WO2014178710A1

WO2014178710A1 - Mould for an ice sculpture, and method for producing an ice sculpture

Info

Publication number: WO2014178710A1
Application number: PCT/NL2014/050264
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nick VAN DER KEMP; Ronaldus Theodorus Maria VAN DER KEMP
Original assignee: R.Th.M. Van Der Kemp Beheer B.V.
Priority date: 2013-04-29
Filing date: 2014-04-24
Publication date: 2014-11-06
Also published as: NL2010730C2

Abstract

Mould for producing an ice sculpture, comprising a bottom part (6),a first wall (3) which delimits a sculpture part (2)of the mould, in which the ice sculpture(10) is formed by freezing water (11), wherein the first wall (3) is substantially perpendicular to the bottom part (6),and an outer wall (5) which is substantially perpendicular to the bottom part (6) and is shaped to form a secondary space (4) directly adjacent to the first wall (3). The first wall (3) of the mould (1) defines the outer periphery of the ice sculpture to be produced and the secondary space (4)follows the shape of the first wall (3).

Description

Mould for an ice sculpture, and method for producing an ice sculpture

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a mould for producing an ice sculpture. A further aspect of the present invention relates to a method for obtaining a clear, transparent and homogeneous ice sculpture.

Prior Art

Dutch patent publication L1032377 discloses a mould for producing a plurality of ice shapes interconnected at regular distances by means of a flexible wire. The mould comprises a plurality of sculpture parts to be filled with a fluid, such as water, wherein each sculpture part is separated from another sculpture part by a wall of the mould. The flexible wire is disposed through each sculpture part such that it is fixedly attached to each produced ice shape.

US patent US 2,505,947 discloses a bendable mould tray for producing various ice shapes. The mould tray comprises a plurality of cavities having various shapes to be filled with water, wherein the plurality of cavities are separated from each other by side walls.

Reissued US patent US RE 20 371 discloses a bendable mould tray for producing ice cubes of frozen water. The mould tray comprises regularly spaced cavities separated by thin walls. Bending the mould tray allows the plurality of ice cubes to be released from the mould.

A mould and method for producing an ice sculpture is known from US patent publication US 6,289,683 Bl, in which a three-dimensional mould is disclosed comprising inlet and outlet openings for the supply and discharge of water, and a cooling element at a bottom side of the mould. Water which is introduced into the mould via the inlet openings is frozen from the bottom side to the top side of the mould. As a result thereof, gas bubbles can float upwards and are then discharged via the outlet openings. The method results in a clear ice sculpture. This mould is relatively expensive and complicated as water is pumped through the mould. Freezing is effected from the bottom side to the top side of the mould.

A mould for producing ice blocks is furthermore known from the US patent application US2009/152438, in which a cube-shaped inner mould is disclosed which is provided with a plurality of holes in the bottom. The mould furthermore comprises a cube-shaped outer mould inside which the inner mould is placed. Between the bottom of the inner mould and outer mould, a buffer space is present. According to the invention, the outer mould is filled with water, after which all the water in the inner mould is frozen. During the freezing process, gas bubbles in the water can migrate to the buffer space via the plurality of holes in the bottom of the inner mould. As a result, the ice blocks which are obtained are clear. An ice block which has been produced in this way often requires trimming due to the holes in the bottom of the inner mould. The reason for this is that an ice block in the inner mould has protuberances caused by the water in the plurality of holes freezing. The protuberances have to be removed by an additional processing step in order to obtain a clear, transparent and homogeneous ice sculpture.

Summary of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mould by means of which a substantially clear, transparent and homogeneous ice sculpture can be produced.

According to the present invention, a mould of the type defined in the preamble is provided, wherein the mould comprises a bottom part, a first wall which delimits a sculpture part of the mould in which the ice sculpture is formed by freezing water, wherein the first wall is substantially perpendicular to the bottom part, and an outer wall which is substantially perpendicular to the bottom part and is shaped to form a secondary space directly adjacent to the first wall, wherein the first wall of the mould defines the outer periphery of the ice sculpture to be produced and wherein the secondary space follows the shape of the first wall. Due to the mould, an ice sculpture will start to freeze from the top side in the sculpture part, and due to the secondary space which is able to absorb cold from the sides, the underside of the ice sculpture is straight during use (i.e. no uncontrolled ice growth on the underside of the ice sculpture while it is forming in the sculpture part along the first wall).

