Portable self-cooling and self-heating device for food and beverage containers
AssigneeThe Joseph Company
InventorMichael Anthony
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A portable, self contained heating or cooling apparatus for a beverage can is disclosed. A vortex tube is provided which supplies the needed heating or cooling effect to the beverage in the can.
Claims16
A portable heat exchanger for heating or cooling a medium comprising:
- a vessel for containing a discrete quantity of a compressed gas,
- a vortex generating means,
- valve means for controlling the release of said compressed gas from said vessel,
- means for introducing said compressed gas released from said vessel into said vortex generating means, said vortex generating means producing a first stream of gas and a second stream of gas, said first stream of gas having a temperature greater than said second stream,
- heat exchange means receiving one of said first and second streams of gas from said vortex generating means and absorbing heat from or releasing heat to said medium, and
- exhaust means for releasing said streams of gas.
A self-cooling or self-warming container for a food or beverage, said container comprising a first vessel for containing said food or beverage and a heat exchanger for heating or cooling said food or beverage situated within said first vessel, said heat exchanger including a second vessel for containing a compressed gas, a vortex generating means, valve means for controlling the release of said compressed gas from said second vessel, means for introducing compressed gas released from said second vessel into said vortex generating means, said vortex generating means producing a first stream of gas and a second stream of gas, said first stream having a temperature greater than said second stream, heat exchange means for receiving one of said first and second streams of gas from said vortex generating means and absorbing heat from or releasing heat to said food or beverage, and exhaust means for releasing said gas streams from said container.
A heat exchange canister for heating or cooling a food or beverage comprising:
- a tubular vortex generating means centrally positioned in a housing defining said canister,
- a first chamber surrounding said vortex generating means containing a discrete quantity of a compressed gas,
- valve means for controlling the release of said compressed gas from said first chamber and for introducing said compressed gas into said vortex generating means,
- a second chamber defined by the inside wall of said housing receiving a stream of gas from said vortex generating means whereby said gas absorbs heat from or transfers heat to said housing, and exhaust means for releasing gas from said housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.