WO2008026063A2

WO2008026063A2 - Thermally regulated container

Info

Publication number: WO2008026063A2
Application number: PCT/IB2007/002521
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marco Vicario
Original assignee: Marco Vicario
Priority date: 2006-08-30
Filing date: 2007-08-29
Publication date: 2008-03-06
Also published as: ITTO20060122U1; WO2008026063A3

Abstract

Thermally regulated container comprising a containing vessel (1) with a top (3) incorporating a material with high thermal-storage capacity. The containing vessel consists of a bottle or a flask, canister, tin, jar, or the like, and the top incorporating the material with high thermal-storage capacity is constituted by the lid or cap (3) thereof.

Description

"Thermally regulated container"

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Field of the invention

The present invention relates to thermally regulated containers of the type comprising a containing vessel with a top that incorporates a material with high thermal-storage capacity for thermal regulation of the internal volume of the containing vessel, and hence of its contents. State of the prior art

Thermally regulated containers of the above sort are known from the patent documents Nos. EP-A-0153 975, CH-B-375658 and EP-A-1010957.

In all these known solutions, the container consists of a containing vessel generally with a parallelepipedal shape, i.e.^" a box shape, the top of which, containing the material with high thermal-storage capacity (typically frigories) is removably applied by pressure coupling or restrained joint. Known containers of this sort are expressly designed to contain solid foods

(ice-creams, fish products, and perishable foodstuffs in general) in order to keep them at a relatively low temperature of conservation. Summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a container of the type defined above, the sphere of application of which can be extended to thermal regulation of substances in the fluid state, particularly in the sector of foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals, in a practical, effective and functional way.

According to the invention, the above object is achieved thanks to the fact that the containing vessel consists of a bottle or flask, canister, tin, jar, or the like, and said top consists of the corresponding lid or cap.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lid or cap is prearranged for its separable connection to the containing vessel typically by means of a threaded coupling: in this case, it can be applied also to bottles for beverages or the like that already exist to replace the usual screw cap with which they are usually equipped. Alternatively, the lid or cap containing the material with high thermal- storage capacity can be integrated in the bottle or else in the flask, canister, tin, jar, or the like.

In both cases, the lid or cap conveniently consists of a hollow body defining an annular receptacle for the aforesaid material with high thermal-storage capacity and having an axial passage in communication with the internal volume of the containing vessel. Said passage is normally closed and sealed via a removable sealing member, for example screwed or applied by pressure to the Hd or cap.

In the case where the fluid substance contained in the bottle, or else in the flask, canister, jar, or tin has to be cooled, the material with high capacity for heat storage contained in the lid or cap will conveniently consist of a eutectic mass capable of storing frigories, whilst in the case where the fluid has to be heated a eutectic mass capable of storing calories will be used.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be described with reference to the annexed plates of drawings, which are provided purely by way of non-limiting example and in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a thermally regulated container according to a first embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 2 shows in perspective view and at a larger scale the top or lid of the thermally regulated container of Figure 1 ;

- Figure 3 is a view in elevation and at a larger scale of the top or lid of Figure 2;

- Figure 4 is a perspective view from beneath of the top or lid of Figure 2; and - Figures 5 and 6 show two possible variants of the thermally regulated container according to the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

With initial reference to the embodiment represented in Figures 1-4, the thermally regulated container according to the invention consists of a flask or canister or tin 1 for foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals or medical articles, designed to contain a fluid substance such as a semi-dense liquid of an alimentary nature, for example vegetables or dairy products, or else a beverage, or yet again a pharmacological solution and more in general organic or inorganic materials in the fluid or semi-dense state. The containing vessel 1 is open at the top and, in the area close to the rim of its opening, is provided with an external thread (not visible in the drawings), screwed on which is a complementary internal thread 2 (Figure 4) of a lid 3 that constitutes the top of the containing vessel.

