Patent Publication Number: US-2012031137-A1

Title: Frozen beverage device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation application of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/735,212, filed Sep. 27, 2010 for FROZEN BEVERAGE DEVICE, which claims the priority of International application No. PCT/AU2008/001923 filed on Dec. 22, 2008, which claims the priority to Australian Applications 2008904877 filed on Sep. 19, 2008 and 2007907090 filed on Dec. 24, 2007 all herein fully incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND. OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a frozen beverage device; and to methods of producing frozen beverages using the device. 
     The invention is particularly suitable for, but not limited to, apparatus for making frozen beverages in semi-frozen “slurry” or “slushie” form; and to such a frozen beverage device which may be used as a toy or plaything. 
     Throughout the specification, the term “slurry” shall be used to include a mixture of liquid/semi-liquid, liquid/frozen and/or semi-liquid/frozen portions of the liquid. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Machines to produce so-called “slurry”-type drinks, e.g., of well-known beverages such as “Coca-Cola”, “Pepsi Cola” and “Schweppes Lemonade” (all registered trademarks) are well-known and commonly found in take-away food outlets and convenience stores. However, these machines are expensive to manufacture and install; and are not suitable for, e.g., domestic use; or for the manufacture of a wide range of “slurry”-style beverages, including alcoholic beverages such as cocktails. 
     International. Patent Application PCT/AU2005/001895 (=International Publication WO 2006/063401) (Bucceri, Alfio) discloses an apparatus for converting a liquid in a container to a semi-frozen slurry or to frozen ice particles, where a refrigerant is contained within a refrigerant cavity defined by at least two walls of the container, where flexing&#39;/deformation of at least one of the walls agitates the liquid to assist the conversion thereof into the semi-frozen slurry or the frozen ice particles. 
     While the apparatus disclosed in PCT/AU2005/001895 is effective in converting the liquid in the container into a semi-frozen slurry or the frozen ice particles, the cost of manufacture results in a product which is too expensive for the intended market; and particularly is too expensive for manufacture and sale as a disposable or “throw-away” item. 
     SUMMARY OF THE, PRESENT INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a simplified apparatus for quickly cooling beverages (or other liquids) and/or making semi-frozen “slurry” beverages, ice creams, frozen confections, ice or the like. 
     It is a preferred object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which is inexpensive to manufacture and which can be disposable. 
     It is a further preferred object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which can be manufactured from food-grade materials, be hygienically cleaned and be re-used many times. 
     It is a still further preferred, object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which only incorporates materials which are safe for use by children, and which can be safely and environmentally disposed of. 
     Other preferred objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description. 
     In one aspect, the present invention resides in an apparatus for converting a liquid into a semi-frozen or frozen “slurry” form, including: a container, having a mouth, operable to receive the liquid; a cover operable to sealably close the mouth of the container; and at least one freezing device, having a closed body at least partially filled with a refrigerant material; so arranged that: the refrigerant material is cooled below a freezing temperature of the liquid; and when the freezing device is placed in the liquid, at least a portion of the liquid surrounding the freezing device will form an at least partially frozen layer on the exterior of the freezing device, and will be displaced therefrom when the freezing device impacts one or more walls of the container and/or the cover or lid. 
     Preferably, the container and the cover are formed from food-grade metal-, plastics- or polymer-material(s), which may incorporate reinforcing fibers, if to be re-usable. 
     The container and the cover may be insulated and/or be at least partially transparent or semi-translucent to enable the cooling process to be observed. 
     The cover may incorporated a closable opening, operable to allow the liquid to be introduced to the container; for the at least semi-frozen slurry to be discharged from the container; and or allow the liquid and or the slurry to be consumed by a drinking straw or the like. In this form, the container and the cover may be formed integrally, and the closure for the closeable opening may be formed integrally with, or be attached to, the cover. 
     Preferably, where the apparatus is to be re-used, the container and cover are formed of metals, e.g., stainless steel or aluminum; or of tough plastics- or polymer-materials, e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, ABS or the like, which may be reinforced with Nylon-, polypropylene- or carbon-fibers. Where, however, the apparatus is to be a disposable (i.e., “throw-away”) article, the container and cover can be injection- or blow-molded of thin plastics- or polymer-material, e.g., of the type used to produce beverage containers; or formed from waxed paper or cardboard or the like. 
     Preferably, the container and/or the cover are provided with sealing means to seal the junction between the mouth of the container and the container and cover may be releasably connected by screw-threadable, bayonet-coupling, frictional, or other releasable-engagement method. 
