the liquid stored
within the first cavity; a pull tab having a front end and a back
end, the back end of the pull tab being adjacent to the rupturable
tear panel, such that when the front end of the pull tab is pulled
away from the top end, the rupturable tear panel ruptures and moves
into the first cavity, opening the first cavity and providing
access to the liquid; an inner compartment placed within the first
cavity, having at least one sidewall, a top end, and a bottom end
collectively forming a second cavity; means for dividing the second
cavity into two areas for separately storing two different
substances; the two substances being selected such that an
endothermic reaction occurs when the two substances are allowed to
come into contact with each other; and a puncturing member
underneath the rupturable tear panel; the puncturing member
extending into the first cavity and one of the two areas, such that
when the front of the pull tab is pulled to provide access to the
first cavity, the rupturable tear panel pushes the puncturing
member down towards the other area; upon moving downward, the
puncturing member rupturing the means for dividing the second
cavity, allowing the substances in the two areas to come into
contact with each other.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a nonprovisional and claims benefit of
U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/166,136, filed Apr. 2, 2009,
the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The invention relates generally to the field of cans and can
manufacturing. More specifically, the invention relates to the
field of self-chilling cans and methods of their manufacture.
SUMMARY
[0003] A self-chilling beverage can according to one embodiment
includes an outer compartment, a pull tab, an inner compartment,
and a puncturing member. The outer compartment has at least one
sidewall, a top end, and a bottom end. The sidewall, the top end,
and the bottom end of the outer compartment collectively form a
first cavity for storing a liquid. The top end of the outer
compartment has a rupturable tear panel which may be ruptured to
provide access to the liquid stored within the first cavity. The
pull tab has a front end and a back end. 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. The rupturing of the rupturable tear panel
provides access to the liquid in the first cavity. The inner
compartment has at least one sidewall, a top end, and a bottom end.
The inner compartment is located inside the first cavity, and has
second and third cavities that are separated by a rupturable
membrane. The puncturing member is underneath the rupturable tear
panel. The puncturing member extends into the first cavity and the
second cavity and rests above the rupturable membrane. When the
front end of the pull tab is pulled to provide access to the first
cavity, the rupturable tear panel pushes the puncturing member down
towards the rupturable membrane of the inner compartment,
eventually puncturing the rupturable membrane and allowing
substances present in the second and third cavities to mix.
[0004] According to another embodiment, a self-chilling beverage
can includes an outer compartment having at least one sidewall, a
top end and a bottom end such that a cavity is formed to retain a
liquid. The self-chilling beverage can also includes an inner
compartment that has at least one sidewall, a top end and a bottom
end. A rupturable membrane separates the inner compartment into a
first chamber and a second chamber. One of the first and second
chambers generally comprises water, while the other chamber
generally comprises a coolant. The coolant is selected such that an
endothermic reaction occurs when the coolant comes into contact
with the water. Means for puncturing the rupturable membrane are
provided such that a user can puncture the rupturable membrane and
access the liquid in the cavity with a single motion.
[0005] According to still another embodiment, a self-chilling
beverage can includes an outer compartment with at least one
sidewall, a top end and a bottom end such that a cavity is formed
for retaining a liquid. The self-chilling beverage can also
includes an inner compartment with at least one sidewall, a top end
and a bottom end collectively forming a second cavity to retain a
substance. The substance can either be water or a coolant. The
coolant is selected such that an endothermic reaction occurs when
the coolant comes into contact with the water. A balloon is affixed
to the bottom end of the inner compartment. The balloon may
comprise either water or the coolant. The water or the coolant
retained within the balloon is separated from the substance in the
second cavity. Means for puncturing the balloon are provided such
that a user can puncture the balloon and access the liquid in the
first cavity by a single motion.
