Devices for Making Shaped Clear Ice

• US 20190093933A1
• Filed: 11/28/2018
• Published: 03/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wintersmiths LLC
• Original Assignee: Wintersmiths LLC
• Inventors: Little, Patrick William, Little, Christopher Terence
• Granted Patent: US 10,443,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 1/18 of a particular transparency or translucency, e.g. by injecting air
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 1/22 Construction of moulds; Filling devices for moulds
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 1/25 Filling devices for moulds
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2500/02 Geometry problems

Abstract

Devices for making shaped clear ice that each include an insulated vessel and a multipart ice mold engageable into a vessel cavity of the insulated vessel. In some embodiments, the ice mold includes mold cavity having a high point. Such an ice mold also includes an upper end wall having a first hole that allows for fluid communication through the upper end wall to the high point of the mold cavity. The ice mold further includes a lower end wall that has a second hole and, when the ice mold is engaged with the vessel cavity, that is spaced from a bottom of the vessel cavity so as to define a hollow space in the vessel cavity. The second hole allows for fluid communication between the mold cavity and the hollow space when the ice mold is engaged with the vessel cavity.

Claims

1. A device for making shaped clear ice from a clear liquid, the device comprising:

an insulated vessel that includes insulated sides, an insulated bottom, and an open top, wherein the insulated sides and bottom define a vessel cavity having an interior shape and a depth;

an ice mold engageable into the vessel cavity through the open top of the insulated vessel, the ice mold including;

first and second parts that releasably engage one another to define a mold cavity that shapes the shaped clear ice, the mold cavity having;

a shape different from the interior shape of the vessel cavity;

a low point; and

a high point;

an upper end wall, the upper end having first hole allowing fluid communication through the upper end wall to the high point of the mold cavity for receiving the clear liquid during filling of the mold cavity; and

a lower end wall spaced from the upper end wall by a distance less than the vertical depth of the vessel cavity of the insulated vessel, the lower end wall having second hole allowing fluid communication from the low point of the mold cavity through the lower end wall to the mold cavity;

wherein, when the ice mold is fully engaged in the vessel cavity, the lower end wall of the ice mold is spaced from the insulated bottom so as to leave a hollow space in the vessel cavity in which cloudy ice forms as a result of forming of the shaped clear ice within the mold cavity.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the ice mold is vertically split, relative to when the ice mold is engaged within the vessel cavity, such that the first part comprises a first lateral half mold of the ice mold and the second part comprises a second lateral half mold of the ice mold.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the ice mold and the insulated vessel are configured so that when the ice mold is fully engaged in the insulated vessel the ice is snugly contained in the vessel cavity so that the first and second lateral half molds are held into engagement with one another.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein in the ice mold is horizontally split, relative to when the ice mold is engaged within the vessel cavity, such that the first part comprises an upper half mold and the second part comprises a lower half mold.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the insulated vessel has a rim defining the open top, an outer surface, the ice mold further including a portion that hooks over the rim.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the portion that hooks over rim holds the ice mold in spaced relation to the insulated bottom of the insulated vessel.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein the insulated vessel has an exterior surface below the rim, and the portion that hooks over the rim engages the exterior surface when the ice mold is fully engaged with the insulated vessel.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the lateral exterior of the ice mold is cylindrical in shape and the cavity of the insulated vessel is cylindrical in shape.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the mold cavity is spherical.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the upper end wall of the ice mold includes an overfill reservoir formed therein and in fluid communication with the first hole.

11. A device for making shaped clear ice from a clear liquid, the device comprising:

an insulated vessel that includes insulated sides, an insulated bottom, and an open top, wherein the insulated sides and bottom define a vessel cavity having an interior shape and a depth;

an ice mold engageable into the vessel cavity through the open top of the insulated vessel, the ice mold including;

first and second parts that releasably engage one another to define a mold cavity that shapes the shaped clear ice, the mold cavity having

a shape different from the interior shape of the vessel cavity;

a lowest point; and

a highest point;

an upper end wall, the upper end having first hole allowing fluid communication through the upper end wall to the highest point of the mold cavity for receiving the clear liquid during filling of the mold cavity;

a lower end wall spaced from the upper end wall by a distance less than the vertical depth of the vessel cavity of the insulated vessel, the lower end wall having second hole allowing fluid communication from the lowest point of the mold cavity through the lower end wall to the mold cavity; and

a portion that hooks over the rim of the insulated vessel when the ice mold is fully engaged within the vessel cavity of the insulated vessel;

wherein, when the ice mold is fully engaged in the vessel cavity and the portion of the ice mold is hooked over the rim of the insulated vessel, the lower end of the ice mold is spaced from the insulated bottom so as to leave a hollow space in the vessel cavity in which cloudy ice forms as a result of forming of the shaped clear ice within the mold cavity.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the ice mold is vertically split, relative to when the ice mold is engaged within the vessel cavity, such that the first part comprises a first lateral half mold of the ice mold and the second part comprises a second lateral half mold of the ice mold.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the ice mold and the insulated vessel are configured so that when the ice mold is fully engaged in the insulated vessel the ice is snugly contained in the vessel cavity so that the first and second lateral half molds are held into engagement with one another.

14. The device according to claim 11, wherein in the ice mold is horizontally split, relative to when the ice mold is engaged within the vessel cavity, such that the first part comprises an upper half mold and the second part comprises a lower half mold.

15. The device according to claim 11, wherein the upper end wall of the ice mold includes an overfill reservoir formed therein and in fluid communication with the first hole.

16. A device for making shaped clear ice from a clear liquid, the device comprising:

an insulated vessel that includes insulated sides, an insulated bottom, and an open top, wherein the insulated sides and bottom define a vessel cavity having an interior shape and a depth;

an ice mold engageable into the vessel cavity through the open top of the insulated vessel, the ice mold including;

first and second parts that releasably engage one another to define a mold cavity that shapes the shaped clear ice, the mold cavity having

a shape different from the interior shape of the vessel cavity;

a lowest point; and

a highest point;

an upper end wall, the upper end having first hole allowing fluid communication through the upper end wall to the highest point of the mold cavity for receiving the clear liquid during filling of the mold cavity, the upper end wall further including an overfill reservoir formed therein and in fluid communication with the first hole;

a lower end wall spaced from the upper end wall by a distance less than the vertical depth of the vessel cavity of the insulated vessel, the lower end wall having second hole allowing fluid communication from the lowest point of the mold cavity through the lower end wall to the mold cavity; and

a portion that hooks over the rim of the insulated vessel when the ice mold is fully engaged within the vessel cavity of the insulated vessel;

wherein, when the ice mold is fully engaged in the vessel cavity and the portion of the ice mold is hooked over the rim of the insulated vessel, the lower end of the ice mold is spaced from the insulated bottom so as to leave a hollow space in the vessel cavity in which cloudy ice forms as a result of forming of the shaped clear ice within the mold cavity.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the ice mold is vertically split, relative to when the ice mold is engaged within the vessel cavity, such that the first part comprises a first lateral half mold of the ice mold and the second part comprises a second lateral half mold of the ice mold.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the ice mold and the insulated vessel are configured so that when the ice mold is fully engaged in the insulated vessel the ice is snugly contained in the vessel cavity so that the first and second lateral half molds are held into engagement with one another.

19. The device according to claim 16, wherein in the ice mold is horizontally split, relative to when the ice mold is engaged within the vessel cavity, such that the first part comprises an upper half mold and the second part comprises a lower half mold.

20. The device according to claim 16, wherein the mold cavity is spherical.