Self Chilling Beverage Container With Cooling Agent Insert

Abstract

A self-cooling container having an independent cooling chamber in which are utilized water-activated endothermic cooling agents, a water-activated mixer within the chamber, a simple actuation means for initiating the cooling process, a feature that facilitates the recycling of the spent cooling agents and a method for using the same.

1 . A self-cooling container having an independent cooling chamber utilizing water-activated endothermic cooling agents, a water-activated mixer within the chamber, a simple actuation means for initiating the cooling process and a feature that facilitates the recycling of the spent cooling agents comprising:
 a. an outer compartment containing a beverage to be cooled, having at least one sidewall, a top end and a bottom end whereby the sidewall, top end and the bottom end form a first cavity for storing a liquid;   b. an openable closure means located on, adjacent to incorporated within the surface of the top end of the outer compartment such that the means can be penetrated or opened or removed to provide access to the liquid stored within;   c. an inner compartment having a smaller diameter and volume than the outer compartment and located within the cavity of the outer compartment adjacent to the bottom end of the outer compartment, said inner compartment including: (i) at least one sidewall, a top end and a bottom end; (ii) a second cavity containing a liquid; (iii) a third cavity containing an endothermic cooling agent or composition that will react when contacted with the liquid to absorb heat; (iv) a rupturable membrane or barrier means separating the second and third cavities; (v) a openable closure or tear panel or means attached to the bottom end that provides tamper-free access to the inner compartment while preventing accidental activation of the cooling mechanism; (vi) a hollow, porous but rigid puncturing means located in its un-activated state within the third cavity and having a sharpened end for rupturing the membrane or barrier separating the second and third cavities, which further comprises a hollow tube of which one end is sharpened to a point and the other end is blunt and having sidewalls punctured by a series of openings or orifices that allow the passage of liquids from the second cavity throughout the contents of the third cavity to promote rapid diffusion between the solid and liquid components or reactants; (vi) a flexible diaphragm attached to or comprising the bottom end of the inner compartment and accessible through the openable closure or tear panel having an interior-oriented surface and an exterior-oriented surface whereby the interior-oriented surface is affixed to the non-sharpened end of the puncturing means; and (vii) a static spring mixer consisting of compressed spring held in its compressed state by a solvent-soluble tape or glue where the solvent is typically water located in the third cavity containing the cooling agent adjacent to the interior surface of the flexible diaphragm such that the static spring mixer expands to mix the contents of the second and third cavities upon activation by water.   
     
     
         2 . A self-cooling container according to  claim 1  whereby a layer of insulation is affixed to the interior or the exterior surface of the sidewall of the outer compartment. 
     
     
         3 . A self-cooling container according to  claim 1  whereby the preferred cooling agent contains a nitrogen compound, a potassium compound and a phosphorus compound. 
     
     
         4 . A self-cooling container according to  claim 1  whereby the cooling agent can be reused as a liquid fertilizer when no longer useful as a coolant. 
     
     
         5 . A self-cooling container according to  claim 1  having an openable closure means on the surface of the top end of the outer compartment comprising a rupturable tear panel or pull tab which may be ruptured to provide access to the liquid stored within the first cavity whereby (i) the pull tab has a front end and a bottom end and (ii) 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, provide access to the liquid stored within. 
     
     
         6 . A self-cooling container according to  claim 1  having an openable closure means consisting of a cap that can be firmly attached to top end of the outer compartment to form a sealed unit comprising: (i) a threaded cap equipped with a female -threaded fitting or other female-threaded means having an exterior surface and an interior surface such that the cap when screwed onto the self-cooling container will create a self-contained unit; (ii) a seal or gasket affixed to the interior surface of the cap that can also cover the opening of the outer compartment to create an isolated first cavity within the outer compartment that can contain any enclosed beverage or liquid without leakage or spillage and without any contamination from the environment even when the liquid is pressurized under those pressures typical of a carbonated beverage; and (iii) a top end of the outer compartment equipped with a male-threaded fitting or other male threaded means that can mate with the threaded cap when screwed together to form a tight-fitting seal between the cap, the gasket, the top end of the outer compartment and the first cavity of the outer compartment. 
     
     
         7 . A self-cooling container according to  claim 1  having the inner compartment directly and permanently attached to the bottom end of the outer compartment and in direct contact with the liquid contained within the outer compartment and located within the first cavity of the outer compartment whereby: (i) the inner compartment is self-contained without any seals or penetrations between the contents of the inner compartment and the contents of the first cavity of the outer compartment so that contamination of a beverage with cooling agent is virtually eliminated; (ii) the flexible diaphragm is affixed to the bottom of the inner compartment to create a completely self-contained unit that can be activated by the consumer with no contact between the consumer and contents of the inner compartment; and (iii) the flexible diaphragm and contact interface with the consumer with respect to activating the cooling mechanism is completely separated from the pull tab at the top of the container whereby the consumer accesses the beverage. 
     
