Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02893675 2015-06-05
SHIELD FOR MIXER
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the food and beverage industry,
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] It is well-known in the food and beverage industry to sell a soft serve
product
such as ice cream or frozen yogurt blended with additives in the form of
cookie, candy
and/or fruit bits. The blended product is typically served in a suitable cup
and eaten
with a spoon. The product sold by the Dairy Queen TM chain under the trade-
mark
BLIZZARD is exemplary in this regard. Normally, the vendor maintains an
inventory of
different additives, and blends into each serving, using a milkshake mixer or
the like,
additives as desired by each customer. The manner in which the taste and
texture of
soft serve is thus customized adds greatly to consumer appeal, but at the same
time,
complicates hygiene. A notable problem is associated with the desire to
deliver to the
customer a full cup. This, of course, is easily done in the context of liquid
beverages or
the like, but blending a cup full of soft serve and additives together
invariably results in
splattering. To guard against splatter, it is customary to use a cup extender,
which is
fitted into the open end of the cup during preparation and removed for
presentation of
the blend to the customer. One popular form of cup extender is a stainless
steel
annulus having a lower portion which is adapted to fit snugly into the upper
volume of
the cup and an upper portion dimensioned to capture/block splatter from the
mixer in
use. This form of cup extender is known to work well. To avoid the need for
periodic
cleaning of the stainless annulus form of cup extender, it is also known to
utilize
disposable cup extenders which are the equivalent of the sidewall portion of a
disposable beverage cup, i.e. a disposable cup minus the disc-shaped bottom.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A shield for use with a cup forms one aspect of the invention. The
shield
comprises a tubular member having first and second open ends, the first end,
in use,
being disposed in close-fitting relation within the open end of said cup and
the second
end, in use, projecting out of said cup.
[0004] According to another aspect invention, the tubular member can be
constructed
out of sheet material and have at least two axes for permitting said tubular
member to
fold into a flattened condition.
[0005] According to another aspect of the invention, the tubular member can be
constructed out of a compostable material.
[0006] According to another aspect of the invention, the tubular member can be
constructed solely out of sheet material secured upon itself.
[0007] According to another aspect of the invention, the tubular member can be
constructed out of a recyclable plastic material.
[0008] According to another aspect of the invention, the tubular member can be
constructed out of a biodegradable material.
[0009] According to another aspect of the invention, the tubular member can be
constructed out of a die cut sheet having ends adapted to mechanically connect
with
one another to define said tubular member.
[0010] According to another aspect of the invention, the first and second open
ends
can be of unequal cross-sectional dimensions.
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[0011] According to another aspect of the invention, the tubular member can be
frustoconical and taper in width from its second to first open end.
[0012] According to another aspect of the invention, when the tubular member
is
disposed in a flattened condition, the edge of said tubular member which
defines the
second end opening can be convex and the edge of said tubular member which
defines
the first end opening can be concave.
[0013] According to another aspect of the invention, the tubular member can be
constructed from food grade materials.
[0014] According to other aspects of the invention, the tubular member can be
constructed from fibrous material, the fibrous material can comprise
cellulosic material
and the fibrous material can comprise fibers selected from the group
consisting of
cotton, hemp, straw, kenaf, sugar cane, corn stalk, flax, jute, coconut husk,
coir, sisal
and bagasse.
[0015] According to another aspect of the invention, the tubular member can be
constructed from 12 pt. solid bleached sulfite.
[0016] According to another aspect of the invention, the tubular member can be
coated on the inner surface with a water resistant agent.
[0017] According to another aspect of the invention, the tubular member can be
coated on the outer surface with a water resistant agent.
[0018] According to another aspect of the invention, in use, the tubular
member can
project about 5 cm out of said cup.
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[0019] According to other aspects of the invention, the tubular member can be
dimensioned such that, in normal use, the portion thereof projecting out of
the cup
captures substantially all of the splatter produced in the creation of a
blended product,
and the blended product can be soft serve.
[0020] Use of the shield in the creation of blended products provides the
splatter
capture benefits of known cup extenders while avoiding the need for periodic
cleaning
associated with known stainless cup extenders and providing an advantageous
combination of cost and environmental benefit in comparison with known
disposable
cup extenders. Other advantages, features and characteristics of the present
invention,
as well as methods of operation and functions of the related elements of the
structure,
and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more
apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and the
appended
claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, the latter being briefly
described
hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a shield constructed
according to a
preferred embodiment of the invention;
[0022] FIGURE 2 is top view of the shield of FIGURE 1;
[0023] FIGURE 3 is a side view of the shield of FIGURE 1, in a
flattened
condition; and
[0024] FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the shield of FIGURE 1, in
use with
a cup.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] With general reference to FIGURE 1, an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention, a shield, is illustrated, and is designated by the general
reference
numeral 20.
