Abstract:
The present invention is a device releasably attachable to a beverage-containing can or bottle that is operable to selectively heat or cool a beverage dispensed from the container and through the device for consumption by an individual. The device includes an outer sleeve securable to the beverage container and an inner cartridge containing reactants utilized to generate an endothermic or exothermic reaction within the cartridge. The reaction created by the reactants heats or cools beverages dispensed from the container as the beverage flows through conduits disposed in thermal contact with the reactants that extend from a beverage inlet adjacent a lower end of the cartridge to a dispensing outlet adjacent an upper end of the cartridge. The device is removable from the container for use with additional containers, or for disposal and replacement of the cartridge within the sleeve after each use.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/683,366, filed on May 20, 2005, the entirety of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to devices for heating and cooling beverages, and more specifically to a device that can be attached to a beverage container in order to heat or cool the beverage held in the container as it is dispensed for consumption.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     With a large portion of consumable beverages being sold in transportable containers, such as bottles and cans, it is often desirable or necessary to vary the temperatures of beverages held within these types of containers to suit the preferences of the individuals drinking the beverages. Thus, often times beverages in these containers must be heated or cooled in order to be appropriate for consumption by an individual.  
         [0004]     In many cases, the beverage must be dispensed from the beverage container into a separate container, enclosure or heating or cooling element in order to properly vary the temperature of the beverage for consumption. This creates an extra step in the consumption process for the beverage, that is often quite time consuming as well, and is therefore undesirable.  
         [0005]     However, many of these beverage containers are designed such that both the beverage and the beverage container can be heated or cooled simultaneously. Thus, the entire container can be placed into a cooler or suitable heating apparatus to cool or warm the container and its contents. Nevertheless, when cooling beverages in these types of containers, such as a soda can, the time required to properly cool the beverage in the container can be quite long. Additionally, when heating a beverage in its container, due to the enclosed nature of the container, it is difficult to determine when the beverage has been sufficiently heated, such that most often the beverage is under heated, or is overheated, each of which can potentially ruin the beverage for consumption purposes.  
         [0006]     To overcome these problems, additional developments have been made to the beverage containers themselves in which the container includes a temperature-varying element disposed directly within the container that can be utilized to quickly change the temperature of the beverage within the container to the desired temperature. Examples of devices of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,178,753, 6,266,879 and 6,351,953, which are each herein incorporated expressly by reference in their entirety.  
         [0007]     However, by varying the construction of the container to incorporate the temperature changing mechanism within the container, the cost for manufacturing the container goes up significantly, consequently greatly increasing the cost and complexity for the container and beverage held therein.  
         [0008]     Therefore, it is desirable to develop an apparatus and method for varying the temperature of a beverage in a container that does not require the beverage to be dispensed from the container prior to consumption in order to be heated or cooled. Additionally, it is desirable that the apparatus and method do not require any significant changes to the structure of existing beverage containers such that the device can be utilized with numerous existing and commonplace beverage container configurations.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     According to a first aspect of the present invention, a temperature changing device for a beverage container is provided that includes an outer sleeve member releasably attachable to a beverage container around the dispensing opening of the beverage container. The outer sleeve member is secured to and encloses an inner cartridge member that contains the beverage warming or cooling mechanism. The mechanism includes an activation mechanism positioned on the exterior of the inner cartridge member that extends into the inner cartridge member in order to selectively open a valve separating a pair of compartments within the inner cartridge member. When the valve is opened, chemical reagents held within the respective compartments are mixed to initiate an endothermic or exothermic reaction that is used in heating or cooling of the beverage. The inner cartridge member also includes a number of dispensing tubes extending from an inlet end of the inner member adjacent the dispensing opening in the beverage container to an outlet end adjacent the activation mechanism. The beverage to be dispensed from the container is directed through the tubes to be thermally contacted by the reagents reacting within the inner cartridge member. As the beverage flows through the tubes, the beverage is heated or cooled depending upon the reaction caused by the particular reactants utilized prior to being dispensed from the tubes at the outlet end for consumption by an individual at the desired temperature.  
         [0010]     Numerous other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the drawing figures. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     The drawings illustrate the best mode currently contemplated of practicing the present invention.  
         [0012]     In the drawings:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the heating or cooling device constructed according to the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view illustrating the device of  FIG. 1  secured to a beverage can; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the device of  FIG. 1  secured to a bottle. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     With reference now to the drawing figures in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the disclosure, a heating or cooling device for a beverage container is indicated generally at  10  in  FIG. 1 . The device  10  includes an outer sleeve  12  that is releasably engaged with an inner heat exchange cartridge  14  positionable within the outer sleeve  12 . Both the sleeve  12  and cartridge  14  are formed of suitable lightweight, semi-rigid and water-impervious materials, with plastic materials being especially preferred.  
