MXPA03003431A

MXPA03003431A - Evacuated sorbent assembly and cooling device.

Info

Publication number: MXPA03003431A
Application number: MXPA03003431A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Douglas Smith
Original assignee: Thermal Product Developments I
Priority date: 2000-10-18
Filing date: 2001-10-16
Publication date: 2005-01-25
Also published as: AU2002239784B2; ATE353427T1; EP1328763A2; WO2002040929A2; CA2426199A1; WO2002040929A3; EP1328763B1; AU3978402A; DE60126501T2; DE60126501D1

Abstract

An evacuated sorbent driven cooling device which may be added to a beverage or food container and which may also be affixed to, or integrated within, a panel of a beverage container.

Description

ASSEMBLY OF EVACUATED SORBENT AND COOLING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is concerned with mechanical techniques. In particular, the present invention is concerned with a sorbent assembly for use with sorbent activated cooling devices.

DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART There have been many attempts to manufacture a lightweight, inexpensive, compact cooling device employing an adsorbent to adsorb a liquid refrigerant such as water. In such a cooling device there are commonly two chambers, one that houses the adsorbent and the other that houses the liquid refrigerant, in thermal contact with the medium to be cooled. To obtain an effective cooling action, both the adsorbent chamber and the liquid refrigerant chamber must be evacuated. The adsorbent chamber, in particular, must have a substantial vacuum condition (evacuated to less than 8 x 1CT4 mm Hg). When communication is opened between the two chambers, some of the liquid refrigerant is caused to vaporize and flow into the adsorbent chamber, where the vapor is adsorbed by the adsorbent. The latent heat of vaporization causes the heat to be removed from Ref: 146724 the means adjacent to the liquid. The adsorption of steam causes the additional liquid to be vaporized, thus continuing the cooling process. A particular application for which cooling devices activated by adsorbent have been considered is the rapid cooling of a beverage. Such a device is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,928,495. This patent describes a self-contained cooling device in which a cooling effect is produced by causing a liquid refrigerant to evaporate in a chamber inside a beverage container and in the process absorbs heat from its surroundings. Then the resulting refrigerant vapor is adsorbed by an adsorbent housed in a chamber located outside the beverage container. While this device can act to cool a beverage placed inside the container, the difficulties and costs associated with the manufacture of a beverage container with an external adsorbent chamber are a significant impediment to the mass production of such containers. Furthermore, with this arrangement, the trajectory in which the vaporized liquid must travel before it is adsorbed by the adsorbent is long, which prevents the cooling device from properly cooling the beverage in a commercially acceptable amount of time.

