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Field of the invention

The present invention is generally directed to beverages and like fluid foodstuffs contained within closed vessels and intended to be taken, following opening of the vessel, at a temperature different from the environmental temperature, i.e. in a cooled or a heated condition.

More particularly the invention is directed to a cooling/heating system for such beverages and the like packaged inside sealed containers, such as aluminium cans, glass receptacles having a metal cap, and even airtight containers made of plastics and similar materials.

Relevant prior art

Traditionally, whenever beverages contained within these vessels have to be cooled prior to be taken, the related vessels must be stored and kept for a relative long time within a constantly refrigerated environment (refrigerators, refrigerated cabinets, refrigerated vending machines etc. ) .

This involves huge energy consumption, and additionally the practical impossibility to differentiate the cooling degree of the beverages as a function of the specific consumer requirements.

A partial solution to this problem is provided for by French patent of addition n. 2.223.986, disclosing a container for drinks, particularly a can, provided with a self-contained cooling system. According to a first

disclosed solution, this document provides a liquefied gas reservoir arranged within the can and isolated from the drink, which is communicating with a heat exchanger coil immerged within the drink and connected to the atmosphere through a normally closed outlet passage. When the drink has to be taken, the outlet is opened, thus allowing the liquefied gas to run through the exchanger coil with a quick cooling effect of the vessel content, and to then escape outwardly.

This solution is constructively complicated and expensive, and thus in practice industrially unfeasible. Moreover it involves risks of contamination of the beverage or the like by the cooling gas residing within the can, and free bleeding of this cooling gas outwardly, after flowing through the exchanger coil, is unacceptable from the environmental point of view.

In a second embodiment, disclosed with reference to figure 4 of the French document, the heat exchanger coil embodied within the can has an inlet directly opening outwardly and intended to be connected to an outer supply source of the cooling fluid, constituted by a liquefied gas bottle. This solution, while being relatively simple and cheap from the constructive point of view, is affected by the same drawback of the previously disclosed solution m connection with free emission of the cooling gas to the atmosphere once having run through the heat exchanger coil.

Statement of the invention

The object of the present invention is to overcome the above inconveniences, and more particularly to provide a system which enables cooling of beverages and the like contained within closed vessels quickly, so as to easily

fit the consumer's demands, and without any environmental contamination effects by the cooling means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a system enabling, in alternative, to quickly heat beverages and the like contained within closed vessels.

According to the invention, these objects are achieved by a quick cooling/heating system for beverages and the like contained within closed vessels, wherein the vessel incorporates an inner heat exchanger isolated from the beverage or the like and having an inlet and an outlet communicating with the outside of the vessel, and wherein the heat exchanger is adapted to be run through by a pressurized cooling/heating fluid delivered by an outer supply source to be connected to said inlet, the primary feature of which resides in that it comprises a recovery device of the cooling/heating fluid to be connected with the outlet of the heat exchanger while said supply source is connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger.

By virtue of this idea of solution, the vessel containing the beverage or the like can normally be stored and kept under environmental temperature, and then subjected to cooling/heating only at the time the beverage is to be drunk. In the system according to the invention the flow path of the cooling/heating fluid through the heat exchanger of the vessel is along a closed circuit, with the advantage both of preventing the cooling/heating fluid to contaminate the environment and to allow further re-use of this fluid.

Advantageously, the recovery device feeds back the cooling/heating fluid to the supply source.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the supply source and the fluid recovery device are integrated within an apparatus comprising a seat for introducing and positioning the vessel, fitting means associated to the supply source and to the recovery device, respectively, and sealingly engageable with the inlet and with the outlet, respectively, of the head exchanger of the vessel, and control means of the cooling/heating fluid flow through the heat exchanger.

The seat of the apparatus and the vessel of the beverage or the like are conveniently provided with respective centering means between said fitting means and the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger.

According to a first particular embodiment of the invention, where the vessel of the beverage or the like is constituted by an aluminium can, the heat exchanger is formed by a coil formed integrally with the upper wall or cover of the can in correspondence of which said inlet and said outlet are opening to the outside, releasable sealing means of said inlet and said outlet are conveniently applied onto the can cover. These sealing means may be comprised of a peelable or pierceable membrane, which can also act advantageously as a sanitary protection for the opening tang which the can cover is normally provided with.

