Abstract:
This invention relates generally to a cake made from particulate ice cream, and to a customized box for holding these cakes.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/623,913, which was filed on Nov. 1, 2004. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to novel combinations of cryogenic ice cream products.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Cryogenically frozen ice cream can be sold in a variety of forms.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     It is an object of the present invention to comprise a cake of which the main ingredient is cryogenically frozen particulate ice cream. It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing the cake that can be easily and consistently applied. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent as the following description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of the mechanism for manufacturing the particulate ice cream used in the present invention;  
         [0006]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart describing how to manufacture the present invention;  
         [0007]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are packaged and unpackaged views of the present invention;  
         [0008]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  show an exemplary serving method for the present invention; and  
         [0009]      FIGS. 5A-5D  show a suggested box for packaging and transporting the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0010]     Before explaining the disclosed embodiment of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangement shown, since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  shows a cryogenic processor constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention to produce free-flowing particulate ice cream  56 . The fundamental method utilized to produce the product is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,126,156, which is hereby incorporated by reference.  
         [0012]     A cryogenic processor  10  includes a freezing chamber  12  that is most preferably in the form of a conical tank that holds a liquid refrigerant therein. A freezing chamber  12  incorporates an inner shell  14  and an outer shell  16 . Insulation  18  is disposed between the inner shell  14  and outer shell  16  in order to increase the thermal efficiency of the chamber  12 . Vents  20  are also provided to ventilate the insulated area formed between the shells  14  and  16 . The freezing chamber  12  is a free-standing unit supported by legs  22 .  
         [0013]     A refrigerant  24 , preferably liquid nitrogen, enters the freezing chamber  12  by means of refrigerant inlet  26 . The refrigerant  24  is introduced into a chamber  12  through the inlet  26  in order to maintain a predetermined level of liquid refrigerant in the freezing chamber because some refrigerant  24  can be lost by evaporation or by other means incidental to production. Gaseous refrigerant that has evaporated from the surface of the liquid refrigerant  24  in freezing chamber  12  primarily vents to the atmosphere through exit port  29  which cooperates with the vacuum assembly  30 , which can be in the form of a venturi nozzle. Extraction of the frozen beads occurs through product outlet  32  adapted at the base of the freezing chamber  12 .  
         [0014]     An ambient air inlet port  28  with adjustment doors  38  and exit port  29  with adjustment doors  39  are provided to adjust the level of gaseous refrigerant which evaporates from the surface of the liquid refrigerant  24  so that excessive pressure is not built up within the processor  10  and freezing of the liquid composition in the feed assembly  40  does not occur.  
         [0015]     A feed tray  48  receives liquid composition from a delivery source  50 . Typically, a pump (not shown) drives the liquid composition through a delivery tube  52  into the feed tray  48 . A premixing device  54  allows several compositions, not all of which must be liquid, such as powdered flavorings or other additives of a size small enough not to cause clogging in the feed assembly  40 , to be mixed in predetermined concentrations for delivery to the feed tray  48 .  
         [0016]     In order to create uniformly sized particles or particulate ice cream  56  of frozen product, uniformly sized droplets of liquid composition are required to be fed through gas diffusion chamber  46  to freezing chamber  12 . The feed tray  48  is designed with feed assembly  40  that forms droplets of the desired character. The frozen product takes the form of beads that are formed when the droplets  58  of liquid composition contact the refrigerant vapor in the gas diffusion chamber  46 , and subsequently the liquid refrigerant  24  in the freezing chamber  12 . After the particulate ice cream  56  are formed, they fall to the bottom of chamber  12 . A transport system connects to the bottom of chamber  12  at outlet  32  to carry the particulate ice cream  56  to a packaging and distribution network for later delivery and consumption.  
         [0017]     The vacuum assembly  30  cooperates with air inlet  28  and adjustment doors  38  so that ambient air flows through the inlet and around feed assembly  40  to ensure that no liquid composition freezes therein. This is accomplished by mounting the vacuum assembly  30  and air inlet  28  on opposing sides of the gas diffusion chamber  46  such that the incoming ambient air drawn by the vacuum assembly  30  is aligned with the feed assembly. In this configuration, ambient air flows around the feed assembly warming it to a sufficient temperature to inhibit the formation of frozen liquid composition in the feed assembly flow channels. An air source  60 , typically in the form of an air compressor, is attached to vacuum assembly  30  to provide appropriate suction to create the ambient air flow required.  
         [0018]     A kit for assembling the cake  100  of the present invention contains four pouches: a crust mix, a crust binding agent to keep the crust mix together, a syrup binding agent to keep the particulate ice cream  56  together, and optional (within various embodiments) cake pieces. All pouches contain predetermined amounts of ingredients, and these amounts are carefully calibrated to achieve uniformity and consistency. To assemble the present invention requires two plastic bowls, a spatula, a storage freezer capable of temperatures of −40° F., and a sanitary work area.  
