Patent Publication Number: US-6339931-B1

Title: Method for charging a self-chilling beverage can

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to self-chilling beverage containers. 
     2. The Prior Art 
     Self-chilling beverage and food containers are known. Typically, the overall container is of the type in which there is a container within container construction, to create separate, inner and outer containment regions. A coolant material is placed in one of the regions, and the material (e.g., beverage) to be cooled is placed in the other of the regions. The coolant material may be placed in the innermost container, typically, although it may be placed in the space between the inner and outer container walls. The coolant material may comprise a compressed gas material, with or without another material. When the entire container, including the coolant material and the beverage, is at ambient temperature, release of the compressed gas material results in an endothermic reaction that causes rapid heat transfer from the beverage into the region formerly occupied by the compressed gas. This causes the beverage to be rapidly cooled. 
     Several such devices are known in the prior art. 
     Beck, U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,975 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,856, for example, disclose self-chilling containers in which an inner chamber contains a pressurized refrigerant, preferably Freon. 
     Halimi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,038, discloses a self-chilling beverage container, which uses compressed carbon dioxide gas, as the refrigerant material. 
     Anthony, U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,703, discloses a self-chilling food or beverage container, which employs a refrigerant gas, and a vortex tube in the heat exchange unit, which causes a portion of the refrigerant to be recondensed and returned to the coolant reservoir, to provide for elongated cooling period. 
     Joslin, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,391, discloses a self-chilling beverage container that uses a refrigerant that is a combination of at least one liquefied petroleum gas and a halogen gas. 
     In each of these prior art embodiments, only a refrigerant gas is used, with no additional material, in an inner coolant reservoir. Accordingly, once the gas has been released, the container immediately beings to reheat from ambient, as the emptied inner container or cartridge has relatively little thermal inertia, and little capacity for further absorbing heat. 
     An improved version of the self-chilling can has been developed and marketed as the Chill-Can® which is believed to have been developed from a British Oxygen Company Limited originally patented design, and subsequently marketed by Chill-Can N.V. In this particular self-chilling beverage container, a first inner container, having an opening at one end, is inserted into and sealingly affixed, at the periphery of the open end, to the periphery of one end of a double-open-ended outer container. 
     A quantity of solid carbon material, including graphite, is placed in the inner container. An actuating valve covers the open end of the inner container. The charging gas, preferably CO 2  gas, is then loaded into the inner container, using the well-known “equilibrium filling” technique. 
     However, it is known that in order to put sufficient CO 2  gas into the inner container, pressures are required that are so high that considerable heat is created during the filling process. While the initial step of the filling process may place 50%-70% of the required gas into the cylinder, the heat generated makes it difficult to quickly continue to fill the chamber. Accordingly, it becomes necessary to pause in the filling process, so that heat is dissipated from the inner container&#39;s carbon content, to permit filling to resume. A conventional equilibrium filling procedure, for such a self-chilling container can take up to 10 to 15 minutes. Such an excessive filling time is completely inadequate for the kind of high-speed mass production rates desired for beer and soft drink manufacture and distribution. 
     Indeed, even the simpler, prior art charged compressed gas self-chilling containers suffer from this drawback. 
     Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a method for accelerated filling of the coolant reservoirs for self-chilling beverage and food containers. 
     It would also be desirable to provide an apparatus for accelerated filling of the coolant reservoirs for self-chilling beverage and food containers. 
