Self-heating/self-cooling package

• US 20030000517A1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Daum, Christopher Lee, Joseph, Gary Curtis
• Granted Patent: US 6,644,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 126/263.06
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3484 Packages having self-contained heating means, e.g. heating generated by the reaction of two chemicals warming devices A47J36/24
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3897 formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls
• CPC Class Codes: F24V 30/00 Apparatus or devices using heat produced by exothermal chemical reactions other than combustion
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 5/02 portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally

Abstract

A flexible temperature changing package for heating or cooling a contained item or product including a temperature changing element adjacent to the item and an offset activation point that prevents damage to item.

Claims

1. A flexible heating/cooling system comprising:

an enclosed package containing a product;

at least two flexible temperature changing elements, each of said flexible temperature changing elements comprising;

a first chamber; and

,

a second chamber disposed proximate to said first chamber;

wherein at least a portion of said at least two flexible temperature changing elements is disposed proximate to said product; and

,

wherein thermal energy from said at least two flexible temperature changing elements heats or cools said product.

2. The flexible heating/cooling system of claim 1 wherein said flexible heating/cooling system is disposed in an insulator.

3. The flexible heating/cooling system of claim 2 wherein said at least two flexible temperature changing elements are coextensive with said enclosed package.

4. The flexible heating/cooling system of claim 3 wherein said insulator is coextensive with said at least two flexible temperature changing elements

5. The flexible heating/cooling system of claim 1 wherein said first chamber further comprises an activation point.

6. The flexible heating/cooling system of claim 5 wherein said activation point is disposed away from said product.

7. The flexible heating/cooling system of claim 1 wherein said at least two temperature changing elements are coextensive with said enclosed package.

8. The flexible heating/cooling system of claim 1 wherein said thermal energy is produced from a chemical reaction.

9. The flexible heating/cooling system of claim 8 wherein said chemical reaction is exothermic.

10. The flexible heating/cooling system of claim 8 wherein said chemical reaction is endothermic.

11. The flexible heating/cooling system of claim 8 wherein said chemical reaction is a chemical reaction selected from the group consisting of solid-liquid, liquid-liquid, anhydrous heat of solution, heat of neutralization, zeolite-liquid, crystallization, electrochemical, and combinations thereof.

12. The flexible heating/cooling system of claim 1 wherein said enclosed package is manufactured from a material selected from the group consisting of foils, metallized films, and combinations thereof.

13. The flexible heating/cooling system of claim 1 further comprising attachment tabs wherein said attachment tabs attach said at least two flexible temperature changing elements to said enclosed package.

14. The flexible heating/cooling system of claim 1 wherein said second chamber is disposed proximate to said enclosed package.

15. The flexible heating/cooling system of claim 14 wherein said first chamber is at least partially disposed away from said product.

16. The flexible heating/cooling system of claim 1 further comprising a rupturable barrier disposed between said first chamber and said second chamber.

17. The flexible heating/cooling system of claim 16 wherein said rupturable barrier is selected from the group consisting of frangible seals, perforations, scoring, weak regions, internal piercing, pull-strips, and combinations thereof.

18. The flexible heating/cooling system of claim 1 wherein said at least two flexible temperature changing elements are simultaneously activatable.

20. The self-heating/self-cooling package of claim 19, wherein each of said at least two temperature changing element comprises:

a first compartment;

a second compartment; and

,

a rupturable seal disposed between said first and second compartments; and

,

wherein at least a portion of said first compartment is disposed away from said product.

19. A flexible, self-heating/self-cooling package for heating or cooling an item contained within said package, said package comprising:

a product;

at least two flexible temperature changing elements disposed proximate to said product;

wherein each of said at least two flexible temperature changing elements has at least one first side; and

,

wherein at least a portion of each of said first sides of said flexible temperature changing elements are disposed about said product.