Thermal receptacle with phase change material

• US 6,968,888 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2003
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kolowich J. Bruce
• Original Assignee: Kolowich J. Bruce
• Inventors: Kolowich, J. Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Walberg, Teresa J.
• Application Number:
  US10/690,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20040083755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 165/10, 165/135, 165/902, 165/918, 165/136, 624/573, 624/51, 624/574, 220/421, 220/426, 220/446, 220/469, 220/23.89, 220/658, 220/659, 219/432, 219/430, 219/433, 219/439, 454/5, 458/4, 215/382, 215/13.1, 215/12.1, 215/DIG.7
• US Class Current: 165/10
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/127 with means for keeping liquid cool or hot vacuum bottles A47J41/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2288 with means for keeping liquid cool or hot
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/2416 with a heat storage element or material
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/2444 Drinking cups with heating means drinking vessels with means for keeping liquid hot without integral heating means A47G19/2288
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 41/0044 comprising heat or cold storing elements or material, i.e. energy transfer within the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3846 formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3874 formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 5/063 Materials absorbing or liberating heat during crystallisation; Heat storage materials
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/02 using latent heat
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2020/0008 the heat storage material being enclosed in plate-like or laminated elements, e.g. in plates having internal compartments
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/217 Class D power amplifiers; Switching amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/2173 of the bridge type
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/38 DC amplifiers with modulator at input and demodulator at output; Modulators or demodulators specially adapted for use in such amplifiers switched capacitor amplifiers H03F3/005
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 165/902 Heat storage

Abstract

A liquid receptacle for rapidly lowering the temperature of a liquid contained therein to a warm range suitable for human contact and maintaining the liquid in the warm range for an extended period of time includes an inner vessel with an open upper end and a closed lower end and a wall connecting the upper and lower end. An insulated outer shell is spaced from the inner vessel to define an interstitial chamber between the inner vessel and the outer shell. A phase change material occupies the chamber and regeneratively absorbs thermal energy from the liquid to cool the liquid and then releases the thermal energy back to the liquid to maintain the temperature of the liquid.

Claims

1. A liquid receptacle for rapidly lowering the temperature of a liquid contained therein to a warm range suitable for human contact and maintaining the liquid in the warm range for an extended period of time, said receptacle comprising:

an inner vessel having an open upper end and closed lower end and a wall connecting the upper end and the lower end;

a one piece insulated outer shell spaced from the inner vessel defining an interstitial chamber therebetween, the outer shell including an inner layer and an outer layer with an evacuated void therebetween for vacuum insulating the outer shell; and

a phase change material disposed within the chamber for regeneratively absorbing thermal energy from the liquid and then releasing the thermal energy to the liquid to maintain the temperature of the liquid.

2. The liquid receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the inner layer of the outer shell has an inner surface, the upper end of the inner vessel being in sealing engagement with the inner surface of the outer wall.

3. The liquid receptacle according to claim 2, wherein the outer shell has an upper edge terminating in a lip for drinking, the lip being spaced from the upper end of the inner vessel by a distance sufficient to prevent contact between the inner vessel and the mouth of a consumer of liquid from the receptacle.

4. The liquid receptacle according to claim 2, wherein the outer shell has an upper edge terminating in a lip for drinking, the lip having a cross section comprising at least 180 degrees of an arc.

5. The liquid receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the outer shell has an upper edge terminating in a lip for drinking, the lip being spaced from the upper end of the inner vessel by a distance sufficient to prevent contact between the inner vessel and the mouth of a consumer of liquid from the receptacle.

6. The liquid receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the outer shell has an upper edge terminating in a lip for drinking, the lip having a cross section comprising at least 180 degrees of an arc.

7. The liquid receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the wall of the inner vessel has an outward taper such that the upper end has a width greater than a width of the lower end.

8. The liquid receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the phase change material has a solid to liquid phase change temperature within the range of 110°

F. to 160°

F.

9. A receptacle according to claim 8, wherein the phase change material is selected from the group consisting of naturally occurring fatty acids.

10. A receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the phase change material is palmitic acid.

11. The liquid receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the inner vessel is formed from a material having a thermal conductivity greater than 150 Watts/meter-degree Kelvin.

