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.

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.