Self-regulating heat pack
First Claim
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1. A disposable heating device comprising:
- a disposable container having at least one liquid-impermeable first zone and at least one liquid-impermeable second zone;
a separator disposed between the at least one first zone and the at least one second zone, the separator being operable to provide communication between said zones;
a mixture comprising a primary fuel, a preformed stiffenable gel, and a vaporizable solvent in the at least one second zone; and
a substantially solid and particulate oxidizing agent in the at least one first zone, said oxidizing agent being embedded and dispersed throughout solid pieces of a binding agent dissolvable in at least one of said solvent and said primary fuel,wherein communication between the first and second zones allows mixing of the contents therein and at ambient temperature initiates a primary exothermic chemical reaction producing heat in said container,wherein the dissolvable binding agent dissolves during said exothermic chemical reaction to controllably expose said particulate oxidizing agent at a predetermined rate,wherein the container includes a vapor space and a condensation surface above the contents of the zones after communication between the zones is provided,wherein the vaporizable solvent vaporizes into the vapor space and condenses on the condensation surface when the temperature of the device approaches a predetermined maximum temperature during operation of the device, causing stiffening of the gel, andwherein the amount of said preformed stiffenable gel is sufficient to prevent said exothermic chemical reaction from causing the temperature of the container to overshoot the predetermined maximum temperature during operation of the device.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a self-heating, disposable heating pack utilizing an exothermic chemical reaction. Self-moderation of the heat pack is provided through the use of a preformed reversibly stiffenable gel that alters the rate of exothermic chemical reactions. A vaporizable solvent is used to adjust the gel stiffness. The heat pack can be used in heat transfer or ambient temperature conditions which differ from those anticipated as design conditions.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A disposable heating device comprising:
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a disposable container having at least one liquid-impermeable first zone and at least one liquid-impermeable second zone; a separator disposed between the at least one first zone and the at least one second zone, the separator being operable to provide communication between said zones; a mixture comprising a primary fuel, a preformed stiffenable gel, and a vaporizable solvent in the at least one second zone; and a substantially solid and particulate oxidizing agent in the at least one first zone, said oxidizing agent being embedded and dispersed throughout solid pieces of a binding agent dissolvable in at least one of said solvent and said primary fuel, wherein communication between the first and second zones allows mixing of the contents therein and at ambient temperature initiates a primary exothermic chemical reaction producing heat in said container, wherein the dissolvable binding agent dissolves during said exothermic chemical reaction to controllably expose said particulate oxidizing agent at a predetermined rate, wherein the container includes a vapor space and a condensation surface above the contents of the zones after communication between the zones is provided, wherein the vaporizable solvent vaporizes into the vapor space and condenses on the condensation surface when the temperature of the device approaches a predetermined maximum temperature during operation of the device, causing stiffening of the gel, and wherein the amount of said preformed stiffenable gel is sufficient to prevent said exothermic chemical reaction from causing the temperature of the container to overshoot the predetermined maximum temperature during operation of the device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A disposable heating device comprising:
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a disposable container having at least one liquid-impermeable first zone and at least one liquid-impermeable second zone; a separator disposed between the at least one first zone and the at least one second zone, the separator being operable to provide communication between the zones, a mixture comprising glycerine, a preformed stiffenable starch gel and water in the at least one second zone; and particles of potassium permanganate and sugar in the at least one first zone, said particles of potassium permanganate being embedded in and dispersed throughout solid pieces of sodium silicate, wherein communication between the first and second zones allows mixing of the contents therein and initiates an exothermic reduction/oxidation reaction, producing heat in said container, wherein the solid pieces of sodium silicate dissolves during said exothermic reaction to controllably expose said particles of potassium permanganate at a predetermined rate, wherein the container includes a vapor space and a condensation surface above the contents of the zones after communication between the zones is provided, wherein the water vaporizes into the vapor space and condenses on the condensation surface when the temperature of the device approaches a predetermined maximum temperature during operation of the device, causing stiffening of the starch gel, and and wherein the amount of said preformed stiffenable starch gel is sufficient to prevent said exothermic chemical reaction from causing the temperature of the container to overshoot the predetermined maximum temperature during operation of the device. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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Specification