The present invention relates to a container for consuming food products therefrom, in particular drinks. The invention further relates to a device for handling the container and a method and apparatus for manufacturing the container.

For particular food products it is practical or agreeable if they are served in very cold containers. This is particularly the case with per se cold foods such as ice- sherbet and the like in order to prevent premature melting thereof. In addition, particular spirits such as Dutch gins ^' are preferably served and consumed ice-cold. In order to prevent the product melting or warming rapidly the glasses in which the product is served can be refrigerated. However, cooling glasses reguires much refrigeration space and is not therefore very practical. Ice-cold glasses are moreover not pleasant to take hold of.

According to the present invention however a wholly new method of serving and consuming cold solid and liquid food products now becomes possible. To this end the invention provides a container which is manufactured from ice.

Understood by "ice" in this application is any frozen liquid whereof the temperature is sufficiently low to effect a cooling of the contents, while the temperature thereof is not so low that drinking from a container of such a frozen liquid is disagreeable. In practice water will in general be used as the liquid. Aromatic substances, colourings and/or flavourings can optionally be added to the water. Water which is boiled and then cooled is preferably used. The final containers will thereby be less likely to contain air bubbles. A liquid degassed in another way can of course also be used. For decorative purposes small objects, fresh herbs and the like can also be included in the ice. The container according to the invention is preferably a drinking glass. It is however likewise

conceivable for the container to be a bowl, for instance for serving therein and/or consuming therefrom ice-sherbet, fruit salad or caviar.

The bottom of the container is preferably thicker than the walls thereof. This thickening serves as additional cooling element, whereby the contents of the container remain cooled for longer. The wall thickness of the container is chosen such that leakage from the container is prevented for a sufficiently long period while enjoyment of the drink is not adversely affected therein. In practice a wall thickness of a minimum of 3 mm and a maximum of 10 mm, preferably 5 mm, will be applied.

The container as such can of course be handled. The drawback thereto however is that due to generation of heat from the hands the melting process will be accelerated. The invention therefore also provides a device for handling a container of ice comprising a collecting reservoir for melt water and a member receiving the container. In practice the member receiving the container will preferably be a ring which is placed round the container and with which the container is held fixedly.

In a preferred embodiment of the ring it is provided on its inside with protrusions such as vertical ribs over the whole or partial breadth of the ring, or recesses intended to facilitate the draining of melt water. In the case of protrusions there will result a space between the ring and the glass through which melt water is drained. In the case of recesses the melt water will be drained thereby. The capacity of the collecting reservoir is preferably such that the entire volume of the melted container can be held therein. The collecting reservoir can have any desired form. The reservoir can optionally be provided with a decoration such as advertizing texts and the like.

Although the collecting reservoir and the receiving member can be formed integrally it is recommended to form the handling device as two separate components. The

advantage hereof is that during drinking no melt water runs back out of the reservoir because the reservoir is not lifted therewith. Conversely, the advantage of integral forming of the device is that production costs can thereby be lower.

The receiving member is preferably formed such that it can be placed simply on the reservoir. It is advantageous in practice when the underside of the receiving member has an outer diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter of the reservoir and smaller than the outer diameter of the ring itself. The part with the smaller diameter can then be received in the reservoir, while the portion of the ring having the larger diameter supports on the edge of the reservoir. In this way the receiving member can be placed firmly on the reservoir.

At a determined moment in time the container will begin to leak due to melting thereof. The height and the form of the reservoir are preferably chosen such that the bottom of the container does not come into contact prior to the moment of leakage with the melt water collected in the reservoir. Thus is prevented that melt water is carried with the container when it is lifted out of the reservoir. This also prevents a more rapid melting of the container.

In a preferred embodiment of the reservoir the bottom thereof is provided with a standing edge. Adhering of the reservoir to a wet surface is hereby prevented.

Because the receiving member fits well into the reservoir a closed space is realized in the reservoir. This results in a cold environment whereby melting of the ice is delayed.

The receiving member is preferably stepped or tapering in form depending on the form of the container. The advantage of both forms is that the melt water will run along the inside of the receiving member into the reservoir. An advantage of the tapering form is moreover that the container, also after melting of the outer side thereof, fits tightly into the receiving member. During melting the

container will sink slightly more and more deeply into the ring.

