Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47J—KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
  • A47J36/00—Parts, details or accessories of cooking-vessels
  • A47J36/24—Warming devices
  • A47J36/30—Devices for warming by making use of burning cartridges or other chemical substances
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • C09K—MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • C09K5/00—Heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants; Materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion
  • C09K5/16—Materials undergoing chemical reactions when used
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
  • F23Q—IGNITION; EXTINGUISHING-DEVICES
  • F23Q1/00—Mechanical igniters
  • F23Q1/02—Mechanical igniters using friction or shock effects
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24V—COLLECTION, PRODUCTION OR USE OF HEAT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F24V30/00—Apparatus or devices using heat produced by exothermal chemical reactions other than combustion

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a heating device for heating liquid and solid products.
• a number of different types of devices comprising a container structure and a heating element, i.e. so called self-heating containers, have been previously proposed, which include a substance capable of giving rise to an exothermic reaction, so that when the reaction occurs the contents of the container are heated.
• the burning time of a heating element depends not only on the composition which is used, but also on the heat conductivity characteristics of its respectacle and how the heat produced by the reaction is extracted from the mass.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide a heating device that includes a relatively simple and safe ignition arrangement for the combustible material which is reliable in use and which requires no special accuracy in manufacturing.
• a further object of the present invention is to provide a heating device which is cheap to manufacture for its manufacturing can be automated.
• a still further object of the invention is to completely separate the conditioning of the food into a sterile packaging and the manufacturing of the heating element, both being assembled as completed units.
• Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved exothermic gas-less composition in liquid or semi-liquid form by the use of a liquid binder for it is well known that it is much easier to handle a liquid or a paste rather than powder.
• the use of liquids or pastes allow to get cakes of composition with a fully controlled porosity and this for any shape which can be casted, while powders can only be compressed to a given porosity or density in very limited shapes such as cylinders. It is well known from the pyrotechnical art that the porosity of a pyrotechnical reactive mass is determinant for its burning speed.
• the invention provides a heating device for heating liquid and solid products comprising a container structure and heating means located at the base of the containeV structure, said heating means comprising a heating element including a supply of exothermic gas-less combustible material, containing internal walls defining at least one fire path, which heating device is characterized in that said heating element consists in a fiat tile like element compri ⁇ sing a heat spreading layer made of heat conducting material, an inter ⁇ mediate layer composed by said exothermic gas-less combustible material and containing said internal walls and a layer of heat insulating incom ⁇ bustible material.
• Ignition means are connected to said combustible material through an opening in at least one of the layers encasing the combustible material.
• Figure 1 shows a heating device with a cross-section of its bottom part
• Figure 2 shows a top view of said container with a cross -section along line II - II of fig. 1
• Figure 3 shows the heating element separated from the container
• Figure 5 is a perspective view of the starter used in the embodiment of figure .
• Figure 6 shows a cross section through a heating element
• Figure 7 is a cross section through a third embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 8 shows a cross section through the heating element of the embodiment illustrated in figure 7.
• the heating device shown in the figures 1, 2 and 3 consists in a con ⁇ tainer with a peripheral wall 102 preferably made of metal to which is secured in a water tight manner a flat, relatively thick, bottom part
• the ring shapped element 107 is inserted against the peripheral wall 102.
• This ring shapped element guides and supports cover 108 which is engaged in a frictional relationship with the ring 107.
