US2556893A - Self-cooling container - Google Patents

Description

June 12, 195 ZWIEBACH ET AL SELF-COOLING CONTAINER Filed Oct. 9, 1947 III I- INVENTORJ' Leo Zwu; BAc

BY Manny ZWIEBACH 4 7'7'0/P/I/E y Patented June 12, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELF-COOLING CONTAINER Leo Zwiebach and Mendy Zwiebach, NewYork, N. Y.

Application October 9, 1947, Serial No. 778,952

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in refrigeration, and, more particularly, to the refrigeration of such a packaged commodity as beer, soft drinks, etc., while contained in cans, bottles and the like.

The invention provides a simple and practicable method and means of cooling a potable liquid in its container, at any time and in any situation, prior to opening such container in the customary Way for consumption of the liquid; andthis without the use of ice, or refrigeration other than that resulting from a chemical or physical action effected within a compartment contiguous to the container and annexed thereto by the manufacturer or packager of the liquid.

Otherwise stated, since there is provided a composite package comprising a container for the liquid and a container-adjunct so placed relative to the liquid container that a chamber is established between them to afford said compartment, with said compartment to be an important element of the cooling operation, no ice is used, nor is any agent used to act as a refrigerant except by a coaction with the compartment which originates inside the compartment.

In carrying out the invention, various known chemical reactions may be employed, such as those of the so-called freezing salts, as, for example, the ammonium and potassium salts, or, for another example, use may be made of the familiar principle that certain substances, liquid or gaseous, on being allowed to expand from a condition of compression, have a refrigerating effeet.

The usual reagent with the freezing salts is water. When Water is added to a freezing salt, a chemical reaction occurs which is highly endothermic, that is, characterized by the absorption of such a considerable total of heat units as to, effect rapid cooling. The aforesaid expansion principle may, for instance, be utilized by employing such a widely marketed and generally available substance as that made and sold under the: brand name of Freon by Union Carbide and Chemical Co.

According to one now favored way of practicing the invention, the liquid container is enclosed in an outer container of a material having low heat conductivity and readily puncturable,

with the liquid container spaced from the outer container to provide a chamber encircling the liquid container, and there is stored in said chamber a, gaseous substance under pressure, said substance being- .of a nature such that on expansion it, has a refrigerating effect and preferably one 2. that is non-toxic; whereby, preparatory to open: ing the outer container to allow opening of the liquid container, a puncturing of the outer container will refrigerate the liquid by the expansion of said substance incidental to its issuance from such puncture.

According to another now favored way of practicing the invention, the arrangement is as just described, except that the outer container is also readily freely flexible, and the substance under pressure, instead of being normally contained in said chamber, is sealed into the cavity of a hollow frangible globule or the like, with such globule housed in the composite package in a position such that on flexing the outer container the globule is fractured.

Such globule may contain a gaseous substance; or it may contain a non-gaseous substance. Likewise it may contain such a gaseous or non-gaseous substance when the latter is of the kind which by its own expansion acts as a refrigerant, or a granular substance, such as one of the freezing salts, which acts as a refrigerant due to chemi cal action rather than change of physical state. In the case of a freezing salt, which thus acts on the addition of water, the salt could be contained in the globule and the water in the chamber, or vice versa.