         [0017]     The sleeve  12  can be formed with any necessary, or desired shape. However, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the outer sleeve  12  is preferably generally cylindrical in shape to conform to the shape of most can-like beverage containers and includes a lower end  16  and an upper end  18 . The lower end  16  is formed with a container engagement member  20  that is capable of releasably, but securely engaging the sleeve  12  with a beverage container  22 . While the engagement member  20  can be formed as any suitable mechanism, in the preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the engagement member  20  takes the form of a radially inwardly extending flange  24  that is releasably engageable with the top  26  of a can  28 . The flange  24  seats between a lid or rim  30  secured to the top  26  of the can  28  and the top  26  to securely hold the outer sleeve  12  on the can  28 . Opposite the lower end  16 , the upper end  18  includes a cartridge-engaging ring  32  that extends inwardly from the sleeve  12  to releasably hold the cartridge  14  within the sleeve  12 . However, other suitable devices can be used in place of the ring  32 , such as a locking tab (not shown) or other suitable locking mechanism. Further, the sleeve  12 , when secured to the cartridge  14 , defines an insulating space therebetween, in order to prevent the heat or cold generated in the cartridge  14  from easily passing from the cartridge  14  through the sleeve  12 , to lessen the effectiveness of the cartridge  14 , or potentially to cause the sleeve  12  to become uncomfortable to hold by an individual due to the sleeve  12  being warmed or cooled by the cartridge  14 .  
         [0018]     The inner cartridge  14  is formed to be complimentary in shape to the outer sleeve  12 , and is preferably cylindrical in shape, having a cylindrical outer wall  34  that is enclosed on each end by a lower wall  36  and upper wall  38 , respectively. The cartridge  14  also includes an inner wall  40  that extends across the outer wall  34  between the lower wall  36  and upper wall  38 . The inner wall  40  divides the interior of the cartridge  14  into an upper compartment  42  and a lower compartment  44 .  
         [0019]     The upper wall  38  of the cartridge  14  is formed to be complimentary in shape to the cross section of the outer sleeve  12  and is dimensioned to be slightly larger in cross section than the outer sleeve  12 . Therefore, when the cartridge  14  is positioned within the outer sleeve  12 , the upper wall  38  extends over the outer periphery of the upper end  18  of the outer sleeve  12  in order to provide a seamless top surface to the device  10  and to prevent any materials from falling between the sleeve  12  and cartridge  14 . Additionally, the cartridge  14  includes a securing ridge  46  or other suitable securing member disposed on the outer wall  34  of the cartridge  14  and spaced from the upper wall  38  that, in conjunction with the upper wall  38 , engages the cartridge-engaging ring  32  on the sleeve  12  to releasably secure the cartridge  14  with respect to the outer sleeve  12 .  
         [0020]     The upper wall  38  also includes an activator, preferably formed as a button  48  that is positioned above the upper wall  38  and includes a shaft  49  extending downwardly through the upper wall  38  into the upper compartment  42 . The button  48  and the attached shaft  49  are movable with respect to the upper wall  3 , and the shaft  49  is sealingly engaged with the upper wall  38 , such as by an O-ring (not shown) positioned in the upper wall  38  and through which the shaft  49  extends, to prevent any of the contents of the inner cartridge  14  from leaking out of the cartridge  14  around the shaft  49 . The shaft  49  is positioned directly over a valve  50 , preferably formed as a one-way valve, formed in the inner wall  40  that is selectively opened by the depressing of the button  48 , which in turn causes the shaft  49  move into contact with and open the valve  50 . This, in turn, allows a first solid or liquid reagent (not shown) held within the upper compartment  42  to flow through the valve  50  into the lower compartment  44  for intermixing with a second solid or liquid reagent (not shown) disposed within the lower compartment  44 . The reagents are selected such that the mixing of the reagents initiates an endothermic or exothermic reaction in the lower compartment  44 , with the result that the atmosphere within the lower compartment  44  is cooled or heated, as desired. The particular reagents selected for use in the device  10 , as well as the amounts of these reagents can be chosen to provide an exact amount of heating or cooling to the beverage to be dispensed from the device  10 . In this manner, the total heating or cooling of the beverage can be closely controlled to achieve the desired amount of heating or cooling to the beverage.  
         [0021]     Additionally, when the button  48  is released, the button  48  and shaft  49  are moved upwardly away from the valve  50  using any suitable return mechanism, such as a spring (not shown) disposed around the shaft  49  between the button  48  and the upper wall  38 , or the inherent resiliency of the material forming the valve  50 , such that the valve  50  closes, preventing the now-mixed reagents from flowing back through the valve  50  from the lower compartment  44  into the upper compartment  42 .  