     A strainer member, preferably of the same material as the container and/or the cover, may be removably provided at the mouth of the container, to allow the at least semi-frozen slurry to flow into the cover, when the container is inverted, whilst retaining the freezing device(s) within the container, and before the cover is released from the container to enable consumption of the at least semi-frozen slurry. 
     The or each freezing device preferably has a closed body with at least one thin wall, the or each thin wall preferably formed of a material which is resiliently deformable (e.g. can concertina) when impacted and/or which has at least good heat-transfer characteristics. Suitable materials for the manufacture of the freezing device(s) includes plastics, such as low density polyethylene, silicone, thermal polyurethane (TPU), PVC, Nylon, rubber, latex, vinyl; waxed paper, TPR; or flexible metals, e.g., thin stainless steel, aluminum sheet or foils. The plastics may be reinforced with Nylon-, polypropylene- or carbon-fibers. 
     Preferably, the freezing device(s) can have an almost unlimited range of shapes, including spheres, cubes, pyramids, cylinders, or irregular shapes including novelty shapes, e.g., of cartoon- or animation-characters. 
     Preferably, the closed bodies have internal capacities ranging from 10 milliliters (10 ml) to 50 liters (50 L) or more; and the number of the freezing device(s) to be placed in the container, to at least semi-freeze the liquid in the container, is preferably selected so that the total internal capacity of the freezing device(s) is preferably in the range of 50 to 200%, more preferably 75 to 100%, of the volume of the liquid. 
     Preferably, the maximum dimension(s) of the freezing device(s) is less than the minimum dimension(s) of the container and/or the cover. Preferably, the or each freezing device is filled in the range of 70-90% of its&#39; internal capacity with the refrigerant material; and suitable refrigerant materials include salt/water, salt/propylene glycol/water, propylene glycol/water, sugar/water mixtures, soft drinks or the like. Other refrigerant mixtures, which are safe if accidentally consumed, may be used. By way of example, the refrigerant materials may include 20% salt/80% water; 10% salt/3% propylene glycol/87% water; or 30% propylene glycol/70% water mixtures, all the percentages being on the basis of % (w/w). 
     The refrigerant materials) must be capable of being cooled to a temperature, e.g., preferably −18° C. or lower, which is below the freezing temperature of the liquid in the container and cover. 
     In a second aspect, the present invention resides in a method of forming an at least semi-frozen slurry from a liquid, using the apparatus as hereinbefore described, the method including the steps of: cooling the refrigerant material(s) in the or each freezing device, in a cooling or freezing apparatus, to a temperature below the freezing temperature of the liquid; placing the liquid in the container and/or cover; placing the or each freezing device in the container or cover, closing the mouth of the container with the cover; and agitating the liquid in the container and/or cover to cause the or each freezing device to move through the liquid, and for a layer of the liquid to at least semi-freeze on the or each freezing device and to be displaced therefrom when the or each freezing device impacts one or more walls of the container or cover. 
     Preferably the liquid is agitated by shaking the container in horizontal and/or vertical directions and/or by rotation of the container about its axes; where the shaking and/or rotation is effected e.g. for 30-120 seconds for a domestic apparatus; or by squeezing the deformable wall(s) of the container. 
     In a third aspect, the present invention resides in an at least semi-frozen slurry or frozen beverage produced by the method hereinbefore described. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       To enable the invention to be fully understood, preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIGS. 1 and 2 , are, respective schematic perspective views of a first embodiment of the apparatus, of the present invention, where the freezing devices are being placed in the liquid to be frozen, and where the liquid has been at least semi-frozen, respectively; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic side view of a second embodiment of the pre-sent invention, showing the deformation of the freezing device to allow the release of the frozen particles therefrom; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic side view of the freezing device of  FIG. 3  in part-section; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view of a third embodiment of the present invention showing some of the possible alternative shapes for the freezing devices; 
         FIGS. 6 and 7  are schematic side views of a fourth embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the cylindrical freezing device of  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the first embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the apparatus  10  incorporates a cup  20 , a cover  30  and an optional strainer  40 ′. 
     In this embodiment, the container  20 , the cover  30  and the strainer  40  are injection-molded from transparent or translucent plastics-material, e.g., polyethylene. 
     The container  20  is in the form of a cup with a frusto-conical side wall  21  terminated by a bottom wall  22  at one end and by an open mouth  23  at the other end. One or more screw threads  24  (or optional bayonet-coupling components) are provided on the inner face of the side wall  21 , adjacent the mouth  23 , to releasably receive complementary screw-threads (or bayonet-coupling components) on the cover  30  to enable releasable engagement between the container  20  and the cover  30 . A sealing surface or ring  25  may be provided within the open mouth  23  (and preferably above the screw-threads  24 ) to ensure sealed engagement between the container  20  and the cover  30 . 