According to still another now favored way of practicing the invention, the combination of inner liquid container, enclosing outer container, and intervening chamber is retained, the outer container is of a readily puncturable nature, and there is employed under pressure a gaseous substance of the kind which has a refrigerating effect on expansion. When the liquid i to be reduced to a cold temperature, the said substance is injected into the chamber from a device, in the possession of the purchaser of the new package, which device may be of the general nature of the so-called DDT bomb, having stored therein said substance under pressure. With the substance now in the chamber held under compression, the outer container is punctured, and the refrigerating effect is the same as in the case where the charge of the compressed substance in the chamber is placed therein at the packaging factory, and the puncturing of the outer container is effected by the consumer, as in the case last considered, prior to opening the outer container to open the liquid container in the usual way.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the followin description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a view, partially in side elevation and partially in axial section, showing a composite package illustrative of one possible Way of carrying out the invention according to the first of the three manners of practicing the invention hereinabove summarized.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View, partially broken away and partially in section, of the composite package of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the liquid container as the usual beer bottle, rather than the usual beer can as in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a composite package illustrative of one possible way of carrying out the invention according to the second of the three manners of practicing the invention hereinabove summarized.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a composite package illustrative of one possible way of carrying out the invention according to the third of the three manners of practicing the invention hereinabove summarized.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail view, showing certain of the parts of Fig. 5 as there seen but on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view showing a bomb of the kind hereinabove mentioned, with a discharge nozzle of special external type.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of an auxiliary packaging element seen in axial section near the bottom of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing more in detail, and first to Figs. 1 and 2, the liquid container, a cylindrical can [5, is enclosed in an outer container comprising a cylindrical main body It tightly closed at its open top by a flanged cover ll. The material of this outer container may be selected as desired, but should be of a nature such that inherently or as the result of impregnation or coating or because of airpocketing interstices it is of relatively low heat conductivity. Such material, moreover, should be readily puncturable as by use of an ordinary pin or some other sharp pointed like implement;

any such implement being below called a sharppointed hand-tool.

The aforesaid chamber within this composite package is shown at l8 as completely encircling the entire length of the can [5; and within this chamber, which is made sufficiently gas-tight for the purpose, as by selecting or treating the material of which said body, It and cover ll is made, is stored under pressure a collection I9 of a gaseous substance of the kind which on expansion sets up a refrigerating effect. The cover I! is secured at its flange in a gas-tight manner and in any suitable way, as by a glue or other adhesive, to the main body IS.

The outer container l6l1 being gas-tight as just explained, said collection I8 is retained without loss and hence without premature expansion until the composite package is in the hands of a purchaser for consumption of the content of the can l5 and such purchaser desires to cool said content preparatory to a consumption thereof.

Then the outer container I6l! is punctured as above mentioned, to provide preferably a tiny aperture through which the gaseous substance may issue slowly. Thereby the content 4 l of the can I5 is refrigerated as a result of the expansion of said substance consequent upon its now permitted escape from the chamber l8 by way of such aperture. When the gaseous substance ends such expansion, the outer container l6ll, the material of which the same is made also being capable of ready cutting and/or tearing, is removed from the container I5, and the latter is opened in the usual Way.

Said puncturing hand-tool should not be so applied as to puncture also the container l5, and to guard against this, the outer container I fil7 is preferably marked in some suitable way, as by printing, or by an indentation such as shown at 29, to indicate where the puncturing should be made.

In order to maintain the chamber l8 of predetermined similar radial dimension all around the container !5, for even cooling eifect on the latter all around the same, the bottom circular wall of the body It has formed on the upper side thereof and concentric therewith an ups standing annular rib 2| of an internal diameter to fit snugly around one end seaming 22 of the container :5, and said cover has formed on the under side thereof a depending annular rib 23 for snugly encircling the opposite end seaming 22 of the container l5 when the cover is applied to the body 16.

Referring to Fig. 3, the only change here is that the body 24 and its cover 25, corresponding respectively to the body i5 and cover 11, are differently dimensioned, so that the liquid container 26 may as shown be an ordinary beer or soft drink bottle, and a chamber 2'! of adequate size may be provided and yet the composite package will not be too large in bulk.

In this view the chamber is marked 28, an indentation corresponding to the indentation 20 is also indicated as present, and the two annular ribs 29 and 3B are so shaped that the former, corresponding to the rib 2|, encircles the bottom of the bottle 26, and the rib 3G, corresponding to the rib 23, encircles the familiar pry-off cap 3! at the top of the bottle. Also indicated at 32 is the collection of a gaseous substance under pressure in the chamber 28, according to the invention.

Referring to Fig. 4, the container I5 is here shown enclosed in an outer container of the same properties as described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2, but also one which is readily flexible from the exterior of the package.