In an embodiment, the mould is made from a thermally insulating material, for example a dimensionally stable foam, polystyrene or expanded polystyrene. In further embodiments, the mould has a low weight, as a result of which the mould can easily be transported. Furthermore, in yet further embodiments, the thermally insulating material is sufficiently flexible to be able to allow for the expansion in volume of the water in the sculpture part during freezing. As a result thereof, the occurrence of, for example, cracks in the ice sculpture is prevented.

The thermal insulation of the mould is further optimized by the secondary space between the first wall and outer wall. In an embodiment, the secondary space contains a gas or liquid during use, for example normal ambient air. In an alternative embodiment, the secondary space contains a liquid during use, for example water, or water containing an additive which lowers the freezing point, which can absorb additional cold in this location, so that no ice can grow in an uncontrolled manner at the bottom side of the ice sculpture along the first wall.

Furthermore, the mould of the present invention may comprise a lid which fits onto the mould in a congruent manner. The lid protects the sculpture part from soiling and offers additional strength for the mould during transportation, stacked storage, etc. In addition, the lid can serve as a base onto which an ice sculpture can be placed. The lid delays the melting process and catches the melt water. In an advantageous embodiment, the lid comprises a thickening, optionally provided with one or more water discharge ducts, so that the ice sculpture does not end up standing in melt water.

In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a method for producing a transparent ice sculpture, comprising filling the mould in the sculpture part, freezing the water to form an ice mass which forms the ice sculpture, removing a remainder water which has not yet frozen from the mould after a predetermined period of time.

An important feature of the method is the fact that the water in the sculpture part is only partly frozen. In an embodiment of the method, the remainder of water which has not yet frozen is at least 45%, for example at least 50%, wherein the remainder is situated underneath the ice mass during and after freezing. Partial freezing makes it possible for gases in the water to migrate to the remainder of water which has not frozen yet. Gas bubbles are not trapped in the ice mass, so that a transparent, clear and homogeneous ice sculpture is produced which is free from visible gas bubbles. If the amount of water which has not yet frozen is 45%, this is often the case; if the amount of water which has not yet frozen is 50%, this is virtually always the case.

The method of the present invention is furthermore characterized by the fact that water in the sculpture part is frozen from above or from the top side. This may be effected, for example, by a suitable location in a freezer, by a sufficiently thick bottom part of the mould, or additional insulation at the underside of the mould. The ice sculpture in the sculpture part is built up from the top downwards, and the first wall does not perform any freezing action due to the cold-absorbing capacity of the secondary space. Vertically freezing the water prevents the occurrence of sharp hook- shaped ice edges at an underside of the ice mass adjacent to the first wall. As a result thereof, the ice mass has a substantially rectangular cross section, all corners of which are essentially perpendicular. Trimming the underside and the corners of the ice mass is thus obsolete, which benefits the clarity and homogeneity of the ice sculpture.

The mould according to the present invention is suitable for single use, depending on the material chosen for producing the mould, the latter can also be made suitable for repeated use. In the context of the present invention, the terms "ice mass", "ice sculpture", "ice block" and "ice cube" are synonyms.

Brief description of the drawings

The present invention will now be discussed in more detail by means of a number of illustrative embodiments and with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a sectional view of a first embodiment of a mould according to the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a sectional view of a second embodiment of a mould according to the present invention;

Figure 3 shows a top view of an embodiment of a mould according to the present invention;

Figure 4 shows a sectional view of a first embodiment of a lid for the mould according to the present invention;

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a lid for the mould according to the present invention;

Figure 6 shows a perspective view an embodiment of a bottom part of the mould according to the present invention;

Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of a lid for the mould according to the present invention;

Figure 8 shows a top view of another embodiment of the mould according to the present invention;

Figure 9 shows a cross sectional view of a mould and a lid attached thereto according to a present invention embodiment; and Figure 10 shows a perspective view of a lid and an ice sculpture disposed thereon according to a present invention embodiment.