         [0019]     The assembler should first place the two plastic bowls and spatula within a −40° F. freezer for at least 5 minutes, because the beads  56  tend to quickly melt at typical room temperatures. Accordingly, it is important that the assembler move quickly during all the steps of the present invention, which are summarized in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0020]     The assembler will remove a bowl and spatula from the freezer, shake the pouch of crust mix into the frozen bowl, and then combine the crust binding agent into the crust mix, and then blend with spatula until fully combined. This forms the crust of the cake  100  of the present invention, which should be held in abeyance pending completion of the next step.  
         [0021]     The assembler should then remove second chilled bowl from freezer and scoop five scoops of particulate ice cream  56  into the second bowl. The assembler should then empty the syrup binding agent into the bowl of particulate ice cream  56  and mix with the spatula. Optionally, the assembler can also empty the pouch of cake pieces into the combination of syrup binding agent and particulate ice cream  56 . In either case, working quickly yet without mashing, the assembler will lift and evenly fold the particulate mixture from the bottom, ensuring that the particulate ice cream  56  gets covered and that all ingredients are evenly dispersed.  
         [0022]     The assembler will then empty the mixture into a plastic round container  104  specifically designed to form the above particulate mixture into the desired cake shape. Using the spatula, the assembler will gently press the mixture so that the surface is flat and even, but will avoid pressing so hard that the particulate  56  melts on the face of the cake-forming container  104 . The user puts the particulate ice cream  56  on the bottom of the cake-forming container  104 , which should rise to a quarter-inch (at most) from the top of the container  104 .  
         [0023]     Upon completion of the above, the assembler will empty the crust combination held in abeyance from the first plastic bowl onto the particulate mixture, and gently press the crust mixture onto the surface of the particulate mixture until all particulate  56  is covered and the crust bottom is smooth and level and having an even surface. The container  104  has a cardboard bottom that has a glossy side and a dull side. The cake contacts the glossy side to prevent sticking. The assembler puts the cardboard bottom on the cake and snaps a lid onto the cake.  
         [0024]     It is necessary to then place the combination in a −40° F. storage freezer overnight. The combination can then be stored in a serving freezer pre-configured to have a temperature of no higher than −20° F. After this freezing process, the cake  100  is stored in a conventional freezer (−10° to +5° F.).  
         [0025]     Once the cake  100  is completely frozen, the cake-forming container  104  is no longer involved in formation. The assembler then turns the cake  100  upside down and entirely removes the container  104 , as shown in  FIG. 3B .  
         [0026]     When a customer arrives, the assembler can create multi colored chocolate linear patterns such as those shown in  FIG. 4A , including potentially blue patterns, although red, yellow, and chocolate are contemplated within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Blue is advantageous because blue is a rare color for food products and considered to be attractive by potential purchasers.  
         [0027]     At the point of sale, a sales clerk puts the cake inside the specially-formed box  500  as shown in  FIG. 5A . The box  500  has a square bottom and four flaps which meet to form a handle  504 , as shown in  FIGS. 5B, 5C , and  5 D.  
         [0028]     As shown in  FIG. 5B , when the user folds up the box  500 , it has a rounded look on its overlapping edges. The handle  504  actually snaps in place over the box  500 , so the user can hold the box  500 , while the handle remains in place. One side of the box  500  has a cut out with a translucent plastic shield located therein. The box  500  has a square bottom, although the sides bulge out in a rounded fashion.  
         [0029]     One aesthetically attractive feature of the box  500  is its round look and patterns, including large bright dots and tapering. As shown in  FIGS. 5C-5D , the corners are rounded, with the large round dots on the sides. The roundedness makes the box  500  look marketable and enhances image appeal.  
         [0030]     In an exemplary embodiment, the cake  100  is cylindrical, about 3 inches tall, and about a foot in diameter. However, these dimensions are for exemplary purposes only, so that the present invention should not be considered as limited exclusively thereto.  
         [0031]     After being stored in a special −40° F. freezer, as stated a customer can then store the present invention in a conventional freezer. This is partly because the syrup binding agent has a high melting point and thus ensures the particulate ice cream  56  maintains its spherical, unmelted shapes at a higher temperature.  
         [0032]      FIG. 4B  shows an exemplary serving suggestion for a slice of the cake  100  after it has been removed from the box  500 .  FIG. 4B  also shows detail about the interior of the cake  100 , as well as decorative stripes and patterns  404  which can come in a variety of colors.  
         [0033]     It is anticipated that various changes may be made in the arrangement and operation of the system of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as shown in the following claims.