FR2692661A1 - Instant canned drink chiller submerged within individual container - has pressurised cryogenic fluid in central reservoir released through cooling channels when user breaks closure seal - Google Patents

Abstract

The chiller fits closely inside the can or other disposable container. A piston (4), which the ring-pull or other closure depresses when the can is opened, displaces a conical stopper (5) from the discharge nozzle at the top of a central cylinder (7). The cylinder, with a tank (6) fitting the can bottom, contains the liquid or solid refrigerant which then expands rapidly, passing as gas through release holes (8) and axial ducts into thin flat vertical channels (9) whose walls are in contact with the drink. Twelve channels, set in star fashion round the central cylinder, are vented (10) to the can interior. Three spacer rods (11) locate the chiller firmly. ADVANTAGE - Chilling obtained without cold storage.

Description

DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to the field of the packaging industry conditioning foodstuffs and more particularly beverages or thirst quenching liquids packaged in metal cans for example or in any other container.

The patent for the invention applied for relates to a mechanical refrigeration device with manual activation, immersed in any beverage can as defined above and currently marketed worldwide.

This so-called self-cooling device, thus adapted inside the metal box or any other container, allows the consumer to drink fresh at any time, whatever the place where he is, without the addition of a cooler, isothermal trunk or devices producing cold such as refrigerators, freezers etc ... Indeed, thanks to this device immersed in its metal box or other container, the consumer obtains in a few seconds this same result of freshness nothing by operating the opening spoon or any other equivalent system located on the lid of its box. A harmless gesture directly triggering the self-cooling process of the device in contact with the drink to be refrigerated.

According to the particular embodiments:
The mechanical refrigeration device with manual activation, forming a one-piece assembly of inseparable mechanical and / or inert elements is immersed in the drink contained in a metal box or in any other container such as those currently sold worldwide and comprises: a) - A control piston (4) positioned under the fulcrum of the opening spoon (3) of the box (1) located on the cover (2) and actuated by the consumer.

b) - A conical plug (5) closing the neck of the reservoir (6) of refrigerant or cryogenic gas (7) inserted in the device and on which, in the event of triggering of the latter, the thrust of the control piston (4) caused by the depression of the fulcrum of the opening spoon (3) actuated by the consumer.

c) - Supply orifices (8) which, in the event of instantaneous release of the conical shaped plug (5) depressed by the control piston (4), would distribute at its outlet from the tank (6), the refrigerant gas or cryogenic (7) liquid or solid, in gaseous state in all of the hollow walls (9) arranged in a "star" around the periphery of the device and which would cool down by their contact, in a few seconds, the drink contained in the box (1).

d) - An exhaust pipe (10) placed on the top of one of the wings of the hollow walls (9) of the device, allows the refrigerant or cryogenic gas (7) in the gaseous state, to evacuate at the outside of the box (1) after its cooling action exerted inside the hollow walls (9) in contact with the drink.

e) - Three retaining rods (11) distributed over the top of the set of hollow walls (9), guarantee the device against all forms of aggression which can accidentally depress the control piston (4) and therefore trigger the self-cooling process of the device immersed in the contents of the box (1) without being desired.

As a rule, the operation of the device is as follows:
The control piston (4) positioned under the fulcrum of the opening spoon (3) of the box (1) voluntarily actuated by the consumer, presses simultaneously with the opening, the conical plug (5) closing the neck of the reservoir (6) containing the refrigerant or cryogenic gas (7) in the liquid or solid state which is immediately propagated in the gaseous state by the supply orifices (8) which distribute it through the hollow walls (9) in "star" which are in contact with the drink to be refrigerated.

The mechanical refrigeration device with manual activation, as described above, is specially designed to operate only once and therefore constitutes a single, non-renewable operation of rapid refrigeration of a drink enclosed in a metal box (1) or in any other disposable container.