• This cover is lined with insulating material 109. This material can consist of glass fibers, rockwool, ceramix etc. This cover maintains pressed against bottom 103 the heating element 105, the recess 110 provided in the insulating material accomodates the ignition system.
• the heating element shown in figure 3 consists in a heat diffusion plate 111 made of a good heat conducting material such as aluminium.
• Perpendicular walls 112 made of heat conducting material, such as steel, are secured to the heat diffusion plate 111 in a heat transmitting way. These walls define the fire path for the exothermic material 113 contained therein. A convenient shape for the fire path is a spiral like disposition of these walls.
• the exothermic material 113 consisting of a thermitic composition such as manganese dioxide and silicon and an inert material such as silica added with a suitable binder such as a silicate is casted in the fire path. - 5 -
• thermite which is a reaction of iron oxide with aluminium as exothermic material.
• the reaction temperature which is cover 2.000°C led to plunger type constructions which are very unfavourable as far as the heat transfer to the food to be heated.
• the idea of the invention is to provide a container in which the food is heated from the bottom such as to provide a natural convection for liquids or to allow steering. This is possible through the use of reactive compositions burning at lower temperatures. It was found that silicon with various oxydents like red lead, manganese dioxide, copper oxide, give a gas-less exothermic reaction, the • speed of propagation of which can be controlled by the addition of inert material such as silica, Chinese clay etc.
• the exothermic material is covered by a layer of heat insulating mate ⁇ rial such as finely ground silica with a suitable binder such as silicate or with plaster.
• a primer 115 is placed at the centre of the spiral.
• This primer consists in a composition which is reactive when heated up to approximately 400°C.
• a typical composition of this type is finely ground silicon mixed with lead oxide (Pb 02).
• This composition mixed with a suitable binder such as silicate is cast in a separate mould in order to form a cup shaped body with a finger like free standing body, like conical part 116, protruding from the bottom.
• the external walls 117 of this primer are in contact with the exothermic material 113 and this primer is accessible through an opening in the layer 114 of insulating material.
• the ignition means consist in a thin metal strip 118. The ends of this metal strip are bent over the end of the rim of the heating element as shown in 117. This U shape element is located by a slight spring action of the legs 117.
• the metal strip 118 is pierced at its centre; a drop 120 of exothermic material burning with very high heat such as a mixture of boron powder and potassium perchlorate ( C1 04) bound with a glue is casted on the hole in such a way that the past like mate ⁇ rial protrudes through the hole 119.
• a friction sensitive material 121 equally bound with glue such a match head composition is cast on the other side of the metal strip.
• a pull tab 122 consisting of a strip of strong paper or similar material covered on one side with match striking material is laid accross the match head composition 121 and maintained resiliently against it by a thin flexible metal s ⁇ rip 123 spots welded at both ends 124 - 125 to -the strip 118.
• this ignition means are placed on the heating element, the exothermic material 120 facing the opening and the cone of the pri ⁇ mer 116.
• a cavity 110 made in the insulating layer 109 of cover 108 accomodates the protruding part of these ignition means 118.
• Slots 127 and 128 are provided between the insulating layer of the cover and the heating element and between the cover 108 and the body of the container 101. The pull tab 122 protrudes through the slot 127 to the outside.
• the function of the heating device is the following : after having filled the container 101 with the food to be heated, the pull-tab 122 is pulled out, igniting by friction the match head composition 121 which communicates the fire to the exothermic composition 120.
• the heat radiated by this composition is strong enough to ignite the cone 116 of the primer, the reaction propagates through the body of the primer by contact to the exothermic material 113 which fills the fire- path..
• the heat generated by the slowly progressing reaction is conducted by the metal fins 112 to the heated dissipating plate 111 which is in contact with bottom plate 103 of the container to which the heat is transferred and which acts as a further heat spreading element.
• Thickness of the bottom 103 is chosen in such a way as to insure a proper heat dissipation in the whole bottom avoiding scorching of the food to be heated.
