Patent Publication Number: US-6655174-B2

Title: Method and apparatus for individual disposable packages for freezable substances and a container thereof

Description:
This utility patent application claims priority from a provisional patent application having Ser. No. 60/294,104, which was filed on May 29, 2001. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention pertains to methods and apparatuses for chilling beverages, and more specifically to methods and apparatuses for making an individual disposable package for freezable substances that is contained within a container, wherein the freezable substances, once frozen, have an elongated, narrow form such that they can be removed from the disposable package and inserted into a beverage container, beverage can, juice can, water bottle, sports bottle or the like and can more effectively cool the entire depth of the beverage. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Basic “cube-shaped” ice “cubes” and ice cube trays are known in the prior art. Typically, ice cube trays are designed to produce ice cubes having a cubic or rectangular form. The prior art also teaches ice cube trays which produce ice cubes having a variety of forms. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,716 an ice tray is disclosed which forms completely enclosed chambers of different shaped ice. Further, in Des. 287,856 another shaped ice cube tray is disclosed. Other designs are disclosed in U.S. Des. Pat. Nos. D244,275; D292,802; and D318,281. 
     In addition, the manufacture and sale of pre-packaged containers of ice to consumers is also well known in the art. Bags of pre-packaged ice can be purchased at almost any gas station, convenience store or grocery store in the country. Similarly, most stores also sell pre-packaged containers of reusable “ice-cubes”. These reusable “ice cubes” consist of a plastic mold filled with a freezable substance (usually water). The plastic mold including the freezable substance is frozen and the mold is placed in a beverage container to cool the beverage. Once the freezable substance melts, the mold can be refrozen and reused. 
     Notwithstanding the fact that the prior art teaches both ice cubes having a variety of forms and the pre-packaging of ice cubes, the prior art does not teach individual disposable packages for frozen substances, containers for these disposable packages, or a method of freezing a substance such that the freezable substance, once frozen, has an elongated form such that the frozen substance is insertable into a beverage container, beverage can, juice can, water bottle, sports bottle or the like and resultingly more effectively cools the entire depth of the beverage. 
     For example, a conventional beverage can has a depth of about 5.0 inches (127 mm) and has an opening with a width of about 0.75 inches (19.05 mm). Beverage containers such as water, soda or beverage bottles have various depths ranging from about 11.0 inches (279.4 mm) for a typical polyester two liter bottle to about 6.0 inches (152.4 mm) for a typical bottled water bottle. These containers also have openings of various widths. Neither the conventional cubic or rectangular ice cubes, nor the various forms of ice cubes that the prior art teaches, are insertable within these containers because of the narrowness of the containers&#39; openings. Consequently these beverages can not be easily cooled in their containers by the addition of ice cubes or other frozen substances. The only way to cool these beverages while they are in their containers is to place them into a cool environment such as a refrigerator, freezer, ice box, ice bucket, cooler, tub of ice, or the like. However, the introduction of a beverage container into a very cold environment can lead to a messy result as the beverage container may rupture as the freezable substance within the container expands during freezing. 
     Furthermore, when a straw is used to consume a beverage, the use of conventional ice cubes in the beverage does not achieve the advantages offered by the current invention. It is common knowledge that when ice is added to a beverage, the ice floats. Consequently, the upper, rather than the lower, portion of the beverage is cooled. When a straw is used to consume the beverage, the non-cooled lower portion of the beverage is sucked up through the straw and introduced into the consumer&#39;s mouth rather than the cooled upper portion of the beverage wherein the ice cubes reside. This is dissatisfying and contrary to the motives behind adding ice cubes to beverage containers; namely, consuming a cool beverage. The current invention solves this problem. The elongated form of the current invention assures that the frozen substance is narrow and insertable into a beverage container, beverage can, juice can, water bottle, sports bottle or the like and that the lower portion of the beverage, from which the beverage is consumed when the consumer uses a straw, is cooled. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the invention, an individual disposable package for freezable substances is provided. The package is made of a polymeric material, such as polyethylene. The disposable package has a maximum width, Wm, which is less than or equal to 0.875 inches (22.23 mm). 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an article for a freezable substance, wherein the article comprises an elongated bottom portion, the bottom portion being adapted to hold an associated freezable substance; and an elongated top portion, where the elongated top portion receives the bottom portion, the top portion is selectively and at least partially removable from the bottom portion, and the bottom and top portions form an individual package and define a cavity therein for the freezable substance. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an article further comprising a container, where the container is adapted to hold the individual package. 