 It is important to emphasize that the device could also constitute, thanks to the addition of more substantial materials and / or materials in its manufacture, a mechanical refrigeration device with manual triggering adaptable in any non-disposable container, open or closed and intended to operate. as long as wear allows, thanks to the external addition to the device, of refrigerant or cryogenic gas cartridges (7) or of a gas refill of the same type to replenish the tank (6) inserted in the device .

Example of modifications:
The conical cap (5) removed, is replaced by the control piston (4), longer and whose cone-shaped end, has on the top and the sliding periphery in the neck of the tank (6), orifices through which, if the control piston (4) is depressed, the refrigerant or cryogenic gas (7) would follow the same cycle through the device as described above.

The mechanical refrigeration device with manual activation, the hollow walls (9) of which are in the shape of a star, can be modified so that the hollow walls (9) are machined in the form of "coils", "honeycombs" "or in all forms in general in which the refrigerant or cryogenic gas (7) could follow its cycle in an identical manner.

The device forming a one-piece assembly of inseparable mechanical and / or inert elements can be machined or manufactured in one or more parts, without any limitation as to the choice of materials and / or materials used in its / their design, whatever the variants and / or associations used in its / their manufacture.

The present device as described through the content of the preceding paragraphs, can be designed or produced in any other way and without the mechanical and / or inert elements which compose it, being immersed in the beverage refrigerate.

Example 1) - A metal box A stamped on itself inwards, thus forming
a star starting from the edge of the box and in which the
drink to be refrigerated.

2) - The metal box A thus stamped, is slid inside a second
box B at the bottom of which is incorporated a ref gas tank (6)
-rigrating or cryogenic (7) of a different form than that provided for in the
patentable device.

3) - The space between the two metal boxes A and B thus fitted and the star formed
by the drawing of the box A, thereby become the hollow walls
(9) of the device thus designed.

4) - A push button located under the box B and actuated directly by
the consumer will allow the refrigerant or cryogenic gas (7) contained
in the reservoir (6) to free itself in the hollow walls (9) formed by
the star and the space between the two boxes, and reRigerer the drink cont
- held in box A.

5) - Generally, it is no longer the opening spoon (3) located on
the cover (2) of the box (1) which triggers the operation of the device
- self-cooling device, but the push button located under box B and
on which, the consumer will press directly.

The seven attached figures illustrate the invention:
FIGS. 1 and 2 represent an example of a metal box in which the mechanical device for manual triggering of refrigeration can be adapted.

FIG. 3 shows in perspective, the device according to the invention.

FIG. 4, according to section "A" of Fig.3, shows a variant of this device.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, according to sections "B", "C" and "D", represent the device viewed from above with the various segmentations delimited by the respective cutting axes made in Fig.4.

The figures from 1 to 1 1 accompanying for the most part the various figures, have been assigned to the key elements of the device and correspond to (1) = The box (Fig.i) (2) = The The cover (Fig.2) (3) = The opening spoon (Fig. 2) (4) = The control piston (Fig. 3 and 4) (5) = The conical plug - (Fig. 4 and 6) (6) = The gas tank (Fig. 3, 4, -5, 6 and 7) (7) = The refrigerant or -cryogenic gas (Fig. 4 and 7)
(8) = The supply ports (Fig. 4 and 5)
(9) = The hollow walls (Figs. 3, 4, 5, - 6 and 7)
(10) = The exhaust pipe (Fig. 3, 4, 5 and 6)
(11) = The holding rods (Fig. 3 and 4)
With reference to these figures
The control piston (4) of the device has a sinking guard of
a few millimeters, sufficient to trigger the auto-cooling system
of the drink, by simply pushing the fulcrum of the opening spoon (3)
operated by the consumer.

The conical plug (5) also ensures, by its shape, the seal
-eity of the tank (6), is released in force under the push dte to the penetration
the fulcrum of the opening spoon (3) operated by the consumer and
passed on directly to the plug (5) by the control piston (4), part
mistress of starting the device.

