Abstract:
The present invention comprises a device for chilling warm material that has a body with at least a partially hollow interior, a mouth situated on the body providing access to the hollow interior of the body. In one form, the mouth is located below the top of said body such that when the hollow interior of said body is filled with liquid, at least a portion of the hollow interior remains unfilled with the liquid to provide a space for expansion of the liquid. In another form, the cover for the mouth includes an extension extending above the mouth to provide a space for expansion of the liquid.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates generally to an apparatus and methods for cooling liquid or semi-solid materials. In particular, the invention relates to an apparatus for cooling food products and methods of using the same.  
         [0002]     Food is often prepared in large containers such as cauldrons and vats. These containers hold a considerable amount of food. Often times, it is desirable to store food in the container in which it is prepared. Doing so saves time and energy required to transfer food from the preparation container to a storage container, and avoids loss of valuable food product during this transfer. In addition, storage containers can be quite costly to purchase and clean. For these reasons, food is often stored in the same container in which it is prepared.  
         [0003]     Storing food in preparation containers presents unique problems, however. While hot food must be cooled quickly to avoid microorganisms from growing, large preparation containers are not suited to quickly cool hot food. Merely placing a preparation container filled with hot food into a cooling device, such as a refrigerator, will not cool the food quickly enough to prevent contamination. Despite being refrigerated, the middle of the food can often stay warm for several hours longer than suggested resulting in undesirable growth of microorganisms.  
         [0004]     A variety of techniques and devices have been developed to increase the rate at which food stored in preparation containers cools. The goal of these techniques and devices is to cool the middle of the food from the inside out. Directly cooling the middle of the food greatly increases the overall cooling rate of the food.  
         [0005]     One such technique involves placing ice into the food and stirring. While this technique does cool the food, it requires expenditure of significant resources. Further, this technique adds water to the food when the ice melts. The addition of water to food impacts the taste, texture, and overall impression of the food.  
         [0006]     One such device is a wand- or paddle-like structure designed to be inserted into a container of food. This device has a body, a neck, and a cap removably attached to the neck. The neck and body are constructed of a single piece of material such as plastic. In practice, a user fills the body of the device with coolant and places the cap on the neck. The device is then refrigerated until the coolant freezes. When water is used as a coolant, the coolant expands into the neck as it freezes. Users, however, often overfill the device with coolant leaving insufficient unfilled volume to accommodate the coolant as it freezes and expands. Over time, use of this device and overfilling may result in product failure. In an attempt to prevent overfilling, the device may have a fill marking to indicate the level to which the device is intended to be filled with coolant. It is necessary to train and monitor users to ensure proper usage of the device. This training and monitoring is both time consuming and relatively expensive. Further, many users simply ignore the fill marking and continue to overfill the device.  
         [0007]     The current food cooling techniques and chilling utensils suffer from certain drawbacks and limitations. Accordingly, a need exists for a chilling utensil that is easy to use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, relatively compact, and solves other problems associated with the existing techniques and chilling utensils.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention provides for a chilling utensil and methods of use for cooling hot materials maintained in a container. Specifically, the present invention provides for a chilling utensil with a body having an opening. A closure, such as a top or cap, is removably attached to the opening. The chilling utensil is designed so that the body cannot be filled with coolant, water or otherwise, past the opening. A section of the chilling utensil remains unfilled when the chilling utensil is filled to the opening with unfrozen coolant. This unfilled section provides a volume to accommodate the coolant as the coolant freezes and expands.  
         [0009]     The body may take a variety of forms. For example, the body may have an elongated shape such as a paddle, wand, bat, or club or the body may be shaped similar to a gas can or a milk jug. The body may have additional structures, such as ribs, grooves, handles, attachment features, and/or tapered sections to provide specific functionality. The closure may also have additional structures, such as an attachment feature and/or a thermometer retainer. In one embodiment, the closure may provide a gripping surface.  
