ICE BUCKETS

This invention relates to containers or so-called ice buckets for holding ice, in order to chill drinks bottles and other vessels.

Bottled drinks, such as wine or champagne, are often chilled by inserting the bottle into a bucket or other container of ice cubes. When the bottle is removed from the bucket, the surrounding ice cubes fall into the void left by the bottle, thereby making it difficult to reinsert the bottle into the ice bucket after drinks have been poured.

I have now devised an ice bucket device which alleviates the above-mentioned problems.

In accordance with this invention, there is provided an ice bucket device comprising an ice bucket having an upstanding external wall or walls bounding an outer compartment, the ice bucket further comprising an inner compartment separated from the outer compartment by barrier means defining one or more openings extending between said compartments.

In use, the outer compartment of the device can be filled with particulate ice, for example in the form of ice cubes, the barrier means serving to hold back the ice from the inner compartment, such that a bottle can easily be inserted into the inner compartment. As the ice melts, the cold water flows through the opening or openings in the barrier means into contact with the bottle, thereby chilling it. If necessary, some water can be added to the ice in the outer compartment to expedite the flow of cold water into the inner compartment.

Preferably the barrier means is separable from the ice bucket. In this way, the barrier means can be supplied for fitting to existing ice buckets.

Preferably spacer means extend between the said barrier means and said external wall or walls of the ice bucket, so as to maintain a sufficient space around the barrier means for receiving the ice.

Preferably spacer means extend from said barrier means.

Preferably said spacer means apply a bias between said barrier means and said external wall or walls of the ice bucket.

Preferably the spacer means comprises a plurality of elongate fingers, which are preferably resiliency flexible and arcuate in shape.

Preferably the spacer means are detachably engageable with the barrier means at respective points around the periphery thereof, so that they can be detached from the barrier means when not in use, in order to make the barrier means more compact for sale and for storage.

Preferably the barrier means comprises a tubular sleeve, which is preferably open at its opposite ends.

Preferably the sleeve comprises a plurality of apertures in a side wall thereof, which define said openings.

Preferably closure means are provided for preventing ice from falling into the inner compartment when the outer compartment is being filled with ice.

Preferably said closure means comprises a closure for closing the upper end of the barrier means.

Preferably the closure comprises an upper surface having a raised central portion, which causes any ice that falls on the closure to be shed radially outwardly into the outer compartment.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of an example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, from one side and above, of an embodiment of ice bucket device in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 2 is a perspective view, from one side and below, of a barrier member of the device of Figure 1.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown an ice bucket device comprising a conventional ice bucket 10 having a circular base and an upstanding tubular side wall 11.

In accordance with this invention, a generally tubular barrier member 12 is fitted co- axially within the bucket 10 to define an annular outer compartment 13 between the side wall of the ice bucket 10 and the barrier member 12. The interior of the barrier member 12 defines an inner compartment 15 in the centre of the device. The spacing between the wall 1 1 of the bucket 10 and the tubular wall of the barrier member 12 is maintained by a plurality of resiliently flexible arcuate fingers 16, which extend outwardly from respective circumferentially-points disposed around the lower edge of the barrier member 12.

The inner ends of the fingers 16 comprise formations 17, which are slidably received in axially-extending slots formed in the lower edge of the barrier member 12. The upper end of the side wall of the barrier member 12 is outwardly-fluted. The lower end of the side wall is formed with an array of apertures 18.

A circular closure 19 is provided for fitting to the upper end of the barrier member 12, so as to close the upper end of the inner compartment 15. The closure 19 comprises a raised central portion, which is inclined outwardly and downwardly towards a peripheral edge of the closure 19.

In use, ice cubes are tipped into the outer compartment 14 of the ice bucket device, the closure 19 serving to prevent any ice cubes from falling into the inner compartment 15. The raised profile of the closure 19 acts to shed any ice cubes that fall onto the closure 19 into the outer compartment 14.

Once the outer compartment 14 is full of ice, the closure 18 can be removed to allow a bottle of drinks to be inserted into the inner compartment 15. It will be appreciated that the barrier member 12 contains the ice cubes 20 in the outer compartment, such that the inner compartment is kept free of ice and the bottle is thus easy to insert and remove from the inner compartment 15. The apertures 18 allow melted ice water to

flow from the outer compartment 14 into the inner compartment 15 to contact and chill the bottle. If necessary water can be added to the ice to expedite this process.

When not in use, the barrier member 12 can be removed from the bucket 10. The fingers 16 can be detached from the tubular side wall of the barrier member 12 in order to make the barrier member 12 more compact for storage. The resiliently flexible fingers 16 allow the barrier member 12 to be fitted to existing ice buckets 10 having a range of diameters.

Alternatively, an ice bucket may come supplied with a barrier member, either permanently or detachably mounted inside it.

An ice bucket device in accordance with the present invention is simple and inexpensive in construction yet allows bottled drinks to be cooled efficiently without any of the problems that are associated with conventional ice buckets.