The width of the receiving member is preferably chosen such that it is simple for everyone to handle. This means in practice that people with broad fingers must preferably also be able to hold the ring without contact with the ice.

The edge of the receiving member with the largest diameter is preferably provided on its inside with a chamfering. Melt water from the outer side of the part of the container located above the receiving member is hereby guided along the inner side of the receiving member to the reservoir.

In preference the contact surface between the re- ceiving member and the container is relatively large and uniform so that the ice will melt less quickly. Uneven pressure causes a more rapid melting.

The bottom of the container is preferably flattened so that contact with the melt water in the reservoir is prevented. This also prevents quicker melting, while dripping from the container is also prevented.

In an alternative embodiment the collecting reser¬ voir can also serve as receiving member. In such an embodiment the collecting reservoir preferably comprises means for fixedly holding therein the ice glass. Such means can for instance be formed by fingers extending from the bottom of the reservoir in which the glass can be clamped. The tops of the fingers then penetrate into the ice, whereby the glass is held fixedly. The volume of such a reservoir is once again chosen such that the entire amount of melt water can be received therein. In preference the inner diameter of the reservoir is so much greater than the outer diameter of the glass that an opening is left between the glass and the reservoir. This facilitates the draining of melt water. Such reservoirs are particularly suitable for less tapering glasses such as so-called tumblers for whisky.

The present invention further relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a container according to the

invention, comprising an outer mould and an inner mould of smaller dimension for placing therein, wherein the outer mould and the inner mould when placed one in the other define a space for forming therein the container of ice. The container preferably has a form such that it can be removed from the mould in simple manner. This implies in practice that a stepped or tapered form is recommended for both the mould and the container.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the inner mould is self-releasable. This may be achieved by providing the inner mould with a relatively oblique wall, for example of more than 10°, preferably about 18°. In this embodiment the mould is preferably made of rigid material.

The inner mould and the outer mould can preferably be releasably fixed to each other to prevent floating of the inner mould in the outer mould. Any random fixing mechanism can be used for this purpose, such as a snap/clamp connection and the like.

It is of course practical when a plurality of outer and inner moulds are mutually connected, whereby a large number of containers of ice can be manufactured simultaneously. Moreover the stability of the fixing mechanism is thus improved whereby it becomes possible to embody the outer mould in lighter material. The advantage of the use of an assembly of two or more moulds is that the accidental release of the fixing mechanism is substantially avoided. However, after freezing the fixing mechanism will automatically come loose due to expansion of the ice. The fixing mechanism is preferably situated such that a release thereof can only take place when the underside of the apparatus is situated at the top. The advantage hereof is that the outer mould can be pulled in simple manner from the container. In the reverse situation it is much more difficult to remove the inner mould from the container.

In order to facilitate removal of the outer mould the invention also provides an insert for an outer mould

comprising two or more at least partly removable components which when fitted together form the outer mould of the container. This insert can be placed in the normal outer mould. Its parts thereby join together in leakage-proof manner. After completion of the ice glass the insert can be taken out of the outer mould and the components of the insert can be detached or bent open. The ice glass is hereby simple to remove from the insert and slight heating of the mould is no longer necessary. Slight heating of the outer mould in the hands or under a warm flow of water can result in cracking of the glass. The melting process is hereby also initiated more quickly. Both drawbacks are avoided through use of the insert.

Of importance particularly for catering use, but of course also for the consumer public, is an alternative embodiment of the apparatus for manufacturing the container. Such an embodiment comprises an outer mould of disposable material and an inner mould of smaller size for placing therein, wherein the outer mould and the inner mould when placed one in the other define a space for forming therein the container of ice. In preference the disposable material is a thin flexible plastic or paper. The inner mould can also consist of a disposable material. In order to remove the outer mould after manufacture of the glass the outer mould can be provided with leakage-proof perforation edges for tearing off the mould at least partially therealong. The perforation line may assume any desired form. Recommended however is a line which runs spirally and optionally leaves the bottom part of the outer mould in place round the ice glass. It is also possible to remove only the upper half of the outer mould. Non-removal of the bottom part or at least another part of the outer mould enables hygienic handling of the ice glass. The presence of the bottom part also forms an additional barrier to leakages. The advantage of the use of disposable moulds which can be removed from the glass by tearing and the like is that the glass does not necessarily have to have a releasing form. More upright forms are thereby also possible.