It should be noted that the coupling between the lid 3 and the containing vessel 1 could be, instead of a screwed coupling, a bayonet-type coupling, or else a coupling obtained by simple pressure or a slotted coupling.

The lid 3 is formed internally with an annular receptacle 4,- housed within which is a mass of a eutectic substance, i.e., one with high thermal-storage capacity, for example with high storage of frigories. Said substance is of a known type and its characteristics fall within the usual knowledge of a person skilled in the branch.

The eutectic mass can be inserted directly within the annular receptacle 4, and in this case the wall of the latter facing the inside of the containing vessel 1 will be relatively thin to favour heat exchange between said eutectic mass and the internal volume of the containing vessel, or else it may be contained in a thin protective envelope, and in this case the wall of the annular receptacle 4 that faces the inside of the containing vessel 1 may be perforated or have an openwork structure.

The annular receptacle 4 defines, within lid 3, an axial passage 5 in communication with the inside of the containing vessel 1 and through which its contents can be made to come out. The axial passage 5 is normally closed and sealed at the top via a sealing member 6, applied removably to the lid 3 by means of a threaded coupling, a bayonet coupling or a simple connection by pressure or slotting, or else a tear-away connection in the case where the container is disposable.

In use, the eutectic mass contained in the annular gap 4 enables the contents of the containing vessel 1 to be kept at a temperature quite a bit lower than room temperature.

Obviously, in the case where the eutectic mass were to be formed by a material with high calorie-storage capacity, the containing vessel 1 may be thermally regulated at a temperature quite a bit higher than room temperature.

For taking the fluid substance out of the containing vessel 1 it is possible to remove the lid 3 as a whole or else, alternatively, it may be sufficient to separate the sealing member 6 from the lid 3 and pour the contents of the containing vessel 1 through the axial passage 5. This second possibility is particularly advantageous in the case where the containing vessel 1 is constituted by a bottle or tin containing a beverage (water, wine, beer or other effervescent beverage): in this case, the beverage may be consumed by the user by drinking directly from the Hd 3, resting his lips about the axial passage 5, where he will experience a sensation of cool generated by the eutectic mass contained within the annular receptacle 4. In relation to said aspect, a use of the invention considered particularly convenient is the one in which the containing vessel to which the lid 3 is applied consists of a bottle for a beverage. With reference to Figure 1, it may be assumed in this case that the reference number 1 designates, instead of a flask or canister or tin, the neck of a bottle, the body of which is not represented, and the lid of which consists of its cap.

Further examples of embodiments, expressly as regards the neck of a bottle, are illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. hi the case of Figure 5, the neck of the bottle is designated by the reference number 7, and its cap, incorporating the eutectic mass, is designated by the reference number 3 a. Also in this case, the cap 3 a can be screwed or else directly integrated on the neck 7 of the bottle, and has at the top an external thread 8 screwed on which is a complementary internal thread (not illustrated) of the sealing member, designated by 6a. In the case of Figure 6, the neck of the bottle is designated by 9 and the cap with the eutectic mass, also in this case screwed on an external thread 10 of the neck 9, is designated as a whole by 3b. In this variant, the sealing member can be omitted, and the eutectic mass can occupy the entire internal volume of the cap 3b. Obviously, with this solution it will be possible to consume the contents of the bottle only by removing the cap 3b as a whole.

In all the embodiments described above the quantity and the characteristics of the eutectic mass contained in the lid or cap of the containing vessel will be calibrated on the basis of the characteristics and the volume of the product to be cooled or else heated. A relatively modest amount in proportion to the volume of the container is in any case considered sufficient to obtain an effective temporary effect of thermal regulation.

The lid or cap may be re-used indefinitely, following upon storage of frigories in the eutectic mass (by setting the lid or cap for the necessary time inside a refrigerator) or calories (by setting the lid or cap inside a heater). As already clarified previously, the fluid or semidense substances for which the thermally regulated container according to the invention finds advantageous application are multiple: in addition to beverages and liquids or semidense alimentary fluids in general, it is possible to envisage a particularly convenient use in the sector of medical articles and pharmaceuticals, for example for proper conservation of medicaments for personal use such as insulin for diabetics, sera, vaccines and organic and inorganic materials in general used in the medical field.

