Abstract:
A single and dual transferable battery-operated ice cream maker to be used in the freezer compartment of any domestic or commercial refrigerator and/or ice chest comprising: product containers into which the ice cream ingredients are placed; a timer-controlled creamer for stirring the ingredients; a motorized lid connected to said creamer; a temperature sensor making contact with said product container; a container housing where said product containers and cooling mechanisms are located; an audible means to indicate completion of process; and a storage lid to cover the product container.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an automatic ice cream maker and more particularly to a portable transferable automatic ice cream maker to be operated in the freezer compartment of any domestic or commercial refrigerator and/or ice chest. A domestic ice-cream maker is comprised of an ingredients container into which ice cream ingredients are placed, a stirring device, and at one time a hand crank but now a motorized stirrer. The ingredients&#39; container is housed within another chamber where ice and salt are placed or the chamber contains a coolant system. Whether by motor or by hand cranking, the ingredients are subjected to a cold temperature, thereby freezing them. After the ingredients&#39; temperature reaches a desired thickness, they are tested based on taste and touch to verify if additional freezing is required; thus requires constant monitoring. After the desired thickness is reached, the ingredients are removed and placed in a separate container for storage. 
     Domestic ice-cream maker inventions during the seventies utilize the freezer. Where as, some are a permanent fixture of the refrigerator and use a hand crank located outside of the refrigerator, others uses a motor which saves time and human energy, however, both types are heavy and their size makes them non-transferable. During the eighties, and ice-cream maker was patented to be used in a freezer; however the invention “blew cold air from the freezer compartment directly into the ice-cream mix while being stirred” which allows outside odors to penetrate and contaminates the ice-cream mixture. Refrigerated air is encapsulated and recycled within the freezer, thereby allowing spoiled or pungent food odors to enter the freezer. This particular cream maker uses eight batteries, “four of the cells  18  are use to drive the motors of two fans  23  and  24  and four to drive the motor  22 ”, and uses a clutch as a warning device. 
     There is yet another type of portable ice-cream maker that uses normal electrical current. It contains a double insulated bowl that must be frozen prior to use anywhere from eight to twenty-four hours. Therefore, it is the objective of this invention to provide an ice cream maker that is light-weight and transferable; can be utilized in the freezer of any normal domestic or commercial refrigerator and/or normal-sized ice chest; seals in the ice-cream mixture from odors and contaminants; has an audible timer and warning system; offers state of the art circuitry to charge a 18 or 24 volt battery in less than one hour, is easy to remove and store ice cream; can produce two different flavors simultaneously, and can it comes produce two flavors of ice cream at one time. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Knowingly, the objective of any invention is to make life less cumbersome and uncomplicated. In the Digital Age, society has grown accustomed to having certain tasks done in nanoseconds without compromising the quality of the product. These ice cream makers will satisfy today&#39;s appetite by providing faster and efficient methods through saving time, being just the right size, easy storage, and variety. 
     The main advantage these invention is to eliminate constant monitoring by providing a timing system that can be preset to complete the process in under thirty (30) minutes. It also provides a safety measure of stopping the process in the event the timing process does not. Ice cream makers of the last millennium used physical assertion, both through mixing and testing to see if it was ready. Granted some ice cream makers are motorized but the preparation time prior to actually processing the cream is too time-consuming. These inventions bestow the owners a forget-it-and-leave-it frame of mind so many of the Digital Generation possess, thus saving time. 
     Secondly, the dimensions of the ice cream makers are designed to be placed in the freezer compartment of any domestic or commercial refrigerator. One type can be operated within any average sized ice chest and the others can be adapted as well for outdoor activity. Whether in-house or outside these ice cream makers are portable and transferable. Traditionally, ice cream makers are to placed and operated outside of a freezer and never inside of an ice chest. After the ice cream is ready for consumption, it is then placed in some type of container into the freezer to retain its solidity. 
     Thirdly, these inventions factor in the convenience our fast paced society demands with an easier method of removal and storage. This is accomplished by removing the following: the ice cream maker from the freezer after a device emits a sound, the motorized lid; and the product container. Then place the provided container lid on the product container and place it back into the freezer or ice chest. Simply clean the creamer that is attached to the motorized lid. The container housing is never exposed to any ice cream making product. In years past, cleaning an ice cream maker meant scraping the blades, and washing each component, with the exception of anything housing electrical components, in order to make a different flavor. 