In an alternative embodiment of the disposable mould the inner mould may take the form of a lid for closing of the space defined by the outer and inner moulds. The lid may either cover the inner mould completely or only close of the space which is filled with water. Preferably this type of mould is not filled to the rim because water will expand upon freezing. To achieve this either mould may be provided with holes near the rim through which excess water is drained off. The lid is preferably ribbed to provide for grip to facilitate removal of the inner mould. The lid may also be used in a non-disposable mould.

The strength of thin mould material may be improved by a slight corrugation thereof. As an alternative the mould wall may be stepped. This type of material may also facilitate removal of the inner mould. When using a corrugated or stepped inner mould of thin material the inside volume of the inner mould will slightly decrease upon pulling the upper edge of the inner mould thus releasing the mould from the inner wall of the container. The same effect may be achieved when the wall of the inner mould is slightly convex.

The use of an outer mould without bottom enables another manner of filling. The moulds are placed together upside down and filled via the bottom side. Both moulds must in that case join together such that leakage via the top side, which during filling is situated at the bottom, is not possible. In the case of downward tapering containers this embodiment is only possible with disposable outer moulds. In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the moulds according to the invention both the inner mould and the outer mould are made of a thin disposable material. The top edges can then be mutually fixed in leakage-proof manner, for instance by means of sealing.

Disposable moulds are preferably provided with holes near the upper edge thereof. The holes may be present in either the inner or outer mould, or in both. By provision of holes excess water will be removed from the mould thus leading to uniform containers. Holes in the inner mould will

lead to the excess water being drained to the inside of the inner mould. Thereby the outside of the mould and thus the hands of the person handling the mould will not get wet. The outer mould may be provided with means for producing a relief in the ice. The means may be an integral part of the mould or a separate element containing a relief forming part having a shape which is the negative of the relief to be produced. The relief in the ice may be either positive or negative. The separate element may be attached to the mould by means of a snap/clamp connection, adhesive, sealing or other means. The connection may be either permanent or releasable. In a specific embodiment the element is a ring which may be simply put in the outer mould. Preferably the ring comprises small ribs to secure the ring in the (flexible) mould to avoid floating. The relief may be for decoration purposes or for advertizing. As an alternative a separate ring comprising a decoration printed thereon or left open in the ring may be provided in the mould. After freezing and removal of the outer mould the ring will stay behind in the ice thus serving its purpose. In another embodiment the member used for handling the container may already be contained in the mould before freezing. After freezing the member will be frozen in in the ice. The invention further relates to a method for manufacturing the containers according to the invention, comprising filling with a freezable liquid an apparatus for manufacturing the container, freezing the apparatus with contents and removing the container from the apparatus. In practice the method comes down to the outer mould being filled with water and the inner mould being subsequently placed therein.

In the method of the invention the containers of ice can be frozen again for some time after removal from the manufacturing apparatus. The melt water resulting during removal of the containers from the manufacturing apparatus hereby becomes ice again so that the containers have a longer lifespan.

A glass according to the invention is preferably only filled to about 5 mm below the rim. Thus is prevented that drink is drawn to the upper rim of the ice glass and there causes a rapid melting. The drink to be served is preferably cooled prior to pouring into the glass. This prevents the melting process setting in prematurely.

Drinking from a container according to the invention provides a very special drinking sensation. An additional advantage of the containers according to the invention is that they are not breakable and do not have to be washed. This is an important advantage, certainly for use in the catering industry.