     The cover  30  is also of substantially frusto-conical configuration with a side wall  31  terminated at one end by a top wall  32  and at the other end by a screw-threaded rim  33 , operable to engage the screw-threads  24  of the container  20 . 
     A strainer  40  has a peripheral rim  41  releasably located in, and clamped to, the open mouth  23  of the container  20 , by the cover  30 . The strainer  40  has a mesh or perforated central straining panel  42  within the peripheral rim  41 , where the holes or perforations  43  in the straining panel  42  are dimensioned to allow the at least semi-frozen slurry to pass therethrough when the apparatus  10  is inverted—see FIG.  2 —but will restrain the freezing devices  50 ,  50 A within the container  20 . 
     In this embodiment, the freezing devices  50 ,  50 A, to be hereinafter described in more detail, have the configuration of a sphere and of a pyramid, respectively. As will hereinafter be described with reference to  FIG. 5 , the freezing devices may have a wide range of alternative shapes, including irregular or novelty shapes, e.g., of cartoon- or animation-characters. 
     Referring to the second embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the apparatus  110  has a container  120 , manufactured from thin stainless steel sheet, with a cylindrical side wall  121  terminated at one end by a bottom wall  122  and at the other end by an open mouth  123 . 
     The cover  130  is formed from transparent or translucent plastics material, e.g., as hereinbefore described with a peripheral rim  133 , provided with an internal sealing ring  134 , arranged for sealing/frictional engagement with the portion of the side wall  121  of the container  120  adjacent the open mouth  123 . 
     The freezing device  150  has a closed body  151  of spherical shape, formed of a thin plastic-material (e.g., polyurethane), with a resiliently deformable wall  152  and where the internal capacity  153  is 75-90% filled with the refrigerant material  154  comprising, e.g., a 20% salt/80% water (w/w) mixture. 
     The refrigerant material  154  may be cooled to a temperature at or below −18° C. in a refrigerated freezer  190 , before being transferred to the container  120 . 
     Alternatively, the freezer  190  may contain cryogenic material, such as dry ice (carbon dioxide); or a pre-cooled brine solution at/below −10 degrees Celsius; or a similar freezing material for snap-freezing of the freezing devices  150  for quick turnaround of use, e.g. in a bar or stadium, where conventional refrigeration would not be acceptable. Typically, in these applications, the container  120  and cover  130  would be disposable. The liquid beverage  160  would be dispensed into the container  120 , the freezing device  150  added, &amp; the cover  130  fitted. The container  120  would be shaken to form the slurry. The freezing device  150  can be removed (and be washed/refrozen for reuse); or, if disposable, disposed with the container  120  and cover  130 , after the beverage slurry is consumed. 
     NB: The skilled addressee will appreciate that, at any one time, a number of the freezing devices  150  will be placed in the freezer  190  so as to be ready for use. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the liquid  160  in the apparatus  110  will form at least a thin layer of ice or, ice crystals  161  on the exterior of the body  151  of the freezing device  150 , and the thin layer of ice/ice crystals  161  will be dislodged from the body  151  when the side wall  152  impacts, and is deformed by, any of the walls  121 ,  122  of the container  120 ; wall  132  and/or peripheral flange or rim  133  of the cover  130 ; and/or the strainer (which has been omitted for clarity). 
     The deformation of the wall  152  of the body  151  of the freezing device  150  is indicated by dashed lines in  FIG. 3 . 
     Arrows A, B, C indicate examples of the shaking, and/or rotating motions which may be applied to the apparatus  110  to agitate the liquid  160  within the apparatus  110  and thereby cause the freezing device  150  to move through the liquid  160 , and impact the walls to progressively convert the liquid to at least a semi-frozen slurry. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , the apparatus  210  of a third embodiment has a container  220  and cover  230  of generally similar configuration to the container  20  and cover  30  of the apparatus  10  of the first embodiment. 
     It will be noted that the side wall  221  of the container  220  has screw-threads  224  of the type hereinbefore described; and has either decorative or printed material applied to the external face  229  of the side wall  221 ; or the side wall  221  may incorporate integral formations which assist in the agitation of the liquid and/or dislodgement of the frozen ice/ice particles from the freezer device to be hereinafter described. 
     In this embodiment, the cover  230  has a frusto-conical side wall  231  as hereinbefore described, defined at one end by the peripheral rim  233 . 
