Abstract:
An hollow popsicle or ice-cream container or holding stick wherein the hollow is filled with coolants or edible liquids frozen with the popsicle or ice-cream. Option to drink the contents of the said hollow portions. Packing the popsicles or ice-creams in such a way that they promote the preservation of coolness amongst themselves. Attaching to the holding stick, shaped articles, numbers, words and the like for games or to collect sets or to take part in a lottery for marketing and promotion purposes.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention is in the field of the ice-cream industry and in particular innovative methods of packaging storing and marketing ice-cream, ices and the like. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    It is well known especially in countries with hot climates that ice-creams and ices present a problem when bought to take home or even bought to eat. The problem is that the products start to melt soon after being removed from the freezer of the retailer. Even when the ices are eaten immediately, when it is a hot day the ice often starts to drip before finishing the product. This is especially so when children are the consumer as they tend to take a longer time to finish eating than adults. The resultant drips of ice-cream often cause inconvenience and damage. 
         [0003]    One of the main problems is when taking the product home in a hot car or on a bus journey. Once the product starts to melt it loses its form and when re-frozen its taste and texture change. In addition it is less attractive to serve at a meal after being partially melted. 
         [0004]    This invention comes to solve these problems and adds some marketing and promotional features at the same time. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description present embodiments of the invention and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the invention as it is claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles and operations of the invention. Where ices are mentioned herein the intention is to include any kind of ices, ice popsicle, ice-cream and similar products. 
         [0006]    An object of the invention is to increase comfort and convenience at the time of serving ices. 
         [0007]    Another object of the invention is to keep ices frozen and cold for longer after leaving the freezer. 
         [0008]    Another object of the invention is to protect ices from breaking or being crushed. 
         [0009]    Another object of the invention is to have a tray to hold ices. Such a tray could be transparent, openably sealed, decoratively shaped, designed to hold captions, graphics, advertisements, promotion and publicity. 
         [0010]    Another object of the invention is for the liquids in the hollow of the said tray to be colored. 
         [0011]    An object of this invention is to have a storage container that has a double wall or space between the tray where the ices are situated and the outer wall. This space is for filling with water, gel or other substances whether edible or not, that will freeze with the ices in the freezer and when removed from the freezer will help keep cool, insulate and protect the ices from melting so fast. The said substances in the hollow of the container or of the holding stick could be attractive substances for sales and promotion for example caffeine drinks like “red-bull” or alcohol. The ices will be in close contact, separated by the relatively thin layer of the ices tray, with the frozen liquid or gel which will keep the ices frozen for longer than without this frozen insulation. 
         [0012]    Another object of this invention is to store more than one ices together in a manner that a large percentage of their surface area is touching or close to its neighbor thereby keeping all the ices colder for longer. For example, if the ices are manufactured in the shape of a triangular prism, many ices can fit together where one longitudinal side face of each ice tapers to the center and the outside face forms a cylindrical shape when all the ices are in place. The more said surface area that is touching a neighboring ice the less the surface area that is exposed to the air and that helps to maintain the ices in a frozen state for longer. 
         [0013]    Another method of keeping ices cold for longer is for the ice cream stick to be hollow and filled with a liquid that will help lower the temperature of the ice cream. The shape of the stick could be made to spread where it is in contact with the ices to increase the cooling effect. The part of the stick that is held by the consumer&#39;s hand could be solid and not hollow to prevent the consumer holding a very cold stick handle. This embodiment has the advantage of helping to keep cool for longer individual ices while the consumer is in the process of consuming. 
         [0014]    Another object of the invention is to have a drip tray to catch drips of ices and a convenient mouthpiece in the drip tray for the consumption of the melted contents and the drips. This embodiment could be made in conjunction with the previous embodiment namely the hollow stick cooling effect. 
         [0015]    The aforementioned spread-out stick inside the ice cream could be utilized for promotional and marketing purposes for example, there could be break-off figures attached to the stick that children would enjoy collecting in sets, or other games or forms of lottery to win prizes based on articles attached to the stick or wording written or embossed on the stick. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain by way of example only, the principles of the invention: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a schematic depiction in isometric projection of a popsicle tray. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a schematic depiction in isometric projection of a popsicle tray with a base tray. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of an ice-cream popsicle tray. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a schematic depiction in isometric projection of a multi-layered circular popsicle set of trays. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5A  is a schematic depiction of a method of storing ice-cream popsicles. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5B  is a schematic depiction of one such popsicle. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5C  is a schematic depiction of a cover for such a group of popsicles. 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a schematic depiction of a popsicle stick with a container attached. 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is a schematic depiction of a popsicle stick in a shape with novelties attached thereto. 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  is a schematic depiction of an ice-cream container with hollow sections fillable with liquids. 
