Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of PCT/CA2011/000148 filed Feb. 10, 2011, which PCT International Application claims priority to and/or the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 61/303,141, filed Feb. 10, 2010. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to frozen treats and in particular to detachable frozen pop molds. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Edible liquids, fluids and/or fluids with solids are often frozen in molds to form edible solid foods of a certain shape. Pop molds are commonly found together in single, integral sets of more than one pop mold so that multiple pops can be frozen simultaneously. 
         [0004]    To make a frozen pop, edible liquid is first poured into the molds and a handle (e.g. a pop stick) is then immersed into the liquid. The molds containing the liquid and handle are then frozen. Solids, such as fruit pieces or pulp, candy or other particles including inedible particles (e.g. small toys or trinkets) may be mixed in with the liquids. 
         [0005]    When a person wants to consume a single pop, that person removes a pop from a mold by grasping the pop stick and pulling the frozen pop from the mold. The now empty pop mold remains integrated with the full pop molds, thus taking up space in the freezer. 
         [0006]    In other embodiments, a tray holds a plurality of molds in an array. individual molds may be removable from the tray and the tray and remaining molds placed back in the freezer. 
         [0007]    The present invention addresses at least one of the above problems. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    Provided is a detachable frozen pop mold for freezing edible fluids. The molds have vessels with cavities for holding the fluid. The mold vessels have connectors on their exterior sides for connecting a number of molds together. Molds can be detached and removed from the freezer either individually or in bunches as desired so that there are never empty frozen pop molds taking up space in the freezer. 
         [0009]    Also provided is a detachable frozen pop mold, comprising a vessel defining a cavity with an opening at one end for receiving pop fluid for freezing, an external surface of the vessel having a first connector for removably attaching to a second connector of a second mold. 
         [0010]    Also provided is a kit comprising a plurality of pop molds, each mold comprising a vessel defining a cavity with an opening at one end for receiving fluid for freezing, the vessel having a first connector attached to its outer surface and a second connector attached to its outer surface, the first connector for removably attaching to the second connector of another mold of the plurality of pops molds. The kit may comprise instructions for assembling two detachable pop molds. 
         [0011]    Also provided is a method of preparing frozen pops, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of detachable frozen pop molds, each mold comprising: a vessel defining a cavity with an opening at one end for receiving pop fluid for freezing, an external surface of the vessel having a first connector for removably attaching to a second connector of a second mold; attaching the first connector of one detachable pop mold to the second connector of another detachable pop mold to form a set of detachable pop molds; filling the cavities of the detachable pop molds in the set of detachable pop molds with pop fluid; and placing the set of detachable pop molds in a freezer. 
         [0012]    In accordance with any of these aspects, a shape of the first connector and second connector may be selected to prevent the axial rotation of the connectors when attached. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    In order that the subject matter may be readily understood, embodiments are illustrated by way of examples in the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a detachable frozen pop mold in accordance with one embodiment 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a vessel of a detachable pop mold; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a front view of a vessel of a detachable pop mold; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a top view of a vessel of a detachable pop mold; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a handle of a detachable pop mold; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6A-6F  are cross-sectional views of different embodiments of connectors; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a front view of a plurality of detachable pop molds attached together; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a flowchart of a method of making frozen pops using the detachable pop molds. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    A detachable pop mold  100  is illustrated in the accompanying Figures. 
