SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RETAINING CYLINDRICAL ICE CREAM CONTAINERS

Abstract

An ice cream container cover having at least one interiorly positioned gripping member for preventing rotation of a cylindrical ice cream container. The cap also has an inner opening to permit access to the interior of the ice cream container and a square peripheral edge for engaging the inner walls of the ice cream cooler and any adjacent caps. When a cap is positioned snugly on the upper portion of an ice cream container, the cap will prevent rotation of the container when ice cream is scooped therefrom.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to containers for dispensing food items and, more particularly, to a system for preventing rotation of cylindrical ice cream containers.

2. Description of the Related Art

For decades, ice cream parlors have displayed their wares in coolers that are dimensioned to hold one or more rows of cylindrical ice cream containers in individual cylindrical receptacles build into the cooler. Typically, the ice cream containers holds multiple gallons of ice cream and, after a customer views and selects one or more varieties of ice cream, the ice cream vendor will dispense the appropriate variety and amount of ice cream by scooping the ice cream out of the container using a hand scoop. Typically, the process of the scooping the ice cream involves a vigorous application of force as the ice cream is kept at a cold temperature and is difficult to remove. This vigorous application of force usually results in the container rotating in place, thereby making the removal of ice cream difficult.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a principal object and advantage of the present invention to provide a system and method for retaining cylindrical ice cream containers in place while ice cream is being scooped from within.

In accordance with the foregoing objects and advantages, the present invention provides a cover for an ice cream container having an angular perimeter and at least one gripping member positioned interiorly to fictionally engage the ice cream container. The cover further comprises an inner opening formed therethrough that permits access to the interior of the ice cream container. The angular peripheral edge is preferably adapted to engage the inner walls of the ice cream cooler and any adjacent caps according to the present invention, such as by being square or rectangular. When the cover is positioned snugly on the ice cream container, the cover will prevent rotation of the container when ice cream is scooped therefrom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of two adjacent ice cream container covers according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of two adjacent ice cream container covers according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the interior of an ice cream container cover according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the interior of an ice cream container cover according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is is a top perspective view of an ice cream cooler having a series of ice cream container covers according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout, there is seen in FIGS. 1-2 an ice cream container cover 10 according to the present invention positioned on an ice cream container 12. Cover 10 includes an opening 14 that permits access to container 12 and further includes a peripheral edge having at least one flat surface for engaging an adjacent cover 10 of the inside of an ice cream cooler (not shown). Cover 10 is preferably manufactured from polypropylene or equivalent food grade plastics rated to -30 degrees F. using conventional molding processes, although those of skill in the art will recognize that other conventional materials and methods for forming cover 10 are possible.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, cover 10 includes at least one gripping member 16 positioned interiorly to frictionally engage container 12. As seen in FIGS. 3-4, gripping member 16 may comprise a separately molded part that is affixed to cover 10 by one or more receiver 18 formed integrally with cover 10. For example, gripping member 16 may comprise an extruded flexible rubber. Those of skill in the art should recognize that any number of combination of separately or integrally formed parts may be used to connect gripping member 16 to cover 10 so long as cover 10 is rigid enough to prevent rotation and gripping member 16 is elastic enough to receive container 12 and provide enough frictional engagement between cover 10 and container 12 to prevent rotation of container 12 when ice cream is being scooped therefrom.

As conventional ice cream containers 12 come in various sizes and, more specifically, may have different diameter openings, cover 10 must be dimensioned accordingly. For example, a typical three gallon container 12 is approximately 10 inches tall and has an opening with a diameter of nine and a half inches. Two and a half and two gallon containers generally have the same opening but are shorted in height. In the case of a standard three galloin container, a square cover 10 as seen in FIGS. 3-4 preferably has a side length of ten inches and an opening 14 having a diameter of 8.75 inches positioned centrally in said square cover 10. Four gripping members 16 are preferably positioned in each inside corner of cover 10 and spaced inwardly from the corner to engage container 12. As seen in FIG. 3, gripping member 16 may include two forked arms for more readily accepting container 12 therein and resisting rotational forced imparted to container 12 when ice cream is being scooped.

As seen in FIG. 5, multiple covers 10 may be arranged over containers 12 that are positioned in an ice cream cooler 20. In this embodiment, adjacent covers and the inside surface of container 12 cooperate to prevent rotation of cover 10 during scooping operations, while interiorly positioned gripping members 16 of stationary cover 10 prevent rotation of container 12.

Claims

1. A system for retaining a cylindrical ice cream container, said system comprising:

a cover positionable on the ice cream container:

an inner opening formed through said cover that permits access to the interior of the ice cream container; and

at least one gripping member positioned on the interior of said cover to frictionally engage the ice cream container.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one gripping member is structured to prevent rotation of the ice cream container during an ice cream scooping operation when said cover is positioned on the ice cream container and the ice cream container is in a confined space.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said at least one gripping member further comprises a base portion and two forked arm portions.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein each of said forked arm portions extends at approximately the same distance away from the base portion toward the inner opening, and at an acute angle from the other forked arm portion.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said at least one gripping member is a separately molded part from said cover.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said cover further comprises a receiver formed integrally therewith, wherein said at least one gripping member is structured to be removably secured at said base portion to said cover by said receiver.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said cover further comprises a second gripping member.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein each of said gripping members is positioned at a different inside corner of said cover.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said cover is structured to prevent rotation thereof during an ice cream scooping operation when said cover is positioned on the ice cream container and the ice cream container is in a confined space.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said cover further comprises a peripheral edge having at least one flat surface adapted to engage at least one of an inner wall of an ice cream cooler or a second cover positioned on an adjacent ice cream container within the ice cream cooler.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said cover's peripheral edge further comprises an angular perimeter.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said cover is made of a food grade plastic rated to between 0 and 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said cover is made of polypropylene.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one gripping member is made of an extruded flexible rubber.