Of course, the details of construction and the embodiments may vary- widely with respect to what is described and illustrated herein purely by way of example, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined by the ensuing claims.

It is consequently possible to envisage the variants listed below, individually or in combination with one another:

1) the conformation of the thermally regulated container can be made up of two pieces (lid or cap and bottle) or else of a single piece (refrigerated bottle with eutectic seat);

2) the eutectic product is englobed within the gap in an envelope for protection against any possible leakage, or else directly within the plastic gap;

3) the position of the cold eutectic mass at the top favours its precipitation downwards since it has a higher molecular weight at room temperature; hence the part to be cooled is impinged upon by a passage of cold air;

4) cooling or maintenance of temperature can be obtained by contact between the contents of the bottle and the eutectic lid or cap, by possibly turning the bottle upside down; 5) cooling or maintenance of temperature can be obtained by causing the liquid contained in the bottle to flow through the passage of the lid or cap in the proximity of the eutectic area;

6) by drinking directly from the bottle, the consumer has a sensation of cool when his mouth comes into contact with the eutectic lid or cap; 7) the invention is applicable both on containers/bottles already present on the market and on purposely produced containers/bottles, or else on versions personalized according to particular specifications;

8) the invention is applicable on any type of container/bottle even with non- threaded connection, and made of any material and for any type of contents (e.g., alimentary liquids, non-alimentary liquids, dairy products, medicaments of various types, organic and non-organic materials used in the health sector, etc.) ;

9) the invention affords the possibility of modifying practically instantaneously, or in any case in short times, the temperature of wines or other liquids requiring certain given and precise variations of cold/heat in order to preserve particular organoleptic properties of taste and aroma, with possible insertion of an immersion thermal probes with temperature indicator provided directly on the eutectic lid or cap;

10) as the product to be cooled and the desired temperature vary, it will be sufficient to vary the quantity of the eutectic material and the type of material used in the production of the lid or cap, varying its composition and the thickness of the bottom or top or of the side walls separately;

11) the top or lid of the containing vessel according to the invention can be provided both for maintenance of temperature/cooling and for maintenance of temperature/heating by varying the composition of the eutectic mass;

12) according to the needs, the lid or cap could be positioned also on the bottom of the bottle/container;

13) the top member for sealing and for enabling consumption or use of the contents may be designed to be pushed away out of sight so that the top surface remains planar and can be used as a resting surface.

Claims

1. A thermally regulated container, comprising a containing vessel (1; 7; 9) with a top (3; 3 a; 3b) incorporating a material with high thermal-storage capacity for thermal regulation of the internal volume of the containing vessel, said thermally regulated container being characterized in that said vessel (1; 7; 9) consists of a bottle or a flask, canister, tin, jar, or the like, and said top consists of the corresponding lid or cap (3 a; 3b) thereof.

2. The container according to Claim 1 , characterized in that said lid or cap (3; 3b) is separable from the containing vessel (1 ; 9).

3. The container according to Claim 1, characterized in that said lid or cap (3 a) is integrated with the containing vessel (7);

4. The container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lid or cap (3; 3 a) consists of a hollow body defining an annular receptacle (4) for said material with high thermal-storage capacity and having an axial passage (5) in communication with the internal volume of the containing vessel (1; 7) and closed via a removable sealing member (6; 6a).

5. The container according to Claim 4, characterized in that said lid or cap (3; 3b) is applied to the containing vessel (1; 9) via a threaded coupling or a bayonet coupling or a pressure or slotted coupling.

6. The container according to Claim 4, characterized in that said sealing member (6; 6a) is coupled to said lid or cap (3; 3 a) by means of a threaded coupling or a bayonet coupling or a pressure or slotted coupling.