         [0023]    Detachable pop molds  100  can be used to freeze a desired number of pops. Pop molds  100  are attached together and may be filled with edible pop fluid for freezing. Pop fluid may comprise a liquid, a gelatin product (e.g. Jello® brand), a pudding, a yogurt, etc. or combinations of liquids, solids and semi-solids. The molds  100  may then be frozen (e.g. by placing the molds  100  in a freezer) in order to make pops in the shape of the molds. After the pops are frozen in the pop molds  100 , the pop molds  100  can then be detached one-by-one, leaving only the pop molds  100  that contain frozen pops in the freezer. Pops can then be removed from the pop molds  100  and consumed. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , each detachable pop mold  100  may comprise a vessel  102 . Each mold  100  may also comprise a first connector  106  and second connector  308  (see  FIG. 3 , e.g.) on opposing sides of the exterior of the vessel  102 . The first connector  106  is sized to removably attach to a cooperating second connector  308  of a second mold  100  (see Figures) so that two or more pop molds  100  can be attached or secured together until they are pulled apart (or otherwise detached). The mold  100  may also comprise a handle  110 , a lid  104  attached to the handle  110 , an arm  108  extending from the handle  110  and a stand  206  attached to the vessel  102 . The first connector  106  and the second connector  308  are not necessarily on opposing sides of the vessel  102 . 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 to 4 , the vessel  102  has a wall  204  with a bottom surface  402  and an open end  220  defining an interior cavity  202 . The stand  206  may be attached to the vessel  102  opposite the open end  220  of the cavity  202 . The stand may, alternatively, be integral with the vessel  102 . The stand  206  has a planar bottom surface  210  for resting on another surface (such as a countertop or freezer floor or shelf, for example) to support the remainder of the pop mold  100  in an upright position so that the vessel  102  may hold pop fluid without the fluid spilling out of the open end  220 . The stand  206  may, alternatively, be a separate component that the remainder of the vessel  102  rests upon. 
         [0026]    The interior cavity  202  forms the shape of the mold used for freezing the pop fluid into a particular shape. This mold may be in the shape of a sail, as shown in the Figures. Alternatively, the mold may be in any one of numerous shapes, typically tapering to the from the top to the bottom to assist with removal of the frozen pop. such as a tube or a square. It is recognized that in order to remove a frozen pop from a detachable pop mold  100 , after a fluid is frozen into the shape of the mold, the open end  220  must be sized to allow the frozen pop to pass therethrough. For example, the open end  220  may have a width  404  (see  FIG. 4 ) greater than the greatest width of the mold defined by the interior cavity  202 . 
         [0027]    The exterior surface  212  of the wall  204  of the vessel  102  supports the first connector  106  as well as the second connector  308 . The first connector  106  and the second connector  308  may be on opposite sides of the exterior surface  212  of the wall  204  of the vessel  102 , for example. However, it is not necessary that the first connector  106  and the second connector  308  are on opposite sides of the exterior surface  212  of the wall  204  of the vessel  102 . 
         [0028]    The first connector  106  of one pop mold  100  is removably attachable to the second connector  308  of another pop mold  100 . At least in some embodiments, the first and second connectors comprise cooperating male and female connectors, whereby the first connector is received within the second connector or vice versa or combinations thereof (e.g. whereby a portion of the first connector is received within the second connector and a portion of the second connector is received within the first connector. For example, when attached, the first connector  106  and second connector  308  may be in a telescoping engagement, with one of the connectors  106 ,  308  fitting over the other connector  106 ,  308 . The shape of the cooperating first and second connectors may be chosen such that when attached, the connectors are prevented from axial rotation (e.g. about a central axis of the first connector  106 ). For example, the shape in cross-section of each connector  106 ,  308  is preferably non-circular. Circular shapes may rotate axially (about the centre of the circle) while cooperating non-circular shapes tend not to rotate. In one embodiment, the first connector  106  may comprise an extension defining an exterior surface having a non-circular cross-section for inserting into the second connector  308  having a complimentary shape in a friction fit. 
         [0029]    As shown in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in the Figures, the second connector  308  may have an irregular (i.e. non-circular) ring-like shape extending outwardly from the external surface  212  of the wall  204 . The irregular ring-like shape may be a rounded triangle surrounding an interior and this interior may be sized to fit a first connector  106 . The fit may, for example, be a friction fit wherein the shape of the first connector  106  is complimentary to the interior of the irregular ring-like shape of the second connector  308  so that the first connector  106  fits snugly inside of the second connector  308 . When the first connector  106  of one detachable pop mold  100  is attached to a second connector  308  of another detachable pop mold  100 , the two detachable pop molds may be easily separated by pulling them apart. 
         [0030]    The second connector  308  may define an interior having a shape other than a rounded triangle. For example, the second connector  308  may define a rounded cross ( FIG. 6A ), a rounded elongated egg ( FIG. 6B ) or a rectangle ( FIG. 6C ). The first connecter  106  may have a shape that is complimentary to the second connector  308  in order to secure the respective pop molds  100  together. Using single non-circular shapes defined by the interior of the second connector  308  ensures that two detachable pop molds will not rotate relative to one another. It is recognized that  FIGS. 6A to 6C  are example shapes only and that the interior of the second connector  308  can define other non-circular shapes. 
