Abstract:
The invention comprises an outer metallic body containing a product for consumption after heating and a second container which holds a reagent and receives a heating module formed by a housing which holds another reagent and is closed by a seal piercable by the pressure from the fingers before consumption of the product. Useful for preparation of packaged products which can be rapidly heated using an integrated heating module.

Description:
[0001]    The present invention relates to a self-heatable container. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The field of the invention is that of the preparation of containers intended to contain food products, especially beverages, soups and the like, which can be consumed at a temperature greater than room temperature and in any place, particularly when specific heating means are not available. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Several types of self-heatable containers provided with incorporated means for the local generation of heat in order to increase the temperature of a beverage up to a certain value are known. Among the mentioned types are that described in patent WO 03/064283 and other similar patents. 
         [0004]    The models of containers provided with incorporated heating means which have been disclosed have certain drawbacks, such as their complex structure demanding complicated and therefore expensive manufacturing processes. In addition, some types described in patents have a questionable suitability, given the technical difficulty in maintaining the constitutive parts thereof hermetically joined. 
         [0005]    In other cases, the functional and shape design of the proposed containers is scarcely suitable for the intended purpose. 
         [0006]    Therefore, it is desirable to have a container provided with its own heating means, which has a suitable structure and is easy to use and which reaches temperature levels suitable for the type of product contained relatively quickly. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The invention relates to a container with a simple structure (with a minimum of component parts) and reasonably simple construction, essentially formed by a body containing the product, conventionally closed, and by an incorporated heating device which works by the likewise known principle of the exothermic reaction of two chemical products which are contacted prior to the consumption of the beverage of interest. This process takes place with safety and efficiency as a result of the design of the parts forming the container and the associated device thereof. 
         [0008]    To facilitate the explanation, several drawings are attached to the present description, in which a case of embodiment of a self-heatable container, according to the principles of the claims, has been depicted by way of an illustrative and non-limiting example. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the components forming essential container parts of the new container, depicted in the relative position of their coupling. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a view of a housing which can be operated to cause the heating process of the container and with two associated elements. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows the housing and its associated elements coupled to one of the containers forming the new container, which, in turn, is associated with another of the containers. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  shows the operation of the device causing the heating of one of the containers and the latter, in turn, that of the beverage contained in the other container of the container. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  indicates the normal position of the container with its content heated and ready for its consumption. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 6 and 7  are sectional details of the functional housing included in the container. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    Constitution of the container. The body  1  contains the product, such as a beverage, soup or the like, intended for its consumption, optionally, once heated by the incorporated means. 
         [0016]    Said body  1  can have any regular shape, such as a cylindrical shape, according to the attached drawings, and is made of a metallic material of a suitable thickness. In its upper part it has a flange  2  intended to receive a discoid lid  3  provided with conventional opening means and fixed by a peripheral crimp  4 . 
         [0017]    In its lower part, the body  1  has an area  5  with an optionally decreasing diameter and followed by a cylindrical area  6  with a smaller diameter provided with a flange  7  at its end for placing a closing lid  8 , similar to lid  3 , finally fixed by a hermetic crimp  24 . 
         [0018]    The container  9  consists of a cylindrical body having in its mouth a projecting flange  9 ′, therefore said component  9  is supported in the lower flange  7  of the first container  1 . 
         [0019]    The component  10  in the form of a housing is a cylindrical body of a small height with respect to its diameter, made of a plastic material which, in its cylindrical side part  11 , has a considerable resistance, whereas its base  12 , of a reduced thickness, is flexible in its central part, defining a dome in the inner face of which there is the projection  13 . The latter has the form of a prism with a square section, with cuts  14  in its faces like acute angles determining the formation of four fingers with an L-shaped or right-angled section. 
         [0020]    A thin disc-shaped seal  15  of aluminum or similar material, easily piercable when appropriate, hermetically closes the housing as a result of a peripheral rim  16 . Such housing incorporates in the outer face of its base a disc  17  of a porous material acting as a filter. 
         [0021]    The disc  17  is of a flexible, porous and air-permeable and also moisture-absorbing material. 
         [0022]    After the housing  10  and its associated elements are placed, the lower lid  8  is arranged, which is fixed by the aforementioned double crimp  24 , which gathers together in a completely leak-tight manner the lid  8 , the filter  17 , the flange  9 ′ of the container  9  and the lower flange  2  of the body  1 , while at the same time it holds the housing  10  such that it is completely locked. 