     Making two different flavors of ice cream are accomplished with the dual ice cream maker. It does what no other domestic ice cream maker can, by satisfying the palate of a consumer who likes vanilla ice cream versus another who likes buttered pecan, and/or another who prefers raspberry sorbet over strawberry yogurt. Currently the only way to have a choice of two different types of ice cream or yogurt is to patronize a commercial establishment. This ice cream maker has virtually two of all the significant components. The advantage over traditional ice cream makers is you will never have to wait during the clean-up time for a second treat. Moreover, ice cream lovers can satisfy their different tastes whether at home or at a picnic. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a frontal view frontal view of an ice cream maker that has a fan motor assembly; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of an ice cream maker describe in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an exposed front view of an ice cream maker describe in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a top exposed view of an ice cream maker describe in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a top exposed view of the motorized lid for an ice cream maker describe in FIG.  1  and in FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the motorized lid for an ice cream maker describe in FIG.  1  and in FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the motorized lid for an ice cream maker describe in FIG.  1  and in FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 8 is a frontal and top view of the creamer for an ice cream maker describe in FIG.  1  and in FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 9 is a frontal view of an ice cream maker that has no fan motor assembly; 
     FIG. 10 is an exposed frontal view of an ice cream maker that is described in FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 11 is a frontal view of an ice cream maker with dual product containers; 
     FIG. 12 is top view of an ice cream maker describe in FIG. 11; 
     FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the motorized lid of an ice cream maker described in FIG. 11; 
     FIG. 14 is a side view of the container housing of an ice cream maker described in FIG. 11; 
     FIG. 15 is a exposed top view of the motorized lid of an ice cream maker described in FIG. 11; 
     FIG. 16 is a top view of the motorized lid of an ice cream maker described in FIG. 11; 
     FIG. 17 is side and top view of the storage lids of an ice cream maker described in FIG. 11; 
     FIG. 18 is the circuit board for an ice cream maker that has a fan motor assembly described in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 19 is the circuit board for an ice cream maker that has no fan motor assembly described in FIG. 9; and 
     FIG. 20 is the circuit board for an ice cream maker with dual product containers described in FIG.  11 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With the exception of the motorized lid, container housing, product container, component cover, and lids, which will need to be manufactured through molding or casting, the other components can be purchased anywhere throughout industry. The distinguishing factors these inventions have over pre-existing domestic ice cream makers are size, portability, convenience and duality. A detailed account of these inventions will be described below with reference to the drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is a frontal view of an ice cream maker that has a fan motor assembly. It comprises a Motorized Lid  1  to house the gear motor, gear box assembly and a circuit board; a Container Housing  2  where a container that holds the ice ingredients is placed; a Fan Housing  3  to shelter and protect the cooling fans; an Additive Plug  4  to prevents freezer odors from entering into the product container; a Push Button Latch Assembly  5  to secure the component cover to the motorized lid; an LED Readout Annunciation Panel  6  to display the time remaining in a cycle; a Push Button Reset  7  to restart the ice cream maker should it stop; an On/Off Push Button  8  to start the ice cream maker; and a Push Button Latch Assembly  9  to secure the motorized lid to the container housing. Suggested dimensions are  9  ½ “height X  9 ” width, with a total weight of 32 ounces. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the ice cream maker in FIG. 1 depicting all the aforementioned components except a Spring Loaded Hinge Assembly  10  connecting the motorized lid and container housing together; a Power Strip  11  to supply power to fan motor; a Fan Grill  12  to protect the fan blades; and a Fan Motor Assembly  13  which supplies cold air to the product container. 
     FIG. 3 is an exposed front view of the ice cream maker in FIG. 1 depicting a Motorized Lid  1 , a Container Housing  2 , Fan Housing  3 , an Additive Plug  4 , a Power Strip  11 , two Fan Grills  12 , two Fan Motor Assemblies  13 ; two Container Housing Handles  14 ; an Additive Tube  15  where ingredients pass from the additive hole into the product container; a Container Lid  16  which is part of the motorized lid that covers the product container; Gear Box and Gear Motor Assembly  17  to spin the creamer that whips and combines the ingredients; an 18 or 24 Volt Battery Power Source  18  to supply voltage; a Temperature Sensor  19  to detect the drop in temperature of the product container; a Component Cover  20  enclose and protect the components of the motorized lid; a Seal  21  to prevent outside odors from penetrating the ingredient inside the product container; a Product Container  22 , the vessel into which ingredients are poured, stirred, and frozen; a Creamer  23  to stir the ingredients inside of the product container; and an Air Diverter  24  to divide the air flow evenly across the product container. 