Such outer container comprises a main cylindrical body 33, and a cover 34 therefor like the cover l'l, that is, having a rib 35 corresponding to the rib 23, to hold the top of the container I5 centered in the package to establish a chamber 35 like the chamber IS.

A rib 3c is carried by the bottom of the main body 33, such rib to act as does the rib 2|; but in the present case said rib is the topmost element of a formation carried by the main body which also includes an annular wall 31 thicker than the rib 36 and projected inward of the latter to provide a ledge on which the bottom of the container l5 rests while spaced above a central elevated circular wall portion 38 of the bottom of the main body 33.

Within such space is housed a globule or other hollow member 39, of frangible material, having sealed into its cavity and under compression a substance, solid or gaseous, which on being allowed to expand has a refrigerating effect, or which, on being brought into the presence of anmasses other substance, results in a chemically operative refrigerating elfect. Thus, if said substance in the member 39 is of the kind which on being allowed to expand has a refrigerating efiect, the.

chamber 35 may have merely a content of atmospheric air; while said substance in the member 38 is say one of the freezing salts, the chamber 35 may have a suitable quantity of water therein. In this case, the outer container 33--34 should also be such as not to be absorptive of the water.

In order to hold the frangible member 39 at a definite location, to prevent rattling about of the same between the container l5 and the wall portion 31' and so to prevent its premature fracturing, said wall portion is downwardly dimpled at 4|], to cushioningly retain said member in place. Such dimple is so placed, also, due to the extent to which the lower portion of the rib 36 projects below said dimple, that the member 39 cannot be prematurely fractured by contact with a supporting surface on which the bottom of the main body 33 is placed. V

At spaced points around the rib 3 5 the same has openings 4|.

Preparatory to consumption of the content of the container IS, the purchaser of the composite package presses or strikes on the dimple 50, thus breaking the member 39, and when its content has acted in the chamber 35 pursuant to the invention and so, either by expanding into said chamber or by contacting the water in the outer container, to refrigerate the liquid in the container t5, the outer container is removed, the container l5 opened, and a refrigerated liquid is available.

Referring to Figs. 5-8, the container or can I5 is here shown as enclosed in an outer container of the same properties as described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2.

The outer container comprises a main'cylindrical body 42, and a cover 43 having a rib 43' exactly like and for the same purpose as the rib 23, thus providing a chamber 44 like the chambers l8, 2! and 35.

Here, however, an auxiliar member marked as a whole 45 is placed in the bottom of the main body 42, the can l5 at one end is cen trally upwardly dimpled as at 46, a small hole is provided centrally of the bottom wall of the main body 42, at which hole an eyelet or grommet 4? is set, and a ball 48 such as used in ball bearings is movably trapped between the dimple 46 and the upper end of the grommet 41; thereby providing a one-way valve relative to the chamber 44.

The communication between said valve and said chamber is through the auxiliary member 45 by way of a pair of radial slots 49 in the lower face of a wider bottom annular flange 5| of said member and a pair of upwardly extending slots 52 at opposite exterior points on a narrower upper annular flange 53 of said member; said upper flange 53 being of less inner diameter than said bottom flange, to provide a ledge for receiving the bottom of the container [5, and of greater outer diameter than said bottom flange, to have the slots 52 beyond the latter.

At 54 is shown the well known type of socalled DDT bomb or device for storing DDT gas under pressure and for discharging the same through an end nozzle on turning a knurled valve-controlling collar 55; such nozzle being customarily shaped exteriorly as indicated in dot and dash at 55'.

Such or an equivalent device, in the possession of the purchaser of the composite package now being described, is used by him, preparatory to employing the chamber 44 for refrigerating the liquid in the can l5 and then dispensing such liquid; but, for ideal coaction with the valvemeans including the ball 38, a nozzle exteriorly shaped as shown at 56 is incorporated in the bomb 54.