           [0027]      FIG. 9  is a schematic depiction of an insulated ice-cream cone holder. 
           [0028]      FIG. 10  is a schematic depiction of an insulated ice-cream or popsicle sleeve. 
           [0029]      FIG. 11  is a schematic depiction of an insulated folding popsicle case. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0030]    As will be appreciated the present invention is capable of other and different embodiments than those discussed above and described in more detail below, and its several details are capable of modifications in various aspects, all without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
         [0031]    Accordingly, the drawings and description of the embodiments set forth below are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. 
         [0032]      FIG. 1  shows one embodiment of an ice popsicle tray  2  of this invention. The individual ices or popsicles  4 A- 4 F are made by adding the liquid substance of the ice to the empty form  8  with the stick  6  in place and placing the tray  2  in a freezer. The depression  10  is to ease the removal of the ice popsicle using fingers. The stopper  11  fits tightly into the depression  10  to prevent that space being filled with liquids that will freeze with the ice popsicle and hinder the removal of the ice popsicle. 
         [0033]    The base  12  of the tray and the lid  14  of the tray help to protect the ices from physical damage and freezer burn damage. The tray  2  has hollow parts as is described in relation to  FIG. 2 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 2  shows the ice popsicle tray  2  with frozen ices  4  in an expanded state to show the component parts more clearly. The lower portion  12  of the tray  2  is made of depressions  8  to accommodate the ices and in between those depressions is space  9 . 
         [0035]    The lower portion  12  can be inverted and filled with liquid or gel to help to keep the ices cooler for longer. The space  9  could be initially filled with liquid, sealed by the lower cover  16  and frozen in a freezer. Once frozen the lower portion  12  could be turned the correct way up so that the liquid of the ices could be poured into the ices depression  8 . Then the lid  14  is placed on the lower portion  12  and placed in the freezer to make the ices  4  frozen. 
         [0036]    An alternative method of filling the space  9  could be as follows if the seal between the lower cover  16  and the lower portion  12  of the tray  2  is a water-tight seal. The lower portion  12  is inverted and filled with the filling liquid, sealed closed with the lower cover  16  and turned upright again to pour into the depressions  8  the liquid the substance of the ices  4 . The lid  14  is placed on the lower portion  12  and placed in the freezer where both liquids will freeze at the approximately same time. 
         [0037]      FIG. 3  shows the sectional view of an embodiment the ice popsicle tray of this invention, with one portion enlarged for clarity. The ice popsicle  4  is seen in its depression with its stick  6 . In between the said depressions is filled with the liquid or cooling gel  20 . The lower cover  16  and lid  14  keep the liquids in place until they are frozen. The seal  22  between the lower portion  12  of the tray and the lower cover  16  and the seal  24  between the lower portion  12  of the tray and the lid  14  are preferably water-tight. 
         [0038]      FIG. 4  shows an ice popsicle tray with the same basic features and innovation as the tray described in  FIGS. 1-3  but in a round shape and two layers of ice popsicle trays instead of one layer. The ices  4  are in a position in such a way that their sticks  6  are close to the center of the circle and the ice potion  4  faces the circumference of the circle. The depressions  8  are arranged accordingly. The upper tray  12  and lower tray  13  are one on top of the other with the lid  14  and lower cover  16  sealing the top and bottom. The cooling ice is formed from liquid placed in between the lower cover  16  and the hollow portions under tray  13 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 5  shows an alternative method of storing ice popsicles in order to keep them cooler for longer once the ices have left the freezer. The ices are in triangular shape  FIG. 5B   30  and when placed adjacent to other similar shaped ices will form a circular shape  FIG. 5A   32 . The relatively large surface area  34  of each ice popsicle touching its neighbor aids the ices to remain colder for longer after being removed from the freezer. 
         [0040]    The ices stick  36  could have a hollow portion  38  that could be filled with a liquid, edible or inedible, or gel for the purpose of keeping the ices cooler for longer after leaving the freezer. 
         [0041]    The cover of the ice popsicles  FIG. 5C   40  could be made in sections  42  to form the desired shape of the ices. The cover  40  could be inverted to enable the liquid ice popsicle substance to be poured in. The cover  40  would then be placed inverted in a freezer until the said liquid is frozen. The walls of the cover  40  could be hollow walls to contain one of the above mentioned liquids to keep the ices or ice cream cooler for longer after leaving the freezer. 
         [0042]    It is understood that this container could be rectangular or other shape using the same principle as this described embodiment. 
         [0043]      FIG. 6  shows yet another embodiment of this innovation to keep ice popsicles cooler for longer periods of time after having been removed from the freezer. In this embodiment the ice popsicle  50  is held by a stick  52  that could be hollow along its length and have a drip tray  54 . 