Detailed description of exemplary embodiments

Figure 1 shows a cross section of a mould 1 for producing an ice sculpture 10 or the like according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The mould 1 comprises a bottom part 6 and a first wall 3 which delimits a sculpture part 2 of the mould in which an ice mass 10 (see Figure 2 and the description below) is formed by freezing, for example, water 11. The first wall 3 is substantially perpendicular to the bottom part 6. The bottom part 6 and the first wall 3 thus define the sculpture part 2 with a predetermined shape. Thus, the sculpture part 2 may comprise a shape of symbols, letters, numbers or a combination thereof. The sculpture part 2, and thus the ice mass 10, may also comprise simpler forms of, for example, one or more ice cubes for cooling drinks and the like. In principle, the sculpture part 2 may be of any shape, and the present invention as such does not impose any limitations on the specific shape of the sculpture part 2. The shape of the sculpture part 2 usually depends on the occasion for which a clear ice sculpture is to be used, for example for parties, symposiums, exhibitions, fairs, etc.

The first wall 3 of the mould 1 defines the outer periphery of the ice sculpture to be produced, wherein the bottom part 6 will be substantially flat and will have no effect on the desired shape of the ice sculpture. The mould 1 of the present invention is thus mainly intended to produce a two-dimensional ice sculpture of a predetermined thickness d.

The mould 1 furthermore comprises an outer wall 5 which is substantially perpendicular to the bottom part 6 and is shaped such that it forms a secondary space 4 directly adjacent to the first wall 3. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, this is implemented by a connecting part on the top side of the mould 1. In this embodiment, the mould 1 can be seen as a shaped panel of virtually uniform thickness, which forms the bottom part, first wall 3 and outer wall 5 (and thus sculpture part 2 and secondary space 4). The secondary space 4 serves to increase the thermal insulating capacity of the mould 1, specifically on the side edges of the ice sculpture 10 to be formed. In the illustrated embodiment, the secondary space 4 comprises, for example, a gas, such as ambient air, with the volume of the secondary space 4 affecting the thermal insulating capacity of the mould 1.

In order to remove the remaining water 11 from the sculpture part 2 during use (see also the below description of the method of the present invention), after a period of freezing, a hole can be made in the mould 1 in a simple manner, provided that a suitable material is chosen. In a further embodiment, the mould 1 is provided with one or more weakened sections 15. The one or more weakened sections 15 may be provided as thin parts in, for example, the first wall 3, the bottom part 6 or at other locations, wherein the one or more weakened sections 15 may be perforated or cut in order to allow the liquid (for example water) 11 in the sculpture part 2 to run off (see also the below description of the method according to the present invention).

In advantageous embodiments, the mould 1 is made from a thermally insulating material, for example polystyrene, tempex, expanded polystyrene (EPS), polyurethane (PUR), phenolic foam (PF) etc. These materials usually have a high thermal insulating capacity and a low density. A mould 1, made of for example polystyrene, can easily be transported due to the low weight. The present invention is not limited to the use of thermally insulating material for the mould 1, but most embodiments will use insulating, foam-like material having a low intrinsic weight, it being possible to remove the mould 1 by hand after use, i.e. when the ice sculpture 10 has to be removed from the mould. In addition, the thermally insulating material will be sufficiently flexible to allow for expansion, that is to say expansion in volume, of the water during freezing, thus preventing cracks from appearing in the ice sculpture 10.

Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of a mould 1 according to the present invention, in which the sculpture part 2 is filled with a liquid 11, e.g. water 11, during use, and a frozen part 10 of the same liquid 11, that is to say the ice sculpture 10. In this embodiment, both the first walls 3 and the outer walls 5 are formed on the bottom part 6, with the bottom part 6 being completely flat. In this embodiment therefore, both the sculpture part 2 and the secondary space 4 are open at the top side of the mould 1.

In the illustrated embodiment, the secondary space 4 between the first wall 3 and the outer wall 5 is filled with a gas (for example ambient air) or liquid (for example water) 12 during use. The liquid 12 provides additional thermal insulation of the ice sculpture 10 during use, so that ice formation does not primarily take place from and along the first wall 3. The thermally insulating action of the secondary space 4 thus has the effect that ice formation takes place substantially in a vertical direction during use, that is to say on the bottom side of the ice sculpture 10.

It applies to all embodiments that the thermal insulating capacity of the secondary space 4 ensures that the ice sculpture 10 to be produced has a flat underside, in particular at locations where the ice mass 10 comes into contact with the first wall 3, such as the edges 10a of the underside of the ice sculpture 10. In addition, the secondary space 4 makes further trimming of the ice mass 10 obsolete, since the edges 10a of the ice sculpture 10 are perpendicular and do not require trimming.