Another beverage cooling device is described in U.S. Patent No. 6,151,911. This patent describes a mechanism for cooling a beverage contained by the use of an absorption or adsorption substrate in thermal contact with a medium that changes phase. It is a disadvantage of this cooling device that it requires a cylindrical chamber with a long vapor path to avoid liquid contact of the phase change medium with the absorption or adsorption substrate. Thus, it must be recognized that there remains a need for an assembly of adsorbent and cooling device that is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, that is compact and light in weight and has a short steam path, so long as it provides characteristics of effective cooling. The present invention satisfies these and other needs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises an evacuated sorbent assembly and cooling device that provides advantages with respect to the known adsorbent activated cooling devices in which the invention is easy and not expensive to manufacture. Also, the invention is compact and light in weight and has a short vapor path. Additionally, the invention provides effective cooling characteristics. The present invention is implemented in an evacuated sorbent assembly for coupling to a liquid refrigerant container and a cooling device consisting of at least one sorbent section, at least one section of liquid passage and one actuator. The sorbent section contains a sorbent for a liquid refrigerant. The liquid passage section is adjacent to the sorbent section and defines a passage of liquid through a portion of the evacuated sorbent assembly or cooling device to the sorbent section. The liquid passage contains a wicking or wicking material of an amount sufficient to prevent the liquid refrigerant from coming into contact with the sorbent. The controller controls the liquid communication between the liquid passage section and the liquid refrigerant vessel. In another embodiment, the evacuated sorbent assembly includes a vapor permeable membrane that separates the adjacent sorbent and the liquid passage sections, whether or not the liquid passage section contains capillary absorption material. Modes of the cooling device further include a liquid refrigerant container, adjacent to the liquid passage section and a box surrounding the sorbent section, the liquid passage section, the vapor permeable membrane, the liquid refrigerant container and the liquid refrigerant container. the actuator. In addition to including a capillarity absorption material, other embodiments of the present invention include: a material that removes heat, which may be a material that changes phase, in thermal contact with the sorbent; at least one barrier against the liquid between the material that removes the heat and the sorbent and at least one thermal separator positioned between the section of the sorbent and the liquid passage section. In some embodiments, the thermal separator is interposed between the sorbent section and the vapor permeable membrane. In other embodiments, the thermal separator is interposed between the vapor permeable membrane and the liquid passage section. In another embodiment (Figure 10) there is no capillary absorption material, nor vapor permeable membrane, but rather an hydrophobic anisotropic isolation material on one side and hydrophilic on the other replaces the functions of those components. In addition, some embodiments include boxes made from a flexible material such as a metallized plastic. A feature of the present invention is that it is lightweight compact. The invention is designed to fit within a host vessel, that is, a beverage container. A further feature of the invention, related to its compact size, is the short vapor path between the liquid refrigerant container and the sorbent. The steam path is at most several millimeters. Other features and advantages of the present invention will be summarized in part in the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein the preferred embodiments of the invention are described and shown and in part will be apparent to those skilled in the art after examination of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings or can be learned by the practice of the present invention. The advantages of the present invention can be realized and obtained by means of instrumentation and combinations indicated in particular in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a top plan view, partly in section, of a cooling device according to the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the cooling device of Fig. 1 showing details of a sorbent chamber and a liquid refrigerant container. Figure 2B is a sectional view of a first alternative embodiment of a cooling device according to the invention. Figure 3 is a plan view of a beverage container with the beverage and the cooling device of Figure 1 shown in dashed lines. Figure 4 is a perspective view, partly in section, of a second alternative embodiment of a cooling device according to the invention. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the cooling device of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a third alternative embodiment of a cooling device according to the invention. Figure 7 is a perspective view, partially in section, of a fourth alternative embodiment of a cooling device according to the invention. Figure 8 is a sectional view of a fifth alternative embodiment of a cooling device according to the invention. Figure 9 is a sectional view of a sixth alternative embodiment of a cooling device according to the invention. Figure 10 is a perspective view of a beverage container bag containing a single cooling device according to the invention. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the front surface of the bag cooling device shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of an alternative beverage container bag containing two cooling devices in accordance with Figs. the invention. Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of the front surface and the bag cooling device shown in Figure 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES Detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it will be understood that the disclosed modalities are only exemplary of the invention, which can be implemented in several ways. Accordingly, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be construed as limiting, but only as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in various ways. virtually any properly detailed structure. Certain terminology will be used in the following specification for convenience in reference only and not as a limitation. For example, the word "absorption" refers to the presence of a substance (eg, water vapor) that penetrates the internal structure of another (the absorbent). Also, the word "adsorption" refers to the presence of a substance (eg, water vapor) that is attracted and retained on the surface of another (the adsorbent). The words "absorption" and "adsorption" include derivatives thereof. The word "sorbent" refers to a material that is either an absorbent and / or an adsorbent. The evacuated sorbent assembly and cooling device is shown in the exemplary drawings. With particular reference to Figures 1, 2A and B, there is shown a cooling device 10 housing an evacuated sorbent assembly 12 adjacent to a liquid refrigerant container 14, which contains a liquid refrigerant 16. The cooling device includes a box evacuable 18, with opposite ends 20 and 22 and opposite sides 24 and 26. The box is substantially impermeable to air and moisture to provide the cooling device with an appropriate storage life (to provide several years of storage / inactivation before use) . Useful box materials have an oxygen transmission rate (OTR) preferably less than about 1 cm3 / m2 / day, more preferably less than 0.1 cm3 / m2 / day and more preferably less than 0.01 cm3 / m2 / day. The vapor transmission rate of the useful box materials is preferably less than about 2 g / m2 / day, more preferably less than 1 g / m2 / day and more preferably less than about 0.1 g / m2 / day. The box 18 is made of a flexible material such as a metallized plastic laminate or a sheet metal plastic laminate. Suitable box materials include flexible films such as those produced by the Rexam Corporation located in Bedford Park, Illinois and Toyo Aluminum located in Osaka, Japan. The flexibility of the cooling device allows it to be deformed without losing its performance characteristics. For example, the cooling device may be waved and then placed inside a beverage container without any degradation in its cooling capacities. A sectional view of the cooling device 10 is shown in Figures 2A and B. Included in the evacuated sorbent assembly 12 are a pair of sorbent sections 28 and 30 in which a sorbent 32 is disposed. The sorbent preferably includes an adsorbent material dispersed over, impregnated in, fixed to or otherwise combined with the porous support material. The porous support material preferably has a high pore volume and therefore a high surface area, to accommodate the adsorption of large quantities of liquid refrigerant 16, in vapor form, by the sorbent. The pore volume is expressed in units of volume per unit mass. The porous support material has a pore volume of at least about 0.8 cc / g, more preferably at least about 1 cc / g and even more preferably at least about 1.5 cc / g. In order to accommodate high levels of adsorption of liquid refrigerant 16, it is also important to control the average pore diameter and pore size distribution of the porous support material. The average pore diameter is preferably at least about 1 nanometer and commonly in the range of about 1 to about 20 nanometers. The average pore diameter distribution is such that there are very few pores that have a diameter of less than about 0.5 nanometers. The porous support material can be selected from virtually any material having the properties identified above. Preferred materials for the porous support material include activated carbon and silica. The porous support material may come in a variety of shapes and sizes selected for a particular application. For example, in some embodiments, the porous support material consists of small activated carbon pellets having a size in the range of about 0.5 to 2 mm. In alternative embodiments, the porous support material consists of silica pellets having a size of about 0.25 to 0.5 mm. The size of the pellets can be selected to influence the speed at which the vapor of the liquid refrigerant 16 is absorbed. The larger pellets absorb the liquid refrigerant vapor at a slower speed due to the increased path length. It is preferred that the absorbent material have a pore volume that is at least about 50% of the pore volume of the porous support material and even more preferably, at least about 65% of the pore volume of the porous support material . That is, it is preferable that if the pore volume of the porous support material is about 1.5 cc / g, then the pore volume of the absorbent material is preferably not less than about 0.75 cc / g, more preferably not less than about 1.0 cc / g. When the liquid refrigerant 16 is water, the absorbent material is preferably capable of absorbing at least about 100 percent of its weight in water, more preferably at least about 150 percent of its weight in water, and even more preferably at least about 200 percent of its weight in water. The amount of water that can be absorbed will also be influenced by relative humidity and temperature. Any appropriate absorbent material can be used. Representative absorbent materials include salts such as calcium chloride, lithium chloride, lithium bromide, magnesium chloride, calcium nitrate and potassium fluoride. Other suitable absorbent materials include phosphorous pentoxide, magnesium perchlorate, barium oxide, calcium oxide, calcium sulfate, aluminum oxide, calcium bromide, barium perchlorate and copper persulfate, 13x zeolite, zeolite 5a, silicalite, gel silica, alumina, carbon, modified carbons and the like. In addition, the absorbent material may also contain combinations of two or more of these materials. Adjacent to each sorbent section 28 and 30 are the liquid passage sections 34 and 36 respectively, which define liquid passages 38 and 40 respectively, through at least a portion of the evacuated adsorbent assembly 12. A pair of actuators 42 and 44 control the flow of liquid refrigerant 16 from the liquid refrigerant container 14 to the liquid passage sections. In some embodiments, the actuators are mechanically activated. In other embodiments, the actuators are actuated by pressure, such that a change in pressure causes the actuators to open and allow communication between the liquid refrigerant container and the liquid passage sections. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 ?, a capillary absorption material 46 is placed inside the liquid passage sections 34 and 36. The capillary absorption material attracts the liquid refrigerant 16 from the liquid refrigerant container 14 and retains the liquid refrigerant for the subsequent vaporization and adsorption by the sorbent 32. In addition, the capillary absorption material absorbs any vaporized liquid refrigerant in the passage sections of liquid that is recondensed before reaching the sorbent. When the liquid refrigerant is water, suitable capillarity absorption materials include hydrophilic materials such as microporous metals, porous plastics (polyethylene, polypropylene), cellulose products, sintered thermal tube material or glass paper and the like. No more capillary absorption material 46 is required than is necessary to attract all liquid refrigerant 16 to be adsorbed in the evacuated sorbent assembly 12. The capillary absorption material has a sufficient pore size to allow capillary action (the attraction of all the liquid refrigerant in the liquid refrigerant container 14) elapses over the course of 60 seconds and more preferably in the range of 10 seconds after the actuation.

