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.

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.