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Gas dispersal box for meals ready-to-eat

Inactive Publication Date: 2007-04-05
HICKEY IP
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005] It is a primary aspect of the present invention to provide a container for holding one or more MREs that can quickly disperse and / or remove the undesirable gases, such as hydrogen gas, generated by the chemical reactants fueling heater elements used to prepare the MREs. The container is provided with a number of gas dispersal outlets or vents formed at various locations around the container and that extend completely through the container, through which the ambient air surrounding the container can be drawn into the container. By drawing amounts of the ambient air into the container through the outlets, this consequently reduces the overall amount and corresponding concentration of undesirable gases generated by the heating elements used to prepare the MREs within the container. The ambient air is drawn into the container through the vents by an exhaust fan connected to the container to increase the total amount of ambient air in the container. Concurrently, the fan is also operable to urge or expel the undesirable gases held within the container out of the container, such as the hydrogen gas, out of the container.
[0006] It is another object of the present invention to provide a container that is formed of readily available elements such that the container has a relatively simple construction that can be easily manufactured and utilized by individuals employing the MREs in a variety of locations.

Problems solved by technology

One drawback with regard to these types of meals involves the undesirable byproducts from the reaction the chemical reactants utilized to generate the heat employed to prepare the meals.
One of the most problematic byproducts produced by reactants of this type is hydrogen gas.
The major concern with hydrogen gas is that it is highly flammable, such that when hydrogen gas is present in concentrations above a certain level, the gas may spontaneously combust.

Method used

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  • Gas dispersal box for meals ready-to-eat
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Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0012] With reference now to the drawing figures in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the disclosure, a gas dispersion container constructed according to the present invention is indicated generally at 10 in FIG. 1. The container 10 can be formed of any suitable material, but is preferably formed of a paperboard material, such as a corrugated paperboard, in order to be lightweight, but also to provide insulating properties to the container 10 as a result of the enclosed spaces (not shown) defined within a corrugated paperboard. Forming the container 10 out of a paperboard material also allows the container 10 to be formed of a blank of the paperboard material to be able to be stored flat, and subsequently erected when ready for use. The container 10 is also illustrated in FIG. 1 as being generally rectangular in shape in order to accommodate the rectangular shape of the meals ready-to-eat (MREs) 12 illustrated as being utilized with the container 10. Howe...

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Abstract

The present invention is a gas dispersion container in which a number of gas-generating devices, such as meals ready-to-eat (MREs), can be positioned. The undesirable gases, such as hydrogen gas, that can be generated by the MREs are dispersed from within the container in a manner that maintains the gas levels in the container below minimum safe levels to avoid an unsafe increase in the concentration of the undesirable gases within the container.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 718,867, filed on Sep. 20, 2005, which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to self-heating containers for meals, and more specifically to an enclosure for a number of containers capable of dispersing gases generated thereby. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Meals ready-to-eat (MREs) have been in existence for a long period of time and enable an individual to prepare an edible meal in remote locations. One drawback with regard to these types of meals involves the undesirable byproducts from the reaction the chemical reactants utilized to generate the heat employed to prepare the meals. One of the most problematic byproducts produced by reactants of this type is hydrogen gas. The major concern with hydrogen gas is that it is highly flammable, such that when hydrogen gas is present in conc...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): A47G23/04F24J1/00F24C1/16F24V30/00
CPCA47J36/28A47J36/38B65D77/0433B65D81/3484B65D2205/00
Inventor HICKEY, CHARLES P.
Owner HICKEY IP
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