Refrigeration – Hand manipulable tool
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-16
2001-01-16
Tapolcai, William E. (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Hand manipulable tool
C062S371000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173579
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to sealed liquid containers and especially, but not exclusively, to drink cans of the well known type which contain soft or alcoholic drinks and which may be opened by pulling a tab or the like located at one end of the can.
It is often desirable for the liquid within a drink can to be cooled, gasified or further gasified prior to drinking.
Cooling is normally achieved by placing a can within a refrigerator, the contents of the can being drunk shortly after removing it from the refrigerator. However, this is not always a matter of convenience.
A self-refrigerating drinks can has recently been proposed in which the cooling is effected by the expansion of a liquid hydrofluorocarbon which is allowed to escape into the atmosphere. Accordingly, there are environmental objections to this proposal.
There are on the market various beer cans which incorporate a “widget” for effecting the gasification of the contents of the can. However, the operation of the widget is only actuated once the entire can is opened and the resultant gasification process may cause uncontrolled outflow of the liquid from the can.
There is a need for a drink can having contents which can be cooled rapidly, particularly in the case where a drink can has not been stored in a refrigerator and the contents are to be consumed immediately or very quickly so that there is no time to allow them to be cooled in the refrigerator, even if one is available.
There is also a need for a drink can having contents which can be gasified in a controlled manner.
According to the present invention there is provided a beverage containing system comprising a sealed drink can having located therein both a liquid to be consumed and a sealed compartment, and means for rupturing a wall of said compartment to put the interior of said compartment in fluid communication with a further compartment, a compressed fluid being located in one of said compartments whereby, after said rupturing, the fluid is confined within said compartments.
In an embodiment of the present invention said further compartment is substantially the entire drink can.
In another embodiment of the present invention, said further compartment is a second sealed compartment within said drink can. In this case first rupturing means may be provided to enable said compartments to be put in fluid contact with each other and second rupturing means may be provided to put one of said compartments in fluid contact with the entire drink can.
The drink can may include a deformable circular cylindrical wall which is squeezable to effect said rupturing.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the further compartment is located within a device separate from said drink can. In this case, the means for rupturing a wall of said compartment forms part of said device. The compressed fluid may be located in said further compartment.
The compressed fluid may be any suitable fluid which, on expansion, extracts heat from its surroundings to cool the can contents and/or is effective to gasify the liquid beverage contained within the can. Preferably the fluid is a liquid having a boiling point below 0° C. More preferably the fluid is nitrogen or carbon dioxide.
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Schindler Edwin D.
Tapolcai William E.
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