         [0010]     While one possible application of the present invention is in connection with cooling food products, many other applications are possible and references to use in connection with food should not be deemed to limit the uses of the present invention. While certain embodiments are discussed herein, they should not be interpreted as being the only embodiments of the present invention and other embodiments may be created without departing from the present invention. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description, claims, and accompanying drawings.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view, partially exploded, of a chilling utensil in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is an elevation view, partially in cross-section, of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a left side elevation view of a chilling utensil in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, with the right side being substantially a mirror image thereof;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is top plan view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of a chilling utensil in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4B  is a perspective view of a chilling utensil in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view, partially exploded, of a chilling utensil in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a left side elevation view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 5 , with the right side being substantially a mirror image thereof;  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view, partially exploded, of a chilling utensil in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a left side elevation view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 7 , with the right side being substantially a mirror image thereof;  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view, partially exploded, of a chilling utensil in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is a left side elevation view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 9 , with the right side being substantially a mirror image thereof;  
         [0023]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view, partially exploded, of a chilling utensil in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 12  is a left side elevation view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 11 , with the right side being substantially a mirror image thereof;  
         [0025]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view, partially exploded, of a chilling utensil in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0026]      FIG. 14  is a left side elevation view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 13 , with the right side being substantially a mirror image thereof;  
         [0027]      FIG. 15  is a top perspective view of a chilling utensil in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0028]      FIG. 16  is a bottom perspective view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 15 ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 17  is a top perspective view of a chilling utensil in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0030]      FIG. 18  is a bottom perspective view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 17 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 19  is a top perspective view of a chilling utensil in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0032]      FIG. 20  is a bottom perspective view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 19 ;  
         [0033]      FIG. 21  is a top perspective view of a chilling utensil in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0034]      FIG. 22  is a bottom perspective view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 21 ;  
         [0035]      FIG. 23  is a top perspective view of a chilling utensil in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0036]      FIG. 24  is a left side view of a chilling utensil in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, with the right side being substantially a mirror image thereof;  
         [0037]      FIG. 25  is a perspective view, partially exploded, of a chilling utensil in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0038]      FIG. 26  is a partial cross-sectional view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 25 ;  
         [0039]      FIG. 27  is a perspective view, partially exploded, of a chilling utensil in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0040]      FIG. 28  is a partial cross-sectional view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 27 ;  
         [0041]      FIG. 28A  is a fragmentary perspective view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 27  being placed into a certain compatible type of storage;  
         [0042]      FIG. 29  is a perspective view, partially exploded, of a chilling utensil in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0043]      FIG. 30  is a partial cross-sectional view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 29 ;  
         [0044]      FIG. 31  is a perspective view, partially exploded, of a chilling utensil in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0045]      FIG. 32  is a partial cross-sectional view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 31 ;  
         [0046]      FIG. 33  is a perspective view, partially exploded, of a chilling utensil in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0047]      FIG. 34  is a partial cross-sectional view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 33 ;  
         [0048]      FIG. 34A  is a fragmentary perspective view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 33  being placed into a certain compatible type of storage;  
         [0049]      FIG. 35  is a perspective view, partially exploded, of a chilling utensil in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0050]      FIG. 36  is a partial cross-sectional view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 35 ;  
         [0051]      FIG. 37  is a perspective view, partially exploded, of a chilling utensil in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0052]      FIG. 38  is a partial cross-sectional view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 37 ;  
         [0053]      FIG. 39  is a perspective view, partially exploded, of a chilling utensil in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0054]      FIG. 40  is a partial cross-sectional view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 39 ;  
         [0055]      FIG. 41  is a perspective view, partially exploded, of a chilling utensil in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0056]      FIG. 42  is a partial cross-sectional view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 41 ;  
         [0057]      FIG. 43  is a perspective view of a portion of a chilling utensil in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0058]      FIG. 44  is a partial cross-sectional view of the portion of the chilling utensil shown in  FIG. 43 ;  
         [0059]      FIG. 45  is a perspective view of a portion of a chilling utensil in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0060]      FIG. 46  is a partial cross-sectional view of the portion of the chilling utensil shown in  FIG. 45 ;  
         [0061]      FIG. 47  is a perspective view of a portion of a chilling utensil in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0062]      FIG. 48A  is a partial cross-sectional view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 47 ;  
         [0063]      FIG. 48B  is perspective view of a portion of a chilling utensil in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0064]      FIG. 48C  is perspective view of a portion of a chilling utensil in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0065]      FIG. 48D  is perspective view of a portion of a chilling utensil in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0066]      FIG. 48E  is perspective view of a portion of a chilling utensil in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0067]      FIG. 49  is a perspective view of a portion of a chilling utensil in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0068]      FIG. 50  is a partial cross-sectional view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 49 ;  
         [0069]      FIG. 51  is a perspective view of a portion of a chilling utensil in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0070]      FIG. 52  is a partial cross-sectional view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 51 ;  
         [0071]      FIG. 53  is a perspective view of a portion of a chilling utensil in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0072]      FIG. 54  is a partial cross-sectional view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 53 ;  
         [0073]      FIG. 55  is a perspective view of a portion of a chilling utensil in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0074]      FIG. 56  is a partial cross-sectional view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 55 ;  
         [0075]      FIG. 57  is a perspective view of a portion of a chilling utensil in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and,  
         [0076]      FIG. 58  is a partial cross-sectional view of the chilling utensil of  FIG. 57 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0077]     Illustrative embodiments of a chilling utensil (identified generally as  30 ) in accordance with the present invention are shown in  FIGS. 1 through 58 . While the invention may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there are shown in the drawings, and herein are described in detail, certain illustrative embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to those specific embodiments illustrated and described herein. Additionally, features illustrated and described with respect to one embodiment could be used in connection with other embodiments.  
