Self-chilling container with safety device and method of making same

Claim 1

A method for producing a self-chilling unit of the type wherein: a container housing material to be chilled has joined thereto a lid and centrally connected to the lid a canister for storing pressurized refrigerant, manually operated refrigerant release means having an opening therein effective to cooperate with apertures in the lid and canister so as to exPose the refrigerant to the atmosphere thereby commencing cooling by having the refrigerant evaporate, a shield member and a stem-seal member cooperate with manually operated release means and groove means also cooperating with the manually operated release means so that as the manually operated release means is moved between a first position, whereat the stem-seal is effective to have the refrigerant means sealed, to a second position, whereat the stem-seal permits the refrigerant to exit through the apertures to the atmosphere, the shield means and the groove means cooperating with the manually operated means insure that the shield means during the movement from said first to said second positions, is positioned so as to deflect any unevaporated refrigerant exiting from the apertures comprising the steps of: a. confining a refrigerant in the canister by introducing through the apertures the refrigerant under pressure; b. sealing the confined refrigerant by inserting the stem-seal into the aperture so that a portion thereof also extends into the atmosphere, c. thereafter positioning the stem-seal through the aperture in the lid so that the stem-seal abuts the shield member on the manually operated refrigerant release means in a region that is centrally disposed relative to and d. securing the canister to the container in a region surrounding the stem-seal and shield member by mechanical working so as to cause a tight frictional engagement therebetween; and e. affixing the stem-seal to shield member at the region of abutment therebetween, whereby upon lifting said shield member, the canister is opened.

Claim 2

A method for producing a self-chilling unit of the type wherein: a container housing material to be chilled has joined thereto a lid and centrally connected to the lid a canister for storing pressurized refrigerant, manually operated refrigerant release means having an opening therein effective to cooperate with apertures in the lid and canister so as to exPose the refrigerant to the atmosphere thereby commencing cooling by having the refrigerant evaporate, a shield member and a stem-seal member cooperate with manually operated release means and groove means also cooperating with the manually operated release means so that as the manually operated release means is moved between a first position, whereat the stem-seal is effective to have the refrigerant means sealed, to a second position, whereat the stem-seal permits the refrigerant to exit through the apertures to the atmosphere, the shield means and the groove means cooperating with the manually operated means insure that the shield means during the movement from said first to said second positions, is positioned so as to deflect any unevaporated refrigerant exiting from the apertures comprising the steps of: a. confining a refrigerant in the canister by introducing through the apertures the refrigerant under pressure; b. sealing the confined refrigerant by inserting the stem-seal into the aperture so that a portion thereof also extends into the atmosphere, c. thereafter positioning the stem-seal through the aperture in the lid so that the stem-seal abuts the shield member on the manually operated refrigerant release means in a region that is centrally disposed relative to and d. securing the canister to the container in a region surrounding the stem-seal and shield member by mechanical working so as to cause a tight frictional engagement therebetween; and e. affixing the stem-seal to shield member at the region of abutment therebetween, whereby upon lifting said shield member, the canister is opened.

Claim 6

A method for centrally conjoining a sealing means, that cooperates with an aperture in a canister to seal pressurized refrigerant within the canister, to the inner surface of a dome-like shield member which cooperates with a manually operated refrigerant release means operably mounted on a lid having an aperture and being connected to a container for housing material to be chilled by the refrigerant means comprising the steps of: a. confining the refrigerant in the canister by introducing through the aperature the refrigerant under pressure; b. sealing the confined refrigerant by inserting sealing means into the aperture so that a portion of the sealing means also extends into the atmosphere; c. positioning the sealing means through the aperture in the lid so that the sealing means abuts the shield member on the manually operated refrigerant release means in a region that is centrally disposed relative thereto; d. securing the canister to the container in a region surrounding the sealing means and shield member by mechanical working so as to cause a tight-frictional engagement therebetween; and e. affixing the sealing means to shield member at the region of abutment therebetween.

Claim 7

A method for centrally conjoining a sealing means, that cooperates with an aperture in a canister to seal pressurized refrigerant within the canister, to the inner surface of a dome-like shield member which cooperates with a manually operated refrigerant release means operably mounted on a lid having an aperture and being connected to a container for housing material to be chilled by the refrigerant means comprising the steps of: a. confining the refrigerant in the canister by introducing through the aperature the refrigerant under pressure; b. sealing the confined refrigerant by inserting sealing means into the aperture so that a portion of the sealing means also extends into the atmosphere; c. positioning the sealing means through the aperture in the lid so that the sealing means abuts the shield member on the manually operated refrigerant release means in a region that is centrally disposed relative thereto; d. securing the canister to the container in a region surrounding the sealing means and shield member by mechanical working so as to cause a tight-frictional engagement therebetween; and e. affixing the sealing means to shield member at the region of abutment therebetween.