[0026] The shield 20 illustrated is constructed from sheet material 22 secured
upon
itself to form a tubular member having first 24 and second 26 open ends and
two axes
A-A and B-B.
[0027] The tubular member is frustoconical and tapers in width from its second
26 to
first 24 open end, such that the first 24 and second 26 open ends are of
unequal cross-
sectional dimensions.
[0028] The sheet material 22 is a compostable, biodegradable, food grade,
cellulosic
material, namely, 12 pt. solid bleached sulfite (SBS), secured to itself by a
compostable, biodegradable, food grade adhesive, and coated on both sides with
a
compostable, biodegradable, food grade, water resistant agent such that the
inner 28
and outer 30 surfaces of the tubular member are so coated,
[0029] The axes A-A and B-B permit the tubular member to fold into a flattened
condition, as shown in FIGURE 3, where it is seen that the edge 32 of said
tubular
member which defines the second end 26 opening is convex and the edge 34 of
said
tubular member which defines the first end 24 opening is concave.
[0030] The shield 20 in shown in use with a cup 36 in FIGURE 4, wherein it
will be
seen that the first end 24 is disposed in close-fitting, snug, relation within
the open end
of said cup 36 and the second end 26 projects about 5cm out of said cup 36
such that,
in normal use, the portion thereof projecting out of the cup 36 captures
substantially all
of the splatter produced in the creation of a blended soft serve product
(blended in a
conventional manner). Once the soft serve blend has been created, the shield
can be
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disposed of, preferably for composting. In this specification, the word "cup"
is used
consistently. However, it should be understood that "cup" need not refer to
vessels
sometimes used for containing liquids, but rather, throughout this description
and
amended claims, refers to an open-topped vessel which has the general
appearance of
a cup, even if such vessel is only used for containing non-liquid substances,
such as
soft serve.
=
[0031] Use of the shield 20 in the creation of blended products provides the
splatter
capture benefits of known cup extenders while avoiding the need for periodic
cleaning
associated with known stainless cup extenders and providing an advantageous
combination of cost and environmental benefit in comparison with known
disposable
cup extenders.
[0032] The shield can be manufactured using the principles of the process
described
in United States Patent No. 6,863,644, which is incorporated herein by
reference and
basically describes a process whereby sheet material is die cut, folded and
adhesively
secured to form a tubular element.
[0033] While but a single embodiment of the shield has been herein shown and
described, it will be understood that various changes can be made.
[0034] For example, materials other than SBS can be utilized for the
construction of
the tubular member, such as other sheet materials made from fibres including
cotton,
rice, hemp, straw, kenaf, sugar cane, corn stalk, flax, jute, coir, sisal and
bagasse. As
well, food grade plastics, including recyclable plastics, could be utilized.
As well,
materials of weight greater or lesser than 12pt. can be used, and indeed, the
weight/thickness of the material used will vary depending upon the physical
properties
of the material actually employed in the creation of the shield. Indeed, the
shield itself
need not be constructed out of sheet material and could, for example,
potentially be
press-formed out of particulate matter, molded, etc.
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[0035] As well, whereas the described shield is constructed out of
biodegradable,
compostable material, materials lacking such characteristics could be used,
but would
not be preferred.
[0036] Further, whereas the illustrated shield tapers, it will be understood
that it need
not, and will preferably be adapted to the shape of the cup with which it is
to be used,
so as to (i) fit snugly in the upper end of the cup so as to facilitate
handling during
preparation and blending; and (ii) project a sufficient distance above the
upper end to
effectively capture spatter without impeding blending.
[0037] Moreover, whereas in the exemplary embodiment adhesive is used to
secure
the sheet material to itself, it should be understood that the tubular member
could also
be constructed of a die cut sheet having ends adapted to mechanically connect
with
one another to define said tubular member. The mechanical engagement could be
provided, for example, by (i) a single hook at one end of the die cut sheet
adapted to
engage a notch in the other end, in a manner analogous to the closures
commonly
found on cake boxes or the like; (ii) a hook formed at each end of the die cut
sheet
adapted to engage with one another; or (iii) other variations.
[0038] Yet further, whereas reference is made to a specific manufacturing
process, it
should be understood that the manner in which shields according to the present
invention can be manufactured will be routine to persons of ordinary skill in
the art and
may vary widely.
[0039] As well, whereas the description makes specific reference to the
blending of
soft-serve products, it will be evident that the shield could be used for
other products,
such as frappucino. Depending upon the duration of mixing, and the type of
product to
be blended, the mechanical properties of the material from which the shield is
constructed may need to be adjusted. Such adjustment would be a matter of
routine pt
persons of ordinary skill in the art and thus is not described herein.
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[0040] Accordingly, the invention should be understood as limited only by the
claims
appended hereto, purposively construed.
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