Self-heating systems and methods for rapidly heating a comestible substance

A container adapted to change the temperature of a comestible substance contained therein, comprising:nan outer body, said outer body comprising a plurality of sidewalls which together define a recess;a receptacle adapted to store the comestible substance, said receptacle is disposed in the recess and coupled to the outer body to form a chamber between the receptacle and the outer body, wherein at least a portion of the chamber substantially surrounds the receptacle;a barrier positioned within the chamber to divide the chamber into a first and a second compartment, wherein each compartment is adapted to receive one or more chemical reactant, the barrier comprising a stationary barrier member and a movable barrier member, the stationary barrier member being substantially fixed relative to the outer body, said stationary barrier member having a fixed sized opening, said movable barrier member being removably attached to the stationary barrier member and adapted to seal the opening; anda centering element comprising a plurality of centering members, the plurality of centering members configured to be positioned in proximity to the opening, wherein the centering element is configured to facilitate alignment of the stationary barrier member and the movable barrier member;wherein when a predetermined threshold force is applied to a preselected area on the container and the force is directed from an exterior of the container to an interior of the container, the movable barrier member separates from the stationary barrier member in a manner such that the movable barrier member is completely detached from the stationary barrier member, resulting in the entire fixed sized opening being uncovered, thus allowing one or more chemical reactants to flow from one chamber to the other at a predictable rate, wherein pressure from the out-flowing chemical reactants pushes the movable barrier member away from the opening to substantially inhibit the movable barrier member from blocking portions of the opening; andwherein a reaction involving the chemical reactants causes the temperature of the comestible substance to change.

A container for a comestible substance, comprising:nan inner container body forming a receptacle to receive the comestible substance;an outer container body attached to the inner container body forming a chamber between the outer container body and the inner container body;a barrier disposed within the chamber, the barrier at least partially separating a first compartment of the chamber from a second compartment of the chamber, the barrier comprising a first barrier member and a second barrier member, the first barrier member being removably mechanically coupled to the second barrier member;an actuator that is configured to engage the second barrier member with the application of a predetermined force directed from an exterior of the container to an interior of the container to decouple the second barrier member from the first barrier member and permit one of the first reactant and the second reactant to move between the first compartment and the second compartment; anda centering element comprising a plurality of centering members, the plurality of centering members configured to be positioned in proximity to the decoupling of the first and second barrier members, wherein the centering element is configured to facilitate alignment of the first and second barrier members.

A method for preparing a self-heating container, comprising:nplacing a first reactant in a first compartment of the container;placing a second reactant in a second compartment of the container;positioning at least a first and second barrier member between the first compartment and the second compartment with a centering element comprising a plurality of centering members, wherein the centering element is configured to facilitate alignment of the first and second barrier members; andmechanically engaging a second barrier member with the first barrier member to separate the first compartment from the second compartment such that contact between the first reactant and the second reactant is inhibited and such that movement of an actuator rapidly disengages the second barrier member from the first barrier member to allow at least one of the first reactant and the second reactant to move between the first compartment and the second compartment to contact the other of the first reactant and the second reactant.