         [0044]    The space  56  inside the drip tray  54  could be filled with liquid, edible or inedible, or gel for the purpose of keeping the ices cooler for longer after leaving the freezer. When edible liquids are used for this purpose they can be drained away or drunk via the openings  58  or  60 . 
         [0045]    The drip tray  54  therefore serves two main purposes namely to keep the bottom of the ice popsicle from melting by holding it in a volume of ice and secondly to catch the drips from the ice popsicle when it eventually does melt. The drips from the popsicle and the melted content of the drip tray  54  can be drunk via the opening  58  or  60 . 
         [0046]    The closable opening  62  is to aid entry of liquids into the stick  52 . The opening  62  could also be used to wash out the inner parts of the stick  52  when the device is used more than once. 
         [0047]      FIG. 7  is another possibility of ice cream or popsicle with a stick  74  wholly or partially hollow to allow liquids to be inserted for the purpose of keeping the ice cream or popsicle cooler for longer than if the stick were solid. There could be an opening  76  or  78  for inserting the liquid and when such liquids are edible the openings  76  or  78  could be used for drinking the melted ice. The openings  76  and  78  could be plugged with a one-time-use removable plug or have a re-useable cap  80 . 
         [0048]    The stick  74  could enjoy other features for example, for advertising, games for promotion purposes or gambling. The games could be collecting sets of letters  82  that could be made to detach with a twist. There could be words forming part of a sentence. The gambling could be related to a number  84  attached to the stick  74  or a word like “win”  86 . There could be company names, logos  88  or slogans for advertising and promotion purposes. 
         [0049]      FIG. 8  shows an ice cream container  90  with hollow outer walls  92 . In the container  90  is a center piece  92  comprising hollow plastic or metal plates  94  attached to a hollow connecting tube  96 . There could be openings from the connecting tube  96  and each plate  94  so that filling and emptying with liquid could be done at one capped opening  98 . The effect of frozen liquid in the hollow plates  94  exposing a large cold surface area in the midst of the ice cream will keep the ice cream cooler for a longer period. As in the previous examples, if the liquid in the hollow plates  94  is edible the thawed liquid may be consumed too. Alternatively, the hollow plates  94  and connecting tube  96  could be containers with their top face open and for example frozen popsicles in plastic envelopes could be placed in the containers  94  and  96  to help cool the ice cream and at a later stage taken out and eaten or re-frozen. 
         [0050]      FIG. 9  shows a cone shaped ice cream holder  100  that has hollow waterproof walls  102  for filling with liquid. The entrance for filling and empting or drinking the liquid is via the cap  104 . 
         [0051]    As is the previous examples the liquid could be edible or inedible, or gel for the purpose of keeping the ice cream cooler for a longer period after leaving the freezer than would be the case if there were no such insulation. The ice cream could be placed directly in the hollow center of the cone  106  or a cone shaped wafer could be used to hold the ice cream and the wafer would fit in the hollow center  106 . Alternatively, the wafer could be the outer layer and the whole unit  100  could fit inside the wafer. There could be a snapable or otherwise breakable section  108  at the apex of the internal wall of the cone  100 . The liquid used in the hollow walls  102  of the cone could be an edible liquid that is like a popsicle that may be drunk as the ice popsicle melts. It could be an added enhancement as the ice cream begins to melt and the popsicle begins to melt for the consumer to snap the apex  108  and eat the remaining ice cream together with melting popsicle ice by removing the cap over the opening  104  and sucking out the mixed contents. 
         [0052]      FIG. 10  is an ice cream or popsicle sleeve  110 . The sleeve  110  has hollow walls  116  with a cap  112  for filling and empting  10  or drinking the contents. There could be a cap at the base  114  of the sleeve for emptying or drinking the contents. The ice cream or popsicle  118  often with a stick  120  would be placed in the hollow  122  in the central portion of the sleeve  110 . The fitting of the ice cream or popsicle  118  in the sleeve hollow  122  could be tight enough to push the ice cream or popsicle  118  up gradually as it is consumed so that the lower portion of the ice cream or popsicle  118  remains surrounded by the cool sleeve  110  as long as possible thereby inhibiting the melting process. 
         [0053]      FIG. 11  shows a cooling case  130  for ice creams and popsicles  132 . The case  130  would be hollow to allow a liquid to be inserted which when frozen, would keep the ice creams or popsicles for a prolonged time after being removed from a freezer. 
         [0054]    The case  130  could have two parts joined by hinges  134 . The two parts would have indentations  136  in symmetrical formation for the ice creams or popsicles  132  to fit therein when the case  130  is closed. The case  130  could have closing clips  138  and carrying handles  140 . There could be a removable cap  142  for filling and emptying the liquid used for cooling the ice creams or popsicles  132 .