US3494143A - Disposable container - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 10, 1910 E ARNET ET A1. 3,494,143

DI SPOSABLE CONTAINER Filed April 26, 1968 swam: 2. mnand mum 1.. M17;

uwsnrons A TTORNEY United States Patent 3,494,143 DISPOSABLE CONTAINER Eugene R. Barnett, 6268 Windsor Drive 46219, and Willard L. Barnett, 3367 W. Michigan St. 46222, both of Indianapolis, Ind.

Filed Apr. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 724,402 Int. Cl. F25d 3/10; B65d 41 /32 US. Cl. 62294 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to a novel and advantageous disposable container which is self-cooling, that is, a container whose contents are significantly cooled by the effect of release of a refrigerant fluid from a cartridge carried interiorly of the container.

Generally speaking, the concepts of the invention provide for convenience, handiness, and ease of use; for economy of construction and assembly; for effectiveness of construction and operation; and yet also for safety from several standpoints.

More particular concepts provide that the refrigerantrelease means are self-contained; and there are novel means interconnecting the refrigerant cartridge and the container, in an economical manner which provides that the refrigerant-discharge portion of the cartridge and the cartridge-opening means are in a recessed position with respect to the container end-wall. The opening means for the refrigerant cartridge overlies the discharge portion of the cartridge, and thereby also battles the stream of refrigerant-discharge against the side of the recess.

The above description is quite general and introductory; more specific details, components, and concepts of the overall invention appear in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying generally diagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a disposable container according to concepts of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the container shown in FIG. 1, the view taken generally as indicated by section-line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 through 6 are fragmental detail cross-sectional views, taken generally as indicated by section-line X of FIG. 1, illustrating diagrammatically sequential steps of construction and assembly; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmental cross-sectional detail view, taken generally as indicated by section-line 7 of FIG. 1.

(FIGS. 3 through 7 are drawn in considerably larger scale than FIGS. 1 and 2.)

As shown in the drawings, a disposable container 10 according to the illustrated embodiment comprises a casing 12 shown of cylindrical form, and having end walls which are designated a top wall 14 and a bottom wall 16.

(However, the terms top and bottom are not at all absolute; and after the device has been caused to perform its self-cooling function, it is expected that the user would invert the can 10 from the orientation shown in FIG. 2, and open the container for dispensing the consumable beverage 18 by fracturing what is here referred to as the bottom wall 16. If desired, pull-tab" or other can-opening means may be provided, desirably in that bottom wall 16; although in some utilizations it may be desirable to make the top wall 14 or a portion of the casing 12 as the openable wall for dispensing the beverage, the particular beverage-dispensing means not being any .part of the present inventive concepts.)

Likewise, as not being a part of the inventive concepts, the end walls 14 and 16 are shown as secured to the respective ends of the casing 12 in a suitable liquid-tight manner.

According to the inventive concepts of this invention, the container 10 is shown self-cooling by a capsule or canister 20 which contains a suitable refrigerant fluid 21, for example, a Freon-12 liquid, under pressure; and the refrigerant capsule 20 is shown as carried by the top wall 14, and has self-carried puncturing means 22, as are now more fully described.

The refrigerant capsule 20 is shown as having a cylindrical body wall 23, having a closed inner end wall 24, and an outer end wall 26 which carries the puncturing means 22.

The canister wall 26 is shown (see particularly FIGS. 3 and 4, and compare them with one another) as having a. circumferentially-extending end flange 28 (carrying a sealing film or coating strip 30) which is overturned over the outer end of the casing 23, and which is shown as aflixed to the casing-wall 23 as by force exerted by an associated forming tool 32, acting leftwardly in FIG. 4) which effects an outwardly-extending but inwardly-opening circumferential locking bead or ridge 34.