In an alternative embodiment, the antifreeze liquid 12 comprises a substance which lowers the freezing point, with the antifreeze liquid 12 for example being water containing a substance which lowers the freezing point, for example salt and/or sugar. The advantage of for example salt and/or sugar is that these substances are often readily available and no special antifreeze liquid has to be sourced. The latter may be important for, for example, consumers who want to start using the mould 1 quickly without having to obtain special antifreeze liquids 12.

In other embodiments, it is of course possible to use special antifreeze agents, with the antifreeze liquid 12 being a glycol-based liquid, for example. This

embodiment may, for example, be suitable for relatively large buyers of the mould 1, i.e. for whom the purchase of relatively large amounts of antifreeze liquid 12 may be cost-effective. With both embodiments of the antifreeze liquid 12, a clear and homogeneous ice sculpture is produced.

In summary, the mould 1 for producing an ice sculpture 10 comprises a bottom part 6, a first wall 3 which delimits a sculpture part 2 of the mould 1 in which the ice mass 10 (or ice sculpture 10) is being formed by freezing water 11, wherein the first wall 3 is substantially perpendicular to the bottom part 6, and an outer wall 5 which is substantially perpendicular to the bottom part 6 and is shaped to form a secondary space 4 directly adjacent to the first wall 3. The first wall 3 of the mould 1 defines the outer periphery of the ice sculpture to be produced and wherein the secondary space 4 follows the shape of the first wall 3.

Figure 3 shows a top view of an embodiment of the mould 1 according to the present invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the sculpture part 2 is in the shape of a single numeral "2", but in principle any two-dimensional shape is conceivable. The secondary space 4 follows the shape of the first wall 3, which determines the periphery of the sculpture part 2 and thus the periphery of the liquid 11 to be frozen. With most embodiments, the secondary space 4 around the sculpture part 2 will have a uniform width in order to achieve a homogeneous, vertical freezing of the liquid 11.

In advantageous embodiments, the outer wall 5 will be filled in order to obtain a rectangular mould 1, which will increase the thermal insulating capacity of the mould 1. A rectangular mould 1 will also be simpler to package and stack.

The mould 1 of the present invention can also be configured to have a lid 20 which may also serve as a base on which the ice sculpture 10 can be placed. The lid 20 makes it possible to cover a finished ice sculpture and to transport it to a desired location, after which the lid 20 is used as an insulating base.

Figure 4 shows a sectional view of an embodiment of a lid 20 which can be used in combination with the mould 1 according to the present invention. The illustrated embodiment of the lid 20 is provided with an edge 21 which adjoins the outer wall 5, with the lid 20 being congruent with the mould 1. As a result thereof, an insulating cover of the sculpture part 2 is achieved and a finished ice sculpture 10 can be stored for a longer period of time. The lid 20 also offers additional support and protection for, for example, the outer wall 5 during transportation, storage etc. Furthermore, the lid 20 is provided with a thickening 22 onto which the ice sculpture 10 can be placed during an exhibition (following freezing), wherein the thickening 22 has an insulating effect and delays the melting process.

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the embodiment of the lid 20 illustrated in Figure 4 and provided with a thickening 22. In this embodiment too, the thickening 22 acts as a base onto which the ice sculpture 10 can be placed, in which case the thickening 22 has a thermally insulating effect with respect to the surface, such as a table, wardrobe or floor. In other words, the lid 20 delays the melting process of the ice sculpture 10 in order to retain the shape for a longer period of time during an exhibition. Furthermore, the lid 20 is provided with an upright edge 21, so that melt water can be collected and the surface does not become wet.

In a further embodiment, the thickening 22 is provided with one or more water discharge ducts 23 in order to prevent the ice sculpture 10 from standing in its own melt water and melting even faster. The lid 20 of the present invention may be made from the same thermally insulating material, i.e. the mould 1 and the lid 20 may in principle be made from the same material, but this is not imperative.

Figure 6 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a bottom part of the mould according to the present invention. In this embodiment the mould 1 or the bottom part 6 thereof may be provided with one or more weakened sections 15. The weakened sections 15 may be configured for being punctured, so that water from the sculpture part 2 may be removed. For example, once the ice sculpture has reached a desired thickness inside the sculpture part 2, remaining water below the ice sculpture may be removed by puncturing the one or more weakened sections 15. The one or more weakened sections 15 may also be used for removing liquids from the secondary space (not shown), e.g. see the embodiment in Figure 2.