     
         8 . A self-cooling container according to  claim 1  having the inner compartment in direct contact with the expanded exterior surface of the bottom end of the outer compartment such that the inner compartment is removable without loss of the liquid contained within the first cavity of the outer compartment whereby: (i) the bottom end of the outer compartment is expanded to displace some of the volume of the first cavity that contains the liquid to be cooled such that a fourth cavity is formed that does not contain any liquid and is open to the environment; and (ii) the fourth cavity conforms to the shape of the inner compartment and is made to hold the inner compartment in place by means of a pressure seal attached to the circumference of the bottom end of the sidewall of the inner compartment. 
     
     
         9 . A self-cooling container according to  claim 8  whereby the fourth cavity conforms to the shape of the inner compartment and is made to hold the inner compartment in place by modifying the bottom end of the sidewall to form a male threaded fitting that can be screwed into a female threaded fitting formed as a modification of the bottom expanded end of the outer container. 
     
     
         10 . A self-cooling container according to  claim 9  whereby the separate cooling device or insert can be inserted into and removed from the beverage container for ease of use and to promote efficiency with respect to the manufacturing of the container and the device and with respect to the recycling and reuse of the containers and the spent cooling materials. 
     
     
         11 . A self-cooling container according to  claim 1  affixed with a balloon containing the liquid that is positioned to occupy all of the interior space of the second cavity such that the balloon forms the membrane or barrier that separates the liquid in the second cavity from the cooling agent in the third cavity. 
     
     
         12 . A self-cooling container according to  claim 9  affixed with a balloon containing the liquid that is positioned to occupy all of the interior space of the second cavity such that the balloon forms the membrane or barrier that separates the liquid in the second cavity from the cooling agent in the third cavity. 
     
     
         13 . A self-cooling container according to  claim 1  modified to allow the hollow, porous and rigid puncturing means to be extended through the flexible diaphragm to the open environment to allow a porous conduit between the cavities of the inner compartment and the environment whereby: (i) the puncturing means is connected by its blunt end to a removable plug that is fitted into an orifice located in the center of the flexible diaphragm that is held in place within the flexible diaphragm by a pressure seal attached to the circumference of the bottom end of the plug; and (ii) the puncturing means is equipped with a raised rib extending around the circumference of the sidewall of the hollow tube below the sharpened area that secures the extended puncturing means in place within the flexible diaphragm when the puncturing means is extended through the orifice of the diaphragm such that the contents of the inner compartment will flow through the series of openings within the sidewall of the hollow puncturing means in a predictable and controlled manner and not leak out around the orifice. 
     
     
         14 . A self-cooling container according to  claim 9  modified to allow the hollow, porous and rigid puncturing means to be extended through the flexible diaphragm to the open environment to allow a porous conduit between the cavities of the inner compartment and the environment whereby: (i) the puncturing means is connected by its blunt end to a removable plug that is fitted into an orifice located in the center of the flexible diaphragm that is held in place within the flexible diaphragm by a pressure seal attached to the circumference of the bottom end of the plug; and (ii) the puncturing means is equipped with a raised rib extending around the circumference of the sidewall of the hollow tube below the sharpened area that secures the extended puncturing means in place within the flexible diaphragm when the puncturing means is extended through the orifice of the diaphragm such that the contents of the inner compartment will flow through the series of openings within the sidewall of the hollow puncturing means in a predictable and controlled manner and not leak out around the orifice. 
     
     
         15 . A self-cooling container according to  claim 14  whereby the bottom end of the removable plug is modified to form a male threaded fitting that can be screwed into a female threaded fitting formed as a modification of the orifice within the flexible diaphragm. 
     
     
         16 . A self-cooling container according to  claim 14  whereby the rib or threaded means connects with the groves of the female fitting within the flexible diaphragm. 
     
     
         17 . A self-cooling container according to  claim 14  that minimizes the risk of contact between the consumer and the contents of the cooling device when the consumer activates the device. 
     
     
         18 . A self-cooling container according to  claim 15  whereby the bottom end of the removable plug is modified to form a male threaded fitting that can be screwed into a female threaded fitting formed as a modification of the orifice within the flexible diaphragm. 
     
     
         19 . A self-cooling container according to  claim 15  whereby the rib or threaded means connects with the groves of the female fitting within the flexible diaphragm. 
     
     
         20 . A self-cooling container according to  claim 15  that minimizes the risk of contact between the consumer and the contents of the cooling device when the consumer activates the device.