Tool for inserting containers into ice

Tools for inserting containers into ice are disclosed herein. An embodiment of a tool includes a first end and a second end. A ring is located proximate the first end. The ring has a hole, wherein a container is receivable in the hole. The tool has a first state when no container is received in the hole and a second state when a container is received in the hole. At least one sheet extends between the ring and the second end, the sheet forms a substantially conical shape when the tool is in the first state and a less conical shape when the tool is in the second state. An opening is located proximate the second end, wherein the container exits the tool via the opening.

BACKGROUND

Crushed or cubed ice is used to cool containers, such as beverage containers. The containers include metal cans and glass bottles. A bin is at least partially filled with ice and the containers are placed into the ice by hand. Inserting containers by hand is very time consuming and painful for the person inserting the containers. In addition, the ice may become contaminated by the person inserting the containers.

SUMMARY

Tools for inserting containers into ice are disclosed herein. An embodiment of a tool includes a first end and a second end. A ring is located proximate the first end. The ring has a hole, wherein a container is receivable in the hole. The tool has a first state when no container is received in the hole and a second state when a container is received in the hole. At least one sheet extends between the ring and the second end, the sheet forms a substantially conical shape when the tool is in the first state and a less conical shape when the tool is in the second state. An opening is located proximate the second end, wherein the container exits the tool via the opening.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of tools for inserting containers into ice are disclosed herein. The ice may be located in bins, coolers or other storage devices. The ice may be in cubed form or crushed form. The containers may be cans, bottles, or other devices of any shape. The tools described herein enable a user (the person inserting the container into the ice) to insert the container into the ice without having to physically contact the ice. Therefore, the user does not contaminate the ice and does not have to insert his hand into very cold ice. In addition, the tools described herein provide for orderly placing of the containers into the ice, which is difficult or impossible using manual techniques.

A top isometric view of an embodiment of a tool100for inserting a container into ice is shown inFIG. 1. The tool100has a top end104and a bottom end106. The top end104has a ring110with a hole112located in the ring110. The hole112is sized to receive the container (not shown inFIG. 1) that will be placed into the ice (not shown). The ring110may be a plastic that is substantially rigid. In some embodiments, the ring110is slightly flexible.

Additional reference is made toFIG. 2, which is a top isometric view of the tool100with a can122located therein andFIG. 3, which is a top isometric view of the tool100depositing a can122in ice. The tool100has sides sheets120that extend between the ring110and the bottom end106. When no can is located in the tool100, the side sheets120form a cone with a vertex located at the bottom end106as shown inFIG. 1. The embodiment ofFigs. 1-3, the tool100has two side sheets120that are attached or otherwise coupled to the ring110. The two side sheets120are referred to individually as the first sheet126and the second sheet128. The side sheets120are formed so that they roll onto each other to form the cone ofFIG. 1. Therefore, the side sheets120are shaped as shown inFIG. 1. However, when a container122is forced through the opening112in the ring110, the side sheets120are temporarily deformed as shown inFIGS. 2 and 3and as described below.

The side sheets120have edges that extend from the ring110to the bottom end106. In the embodiments ofFIGS. 1-3, the first sheet126has an edge129and the second sheet128has an edge130. In some embodiments, a piece of flexible material (not shown), such as cloth extends between the edges129,130. The flexible material prevents ice from entering into the tool100from the side, but does not interfere with the insertion of the container122into the tool100.

The side sheets120are shown as being attached to the peripheral of the ring110. The side sheets120are flexible enough to be able to move while being adhered or otherwise attached to the periphery of the ring110. In some embodiments, the side sheets120may be more rigid so that they are pivotally attached to the ring110. In such embodiments, the side sheets120pivot relative to the ring110.

