Thermal-transfer container sleeve system and method
OwnerGameel Gabrielinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thermal-transfer container sleeve system and method for warming, cooling, or maintaining the temperature of a fluid inside a thermally-conductive container. The thermal-transfer container sleeve is portable, is non-electric and non-fuel-burning, and is not itself a fluid container, which might not be allowed in some places or circumstances. The thermal-transfer container sleeve is easily pre-heated or pre-cooled with standard kitchen equipment. The thermal-transfer container sleeve provides high-thermal-capacitance units attached to the inside of an insulation sleeve in a way that maximizes thermal contact with the thermally-conductive container, but provides additional surface area when not mounted upon a thermally-conductive container to increase the efficiency of pre-heating or pre-cooling.
Claims8
A thermal-transfer container sleeve method for affecting the temperature of a fluid inside a thermally-conductive container, comprising:
- (i) providing a thermal-transfer container sleeve, further comprising:
- (a) a plurality of high-thermal capacitance units adapted to transfer thermal energy with an outside heat source or sink, store such thermal energy, and transfer such thermal energy with the fluid inside a thermally-conductive container, and having an inner face adapted for thermal contact with the thermally-conductive container;
- and
- (b) an insulating sleeve of thermally-insulating sheet material, having an inner face toward the thermally-conductive container and an opposite outer face, adapted for attachment of said high-thermal-capacitance units on the inner face, and adapted for holding said high-thermal-capacitance units on the inner face;
- and adapted for holding said high-thermal-capacitance units against the surface of the thermally-conductive container;
- where the shape of said high-thermal-capacitance units and configuration of attachment to said insulating sleeve are such that the inner face of each high-thermal-capacitance unit has a curved surface between a plurality of side walls, and when placed upon the thermally-conductive container, each side wall abuts a side wall of an adjacent high-thermal-capacitance unit, and the curved surfaces of the plurality of high-thermal capacitance units form a continuous surface conforming to the shape of, and in continuous contact with, the thermally-conductive container, and when removed from the thermally-conductive container the inner faces of said high-thermal-capacitance units are located further apart;
- and
- where no energy source other than the stored thermal energy of said high-thermal-capacitance units is used by said thermal-transfer container sleeve when in use upon the thermally-conductive container;
- and
- (ii) using said thermal-transfer container sleeve by first pre-heating or pre-cooling by an outside heat source or sink, and then placing upon the thermally-conductive container of fluid such that the inner faces of said high-thermal-capacitance units are held in thermal contact with the thermally-conductive container by said insulating sleeve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.