12. The liquid receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, aluminum alloys, copper, and copper alloys.

13. The liquid receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle is a baby bottle.

14. The liquid receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle is a bathing tub.

15. A liquid receptacle for rapidly lowering the temperature of a hot beverage contained therein to a warm range suitable for human consumption and maintaining the liquid in the warm range for an extended period of time, said receptacle comprising:

an inner vessel having an open upper end and closed lower end and a wall connecting the upper end and the lower end, the upper end terminating in a rim;

a one piece insulated outer shell spaced from the inner vessel defining an interstitial chamber therebetween, the outer shell having an inner surface and an outer surface and an upper edge terminating in a lip for drinking;

the inner surface of the outer shell having a circumferential outwardly extending recess defined therein, the recess being spaced from the lip;

the rim of the inner vessel being in sealing engagement with the recess in the inner surface of the outer shell and spaced from the lip of the outer shell for preventing contact between the inner vessel and the mouth of a consumer of liquid from the receptacle; and

a phase change material disposed within the chamber for regeneratively absorbing thermal energy from the beverage and then releasing the thermal energy to the beverage to maintain the temperature of the liquid.

16. The liquid receptacle according to claim 15, wherein the outer shell has an inner layer and an outer layer with an evacuated void therebetween for vacuum insulating the outer shell.

17. The liquid receptacle according to claim 15, wherein the upper end of the inner vessel is spaced from the lip by a distance greater than 0.125 inches.

18. The liquid receptacle according to claim 15, wherein the wall of the inner vessel has an outward taper such that the upper end has a width greater than the width of the lower end.

19. A liquid receptacle for rapidly lowering the temperature of a hot beverage contained therein to a warm range suitable for human consumption and maintaining the liquid in the warm range for an extended period of time, said receptacle comprising:

an inner vessel having an open upper end and closed lower end and a wall connecting the upper end and the lower end, the upper end terminating in a bulbous lip;

an insulated outer shell spaced from the inner vessel defining an interstitial chamber therebetween, the outer shell having an inner surface and an outer surface and an upper edge terminating in a lip for drinking;

the inner surface of the outer shell having a circumferential outwardly extending arched recess defined therein, the recess being spaced from the lip;

the lip of the inner vessel being in sealing engagement with the recess in the inner surface of the outer shell and spaced from the lip of the outer shell for preventing contact between the inner vessel and the mouth of a consumer of liquid from the receptacle; and

a phase change material disposed within the chamber for regeneratively absorbing thermal energy from the beverage and then releasing the thermal energy to the beverage to maintain the temperature of the liquid.

20. The liquid receptacle according to claim 19, wherein the outer shell has an inner layer and an outer layer with an evacuated void therebetween for vacuum insulating the outer shell.

21. The liquid receptacle according to claim 20, wherein the inner layer and outer layer are formed of metal.

22. The liquid receptacle according to claim 19, wherein the upper end of the inner vessel is spaced from the tip by a distance greater than 0.125 inches.

23. The liquid receptacle according to claim 19, wherein the lip of the outer shell has a cross section comprising at least 180 degrees of an arc.

24. The liquid receptacle according to claim 19, wherein the phase change material has a solid to liquid phase change temperature within the range of 110°

F. to 160°

F.

25. A receptacle according to claim 19, wherein the phase change material is selected from the group consisting of naturally occurring fatty acids.

26. A receptacle according to claim 19, wherein the phase change material is palmitic acid.

27. The liquid receptacle according to claim 19, wherein the inner vessel is formed from a material having a thermal conductivity greater than 150 Watts/meter-degree Kelvin.

28. The liquid receptacle according to claim 26, wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, aluminum alloys, copper, rod copper alloys.

29. The liquid receptacle according to claim 19, wherein the insulated outer shell is at least partially formed of plastic.

30. The liquid receptacle according to claim 28, wherein the insulated outer shell includes an inner layer and an outer layer formed of plastic with an air gap disposed therebetween.

31. The liquid receptacle according to claim 19, wherein the insulated outer shell is at least partially formed of metal.

32. The liquid receptacle according to claim 30, the insulated outer shell includes an inner layer and an outer layer formed of metal with an air gap disposed therebetween.

33. A liquid receptacle for rapidly lowering the temperature of a liquid contained therein to a warm range suitable for human contact and maintaining the liquid in the warm range for an extended period of time, said receptacle comprising:

an inner vessel having an open upper end and closed lower end and a wall connecting the upper end and the lower end;

an insulated outer shell spaced from the inner vessel defining an interstitial chamber therebetween, the outer shell including an inner layer and an outer layer with an evacuated void therebetween for vacuum insulating the outer shell, the outer layer of the outer shell forming at least part of the outer surface of the liquid receptacle; and

a phase change material disposed within the chamber for regeneratively absorbing thermal energy from the liquid and then releasing the thermal energy to the liquid to maintain the temperature of the liquid.