According to a second particular and preferred embodiment of the invention, where the vessel of the beverage or the like is also constituted by an aluminium can, the heat exchanger is formed by a hollow integral extension of the bottom wall of the can axially projecting within said can and open in correspondence of said bottom wall.

The invention is also directed to a method for quick cooling/heating of beverages or the like contained within closed vessels, and to a closed vessel -particularly an aluminium can- for carrying out this method.

Brief description of the drawings

Further advantages of the invention will become apparent through the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings purely provided by way of non limiting example, in which:

- figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a can vessel for beverages and the like adapted to be employed in the cooling/heating system according to the invention,

- figure 2 is a diagrammatic vertically sectioned view of the can shown in figure 1,

- figure 3 is a top plan view of figure 1,

- figure 4 is an exploded and diagrammatic view in a reduced scale, showing the can of figures 1 through 3 in combination with the cooling/heating apparatus of the system according to the invention, figure 5 is a diagrammatic, partially vertically sectioned and enlarged view showing the can/apparatus assembly in the operating condition,

- figure 6 shows in an enlarged scale a portion of figure 5,

-figure 7 shows a variant of figure 5,

-figure 8 shows a variant of figure 1 in an enlarged scale,

-figure 9 is a cross sectioned view along line IX-IX of figure 8,

-figure 10 is an axially sectioned view along line X-X of figure 9, and

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-figure 11 is a view same as figure 7 showing the can according to figures 8-10/apparatus assembly in the operating condition.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

Figures 1 through 3 depict one example of a vessel for beverages which constitutes one component element of the quick cooling/heating system according to the invention. This vessel, disclosed in detail in the following, is formed in the shown example by an aluminium can 1: it is however to be pointed out that even vessels of different shapes and materials fall within the scope of the present invention, such as for instance glass receptacles having a metal lid, cardboard or plastic material containers, etc.

The can 1 has a generally conventional construction, with a cylindrical lateral wall 2 integrally formed with a bottom wall 3, and a cover 4 sealingly secured on the upper edge of the lateral wall 2. This cover 4 is provided with an opening tang 5 formed as a tear strap or of the type to be sheared and bent towards the interior of the can 1.

From the inner face of the cover 4 a heat exchanger coil 6 is projecting inwardly, which may be made as a separate member or more conveniently formed in one piece with the cover 4, having one inlet end 7 and one outlet end 8 opening onto the cover 4 for communication with the outside of the can 1. As shown in better detail in figure 6, the inlet 7 and the outlet 8 have a generally conical shape diverging outwardly, and the coil 6 is formed, near to the inlet 7, with an enlarged expansion section 9 followed by a neck 10.

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It is to be pointed out that the design of the coil 6 in terms of length, cross section and general shape, is purely indicative and shall be optimized as a function of the kind of the container and of the characteristics of its content. Moreover the coil 6 may be replaced by a heat exchanger of a different type, such as for instance a flat radiator (substantially as in the case of the variant disclosed hereinafter with reference to figures 8-10) .

The can 1 is further conveniently provided with a centering reference, whose function shall be clarified in the following: in the case of the shown example, this reference is formed by an axial groove 11 extending along the lateral wall 2. In alternative, the centering reference may be formed by an axial projection of the lateral wall 2, or by recesses or projections provided on the peripheral edge of the cover 4, or by similar systems, provided that same are functionally equivalent as far as angular positioning of the can 1 relative to the cooling/heating apparatus disclosed in detail herebelow is concerned.

As it can be better seen in figure 3, the inlet 7 and the outlet 8 of the coil 6 are normally sealed so as to prevent communication thereof with the outer environment, to the aim of avoiding admittance of solid material therein and any risks of clogging of the coil 6. In the case of the shown example, sealing is performed by means of a membrane 12 applied onto the outer face of the cover 4 and consisting for instance of a self-adhesive plastic material film or simply by a label which is peelable or pierceable and covers both the inlet 7 and the outlet 8 of the coil 6. The membrane 12 also covers to advantage the opening tang 5, thus acting as a sanitary protection.

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Turning now to figures 4 through 6, reference numeral 13 generally designated an apparatus to be employed in combination with the can 1 in order to perform a quick and almost instantaneous change of the temperature of the beverage contained therewithm. In the shown example, the apparatus is intended for cooling the content of the can 1: however, as it will clarified in the following, the apparatus can be instead designed for heating the content.

