Patent Publication Number: US-2002005468-A1

Title: Method and apparatus for preparing ice cubes

Description:
CLAIM FOR PRIORITY OF PROVISIONAL AND OF PARENT APPLICATION  
     [0001] The present application claims the priority of provisional application Ser. No. 60/154,031, title “PACKAGING FOR ICE CUBES” filing date Sep. 16, 1999 inventor Ian Fraenkel and the present application is also a divisional continuing patent application of and claims the priority of parent patent application Ser. No. 09/663,257, filed on Sep. 15, 2000, and titled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING ICE CUBES”, inventor Ian Fraenkel. 
    
    
     
       FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0002] The present invention relates to packaging for liquids, and more particularly for packaging for water-base liquids  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003] Ice cubes are widely used throughout the world to chill drinks, such as water, juices, mixed drinks and alcoholic drinks. Typically, ice cubes are made by taking a tray having a plurality of trough-like compartments and filling the same with tap water from the sink. The tray is then placed into a freezer until the water freezes forming the ice cubes which can then be removed from the plurality of troughs as needed. Over the last decade, public awareness has increased about the significant health risks from contaminants such as lead and PCBs that are associated with drinking tap water. As a result, consumers are spending increasing amounts of money to purchase water bottled from natural springs and other sources free of contaminants instead of drinking tap water. The sale of bottled water is presently a billion dollar market.  
       [0004] Although consumers are spending significant sums to purchase bottled water, they still typically use ice cubes made form tap water to chill their drinks. Thereby defeating the purpose of purchasing and consuming healthier bottled water.  
       [0005] U.S. Pat. No. 4,899, 976 to Cederroth Et. al., incorporated by reference herein discloses freezing “pure” spring water to form ice cubes.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006] The present invention in one embodiment provides packaging for ice cubes comprised of a plurality of non-rigid, bag like compartments which are coupled together along detachable perforated edges and which are filled with spring water, mineral water, or the like. The packaging and the water therein can be sold off the shelf in stores in liquid form at room temperature. When placed in a freezer, the water freezes and an ice cube can be removed from each compartment. Each compartment includes a clear or opaque front surface through which the liquid water of frozen ice cube can be viewed, and a foil back surface. When the water freezes, an ice cube can be individually removed from a compartment by pushing on its front surface thereby forcing the ice cube through the foil back surface. In a second embodiment, the packaging is comprised of a plurality of rigid, trough-like compartments that are coupled together along detachable perforated edges and are filled with spring water, mineral water or the like. Each compartment includes a top surface that can be removed so that the ice cube therein can be removed therefrom for use.  
       [0007] In another embodiment a method is provided which includes providing a mixture of distilled water and pure spring water. The mixture may be ninety percent distilled water and ten percent pure spring water. Pure spring water by itself does not freeze well. Frozen pure spring water has a charred, cloudy, jagged, and rough appearance. The mixture of distilled water and pure spring water, particularly in the combination ninety percent and ten percent, allows ice cubes to be formed which are smooth and clear. In addition after pouring a combination of spring water an distilled water into a chamber, and prior to freezing, it is beneficial to remove bacteria by for example first a nitrogen flush, and then ozination or gamma radiation. Without bacteria removal, bacteria may form on the top of the ice cubes or inside the ice cubes. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0008]FIG. 1 shows a side view of a first exemplary embodiment of the packaging for ice cubes according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0009]FIG. 2 shows a side view of a second exemplary embodiment of the packaging for ice cubes according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0010]FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional view of a portion of an apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention without water and without foil;  
     [0011]FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of a portion of an apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention with water but without foil;  
     [0012]FIG. 5 shows a cross sectional view of an apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention with water and with foil;  
     [0013]FIG. 6 shows a side view of an apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention with water and with foil; and  
     [0014]FIG. 7 shows a top view of an apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention with water and with foil. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0015]FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of a packaging  10  for ice cubes according to the present invention. Packaging  10  is comprised of a plurality of non-rigid, bag like compartments  12  which are coupled together along detachable perforated edges  14 . Alternatively, compartments  12  can be rigid. Each compartment is filled with spring water, mineral water or the like (and in some embodiments a mixture of spring water and distilled water), and includes a front surface  16  and a back surface  18  which are adhered together to form a secure, tamper-resistant, leak-proof compartment  12 . The compartments  12  may not be filled to the top, but rather about six percent of the compartments  12  may be left empty to allow the water in the compartment  12  to expand during freezing. Leaving six percent space to allow for water expansion may be done in any of the embodiments in the present application. Each compartment  12  takes the shape of its contents. Each compartment  12  individually detaches from the other compartments  12  by tearing the compartment  12  to be removed along perforated edges  14 . Front surface  16  can be made from plastic or any another suitable material, and back surface  18  can be made from foil or any other suitable material.  
     [0016] Packaging  10  is designed to be sold off the shelf in stores at room temperature, wherein the water in each compartment  12  is in liquid form. Package  10  can then be placed into a freezer and the water in compartments  12  frozen. Once the water freezes, an ice cube can be removed from a single compartment  12  by pushing on front surface  16  to force the ice cube to break foil back surface  18  and thus be available for use. Packaging  10  can be fabricated using an additional layer or additional layers of material positioned between and/or adjacent to front surface  16  and back surface  18 .  
