EP1164341B1 - Self-cooled beverage packing - Google Patents

Abstract

A self-cooling package for beverages that includes a cooling device internal to the package and connection to a pumping device external to the package. The internal cooling device is by a cavity filled with a coolant that evaporates under the effect of a depression.

Description

The present invention relates to a packaging of drink to cool its contents. The invention is particularly applicable to cooling of drinks contained in a package Closed type can or bottle.

The object of the present invention is to enable the consumption of a drink at the ideal temperature in any place and any time.

There are mainly two physical methods cooling the contents of a package or pregnant. On the one hand, cooling by expansion of a gas according to the classical thermodynamic laws that bind the temperature and pressure, and on the other hand the evaporative and adsorption cooling, the principle is to evaporate a liquid under the effect a depression maintained by adsorption of vapors said liquid.

So, for example, the first method was put implemented in the French patent application FR-A-2 762 076 which proposes to carry out the refreshing of a canned drink by means of a gas expansion compressed. A gas cartridge to relax is placed in a metal radiator itself placed at inside the bobbin.

This solution has several disadvantages. On the one hand, the gas cartridge occupies approximately the half the volume of the beverage to cool, which is imposed by the amount of gas required for cooling of the drink. On the other hand, the price of comes back from a compressed gas cartridge is high, this which leads to an excessive increase in the price of can.

The implementation of the other method of evaporative cooling and adsorption a has also been the subject of much research in the prior art. Many devices have been proposed, combining an evaporator containing a liquid to evaporate to a reservoir containing an adsorbent.

For example, such a method has been implemented in autonomous devices such as portable refrigerators. The patent, US 4,126,016, of which an illustration is given in Figure 1, proposes a disposable refrigeration system in two parts. A evaporator 107, consisting of a chamber containing the liquid to evaporate, is inside a enclosure 100 and another chamber containing the adsorbent 108 is outside, the two elements 107 and 108 being connected by a connection device to gag 109

This connection device 109 is however complex to manufacture, especially if it is necessary to guarantee a good empty (moving parts by rotation and translation with rubber seal). Such a device is not cheap.

In addition, the implementation of the method of evaporative cooling and adsorption a has also been proposed for beverage packaging.

Thus, US Pat. No. 4,736,599, one of which illustration is given in Figure 2, proposes to make an exchanger 16 (evaporator) content totally inside the container 10 to cool (explicitly described as a can), but insists on the reversible nature of the setting in communication of the exchanger 16 with the adsorbent contained in a tank 22 located under the bobbin 10. This device has at least four valves: two to make the empty 19 then fill 20 the exchanger 16, one to make the vacuum in the reservoir 22 of the adsorbent and one for control the triggering of cooling. structuring ensures the rigidity of rooms 16 and 22 under vacuum and a tube 26 can connect the different elements. This complex construction does not allow certainly not to reach a cost price compatible with a disposable packaging like a can and the reversible nature of the setting in communication contributes to this complexity.

Other patents, US 4,759,191, supplemented by the US 5,048,301 of the same inventors, including one illustration is given in Figure 3, propose carry out the refrigeration of a drink 15 contained in a package 10 by means of a module 11 placed in Pack 10 (presented as a can).

This module 11 consists of several rooms, one first 12 which contains the liquid to be evaporated 18 (from water) and a second chamber 14, internal to the first 12, containing desiccants 25 and "traps to 24. Triggering means make it possible to put in contact the water 18 and desiccants 25 which act as a pump for water vapor. This adsorption reaction, which cools the first room 12, however causes a significant clearance of heat in the second chamber 14, which can be trapped by particular materials 24 (by phase change or by endothermic reaction). The US Pat. No. 5,048,301 proposes as such to add a thermal insulation (DEWAR type) by a room at vacuum 13 surrounding the chamber 14 containing the adsorbent 25.

None of the inventions of the prior art have known a significant commercial application to date. he There are technical reasons for this and economic reasons of manufacturing cost to which the present invention provides solutions.

Indeed, certain technical imperatives and have never been seriously taken into consideration in the prior art, and the constraints manufacturing costs are important given application to disposable devices.

The complexity of the devices proposed in the art is an obvious obstacle to their development. Communication porting valves reversible from US Pat. No. 4,736,599, although not described in detail, are complex and costly to manufacture. US Patents 4,759,191 and 5,048,301 suffer from the same economic constraint and also highlight the difficulty of evacuating heat released in the package by the adsorbent and the means complex to implement for that.