In the embodiments shown in Figures 4 and 5, the capillary absorption material 46 provides a direct interface between the liquid refrigerant 16 and the sorbent 32. In these embodiments, the capillary absorption material maintains and retains the liquid refrigerant until it is vaporized and later adsorbed by the sorbent. Sufficient absorption material by capillary action is used in such a way that the non-vaporized liquid refrigerant does not come into direct contact with the sorbent. Is it also shown in the modality shown in figure 2? a vapor permeable membrane 48 separating the sorbent sections 28 and 30 and adjacent liquid passage sections 34 and 36. The vapor permeable membrane is semipermeable such that only the vaporized liquid refrigerant 16 can pass through it. to be adsorbed by the sorbent 32. In some embodiments, the vapor permeable membrane is a substantially flat film that is thermally sealed or sealed by an adhesive to enclose the sorbent and prevent the liquid from coming into contact with the sorbent within the vapor permeable membrane. Useful vapor permeable membranes include semipermeable films such as films available under the trademark TYVEK® produced by E.I. DuPont de Nemours, Wilmington, Delaware and films available under the trademark GORETEX® produced by R.L. Gore Company, Ne ark, Delaware. In other embodiments of the present invention, the vapor permeable membrane is substantially non-planar, but is corrugated or otherwise formed to increase the surface area and thereby the rate at which the vaporized liquid refrigerant passes through the membrane . Alternatively, the vapor permeable membrane 48 may be a hydrophobic coating applied to one or both of the surfaces of the sorbent sections 28 and 30 and the liquid passage sections 34 and 36 that are facing each other. Suitable idrophobic coatings include those available under the trademark SCOTCHGARD® produced by 3M, St. Paul, Minnesota. Since there may be large temperature differences between the capillary absorption material 46 and the sorbent sections 28 and 30, in some embodiments, thermal separators 56 and 58 are interposed between the sorbent sections and the vapor permeable membranes 48 or between the sorbent sections and the absorption material by capillarity. The thermal separators are used to isolate the heat generated by the sorbent 32. Since the temperature between the absorption material by capillarity and the sorbent sections can vary from 5 ° C to 150 ° C, the thermal separators have a thermal resistance ( thermal conductivity in packet conditions divided by thickness) preferably less than 100 W / m2K, more preferably less than 50 W / m2K and more preferably less than 20 W / m2K. The materials used for the thermal separators can be selected from a range of materials known in the art to provide sufficient vapor permeability such as glass fiber, plastic fibers and plastic foams. As shown in the alternative embodiment illustrated in Figure 2B, an insulating material 71 is placed between the sorbent sections 28 and 30 and adjacent liquid passage sections 34 and 36 that replace the wicking material 46, thermal separators 56 and 58 and the vapor permeable membrane 48 shown in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2A. The insulating material 71 is chosen to inhibit thermal leakage from the sorbent sections 28 and 30 to the exterior of the device, commonly, the insulating material has thermal conductivity limits less than 0.05 W / mK, preferably less than about 0.035 W / mK and more preferably, less than about 0.025 W / mK. Preferably, the insulating material 71 has a crush resistance sufficient to withstand approximately a uniaxial bar load and limit shrinkage due to evacuation, less than about 20%, more preferably less than about 5% and more preferably less than about 2%. In some embodiments, an anisotropic insulating material that contains both a hydrophilic region 72 and a hydrophobic region 73 is preferred. Such insulating material inhibits the passage of the liquid refrigerant 16 to the sorbent sections 28 and 30, and still allows the vapor of the liquid refrigerant to pass to the sorbent sections 28 and 30. The hydrophilic region 72 of the insulating material has pores with a diameter relatively large, not less than 10 mm in diameter, on average. The large pores of the hydrophilic region 72 encourage the rapid flow of liquid refrigerant 16 to the material. The hydrophobic region 73 has pores of a relatively small diameter, commonly less than about 2 mm in diameter, such that the unvaporized liquid refrigerant 16 is prevented from passing into the sorbent section 28 and 30, but rather only the The vapor of the liquid refrigerant 16 is directed to the sorbent section 28 and 30. The thickness ratio of the hydrophobic region 73 to the hydrophilic region 72 is a function of the choice of materials used to form those regions, the amount of liquid refrigerant 16. on the device and the desired performance criteria of the device.