In an embodiment, the mould 1 may further comprise puncture signs 15a that are adapted to clearly show where the mould 1 can be punctured for emptying the sculpture part 2 and/or the secondary space. Puncturing the one or more weakened sections 15 is readily accomplished by using e.g. a knife, thereby making the mould 1 very easy and convenient to use as no special tools are required.

In an embodiment, the mould 1 and/or the bottom part 6 thereof may further comprise a bottom recess 7 for receiving the thickening 22 of the lid 20 as depicted in Figure 5. The lid 20 may be attached to the mould 1 and/or the bottom part 6 thereof, allowing the sculpture part 2 of the mould 1 to remain exposed during freezing. The lid 20 is congruent with the mould 1 and/or the bottom part 6.

Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a lid for the mould according to a present invention embodiment. The lid 20 comprises a thickening 22 or protrusion 22 and an edge 21, e.g. an upright edge 21, wherein the thickening or protrusion 22 may act as a base onto which the ice sculpture can be placed. In advantageous embodiments, the thickening 22 may have a thermally insulating effect with respect to a surface, such as a table surface, on which the lid 20 may be placed for supporting the ice sculpture 10 while showcasing it. The upright edge 21 allows melting water to be conveniently collected by the lid 20 when the ice sculpture 10 is positioned on the thickening 22 as it slowly melts at e.g. room temperature.

In an embodiment, the thickening 22 may be positioned in the bottom recess 7 and is congruent therewith. More specifically, the bottom recess 7 and the thickening 22 may have congruent surfaces provided with associated congruent draft angles, which allow for easy attachment and removal of the lid 20 to and from the mould 1 or the bottom part 6 thereof. Before actual use, the mould 1 can be positioned on top of the lid 20 (see also Figure 9 and description thereof below) to form a rectangular combination, which can be easily packaged and stored.

Figure 8 shows a top view of another embodiment of the mould according to the present invention. In this exemplary embodiment the sculpture part 2 of the mould 1 comprises the number "0". As with previously disclosed embodiments, see Figure 2 for example, the mould 1 comprises the bottom part 6 and the first wall 3 delimits the sculpture part 2 of the mould 1 in which the ice sculpture is formed by freezing a liquid such as water. The first wall 3 and outer wall 5 are substantially perpendicular to the bottom part 6, wherein the outer wall 5 is shaped to form a secondary space 4 directly adjacent to the first wall 3. According to the invention, the first wall 3 of the mould 1 defines the outer periphery of the ice sculpture to be produced and the secondary space 4 follows the shape of the first wall 3. In the embodiment shown, the secondary space 4 need not have a uniform width, e.g. when viewed from above, and so the width of the secondary space 4 may vary as it follows the shape of the first wall 3.

In an embodiment, the secondary space 4 may also comprise one or more secondary compartments 4a separated by one or more separation walls 3a, which may provide additional strength to the mould 1 and may further stabilize the first wall 3 and outer wall 5.

In an advantageous embodiment, the separation wall 3a may comprise a weakened section body 15b that extends the weakened section 15 in the mould 1 from the outer wall 5 of the mould 1 or bottom part 6 thereof to the first wall 3. In this embodiment the sculpture part 2 may be conveniently emptied without puncturing through the secondary space 4. The weakened section 15 and weakened section body 15b may thus provide access to the sculpture part 2 without traversing through the secondary space 4, or a secondary compartment 4a, which may be completely filled with ice at some point during freezing. The one or more weakened sections 15 and weakened section bodies 15b may be made of the same material as the mould 1 to facilitate the manufacturing process as well as reducing associated costs thereof.

In an embodiment, the weakened section body 15b may comprise a substantially hollow shape, e.g. a tubular shape, so that the amount of material to be punctured is minimized for reaching the sculpture part 2 from the outer wall 5 and/or the bottom part 6. In a further embodiment the weakened section body 15b may be wider than the separation wall 3 a near the bottom part 6 of the mould 1, which is advantageous when the weakened section body 15b should accommodate a hollow or tubular shape.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 8, note that the bottom recess 7 is now seen as a protrusion into the secondary space 4 and/or sculpture part 2. In this embodiment the height of the mould 1 is adapted to accommodate the bottom recess 7 without impairing the mould 1 in its ability to produce a clear, transparent and homogenous ice sculpture, which is free from sharp, hook-shaped ice parts. Trimming sharp edges of the ice sculpture after freezing is thereby prevented, and clarity as well as homogeneity of the ice sculpture remains to be guaranteed.