As diagrammatically shown, the apparatus 13 comprises a body generally designated as 14, formed with a seat or recess 15 having a shape complementary to that of the can 1 and intended for introduction and fitting thereof, such as depicted in figures 5 and 6. In the case of the shown example the recess 15 is oriented vertically, and is designed to receive the can 1 in an upside-down condition, i.e. with the cover 4 facing downwardly. It is however to be pointed out that this arrangement is only indicative, since the recess 15 might also be oriented horizontally or according to any different configuration.

An axial rib 16 is provided along one side of the receptacle 15, which is intended to slidably engage the lateral groove 11 of the can 1, so as to enable introduction thereof into the recess 15 only m a single pre-determmed angular position. Of course, in case the can groove 11 be replaced by different but equivalent angular centering systems, the rib 16 shall be accordingly replaced by corresponding complementary centering members.

The receptacle 15 is superiorly provided with a hinged lid 28 carrying a resilient presser member 29 formed for example by an elastomeric material block having a general shape complementary to that of the bottom wall 3 of the can 1. An annular seal 27 is attached to the bottom 17 of the

3 receptacle 15, and is normally made of elastomeric material and has a shape which is complementary to that of the circumferencial edge of the cover 4 of the can 1. The bottom 17 of the receptacle 15 may additionally bear centrally a compression spring 30 acting as a resilient reaction member for the cover 4 of the can 1, when same is fitted within the receptacle 15, as well as an expeller member when the can 1 is to be withdrawn from the receptacle 15.

Two tubular fitting members 18, 19 are arranged at the bottom 17 of the recess 15, passing through the area of the bottom 17 delimited within the annular seal 27 and designed as pins axially projecting upwardly, at a mutual distance from each other exactly corresponding to the distance between the inlet 7 and the outlet 8 of the coil 6 of the can 1. These pins 18, 19 are intended to sealmgly engage the inlet 7 and the outlet 8, respectively, such as depicted m figure 6, following complete introduction of the can 1 within the recess 15. Fluid tightness between pin 18 and inlet 7 on one side, and between pin 19 and outlet 8 on the other side can be ensured through annular seals (not shown m the drawings) fitted on those pins, or more simply taking advantage of the intrinsic elasticity of the membrane 12 applied on the cover 4 of the can 1, which in such a case will not be removed prior to introduction of the can 1 into the recess 15, but shall instead be pierced and sealingly passed across by pins 18 and 19 upon engagement thereof into inlet 7 and outlet 8, respectively.

The pin 18 is connected, through an inlet valve 20, to a compressed refrigerant gas reservoir 21, and the pin 19 is connected, through an outlet valve 22, with an exhaust refrigerant gas recovery tank 23. The tank 23 feeds back the reservoir 21 through a compressor 24. In the case of

the shown example the valves 20 and 22 consist of solenoid valves: however, they could also consist of mechanically actuated on/off valves or the like. The valve 20 is normally provided with a third way connected to a source of air under pressure (not shown in the drawings), and the valve 22 is normally provided with a third way connected to the atmosphere.

The solenoid valves 20, 21 and the compressor 24 are operated through a control unit generally designated as 25, which can be activated and manually programmed from the outside by means of a selector switch 26. In alternative, the control unit 25 may be automatically operated by means of a suitable mechanical or electrical detector, following full introduction of the can 1 into the recess 15 and engagement of the pins 18 and 19 thereby.

Reference numeral 32 designates an auxiliary refrigerating fan assembly arranged at the outlet of the compressed gas reservoir 21 and controlled by the unit 25, and reference numeral 33 indicates a suction solenoid valve connected to the receptacle 15 through ports 31 arranged at the bottom 17 both inside and outside the area thereof delimited by the annular seal 27. The suction valve 33, which is also controlled by the unit 25, is connected to a vacuum source not shown in the drawings.

The apparatus 13 may further be provided with enabling sensors and safety devices (not shown in the drawings) operatively connected to the control unit 25, to pilot the cooling cycle. For instance, a sensor to detect the presence of the can 1 within the receptacle 15 and proper engagement of the pins 18 and 19 into the inlet 7 and the outlet 8, respectively, a gas leakage detector, and a stop

device m case of anomalous overpressures, can be additionally provided.

Operation of the system combining the can 1 and the apparatus 13 is as follows.

