EP0089733B1

EP0089733B1 - Ice bucket

Info

Publication number: EP0089733B1
Application number: EP83300070A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Edward James Jones-Fenleigh
Original assignee: Invicta Plastics Ltd
Current assignee: Invicta Plastics Ltd
Priority date: 1982-01-19
Filing date: 1983-01-06
Publication date: 1987-09-23
Also published as: EP0089733A3; ATE29829T1; EP0089733A2; DE3373778D1

Abstract

An ice bucket 10 has a removable tray 12 on which ice cubes, or the like, are supported. The tray 12 is provided with apertures 14 through which water melting from the ice cubes can flow into a collection compartment 18 below the tray. The tray 12 is supported in spaced relation to a base of the bucket by an annular wall 30 or legs (16). The tray 12 may also have upwardly extending sides 26 to form a double-walled construction with the bucket 10.

Description

The present invention relates to an ice bucket according to the prior art portion of Claim 1.
Ice buckets of the type with which this invention is concerned, are used to store ice, ready for use, in alcoholic drinks for example.
Known ice buckets operate on the basis of insulating ice contained in the bucket from the surrounding environment and accordingly a typical known bucket is of double wall construction, sometimes with insulating material between the walls other than air.
An ice bucket according to the prior art portion of Claim 1 is known from DE-A-1 940 161.
The ice bucket disclosed in DE-A-1 940 161 has an outer container with side walls and a base wall and an inner container having side walls and a foraminous base removably received within the outer container and forming means for receiving and storing ice.
GB-A-2 057 249 discloses a double-walled insulating vessel similar to that disclosed in DE-A-1 940 161. In GB-A-2 057 249 however the base of the inner vessel is spaced from the outer vessel by a downwardly extending projection formed on the inner base wall.
One disadvantage of such known constructions is that their double wall construction makes them comparatively expensive to manufacture. Another disadvantage is that as some of the ice melts, the remaining ice stands in melted water which not only makes the ice difficult to deal with but also hastens the melting of the remaining ice.
In accordance with the invention there is provided an ice bucket for storing ice for later use substantially free from water, said ice bucket comprising an outer container having side walls and a base wall, an inner container having side walls and a foraminous base removably received within said outer container and forming means for receiving and storing ice, and first spacing means spacing the foraminous base of the inner container from the base wall of said outer container in part to form a water collection chamber in a base portion of the outer container for water melted from ice stored in the inner container and in part to provide insulation below the inner container against melting of ice stored therein characterised in that second spacing means consisting of a rim around the top of the side walls of the inner container spaces the side walls of the inner container from the side walls of the outer container to provide insulation around the inner container against melting of ice stored therein and in that the first spacing means consists of an annular wall.
Both the inner and outer container may be constructed of any convenient material such as metal. A material having a low heat conductivity is preferred and desirably both components are moulded from plastics material.
The container may have any desired external shape but is conveniently in the general form of a hollow cylinder. In any event, the outside of the container may include advertising or other decorative material. If desired, the container may be provided with a lid which may be hinged to the container or be separate from it.
Conveniently the water collection compartment has a capacity of one fifth that of the total capacity of the container, the invention not being limited in this respect.
The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a sectional elevation of an ice bucket in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention.
The ice bucket shown is designated 10 and is in the general form of an open topped cuboid having slightly outwardly tapered side walls. At least one of the side walls of the bucket has a smooth exterior surface 24 so as to provide for the display of advertising or other decorative material. The bucket is injection moulded from plastics material. A tray 12 having upwardly extending sides 26 is mounted in the bucket in spaced relation to the base and side of the bucket. The tray has a plurality of tapered apertures 28 in its carrying surface and is spaced from the base of the bucket by an annular wall 30 which is of foraminous construction, for example with apertures 32.
The tray is spaced from the sides of the bucket by a peripheral rim 34 around the top of the upwardly extended sides of the tray. When the tray is in position, as viewed, a water collection compartment 18 is formed in the base of the bucket under the tray, which compartment has a capacity of about one fifth of the volume of the bucket. A space 36 is formed between the sides of the bucket and the upwardly extending sides of the tray so as to provide an insulating layer of air.
In use, the tray 12 is inserted into position within the container as may be seen in the drawing. Ice, preferably in the form of cubes or blocks, 20 is then placed on the tray ready for use as and when it may be required. As the ice blocks begin to melt the water thus formed 22 drains through the tapered apertures into the compartment 18. In this way the ice blocks are kept free from melted water. Since the water does not contact the ice blocks it cannot, as hitherto, conduct heat to the blocks and thus cause further or accelerated melting. Additionally, the provision of the space 36 and the air contained therein reduces the conduct of heat to the ice within the bucket by reason of the insulating effect of the air.
In practice, it has been found that ice may be kept in an ice bucket as shown in accordance with the invention for at least the same time as in a known sealed double-walled ice bucket and also provides for up to 20 percent greater storage capacity than conventional sealed double-walled ice buckets of similar exterior dimensions.

Claims

Ice bucket for storing ice for later use substantially free from water, said ice bucket comprising an outer container having side walls and a base wall, an inner container having side walls and a foraminous base removably received within said outer container and forming means for receiving and storing ice, and first spacing means spacing the foraminous base of the inner container from the base wall of said outer container in part to form a water collection chamber in a base portion of the outer container for water melted from ice stored in the inner container and in part to provide insulation below the inner container against melting of ice stored therein characterised in that second spacing means consisting of a rim (34) around the top of the side walls (26) of the inner container spaces the side walls of the inner container (12) from the side walls of the outer container to provide insulation around the inner container (12) against melting of ice stored therein and in that the first spacing means consists of an annular wall (30).