[0006] According to still yet another embodiment, a self-chilling
beverage can includes an outer compartment that has at least one
sidewall, a top end and a bottom end such that a first cavity is
formed for retaining a liquid. The top end has a rupturable tear
panel to provide access to the liquid stored within the first
cavity. The top end of the outer compartment has a pull tab that
has a front end and a back end. The back end of the pull tab is
placed adjacent to the rupturable tear panel. When the front end of
the pull tab is pulled away from the top end, the rupturable tear
panel ruptures and moves into the first cavity. The rupturing of
the rupturable tear panel opens the first cavity and provides
access to the liquid. The self-chilling beverage can also includes
an inner compartment that is placed within the first cavity. The
inner compartment has at least one sidewall, a top end and a bottom
end that collectively form a second cavity. Means for dividing the
second cavity into two areas are provided, such that two different
substances can be separately stored within the two areas. The two
substances are selected such that an endothermic reaction occurs
when the two substances are allowed to come into contact with each
other. A puncturing member extends into the first cavity and one of
the two areas, and lies underneath the rupturable tear panel. When
the front of the pull tab is pulled to provide access to the first
cavity, the rupturable tear panel pushes the puncturing member down
towards the other area. As the puncturing member moves downwards,
it ruptures the means for dividing the second cavity and allows the
two substances to come into contact with each other.
[0007] The self-chilling beverage can disclosed herein provides
several benefits, some of which are detailed below. For example,
the self-chilling beverage can may reduce the cost borne by
retailers of beverage cans to store and market the beverage cans at
low temperatures. Generally, retail stores utilize electric
refrigerators to keep the beverage cans chilled. The self-chilling
beverage can may eliminate or greatly reduce the need for retailers
to employ electric refrigerators to chill the beverage cans.
Therefore, the retailers will save some of the costs associated
with purchasing separate refrigeration equipment to store the
beverage cans at low temperatures, as well as the costs related to
maintaining the separate refrigeration equipment. Moreover,
reduction of in-store refrigeration equipment will result in lower
electricity bills for the retailers. The self-chilling beverage can
may similarly reduce or eliminate the need for vending machines
that employ traditional refrigeration methods to store the beverage
cans at low temperatures.
[0008] Notably, as the self-chilling beverage can does not use
electricity or refrigerant gas to chill the beverage within the
can, the self-chilling beverage can does not adversely impact the
environment. Also, the reactants employed to, cause the endothermic
reaction within the self-chilling beverage can may be non-toxic,
such that even if these reactants accidentally mix with the
beverage, the accidental mixing does not render the beverage unsafe
for human consumption.
[0009] The beverage within the self-chilling beverage can may be
chilled in a significantly shorter amount of time as compared to
customary refrigeration methods. When the beverage cans are placed
in freezers to chill the beverage cans at a faster rate, the
beverage cans often explode upon the freezing and expansion of the
contents within the beverage cans. The self-chilling beverage can,
on the other hand, is not prone to exploding.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are
described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing
figures, wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the self-chilling beverage
can;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the self-chilling beverage
can with the inner compartment removed;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-section through the self-chilling
beverage can illustrating the inner compartment coupled to the
outer compartment;
[0014] FIG. 4 is vertical cross-section through the self-chilling
beverage can illustrating the puncturing member puncturing the
rupturable membrane when the pull tab is pulled away from the outer
compartment; and
[0015] FIG. 5 is a cross-section view similar to that in FIG. 3,
but depicting an alternate embodiment having a rupturable balloon
placed at the bottom of the inner compartment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] Detailed descriptions of various embodiments are set forth
herein to enable those skilled in the art to practice the current
invention. FIGS. 1 through 4 show a self-chilling beverage can 8.
As set forth, for example, in FIG. 1, an outer compartment 10 has a
top end 12, a bottom end 14, and at least one sidewall 16. The top
end 12, the bottom end 14 and the sidewall 16 collectively form a
first cavity 18. A liquid 20 can be stored within the first cavity
18. The liquid 20 may be a carbonated or non-carbonated beverage,
such as a soft drink, beer, fruit punch, juice, or any other liquid
that is intended to be chilled (including liquids that cannot be
consumed). At the outset, the first cavity 18 is water-tight,
sealed by the top end 12, the bottom end 14, and the sidewall 16
such that any liquid 20 stored within the first cavity 18 cannot
escape out of the first cavity 18.