     However, at the other end, the top wall, is replaced by an opening  232  which is selectively closable by an integrally formed hinged closure  239 . The closure  239  enables the opening  232  to be selectively opened to enable liquid to be placed in the container  220 ; or the at least semi-frozen slurry to be discharged from the container  220  when the container is inverted; or to enable the insertion of a drinking straw for the consumption of the at least semi-frozen slurry within the container  220 . The strainer  240  has a configuration similar to the strainer  40  of the first embodiment; but an alternative strainer  240 A omits the peripheral rim  241 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the freezer devices can have a wide range of shapes, including a sphere  250 , pyramid  250 A, cylinder  250 B, cube  250 C, segment  250 D, snowman  250 E or other cartoon- or animated-character shape, or an assembly  250 B incorporating a spherical shape as per the sphere  250  with a “tail”  251  F which may pass through the opening  232  to enable the consumer to “jiggle” the freezing device  250 F to assist in agitating the liquid in the container  220 . The tail  251  F may also pass through the strainer  240 A to enable the latter to be pulled upwardly from the bottom of the container to scrape free any ice/ice crystals on the inner face of the side wall  221  of the container  220 . 
     The embodiments of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ;  3  and  4 ; and  5 , have referred to relatively rigid containers  20 ,  120 ,  220 . The agitation of the liquid can also be affected by the containers having flexible wall(s)  21 ,  121 ,  221 , e.g. formed of silicone, polyurethane or other flexible plastics-material, so that the walls  21 ,  121 ,  221  can be squeezed (e.g. as in the direction of arrow D in  FIG. 3 ) against the freezing devices  50 ,  150 ,  250  to form the slurries. This can avoid need to shake the containers  20 ,  120 ,  220 , thereby minimizing accidental release of the covers  30 ,  130 ,  230  as the slurries are formed. 
     Referring now to the fourth embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 6 to 8 , the apparatus  310  has a container  320  and cover  330  substantially as hereinbefore described. 
     The freezing device  350  is of cylindrical shape, and the cylindrical side wall  352  can “concertina”, as shown in  FIG. 7 , to displace the ice crystals  361  formed (from the liquid  360 ) thereon, when the container  320  is shaken in the direction of arrow D, to cause the end walls  353 ,  354  of the freezing device  350  to impact the container  320  and cover  330 . 
     In a modified form of this embodiment, the container  320  may be provided in the shape of a soft drink container, and the freezing device  350  could also be made in the same shape to make a frozen beverage from a known soft drink supplier. 
     As hereinbefore described, the freezer devices may have a range of internal capacities, from 10 milliliters (10 ml) to 50 liters (50 L) or larger, depending on the intended volume of liquid to be at least semi-frozen to a slurry or completely frozen to ice particles. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , one or more freezer devices, of similar, different shape(s) can be used simultaneously to convert the liquids to the slurries and/or ice particles. 
     The selection of the number (and thereby total internal capacity) of the freezer device(s) and/or the refrigerant material(s) will be dependent on the volumes and/or freezing temperatures of the liquids. For example, a higher refrigerant material/liquid ratio is required to at least semi-freeze alcoholic beverages than water-based beverages, as the alcohol tends to act as an “anti-freeze” and so slow the conversion of the liquids to the ice/ice particles. For example, the total internal capacity of the freezer device(s) to be used with alcohol-based beverages may be on a 100%:100% ratio (v/v) with the volume of the beverages; whereas the ratio for water-based beverages may only be 75%:100% (v/v). 
     Furthermore, the number of freezer devices required will be dependent on the initial temperature of the liquids; and it is preferred that the liquids at least be reduced in temperature to, e.g., 4° C., within the refrigerator before the freezer devices are added. 
     Preferably, the maximum dimension of any of the freezer devices will not be equal to, or larger than, the minimum dimensions of the container and/or cover; and preferably, the volume of the container is at least three times the total volume of the freezer devices. 
     The shaking and/or rotation of the apparatus  10 ,  110 ,  210  may be manually, e.g., for a domestic apparatus, or by machine in a semi-domestic or “commercial” application, e.g., in a bar or cocktail lounge. 
     The apparatus may be manufactured so that it is disposable after a single use; or may be designed to be hygienically cleaned and reused many times. 
     As not all the refrigerant material may become liquid as it absorbs the heat from the surrounding liquid, the time the freezer devices require in the freezer  190  for re-use can be reduced. 
     It will be readily apparent to the skilled addressee that the present invention provides a simple, inexpensive, yet efficient apparatus, and method, for converting liquids, such as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, into at least semi-frozen slurries or frozen confections. 
     In addition, the freezing devices can enable existing containers, e.g. cocktail shakers or drink containers to produce at least semi-frozen slurry beverages. 
     Various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described and illustrated without departing from the present invention. 
     While in accordance with the patent statutes, the best mode and preferred embodiment have been set forth, the scope of the invention is not limited thereto, but rather by the scope of the attached claims.