Autothermic packaging

Abstract

The invention relates to autothermic packaging comprising a container ( 1 ) for a food product and a first compartment ( 5 ) containing a first substance which can react with a second substance that is contained in a second compartment ( 6 ) or which can change phases when exposed to conditions in said second compartment ( 6 ). Both of the aforementioned compartments ( 5, 6 ) abut one another by means of the mouth thereof and are separated by means of a sheet ( 7 ) which can be broken from the outside using penetration means ( 8 ). At least one heat-conducting wall ( 9 ) is shared by the container ( 1 ) and the first compartment ( 5 ). Moreover, said heat-conducting wall ( 9 ) comprises a band ( 10 ) which is disposed next to the mouth thereof and the container ( 1 ) comprises an external heat-insulating wall ( 11 ) which is connected to a base member ( 39 ) having a band ( 12 ) close to a peripheral edge. The aforementioned peripheral flanged bands ( 10, 12 ) abut one another, thereby forming a hermetic, resistant seam by means of crimping.

1 . Autothermic packaging of the type comprising a receptacle ( 1 ) for a food product, and a first compartment ( 5 ) containing a first substance that can react with a second substance contained in a second compartment ( 6 ) or undergo a phase change when exposed to conditions present in said second compartment ( 6 ), with both first and second compartments ( 5 ,  6 ) backing onto each other at their openings and being separated by a breakable sheet ( 7 ) that can be broken from the outside by penetration means ( 8 ) to produce a mixture and chemical reaction between said first and second substances including heat exchange or a phase change of said first substance including heat exchange, with at least one heat conducting wall ( 9 ) being common to receptacle ( 1 ) and first compartment ( 5 ) in order to facilitate the said heat exchange therebetween, characterised in that said heat conducting wall ( 9 ) has a strip ( 10 ) next to a perimetral edge of its opening and receptacle ( 1 ) has an outside heat insulating wall ( 11 ) connected to a base element ( 39 ) also provided with a strip ( 12 ) next to a perimetral edge, with said perimetral strips ( 10 ,  12 ) being connected by placing them back to back and mutually flanging them, thus forming, by seaming, an airtight and mechanically resistant seam that prevents contamination of said food product, contained in receptacle ( 1 ) by the substance(s) contained in first and second compartments ( 5 ,  6 ).  
   
   
       2 . Packaging according to  claim 1 , characterised in that it includes an elastic seal or adhesive glue between perimetral strips ( 10 ,  12 ) that back onto one another and are mutually flanged.  
   
   
       3 . Packaging according to  claim 1 , characterised in that heat conducting wall ( 9 ) forms a concavity inside a space limited by said heat insulating wall ( 11 ) whereby first compartment ( 5 ) is surrounded by receptacle ( 1 ).  
   
   
       4 . Packaging according to  claim 3 , characterised in that second compartment ( 6 ) has a heat insulating wall ( 13 ) that defines a perimetral seat ( 14 ) onto which a strip is attached next to a perimetral edge of said breakable sheet ( 7 ), and an end perimetral flange ( 16 ), backing onto which, attached by welding, there is a perimetral flange ( 17 ) of said base element ( 39 ) connected to receptacle ( 1 ), leaving said perimetral strip of breakable sheet ( 7 ) resting on a part of perimetral strip ( 10 ) of heat conducting wall ( 9 ).  
   
   
       5 . Packaging according to  claim 4 , characterised in that said penetration means ( 8 ) comprise a penetrating element ( 18 ) joined to a convex flexible wall ( 19 ) opposite breakable sheet ( 7 ), with said penetrating element ( 18 ) extending as far as the proximity of breakable sheet ( 7 ), it being possible that said convex flexible wall ( 19 ) becomes deformed by pressure from the outside so as to move penetrating element ( 18 ) and break said breakable sheet ( 7 ).  
   
