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(11) | EP 1 203 191 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
Ice mold Eisgefrierform Moule à glaçons |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
Field of the Invention
Background of the Invention
[0002] The molds for producing ice cubes and used in refrigerators and freezers usually have longitudinal and/or transversal rows of cavities or receptacles for the formation of ice cubes and which are dimensioned so that each may produce an ice cube having determined characteristics of shape and dimensions within a known standard, conventionally searched by the user.
[0003] An ice mold construction known in the art is made of a metallic material, usually aluminium. This construction has some advantages, such as the rapid formation of ice, due to the high speed of heat exchange between the mold material, which is a good heat conductor, and the environment where said mold is placed, usually a portion of the evaporating plate of a freezing compartment.
[0004] However, the constructions using a mold in a metallic material have some disadvantages, such as the easy adherence of the lower surface of the mold cavities to the adjacent surface of the evaporating plate, difficulty in dislodging the formed ice cubes from the molds, rigidity of the piece and cost of the product.
[0005] Aiming at solving these problems, molds of plastic material have been developed. However, these constructions have some deficiencies, such as the low speed in which the ice cubes are formed, due to the reduced thermal conductibility of the plastic and also to the formation of an air cushion, which acts as a thermal insulator and affects the capacity of heat exchange between the confronting lateral walls of the cavities.
Disclosure of the Invention
[0006] Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide an ice mold, which allows a higher speed of ice cube formation, regardless of the material with which the mold is made, particularly when this material is plastic.
[0007] This objective is achieved by an ice mold, of the type comprising a tray provided with a plurality of cavities for ice formation, each two adjacent cavities being separated by a corresponding tray portion, at least part of said tray portions being provided with at least one window, which is dimensioned in order to allow the formation and the ascending passage of a convective air current between two adjacent cavities.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0008] The invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
Figure 1 illustrates, schematically, an upper plan view of the mold of the present invention;
Figure 2 illustrates, schematically, a lateral view of the mold of the present invention; and
Figure 3 illustrates, schematically, a perspective view of the mold of figure 1;
Description of the Illustrated Embodiment
[0009] According to the present invention, the ice mold, which is preferably produced in a single piece and from plastic material, comprises a tray 10, which is substantially flat and provided with a plurality of cavities 11, downwardly projecting from the tray 10, each two adjacent cavities 11 being spaced from each other by a corresponding tray portion 12, said cavities 11 being, for example, arranged in longitudinal and transversal rows in the tray 10, as illustrated.
[0010] Each cavity has, for example, four lateral walls 13, converging at a base portion 14, inferior, which is seated onto a surface for heat exchange and ice formation, and an opening portion 15, superior, for extracting the ice formed inside each cavity 11.
[0011] According to the present invention, at least part of the tray portions 12 is provided with at least one window 20, which is dimensioned in order to allow the formation and the ascending passage of a convective air current between each two adjacent cavities 11.
[0012] According to the illustrated embodiment, each cavity 11 has an inverted frusto-pyramidal shape, with the base portion 14 being substantially flat and with the opening portion 15 having an area value, which is higher than but substantially close to the area value of the base portion 14.
[0013] The provision of tray portions 12 with windows 20 allows the confronting lateral walls 13 of the cavities 11 to have a maximized heat exchange, since they avoid the formation of an insulating air cushion in this region, as it occurs in the known prior art constructions, and allows the passage of a convective ascending refrigerant air flow, which allows said walls to effect heat exchange as well.
[0014] According to the present invention, in order to increase the heat exchange, without however significantly altering the dimensions and shape of the usual ice cubes, each cavity 11 has a depth calculated so as to correspond to about 70% the value of the smallest dimension of the opening portion 15, defining a dimensioning for the cavity 11 which results in an ice cube with a reduced height and enlarged horizontal dimensional parameters in relation to the usual ice cubes.
[0015] In the case of ice molds in plastic material, in order to increase the speed of heat exchange of the cavities 11 of said molds with the freezing compartment into which the latter are placed, the present invention further foresees the construction of cavities 11 with reduced thickness, at least at its base portion 14, for example, of about 0,6 mm. The lateral walls 13 thereof may have a reduced thickness as well, or with an intermediate thickness value, situated between that of the base portion 14 and that of the tray portion 12.