[0017] A pull tab 22 is coupled to the top end 12. The pull tab 22
may be coupled to the top end 12 by a rivet 28 or any other
appropriate fastener. The pull tab 22 has a front end 24 and a back
end 26. Generally, the pull tab 22 is coupled to the top end 12 at,
or close to, the back end 26 of the pull tab 22, with the front end
24 of the pull tab 22 resting above the top end 12 such that the
front end 24 of the pull tab 22 can easily be pulled away from the
top end 12. When the front end 24 of the pull tab 22 is pulled away
from the top end 12, the pull tab 22 may remain coupled to the top
end 12 and the back end 26 of the pull tab 22 is pushed downward
towards the top end 12.
[0018] The top end 12 includes a rupturable tear panel 30 that has
a proximal end 32 and a distal end 34. The rupturable tear panel 30
is constructed such that when a downward force is applied to the
proximal end 32 of the rupturable tear panel 30, at least a portion
of the tear panel 30 (e.g., the distal end 34) disconnects from the
top end 12 and moves into the cavity 18 while the proximal end 32
remains connected to the top end 12.
[0019] In use, then, the pull tab 22 is utilized to cause the
distal end 34 of the rupturable tear panel 30 to disconnect from
the top end 12. More specifically, the back end 26 of the pull tab
22 is placed adjacent to the proximal end 32 of the rupturable tear
panel 30. When the front end 24 of the pull tab 22 is pulled away
from the top end 12, the back end 26 of the pull tab 22 pushes the
proximal end 32 of the rupturable tear panel 30 downward, causing
the distal end 34 of the rupturable tear panel 30 to disconnect
from the top end 12 and move downward into the cavity 18.
[0020] The outer compartment 10 detailed thus far can be
constructed according to can manufacturing processes known in the
art. The outer compartment 10 may be made of aluminum, steel, metal
alloy, and/or any other appropriate materials.
[0021] Turning to FIG. 2, the can 8 further includes an inner
compartment 40. The inner compartment 40 has a top end 42, a bottom
end 44, and at least one sidewall 46. The ends 42, 44 of the inner
compartment 40 have a smaller diameter than the ends 12, 14 of the
outer compartment 10. Similarly, the length of the inner
compartment sidewall 46 (i.e. the distance between the top and
bottom ends 42 and 44 of the inner compartment) is shorter than the
length of the outer compartment sidewall 16. By virtue of the
smaller dimensions of the inner compartment 40 as compared to the
outer compartment 10, the inner compartment 40 can be placed within
the outer compartment 10. As will be apparent to those skilled in
the art, the inner compartment 40 may be constructed out of the
same or different materials than the outer compartment 10.
[0022] The top end 42 of the inner compartment 40 may be coupled to
the top end 12 of the outer compartment 10 by one or more spacing
members 48. In some embodiments, the spacing member 48 is of a
rigid construction such that the spacing between the sidewalls and
ends of the inner and outer compartments 40, 10 remains generally
constant. The spacing member 48 may be a rivet or any other
appropriate spacer.
[0023] A puncturing member 60 has a top end 62 and extends upwards
from the top end 42 of the inner compartment 40 towards the top end
12 of the outer compartment 10. The top end 62 of the puncturing
member 60 rests beneath the rupturable tear panel 30 (e.g., beneath
the distal end 34). In some embodiments, the top end 62 of the
puncturing member 60 may be coupled to the distal end 34 of the
rupturable tear panel 30, for example by a rivet or by welding the
top end 62 of the puncturing member 60 to the distal end 34 of the
rupturable tear panel 30, although such coupling is not
required.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 3, a rupturable membrane 74 is coupled to
the sidewall 46 of the inner compartment 40 and divides an area
formed by the sidewall 46 and the top and bottom ends 42 and 44
into a second cavity 70 and a third cavity 72. The second cavity 70
and the third cavity 72 (and indeed the outer compartment 10 and
the inner compartment 40) can be of different sizes, as will be
appreciated by those skilled in the art. The rupturable membrane 74
is made out of a material that can be punctured by the puncturing
member 60. For example, the rupturable membrane 74 may be made out
of rubber, latex, polychloroprene, etc. Though not specifically
shown, the rupturable membrane 74 may be coupled to a wall or
protrusion that extends into the inner compartment 40, instead of
(or in addition to) being coupled directly to the sidewall 46.