         [0078]     The present invention provides a chilling utensil  30  that is inserted, either completely or partially and at any angle, into a container such as a pot, pan, or tray to cool the contents therein. The chilling utensil  30 , by design, cannot be overfilled with coolant. Specifically, the chilling utensil  30  has a body  32  with at least one opening  36 . A closure, such as a top  34  or cap  60 , is removably attached to the opening  36 . The chilling utensil  30  is designed so that the body  32  cannot be filled with coolant, water or otherwise, past the opening  36 . A section  35  of the chilling utensil remains unfilled when the chilling utensil  30  is filled to the opening  36  with unfrozen coolant. This unfilled section  35  provides a volume to accommodate the coolant as the coolant freezes and expands.  
         [0079]     The body  32  may take a variety of forms. For example, in the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  5 - 14 , and  25 - 58 , the body  32  has an elongated shape such as a paddle, wand, bat, or club. In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 3, 4 , and  15 - 24 , the body  32  is shaped similar to a gas can or a milk jug. In other embodiments, the body  32  is shaped as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,396 to Faiola. In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 3, 4 ,  7 - 12 , and  15 - 24 , the body  32  has at least one handle  68 . The handle  68  may be integrated into the body  32  or formed of a separate piece. In one embodiment, the body  32  is configured so that the chilling utensil  30  may be placed under a faucet or spout and filled at different angles. In one embodiment, the body  32  of the chilling utensil  30  is configured to provide a relatively large surface area of contact with the contents of the container. For example, the body  32  may be shaped or configured with spiral shapes, helixes, twists, indentions, or protrusions. In one embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the body  32  has at least one ridge  38  and one groove  40 , preferably oriented substantially longitudinally, running substantially the length of the main part of the body. Preferably, the body  32  is configured to meet safety and health standards, such as those set forth by the National Safety Foundation.  
         [0080]     In embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1-4 ,  15 - 24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  and  42 , the body  32  has a base  44  or  62 , configured so that the chilling utensil  30  can be set upright on the base  44  or  62 . In one embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a portion  42  of the body  32 , or the entire body  32 , may be tapered towards the base  44 . In other embodiments shown in  FIGS. 3, 4 , and  15 - 24 , the base  44  or  62  has at least one extension  64 . The extension  64  provides for increased stability and assists in positioning the chilling utensil  30  in a container.  
         [0081]     As discussed above, the body  32  has an opening  36 . The opening  36  can be any size or shape. Preferably, however, the opening is sized to accommodate the insertion of ice cubes of a variety of shapes and sizes. The body  32  may taper towards the opening  36  or may have a uniform shape with an opening  36  positioned therein. A top  34  or cap  60  is removably attached to the opening  36 . The top  34  or cap  60  may be attached to the opening  36  in a wide variety of manners, including but not limited to snap fit or screwed on. In one embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the top  34  has an engagement section  38  that screws onto a threaded portion  49  around the opening  36 . A gasket  46  may be provided between the top  34  and the opening  36  to create an improved seal therebetween. Such a gasket  46  need not, however, be attached to the top  34 .  
