Ice mill for use with toy refreshment stand

• US 6,389,836 B1
• Filed: 06/08/2000
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Little Tikes Company The
• Original Assignee: Little Tikes Company The
• Inventors: Markin, Craig, Shaffer, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad M
• Application Number:
  US09/590,349
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 623/20, 241/DIG.17, 241/92
• US Class Current: 62/320
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/045 of slush-ice, e.g. semi-frozen beverage
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/28 for portioning or dispensing
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/12 Ice-shaving machines

Abstract

An apparatus for producing shavings of a solid volume of frozen beverage includes a hollow body, a blade assembly, and a drive mechanism. The hollow body defines a cavity having an axis and a substantially constant non-circular cross-section perpendicular to the axis. The body has a first end and a second end. The non-circular cross-section is configured to engage the solid volume and to prevent rotational movement of the solid volume about the axis while allowing for axial movement of the solid volume along the axis. The blade assembly is rotatably mounted in the cavity near the second end of the body. The drive mechanism is operably coupled to the blade assembly. A refreshment stand for dispensing snacks, drinks and snow cones using a solid volume of frozen beverage produced in a conventional home freezer includes a cart, an ice shaving apparatus, means for removably connecting the apparatus to the cart, and at least one mold. The mold is adapted for forming the solid volume having a non-circular cross-section that substantially corresponds to the cross-section of the chamber of the apparatus. The solid volume, when placed within the ice chamber, mutually interferes with the apparatus to prevent rotation of the solid volume about the axis. A method of forming a non-rotatable solid volume for use in an ice shaving apparatus defining a cavity having a substantially constant, non-circular cross-section. A method of enclosing an ice chamber of an ice shaving apparatus with a “child-resistant” cover.

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing shavings of a solid volume of frozen beverage comprising:

a hollow body defining a cavity having an axis and a substantially constant non-circular cross section perpendicular to the axis, the body having a first end and a second end, the non-circular cross-section is formed by disposing at least one radially inwardly protruding fin on a side wall of the cavity and is configured to engage the solid volume of frozen beverage and to prevent rotational movement of the solid volume of frozen beverage about the axis while allowing the axial movement of the solid volume of frozen beverage along the axis;

a blade assembly rotatably mounted in the cavity near the second end of the body;

a drive mechanism operably coupled to the blade assembly; and

at least one mold, the mold having an open top, a closed bottom and at least one of longitudinally and inwardly extending molded rib adapted to correspond to the at least one fin of the body, the mold having a substantially constant, non-circular cross-section and is configured to receive a liquid and to retain the liquid as the liquid is frozen to produce the solid volume of frozen beverage.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the non-circular cross-section of the body is formed by three fins angularly spaced apart from one another and extending radially from the sidewall of the cavity.

3. An apparatus for producing shavings of a solid volume of frozen beverage comprising:

a hollow body defining a cavity having an axis and a substantially constant non-circular cross section perpendicular to the axis, the body having a first end and a second end, the non-circular cross-section configured to engage the solid volume of frozen beverage and to prevent rotational movement of the solid volume of frozen beverage about the axis while allowing the axial movement of the solid volume of frozen beverage along the axis;

a blade assembly rotatably mounted in the cavity near the second end of the body;

a drive mechanism operably coupled to the blade assembly; and

at least one mold adapted for forming the solid volume of frozen beverage having a non-circular cross-section that substantially corresponds to the cross-section of the cavity, such that the solid volume, when placed within the cavity, mutually interferes with the body to prevent rotation of the solid volume about the axis.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a cover removably connected to the first end, the cover including a biasing member configured to exert continuous pressure on the solid volume of frozen beverage in the direction of the second end.

5. The ice shaving apparatus of claim 4, wherein the biasing member includes a spring and a housing, the spring being attached at a first end to a connector mounted to the cover and at a second end to a contact surface of the housing, the contact surface configured to contact the solid volume of frozen beverage.

6. The ice shaving apparatus of claim 3, wherein the drive mechanism includes a gear assembly transmitting power from a prime mover.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the prime mover is selected from the group consisting of a motor and a hand crank.