The can 1, containing a liquid at environmental temperature, is fitted into the recess 15 with the cover 4 facing towards the bottom 17 thereof, and is angularly centered following engagement between the groove 11 and the rib 16. The can 1 is then pushed downwardly against the spring 30 so as to abut the edge of its cover 4 onto the annular seal 27. Engagement between the pins 18, 19 and the inlet 7 and the outlet 8, respectively, of the coil 6 is then performed, following closure of the lid 28 which sealingly closes the receptacle 15, by the action of the presser member 29 bearing against the bottom wall 3 of the can 1. Then a mechanical device or a suitable sensor provides to the control unit 25 the consent for automatic, or manually operated from outside even in an adjustable fashion through the selector switch 26, start of the cooling cycle.

The cycle provides preferably -but not necessarily- an initial cleaning step of the coil 6 by supplying theretrough pressurized air which is introduced via the third way of the valve 20 and the pin 18, and discharged via the pin 19 and the third way of the valve 22. Additionally, a suction step may subsequently be provided by means of the valve 33, so as to put the receptacle 15 under vacuuum.

Then, the unit 25 operates opening of the solenoid valves 20 and 22 and the consequent circulation of the refrigerant gas from the compression reservoir 21 through the coil 6,

to the recovery tank 23. Upon such circulation, which evidently takes place in a closed circuit, the liquid contained in the can 1 is cooled up to the desired temperature in an extremely short time, due to expansion of the pressurized gas through section 9 of the heat exchanger coil 6. The refrigerant gas which comes out from the outlet 8 of the can 1 and reaches through the pin 19 the recovery tank 23, is again supplied and compressed into the reservoir 21 by the compressor 24. Since following successive repeated cooling cycles of a number of cans 1 the refrigerant gas shall be mixed with the even little amount of air contained within the coil 6 thereof, the reservoir 21 and/or the tank 23 could be periodically replaced. Accordingly these tank and reservoir shall normally be installed within the apparatus 13 in a releasable way.

Operating of the solenoid valves 20 and 22 by the control unit 25 is conveniently carried out on the basis of a peculiar opening/closing sequence according to which the outlet solenoid valve 22 is opened prior to opening of the inlet solenoid valve 20, and is closed after closing of the latter. Accordingly, a pre-suction effect of the air contained within the coil 6 before inlet of the refrigerant gas, and a post-suction of any residual gas therein at the end of the cooling cycle are performed.

The above disclosed cleaning and/or pre-suction steps further enable checking that the coil 6 be not occluded by clogging material: in such event a suitable sensor not shown in the drawings (for instance a vacuum switch) shall inhibit, through the control unit 25, prosecution of the cooling cycle. The pre-suction step also allows verifying that no communication subsist between the coil 6 and the liquid within the can 1, so as to safely prevent any risks

of contamination of the beverage or the like by the coolant fluid.

At the end of the cooling cycle, the valve 33 connects the receptacle 15 to the atmosphere, and the lid 28 can thus be opened so as to allow withdrawal of the can 1 from the apparatus 13, with the aid of the spring 30.

Naturally, the apparatus 13 may be provided with a plurality of recesses 15, either connected to each other in series or independent from one another and each having a respective autonomous refrigerant fluid inlet and outlet circuit. In the latter case, the apparatus 13 shall be adapted to be advantageously employed for instance within the frame of public restoration environments, as well as in combination with automatic vending machines. In alternative, the apparatus 13 can be miniaturized for household appliances or even to be installed on board of motor vehicles and collective transportation vehicles (buses, trains, aircrafts, etc.).

As previously pointed out, the apparatus 13 may also be designed, in alternative or in combination with the above- disclosed cooling system, also for the heating of beverages or the like contained within cans 1 or similar vessels, provided that such containers are equipped with the coil 6 or with any equivalent heat exchanger. In this case the heating fluid shall normally be steam, and accordingly the reservoir 21 shall be operatively connected to a flash boiler and the compressor 24 shall be replaced by a pump supplying the water contained within the tank 23 to the boiler. Even in this case the heating temperature of the beverage, which obviously will depend upon the circulation time of the steam through the coil 6, shall be adjustable.