As shown best in FIG. 4, the ridge 34 thus serves as a position-retaining abutment on the lower side of an inturned stiffening bead or flange 36 provided at the end of the canister cylindrical wall 23, and the out-turned cap-flange or bead 36 is abutted by the downwardly-facing portion of the above mentioned end-flange 28; and thus the canister cap-wall 26 is securely held in place with respect to the cylindrical cartridge-wall 23.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the means for retaining the refrigerant-capsule 20 onto the can-wall 14. As there shown, the can-wall 14 has a central open-portion 40, the wall-portion 42 adjacent the opening-edge being formed downwardly so that it passes over and inwardly around the turned-over cap-flange 28. (A sealing film or coating strip 44 is shown as underlying the cap-portion 42 for sealing the joint.)

Then, as by outwardly-directed force exerted (leftwardly in FIG. 5) by a forming tool 46, the wall-edge 40 is formed outwardly, and into locking position in the inwardly-facing groove provided by the formed ridge 34. The outwardly-formed wall-edge 40 extends circumferentially of the central cap-opening; and the edge 40 and the cap-wall 14 thus retain the refrigerant-capsule 20 by effectively abutting both downwardly-facing and up wardly-facing portions of the refrigerant cap-wall 26.

It will be observed that although the above-described retention of the refrigerant-capsule 20 to the external canwall 14 is shown in the same circumferentially-extending region as is the retention of the refrigerant-capsule end-wall 26 and body-wall 23, and as shown utilizes the formed portions of the latter-named retention means, the two retention means do not interfere with one anothers effectiveness, but, in contrast, co-operate to a great ex tent, as shown in FIG. 6.

The puncturing means 22 will now be described. As shown, the end-wall 26 of the refrigerant capsule 20 is shown formed upwardly providing a closed tubular extension 50 the end wall 52 of which is of relatively thin- 3 ner thickness than the can-wall 26 or the other walls 23 or 24 of the can 20'.

This thinness of the wall 52 provides the double function of an easily fracturable part (for dispensing the refrigerant 21), and gives a safety effect by providing a yieldable portion of the overall cartridge 20 which is located in a position so as not to discharge refrigerant 21 to the beverage 18 or expose the refrigerant-capsule pressure to the interior of the beverage-casing walls. Moreover, safety is further achieved by the tube-end 52 being in a position which, even through exteriorly-facing, is overlain by a self-carried cartridge-puncturing tool means 54 now to be described.

The puncturing tool 54 is shown as a cone-shaped penetrator or piercing point 56 carried as shown by the lower portion or leaf 58 of a formed piece of resilient sheetstock, the upper leaf 60 of Which is shown as aflixed by suitable securing means (shown in FIG. 2 as a rivet 62) to the capsule-wall 26. The rate of refrigerant discharge is limited by the fact that the piercing point 56 is only of a specific size; and thus too-rapid release of the refrigerant is avoided.

The leaves 58 and 60 are shown as formed from a single length of material; and the lower leaf 58 is formed as at 64 to engage the end-wall 26 of the refrigerant reservoir in a location between the outlet tube 50 and the location of the securing means 62, thus serving as a fulcrum for the puncturing assembly 54 and assisting in providing that spring-action will assure that the piercing point 56 will automatically withdraw from the dispensing tube 50 upon release of puncturing force.

The leaves 58 and 60 of the puncturing assembly 54 are shown (FIGS. 1 and 2) as being considerably broader than the outlet-end 52, assuring that the discharged refrigerant fluid (whether liquid or gaseous) will be bafiied laterally, against the axially-extending lid-wall 42, for subsequent non-forceful escape, rather than squirting as a stream under pressure.

FIG. 2 also illustrates the concept that the entirety of the movable puncturing assembly 54 is recessed or depressed below the plane of the can end-wall 14; and this recessing further achieves safety by being of sufficient dimension and nature as to assure that stacking of a plurality of the containers will not inadvertently cause th puncturing of the refrigerant-dispensing means of a lower can 10, and neither is handling or dropping of a can 10 likely to effect such puncturing. The refrigerant-discharge outlet tube 50 is even more recessed interiorly of the projected limits of the can 10, for not only is it adjacent the axial interior of the can, it is interiorly of the can-end and is overlain by the recessed puncturing assembly 54.

The piercing point 56 provides a pierced opening, in the outlet end-wall 52 When refrigerant-discharge is desired, as to provide the rate of refrigerant escape for the particular refrigerant used.