The bomb 54, containin under compression a gaseous substance of the kind which on expansion has a refrigerating effect, is used by applying its nozzle 56 to the grommet 4'! as indicated in Fig. 6, then turning the collar 55 to expand said substance into the chamber 44, past the ball 48 and through the slots 45 and 52. Desirably, said substance is compressed into the chamber 44, and to hold the same thus compressed, until by puncturing the outer container 4243 as already described, a further refrigerating effect is obtained by expansion then of said substance in issuing from the chamber 44 by way of such puncture, the valve-means including the ball 43 is included. The substance under pressure in the chamber 44 prior to such puncturing, will seat the ball on the grommet 41 to close said valve-means the instant the'nozzle 56 is moved away from the grommet.

The dimpling 46 may be dispensed with, and also use of the ball 68. The grommet 41, or an equivalent, to strengthen the material of the main body 42 at the point of application of the nozzle 56 will, however, preferably be retained. In such case, the content of the container l5 could be refrigerated by first puncturing the outer container 4243 at a suitable point high up on the same (such puncturing done now by the purchaser of the composite package, or previously done at the factory), and then applying the nozzle 55 to the grommet 41', to feed said substance into the chamber M, and, by holding the nozzle at the grommet, perform the entirety of the refrigeration by expansion of said substance in said chamber consequent upon its issuance to the atmosphere through such puncture.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of our invention, it is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A package for an edible or potable commodity, comprising a container for said commodity, an outer structure at least partially enveloping said container to provide a closed chamber in said package, said outer structure having an exterior wall formed with an opening, a oneway inlet valve in said structure closing said opening, said opening for facilitating injection into said chamber of a gaseous substance of a nature such that on expansion it has a refrigerating effect, said opening so shaped and arranged that a conformably shaped nozzle of a device for discharging said gaseous substance under pressure may be entered in said opening in a substantially gas-tight manner for supplying said chamber with said. substance under pressure, said outer structure also having a wall which is readily puncturable by any sharp-pointed hand-tool to open said chamber to the atmosphere, whereby after supplying said chamber with said gaseous substance, the last-named wall may be punctured to provide an aperture for allowing expansion of said substance by issuance thereof through said aperture.

2. A package for an edible or potable commodity, comprisin a container for said commodity, an outer structure at least partially enveloping said container to provide a closed chamber in said package, said outer structure having an exterior wall formed with an opening communicating with said chamber, said opening for facilitating injection into said chamber of a gaseous substance of a nature such that on expansion it has a refrigerating effect, said opening so shaped and arranged that a coniormably shaped nozzle of a device for discharging said gaseous substance under pressure may be entered in said opening in a substantially gas-tight manner for supplying said chamber with said substance under pressure, said outer structure also having a wall which is readily puncturable by any sharp-pointed hand-tool to open said chamber to the atmosphere, whereby after supplying said chamber with said gaseous substance, the lastnamed wall may be punctured to provide an aperture for allowing expansion of said substance by issuance thereof through said aperture, and a one-way valve carried by and within said outer structure at said opening for acting to close the latter in response to pressure from said substance in said chamber on rendering said device inoperative relative to said opening.

3. The method of packaging a commodity, which involves enclosing a commodity in a container, adding a further package component comprising an outer structure at least partially enveloping said container and so as to provide a closed chamber in said composite package, said outer structure having an opening at the exterior of the composite package, said opening leading to said chamber, and incorporating in the composite package at said opening a one-way Valve for permitting admission into the chamber of a gaseous substance under pressure but for closing said opening on ceasing such admission, said substance of a nature such that on expansion it has a refrigerating efiect, said outer structure having an exterior wall bounding said chamber and readily puncturable at a point removed from said opening, whereby on thereafter puncturing said wall to open said chamber to the atmosphere said substance in issuing from such puncture will lower the temperature of said commodity.

LEO ZWIEBACH.

IVLENDY ZWIEBACH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 200,065 Kloczewski et al. Feb. 5, 1878 1,897,723 Free Feb. 14, 1933 2,185,799 Blake Jan. 2, 1940 2,336,571 Rodeck Dec. 14, 1943 2,460,765 Palaith Feb. 1, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 634,643 France Nov. 28, 1927

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