Having described the tool100, its operation will now be described. The user inserts the bottom end106of the tool100into ice (not shown). The ice may be crushed or cubed ice wherein the conical shape of the tool100moves the ice to form a conical opening in the ice. Referring toFIG. 2, the user then inserts a container122through the opening112in the ring110. In the embodiment ofFIGS. 2 and 3, the container122is a beverage can. As the container122is forced through the opening112it contacts the side sheets120. The force of the container122against the side sheets120causes the side sheets120to unravel or otherwise open as shown inFIG. 2. In doing so, the ice on the exterior of the tool100is pushed away to form an opening in the ice that is the shape of the container122.

When the container122reaches the bottom end106of the tool, the side sheets120have opened enough to enable the container122to pass through the bottom end106as shown inFIG. 3. The ice has been moved enough to form a hole in which the container122is deposited. In the embodiment ofFIG. 3, the hole is cylindrical because the container is a beverage can. The tool100is lifted out of the ice and the container122is left behind. In some embodiments, the side sheets120have low friction surfaces relative to the container122, which prevent the can from being lifted out of the ice as the tool100is removed from the ice.

A similar tool200to the tool100is shown inFIGS. 4 and 5. The tool200is substantially similar to the tool100, except for the side sheets220on the tool200.

The embodiment of the tool200has two side sheets220,that extend to form a cone as shown inFIG. 4. The side sheets220are referred to individually as the first side sheet226and the second side sheet228. The side sheets220do not wrap around each other as the side sheets120on the tool100. Rather the side sheets220extend to a vertex at the bottom end206of the tool200to form a cone.

As with the tool100, the tool200as a ring210that forms an opening212. The side sheets220extend from the ring210. The side sheets220have edges229,230that are attached to the ring210. The edges229,230of the side sheets220may abut or overlap when the tool200does not have a container located therein. In some embodiments, a small gap232may extend between the edges229,230. In some embodiments, a flexible material (not shown) may extend between the edges229,230to fill the gap232and prevent ice from entering the tool when in use.

The use of the tool200is substantially similar to the use of the tool100described above. In use, the gap232expands as a container122is inserted into the tool200. The tool200is then removed from the ice and the container122is left behind. The side sheets220of the tool200tend to move rather than unravel in order to form an opening in the ice to insert the container122.

In some embodiments, the side sheets120,220are pivotally attached to the rings110,210. In other embodiments, the side sheets120,220are attached to the rings110,210by a hinge mechanism (not shown) that allows the side sheets120,220to rotate relative to the rings110,210. In some embodiments, a handle or the like is attached to the rings110,210or formed into the rings110,210, wherein a user manipulates the tool100,200by using the handle. The handle further prevents the user from contacting the ice. The handle enables a user to manipulate the tool100,200. In some embodiments, the ring110may have raised portions that a user may grab during use of the tool100,200.

The tools100,200are shown as being used to insert a single container122into ice. However, the tools100,200may be used to simultaneously insert a plurality of containers into ice. For example, the side sheets120,220may extend the length of several containers. The tool is inserted into ice and several containers are inserted through the rings110,210before the tools100,200are removed from the ice. The result is that several containers are inserted into the ice and stacked one on top of another.

In some embodiments, the tools100,200have openers for containers attached thereto or formed therein. With reference to theFIG. 4, the ring210may have a bottle opener400attached thereto. A user may grasp the ring210of the side sheets220to locate the bottle opener onto the container. The ring210or side sheets220may provide sufficient leverage to open the bottle. In other embodiments, the side sheets120,220are rigid enough to have an opening330,FIG. 1, formed therein that functions as a bottle or container opener. In yet other embodiments, an opener402,FIG. 4, may be affixed to the side sheets120,220. In another embodiment, an opener404is formed into the ring210.

The rings110,210have been illustrated as being separate items. In some embodiments, the rings110,210may be integral with the side sheets120,220. Accordingly, the rings110,210may be members of the side sheets120,220that form the holes112,212in which the containers are inserted. An embodiment, the rings302,304that may be in two portions is shown inFIG. 6, which is a modification of the tool200ofFIGS. 4 and 5. The portions302,304are connected by hinge devices308that pivotally connect the portions302,304. In some embodiments, the hinge devices308are spring loaded in order to force the tool into the configuration ofFIGS. 4 and 6.