[0025] The rupturable membrane 74 prevents the contents of the
second cavity 70 and the third cavity 72 from mixing, so two
different substances may be retained in the second cavity 70 and
the third cavity 72. These substances may include, for example,
ammonium nitrate, sodium carboxyl methyl cellulose, sodium
chloride, hydrated sodium acetate, potassium chloride, potassium
nitrate, ammonium chloride, water, urea, guar gum, and mixtures of
these substances. The substance stored in the second cavity 70 may
be a coolant such that if the coolant comes into contact with the
substance stored in the third cavity 72, an endothermic reaction
occurs. Or, the coolant may be stored in the third cavity 72, such
that an endothermic reaction occurs when the coolant comes into
contact with the substance in the second cavity 70. For example,
water may be stored in one of the second or third cavities 70, 72,
and ammonium nitrate may be stored in the other cavity 70, 72. In
another embodiment, a mixture of about 98% ammonium nitrate, about
1% sodium carboxyl methyl cellulose and about 1% sodium chloride
may be stored in one of the second or third cavities 70, 72, and
water may be stored in the other cavity 70, 72. In another
exemplary embodiment, one of the second or third cavities 70, 72
may comprise about 65 to 130 parts urea, about 35 to 80 parts
hydrated sodium acetate, about 18 to 40 parts potassium chloride,
about 18 to 30 parts ammonium chloride, about 6 to 10 parts guar
gum, about 85 to 140 parts water and potassium nitrate or mixtures
thereof, while the other cavity 70, 72 may comprise primarily
water. It may be desirable for the quantities of the substances in
the cavities 70, 72 to be selected such that the substances
completely (or almost completely) react with each other.
[0026] A puncturing member housing 66 is coupled (e.g., adhered) to
the top end 42 of the inner compartment 40 and may extend into the
second cavity 70, and the puncturing member 60 rests within the
puncturing member housing 66. The puncturing member housing 66
allows the puncturing member 60 to move vertically downward towards
the third cavity 72 but generally restricts the movement of the
puncturing member 60 from side to side. Accordingly, the puncturing
member 60 is not coupled to the puncturing member housing 66, or is
at least movable relative to the puncturing member housing 66. The
puncturing member 60 has a bottom end 64 that rests above the
rupturable membrane 74. Thus, the puncturing member 60, with its
top end 62 outside the second cavity 70, extends through the top
end 42 of the inner compartment 40 into the second cavity 70 and
rests above the rupturable membrane 74.
[0027] The inner compartment 40 is constructed such that it is
water-tight, sealed by the ends 42, 44 and the sidewall 46 so the
substances in the second or third cavities 70, 72 cannot escape and
mix with the liquid 20 in the first cavity 18. The water-tight
nature of the inner compartment 40 is maintained, notwithstanding
the movable puncturing member 60 which extends upward from within
the second cavity 70 through the top end 42 of the inner
compartment 40 towards the top end 12 of the outer compartment 10.
In some embodiments, a seal is used with the puncturing member 60
to ensure that the inner compartment 40 remains water-tight.
[0028] An insulation layer 80 may be coupled to the outer
compartment 10. The insulation layer 80 insulates the liquid 20
within the cavity 18 from heat and may surround the entire outer
compartment 10 or only a part thereof, such as the sidewall 16. In
one embodiment, the insulation layer 80 is coupled to the inside of
the sidewall 16 such that it comes into contact with the liquid 20
retained in the cavity 18. In this embodiment, particularly if the
liquid 20 is intended for consumption, the insulation layer 80 may
be made out of a non-toxic material such that the insulation layer
80 does not render the liquid 20 unsafe for human consumption.