   
       6 . Packaging according to  claim 5 , characterised in that heat insulating wall ( 11 ) is integral with base element ( 39 ) and in that it includes a container ( 2 ) for a component that can be mixed with said food product, with said container ( 2 ) and receptacle ( 1 ) backing onto one another and being separated by a sheet ( 3 ) that can be broken from the outside by penetration means ( 4 ) to produce a mixture of said mixable component and the food product.  
   
   
       7 . Packaging according to  claim 6 , characterised in that container ( 2 ) has a wall ( 20 ) that defines a perimetral seat.( 21 ) on which there is attached a strip next to a perimetral edge of said breakable sheet ( 3 ), and a penetrating element ( 23 ) joined to a convex flexible wall ( 24 ) opposite breakable sheet ( 3 ), with said penetrating element ( 23 ) extending as far as the proximity of breakable sheet ( 3 ), it being possible that said convex flexible wall ( 24 ) becomes deformed with pressure from the outside so as to move penetrating element ( 23 ) and break said breakable sheet ( 3 ), with penetrating element ( 23 ) and convex flexible wall ( 24 ) constituting said penetration means ( 4 ).  
   
   
       8 . Packaging according to  claim 7 , characterised in that penetrating element ( 23 ) comprises a hollow tubular body and a bevelled penetrating end ( 25 ).  
   
   
       9 . Packaging according to  claim 8 , characterised in that said hollow tubular body of penetrating element ( 23 ) communicates with the outside of container ( 2 ) by means of convex flexible wall ( 24 ) so that it forms a conduit for supplying said mixture of the food product and the mixable component, removable lid means being provided for the outside opening of said conduit.  
   
   
       10 . Packaging according to  claim 9 , characterised in that said hollow tubular body of penetrating element ( 23 ) has at least one opening ( 26 ) in its side wall, along the longitudinal direction thereof, for forming a passage for the mixable component from container ( 2 ) to receptacle ( 1 ) and for the mixture of the food product and the mixable component from receptacle ( 1 ) to the hollow tubular body.  
   
   
       11 . Packaging according to  claim 10 , characterised in that said hollow tubular body of penetrating element ( 23 ) is cylindrical and has an end ( 27 ) that slightly protrudes from convex flexible wall ( 24 ), where a ring ( 28 ) is snap fitted which provides a retaining ring support for a teat ( 29 ) which, in a first position of ring ( 28 ), prior to use, is housed towards the inside of the hollow tubular body and, in a second position of ring ( 28 ), the position of use, protrudes towards the outside from said end ( 27 ) of the hollow tubular body, with the package as a whole constituting a single-use feeding bottle.  
   
   
       12 . Packaging according to  claim 11 , characterised in that it comprises a lid ( 30 ) that can be snap fitted to ring ( 28 ) to seal the hollow tubular body and protect said teat ( 29 ) in said first position prior to use.  
   
   
       13 . Packaging according to  claim 6 , characterised in that said container ( 2 ), breakable sheet ( 3 ) and penetration means ( 4 ) make up a subunit ( 31 ) joined to receptacle ( 1 ) by releasable connection means, so that said subunit ( 31 ) acts as an airtight seal for receptacle ( 1 ) when said connection means are attached, and receptacle ( 1 ) is open at the top, acting as a glass, when said connection means are released and subunit ( 31 ) withdrawn.  
   
   
       14 . Packaging according to  claim 13 , characterised in that said releasable connection means comprise complementary screw threads ( 32 ,  33 ), arranged respectively on cylindrical ends of subunit ( 31 ) and heat insulating wall ( 11 ) of receptacle ( 1 ), with a seal being provided.  
   
   
       15 . Packaging according to  claim 13 , characterised in that said releasable connection means comprise a tearable strip ( 34 ) attached along weakening lines ( 15 ) around the perimeter of heat insulating wall ( 11 ) of receptacle ( 1 ), next to an upper edge thereof, with said tearable strip ( 34 ) ending in a tearing tab ( 22 ), which when pulled outwards enables said weakening lines ( 15 ) to be torn and subunit ( 31 ) to be separated from receptacle ( 1 ).  
   
