US20200348066A1

US20200348066A1 - Ice cube tray

Info

Publication number: US20200348066A1
Application number: US16/421,401
Authority: US
Inventors: Ernesto Victorio Lima
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-11-24
Filing date: 2017-11-22
Publication date: 2020-11-05
Also published as: WO2018111123A3; WO2018111123A2; WO2018111123A8

Abstract

The claimed ice cube tray consists of a an ice cube container (1) with a removable cover (3) joined by multiple joining means in the most robust sections of both structures, wherein the cover (3) comprises a plurality of sections that serve as flexible openings and/or slits (4) through which the ice cubes can be taken out one by one through the cover (3) in that the bottom of the flexible storage compartments (2) are simply pushed, without the need to remove the cover (3) when the cover is closed. This makes it easier for the user to take out the ice cubes without removing the cover, thus enabling the ice cubes to be taken out in a single step.

Description

CROSS- REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present continuation-in-part patent application claims priority benefit under 35 U.S.C. 120 and 365(c) of the PCT international patent application designating the United States serial number PCT/PE2017/000028 filed on 22 Nov. 2017, entitled “Ice Cube Tray”. This application further claims benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to Peruvian patent application serial number 002526-2016/DIN filed on 24 Nov. 2016. The contents of these related patent application(s) are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes to the extent that such subject matter is not inconsistent herewith or limiting hereof.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF SEQUENCE LISTING PROVIDED AS ATEXT FILE

Not applicable

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER LISTING APPENDIX

Not applicable.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection by the author thereof. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or patent disclosure for the purposes of referencing as patent prior art, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office, patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a modern ice cube tray with lid that allows the extraction one by one of the pieces of ice without having to remove or move the lid, ideal for use in the home or restaurants and which is related with containers that allow making, storing and dispensing ice cubes more safely.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Although the antecedents of this invention constitute the ice trays with lid, it is considered that the closest antecedent is the patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,518 which is an ice cube tray with lid that has been created in order to allow the removal of one by one of the ice cubes, where the ejection of the ice cubes as well as any ice cube that has a lid is done in three steps, at first the cover is removed or slid in order to generate free spaces so that the ice cubes can be removed, in a second moment the user must remove the ice cubes and in a third moment the lid must be closed again. However, despite the fact that this invention allows the extraction one by one of the ice cubes, this device is difficult to manipulate and understand, since many steps have to be taken (three steps in total) to extract the ice cubes, this without counting on the fact that while the lid is opening for one of its sides to generate free spaces that allow the exit of pieces of ice, the invention is acquiring larger dimensions, which is impractical and difficult to use at time to remove the ice cubes. It is for these reasons that this invention (which consists of an ice cube tray assembly and a sliding lid) is not the most suitable invention to solve the problem that it tries to solve, consisting of a safe extraction of the ice cubes, by What is needed is an ice cube tray with a lid, also offering the possibility of removing one by one the ice cubes in a simpler way and without having to remove the lid (in a single step), in order to that the user can remove the ice cubes from the ice tray with lid in a simple and instinctive way and without having to resort to user manuals.
It is for this reason that an ice cube tray with lid has been created, which can be fitted on the ice tray of multiple shapes, and where the lid can even slide for its longer sides, but where the difference with relation to its predecessors is that the removable cover is characterized by presenting windows and/or flexible slits that will serve as flexible windows that can be opened and extended to the outside of the lid to allow the exit of the ice cubes when they are pushed out from the flexible section containing them and where these flexible windows of the lid are located just on top of each of the sections containing the ice cubes when the lid is in its closed position, improvements made so that the user can remove the pieces of ice one by one with total simplicity and comfort just by pushing the flexible storage compartment of the ice tray, so that the ice cubes exit in a controlled way through the flexible windows located in the lid, and where these special windows are made of a very flexible material or a very elastic rubber that is shrinkable so that they return to their original position to keep the surface of the lid flat, all of which represents an improvement to the state of the art since the ejection of the ice cubes will be carried out in a simple and instinctive way, offering advantages that the ice trays with lid did not have before, which is aimed at a simpler use and the ejection of the pieces of ice in a single step when the ice cube trays come with a lid.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to overcome the deficiencies explained, the present ice cube tray has been realized, which has a plurality of flexible compartments where the pieces of ice are molded, where said flexible compartments have cube shapes or other shapes that allow the easy removal of the pieces of ice through the flexible windows of the lid, such as having semicircular contours or having smaller forms in its lower part so that the pieces of ice do not have very rigid shapes that make it difficult to remove them through the windows or flexible slits of the lid, likewise, the ice cube tray will preferably be rectangular in shape, without being limited to other types of shapes, such as square or circular, which will always have a removable lid, which optionally can be slid in case the body of the tray have rectangular or square shape, and where the union and adjustment of the ice tray with the lid will be done in multiple ways but especially by the harder sections of both structures, so that each time the user has to press for remove the pieces of ice by the lid of the ice tray, the ice cube tray and the lid do not separate,
The union of the lid with the ice tray can be by a system of rails so that the lid is slidable, this union could also be by pressure, or by hooking (by having the lid on its four external sides flexible clamps) , or even by hinges, likewise the lid can also have a box shape with entry and/or exit sections that completely cover the ice tray. The cover has a plurality of windows of a softer and flexible material, which correspond in number and position with the pieces of ice, where these windows of exit of the cover preferably must be of a very flexible plastic material or of a very elastic rubber, the flexible windows of the lid may also have a similar hardness than the rest of the tray, especially when the windows of the lid have small hinges, also these small windows of the cover can also have a system of springs that allow the windows to be placed in vertical position with the simple push of their internal faces by the ice cubes when they are pressed for their exit, which will allow a simpler removal of the ice cubes when the window is in vertical position, also the lid of the tray may also have a small lid for water entry, so that the device can be used without it being necessary to open the ice cube tray lid. All of which supposes an improvement in the state of the art since it incorporates advantages to the trays to mold ice that has a lid that was not known before.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