Furthermore, EP-A-0 931 998 discloses a evaporative self-cooling beverage package and adsorption comprising refrigeration means internal to the packaging and pumping means by external adsorption to said packaging connected to refrigeration means. Manufacturing constraints and assembly are not specified and the cavity forming the refrigeration means has a shape not allowing a large area of exchange with the drink to cool.

In addition, US-A-5 440 896 discloses a apparatus for cooling a package having a cooling chamber that can dwell in a hollow of a package (a bottle) whose contents is to cool or surround the bottle or constitute a basin in which the bottle is dipped. Such device is complex to manufacture and its effectiveness limit.

The devices of the prior art do not not allow rapid cooling of the beverage. Two essential points for such rapid cooling have indeed been insufficiently taken into account. On the one hand the efficiency of the exchange thermal between the evaporator and the drink, and other share the speed of pumping the vapors of the liquid refrigerant in the evaporator.

The pumping speed depends of course on the effectiveness of the adsorbent, but also geometric characteristics of the means of implementation Evaporator communication with the tank containing the adsorbent, and the residual pressure of non-adsorbable gases, ie gases other than vapor of the refrigerant liquid.

However, none of the devices of the prior art proposes special provisions to ensure good flow of pumping vapors. The different proposed configurations and types of placing valves in communication used suggest difficulties related to geometry. But even more than these geometric characteristics is the pressure residual non-adsorbable gases, therefore not pumped limits the process.

The objective of the present invention is to to solve the disadvantages of the prior art.

The present invention proposes a packaging of self-cooling drink whose operation is based on the principle of the evaporation of a liquid refrigerant at reduced pressure.

For this purpose, the invention proposes a packaging of self-cooling drink composed of two elements distinct.

The beverage package according to the invention contains refrigeration means constituted by a internal evaporator (a cavity) and means of connection of these refrigeration means to means pumping external to the packaging that provoke and maintain the evaporation of a coolant in the internal evaporator.

Internal refrigeration means and means external pumping make up the two elements separate from the device according to the invention. They are connected by means of connection but are independent in their design and manufacture.

The present invention object a package according to the features of claim 1.

According to one characteristic, the volume ratio on the surface of the internal cavity is between three and seven times lower than the ratio of the volume on the surface of the package.

According to one characteristic, the internal cavity has a volume less than or equal to 2cl for a packaging of a volume of 33cl.

According to another feature, the internal cavity has a contact area greater than or equal to 50 cm ² for a package of a volume of 33cl.

According to a feature of the invention, the cavity internal is sealed to the walls of the packaging.

According to one embodiment, the liquid refrigerant is water.

According to another mode of implementation, the liquid refrigerant is water containing a lowering additive its solidification temperature.

According to one characteristic, the coolant partially filled the internal cavity.

According to one characteristic, the partial pressure in the internal cavity of gases other than steam coolant, before connection to the means of external pumping, is less than or equal to 3mb.

According to one characteristic, the internal walls of the cavity are partially covered with a material porous hydrophilic.

According to one characteristic, the connection means have a cone structure closing the cavity internal and having an impression of uncapping, the external pumping means being provided with means of uncapping being interlocked with said structure in cone.

According to one characteristic, the internal cavity has a geometry such as the coolant can not flow through the means of connection which whatever the position in which the packaging is maintained.

According to one feature, the internal cavity is with star section.

According to an alternative embodiment, the cavity internal has a helical structure.

According to an alternative embodiment, the structure in cone connection means closing the cavity penetrates inside said cavity so that the impression of uncapping is situated towards the center of gravity of the cavity.

According to a first application, the packaging is a steel can.

According to a second application, the packaging is an aluminum can.

According to one characteristic, the internal cavity is made of the same material as the packaging.

According to another application, the package is a resistant plastic bottle (PET).

According to another application, the package is a glass bottle.

The packaging according to the invention has performance and flexibility well beyond those proposed in the prior art.

In addition, it can be manufactured at a very cost weak and without imposing an important modification of chains for manufacturing conventional packaging.

The design of two distinct elements allows optimize the industrialization of the device according to the invention. The internal cavity must be added to the container, but it occupies a negligible volume and may advantageously consist of the same material. The shape of the cavity is further studied for allow maximum heat exchange for a volume occupied minimal.

External pumping means are developed and manufactured separately. In addition, various means of pumping can be envisaged according to the applications.