The insulating material 73 can be formed by laminating a hydrophilic material such as cellulose, paper, woven or non-woven fabric formed from glass, plastic, ceramic or cellulose fibers, to a hydrophobic material. The hydrophobic material can be manufactured by modifying a hydrophilic material with a hydrophobic agent, such as by impregnation of a hydrophilic material with wax or by adding a hexamethyldisilazane group or a fluorinated reagent to the hydrophilic material. Alternatively, the insulating material can be formed by surface modification, whereby a sheet of material (either hydrophilic or hydrophobic) is modified to change the surface on one side. In general, the surface on one side of a hydrophobic material can be made hydrophilic by exposure to thermal or plasma treatment or by impregnation with surfactants. The surface of a hydrophilic material can be made hydrophobic by treatment with hydrophobic agents or impregnation of wax-like material. The evacuated sorbent assembly 12 may also contain a material that removes the heat 50 in thermal contact with the sorbent sections 28 and 30. The material that removes the heat is placed adjacent to the surface of the section (s) of sorbent opposite (s) to the heat-permeable membrane 48. The material that removes heat is one of three types: (1) a material that undergoes a phase change when heat is applied (material that changes phase); (2) a material having a higher thermal capacity than the sorbent 32 or (3) a material that undergoes an endothermic reaction when placed in contact with a vaporized liquid refrigerant 16. It will be understood by the skilled artisan that the material that it removes the heat, for use in a particular application it can vary depending on the sorbent used, the thermal insulation, if any, where the material that changes phase, the liquid refrigerant and the cooling speed desired. Suitable heat removal materials include paraffin, naphthalene sulfur, hydrated calcium chloride, bromoalcamphor, cetyl alcohol, cyanamide, eletric acid, lauric acid, calcium silicate hydrate, sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate, disodium phosphate, sodium carbonate hydrate, hydrated calcium nitrate, neopentyl glycol, inorganic hydrated salts which include Glauber's salt, inorganic salts encapsulated in paraffin, hydrated sodium and potassium sulfate and hydrated sodium and magnesium acetate. The material that removes the preferred heat is an inorganic salt that has been melted and resolidified to form a monolith (thereby reducing the volume of the material that removes the heat by approximately 30%).

The material that removes the heat 50 separates some of the heat from the sorbent sections 28 and 30 simply by means of sensible heat storage, because the material that removes the heat is heated as the sorbent sections are heated, eliminating by this the heat of the sorbent sections. However, the material that removes the most effective heat usually undergoes a phase change. A large amount of heat is absorbed in relation to a phase change (that is, change from a solid phase to a liquid phase, change from a solid phase to part of a solid phase and part of a liquid phase or a change from a liquid phase to a liquid phase). a vapor phase). During the phase change there is commonly little change in the temperature of the material that removes the heat, despite the relatively substantial amount of heat adsorbed to effect the change. Another requirement of the material that removes the heat, which changes phase, is that it changes phase to a temperature higher than the expected ambient temperature of the material to be cooled, but lower than the temperature obtained by the sorbent sections 28 and 30 in the absorption of a substantial fraction (this is, one third or one quarter) of the liquid refrigerant 16. For example, when the present invention is employed in a cooling device 10 for insertion into a typical beverage container, the phase change must be carried out at a higher temperature than around of 30 ° C, preferably greater than about 35 ° C but preferably less than about 70 ° C and more preferably less than about 60 ° C. When absorbing heat, a material that removes heat, which changes phase 50 can generate by-products such as water, aqueous solutions of salt and organic products. Accordingly, depending on the material that removes the particular heat used, in some embodiments it is desirable to include liquid barriers 52 and 54, such as polyethylene or polyethylene film, interposed between the sorbent sections 28 and 30 respectively and the material that removes the heat to prevent any by-products from coming into contact with the sorbent 32 (and thereby decreases its effectiveness). The barriers against the liquid are thermally sealed or adhesively sealed to the material that removes the heat. The liquid refrigerant container 14 is placed immediately adjacent to an end 22 of the case 18. This arrangement provides an advantage over the prior art sorbent chambers which commonly employ devices with long vapor paths that decrease the effectiveness of the vaporization of the liquid refrigerant 16. In addition, the short vapor paths allow the evacuated sorbent assembly 12 to be operated at a much higher pressure level than prior sorbent assemblies. In some embodiments, the liquid refrigerant container 14 is a plastic 60, commonly made of polyethylene, that is thermally filled and sealed along its edges 62 that enclose the liquid refrigerant 16. The weakened portions 64 and 66 of the bag plastic serve as pressure sensitive actuators 42 and 44. The liquid refrigerant 16 stored in the liquid refrigerant container 14 has a high vapor pressure at room temperature, such that a pressure reduction will produce a high steam production rate . In addition, the liquid refrigerant has a high heat of vaporization. The vapor pressure of the liquid refrigerant at 20 ° C is commonly at least about 9 mm Hg, preferably at least about 15 or 20 mm Hg. Suitable liquid refrigerants include various alcohols, such as methyl alcohol or ethyl alcohol; ketones or aldehydes such as acetone and acetaldehyde and hydrofluorocarbons such as C318, 114, 21, 11, 114B2, 113, 112, 134A, 141B and 245 FA. The preferred liquid refrigerant is water because it is abundant and does not present any environmental problem in that it provides the desired cooling characteristics.