[0029] FIG. 4 shows a cross-section through the self-chilling
beverage can 8 with the front end 24 of the pull tab 22 pulled away
from the top end 12 of the outer compartment 10. When the front end
24 of the pull tab 22 is pulled away from the top end 12 of the
outer compartment 10, the back end 26 of the pull tab 22 is pushed
downward towards the top end 12 of the outer compartment 10. By
virtue of the placement of the back end 26 of the pull tab 22
adjacent to the proximal end 32 of the rupturable tear panel 30,
the back end 26 of the pull tab 22 pushes the proximal end 32 of
the rupturable tear panel 30 down towards the top end 12 of the
outer compartment 10. This causes the distal end 34 of the
rupturable tear panel 30 to disconnect from the top end 12 of the
outer compartment 10 and move into the cavity 18. An opening 90 is
formed when the distal end 34 of the rupturable tear panel 30
disconnects from the top end 12, and the liquid 20 can be accessed
through this opening 90.
[0030] As the distal end 34 of the rupturable tear panel 30 moves
into the cavity 18, the distal end 34 comes into contact with the
top end 62 of the puncturing member 60. The distal end 34 of the
rupturable tear panel 30 then pushes the top end 62 of the
puncturing member 60 down towards the top end 42 of the inner
compartment 40. This downward movement of the puncturing member 60
causes the bottom end 64 of the puncturing member 60 to push
against and puncture the rupturable membrane 74. The puncturing of
the rupturable membrane 74 eliminates the barrier between the
substances in the second cavity 70 and the third cavity 72,
allowing the substances in these two cavities 70 and 72 to mix. As
set forth above, the mixing of the substances in these two cavities
70, 72 may cause an endothermic reaction. This endothermic reaction
may absorb heat from the liquid 20 in the cavity 18, thereby
reducing the temperature of the liquid 20. The liquid 20, thus, may
now be at a lower temperature than it was before the endothermic
reaction. Although it is not necessary to shake the self-chilling
beverage can 8, shaking of the can 8 may enable the endothermic
reaction to transpire at a faster rate. The chilled liquid 20 can
be accessed through the opening 90.
[0031] FIG. 5 shows a cross-section of an alternate embodiment of a
self-chilling beverage can 8'. The self-chilling beverage can 8'
includes an outer compartment 10'. The outer compartment 10' has at
least one sidewall 16', a top end 12' and a bottom end 14', which
collectively form a first cavity 18'. A liquid 20' is stored in the
first cavity 18'. The self-chilling beverage can 8' also includes
an inner compartment 40' which has a top end 42', a bottom end 44'
and at least one sidewall 46', which collectively form a second
cavity 102. The alternate embodiment 8' shown in FIG. 5 may be
generally similar to the embodiments disclosed previously, except
that the inner compartment 40' of the self-chilling beverage can 8'
does not include a rupturable membrane 74. Instead, a balloon or a
bladder shaped container 100 is placed at the bottom end 44' of the
inner compartment 40' which allows two different substances to be
stored within the inner compartment 40'. The balloon 100 is made
out of a material that can be ruptured by a puncturing member 60',
such as rubber, latex, polychloroprene, etc. The balloon 100 may be
affixed to the bottom end 44' of the inner compartment 40' by glue,
or the balloon 100 may be otherwise restrained so that the balloon
100 does not accidentally come into contact with the puncturing
member 60'.
[0032] A first substance 110 is stored in the balloon 100, and a
second substance 112 is retained in the second cavity 102 of the
inner compartment 40'; the second substance 112 does not initially
come into contact with the first substance 110. As discussed
previously, the first and second substances 110, 112 may for
example be water or a substance that causes an endothermic reaction
upon contacting the other substance 110, 112; various examples are
set forth above. Pulling of the pull tab 22' away from the top end
12' of the outer compartment 10' causes the punching member 60' to
move downward towards the balloon 100, eventually rupturing the
balloon 100. The rupturing of the balloon 100 may allow the first
substance 110 and the second substance 112 to mix, which in turn
may cause an endothermic reaction. The endothermic reaction pulls
in heat from the liquid 20', thereby reducing the temperature of
the liquid 20'.
[0033] Many different arrangements of the various components
depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible without
departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Embodiments of the present invention have been described with the
intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative
embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art that
do not depart from its scope. A skilled artisan may develop
alternative means of implementing the aforementioned improvements
without departing from the scope of the present invention.
[0034] It will be understood that certain features and
subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without
reference to other features and subcombinations and are
contemplated within the scope of the claims. Not all steps listed
in the various figures need be carried out in the specific order
described.
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