         [0082]     As discussed above, the chilling utensil  30  has an unfilled section  35  for coolant to expand into as it freezes. The unfilled section  35  accounts for between about 5 to 50% of the total volume of the chilling utensil  30 . In one embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the unfilled section  35  accounts for about 10% of the total volume. In one embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the top  34  is configured to provide the unfilled section  35  for the coolant to expand into. In embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  5 ,  6 ,  25 - 42 , the top  34  is at least partially hollow. In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 3, 4 ,  7 - 24 , the unfilled section  35  is provided in the body  32 . In embodiments shown in  FIGS. 3, 4 ,  9 - 13 , and  15 - 24 , the unfilled section  35  is at least partially provided for in the handle  68 . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the cap  60  has an extension  70 . The extension  70  displaces a certain volume of coolant when the cap  60  is fit onto the body  32 . The displaced volume may be force out of the opening  35  or may be drained from cap  60  and/or extension. The result is that inserting the extension into the chilling utensil creates an unfilled area  35  even if the chilling utensil  30  had been filled past a fill marker, something that is very important where under trained or unskilled workers are employed.  
         [0083]     The top  34  or cap  60  of the chilling utensil  30  may be configured to provide a variety of additional features. These features may be formed as part of the top  34  or cap  60 , or attached thereto. In one embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  5 ,  6 , and  25 - 58 , the top  34  is grasped by a user. In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  5 ,  6 , and  25 - 58 , the top  34  may act as a gripping surface. In certain embodiments, the top  34  may have an improved gripping surface. For example, the top  34  may have one or a series of ribs, ridges, or textured features. As shown in  FIGS. 33 and 34 , the top  34  may also be shaped to facilitate actuation and handling. In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  5 , and  6 , the top  34  has a gripping ridge  52 . In one embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the top  34  provides for an improved gripping surface while meeting health and safety standards. In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  41 , and  42 , the top  34  has a thermometer retainer  56 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , a thermometer  58  may be inserted and positioned in the thermometer retainer  56 . The thermometer  58  may measure the temperature of the coolant inside the chilling utensil  30  and/or the environment surrounding the chilling utensil  30 .  
         [0084]     In embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 , and  26 - 58 , the chilling utensil  30  has an attachment feature  54 . The attachment feature  34  may take a variety of forms and may be used to attach the chilling utensil  30  to a variety of structure such as wire racks, hooks, or knobs commonly found in work areas in a variety of manners. In embodiments shown in  FIGS. 25, 26 ,  29 - 30 , and  33 - 38 , the attachment feature  54  is a hook-like extension that engages a structure  55  in the top  34  and another structure in a work area. In embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  27 ,  28 ,  43 - 47 , and  49 - 58 , the attachment feature  54  is a hook-like structure formed as a portion of the top  34  or fixed to the top  34 . In embodiments shown in  FIGS. 31, 32 ,  39 - 42 , and  48 A and B, the attachment feature  54  is attached to the top  34 , either removably or permanently. In one embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the attachment feature  54  or structure  55  can be removed without affecting the cooling performance of the chilling utensil  30 . In embodiments shown in  FIGS. 28A and 34A , the chilling utensil  30  may be removably engaged to a wire rack or similar structure  100  by placing the chilling utensil  30  below a shelf  101  on the rack. The chilling utensil  30  is positioned so that the attachment feature  54  is able to slide between the wires  103  in the shelf  101  when the chilling utensil  30  is raised. The chilling utensil  54  is raised and twisted, thereby allowing the attachment feature  54  to engage at least one wire in the shelf. In embodiments shown in  FIGS. 25 and 29 , the attachment feature  54  can interact with an “S” hook or the like that, in turn, may then be suspended from the wire rack.  
         [0085]     The chilling utensil  30  may be used in a variety of manners to cool the contents of a variety of container. Preferably prior to use, the chilling utensil is filled with water or other liquid and then placed in a freezer or the like to achieve a degree of “coldness.” Alternatively, the chilling utensil may be filled with ice cubes and/or cold water prior to use. In one embodiment, a chilling utensil  30  is inserted substantially upright into a container. In another embodiment, a chilling utensil  30  is inserted at an angle into a container. Multiple chilling utensils  30  may be inserted into a single container. Multiple chilling utensils  30  may also be inserted into multiple trays as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,396. The chilling utensil  30  may be placed into a container and left to cool the contents of the container. Alternatively, the chilling utensil  30  may be placed into the container and used to mix, stir, or otherwise move the contents of the container.  
         [0086]     The chilling utensil  30  of the present invention may have other applications aside from use in connection with food products. Further, the invention may be implemented in a variety of configurations, using certain features or aspects of the several embodiments described herein and others known in the art. Thus, although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is perceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific features and embodiments set forth above. Rather, it is recognized that modifications may be made by one of skill in the art of the invention without departing from the spirit or intent of the invention and, therefore, the invention is to be taken as including all reasonable equivalents to the subject matter described herein.