Actuating self-cooling can

Abstract

A self-cooling container for cooling a liquid includes a first portion with a first frangible seal that extends across and seals an evaporator unit containing a refrigerant and a second portion with a second frangible seal that extends across and seals a desiccant chamber containing a desiccant. The first portion rotates axially relative to the second portion. An actuator assembly is between the first portion and the second portion and includes: a cutter assembly, which is coupled to the first portion of the self-cooling container and includes a cutter coupled to a rotatable axle and a pinion gear coupled to the rotatable axle, and a drive gear assembly coupled to the second portion of the self-cooling container and including a ring gear supported by a housing. The pinion gear on the cutter assembly is mated to the ring gear of the drive gear assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A self-cooling container, the self-cooling container comprising:
 a first portion:   a second portion,   wherein the second portion is configured to rotate about an axis relative to the second portion;   an actuator assembly between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the actuator assembly comprises:
 a cutter assembly; and 
 a drive gear assembly, 
   wherein the drive gear assembly is configured to convert a rotation of the second portion of the self-cooling container relative to the first portion of the self-cooling container into a cutting action by the cutter assembly to compromise a barrier between the first portion of the self-cooling container and the second portion of the self-cooling container.   
     
     
         2 . The self-cooling container of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises:
 an outer container;   an internal compartment containing a product to be cooled;   an internal evaporator unit containing a refrigerant; and   a first frangible seal that extends across and seals off the evaporator unit,   wherein the barrier comprises the first frangible seal.   
     
     
         3 . The self-cooling container of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion comprises:
 an outer container;   an internal desiccant chamber containing a desiccant; and   a second frangible seal that extends across and seals off the desiccant chamber,   wherein the barrier comprises the second frangible seal.   
     
     
         4 . The self-cooling container of  claim 1 , wherein the cutter assembly comprises:
 a cutter support;   a rotatable axle coupled to the cutter support;   a cutter coupled to the rotatable axle; and   a pinion gear coupled to the rotatable axle.   
     
     
         5 . The self-cooling container of  claim 4 , wherein the cutter assembly is coupled to the first portion of the self-cooling container. 
     
     
         6 . The self-cooling container of  claim 1 , wherein the drive gear assembly comprises:
 a housing; and   a ring gear supported by the housing.   
     
     
         7 . The self-cooling container of  claim 6 , wherein the drive gear assembly is coupled to the second portion of the self-cooling container. 
     
     
         8 . The self-cooling container of  claim 1 , wherein a pinion gear on the cutter assembly is mated to a ring gear of the drive gear assembly. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 providing a self-cooling container, the self-cooling container comprising:
 a first portion: 
 a second portion, 
 wherein the second portion is configured to rotate about an axis relative to the second portion; 
 an actuator assembly between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the actuator assembly comprises:
 a cutter assembly; and 
 a drive gear assembly, 
 wherein the drive gear assembly is configured to convert a rotation of the second portion of the self-cooling container relative to the first portion of the self-cooling container into a cutting action by the cutter assembly to thereby compromise a barrier between the first portion of the self-cooling container and the second portion of the self-cooling container; and 
 
   rotating the second portion of the self-cooling container relative to the first portion of the self-cooling container.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein rotating the second portion of the self-cooling container relative to the first portion of the self-cooling container cause the cutting action and compromises the barrier between the first portion and the second portion which leads to a cooling effect being delivered to a product inside the self-cooling container.