     Still yet, another object of the present invention is to provide an article wherein the container holds up to eight individual packages. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an article for a freezable substance comprising a plurality of individual packages, where each of the packages results in a frozen substance, and each of the individual packages comprises an elongated bottom portion adapted to hold an associated freezable substance and an elongated top portion receiving the bottom portion, where the top portion is selectively and at least partially removable from the bottom portion and the bottom and top portions form an individual package and define a cavity therein for the freezable substance, each of said individual packages being formed from a polymeric material; and, a polymeric container for holding the plurality of individual packages. 
     According to another aspect of the invention the disposable package has a maximum width, Wm, which is less than or equal to 0.625 inches (15.875 mm). 
     According to another aspect of the disposable package has a length X, wherein the length X is greater than or equal to 1.5 inches (38.1 mm). 
     According to another aspect of the invention the width of the package is less than or equal to 0.875 inches (22.23 mm) at any point along its length. 
     According to another aspect of the invention the width of the package is less than or equal to 0.625 inches (15.875 mm) at any point along its length. 
     According to another aspect of the invention the disposable package is comprised of a bottom portion and a top portion, wherein the freezable substance is placed in the bottom portion and the top portion is placed over the bottom portion to seal the package and prevent spillage of the freezable substance prior to its freezing. 
     According to another aspect of the invention at least one individual disposable package for freezable substances is placed in a container for efficient marketing and storage. 
     Still other benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains upon a reading and understanding of the following detailed specification 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, a preferred embodiment of which will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a view of an individual disposable package for freezable substances; 
     FIG. 2 is another view of an individual disposable package for freezable substances; 
     FIG. 3 is a view of an empty transparent container; 
     FIG. 4 is another view of an empty transparent container; 
     FIG. 5 is a view of a non-transparent container; 
     FIG. 6 is a view of the container holding four individual disposable packages for freezable substances; 
     FIG. 7 is another view of a container holding four individual disposable packages for freezable substances; and, 
     FIG. 8 is a view of the container holding eight individual disposable packages for freezable substances. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention only and not for purposes of limiting the same, FIGS. 1 and 2 show an individual disposable package  10 , FIGS. 3-5 show containers  16  for the disposable packages  10  and FIGS. 6-8 show the individual disposable packages  10  in the container  16 . Throughout this specification, the terms “ice cube” and “ice cube tray” will be used for convenience of the reader, even though the shape and form of the ice formed by the inventive structure is not cubic. In addition, while the invention will be referred to in the context of freezing water to form ice, any freezable substance is within the scope of this invention. 
     With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, an individual disposable package  10  is shown having a top portion  12  and a bottom portion  14 . A freezable substance is placed in the bottom portion  14  and the top portion  12  is placed over the bottom portion  14  to seal the package and prevent spillage of the freezable substance prior to its freezing. The top and the bottom portions  12  and  14  each have a maximum width Wm of less than or equal to 0.625 inches (15.875 mm). The disposable package  10  has a length X l  of greater than or equal to 1.5 inches (38.1 mm). 
     In the preferred embodiment, the freezable substance is placed in the bottom portion  14  of the package  10  and the top portion  12  is placed over the bottom portion  14  to seal the package  10 . However, the top and bottom portions  12  and  14  of the package  10  can be sealed prior to placing the freezable substance in the package  10 . After the top and bottom portions  12  and  14  are sealed, the freezable substance can be placed in the package  10  via at least one opening (not shown) that is located on either the top portion  12 , the bottom portion  14  (or at least two openings which are located on the top portion and the bottom portion  12  and  14 , respectively). The opening can then be sealed by any sealing means, such as, adhesives, pressure sealing, “zip-loc” mechanism or a lid, which seals the opening and prevents spillage. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the ice cube is removed from the package  10  by separating the top and bottom portions  12  and  14  from each other. However, the ice cube can be removed from the package  10  by any means chosen with sound engineering judgment, such as those described herein-below with reference to the package  10  comprised of a single unit (not shown). 
