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US 12,102,244 B2Granted
Ice mold for making ice straws
OwnerBradley Shelowitz, Christopher Smithinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ice mold for forming hollow, elongated ice structures intended to be used as drinking straws. The ice mold includes an outer tube, an inner tube concentrically positioned within the outer tube, and top and bottom caps that fluidly seal a chamber defined between the outer tube, the inner tube, the top cap, and the bottom cap.
Claims19
A mold for forming a straw-shaped ice structure, the mold comprising:
- an outer tube having an opened top end, and an opened bottom end;
- an inner tube configured to extend centrally through the outer tube, the inner tube having an opened top end, and an opened bottom end;
- a top cap configured to be coupled to the opened top end of the outer tube, the top cap defining a channel therethrough configured for receipt of the inner tube;
- and
- a bottom cap configured to be coupled to the opened bottom end of the outer tube, the bottom cap defining a channel therethrough configured for receipt of the inner tube, wherein the outer and inner tubes and the top and bottom caps are configured to collectively define a closed elongated channel therebetween configured to hold a freezable substance therein, wherein the top and bottom caps are configured to prevent the freezable substance from exiting the closed elongated channel via the top and bottom ends of the outer tube when the mold is oriented perpendicular to the direction of gravity, wherein the bottom cap includes:
- a body portion;
- and
- a diaphragm extending radially inward from the body portion and into engagement with the inner tube, the diaphragm forming a fluid-tight seal with the inner tube and configured to permit venting of at least one of air or the freezable substance from the closed elongated channel during insertion of the bottom cap into the bottom end of the outer tube.
5 more elements
A mold for forming ice straws, the mold comprising:
- a hollow, outer tube having a top end and a bottom end;
- a top cap coupled to the top end of the outer tube and defining a central channel;
- a bottom cap coupled to the bottom end of the outer tube and defining a central channel;
- and
- an elongated inner member positioned concentrically within the outer tube and including:
- a top end extending through or protruding from the central channel of the top cap;
- and
- a bottom end extending through or protruding from the central channel of the bottom cap, wherein the top cap closes the top end of the outer tube, and the bottom cap closes the bottom end of the outer tube to resist a freezable substance from leaking out of the outer tube via either the top end of the outer tube or the bottom end of the outer tube, wherein at least one of the top cap or the bottom cap includes:
- a body portion configured for coupling to the top end or the bottom end of the outer tube;
- and
- a diaphragm extending radially inward from the body portion and into the central channel of the top cap or the bottom cap, the diaphragm forming a fluid-tight seal with the elongated inner member and configured to permit venting of at least one of air or the freezable substance past the diaphragm and out of the mold as the top cap is pushed into the top end of the outer tube or the bottom cap is pushed into the bottom end of the outer tube.
8 more elements
A mold for forming a straw-shaped ice structure, the mold comprising:
- a metal outer tube having an opened top end, and an opened bottom end;
- a metal inner tube configured to extend centrally through the outer tube, the inner tube having an opened top end, and an opened bottom end;
- a non-metal top cap configured to be coupled to the opened top end of the outer tube, the top cap defining a channel therethrough configured for receipt of the inner tube;
- and
- a bottom cap configured to be coupled to the opened bottom end of the outer tube, the bottom cap defining a channel therethrough configured for receipt of the inner tube, wherein the outer and inner tubes and the top and bottom caps are configured to collectively define a completely closed elongated channel therebetween configured to hold a freezable substance therein, wherein the top cap includes:
- a body portion;
- and
- a diaphragm extending radially inward from the body portion and into engagement with the inner tube, the diaphragm forming a fluid-tight seal with the inner tube and configured to permit venting of at least one of air or the freezable substance from the closed elongated channel during insertion of the top cap into the opened top end of the outer tube.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.