     These and other desirable characteristics of the present invention will become apparent in view of the present specification, including claims, and drawings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention comprises, in part, a method for charging of a heat exchange unit for a self-chilling container, wherein the self-chilling container includes an outer tubular member, an inner heat exchange unit that includes an inner closed end tubular container, and a volume therebetween for the containment of a consumable material, the inner heat exchange unit further including a closure and coolant release valve structure connected to an open end of the closed end tubular container, opposite the closed end of the closed end tubular container, the inner heat exchange unit further including a first heat exchange medium disposed in the closed end tubular container and operably configured for absorbing, under pressure, a second heat exchange medium, whereupon actuation of the closure and coolant release valve structure, the second heat exchange medium is released in gaseous form from the inner heat exchange unit, resulting in a release of heat from the inner heat exchange unit, so that heat is transferred from the consumable material into the inner heat exchange unit, the method comprising: 
     providing a filling machine, having at least one filling head operably connected to a source of second heat exchange medium; 
     the filling machine further having at least one refrigerant adapter operably connected to a source of refrigerant material; 
     inserting the partially constructed self-chilling container structure into the filling machine; 
     supplying refrigerant to the at least one refrigerant adapter, operably configured to deliver refrigerant into the partially constructed self-chilling container, to substantially surround the inner heat exchange unit, 
     positioning a filling head in juxtaposed relation to the closure and coolant release valve structure of the partially constructed self-chilling container; 
     supplying second heat exchange medium to the inner heat exchange unit of the partially constructed self-chilling can to at least partially charge the inner heat exchange unit. 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the method may further comprise the steps of: 
     mounting a partially constructed self-chilling container onto a supporting puck, the supporting puck being operably configured to mate with the at least one refrigerant adapter, to enable refrigerant supplied to the at least one refrigerant adapter to be received through the supporting puck into a coolant passage structure operably configured to surround the inner heat exchange unit of the partially constructed self-chilling container; 
     mating the at least one refrigerant adapter with the supporting puck. 
     The step of supplying refrigerant may further comprise the step of supplying refrigerant to the at least one refrigerant adapter and into the coolant passage. 
     The method may further comprise the steps of: 
     disengaging the filling head from the partially constructed self-chilling container; 
     disengaging the at least one refrigerant adapter from the supporting puck, leaving a quantity of refrigerant in the supporting puck to continue to absorb heat from the inner heat exchange unit of the partially self-chilling container. 
     The method may further comprise the steps of: 
     further successively charging the inner heat exchange unit of the partially constructed self-chilling container, until the inner heat exchange unit has received a quantity of second heat exchange medium to chill the consumable material in the self-chilling container, upon subsequent completion of construction of the self-chilling container and actuation of the closure and coolant release valve structure. 
     The present invention also comprises in part, an apparatus for charging of a heat exchange unit for a self-chilling container, wherein the self-chilling container includes an outer tubular member, an inner heat exchange unit that includes an inner closed end tubular container, and a volume therebetween for the containment of a consumable material, the inner heat exchange unit further including a closure and coolant release valve structure connected to an open end of the closed end tubular container, opposite the closed end of the closed end tubular container, the inner heat exchange unit further including a first heat exchange medium disposed in the closed end tubular container and operably configured for absorbing, under pressure, a second heat exchange medium, whereupon actuation of the closure and coolant release valve structure, the second heat exchange medium is released in gaseous form from the inner heat exchange unit, resulting in a release of heat from the inner heat exchange unit, so that heat is transferred from the consumable material into the inner heat exchange unit. 
     The apparatus comprises, in a preferred embodiment, a filling machine, having at least one filling head operably connected to a source of second heat exchange medium. At least one refrigerant adapter may be operably connected to a source of refrigerant material. The filling machine may further be operably configured to receive at least one partially constructed self-chilling container. 
     Means are provided for bringing the at least one partially constructed self-chilling container into operable connection with the at least one refrigerant adapter. Means are also provided for delivering refrigerant into the at least one partially constructed self-chilling container, to substantially surround the inner heat exchange unit. 
     At least one filling head is operably positionable in juxtaposed relation to the closure and coolant release valve structure of the partially constructed self-chilling container; 
     Means are provided for supplying second heat exchange medium to the inner heat exchange unit of the partially constructed self-chilling can to at least partially charge the inner heat exchange unit. 
     The apparatus may further comprise a supporting puck, for supporting a partially constructed self-chilling container, and operably configured to mate with the at least one refrigerant adapter, to enable refrigerant supplied to the at least one refrigerant adapter to be received through the supporting puck into a coolant passage structure operably configured to surround the inner heat exchange unit of the partially constructed self-chilling container. 