1. An ice mold comprising a tray (10) provided with a plurality of cavities (11) for
ice formation, each two adjacent cavities (11) being separated by a corresponding
tray portion (12), characterized in that at least part of said tray portions (12) is provided with at least one window (20),
which is dimensioned in order to allow the formation and the ascending passage of
a convective air current between two adjacent cavities (11).
2. Ice mold, as in claim 1, characterized in that each cavity (11) has a base portion (14), inferior and substantially flat, which
can seat against a surface, and an opening portion (15), superior, whose area value
is higher than but substantially close to the area value of the base portion (14),
in order to impart to the respective cavity (11) a substantially inverted frusto-pyramidal
shape.
3. Ice mold, as in claim 2, characterized in that each cavity (11) has a depth corresponding to about 70% the value of the smallest
dimension of the opening portion (15).
4. Ice mold, as in claim 3, characterized in that the cavities (11) are arranged in longitudinal and transversal rows in the tray (10).
5. Ice mold, as in claim 4, characterized in that it is made in a single piece.
6. Ice mold, as in claim 5, with the tray (10) being made of plastic material, characterized in that each cavity (11) has a reduced thickness at least on the base portion (14) thereof.
1. Eisgefrierform mit einer Schale (10), die mit einer Vielzahl von Hohlräumen (11) zur
Eisbildung versehen ist, wobei jeweils zwei benachbarte Hohlräume (11) durch einen
entsprechenden Schalenabschnitt (12) getrennt sind, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass mindestens ein Teil der Schalenabschnitte (12) mit mindestens einem Fenster (20)
versehen ist, das so bemessen ist, dass die Bildung und der aufsteigende Durchfluss
eines konvektiven Luftstroms zwischen zwei benachbarten Hohlräumen (11) möglich ist.
2. Eisgefrierform wie in Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass jeder Hohlraum (11) einen tiefer liegenden und im wesentlichen flachen Basisabschnitt
(14), der auf eine Oberfläche gesetzt werden kann, und einen höher liegenden Öffnungsabschnitt
(15) aufweist, dessen Flächenwert höher als der Flächenwert des Basisabschnitts (14)
ist, aber im wesentlichen nahe daran liegt, um dem jeweiligen Hohlraum (11) im wesentlichen
eine umgekehrte Pyramidenstumpf-Form zu verleihen.
3. Eisgefrierform wie in Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass jeder Hohlraum (11) eine Tiefe hat, die ungefähr 70 % des Wertes der kleinsten Abmessung
des Öffnungsabschnitts (15) entspricht.
4. Eisgefrierform wie in Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Hohlräume (11) in Längs- und Querreihen in der Schale (10) angeordnet sind.
5. Eisgefrierform wie in Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass sie in einem Stück hergestellt ist.
6. Eisgefrierform wie in Anspruch 5, bei der die Schale (10) aus Kunststoffmaterial besteht,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass jeder Hohlraum (11) mindestens an seinem Basisabschnitt (14) eine reduzierte Dicke
hat.
1. Moule à glaçons comportant un bac (10) pourvu de multiples cavités (11) pour la formation
de glace, deux cavités adjacentes (11) étant séparées chacune par une partie de bac
correspondante (12) caractérisé en ce qu'au moins une portion desdites parties de bac (12) est pourvue d'au moins une fenêtre
(20) qui est dimensionnée pour permettre la formation et le passage ascendant d'un
courant d'air de convection entre deux cavités adjacentes (11).
2. Moule à glaçons selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que chaque cavité (11) comporte une partie de base (14), inférieure et sensiblement plate,
qui peut s'appliquer contre une surface, et une partie ouverte (15), supérieure, dont
la valeur en section est plus grande que, mais sensiblement proche de, la valeur en
section de la partie de base (14), afin de donner à la cavité respective (11) une
forme en tronc de pyramide sensiblement retournée.
3. Moule à glaçons selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que chaque cavité (11) a une profondeur correspondant à environ 70% de la valeur de la
dimension la plus petite de la partie ouverte (15).
4. Moule à glaçons selon la revendication 3, caractérisé en ce que les cavités (11) sont agencées en rangées longitudinales et transversales dans le
bac (10).
5. Moule à glaçons selon la revendication 4, caractérisé en ce qu'il est formé d'une seule pièce.
6. Moule à glaçons selon la revendication 5, le bac (10) étant réalisé en matière plastique,
caractérisé en ce que chaque cavité (11) a une épaisseur réduite au moins sur sa partie de base (14).