• the speed of the propagation of the reaction can be adjusted and it is preferably maintained such as to produce not more than 25 Watts per square centimeter when considering the total surface of the heat dissipating plate 111.
• the heating element 105 After burning out, the heating element 105 can easily be removed and replaced by a new one.
• the heating element should not be operable when not properly secured in the bottom of container 101.
• the ignition system is located on the heating element by the two resilient legs 117 pressing against side walls of the heating element. When outside the container, if the pull tab is actuated, the whole ignition system is pulled away without functioning. In the contai ⁇ ner the ignition system is maintained in place by the mating recesses 110 formed in the insulating layer 109 of cover 108.
• the heating element consists in a deep drawn dish shaped member 201 made of a good heat conductive material such as aluminium, the bottom 202 of which is the heat dispersing surface.
• the peripheral wall 203 is obtained by deep drawing process and can be thinned down to save material.
• Perpendicular walls 204 made of a heat conductive material like steel are secured in a heat conductive contact to the heat disper ⁇ sing plate 202 in a configuration as to form a fire path.
• An ideal configuration is a spiral as shown in figure 6.
• a thin insulating layer 205 made of heat resistant material such as silica bond with a silicate is cast in the fire path.
• a cup shaped primer 206 with in its centre a protruding cone is placed at the centre of the spiral on the thin heat insulating layer 205.
• the exothermic reactive material 207 is mixed to a suitable binder like a silicate and cast in the fire path.
• the end of the last turn of the spiral 204 is bent in such a way as to close the fire path leaving an annular -space 209 between wall 203 and the spiral.
• an insulating layer 210 which can consist of silica bound with a silicate or plaster is cast filling also the annular recess 209.
• a ring shaped spacer made of insu ⁇ lating material like corrugated aluminium foils 'or glass fibers mat 211 is placed on insulating layer 210.
• a ring shaped cardboard 212 is placed on the spacer.
• Starter 213 is located in the centre of the ring.
• the starter consists in a U shaped metal disc 214, spot welded to a flat metal disc 215 by spot welds 216 - 217 forming between them a channel in which is placed a pull-tab 218 made of flexible material like paper coated with match striking composition on its. end 219, on the side facing the U shaped disc.
• the U shaped disc is pierced at its centre, a drop 221 of exothermic material such as boron and perchlorate bound with glue is cast on the hole 220 made in the centre of the U shaped member.
• a drop of match head composition 222 bound with glue is cast on hole 220 on the inside of the U such as to be in contact with exothermic material 221 through said hole.
• a cardboard disc 223 maintains the starter 213 in its location".
• the end 224 of pull- tab 218 passes through hole 225 made in the cardboard disc 223 and this end of the pull-tab 224 is folded over this cardboard disc.
• a frac- turable sealing membrane 226 made of water impervious material like polyethylene is placed on top of the disc 223 to maintain in its place the pull-tab.
• the protruding ends of the receptacle 201 are rolled over maintaining the spacer 211, cardboard discs 212, 223 and the sea ⁇ ling foil 226 tightly pressed in their location.
• the heating element as described is a completely sealed unit which can easily be stored and handled such as before being adapted to the wall of a container in such a way as to make it a self-heating container.
• part 227 is a tube shaped member made of a water impervious material such as aluminium and plastic films lined cardboard impregnated with silicate.
• the heating element 201 is adapted to this tube by a push fit strong enough to be water tight.
• This tube 227 forms the peripheral wall of the self -heating container 231.
• the container membrane 226 is fractured, the .pull-tab is folded towards the outside of the container as shown in the dotted line 232, the container is then filled with the medium to be heated.
• the pull- tab 218 By pulling out the pull- tab 218, its coated end 219 rubs against the match head composition 222 which ignites, activating the exothermic composition 221, the heat radiated by this reaction is strong enough to heat the tip of cone 233 protruding from the bottom of the cup shaped primer 206 above its ignition temperature starting the burning of the primer, which in its turn induces the reaction of exothermic composition 207.
• This reaction progresses at a speed comprised between 4 and 20mm per second and the heat released is dissipated by conduction by the heat conducting fins 204 spreading this heat into the heat dissipating plate 202 from where the heat flows into the medium to be heated.