     The present invention is also directed to a self-heating container for a consumable product, comprising: 
     an outer consumable material container; 
     an inner heat exchange unit, including an outer heat exchange shell and an inner frangible membrane, the inner frangible membrane breachably dividing an interior volume of the outer heat exchange shell into a first region and a second region; 
     a rupture device, operably associated with the inner heat exchange unit and the inner frangible membrane, operably configured to selectively breach the membrane, to place the first and second regions into communication with one another; 
     a first reactant material stored in the first region; 
     a second reactant material stored in the second region; 
     the first and second reactant materials being selected from those materials that are separately and upon reaction with one another, non-toxic, and which produce an exothermic reaction when in each other&#39;s presence. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation, in section, of a self-chilling beverage container; the coolant reservoir of that may be advantageously filled using the method, apparatus and principles of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevation of a rotary filling machine, for charging the coolant reservoirs of self-chilling beverage containers, in accordance with the principles of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevation, in section, of a container supporting puck, for use with a filling machine, for charging the coolant reservoirs of self-chilling beverage containers, in accordance with the principles of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevation, in section, of a container supporting puck, with a container in place on the puck, for use with a filling machine, for charging the coolant reservoirs of self-chilling beverage containers, in accordance with the principles of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the container supporting puck of FIGS. 3 and 4, according to the principles of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is an illustration of a self-heating container. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will be described in detail, a specific embodiment, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation, in section, of a self-chilling beverage can, of the type known commercially as the Chill-Can®, which is shown in a partially completed state. Beverage can  10  includes an outer tubular member  12 , a heat exchange unit (HEU)  14 , and a combination closure and coolant release valve structure  16 . HEU  14  includes a closed end tubular container  18 , which has an open end  20  that is sealingly connected to an opening  22  in the concave end  24  of tubular outer member  12 . The actuator structure for the closure and coolant release valve structure  16  has been omitted from the illustration, but such structures are well known, and illustration of same is not required for a complete understanding of the present invention. Also omitted from the illustration is the carbon material that would be placed in the bottom of closed end tubular container  18 , prior to attachment of tubular container  18  to opening  22 , or, at any rate, prior to placement of closure and coolant release valve structure  16 . 
     Can  10  is shown in FIG. 1, prior to the attachment of the top of the can (which would be affixed to the “bottom” of the open tubular member  12 , as seen in FIG. 1) to the “top” edge  19  of outer tubular member  12 . Charging of the HEU  14  occurs through closure and coolant release valve structure  16 , prior to attachment of the can top, and prior to the attachment of the actuator structure. 
     In prior art procedures for charging the HEU&#39;s of such cans, a rotary filling machine is used. Such machines are generally well known in the art, and can be obtained from manufacturers such as Terco, Inc. of Bloomingdale, Ill.; KP/Aerofill of Davenport, Iowa; and Pamasol of Switzerland. In such a machine, the cans are set, in the orientation shown in FIG. 1, onto solid “pucks”. Each puck has a circumferential notch or ridged portion, onto which the can is set and supported, to provide structural support for the can, while a filling nozzle descends from above and engages the closure and coolant release valve structure, to inject coolant under pressure. As previously mentioned, while the initial charging can occur relatively quickly, and accomplishes a substantial percentage of the charging of the HEU, substantial heat is generated during this process. Typically, the partially charged cans must then be taken off the rotary filling machine, and put in a waiting area to cool, for the next successive filling steps. As indicated above, this process can occupy several minutes, and creates a substantial “bottleneck” in the production line. 
