Ice Cream Holder

An ice cream holder includes a lid, a holder, and a cup. The holder that secures a cone-shaped pastry includes a platform, a lateral wall, a central opening, and an intermediate flange. The cup and the lid are oppositely positioned of each other about the holder so that the cone-shaped pastry and the ice cream can be protected. A bottom edge of the lateral wall is perimetrically connected around the platform. The central opening concentrically traversing through the platform thus allowing the cone-shaped pastry to be placed. The intermediate flange is perimetrically connected around a top edge of the lateral wall and perimetrically engaged around a bottom flange of the cup. The cup allows the user to grasp or place the ice cream holder in existing cup holders for transportation. A top flange of the lid is compressionally engaged around the intermediate and bottom flanges, protecting the ice cream.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a portable ice cream holder. More specifically, the present invention is able to completely cover a portion of ice cream and the cone-shaped pastry that the portion of ice cream is placed upon to avoid unwanted contact or spillage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Ice cream is a favorite dessert or snack for many people, especially in a hot summer day. Ice cream can be placed within a bowl or cup to be consumed. However, ice cream is also placed within the cone-shaped pastry as a portable and edible container. The cone-shaped pastry can include, but is not limited to, a sugar cone, a wafer-style cone, and a waffle cone. Generally, ice cream has to be consumed in a timely manner as the frozen ice cream tends to melt over the cone-shaped pastry. Furthermore, issues arise during the transportation of ice cream, as people may need to move to different locations on the beach or in other public spaces. During the transportation process, ice cream can melt over the cone-shaped pastry, ice cream can fall out of the cone-shaped pastry, people may bump into each other and causes unwanted spillage, or unwanted foreign object such as dirt can be deposited onto the ice cream.

It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide an ice cream holder that can fully protect ice cream and the cone-shaped pastry during transportation process and during the consuming process. The present invention provides a solution to all issues mentioned above as the cone-shaped pastry and the ice cream can be safely secured within. The present invention provides a lower part that can fit perfectly into cupholders of many vehicles for easy transportation. The present invention also provides a middle part that can lock and secure the cone-shaped pastry within the lower part. The present invention also provides a top part that completely engulfs the ice cream to avoid ice cream from falling off. Collectively, the lower part, the middle part, and the top part are able to fully enclose the ice cream and the cone-shaped pastry.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an ice cream holder5that can fully protect ice cream and the cone-shaped pastry during transportation process and during the consuming process. The cone-shaped pastry explained hereinafter can include, but is not limited to, a sugar cone, a wafer-style cone, a waffle cone, or any other of cone that the ice cream can be placed. The present invention comprises a lid1, a holder5, a cup13, and a central axis17as shown inFIG. 1-3. In reference to the general configuration of the present invention, the lid1, the holder5, and the cup13are concentrically aligned along the central axis17so that the present invention can be assembled. More specifically, the holder5is placed around and positioned within the cup13so that the cone-shaped pastry can be secured. The cup13and the lid1are oppositely positioned of each other about the holder5, wherein the cup13functions as the portable container and allows the users the grasp the present invention. The lid1is mounted to the cup13and the holder5so that the ice cream that is placed upon the cone-shaped pastry can be protected from outside elements.

In reference toFIG. 2-3, the holder5comprises a platform6, a lateral wall7, a central opening11, an intermediate flange10, and a plurality of runoff openings12. More specifically, a bottom edge8of the lateral wall7is perimetrically connected around the platform6so that the lateral wall7is able to define the depth or the height of the holder5. The central opening11concentrically traverses through the platform6so that the cone-shaped pastry can be inserted into the central opening11. Due to the tapered bottom of the cone-shaped pastry, the central opening11is able to secure the cone-shaped pastry vertically and concentrically. In other words, when the cone-shaped pastry is inserted into the central opening11, a bottom half of the cone-shaped pastry is positioned below the platform6and a top half of the cone-shaped pastry is positioned above the platform6. The intermediate flange10is perimetrically connected around a top edge9of the lateral wall7, wherein the intermediate flange10and the platform6are oppositely positioned of each other about the lateral wall7. The intermediate flange10is outwardly oriented from the lateral wall7so that platform6and the lateral wall7can be placed within the cup13while the intermediate flange10is perimetrically engaged around a bottom flange16of the cup13. For example, when the holder5is placed upon the cup13, the intermediate flange10engages around the bottom flange16of the cup13as the lateral wall7and the platform6are positioned within the cup13.