         [0031]    Alternatively, two (or more) extensions of the second connector  308  may each define interiors and the first connector  106  may have two (or more) extensions which are complimentary to and fit into the two (or more) interiors of the second connector  308 . For such a second connector  308  to attach to the first connector  106  the number of extensions of the first connector  106  is preferably equal to the number of interiors defined by the extension of the second connector  308 . The two (or more) interiors of the second connector  308  may each define a circular or differently shaped interior.  FIG. 6D , for example, shows a cross-section of a second connector  308  defining two circular interior shapes. For example, the first connector  106  may comprise a plurality of extensions defining exterior surfaces for inserting into a plurality of second connectors  308  having complimentary shapes in a friction fit. In such a case the number of extensions of the first connector  106  may be no more than the number of second connectors  308 .  FIGS. 6E and 6F  illustrate a further first connector  106  and a second connector  308  comprising cooperating portions  106 A,  106 B,  106 C and  308 A,  308 B and  308 C in a male and female combination that does not rotate axially when engaged. 
         [0032]    In further alternatives, the first connector  106  and second connector  308  may be removably attachable using a snap fit or using other similar removable connections or means of attachment that are known to a skilled person. 
         [0033]    It is recognized that a detachable pop mold  100  may only have one connector for connecting to a single other detachable pop mold  100 . Alternatively, the detachable pop mold  100  may have three or more connectors (e.g. two first connectors and two second connectors on a four sided mold) for connecting to a plurality of other pop molds  100 . 
         [0034]    The wall  204  of the vessel  102  may be transparent, translucent or opaque. The vessel  102  may be made from non-toxic food-friendly materials, such as metals, plastic or other types of polymers capable of being frozen and handled without breaking Further, the vessel may be made from a single piece of molded plastic. For example, the vessel may be made using a plastic extruder or using an injector for injecting molten plastic into a mold in the form of the vessel. Other alternatives to making the vessel using a single piece of plastic or so that the vessel itself is a single piece of plastic that are familiar to a person of ordinary skill in the art may be implemented. 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the handle  110  is shown with an arm  108  extending therefrom. The handle  110  and the arm  108  together may form a linear member. A lid  104  circumnavigates the linear member delineating the handle  110  from the arm  108 . It is recognized that a lid  104  is not necessary for the operation of the pop molds  100 . The lid  104  may be sized to fit over the open end  220  of the vessel  102 . Further, the lid  104  may provide a barrier between a person&#39;s hand and the frozen pop so that if the pop is held upright and the frozen pop melts, the resulting liquid will drip into the underside  502  of the lid  104  thereby at least partially preventing the liquid from dripping onto a person&#39;s hand. 
         [0036]    The arm  108  may have at least one gripper  120  attached to its outer surface for frictionally gripping frozen pop fluid contained in the cavity  202  of the vessel  102 . The at least one gripper  120  may be a rib circumnavigating a portion of the arm  108 .  FIG. 5 , for example, shows three annular ribs  120  circumnavigating the arm  108 . The ribs  120  may provide a frictional attachment to the frozen pop fluid in the cavity  202  when the fluid is frozen around the arm  108  so that when the frozen pop is removed from the vessel  102  by pulling the handle  110  away from the vessel  102 , the frozen pop is removed from the vessel  102  along with the arm  108  rather than remaining in the cavity  202  of the vessel  102 . 
         [0037]    The handle  110 , which extends in the opposite direction as the arm  108 , may be removably engageable with the vessel  102  by placing the arm  108  into the cavity  202  of the vessel  102 . The handle  110  is sized so that the handle  110  extends exterior to the cavity  202  of the vessel  102  when the arm  108  is at least partially inside of the cavity  202  of the vessel  102 . The handle  110  is engaged with the vessel  102  when the arm  108  is extending into the pop fluid in the vessel and the handle  110  is extending exterior to vessel  102  so that the handle  110  can be grasped while the arm  108  remains in the pop fluid in the vessel  102 . 