         [0023]    The assembly of the self-heatable container which is described from its components can be stated as follows: 
         [0024]    A certain amount of water is placed in the housing  10 , and it is hermetically closed by means of the seal  15 , the inner face of which is supported exactly on the central projection  13  and its fingers with a right-angled section. The filter disc  17  is likewise incorporated to it. 
         [0025]    Separately, a certain amount of a product  20  such as calcium oxide which, upon contact with water, will give rise to an exothermic reaction, is placed in the container  9 . The container  9  with its content introduced in the mouth of the cylindrical lower part  6  of the body  1 , according to  FIG. 3 . 
         [0026]    Then the housing  10  and its annexes are introduced in the joint mouth of the components  1  and  9 , according to the mentioned  FIG. 3 , after which the lid  8  is fixed, followed by the already mentioned double crimp  24  which assures the hermetic closing of this end part of the container, i.e., the associated edges of the lid  8 , the filter  17 , the housing  10  and the container  9 . The latter is absolutely locked with respect to the body  1 . 
         [0027]    Inverting the position of the body  1 , passing to the position of  FIG. 5 , the desired amount of the food product (beverage or the like), the consumption of which will optionally take place after heating, is poured through the upper mouth of such body. The product bathes the upper and side part of the container  9  and likewise occupies the lower part  19  located between the body  1  and the actual container  9 , according to the mentioned  FIG. 5 . Finally the upper lid  3 , which is fixed by a conventional peripheral crimp, is placed. 
         [0028]    In most cases and according to the type of product contained, a sterilization of the finished container (with its heating module incorporated) then takes place in an autoclave at a temperature and pressure suitable for the characteristics of the product. The sterilization is possible given the simplified configuration and the metallic nature of the new container, and the latter is ready for its final conditioning, which occurs with the placement of a preferably tubular and laminar label  18 . 
         [0029]    It can likewise be emphasized that the lower lid  8 , fixed by the safety crimp  24 , closes and holds all the components of the heating module associated with the container  9 . 
         [0030]    Use. The consumption of the beverage contained in the body  1  takes place, with regard to its prior heating, by partially extracting the lower lid  8 , retained by the crimp  24 , which leaves the filter  17  and, behind it, the dome or (flexible) central part  12  of the housing exposed. This central part is pressed, whereby the projection  13  moves forward in an axial direction and, like a striker, causes the tearing of the seal  15  and the passage of the water contained in the housing into the container  9 . The water contacts the calcium oxide  20  contained in the mentioned container, initiating the exothermic chemical reaction which gives rise to a considerable increase of the temperature of the actual container  9 . 
         [0031]    The container with its content is shaken for 10 seconds to facilitate the mixture of the reagents and is again inverted, leaving it face up ( FIG. 5 ). In less than 30 seconds the heating is noted due to the exothermic chemical reaction, which gives rise to a considerable increase of the temperature of the surface of the container  9  and, as a result, of the product. 
         [0032]    Finally, the user, in less than 3 minutes, can open the mouth of the container by separating the upper lid  3  and have access to the heated beverage. 
         [0033]    The wall of the body metallic  1  is obviously also heated with the previous operation, normally at a high temperature which can be, for example, of the order of 65-70° C., since the container is designed so that the temperature of the content rises from 38 to 40° C. with respect to the environment. To that end and to prevent the inconvenience and risk of burning for the user when holding the body  1  of the container, the label  18  is made of a heat-insulating material, such as polystyrene. 
         [0034]    As a result of the chemical reaction occurring inside the container  9 , a condensation of the moisture contained in the hot air can occur upon contacting a cold surface (for example, the surface of a table on which the container is placed). 
         [0035]    In the event that the container is not inverted after the activation of the reaction, the content will not be suitably heated and some amount of vapor may appear, which will be partly absorbed by the filter disc  17 . 
         [0036]    Two important details must be emphasized in the design of the housing  10 . In the first place, the openings  21  existing in the crown  22  determine air passages between the outside and the inside of the container  9  and assure that the reaction always occurs at atmospheric pressure, whereas the ribs  23  reduce to a minimum the amount of calcium hydroxide in powder form, resulting from the reaction, which could be deposited on the filter disc  17 . 
         [0037]    It is recommendable to use a protective element for the user&#39;s lips, by means of the use of an incorporable and separable ring made of an insulating material, which does not form part of the object of the present patent.