• the insulating 205 prevents a direct contact between the heat dissi ⁇ pating plate 202 with the exothermic material; this heat insulating barrier favours the spreading of the heat by the means of the fins into the heat dissipating plate 202 avoiding hot spots on this plate and scorching of the food to be heated.
• the heat insulation 205 as well as spacer 215 and the two cardboard discs 213 - 223 form a multi-- layer insulating barrier preventing the heat to flow in the direction opposite to the heat dissipating plate 202.
• the fins 204 act as a heat sink conducting the heat into the dissipating plate and avoiding to great a heat transfer to the unreacted part of the exothermic material which could lead to non controlled progression of the reaction.
• Example According the embodiment shown in figure 4, we have found that a 70 gram quantity of heating mixture can raise the temperature of
• the heating element consists in a refractory support 301 made of mouldable material such as plaster, clay etc.
• the support is moulded in such a way as to create on one side a fire path 303 constituted by grooves separated by the raised wails 302. These walls are disposed in such a way as to form two zigzags starting from the center as shown in Figure 8.
• the refractory support 301 shows at its center a hole 305 in which a primer 306 is placed.
• This primer consists in a reactive composition bound with a suitable binder and cast in a separate mould such as to take a cup like shape with a finger like element 307 raising inside the cup from its bottom. After solidification this primer is placed in hole 305.
• the reactive mass mixed with a suitable binder is cast in the fire path 303 and gets in contact with primer 306.
• a layer 308 consisting in finely ground heat conducting material such as a metal powder or a metalloid powder like graphite mixed with a suitable heat resistant binder such as a silicate is cast.
• a thin sheet of non combustible fibers, like glass fibers, can be embedded. This layer is not shown on the drawing.
• This heating element is secured to the bottom of a cardboard container 309 by gluing or by any other suitable mean.
• the starter 311 as shown in Figure 5 and described previously is located in a recess of cardboard layer 310.
• the pull tab 312 protrudes through a slot made in wall 313 of the container 309 and is accessible from the exterior.
• a food preserve 314 consisting in a shallow dish 315 made of thin deep drawn aluminium foil sealed with a thin membrane of aluminium 316 is placed on the heating element 301 in such a way as to insure contact with the bottom 317 of the preserve with the heat dispersing layer 308.
• This preserve is firmly located on the cardboard box 309, for example by wegging, or by gluing its edges 318 to the rim 319 of cardboard box 309 with for example a hot melt.
• This whole assembly constitutes a self heating food preserve. After removing cover 316, the heating reaction is started by pulling out pull tab 312.
• this heating device could be supplied with the container 315 being empty, this apparatus constituting a disposable self heating container.
• the primer 306 could be placed in reverse position directly in the fire path, accessible through an opening in the heat dispersing layer 308. In this case, the starter should be placed between bottom 317 of the container 315 and heat dispersing layer 308.
• the finger like body 307 could also be tipped with a friction sensitive material and the pull tab maintained resiliently against friction sensitive tip.
• the primer 306 could be placed in a hole of one of the side walls 320 of the heating element, the starter being located adequately between wall 320 and the vertical wall of cardboard 309.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Cookers (AREA)
• Yarns And Mechanical Finishing Of Yarns Or Ropes (AREA)
• Control And Other Processes For Unpacking Of Materials (AREA)
• Heat-Pump Type And Storage Water Heaters (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8164824

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (7)

Families Citing this family (12)

Citations (10)

Family Cites Families (11)

• 1981
  • 1981-08-04 EP EP81902310A patent/EP0084532B1/en not_active Expired
  • 1981-08-04 US US06/491,427 patent/US4506654A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1981-08-04 WO PCT/EP1981/000112 patent/WO1983000425A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1981-08-04 AT AT81902310T patent/ATE13625T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1981-08-04 DE DE8181902310T patent/DE3170836D1/de not_active Expired
• 1982
  • 1982-10-30 IN IN792/DEL/82A patent/IN159543B/en unknown

Patent Citations (10)

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