     In accordance with the principles of the present invention, it has been determined that if the HEU is surrounded by a coolant material, during and following the initial charging step, then the filling process can be accelerated considerably. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates schematically, a rotary filling machine, that has been modified in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Filling machine  40  has a central shaft  42 , an upper filling wheel  44  and a puck star wheel  46 . The filling and can holding equipment, described hereinafter, is provided for each can holding position on the filling machine. As these components are radially and circumferentially symmetrically distributed about the circumference of the wheels, only one such filling station on the wheel is shown in FIG. 2, for simplicity of illustration. A charging gas supply rotary union  48 , which may be of conventional configuration, is positioned at the top of the central shaft. In this rotary union  48 , a plurality of gas outlets  49  is provided, each having its own pressure regulator  50 . A corresponding hose connection  52  connects to a fitting/aperture  54  in wheel  44 . A further flow control device  56 , such as a needle valve, is connected to the fitting  54  in wheel  44 , and leads via another hose to a filling head  58 , suspended from the wheel  44  at each filling position. Each filling head  58  is vertically movable, for example by a pneumatic piston and cylinder arrangement  60 . Each filling head  58  further includes a mechanical valve  62  and gassing adapter  64 . Puck star wheel  46  will be provided with a plurality of radially outwardly opening arcuate slots, into which the bases of the pucks are received and held. Beneath the puck star wheel  46  is an upwardly biased spring loaded plate  66 , which vertically supports the pucks as they are rotated around the filling machine. To the extent thus far described, these elements are common to prior art filling devices. 
     In practice, in a prior art machine as described so far, the can-laden pucks are continuously loaded into the filling machine, and as the wheels rotate, each filling head descends and engages the closure and coolant release valve structure of the can beneath. An initial filling procedure takes place as the wheels continue to rotate, and then after the initial filling procedure is completed, the cans are ejected from the machine, after nearly a complete rotation has taken place. However, in a prior art machine, this initial filling procedure may accomplish only a fraction of the filling that is required, and many minutes must be wasted in cooling down the cans, before further filling can take place. 
     However, as shown in FIG. 2, filling machine  40  has been further modified, to include a further rotating wheel  70 . Beneath and connected to wheel  70  is refrigerant rotary union, which may be provided with a suitable source of coolant, as further described hereinafter, as well as suitable rotary union connections, as may be provided by one of ordinary skill in the art having the present disclosure before them. On wheel  70  is provided a plurality of refrigerant adapters  74 , each of which is connected by an inlet tube  76  and an outlet tube  78  to refrigerant rotary union  72 . Each adapter  74  includes a substantially cylindrical base  78 , a cylindrical mating portion  80 , and two refrigerant fittings  82 ,  84 , which are configured to be insertingly received into refrigerated puck  86 , in a manner to be described in further detail herein. 
     FIGS. 3,  4  and  5  illustrate the refrigerated puck  86 , intended to be used, in accordance with the principles of the present invention, with rotary filling machine  40 . Each refrigerated puck  86  includes a base  88 , that may preferably be machined or cast from solid metal, such as aluminum, or an aluminum-copper alloy, or even a suitable plastic material that is capable of performing adequately, under the kinds of filling conditions described herein. Base  88  includes an annular recess  89 , which is configured to insertingly receive the open end of a self-chilling can, corresponding to the “top” of the ultimately filled and sealed can. Extending upwardly from base  86  is HEU (heat exchange unit) support base  90 . Puck sidewall  92  includes outer cylindrical wall  94  and inner cylindrical wall  96 . Similarly, walls  94  and  96  may be metal, or suitable plastic material. Walls  94  and  96  are connected at their respective top edges by annular ring  98 . Sidewall  94  is connected at its bottom edge to puck base  88 , while sidewall  96  is connected at its bottom edge to the circumferential side surface of HEU can base support  90 . A cylindrical recess  100  extends upwardly into the bottom of puck base  86 . Vertically extending refrigerant gas inlet  102  and refrigerant gas outlet  104  connect, at opposite locations on the circumference of puck sidewall  92 , to annular cylindrical coolant passage  106 . 
     FIG. 4 shows a can  10  in position on puck  86 , awaiting charging of the HEU. The “top” edge  19  of outer tubular member  12  is nestingly received in recess  89 . HEU  14  is nestingly received in the top of puck  86 , inside puck sidewall  92 . Preferably, the dimensions of the interior of the top of puck  86  are selected so that HEU  14  fits very closely, but not bindingly, so that the cans may be readily inserted and removed from the pucks, at the appropriate positions along the manufacturing line. Puck  86  also includes gasket member  108 , and O-ring seals  110 . 