In some embodiments, the liquid refrigerant is mixed with an effective amount of a miscible nucleating agent (or a partial miscible nucleating agent) having a vapor pressure greater than the liquid refrigerant to promote boiling, such that the refrigerant The liquid evaporates even more rapidly and uniformly, while preventing the liquid refrigerant from being supercooled and thereby decreasing the rate of adsorption in the sorbent 32. Suitable nucleating agents include ethyl alcohol, acetone, methyl alcohol, alcohol isopropyl alcohol and isobutyl alcohol, all of which are miscible with water. For example, a combination of a nucleating agent with a compatible liquid could have a combination of 5% ethyl alcohol in water or 5% acetone in methyl alcohol. In the nucleating agent it preferably has a vapor pressure at 25 ° C of at least 25 mm Hg and more preferably at least about 35 mm Hg. Alternatively, a solid nucleating agent may be used, such as a conventional boiling stone used in chemical laboratory applications. During manufacture, the sorbent sections 28 and 30 are inserted into the box 18 together with the liquid refrigerant container 14 before thermally sealing the box. Depending on the embodiment, the capillary absorption material 46 is placed adjacent to the sorbent sections and enclosed with a vapor permeable membrane 48. In addition, in some embodiments, the vapor permeable membrane also encloses a layer of material that removes the vapor. heat 50 in thermal contact with the sorbent 32, liquid barriers 52 and 54 interposed between the heat removing material and the sorbent sections, respectively and thermal separators 56 and 58 interposed between the sorbent sections and the liquid passage sections 34 and 36 respectively. Specifically, the thermal separators may be interposed between the sorbent sections and the vapor permeable membrane or between the vapor permeable membrane and the liquid passage sections. In other embodiments, the insulating material 71 is placed between the sorbent sections and the liquid passage sections 34 and 36. Next, the opposite ends 20 and 22 and at least one of the opposite sides 24 and 26 are thermally sealed afterwards. of the evacuation to more than 1 mm Hg. In alternative modalities, the box is sealed with an adhesive. The method of use and operation of the evacuated sorbent assembly 12 and cooling device 10, constructed as described above, proceeds as follows. Initially, the actuators 42 and 44 are activated, causing the liquid refrigerant 16 to flow to the liquid passages 38 and 40. In embodiments of the invention wherein the liquid refrigerant container 14 is a plastic bag 60 with weakened portions 64 and 66, external pressure is applied to the box 18 and the liquid refrigerant container. The external pressure breaks the weakened portions 64 and 66 and releases the liquid refrigerant to the liquid passages. The liquid refrigerant 16, except for a small amount that is vaporized instantaneously, is introduced to the evacuated adsorbent assembly 12 from the liquid refrigerant container 14 via the liquid passages 34 and 36. Depending on the embodiment of the invention, the refrigerant of The liquid is collected in very thin layers between the interstices of the absorption material by capillarity 46. Then, the vaporized liquid refrigerant passes through the vapor permeable membrane 48 and enters the sorbent sections 28 and 30 where the vaporized liquid refrigerant it is adsorbed by the sorbent 32. Alternatively, the liquid refrigerant accumulates in the hydrophilic region of the insulation material. Then, the vaporized refrigerant passes through the hydrophilic region 73 and absorbent sections 28 and 30. As the sorbent adsorbs the vaporized liquid refrigerant, the liquid refrigerant collected within the absorption material by capillary action begins to vaporize and passes through the vaporizer. of the vapor permeable membrane to the sorbent.

