Patent Publication Number: US-2010122928-A1

Title: Holder for one pint ice cream container

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     DESCRIPTION OF ATTACHED APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to the field of portable ice cream holding devices and more specifically to a holder for one pint ice cream container. 
     Ice cream is a popular frozen desert food that is loved my many individuals around the world. Ice cream is sold in various sized containers including a one pint container. Some individuals prefer to eat ice cream directly from the one pint container. However, in doing so, the user&#39;s fingers get uncomfortably cold from holding the frozen ice cream container. To this end an insulated sleeve that fits around the container would help keep the user&#39;s fingers from becoming cold. Although insulated sleeves are known in the art, none of the prior attempts at solving the problem of frozen fingers has shown an ice cream cone shaped holder where a standard pint container can fit in the top portion of the holder and the bottom part of the holder can be easily held by a person so that the person can eat the ice cream in the same way that he or she would eat an ice cream cone, while the ice cream remains in the standard one pint container. Additionally, the prior art does not show the ability of the holder to separate into two pieces so that the top portion of the ice cream cone shaped holder can be separated from the bottom portion and be placed on a flat surface, allowing the user to eat the ice cream in the usual fashion while the insulation within the holder helps keep the ice cream colder for a longer period of time. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary object of the invention is to provide a holder for a one pint container of ice cream that keeps the user&#39;s hands from getting cold. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a holder for a one pint container of ice cream that resembles an ice cream cone. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a holder for a one pint container of ice cream that insulates the one pint container thereby keeping the ice cream colder longer. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a holder for a one pint container of ice cream that can be used by a person while the container is in mid air or placed on a table. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed holder for a one pint ice cream container comprising: a first conically shaped receptacle constructed of rigid injection molded plastic, a second conically shaped receptacle constructed of rigid injection molded plastic, having a flat bottom and whose top outside diameter fits within the bottom inside diameter of said first conically shaped receptacle, said first receptacle bottom being essentially flat and recessed and having a standard bayonet type attachment means molded onto said bottom portion, said second receptacle having a mating bayonet type attachment means molded onto the top surface of said receptacle, said first receptacle having a lining of insulating material covering the inside surface of said receptacle walls, said first receptacle and lining&#39;s inside diameter sized to slidably receive the bottom portion of a standard conically shaped one pint ice cream container, said first receptacle capable of removably retaining approximately the bottom half portion of the said ice cream container, said first receptacle and said second receptacle having a waffle like pattern and tan color resembling a standard waffle type ice cream cone, and said first receptacle and said second receptacle removably retained to each other so that the said user can either hold onto the said second receptacle portion with one hand and a spoon in the other hand or can remove said second receptacle and place said first insulated receptacle on a flat surface while eating said ice cream. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a person using the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a person using the top half of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a side section view of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the top portion of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of the bottom portion of the invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1  we see a perspective view of a person  6  holding the present invention  100  comprised of top portion  2  and bottom portion  8  with a standard pint container of ice cream  4  inserted into the top portion  2  of the ice cream cone shaped holder  100 . The user  6  can hold the bottom portion  8  of the cone with one hand without the danger of the user&#39;s fingers becoming cold. The user can hold the invention  2 ,  8  in one hand in mid air while holding a spoon  3  in the other hand. 
       FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a person  6  eating from a standard one pint ice cream container  4  while it is inserted into the top portion of the invention  2 . The top portion  2  is sitting an a flat surface  7 . The top portion  2  has been removed from the bottom portion  8  for this purpose. In this way, the user can eat the ice cream from container  4  in a standard way while the contents of the container  4  remain cold for a longer period of time because the top holding portion  2  includes an insulating liner  16 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a side section view of the invention as defined by section line  50  shown in the top view of  FIG. 8 . The side section view shows a standard one pint container  4  holding ice cream  10 . The container  4  is slid into the inside portion of top portion  2  of the present invention. The top portion is comprised of a rigid injection molded conical shaped shell  18  with an inner insulating lining  16  hugging the inside wall of the top portion. An additional disk  15  of insulation is located under the bottom surface of the top portion  2 . Molded into the bottom surface of the top portion  2  are a pair of flanges  12 ,  13  that interact with mating flanges  13 ,  14  located on the top surface of the bottom portion  8  of the invention. This type of attachment means is known as a bayonet type connection allowing the upper portion  2  and the lower portion  8  to be separated or joined to each other as the user desires. When the two portions are joined as shown, the user can hold onto the side walls  40  of the bottom portion  8  thereby removing the chance of the user&#39;s fingers getting cold as well as having a smaller diameter shape to hold onto that is more consistent with the grip of a normal hand. The bottom portion  8  is molded from rigid plastic and includes a side wall  40  and a bottom base plate  22 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a side view of the invention  100 . The outer walls  40 ,  18  of both the upper portion  2  and the lower portion  8  respectfully are treated with a waffle type pattern  80  and are molded in a tan color so that the entire assembly  100  resembles an ice cream cone. 
       FIG. 5  shows a bottom view of the invention  100   FIG. 6  shows a bottom view of top portion  2 . Flanges  12 ,  13  can be clearly seen. These flanges interact with mating flanges  14 ,  15  on the top of bottom portion  8  as shown in  FIG. 7  to form a bayonet type attachment when the user engages both sets of flanges and twists either the top portion  2  or the bottom portion  8  ninety degrees. 
       FIG. 8  shows a top view of the invention  100 . 
     The above description and figures show a novel method of holding a pint of ice cream in an ice cream cone shaped holder. The lower part of the ice cream cone shape is easy to grip and does not introduce the freezing quality of the ice cream to the fingers and hand of the user while also insulating the ice cream to keep it cold for a longer period of time. 
     While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.