     The maximum width Wm is important, as the primary goal of the invention is to cool drinks within their respective containers. Because most of the drink containers presently have interior diameters less than 0.625 inches (15.875 mm), the present invention provides a way to effectively cool the beverage within its original container. Further, because the ice cube is now “narrow,” and because cooling is a function of surface area, the length of the ice cube is necessarily lengthened in order to provide the requisite level of cooling. Therefore, in an ice cube formed by the inventive article, the depth X d  is greater than a conventional ice cube. Also because of the greater surface area afforded, the preferred form of the cavity is one that will provide a generally cylindrical shaped ice cube. 
     In addition to the foregoing, another embodiment is contemplated wherein the package  10  has an inner width less than or equal to 0.875 inches (22.23 mm) at any point along its length. 
     In addition to the foregoing, another embodiment is contemplated wherein the package  10  has an inner width less than or equal to 0.625 inches (15.875 mm) at any point along its length. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the individual disposable package  10  is comprised of the top portion  12  and the bottom portion  14 , but the disposable package  10  may be comprised of a single unit (not shown). However, the package  10  may be formed from a single tube having at least one opening. The opening can be located at any position on the tube that is chosen with sound engineering judgment. A freezable substance can be placed into the tube through the one opening and the tube can be sealed to prevent spillage of the freezable substance prior to its freezing. Any sealing means, such as, adhesives, pressure sealing, “zip-loc” mechanism or a lid, which seals the package and prevents spillage may be used. 
     The ice cube can be removed from the package  10  by any means that allows the ice tube to be removed from the package  10  without breaking or other such damage. For example, one end of the package  10  could be cut, torn, etc., to enable the ice cube to be removed from the package  10 . Or, a perforation could be located along either the width or the length of the package  10 , which could be broken to enable the ice cube to be removed from the package  10 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the package  10  is formed from polyethylene. However, any other polymeric substance that adequately holds the freezable substance, prevents spillage, and is capable of withstanding freezing temperatures without significant distortions or defects may be used. 
     With reference to FIGS. 3-8, a container  16  for holding the individual disposable packages  10  will now be described. FIG. 3 shows a transparent container  16  manufactured from a polymeric material, such as polyethylene. In the preferred embodiment, the container  16  will hold four (4) individual disposable packages  10 . The dimensions of the container  16  will vary depending on the dimensions of the packages  10 . For example, a container  16  holding four (4) packages  10  having a length of 4.50 inches (114.30 mm) and an outer width of 0.875 inches (22.23 mm) will have a length of 5.875 inches (141.00 mm), a width of 3.50 inches (88.90 mm) and a height of 0.938 inches (23.825 mm). 
     In the preferred embodiment, the container  16  is manufactured from a transparent polymeric material. However, the container  16  may be manufactured from any material which adequately holds the packages  10  and is capable of withstanding freezing temperatures without significant distortions or defects may be used. In addition, the container  16  does not have to be made of a clear transparent material. The container  16  may be a colored transparency, it may be opaque, or it may be a solid color. The color and transparency of the container  16  is simply a matter of design preference. 
     In FIGS. 6 and 7, a container  16  holding four (4) individual disposable packages  10  is shown. However, the container  16  may hold more than four (4) packages  10 , such as in FIG. 6, or it may hold less than four (4) packages  10  (not shown). Furthermore, FIGS. 6 and 7 show the packages  10  arranged in a single row, but the packages  10  can be placed in any stable arrangement, such as the double rows shown in FIG.  8 . 
     The inventive method of chilling a beverage within its original beverage container will now be described. In a typical beverage container, the lid is removed, typically by unscrewing the lid from the container via threads. An individual disposable package  10  is removed from the container  16 , and then the frozen substance is removed from the package  10  and inserted into the beverage container so that the longitudinal centerline of frozen substance is coaxial with the longitudinal centerline of the beverage container. The entire depth of the beverage is therefore cooled and chilled by the inventive article. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the frozen substance will be removed from the package  10  by removing the top portion  12  of the package  10  and squeezing the bottom portion  14  of the package  10  to expel the frozen substance. However, different methods of removal may be used depending on the type of package  10 . For example, if the package  10  is sealed, the frozen substance may be removed by tearing or cutting one end of the package  10  and squeezing the package  10  to expel the frozen substance through the opening. Or, if the package  10  has a lid, the lid can be taken off and then the frozen substance can be removed from the package  10 . 
     The preferred embodiments have been described, hereinabove. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above methods may incorporate changes and modifications without departing from the general scope of this invention. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations in so far as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.