The vaporization of the liquid refrigerant 16 causes a cooling effect on the outer side of the cooling device 10 which, as shown in Figure 3, can be used to cool a beverage 80 in a beverage container 82. Less than 1.5 grams of liquid cooling water per 30 ml (fluid ounce) of beverage, less than 3 grams of sorbent 32 per 30 ml (fluid ounce) of beverage and less than 5 cm3 of sorbent 32 per 30 ml (fluid ounce) of beverage is required to cool the beverage by 22 ° C in preferably less than 10 minutes, more preferably less than 5 minutes and more preferably less than 3 minutes after actuation. Also, the cooling device occupies less than 15 ml (0.5 fluid ounces) per 30 ml (fluid ounce) of beverage. Those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications and variations may be made in the evacuated sorbent assembly 12 and cooling device 10 of the invention and in the construction and operation of the evacuated sorbent assembly and cooling device without deviating from the scope or essence of this invention. For example, the evacuated sorbent assembly can be used as part of a cooling device that can be wrapped around the outer circumference of a beverage container instead of being placed therein. Furthermore, the sorbent assembly need not be symmetrical, but rather, it may be asymmetric and arranged, for example, in such a way that the layer adjacent to the box 18 is the sorbent section 28, with the next layer consisting of the vapor permeable membrane 48 and with the final layer which is the absorption material by capillarity 46. Also, the sorbent assembly and cooling device can be arranged in a spherical configuration as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6. In the embodiment shown in figure 6, the liquid refrigerant container 16 is adjacent to the length of the evacuated sorbent assembly 12. Figure 7 shows another embodiment of the present invention wherein the evacuated sorbent assembly has a polygonal cross-section. In other embodiments as shown in Figures 8 and 9, two or more evacuated sorbent assemblies are adjacent to a single liquid refrigerant vessel. Figure 10 shows a conventional beverage container bag 80 constructed of a plastic-lined, metallized material that is heat sealable. The bag has an upper end 82, an end of the bottom 83 formed by the panel 84, to create a base for the beverage container bag, opposite side panels (shown one) 85 and opposite front and rear panels 90 and 92 respectively . A single cooling device 94 is formed as part of or fixed to the outer surface of the front panel. In an alternative embodiment, the cooling device may be formed as part of or fixed to the interior surface of the panel. As best seen in Figure 11, the cooling device 94 is fixed to the outer surface 95 of the front panel 92 of the bag 80 by securing the exterior 95 of the cooling device to the outer surface of the front panel 90 with the absorption material by capillarity 96 facing the bag 80. Adjacent to the inner surface of the fixed cooling device is the liquid passage 36 which contains the absorption material by capillary action 46. The box material of the cooling device is sealed 100 to a portion of the absorption material by capillary action 46 to form a cavity 102 that houses the liquid refrigerant 16 and the liquid refrigerant container 14 that includes the actuator 64. On the other side of the absorption material by capillary action is a thermal separator 56, followed by the sorbent material 28, the barrier against the liquid 52 and finally the material that removes the heat 50. In practice, the user tightens the portion of the box defining the cavity of the liquid refrigerant for actuating the actuator 64 and liberalizing the liquid refrigerant 16 to the passage of the liquid. A weakened region 103 in the bag (figure 10) forms an area suitable for being drilled by a plastic straw.

Figure 12 shows a conventional beverage container bag 80 constructed of a plastic-lined metallized material that is heat sealable. The bag has an upper end 82, an end of the bottom 83, opposite side panels (one shown) 84 and opposite front and rear panels 90 and 92 respectively. An armature of cooling devices 102 and 104 are formed as part of or can be fixed to the front and rear panels 90 and 92. In an alternative embodiment, the cooling devices are formed as part of or can be fixed to the inner surface of the panels. As shown in Figure 13 for one of the cooling devices, the cooling device 102 is formed as part of the bag 80 by constructing a wall of the cooling device from a portion 110 of the front panel 90. Adjacent to the surface Inside the wall 110 of the wall of the cooling device, there is a capillary membrane 112 which provides a passage for the liquid of the liquid refrigerant container 14 over the entire length of the sorbent assembly. The box material of the cooling device is sealed 114 to a portion of the capillary membrane material 112 to form a cavity 116 that houses the liquid refrigerant container 14 that includes the actuator 64. On the other side of the capillary membrane there is a insulating material 71 having hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces 72 and 73 respectively followed by the sorbent material 28, the liquid barrier 52 and finally the material that removes the heat 50. Modes of the cooling device lower the temperature of a beverage in a container of beverages by at least about 12 ° C and in some modes by at least 15 ° C or even 20 ° C after actuation. In these embodiments, the liquid refrigerant container contains less than 1.5 grams of the liquid refrigerant per 30 ml (fluid ounce) of the beverage in the container. In some embodiments, the coolant is water. Also, in some embodiments, the sorbent section has a mass of less than 3 grams of sorbent per 30 ml (fluid ounce) of beverage. Depending on the mode, the cooling device can lower the temperature of the beverage in 10 minutes or only 5 minutes or even only 3 minutes. In some embodiments, the sorbent section occupies less than 5 cm3 per 30 ml (fluid ounce) of beverage and the cooling device occupies less than 14.5 ml (0.5 fluid ounces) per 30 ml (fluid ounce) of a beverage in a container of drinks. With such possibilities in mind, the invention is defined with reference to the following claims.