Figure 9 shows a cross sectional view of the mould 1 of Figure 8 and a lid attached thereto according to a present invention embodiment. In the embodiment shown, the thickening 22 of the lid 20 is tightly fitted inside the bottom recess 7 of the mould 1, facilitated by one or more congruent surfaces 20a of the thickening 22 and one or more congruent surfaces 7a of the bottom recess 7. The one or more congruent surfaces 7a, 22a each comprise congruent and matching draft angles to facilitate attachment and removal of the lid 20 to and from the mould 1.

In an advantageous embodiment, the first wall 3 may comprise one or more secondary first walls 3b provided with a slanted vertical surfaces (under an angle a) for easy removal of an ice sculpture from the sculpture part 2.

The depicted embodiment in Figure 9 is particularly advantageous for an ice sculpture comprising a through-hole, such as the number "0" of which a cross sectional view is shown in this figure. The secondary space 4 may also comprise a secondary compartment 4a defined and delimited by the one or more secondary first walls 3b. Such a secondary compartment 4a may be very useful for an ice sculpture comprising one or more through-holes. The secondary compartment 4a may also be filled with a gas or liquid for preventing uncontrolled and irregular ice growth at an underside of the ice sculpture while it is formed in the sculpture part 2 along the first wall 3 and the one or more secondary first walls 3b.

Figure 10 shows a perspective view of a lid and an ice sculpture disposed thereon according to a present invention embodiment. In this exemplary embodiment a completed ice sculpture 10 is disposed on the thickening 22 of the lid 20. The thickening 22 may act as a thermal insulator and/or barrier whereby the ice sculpture 10 exhibits slower melting at a base portion 10a thereof while showcasing the ice sculpture 10. The upright edge 21 allows convenient collection of melting water by the lid 20. Although not shown, the thickening 22 may also be provided with one or more water discharge ducts in order to prevent the ice sculpture 10 from standing in its own melt water, which may accelerate the melting process.

According to a further aspect, the present invention relates to a method for producing a clear, transparent and homogeneous ice sculpture 10. The method comprises filling the mould 1 with water 11 in the sculpture part 2, freezing the water 11 to form an ice mass 10 which forms the ice sculpture 10 and removing a remainder of water 11 which has not yet frozen from the mould 1 after a predetermined period of time.

According to the present invention, a clear and transparent ice sculpture is produced by not freezing all of the water 11. Therefore, under no circumstances should the formed ice mass 10 touch the bottom part 6 while the water 11 is being frozen in the sculpture part 2. After freezing, a remainder of water has to be present under the ice mass 10 at all times, with the height/thickness d of a finished ice sculpture 10 being approximately equal to or smaller than the height of the liquid water 11 for freezing (in other words, at least 50% of the water 11 has not yet frozen to form ice sculpture 10).

The partial freezing of the water 11 makes it possible for gases in the water to move to the remaining liquid water 11 during freezing. If all the water 11 were to be frozen, then the gases in the water 11 would have no "escape" from the ice mass 10 which is forming, resulting in trapped gas bubbles in the ice sculpture giving the ice sculpture 10 a matt and blurred appearance.

In an embodiment, a water-filled mould 1 is placed in a freezer for a

predetermined period of time (for example 44 hours), wherein the remainder of water 11 which has not yet frozen is at least 45%, for example at least 50%. The partial freezing of the water 11 results in a clear, transparent and homogeneous ice sculpture 10, in particular if the amount of remaining water 11 is at least 50%.

The method of the present invention is furthermore characterized by the fact that the water 11 is frozen from the top side of the mould 1. Freezing the water 11 from the top is achieved by means of the thermally insulating effect of the mould 1, in particular the secondary space 4, first walls 3, outer walls 5 and bottom part 6. Optionally, an additional thick bottom part 6 or an additional insulation part may be provided, for example with the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1. The mould 1 may be placed in a freezing environment in its entirety, with a gas or antifreeze liquid in the secondary space 4 isolating or absorbing the cold. The isolation or absorption of cold by the secondary space 4 contributes to the entire underside of the ice sculpture 10 freezing in a flat manner. This is to say that the underside of the ice sculpture 10 with edges 10a is substantially perpendicular to the first wall 3 when freezing the ice mass 10 to a thickness d. The ice sculpture 10 according to the present invention, in particular the edges or corners 10a of the ice sculpture 10, are thus free from sharp, hook-shaped ice parts. Trimming of the ice sculpture 10 is thus prevented, so that the clarity and homogeneity of the ice sculpture 10 is significantly improved.