   
       16 . Packaging according to  claim 5  characterised in that said releasable connection means between a heat insulating wall ( 11 ) and a base element ( 39 ), therefore the receptacle ( 1 ) being reusable whilst the subunit ( 42 ) made of the first and second compartments ( 5 , 6 ), penetration means ( 8 ) and a base element ( 39 ) being of single use.  
   
   
       17 . Packaging according to  claim 16 , characterised in that said releasable connection means comprise complementary screw threads ( 40 ,  41 ) arranged respectively on cylindrical ends of base element ( 39 ) of subunit ( 42 ) and heat insulating wall ( 11 ) of receptacle ( 1 ).  
   
   
       18 . Packaging according to  claim 17 , characterised in that it includes a lid ( 43 ) that can be screwed onto the top end of receptacle ( 1 ), said lid ( 43 ) being provided with a retaining ring support for a teat ( 44 ) in order to supply the food product, which has been previously introduced into receptacle ( 1 ) by a user, through said teat ( 44 ), with lid ( 43 ) and teat ( 44 ) also being reusable.  
   
   
       19 . Packaging according to  claim 1 , characterised in that it includes a flat thermometric device ( 35 ), like a band, attached to the outside of heat insulating wall ( 11 ) of receptacle ( 1 ), with said thermometric device ( 35 ) showing temperature changes by altering its colour tone.  
   
   
       20 . Packaging according to  claim 1 , characterised in that an outer wall of the second compartment ( 6 ) includes a safety valve made up of a specifically weakened area ( 49 ) that can give way if internal pressure exceeds 5 kg/cm 2 .  
   
   
       21 . Packaging according to  claim 5 , characterised in that side wall(s) of second compartment ( 6 ) extend beyond convex flexible wall ( 19 ) and define an opening closed by a sheet ( 36 ), such as a plasticized paper, joined along its periphery to the edge of said opening and which acts as an access seal for said convex flexible wall ( 19 ).  
   
   
       22 . Packaging according to  claim 6 , characterised in that side wall(s) of the container ( 2 ) extend beyond convex flexible wall ( 24 ) and define an opening closed by a sheet ( 37 ), such as a plasticized paper, joined along its periphery to the edge of said opening and which acts as an access seal for said convex flexible wall ( 24 ).  
   
   
       23 . Packaging according to  claim 5 , characterised in that said penetrating element ( 18 ) comprises a hollow tubular body and a bevelled penetrating end ( 47 ).  
   
   
       24 . Packaging according to  claim 1  or  6 , characterised in that said breakable sheet ( 7 ,  3 ) is made up of metallized paper.  
   
   
       25 . Packaging according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the first substance is calcium oxide (CaO) and the second substance is water (H 2 O), which react exothermically thus heating the food product in receptacle ( 1 ).  
   
   
       26 . Packaging according to  claim 25 , characterised in that the calcium oxide is in a granulated form pressure compacted from a powder material, or obtained by grinding, with a grain size of approximately 6 to approximately 9 mm average diameter in order to delay the reaction activity.  
   
   
       27 . Packaging according to  claim 26 , characterised in that said pressure compacted granulate also contains a catalyst mixed therein.  
   
   
       28 . Packaging according to  claim 1 , characterised in that said first substance is a low boiling point liquid and said conditions present in said second compartment ( 6 ) comprise a depression of approximately 4 mm of Hg, with the ether changing endothermically from a liquid to vapour phase when exposed to said conditions, thus cooling the food product in receptacle ( 1 ).  
   
   
       29 . Packaging according to  claim 28 , characterised in that inside second compartment ( 6 ), there is a membrane made from an absorbent material, such as dehydrated charcoal, for absorbing the ether steam so as to delay the speed of the phase change.