It is noted that, in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims

KEVINDICATIONS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property: 1. An evacuated sorbent assembly for coupling to a liquid refrigerant container, characterized in that it comprises: at least one sorbent section, the sorbent contains a sorbent for a liquid refrigerant; at least one passage section for the liquid adjacent to the sorbent section, the liquid passage section defines a passage for the liquid through at least a portion of the sorbent assembly evacuated to the sorbent section, the passage for the liquid it contains sufficient absorption material by capillarity to prevent the liquid refrigerant from coming into contact with the sorbent and an actuator for controlling the communication of liquid between the passage section for the liquid and the liquid refrigerant container.
2. The evacuated sorbent assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises a material that removes the heat in thermal contact with the sorbent.
3. The evacuated sorbent assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that the material that removes the heat is a material that changes phase.
4. The evacuated sorbent assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that it also comprises at least one barrier against the liquid interposed between the material that removes the heat and the sorbent.
The evacuated sorbent assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises at least one thermal separator interposed between the sorbent section and the liquid passage section.
6. The evacuated sorbent assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the sorbent section is supported on a flexible monolith.
7. An evacuated sorbent assembly for coupling to a liquid refriger- ant vessel, characterized in that it comprises: at least one sorbent section containing a sorbent for a liquid refrigerant; at least one passage section for the liquid adjacent to the sorbent section, the passage section for the liquid defines a passage for the liquid through at least a portion of the sorbent assembly evacuated to the sorbent section; a vapor permeable membrane separating the adjacent sorbent and passage sections for the liquid and an actuator for controlling the liquid communication between the passage section for the liquid and the liquid refrigerant vessel.
The evacuated sorbent assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that it also comprises a material that removes the heat in thermal contact with the sorbent.
9. The evacuated sorbent assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that the material that removes the heat is a material that changes phase.
The evacuated sorbent assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that it also comprises at least one liquid barrier interposed between the material that removes the heat and the sorbent.
11. The evacuated sorbent assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that it also comprises at least one capillary absorption material arranged in the passage section for the liquid.
12. The evacuated sorbent assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that it further comprises at least one thermal separator interposed between the sorbent section and the vapor permeable membrane.
13. The evacuated sorbent assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that it further comprises at least one thermal separator interposed between the vapor permeable membrane and the passage section for the liquid.
14. The evacuated sorbent assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that the sorbent section is supported on a flexible monolith.
15. A cooling device characterized in that it comprises: a box surrounding at least one section of sorbent containing a sorbent for a liquid refrigerant; at least one passage section for the liquid adjacent to the sorbent section, the passage section for the liquid defines a passage for the liquid through at least a portion of the cooling device to the sorbent section; a vapor permeable membrane that separates the sorbent sections and the adjacent liquid passage; a liquid refrigerant container adjacent to the passage section for the liquid and an actuator for controlling the liquid communication between the passage section for the liquid and the liquid refrigerant container.
The cooling device according to claim 15, characterized in that it also comprises a material that removes the heat in thermal contact with the sorbent surrounded by the box.
17. The cooling device according to claim 16, characterized in that the material that removes the heat is a material that changes phase.
18. The cooling device according to claim 16, characterized in that it also comprises at least one barrier against the liquid interposed between the material that removes the heat and the sorbent and surrounded by the box.
The cooling device according to claim 15, characterized in that it also comprises at least one capillary absorption material arranged in the passage section for the liquid.
20. The cooling device according to claim 15, characterized in that it further comprises at least one thermal separator interposed between the sorbent section and the vapor permeable membrane and surrounded by the box.
21. The evacuated sorbent assembly according to claim 15, characterized in that the sorbent section is supported on a flexible monolith.
The cooling device according to claim 17, characterized in that it further comprises at least one thermal separator interposed between the vapor permeable membrane and the passage section for the liquid and surrounded by the box.
23. The cooling device according to claim 16, characterized in that the box is made of a flexible material.
24. The cooling device according to claim 23, characterized in that the flexible material is metallized plastic.
The cooling device according to claim 15, characterized in that the cooling device decreases the temperature of a beverage in a beverage container by at least 22 ° C after activation, the sorbent section has a mass of less of 3 grams per 30 ml (one fluid ounce) of beverage, the liquid refrigerant container contains less than 1.5 grams of liquid refrigerant per 30 ml (one fluid ounce) of beverage.
26. The cooling device according to claim 25, characterized in that the liquid refrigerant is water.
27. The cooling device according to claim 25, characterized in that the temperature of the beverage decreases by at least 22 ° C in less than 10 minutes.
28. The cooling device according to claim 25, characterized in that the temperature of the beverage decreases by at least 22 ° C in less than 5 minutes.
29. The cooling device according to claim 25, characterized in that the temperature of the beverage decreases by at least 22 ° C in less than 3 minutes.
30. The cooling device according to claim 15, characterized in that the cooling device lowers the temperature of a beverage in a beverage container by at least 22 ° C after activation, the sorbent section occupies less than 5 cm3 for 30 ml (fluid ounce) of beverage, the liquid refrigerant container contains less than 1.5 grams per 30 ml (fluid ounce) of beverage.
31. The cooling device according to claim 30, characterized in that the liquid refrigerant is water.
32. The cooling device according to claim 30, characterized in that the temperature of the beverage decreases by at least 22 ° C in less than 10 minutes.
33. The cooling device according to claim 30, characterized in that the temperature of the beverage decreases by at least 22 ° C in less than 5 minutes.
34. The cooling device according to claim 30, characterized in that the temperature of the beverage decreases by at least 22 ° C in less than 3 minutes.