     FIG. 4 is a top exposed view of the ice cream maker in FIG.  1 . It comprises a Container Housing  2 , Fan Housing  3 , two Fan Grills  12 , two Fan Motor Assemblies  13 , a Product Container  22 , a Creamer  23 , two Air Diverters  24 , Two Product Container Handles  25 , with springs, allowing an easier removal of the product container, a Vortex Air Channel  26  as a passageway for freezer air to pass across the product container, and two Exhaust Ports  27  to siphon the warm air discharged by passing over the product container. 
     FIG. 5 is a top exposed view of the motorized lid for the ice cream makers in FIGS. 1 and 9 (see FIG. 9 below). It comprises a Spring Loaded Hinge Assembly  10 , an Additive Tube  15 , a Gear Box and Gear Motor Assembly  17 , an  18  or 24 Volt Battery Power Source  18 , a Circuit Board  28  that houses the electronic components (see FIG. 18 below), a Latch Slot  2  that secures the component lid to the motorized lid, and a Charging Connection  30  for recharging the battery. 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the motorized lid for the ice cream makers in FIGS. 1 and 9. It comprises a Push Button Latch Assembly  5 , an LED Readout  6 , a Push Button Reset  7 , an On/Off Push Button  8 ; a Component Cover  20  to enclose and protect the components of the motorized lid; a Latch Slot  29  to secure the component lid to the motorized lid; a Component Lid Tab  31  to tightly seal the component cover; an Additive Hole  32  into which additional ingredients, i.e., berries, nuts, etc., can be added during the stirring process; and a Seal  33  to prevent moisture from entering the motorized lid. 
     FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the motorized lid for the ice cream makers in FIGS. 1 and 9. It comprises a Push Button Latch Assembly  9 , a Spring Loaded Hinge Assembly  10 , an Additive Tube  15 , a Container Lid  16 , a Temperature Sensor  19 , a Charging Connection  30 , and a Creamer Connection  34  that attaches to the creamer apparatus and the bottom edge  35  of the motorized lid. 
     FIG. 8 is a frontal and top view of the Creamer  28  for the ice cream makers in FIGS. 1 and 9, which stirs the ingredients inside of the product container. 
     FIG. 9 is a frontal view of an ice cream maker that does not have a fan motor assembly. It comprises a Motorized Lid  1 , an Additive Plug  4 , a Push Button Latch Assembly  5 , an LED Readout  6 , a Push Button Reset  7 , an On/Off Push Button  8 , a Container Latch Assembly  36 , a Container Handle  37 , and a Product Container  38 . Suggested dimensions are 9″ in height by 8′ in length with a total weight of 20 ounces. 
     FIG. 10 is an exposed frontal view of the ice cream maker describe in FIG.  9  and comprises a Motorized Lid  1 , an Additive Plug  4 , an LED Read Out  6 , an Additive Tube  15 , a Container Lid  16 , a Gear Box and Gear Motor Assembly  17 , and  18  or 24 Volt Battery Power Source  18 , a Temperature Sensor  19 , a Component Cover  20 , two Container Latch Assemblies  36 , two Container Handles  37 , a Product Container  38 , and a Creamer. 
     FIG. 11 is a frontal view of an ice cream maker with dual product containers with two Additive Plugs  4 , a Push Button Latch Assembly  5 , an LED Readout  6 , two Push Reset Buttons,  7 , two On/Off Push Buttons  8 , a Push Button Latch Assembly  9 ; a Fan Grill  12 , an Exhaust Port  27 , a Motorized Lid  41 , a Component Cover  42 , and a Container Housing  43 . Suggested dimensions are 9 ½″ in height, 9″ in width, 14″ in length with a total weight of 48 ounces. 
     FIG. 12 is top view of the ice cream maker described in FIG.  11 . It comprises two Fan Motor Assemblies  13 , two Air Diverters  24 , two Product Container Handles  25 , two Vortex Air Channels  26 , two Exhaust Ports  27 , a Container Housing  43 , and two Product Containers  44 . 
     FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the motorized lid  41  of the ice cream maker described in FIG.  11  and comprises: two Spring Loaded Hinge Assemblies  10 , two  2  Additive Holes  15 , two Container Lids, two Temperature Sensors  19 , and two Creamer Connections  34 . 