• La figure 1, déjà décrite, est un schéma d'un dispositif portable auto-réfrigérant selon l'art antérieur,
• La figure 2, déjà décrite, est un schéma d'une canette de boisson auto-réfrigérante selon une variante de l'art antérieur ;
• La figure 3, déjà décrite, est un schéma d'une canette de boisson auto-réfrigérante selon une autre variante de l'art antérieur ;
• La figure 4 est une vue schématique, en coupe transversale selon AA, d'un emballage de boisson selon un mode de réalisation non couvert par l'invention ;
• Les figures 5a et 5b sont des vues détaillées des moyens de connexion de la figure 4 ;
• La figure 6 est une vue schématique, de dessus selon BB, de la figure 4 ;
• La figure 7 est une vue schématique, en coupe transversale selon CC, d'une variante de réalisation du mode de réalisation de la figure 4 ;
• La figure 8 est une vue schématique, en coupe transversale selon AA, d'un emballage de boisson selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• La figure 9 est une vue schématique, de dessus selon BB, de la figure 8 ;
• La figure 10 est une vue en perspective de la cavité selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention.

Other advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description given by way of illustrative example, and with reference to the figures in which:

• FIG. 1, already described, is a diagram of a self-cooling portable device according to the prior art,
• FIG. 2, already described, is a diagram of a self-cooling beverage can according to a variant of the prior art;
• FIG. 3, already described, is a diagram of a self-cooling beverage can according to another variant of the prior art;
• Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view along AA of a beverage package according to an embodiment not covered by the invention;
• Figures 5a and 5b are detailed views of the connection means of Figure 4;
• Figure 6 is a schematic view, from above according to BB, of Figure 4;
• FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view, in cross-section along CC, of an alternative embodiment of the embodiment of FIG. 4 ;
• Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view along AA of a beverage package according to one embodiment of the invention;
• Figure 9 is a schematic view, from above according to BB, of Figure 8;
• Figure 10 is a perspective view of the cavity according to one embodiment of the invention.

The following description relates to a packaging of beverage, can of steel or aluminum manufacturers equipped with refrigeration means based on on the principle of the evaporation of a liquid refrigerant at reduced pressure. The invention However, in the same way, a packaging of drink, glass or plastic bottle type resistant (such as PET for example).

An embodiment not covered by the invention will be described in reference to Figures 4 to 7.

A beverage package, consisting of a can 10, of standardized shape and volume, comprises a heat exchanger constituted by an internal cavity 2 containing a liquid L.

This cavity 2 has geometric features such that its volume-to-surface ratio is three to seven times lower than the volume-to-surface ratio of the package 10. Thus, for example, for a can of a standard volume of 33 cl. , the volume of the cavity 2 is less than or equal to 2c1 and its contact surface is greater than or equal to 50cm ² .

In order to facilitate the manufacture and recycling, cavity 2 is advantageously composed of same material as the bobbin 10, namely steel or in aluminium. For a bottle type packaging, the cavity 2 will preferably be carried out in a thermally conductive material such as aluminum for example.

The refrigerant liquid L contained in the cavity internal 2 may be water, or preferentially water containing an additive lowering its temperature of solidification, such as NaCl for example. With a additive, it is possible to improve the speed of cooling the drink by lowering the temperature of the cavity 2 (the heat exchanger) in below 0 ° C when the coolant L is the water.

According to an advantageous feature, the liquid L only partially fills the cavity 2, for example half.

According to another feature of the invention, the internal walls of the cavity 2 are advantageously covered with a porous hydrophilic material, such as cellulose or a polymer for example.

According to a feature of the invention, self-cooling beverage packaging does not involve no filling or pumping valve. The cavity 2, containing the liquid L to evaporate under vacuum, is sealed to the package 10, by cold crimping of two cones in one another, collage or any other technical.

According to another feature of the invention, the internal cavity 2 contains only the coolant L and the vapors of said liquid L, that is to say that the liquid L has previously been degassed before to be introduced into the cavity 2. This degassing can be assured, in particular, by boiling atmospheric pressure followed by boiling by pressure reduction up to a few millibars.

In other words, the partial pressure in the internal cavity 2 gases other than steam coolant L, before connecting cavity 2 external pumping means, is less than or equal to at 3mb. This feature helps ensure good evaporation rate avoiding to limit the reaction evaporation with non-adsorbable gases that would be contained in the cavity 2.

The geometry of cavity 2 is important at look at the cooling rate that one wants to obtain because it conditions the effectiveness of the heat exchange between cavity 2 and the drink cool.