     In accordance with the principles of the invention, the charging process may occur as follows (with reference to FIGS.  2 - 4 ): 1) cans  10  that have been placed on pucks  86  (using conventional handling mechanisms) will be inserted into slots in puck star wheel  46  (again using conventional handling mechanisms). As the star wheel  46  rotates, a filling head  58  will descend upon the “bottom” end of a can  10 . The top pressure being applied by the filling head  58  to the “bottom” of the can will cause the spring loaded base plate  66  to be lowered. The bottom of the puck  86  will engage the refrigerant adapter  74  making contact with the recess  100  of puck  86 . Inlet fitting  82  and outlet fitting  84  will be inserted into puck inlet  102  and puck outlet  104 . From a source of refrigerant (e.g., liquid nitrogen—not shown), refrigerant will be supplied to union  72 , flow through connection  78 , enter puck  86  and fill passage  106 . At the same time, HEU charging gas, under pressure, will be supplied from filling head  58  into HEU  14 , the charging gas being compressed into a liquid in the process. The heat developed during the charging procedure, will be conducted through the sidewalls of closed end tubular container  18 , through the inner cylindrical wall  96  and carried away by the refrigerant. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each of inlet  102  and outlet  104  of puck  86  may be provided with one-way valves  112 ,  114  (which may be of conventional configuration), that are held open when fittings  82  and  84  are inserted into puck  86 . In this way, as each puck  86  has completed its circuit during a rotation of star wheel  46 , as the filling head  58  is raised from the gassing position the spring loaded base plate  66  returns to its at-rest position. This action removes the respective refrigerant adapters  74  from the respective pucks  86 . Upon separation, the one-way valves  112 ,  114  prevent the escape of the liquid refrigerant, which remains in the puck passage  106 , continuing to prompt the transfer of generated heat from the HEU  14  into the refrigerant. 
     Using the aforementioned process, the heat generated by the charging process is contemporaneously removed from the HEU, thus permitting the accelerated charging of the HEU. While it may not be possible to achieve complete charging of the HEU in a single step, it is contemplated that the individual cans may proceed to a subsequent charging station (which may be provided with its own wheel  70  with refrigerant rotary union  72  and refrigerant adapters  74 ), with considerably less than the 10-15 minute cooling off period required by prior art systems. Instead, it is contemplated that a delay of only 10-20 seconds may be required, before charging can be resumed. 
     The present invention is also directed to a self-heating container, shown in FIG.  6 . Self-heating container  200  comprises inner heat exchange unit  202  and outer container  204 . Container  200  is shown, minus the conventional ring-pull top, that would be attached to the “top” of outer container  204  (the bottom of container  204  as shown in FIG.  6 ). 
     Heat exchange unit  202  comprises an outer heat transfer shell  206 , an inner frangible diaphragm  208 , and rupture device  210 , that includes actuator button  212  and rupture stem  214 . 
     Contained within inner frangible diaphragm  208  is a volume of a first reactive material, e.g., water. Contained between shell  206  and container  208 , is a second reactive material, e.g. zeolite (please provide a brief explanation of the material). Contained between container  204  and container  206  is a consumable material, that is intended to be consumed hot, such as soup, coffee, etc. 
     The principle behind the operation of container  200  is that it takes advantage of the existence of certain known chemical reactions, such as between water and zeolite, that is exothermic. The reactive materials must be non-toxic, both separately, and in their reaction byproducts, so that any possible leakage or cross-contamination does not have dangerous consequences. Upon actuation of the actuator  212 , stem  214  (which may be of any suitable configuration to accomplish the desired result) ruptures membrane  208 , causing the two reactive materials to mix, leading to the desired reaction. Heat is transferred out of heat exchange unit  202 , and into the consumable product. 
     The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention and the invention is not limited thereto except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.