For a better understanding of what is expressed in this specification, drawings that represent multiple preferred embodiments are attached below.

FIG. 1: A perspective view of the invention is shown, where it is possible to observe that the user is pushing the flexible compartment of the ice cube tray and the ice cube is passing through the flexible windows of the lid.

FIG. 2: A perspective view of an embodiment of the invention is shown, where it is possible to observe that the cover has been opened by sliding.

FIG. 3: A perspective view of an embodiment of the invention is shown, where the lid is observed closed by clamps

FIG. 4: A perspective view of an embodiment of the invention is shown, where it is observed that the lid has hinges.

FIG. 5: A perspective view of an embodiment of the invention is shown, where the lid is shown in the shape of a box.

FIG. 6: A side view of the invention is shown where the ice cube is seen coming out through the windows and/or flexible slit.

FIG. 7: A side view of the invention is shown where it is observed that the lid has been opened for one of its sides.

FIG. 8: A top view of the lid is shown, where you can see flexible windows or slits and where the cut that divides each window is by its long sides.

FIG. 9: A top view of the lid is shown, where you can see flexible windows or slits and where the cut that divides each window is by its short sides.

FIG. 10: A top view of the lid is shown, where it is observed that each flexible window has four leaves.

FIG. 11: An embodiment of the cover is shown, where it can be seen that most of the cover has the same color of the flexible windows as a sign that most of the cover is made of the same flexible material as its windows.

FIGURA N° 12: A view of an embodiment of the lid, where it is observed that the windows are single-leaf and have hinges.

FIG. 13: A perspective view of the invention is shown, where it is observed that the cover has single-leaf windows, of which one is open.

FIG. 14: A perspective view of the invention is shown, where the lid of the ice cube tray has a small lid for water entry.

The numerical references of the figures correspond to the following constructive elements of the invention.
1. Ice cube tray.
2. Flexible compartments.
3. Cover.
4. Windows and/or flexible slits.
5. Piece of ice.
6. Clamps.
7. Hinge of the lid.
8. Window hinge.
9. Small lid.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of this novel ice cube tray (1) based on the aforementioned, is constituted in a preferably rectangular structure that has a plurality of flexible compartments (2), where this ice cube tray has a lid (3), which when completely closed allows the pieces of ice (5) to come out through the windows and/or flexible slits (4) of the lid (3) easily by simply pressing on the base of the flexible compartments (2). Not limiting the possibility of other types of embodiment of the invention which have been described in the explanation of the figures and which must be extended to the combination of the figures and which refer to the simple removal of the ice cubes through windows and/or flexible slits (4) located in the lid of the ice cube trays (1).

Claims

What is claimed:

1. ICE CUBE TRAY that has a plurality of flexible compartments (2) for the formation of pieces of ice (5) and a removable cover (3) that is mounted on the ice cube tray (1) for a multiple lace system, characterized in that the lid (3) has a plurality of windows or flexible slits (4) that allow the removal of the pieces of ice (5) through them and without removing the lid (3), where the number of flexible compartments or slits (2) of the ice cube tray (1) is proportional to the number of sections that serve as windows and/or flexible slits (4) and keep the same location when the lid (3) It is closed.

2. ICE CUBE TRAY according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the sections serving as windows and/or flexible slits (4), comprises at least one sheet that serves as a window or a flexible slit that is stretched or open to allow the ice pieces (5) to exit through the lid (3).

3. ICE CUBE TRAY according to claim 1, characterized in that the lid of the ice cube tray has a small lid (9) that allows water to enter without having to open the lid (3).

4. ICE CUBE TRAY according to claim 1, characterized in that the flexible compartments (2) for forming the pieces of ice (5) may have smaller, thin or pointed forms in its base or lower section that allow more ejection simple through the windows and/or flexible slits (4) unlike if the ice cubes were only square shape.