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The variant of the apparatus 13 shown in figure 7 is generally similar to the embodiment disclosed in the above, and only the differences will be explained in detail in the following, employing the same numeral references for identical or similar parts. According to this variant, a low freezing point liquid is employed instead of a gas for cooling the beverage contained within the can 1. This liquid, for example an alcohol or glycol, is cooled within the reservoir 21 down to a temperature of about -30°C by a conventional refrigerator circuit 34. A pump 35 controlled by the unit 25 supplies the refrigerated liquid from the reservoir 21 to the inlet valve 22, and a pump 36 feeds back the liquid from the recovery tank 23 to the reservoir 21. Operation is same as previously disclosed.

Figures 8 through 10 show a variant of the can intended to be employed in the system according to the invention. In this variant, in which parts which are identical or similar to those already previously described are also designated by the same numeral references, the heat exchanger incorporated within the can 1 is constituted, instead of the coil 6 integral with the cover 4, by a flat radiator integrally formed with the bottom wall 3. More particularly, this flat radiator is formed by a hollow integral extension 106 of the bottom wall 3 of the can 1, axially projecting within the can 1 and open on the bottom wall 3. Accordingly, the mouth of the hollow extension 106 defines both the inlet and the outlet of the heat exchanger.

The hollow extension 106 has preferably a quadrangular cross section, so as to provide a predetermined angular orientation of the can 1 upon axial insertion thereof into the receptacle 15 of the apparatus 13.

With the can 1 made in accordance to figures 8-10, providing the advantage to remarkably simplify manufacturing thereof, the apparatus 13 is modified according to figure 11, differing from figure 7 in connection to the following.

The bottom 17 of the receptacle 15 is formed with axial projections 107 acting both as centering members to be engaged into the hollow extension 106 of the can 1, and as partitions for the cooling liquid. The inlet fitting 18 is replaced by a central injector 108 placed inside the area delimited by the axial projections 107, and the outlet fitting 17 is replaced by one or more collecting members 19 arranged outside the axial projections 107.

Operation is substantially same as that already previously disclosed: the injector 108 sprays the cooling liquid (in turn cooled by the refrigerator circuit 34) from the reservoir 21 into the hollow extension 106, through the pump 35 and the valve 20, so as to cool the beverage or the like contained within the can 1, and is then discharged towards the recovery tank 23 through the valve 22. The cleaning and/or suction steps possibly performed through the valves 20, 22 and 33 are similar to those already previously disclosed.

It will be apparent from the above description that the cooling/heating system according to the invention enables, in a practical, simple and functional way, lowering or raising the temperature of a beverage or the like normally stored at environmental temperature, immediately prior to drinking thereof. The advantages of the system can be briefly summarised as follows:

the can or like vessel and the related coil (or equivalent heat exchanger) incorporated therein are integrally made with the same material (normally aluminium) and therefore fully recyclable;

the interior of the coil and the beverage or the like within the vessel are not in communication therebetween, which prevents any contamination and sanitary problems;

no resident chemical or gas is associated to the vessel, which ensures safe storage thereof in the same manner as usual foodstuff containers;

the vessel may anyway be cooled or heated by conventional methods;

the cooling/heating apparatus recycles the heat exchange fluid with the advantage of both self-supplying and non-releasing this fluid to the environment;

the weight increase of the vessel modified so as to incorporate the coil (or other heat exchanger) is practically negligeable,

the centering system between the vessel and the apparatus, and the control devices equipping the apparatus itself, warrant the maximum safety degree during operation;

any increase of the manufacturing costs of the vessel with the coil (or other heat exchanger) incorporated therein is largely compensated both by the saving provided by the system in terms of reduction of power comsumptions, since when the apparatus is not operative the compressed refrigerant fluid requires no energy supply, and in terms

of easy stocking of the vessels at environmental temperature,

possibility to size and adapt the apparatus power both to industrial use (public restoration) , and for personal home employ as well as on board of vehicles,

possibility to adapt the system even to containers which are not necessarily made of aluminium or anyway of homogeneous material, i.e. for instance also to glass receptacles having a metal lid,

in the case of cans made in accordance with the first disclosed embodiment, warrant of sanitary preservation of the beverage or the like contained therein, due to protection of the opening tang performed by the membrane adhered to the cover, preventing any contaminations upon opening thereof.

Naturally, the details of construction and the embodiments may be widely varied with respect to what has been disclosed and illustrated, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention, such as defined in the appended claims.