     FIG. 14 is a side view of the container housing  43  of the ice cream maker described in FIG.  11  and comprises a Spring Loaded Hinge Assembly  10 , a Power Strip  11 , a Fran Grill  12 , a Fan Motor Assembly  13 , and a Motorized Lid  41   
     FIG. 15 is a exposed bottom view of the motorized lid  41  of the ice cream maker described in FIG.  11  and comprises two Spring Loaded Hinge Assemblies  10 , two Additive Tubes  15 , two Gear Box and Gear Motor Assemblies  17 , two Temperature Sensors  19 , a Motorized Lid  41 , and a Product Container  44 . 
     FIG. 16 is a top view of the motorized lid  41  of the ice cream maker described in FIG. 11 which comprises: a Push Button Latch  5 , an LED Readout  6 , two Reset Push Buttons  7 , two On/Off Push Buttons  8 , two Spring Loaded Hinge Assemblies  10 , two Additive Holes  32 , and a Component Cover  42 . 
     FIG. 17 is side and top view of the storage lid  45  of the ice cream maker described in FIG.  11 . 
     FIG. 18 is the Circuit Board  28  that houses the electronic components for of the ice cream maker that has a fan motor assembly describe in FIG. 1, which comprises an Electrical Jack  46  to plug in the battery, an On/Off Switch  47  to allow an 18 or 24 volt DC to circuit board, a Circuit Breaker  48  to stop the freezing cycle, a Temperature Switch  49  when closed, starts the freezing process, a Timer  50  to start and stop the ice cream making cycle, a Fan Motor Assembly Contact  51  to supply an 18 or 24 volt DC power to the fan motors, a Gear Motor  52  to supply an 18 or 24 volt DC power to the gear motors, a Pulsating 15 second Timer  53  that sounds a warning if there is a problem, and a Pezo Buzzer  54  that emits the sound if there is a problem during the freezing cycle. 
     FIG. 19 is the circuit board  55  an ice cream maker that does not have a fan motor assembly described in FIG. 9, which comprises an Electrical Jack  46 , an On/Off Switch  47 , a Circuit Breaker  48 , a Temperature Switch  49 , a Timer  50 , a Gear Motor Contact  52 , a Pulsating  15  second Timer  53 , and a Pezo Buzzer  54 . 
     FIG. 20 is the circuit board  56  of an ice cream maker with dual product containers described in FIG.  11  and comprises two Electrical Jacks  46 , two On/Off Switches  47 , two Circuit Breakers  48 , two Temperature Switches  49 , two Timers  50 , two Fan Motor Contacts  51 , two Gear Motor Contacts  52 , two Pulsating  15  second Timers  53 , and two Pezo Buzzers  54 . 
     In operation, open component cover ( 20  or  42 ) place 18 or 24 volt battery or batteries into the Motorized lid ( 1  or  41 ), replace component cover ( 20  or  42 ) and plug in adapter and put charging cord into 120 volt outlet for approximately 45 minutes. Raise or remove motorized Lid ( 1  or  41 ), attach creamer ( 23  or  40 ), add ice-cream mixture and place the motorized lid ( 1  or  41 ) on the container housing ( 2  or  43 ). Push the On/Off Push Button  8  which closes the switch. Place in Freezer. 18 or 24 volt dc is placed onto the contact of the temperature switch  49 . Once the unit has reached approximately 48 degrees the contacts close. The two 18 or 24 volt dc fans  3  are then energized and aid in providing cool airflow throughout the container housing ( 2  or  43 ). The timer  50  is now energized and allows the gears to start, thus causing the creamer ( 23  or  40 ) to rotate inside the tank. After approximately 20 minutes the ice-cream mixture becomes stiff, the timer  50  is near expiration and the gear motor  17  stops. Fifteen seconds before the timer stops, a 50 lb Pezo Buzzer  54  alarm is energized signaling that the ice-cream is ready. 
     In case the creamer is jammed, the circuit breaker/s  48  will trip or lose contact, causing the motor run circuit to de-energize. The normally open contacts will close and cause the pulsating timer  53  to send a signal to the Pezo Buzzer  54  alarm. This tone signifies that there is a malfunction and the alarm will sound for approximately 20 seconds then resets itself. Upon inspection and the jam is cleared, the ice-cream maker may be re-started by pressing the reset button  7 .