The present invention will be further elucidated on the basis of the annexed drawings in which corresponding reference numerals refer to corresponding components, and wherein: figure 1 shows a partly broken away perspective view of a container according to the invention with a receiving member and reservoir in exploded situation (figure 1A) and when placed one in the other (figure IB) ; figure 2 shows a perspective view of a container according to the invention in the situation of use; figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of a re- ceiving member; figure 4 is a partly broken away perspective view of an apparatus for manufacturing the container according to the invention in exploded state; figure 5 is a cross sectional view of the apparatus of figure 4; figures 6, 1 , 9 and 10 show alternative embodiments of an apparatus for manufacturing a container of ice; figure 8 shows an alternative embodiment of a com¬ bined receiving member/collecting reservoir; figure 11 shows an insert for a mould as shown in figure 4.

Figure 1A shows a tapering glass of ice 1, the bottom 2 of which is thicker than the wall 3. The glass is

received in an annular receiving member 4 which can in turn be placed in a collecting reservoir 5 (see figure IB) . The receiving member 4 is provided on its inside at the top with a chamfering 6, whereby the melt water from the outside of ice glass 1 is guided more easily to reservoir 5. The underside of receiving member 4 has a smaller diameter than the rest of the ring and this underside 7 fits into reservoir 5 wherein the portion of the ring with the larger outer diameter 8 supports on the edge 9 of reservoir 5. Due to such a placing a good sealing is obtained whereby a cold environment prevails in the reservoir which inhibits melting of the ice glass.

Figure 2 shows the situation of use of container 1 with receiving member 4. It can be seen clearly here that the width of receiving member 4 is chosen such that it can be handled easily by anyone.

Figure 3 shows an alternative receiving member 17 which is provided on its inner side with ribs 18. The ice glass is hereby situated at a distance from the inner wall of the ring 17. The leak water can be drained more easily through the opening between the ice glass and the inner wall.

Figure 4 illustrates a multiple mould for manufac¬ turing ice glasses according to the invention. The lower mould 10 consists of four mutually connected outer moulds 11. A mould 12 with inner moulds 13 fits into the outer moulds 11, the mould 12 is provided with wings 14 with which the mould 12 is fixed to mould 10 via a clamp/snap connection. The wings have for this purpose a protrusion 15 which can be seen in figure 5 which shows a cross sectional view of the mould in the situation of use.

Figures 6 and 7 show alternative embodiments of apparatuses for manufacturing ice glasses. The outer moulds 20, 21 respectively have no bottom and are attached fixedly and leakage-proof via their edge 22 to the inner mould 19. The absence of the bottom results in a filling opening 23. The glasses are manufactured by filling the moulds with for instance water via this filling opening 23. As soon as the

water is frozen and the glasses are finished, the mould can be removed in simple manner. The embodiment as shown in figure 6 has an outer mould which consists of two parts. The upper part 25 (at the bottom in the drawing) can be removed by pulling on the lip 24. The inner mould can then be taken simply out of the ice glass. The lower part 26 of outer mould 20 remains placed round the ice glass. The glass can hereby be handled in hygienic manner. The embodiment as shown in figure 7 has perforations 27 whereby the different parts 37 of the outer mould can be torn.

Figure 8 shows an alternative embodiment of a col¬ lecting reservoir for melt water which also serves as receiving member. The lower part 37 of the outer mould 20, including the bottom, is still situated round the glass 31. The reservoir 28 is slightly larger than the glass and leaves an opening 29 free between glass 31 and reservoir 28. The drainage of melt water is hereby facilitated. The dimensions of reservoir 28 are chosen such that the entire quantity of melt water can be received therein. The glass is held in reservoir 28 using fingers 30 which push mould part 26 slightly into the ice and thus clamp the glass.

Figure 9 shows an alternative embodiment for a disposable mould according to the invention. The mould 32 is used in combination with an inner mould (not shown) . The mould is made of thin material such as cardboard or a thin plastic and provided with a spirally running perforation line 33. The mould can be easily removed from the ice glass by means of a simple movement. Figure 10 shows the mould 32 and glass 31 after removal of the mould. This type of mould is of course very suitable for purposes of disposal.

Figure 11 shows an insert, for instance for use in the conventional moulds as shown in figures 4 and 5. The insert consists of two halves 34 and 35 still partly joined to each other. The halves can be bent slightly away from each other whereby splits 36 occur. In this way the glass releases easily from the mould. The insert is preferably manufactured from durable material and can therefore be re¬ used.