At the point in time when the ice mass 10 has reached the desired thickness d, the remaining water 11 is removed from the sculpture part 2, for example by puncturing weakened sections 15. This also applies to any antifreeze liquids 12 in the secondary space 4, in which case the secondary space 4 may be emptied, optionally with the aid of weakened sections 15.

After the remaining liquids 11, 12 have been removed, it may be desirable to return the ice sculpture 10 to a freezing environment for a short period of time in order to "dry" the ice sculpture 10. In an embodiment, the method comprises the return of the mould 1 with ice sculpture 10 to a freezing environment after a remainder of water 11 which has not yet frozen has been removed from the mould 1 until a predetermined period of time before the mould 1 around the ice sculpture 10 is removed.

In a further embodiment, the mould 1 with ice sculpture 10 is returned to a freezing environment for at least 30 minutes. Subsequently, the ice sculpture is placed in a melting environment for 10 minutes before use, so that the ice sculpture 10 can be removed from the mould 1 more easily. Thereafter, the ice sculpture 10 can be placed on the thickening 22 of lid 20, so that the melting process is delayed and the original shape of the ice sculpture 10 is retained for a longer period of time during the exhibition.

Until now, it has been presumed that the sculpture part 2 forms an integral part of the mould 1. However, it is conceivable for the mould 1 to be provided with inserts which define the sculpture part 2. This embodiment makes it possible for the consumer to have a base mould 1, in which different inserts, resulting in different sculpture parts 2, can be used. In this way, it is possible to produce several shapes using the same base mould 1.

The present invention has been described above by means of a number of embodiments, with reference to the drawings. It will be clear that there are (functional) alternatives for various elements, and that more exemplary embodiments are possible. All these variants and modifications are deemed to fall within the scope of protection which is defined by the attached claims.

Claims

1. Mould for producing an ice sculpture, comprising

a bottom part (6), a first wall (3) which delimits a sculpture part (2) of the mould (1) in which the ice sculpture (10) is formed by freezing water (11), wherein the first wall (3) is substantially perpendicular to the bottom part (6),

and an outer wall (5) which is substantially perpendicular to the bottom part (6) and is shaped to form a secondary space (4) directly adjacent to the first wall (3), wherein the first wall (3) of the mould (1) defines the outer periphery of the ice sculpture (10) to be produced and wherein the secondary space (4) follows the shape of the first wall (3).

2. Mould according to Claim 1, wherein the mould (1) is made from a thermally insulating material.

3. Mould according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the mould (1) is provided with one or more weakened sections (15).

4. Mould according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the secondary space (4) is filled with a gas or liquid (12) during use.

5. Mould according to Claim 4, wherein the antifreeze liquid (12) is water containing a substance which lowers the freezing point.

6. Mould according to Claim 4, wherein the antifreeze liquid (12) is a liquid based on glycol.

7. Mould according to one of Claims 1-6, further comprising a lid (20) provided with a thickening (22).

8. Mould according to Claim 7, wherein the thickening (22) is provided with one or more water discharge ducts (23).

9. Mould according to Claim 7 or 8, wherein the lid (20) is congruent with the mould (1).

10. Method for producing a transparent ice sculpture,

comprising

filling a mould (1) according to one of Claims 1-9 with water (11) in the sculpture part (2),

freezing the water (11) to form an ice mass (10) which forms the ice sculpture, removing a remainder of water (11) which has not yet frozen from the mould (1) after a predetermined period of time.

11. Method according to Claim 10, wherein the remainder of water (11) which has not yet frozen is at least 45%, for example at least 50%.

12. Method according to Claim 10 or 11, wherein the water (11) is frozen from the top side of the mould (1).

13. Method according to Claim 10, 11 or 12, further comprising:

returning the mould (1) with ice sculpture (10) to a freezing environment after a remainder of water (11) which has not yet frozen has been removed from the mould (1) until a predetermined period of time before the mould (1) around the ice sculpture (10) is removed.