According to the embodiment, described in reference to FIGS. 4 to 7, the geometry of the cavity 2 favors a large trading area with the drink to cool down for a small volume occupied in 10. The ratio of the volume on the surface of the the cavity 2 is then between 5 and 7 times that of the packaging 10 of the drink.

According to this embodiment, the cavity 2 is of tubular structure, mainly consisting of tubes 3 which form ribs held between they by plates 31. The ribs 3 have a shape 3/4 of a cylinder and lead to a common pipe 4. They contain the coolant L to evaporate.

The internal cavity 2 can advantageously present a form of circular arc that follows the shape of the bobbin 10. It is attached to the sides of the bobbin 10 by fixing means 6 composed of claws welded or glued for example.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment variant in which the common pipe 4 opens at the center C of cavity 2. This arrangement avoids the flow of the coolant L by the connecting means 5 and thus allows to ensure the evaporation reaction which that is the position in which the bobbin 10 is held when connected to the pumping means external (50).

The connection means 5, which make it possible connect the tube 4 of the internal cavity 2 to the means of external pumping are illustrated in detail on the Figures 5a and 5b.

These connection means 5 associate the tube 4 and the bottom of the package 10 by conical shapes complementary set.

So, for example, in the configuration of the 5a, the tube 4 has a tip 52 in the form of cone set in a boss 51 of the bottom of the package 10. It is the tube 4 of the cavity 2 which ensures the closure of the bottom of the package 10 at the time of its assembly. The cavity 2 is sealed under vacuum before being attached to the bottom of the package 10.

Conversely, in the configuration of the figure 5b, the tube 4 has a tip 54 with a boss crimped on a cone 53 of the bottom of the package 10. In this configuration is the 53 cone of the bottom of the package 10 which ensures the closure of the cavity 2 at the time of assembly. In order to guarantee a good empty in the cavity 2, this assembly can be realized, for example, under vacuum and under pressure saturating vapor of the coolant L.

These two configurations are given as illustrative examples but other combinations on the meaning of the bosses and the nature of the closure of the cavity and bottom of the package can be considered.

In particular, the closure of the cavity 2 can be ensured by a conical plug 55 (figure 8) for example, set up after assembling the cavity 2 in the package 10. Optionally, this plug can be part of the pumping means by external adsorption if the latter is jointly and severally assembled to the packaging during its manufacture.

In addition, it may be envisaged to connect the tube 4 of the cavity 2 to the lid of the package 10 rather than at its bottom.

In all configurations, the structure that closes the cavity 2 must necessarily have a impression of uncapping, ie a thinning of the structure, to allow the cutting an opening in the internal cavity 2 to using means of uncapping associated with the means external pumping (50).

The means of uncapping may have different shapes, tubular or pointed, for example, and be operated by different means, by pressure manual for example. Their function is to support on the footprint of uncapping to cut a opening in the internal cavity 2 and thus allow the triggering of the evaporation reaction and the implementation of the cooling process of the beverage contained in the package 10.

An embodiment according to the invention is described with reference to Figures 8 to 10.

This embodiment according to the invention takes up the main features of the mode previously described embodiment. Only the form of the cavity 2 varies. The geometry of the cavity 2 favors the establishment of convection important in the drink to ensure fast cooling.

According to this mode, the internal cavity 2 is a double bottom of the can 10. It has a conical shape in vertical section (Figure 8) and a starry structure in horizontal section (Figure 9). Cavity 2 is attached directly to the bottom of the package 10, by collage for example.

The connection means 5 associated with this second embodiment are similar to those described in reference to the first embodiment, as well as the associated uncapping means.

During the implementation of the cooling, the package 10 is turned over (bottom up). This specificity can be indicated in the mode of use of the self-cooling packaging according to the invention. The conical shape of the cavity 2 allows then to concentrate the convection currents descendants in the center of the can 10 and accelerate thus the cooling speed of the drink.

The starry structure of the cavity 2 makes it possible besides increasing its trading surface with the drink to cool. In this embodiment, the report volume on the surface of cavity 2 is then between 3 and 5 times that of packing 10 of the drink.

According to an alternative embodiment, the cavity 2 has a helical structure (Figure 10) which causes a rotational movement in the current of convection, known as a vortex, which contributes to the acceleration of this current. This particular structure can advantageously be obtained by a helicoidal shaping of the starry structure of Figure 9. It can also be obtained, for example, by adding fins to the structure of the cavity 2.