         [0038]    The edge of the lid  104  may be sized to fit outside of the edge  208  of the vessel  102 . Thus the lid  104  can sit on top of the open end  220  of the vessel  102 . In such a position, the arm  108  extends into the interior cavity  202  of the vessel  102  through the open end  220  of the vessel. It is recognized that for the lid  104  to sit on the edge  208  of the open end  220  of the vessel  102 , the arm  108  must have a length shorter than the depth of the interior cavity  202  of the vessel  102 . 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , detachable pop molds  100  may be attached to one another. For example, the second connecter  308  of a first pop mold  100 A may be removably attached to the first connector  106  of a second mold  100 B. Similarly, a second connecter  308  of the second pop mold  100 B may be removably attached to the first connector  106  of a third pop mold  100 C. The remaining pop molds  100 D,  100 E,  100 F may be similarly attached. 
         [0040]    The first connector  106  and the second connector  308  may be any suitable attachment means familiar to a skilled person. 
         [0041]    As the vessel  102  may be transparent, the arm  108  may be seen through the wall  204  of the vessel  102  when the handle  110  is engaged with the vessel  102 . 
         [0042]    A plurality of detachable pop molds  100  may be sold in a kit. The kit may also include instructions for assembling two detachable pop molds  100 . By following the instructions a person could first attach two detachable pop molds  100  together, followed by attaching a third detachable pop mold  100  to one of the two original pop molds  100 , thus forming a set of three detachable pop molds  100 . A person could iteratively follow these instructions in order to assemble the entire plurality of detachable pop molds  100  in the kit, for example. 
         [0043]    A flowchart  800  showing the method of preparing frozen pops using the pop molds  100  is shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0044]    At step  802 , a plurality of detachable frozen pop molds  100  is provided. As described above, each mold  100  comprises a vessel  102  defining a cavity with an opening  220  at one end for receiving pop fluid for freezing, an external surface of the vessel  102  having a first connector  106  for removably attaching to a second connector  308  of a second mold  100 . 
         [0045]    At step  804 , the first connector  106  of one of the provided detachable pop molds  100  is removably attached to the second connector  308  of another of the provided detachable pop molds  100 . This forms a set of detachable pop molds  100 . 
         [0046]    It is recognized that the first connector  106  may be universal connector meaning that the first connector  106  can attach to either a second connector  308  or another first connector  106 . It is similarly recognized that the second connector  308  may be a universal connector. 
         [0047]    At step  806 , the cavities of the detachable pop molds  100  in the set of detachable pop molds  100  are filled with pop fluid. The pop fluid may be any edible fluid. For example, the pop fluid may be a fruit juice, water mixed with sugar, or other flavoured liquids. 
         [0048]    It is recognized that the step of attaching the first connector  106  of one detachable pop mold  100  to the second connector  308  of another detachable pop mold  100  could happen after the steps of filling the cavities  202  of the detachable pop molds  100  with pop fluid. 
         [0049]    At step  808 , the set of detachable pop molds  100  is placed in a freezer. The detachable pop molds  100  may be left in the freezer until the pop fluid in the pop molds  100  is frozen, forming frozen pops. 
         [0050]    Additional pop molds  100  may be similarly attached together and filled with pop fluid for freezing. 
         [0051]    Optionally, handles  110  may be used with any number of the detachable pop molds  100  in the set of detachable pop molds  100 . For example, the handle  110  of a first detachable pop mold  100  may be engaged with the vessel of the first detachable pop mold  100 . Specifically, the extending arm  108  of the handle  110  may be inserted into the cavity  202  of the vessel  102  so as to be at least partially immersed in the pop fluid in the vessel  102 . The lid  104  of the handle  110  may then abut the edge  208  of the vessel  102  thereby supporting the handle  110  in an upright position extending away from the cavity, as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0052]    The pop molds  100  in the freezer can be selectively detached from each other so that a person can selectively remove a desired number of pops molds  100  containing frozen pops from the freezer. For example, a person can detach the first connector  106  of one detachable pop mold  100  from the second connector  308  of another detachable pop mold  100  and then remove only the first detachable pop mold  100  from the freezer. It is recognized that a single detachable pop mold  100  may be removably attached to more than one other detachable pop mold  100 . 
         [0053]    The frozen pop itself can be removed from a detachable pop mold  100  by simply separating or remove the handle  110  from the vessel  102  of the pop mold  100 . The ribs  120  on the arm  108  provide a further frictional attachment between the arm  108  and the frozen pop. 
         [0054]    One or more currently preferred embodiments have been described by way of example. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that a number of variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

Technology Category: 2