The reservoir (6) inserted in the device has a "valve" allowing its
filling with refrigerant or cryogenic gas (7). This filling occurs
after machining and assembly of all mechanical and inert parts including
- daring the whole device which will then be slipped inside the box
(1), just before putting the drink in and putting the lid on (2). For technical reasons due to the manufacture and design of the
reservoir (6) of refrigerant or cryogenic gas (7), the filling valve does not
appatraft on none. appended figures illustrating the invention, but therein
planned.

Claims (10)

 1) - Mechanical refrigeration device with manual activation to cool any  drink enclosed in a box for example in metal or in any other container,  characterized in that the device by itself, forming a set of elements  mechanical and / or inert inseparable, is immersed in the drink contained in the  box or other container.  2) - Device according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises a piston  control (4) actuated by the opening system (3) of the container triggered by the  consumer, - a conical cap (5) closing the neck of a tank (6)  refrigerant or cryogenic gas (7) inserted in the device and on which, in the event of  triggering thereof, the thrust of the control piston (4) is exerted by  the opening system (3) operated by the consumer, - supply orifices  (8) which, in the event of instant release of the conical shaped plug (5) pressed by  the control piston (4) distribute, at its outlet from the tank (6), the refrigerant gas or  cryogenic (7) liquid or solid, in gaseous state in a set of hollow walls (9)  which refreshes by their contact, in a few seconds, the drink contained in  container (1).  3) - Device according to claim 2 characterized in that the control piston (4) is positioned under the fulcrum of an opening spoon (3) of the box (1) located  on the cover (2) and voluntarily actuated by the consumer thus triggering  simultaneously with the opening of the box (1), the instantaneous cooling of the contents of  this in a few seconds, thanks to the emission of refrigerant or cryogenic gas (7)  in the gaseous state, propagating through the supply orifices (8) which distribute it immediately  inside the hollow walls (9) arranged in a "star" around the entire periphery of the device  in contact with the drink to be refrigerated.  4) - Mechanical refrigeration device with manual activation, according to  claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that its operation represents in its  cooling action, a unique and non-renewable operation for this type of box (1)  metal or other disposable container such as those currently sold worldwide.  5) - Mechanical refrigeration device with manual activation, according to  claims 2 or 3 characterized in that this device constitutes thanks to the contribution  of materials and / or materials more consistent in its manufacture, a device  mechanical refrigeration adaptable in any non-disposable container, open or closed  and intended to operate as long as wear and tear allows, thanks to  external addition to the device, cartridges or gas reserves  refrigerant or cryogenic (7) to replenish the tank (6) inserted in the device.  cryogenic (7) follows the same cycle through the device.  which, if the control piston (4) is depressed, the refrigerant gas or  the top and on the sliding periphery in the neck of the tank (6), orifices by  longer control piston (4), the cone-shaped end of which has on  Thus, the conical plug (5) is removed and replaced directly by the 6) - Device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the said device comprises on the top of one of the wings of the hollow walls (9), an exhaust pipe (10) allowing the gas refrigerant or cryogenic (7) in the gaseous state, to evacuate inside the box (1) or other container, after its cooling action exerted inside the hollow walls (9) in contact with the beverage refrigerate. 7) - Device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that three holding rods (11) distributed over the top of the set of hollow walls (9), guarantee the device against all forms of aggression may accidentally depress the control piston (4) and thereby trigger the refrigeration process of the device immersed in the contents of the box (1) without being desired. 8) - Device according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that hollow walls (9) instead of being star-shaped, can also be machined in the most diverse forms, such as "nests d 'bees "," coils "or in all forms in general in which the refrigerant or cryogenic gas (7) could follow its cycle in an identical manner. 9) - Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mechanical manual-operated refrigeration device forms a one-piece assembly of inseparable mechanical and / or inert elements which can be machined in one or more parts. 10) - Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reservoir (6) inserted in the device, has a "valve" allowing its filling with refrigerant or cryogenic gas (7). This filling occurs after machining and assembly of all the mechanical and inert parts making up the entire device which will then be slipped inside the box (1) just before the drink is put in and there is crimp the cover (2).