In reference to a preferred embodiment of the holder5, a diameter of the platform6is about 3.8 inches. An outer diameter of the lateral wall7ranges from 3.8 inches to 4.1 inches. An inner diameter of the central opening11ranges from 1.5 inches to 2.5 inches so that the central opening11is able to facilitate difference shapes and sizes of the cone-shaped pastry. Furthermore, the diameter of the central opening11is preferably about 1.57 inches.

In reference to an alternative embodiment of the holder5, a diameter of the platform6is about 3.8 inches. An outer diameter of the lateral wall7ranges from 3.8 inches to 4.1 inches. An inner diameter of the central opening11ranges from 1.5 inches to 2.5 inches so that the central opening11is able to facilitate difference shapes and sizes of the cone-shaped pastry. Furthermore, the diameter of the central opening11is preferably about 2.37 inches.

In reference toFIG. 2, the plurality of runoff openings12is radially positioned around the central opening11and traverses through the platform6. As a result, the plurality of runoff openings12is able to drain any melted ice cream into the cup13and keeps the cone-shaped pastry dry as the platform6is able to catch the melted ice cream that may fall onto the holder5. More specifically, the plurality of runoff openings12is positioned adjacent to the lateral wall7so that the melted ice cream is able to flow away from the cone-shaped pastry and into the cone-shaped pastry. Preferably, the plurality of runoff openings12can range from 5-6. However, the actual number of the plurality of runoff openings12can differ upon different embodiments, user requirements, manufacturing specifications, or any other rules and regulations.

In reference toFIG. 2-3andFIG. 5, the cup13further comprises a base14and a side wall15in addition to the bottom flange16. More specifically, the side wall15is perimetrically connected around the base14so that the side wall15and the base14can delineate the general shape of the cup13. The bottom flange16is perimetrically connected around the side wall15as the bottom flange16and the base14are oppositely positioned of each other about the side wall15. Furthermore, the bottom flange16is outwardly oriented from the side wall15thus providing the sufficient surface area to rest the intermediate flange10.

In reference to a preferred embodiment of the cup13, a diameter of the base14is about 2.7 inches. An outer diameter of the side wall15ranges from 2.7 inches to 3.5 inches. A height of the cup13, which is the vertical total height of the base14, the side wall15, and the bottom flange16, is about 3.2 inches to facilitate the bottom half of the small-height cone-shaped pastry.

In reference to a first alternative embodiment of the cup13, a diameter of the base14is about 2.7 inches. An outer diameter of the side wall15ranges from 2.7 inches to 3.5 inches. A height of the cup13, which is the vertical total height of the base14, the side wall15, and the bottom flange16, is about 5 inches to facilitate the bottom half of the medium-height cone-shaped pastry.

In reference to a second alternative embodiment of the cup13, a diameter of the base14is about 2.7 inches. An outer diameter of the side wall15ranges from 2.7 inches to 3.5 inches. A height of the cup13, which is the vertical total height of the base14, the side wall15, and the bottom flange16, is about 6 inches to facilitate the bottom half of the large-height cone-shaped pastry.

In reference toFIG. 2-5, the lid1further comprises a cover2and a top flange4. More specifically, the cover2is preferably a hallow body with an opening to cover2the ice cream that is placed on top of the cone-shaped pastry. The top flange4is perimetrically connected around a rim3of the cover2and outwardly oriented from the cover2. As a result, the top flange4is able to function as a locking member to engage around the holder5and the cup13. In other words, the top flange4is compressionally engaged around the intermediate flange10and the bottom flange16so that the cup13, the holder5, and the lid1can be attached together. When the lid1is pushed against the holder5and cup13, the top flange4elastically snaps around the bottom flange16and presses the intermediate flange10against the bottom flange16.

In reference to a preferred embodiment of the lid1, an outer diameter of the top flange4is about 5.1 inches. A height of the cover2is about 3.4 inches to cover2the top half of the cone-shaped pastry and the ice cream.

In reference toFIG. 1-5, the user may use the present invention in the following manner: First, remove the lid1from the cup13to reveal the center opening of the holder5. The user can then insert the cone-shaped pastry into the center opening, wherein the bottom half of the cone-shaped pastry is positioned inside the cup13. Then the lid1is aligned and pushed towards the cup13so that the top flange4is able to engage around the bottom flange16and the intermediate flange10. Once the lid1is in place, the lid1is can fully engulfs the top half of the cone-shaped pastry and the ice cream that is placed on the cone-shaped pastry.

The present invention is preferably made into a full transparent body so that the user can easy view the stored ice cream and the cone-shaped pastry. However, the present invention is not limited to the transparent body and can be made into an opaque body or semi-transparent body.