     [0017]FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of a packaging  20  for ice cubes according to the present invention. Packaging  20  is comprised of a plurality of rigid trough-like compartments  22  which are coupled together along detachable perforated edges  24 . Each compartment  22  includes a removable top surface  26 , rigid side surfaces  28  and a rigid bottom surface  30 . Packaging  20  is sold and used in the same manner as packaging  10 . Once the water in packaging  20  freezes, individual ice cubes can be removed for use by detaching a single compartment  22  from the other compartments  22  along perforated edges  24  and then removing top surface  26  from the single compartment  22  to access the ice cube. Packaging  20  can also be fabricated using surfaces in addition to surfaces  26 ,  28  and  30 .  
     [0018] Packaging  10  and  20  can be fabricated in any shape, any dimension, i.e., width, depth, etc., and from any materials. The materials chosen for packaging will ideally be light weight and will not contaminate the water contained therein.  
     [0019] Packaging  10  and  20  will enable consumers to use healthy ice cubes mad from spring or mineral water of their choice to chill their drinks. Liquids other than water can also be packaged in packaging  10  and packaging  20 .  
     [0020] An apparatus  100  and a method in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention is shown and will be explained with reference to FIGS.  3 - 7 . The apparatus  100  is comprised of foil  102 , backing  104 , and bubbles  110 , 112 , 114 , 116 ,  118 , 120 , 122 , 124 , 126 , and  128 . The bubbles  110 - 128  are attached to the backing  104 . The bubbles may be clear plastic transparent containers. Bubbles  110 , 112 , 114 ,  116 , 118 , 120 , 122 , 124 ,  126 , and  128  may include chambers  130 , 132 , 134 , 136 , 138 ,  140 , 142 , 144 , 146 , and  148  respectively, into which water portions  150 , 152 , 154 , 156 ,  158 , 160 , 162 , 164 , 166 , and  168  can be placed. The water portions  150 - 168  should be frozen if the apparatus  100  has just been taken out of a freezer.  
     [0021] The backing  104  includes backing portions  104   a - f . There are holes in the backing  104  at the locations where the bubbles are as shown by the dashed circles in FIG. 7. There are holes in the backing  104  at the location of the dashed circles for bubbles  110 ,  112 , 114 , 116 , 118 , 120 ,  122 , 124 ,  126 , and  128  as shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 5 shows a cross section of the apparatus  100  along the line AB shown in FIG. 7. This cross sectional view shows the location of holes  105   a - 105   e  in the backing  104 .  
     [0022]FIG. 6 shows a view of the apparatus  100  from the side  100   a . From this side the backing  104  looks solid. The dashed lines CD, EF, GH, IJ, and KL are lines of perforations which allow each bubble of  110 - 128 , with a certain portion of its adjacent backing of  104  and of the foil  102 , to be separated from the other bubbles of  110 - 128 . For example, bubble  110  can be separated from the other bubbles by tearing along perforation line CD and tearing along perforation line EF.  
     [0023]FIG. 3 shows the apparatus  100  without water and without foil  102 . FIG. 4 shows the apparatus  100  without foil  102 .  
     [0024] The apparatus  100  is similar in structure to the ice tray  1  in U.S. Pat. No. 4,899, 976 for Cederroth et al, however, the apparatus  100  shows curved bubbles  110 - 128  as opposed to the straight walls in Cederroth. The Cederroth patent is incorporated by reference herein. The ice tray  1  of Cederroth may be used to incorporate a method of an embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0025] In operation, the bubbles  110 - 128  are first fixed to the backing  104  as shown in FIG. 3. Water portions  150 - 168  are then placed in chambers  130 - 148 , respectively, as shown in FIG. 4 is a liquid form. The water portions  150 - 168  should each be comprised of about ninety (90) percent distilled water and about ten (10) percent pure spring water. It is important to use a mixture of distilled water and pure spring water, and it is preferable to use the ninety percent, ten percent mixture mentioned. This is because pure spring water, alone, when frozen tends to char, crack, and generally does not freeze into a smooth clear ice cube. The ninety percent—ten percent mixture allows ice cubes to form which are smooth and clear.  
     [0026] After the water portions  150 - 168  are placed in their respective chambers the water portions  150 - 168  are subjected to a nitrogen flush. A nitrogen flush is used to filter bacteria particularly off of the surface of the water portions  150 - 168 . A ozination process may then be performed prior to placing the foil  102  on. The ozination process reduces bacteria from the entirety of the water portions  150 - 168 , while the nitrogen flush is directed at the surface of the water portions  150 - 168 .  
     [0027] Next, foil  102  is placed over the openings in the backing  104 , such as openings  105   a - 105   e . The foil  102  is attached to the backing  104  so that the foil  102  provides a water tight seal for each of the chambers  130 - 148 , all of which are now completely enclosed and completely sealed. Instead of ozination, as previously described, gamma radiation may be used to reduce bacteria in the entirety of the water portions  150 - 168 . This can be done after the foil  102  is placed on and will also reduce bacteria on the packaging such as the foil  102 . The apparatus  100  is then placed in a freezer. After a sufficient time to allow the water portions  150 - 168  to freeze, which may for example be six hours or less, the apparatus  100  can be removed from the freezer to get an ice cube. A user retrieves an ice cube by breaking the foil  102  at the location of the appropriate bubble. For example by breaking the foil  102  at the location for the bubble  110  shown in FIG. 7, the user can remove an ice cube formed in bubble  110 . The removal of an ice cube from a bubble may be similar to the removal of an ice cube from a cavity in the Cederroth et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,976 which is incorporated by reference herein.  
     [0028] Numerous modifications to and alternative embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art of the best mode of carrying out the invention. Details of the structure may be varied substantially without departing from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive use of all modifications which come within the scope of the appended claims is reserved.