Actuating self-cooling can
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing self-cooling cans face challenges in effectively activating their cooling functionalities, leading to potential damage of frangible seals during assembly, storage, and handling, which affects reliability and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A self-cooling container design with a first and second portion containing an evaporator unit and desiccant chamber, respectively, is rotated relative to each other via an actuator assembly comprising a cutter and drive gear system, ensuring controlled activation of the frangible seals to establish fluid flow paths between the compartments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If frangible seals are used to seal the evaporator unit and desiccant chamber, then the sealing effectiveness is improved, but the seals are vulnerable to damage during assembly, storage, and handling
Solution Approach 1:
The frangible seals are pre-installed and pre-sealed during the manufacturing process before the can is filled and shipped. This preliminary sealing action ensures the seals are in their optimal condition when stored and handled, preventing damage from occurring during these stages. The seals are designed to remain intact until the specific activation moment when the can is inverted.
Solution Approach 2:
The design incorporates protective positioning of the frangible seals within the can structure, where they are cushioned and supported by the rigid can walls during normal handling and storage. This protective arrangement prevents external forces from directly impacting the seals, thereby preventing damage while maintaining their sealing effectiveness.
2Reliability
If the can is designed with separate evaporator unit and desiccant chamber, then the functional effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator unit, desiccant chamber, and fluid flow path are integrated into a single sealed system within the can structure. The frangible seals serve dual purposes: sealing the individual components during storage and, when broken, creating the fluid flow path between components. This merging reduces the number of separate parts and simplifies the overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The frangible seals perform multiple functions: they seal the evaporator unit, seal the desiccant chamber, and when broken, create the fluid flow path between these components. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate sealing mechanisms and flow path structures, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining functional effectiveness.
3Ease of operation
If the cutter assembly is added to activate the frangible seals, then the controlled activation is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The activation mechanism is designed to be self-actuating through the user's natural action of inverting the can. The inverted position automatically positions the cutter assembly to contact and break the frangible seals, eliminating the need for complex external activation mechanisms. The system uses the user's own action (inverting the can) to trigger the cooling function.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutter assembly acts as an intermediary mechanism that translates the simple user action of inverting the can into the specific action of breaking the frangible seals. This intermediary component provides controlled activation without requiring complex mechanisms, as it simply needs to be positioned correctly when the can is inverted to perform its function.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances the reliability and manufacturability of self-cooling cans, reduces costs, and improves scalability by protecting frangible seals from damage, ensuring effective and efficient cooling without undesired activation.
Implementation Method 1
the beverage contained therein is cooled rapidly (e.g., by about 30 degrees Fahrenheit or more in about three minutes or less)... operates on the principal of evaporative cooling
Implementation Method 2
an internal desiccant chamber containing a desiccant
Data Source
AI summary
A self-cooling container for cooling a liquid includes a first portion with a first frangible seal that extends across and seals an evaporator unit containing a refrigerant and a second portion with a second frangible seal that extends across and seals a desiccant chamber containing a desiccant. The first portion rotates axially relative to the second portion. An actuator assembly is between the first portion and the second portion and includes: a cutter assembly, which is coupled to the first portion of the self-cooling container and includes a cutter coupled to a rotatable axle and a pinion gear coupled to the rotatable axle, and a drive gear assembly coupled to the second portion of the self-cooling container and including a ring gear supported by a housing. The pinion gear on the cutter assembly is mated to the ring gear of the drive gear assembly.