35. The cooling device according to claim 15, characterized in that the cooling device occupies less than 15 ml (0.5 fluid ounces) per 30 ml (fluid ounce) of a beverage in a beverage container.
36. A cooling device characterized in that it comprises: a box surrounding at least one section of sorbent containing a sorbent for a liquid refrigerant; at least one passage section for the liquid adjacent to the sorbent section, the passage section for the liquid defines a passage for the liquid through at least a portion of the cooling device to the sorbent section; at least one capillarity absorption material disposed in the passage section for the liquid; at least one thermal separator in contact with the sorbent section; a vapor permeable membrane interposed between the passage section for the liquid and the thermal separator; a material that removes heat in thermal contact with the sorbent; at least one barrier against the liquid interposed between the material that removes the heat and the sorbent; a liquid refrigerant container adjacent to the passage section for the liquid and an actuator for controlling the communication of liquid between the passage section for the liquid and the liquid refrigerant container.
37. The cooling device according to claim 36, characterized in that the material that removes the heat is a material that changes phase.
38. The cooling device according to claim 36, characterized in that the box is manufactured from a flexible metallized plastic.
39. The cooling device according to claim 36, characterized in that the cooling device decreases the temperature of a beverage in a beverage container by at least 22 ° C after activation, the sorbent section has a mass of less of 3 grams per 30 ml (fluid ounce) of beverage, the liquid refrigerant container contains less than 1.5 grams of liquid refrigerant per 30 ml (fluid ounce) of beverage.
40. The cooling device according to claim 39, characterized in that the liquid refrigerant is water.
41. The cooling device according to claim 39, characterized in that the temperature of the beverage decreases by at least 22 ° C in less than 10 minutes.
42. The cooling device according to claim 39, characterized in that the temperature of the beverage decreases by at least 22 ° C in less than 5 minutes.
43. The cooling device according to claim 39, characterized in that the temperature of the beverage decreases by at least 22 ° C in less than 3 minutes.
44. The cooling device according to claim 36, characterized in that the cooling device lowers the temperature of a beverage in a beverage container by at least 22 ° C after activation, the sorbent section occupies less than 5 cm3 For 30 ml (fluid ounce) of beverage, the liquid refrigerant container contains less than 1.5 grams of liquid refrigerant per 30 ml (ounce) of beverage.
45. The cooling device according to claim 44, characterized in that the liquid refrigerant is water.
46. The cooling device according to claim 44, characterized in that the temperature of the beverage decreases by at least 22 ° C in less than 10 minutes.
47. The cooling device according to claim 44, characterized in that the temperature of the beverage decreases by at least 22 ° C in less than 5 minutes.
48. The cooling device according to claim 44, characterized in that the temperature of the beverage decreases by at least 22 ° C in less than 3 minutes.
49. The cooling device according to claim 36, characterized in that the cooling device occupies less than 15 ml (0.5 fluid ounces) per 30 ml (fluid ounce) of a beverage in a beverage container.
50. A cooling device characterized in that it comprises: a box surrounding a liquid handling insulation material having a hydrophilic region on one side and a hydrophobic region on the opposite side; at least one section of sorbent containing a sorbent for a liquid refrigerant, each adjacent to the hydrophobic region of the liquid handling isolation material; a barrier against the gas-permeable liquid, formed at the junction of the sorbent and the hydrophobic region, by which only the vapor of the liquid refrigerant can pass to the sorbent; by at least one passage section for the liquid, the passage section for the liquid defines a passage for the liquid through at least a portion of the cooling device to the hydrophilic side of the liquid handling isolation material; a material that removes heat in thermal contact with the sorbent; at least one barrier against the liquid interposed between the material that removes the heat and the sorbent; a container for the liquid refrigerant adjacent to the passage section for the liquid and an actuator for controlling the liquid comcation between the passage section for the liquid and the liquid refrigerant container.
51. The cooling device according to claim 50, characterized in that the material that removes the heat is a material that changes phase.
52. The cooling device according to claim 50, characterized in that the box is made from a flexible metallized plastic.
53. The cooling device according to claim 50, characterized in that the cooling device decreases the temperature of a beverage in a beverage container by at least 22 ° C after activation, the sorbent section has a mass of less of 3 grams per 30 ml (fluid ounce) of beverage, the liquid refrigerant container contains less than 1.5 grams of liquid refrigerant per 30 ml (fluid ounce) of beverage.
54. The cooling device according to claim 53, characterized in that the liquid refrigerant is water.
55. The cooling device according to claim 53, characterized in that the temperature of the beverage decreases by at least 22 ° C in less than 10 minutes.
56. The cooling device according to claim 53, characterized in that the temperature of the beverage decreases by at least 22 ° C in less than 5 minutes.
57. The cooling device according to claim 53, characterized in that the temperature of the beverage decreases by at least 22 ° C in less than 3 minutes.
58. The evacuated sorbent assembly according to claim 50, characterized in that the sorbent section is supported on a flexible monolith.
59. A beverage container with integrated cooling device, characterized in that it comprises a flexible plastic lined beverage bag with a cooling device integrated into one or more of the side walls.
60. The beverage container according to claim 59, characterized in that it further comprises a weakened region in a container portion that does not house the cooling device, whereby a straw can be inserted.
61. The beverage container according to claim 59, characterized in that it further comprises a beverage such as a juice maintained inside the container.
62. A method for manufacturing a self-contained beverage container characterized in that it comprises the steps of: integrating a cooling device to the side panels of a flexible plastic lined material; thermally sealing the side panel with the integrated device to a substantially similar side panel, without a cooling device, along the side and bottom edges, thereby forming an open sack; Fill the open sack with a drink and seal the top edge of the filled open sack.
63. The method according to the claim 62, characterized in that a weakened region is formed in a portion of the bag, whereby a sealed and filled bag can be perforated with a plastic straw.
64. The method according to claim 62, characterized in that a bottom panel constructed of a substantially similar material as the side panels is also lined with plastic as thermally sealed at the bottom and between the side panels thereby forming a base on which the beverage container can be supported.