It could be envisaged to achieve such helical structure integral with the lid of the packaging rather than its bottom. In such a case, the bobbin 10 shall be held in place during the duration of the cooling, and the connection means 5 external pumping means must then be integrated in the lid. However, such an achievement is not covered by the claims.

According to an alternative embodiment, the structure cone 55 connecting means 5 closing the cavity 2 penetrates inside said cavity 2 so as to the impression of uncapping is located towards the center of gravity of cavity 2. It is thus possible to avoid a flow of coolant L by the connection means 5, during the implementation of the cooling, whatever the position in which the package 10 is held.

The cooling of the drink 15 contained in the can 10 is obtained by evaporation of the liquid L content in the internal cavity 2. This evaporation is caused and maintained by a depression in the internal cavity 2.

For this purpose, external pumping means (50) are provided in combination with the self-cooling packaging according to the invention, these external means being able to trigger and maintain the reaction of evaporation of the coolant L in the cavity 2.

According to the applications, these external means (50) may consist of a mechanical vacuum pump, or cryogenic pumping means such as cold traps that condense water vapor, or still a vacuum cartridge containing air reagents (desiccants) able to trigger the adsorption of the liquid L.

Claims (23)

1. A self-cooling package for beverages, comprising :

   cooling means (2) internal to said package (10) composed of a cavity containing a refrigerant liquid (L) which evaporates under the effect of a depression;

   means for pumping the vapors of the refrigerant liquid, external (50) to said package (10);

   connection means (5) between said internal refrigeration means and said external pumping means,

      characterised in that the cavity of the internal refrigeration means (2) is of conical shape and constitutes a double bottom of the package.
2. The self-cooling package for beverages according to claim 1, characterized in that the ratio of the volume to the surface area of the internal cavity (2) is three to seven times smaller than the ratio of the volume to the surface area of the package (10).
3. The self-cooling package for beverages according to one of the claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the internal cavity (2) has a volume smaller than or equal to 2 cl for a package (10) with a volume of 33 cl.
4. The self-cooling package for beverages according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the internal cavity (2) has a contact surface greater than or equal to 50cm² for a package with a volume of 33 cl.
5. The self-cooling package for beverages according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the internal cavity (2) is sealed to the walls of the package (10).
6. The self-cooling package for beverages according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the refrigerant liquid (L) is water.
7. The self-cooling package for beverages according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the refrigerant liquid (L) is water containing an additive that lowers its freezing point.
8. The self-cooling package for beverages according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the refrigerant liquid (L) partially fills the internal cavity (2).
9. The self-cooling package for beverages according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the partial pressure, in the internal cavity (2), of gases other than vapor of the refrigerant liquid (L), before connection to the external pumping means, is lower than or equal to 3 mb.
10. The self-cooling package for beverages according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the internal walls of the cavity (2) are partially covered with a hydrophilic porous material.
11. The self-cooling package for beverages according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connection means (5) comprise a cone-like structure. (52, 53, 55) closing the internal cavity (2) and comprising a delidding punch zone, the external pumping means being provided with delidding means that plug into said cone-like structure.
12. The self-cooling package for beverages according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the internal cavity has a geometry such that the refrigerant liquid (L) cannot flow through the connection means (5) whatever the position in which the package (10) is held.
13. The self-cooling package for beverages according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the internal cavity (2) has a star section.
14. The self-cooling package for beverages according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the internal cavity (2) comprises a helical structure.
15. The self-cooling package for beverages according to one of the claims 11 to 14, characterized in that, the cone-like structure of the connection means (5) enclosing the cavity (2) penetrates the interior of said cavity (2) so that the delidding punch zone is located towards the center of gravity of the cavity (2).
16. The self-cooling package for beverages according to any of the claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the package (10) is a steel can.
17. The self-cooling package for beverages according to any of the claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the package (10) is an aluminium can.
18. The self-cooling package for beverages according to the claims 16 or 17, characterized in that the internal cavity (2) is made of the same material as the package (10).
19. The self-cooling package for beverages according to any of the claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the package (10) is a bottle made of resistant plastic (PET plastic).
20. The self-cooling package for beverages according to any of the claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the package (10) is a glass bottle.
21. The self-cooling package for beverages according to any of the claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the external pumping means (50) are constituted by an airtight cartridge containing a material capable of adsorbing the refrigerant liquid (L).
22. The self-cooling package for beverages according to any of the claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the external pumping means (50) are constituted by a mechanical vacuum pump.
23. The self-cooling package for beverages according to any of the claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the external pumping means (50) are constituted by cryogenic pumping means.

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