8. The ice shaving apparatus of claim 6, wherein the gear assembly includes a pair of bevel gears.

9. The ice shaving apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a funnel having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of the funnel connected to the lower end of the body and positioned below the blade assembly, the funnel configured to catch and direct ice chips cut from the volume of frozen beverage by the blade assembly to the outlet of the funnel.

10. An ice mill for shaving a non-rotatable solid volume of frozen beverage or other frozen beverage, the ice mill comprising:

a generally tubular body having an upper end and a lower end;

a generally circular bottom plate rotatably coupled to the lower end of the body, the bottom plate having at least one opening;

at least one blade connected to an generally upwardly extending from the bottom plate, the blade positioned adjacent to the opening;

a drive mechanism coupled to the bottom plate; and

a cover removably connected to the upper end, the cover including an inwardly and downwardly extending biasing member configured to exert continuous pressure on the solid volume of frozen beverage, wherein the biasing member has opposed first and second ends, the first end of the biasing member attached to the cover and the second end of the biasing member attached to an ice engaging plate, wherein the plate is formed to a housing which substantially encloses the biasing member, the housing configured to extend from and retract into the cover in response to the expansion and retraction of the biasing member, and to contract the solid volume of frozen beverage.

11. The ice mill of claim 10, wherein the cover is circular and has a generally convex upper surface, the upper surface having at least two notches configured to facilitate gripping of the cover, and the cover has an outer diameter between 3.5 inches and 7.0 inches such that a child cannot grip and manipulate the cover with one hand.

12. The ice mill of claim 10, wherein the circular bottom plate includes a first bevel gear attached to an edge of the bottom plate.

13. The ice mill of claim 12, wherein the drive mechanism includes a hand crank connected to a second bevel gear, the second bevel gear engaged with the first bevel gear.

14. The ice mill of claim 12, wherein the drive mechanism includes a motor connected to a second bevel gear, the second bevel gear engaged with the first bevel gear.

15. The ice mill of claim 10, further comprising a funnel having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of the funnel connected to the lower end of the body and positioned below the bottom plate, the funnel configured to catch and direct ice chips cut from the volume of frozen beverage by the blade to the outlet of the funnel.

16. An ice mill for shaving a non-rotatable solid volume of frozen beverage or other frozen beverage, the ice mill comprising:

a generally tubular body having an upper end and a lower end, wherein the body defines a cavity having an axis and a substantially constant non-circular cross-section perpendicular to the axis;

a generally circular bottom plate rotatably coupled to the lower end of the body, the bottom plate having at least one opening;

at least one blade connected to an generally upwardly extending from the bottom plate, the blade positioned adjacent to the opening;

a drive mechanism coupled to the bottom plate;

a cover removably connected to the upper end, the cover including an inwardly and downwardly extending biasing member configured to exert continuous pressure on the solid volume of frozen beverage; and

at least one mold adapted for forming the solid volume of frozen beverage having a non-circular cross-section that substantially corresponds to a cross-section of the cavity defined within the body, the solid volume, when placed within the cavity, mutually interfering with the body to prevent rotation of the solid volume about the axis.

17. An ice shaving system for shaving a solid volume of frozen beverage, the system, the system comprising:

an ice mill including a body having a first end and a second end, the body defines a cavity having a substantially constant, non-circular cross-section extending between the first ad second ends of the body;

a blade assembly rotatably mounted in the cavity near the second end of the body;

means for biasing the solid volume of frozen beverage against the blade assembly; and

a spring loaded cover releasably connected to the first end of the body, the spring loaded cover bears against the solid volume of ice disposed within the cavity creating a force between the cover and the solid volume of frozen beverage, the cover being sufficiently sized such that the combination of the size and the force acting on the cover inhibits a child from removing the cover from the body.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for biasing the solid volume of frozen beverage against the blade assembly includes gravity.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for biasing the solid volume of frozen beverage against the blade assembly includes a spring loaded pusher.