         [0022]     In order to thermally contact the beverage held within the container  22  with the reactants in the lower compartment  44 , the cartridge  14  also includes a number of beverage tubes  52  positioned within the cartridge  14 . Each of the tubes  52  extends through the cartridge  14  from a tube guide  54  extending outwardly from the lower wall  36  and engageable with a dispensing opening  56  in the lid  30  of the can  28 , to an aperture  58  formed in the upper wall  38  and spaced from the button  48 . The tubes  52 , immediately upon exiting the guide  54 , extend in a convolute, and preferably helical fashion within the lower compartment  44  to maximize the thermal contact of the tubes  52  and beverage flowing therein with the reactants creating the exothermic or endothermic reaction in the lower compartment  44 . The tubes  52  can be formed of any suitable material that allows for sufficient heat exchange between the reactants in the lower compartment  44  and the beverage flowing through the tubes  52 , such as aluminum, plastic, extruded nylon, or other suitable materials. Additionally, the tubes  52  are affixed to the cartridge  14  within both the guide  54  and the aperture  58  in a manner that provides a durable fluid-tight seal therebetween, such that the reactants in the cartridge  14  cannot exit the cartridge  14  through either the guide  54  or the aperture  58 . Further, the point at which the tubes  52  pass through the inner wall  40  is also sealed around the tubes  52  to prevent the reactants from passing between the compartments  42  and  44  other than through the valve  50 . Additionally, in order to prevent the leaking of any off the beverage dispensed from within the can  28  that may flow around the guide  54  from coming between the cartridge  14  and the outer sleeve  12 , a sealing gasket  60  is positioned around the periphery of the lower wall  36  that is sealingly engaged with the lid  30  of the can  28  when the cartridge  14  is held on the can  28  by the sleeve  12 . Further, in an embodiment where the sleeve  12  is not utilized, the lower end  36  can also include the engagement member  20  to engage the cartridge  14  directly with the container  22 .  
         [0023]     In conjunction with the particular types and amounts of the reagents selected to generate the desired exothermic or endothermic reaction, the length of the tubes  52  extending through the lower compartment  44  can be varied as desired to enable the beverage to be maintained within the tubes  52  in the lower compartment  44  in thermal contact with the reactants for a specified time to achieve the desired level of heating or cooling for the beverage prior to consumption. This can most easily be achieved by varying the number of loops formed in the preferred helical configuration for the portion of the tubes  52  that are disposed within the lower compartment  44 .  
         [0024]     After passing through the lower compartment  44 , the tubes  52  extend in a generally vertical direction within the upper compartment  42  to provide a generally laminar flow of the beverage out of the aperture  58  for consumption by an individual. Additionally, within the lower compartment  44 , the convolute configuration of the tubes  52  allows for a continuous flow of the beverage through the tubes  52  with a minimum of backpressure.  
         [0025]     In a second embodiment of the device  10  of the present invention for use with a beverage container  22  that takes the form of a bottle  62 , illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the container engagement member  20 , instead of being formed of the flange  24  as in the previous embodiment, is formed as a threaded collar  64  that is releasably and sealingly engageable with a threaded neck  66  of the bottle  62 . However, other than this modification to accommodate the structure of the bottle  62 , and an optional modification to the size of the guide  54  to accommodate the larger opening in the neck  66  of the bottle  62 , the device  10  is formed similarly to the device  10  utilized with the beverage can  28 .  
         [0026]     In operation, the device  10  is designed so that after a particular use where all of the beverage in a particular container  22  has been consumed, the cartridge  14  and the sleeve  12  can be removed from that particular container  22  and either used to modify the temperature of a beverage held in a separate container  22 , or to enable the cartridge  14  to be removed from within the outer sleeve  12  and disposed of if the reactants in the lower compartment  44  no longer are producing a sufficient temperature change. When the cartridge  14  is to be disposed of, the cartridge  14  is pressed or otherwise urged out of the outer sleeve  12 , thereby disengaging the ring  32  from between the upper wall  38  and ridge  46 , such that the dispensed cartridge  14  can be discarded and a fresh cartridge  14  inserted within the sleeve  12  for continued use of the device  10 . Additionally, in order to protect the materials within the cartridge  14  from contamination prior to use, removable protective covers (not shown), such as adhesively attached peelable covers or hard plastic caps, among others, can be positioned over one or both ends of the cartridge  14  until removal immediately prior to use of the cartridge  14 .  
         [0027]     Various alternatives are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.