It is thus seen that a disposable container according to concepts of the present invention provides novel and advantageous concepts and features, providing a disposable container having means for changing the temperature of the contents thereof.

Accordingly, it will thus be seen from the foregoing description of the invention according to this illustrative embodiment, considered with the accompanying drawings, that the present invention provides a new and useful disposable container, having desired advantages and characteristics, and accomplishing its intended objects, including those hereinbefore pointed out and others which are inherent in the invention.

Modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the invention; accordingly, the invention is not limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described or shown.

What is claimed is:

1. A disposable container having a chamber within which the container contents are contained, and a closure wall which closes said chamber, there being provided for interiorly of said chamber a cartridge for containing a substance which when discharged alters the temperature of said container contents, in an overall combination in which:

there is provided cartridge opening means self-contained in an assembly of container and cartridge; the said cartridge-opening means includes a movable arm means having a portion thereof relatively fixed to the container and having a relatively movable portion having means to penetrate said cartridge, said arm means being spring urged to non-penetrating position with respect to the said cartridge. 2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which:

the said movable arm means includes an outer portion of which a portion thereof is the portion relatively fixed to said container, and a relatively inner portion engageable with said container between the location of said relative affixing and the location of said penetration by the said penetrating means, thereby pr0- viding a fulcrum for the movement of said arm means. 3. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which:

the said movable arm means carries baffle means in the path of the stream of substance-discharge achieved by said penetration, the baffie means being of a nature such as to baffle said stream toward a portion of said container relatively inwardly of the said container closure wall. 4. The invention as set forth in claim 3 in a combination in which:

there is provided a recess opening outwardly of said container closure wall, but extending inwardly thereof, the said movable arm means being carried in the said recess, the said recess providing a double safety function of:

(a) accommodating said movable arm means in a location such that the effecting of substancedischarge requires the application thereto of a force in a location relatively inwardly with respect to said container closure wall, and (b) providing that the discharge stream will be bafiied to the relatively inward location as specified in claim 10. '5. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which:

the closure wall is provided with an upstanding tube having a closed end wall which receives the said cartridge-opening penetration; and substance-discharge is thereafter through said tube and out the opening provided by the said penetration. 6. The invention as set forth in claim 5 in a combination in which:

the said closed end wall is significantly thinner than the said container closure wall, providing a means which is relatively readily penetratable upon actuation of said movable arm means, and which is also a yieldable means of the cartridge for the venting of excess pressure therein and which is located in a position so as to not expose the cartridge substance to the container contents nor expose cartridge pressure to the contents chamber. 7. The invention as set forth in claim 6 in a combination in which:

the said yieldab'le means is located inwardly of the said movable arm means in a position such that any stream 'of cartridge substance discharged therethrough will be bafiled by said movable arm means. 8. A disposable container having a chamber within which the container contents are contained, and a closure wall which closes said chamber, there being provided for interiorly of said chamber a cartridge for containing a substance which when discharged alters the temperature of said container contents, in an overall combination in which:

the said container closure wall is provided with an opening through which discharge of the cartridge substance is etfected; means for opening the said cartridge to achieve discharge of the cartridge substance; there being provided a bafiie means in the path of the stream of substance-discharge achieved by the said opening of the cartridge. 9. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which:

the said penetrating means providing a means which opens the said cartridge to release the substance carried therein but doe so by the provision of an opening of limited size which restricts the rate of substance-discharge.

References Cited 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,460,765 2/1949 Palaith 62294 3,326,013 6/1967 Jacobs 62-294 3,369,369 2/1968 Weiss 62-371 3,373,581 3/1968 Strader 62294 10 3,417,573 12/1968 Warner 62-294 WILLIAM J. WYE, Primary Examiner 15 U.S. Cl. X.R

UNITED STATES PATENT orFIcE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,494,143 February 10, 1970 Eugene R. Barnett et a1.

It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 11, "through" should read though Column 4, line 47, claim reference numeral "10" should read Signed and sealed this 24th day of November 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer

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