U.S. patent application number 15/494475 was filed with the patent office on 2018-10-25 for ice tray assembly.
The applicant listed for this patent is Jordan VAZQUEZ. Invention is credited to Jordan VAZQUEZ.
Application Number | 20180306479 15/494475 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 63853756 |
Filed Date | 2018-10-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180306479 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
VAZQUEZ; Jordan |
October 25, 2018 |
ICE TRAY ASSEMBLY
Abstract
In an embodiment, ice tray assembly includes a housing, a bottom
tray, a top ice tray, middle layer and latches. The housing
includes an open side, and the bottom tray is adapted to be
disposed within housing. Top ice tray is disposed over bottom ice
tray within housing. Top ice tray includes first plurality of mold
cells for forming clear ice shapes. Each mold cell includes open
top end and open bottom end. Middle layer is adapted to be
sandwiched between bottom tray and top ice tray. Middle layer
includes plurality of perforations to pass free flowing oxygen from
top ice tray to bottom tray. Latches are coupled with bottom tray
and top ice tray, to hold them together within housing. Clear ice
shapes are produced in mold cells when free flowing oxygen from top
ice tray passes to bottom tray through plurality of perforations of
the middle layer.
Inventors: |
VAZQUEZ; Jordan; (White
Plains, NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
VAZQUEZ; Jordan |
White Plains |
NY |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
63853756 |
Appl. No.: |
15/494475 |
Filed: |
April 22, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25C 1/24 20130101; F25C
1/18 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F25C 1/24 20060101
F25C001/24; F25C 1/18 20060101 F25C001/18 |
Claims
1. An ice tray assembly for producing clear ice shapes, the ice
tray assembly comprising: a housing comprising an open side; a
bottom tray adapted to be disposed within the housing; a top ice
tray configured to be disposed over the bottom ice tray within the
housing, the top ice tray comprising a first plurality of mold
cells for forming clear ice shapes from water present in the first
plurality of mold cells, each mold cell comprising an open top end
and an open bottom end; a middle layer adapted to be sandwiched
between the bottom tray and the top ice tray, the middle layer
comprising a plurality of perforations to pass free flowing oxygen
from the top ice tray to the bottom tray; and one or more latches,
each latch coupled at least with the bottom tray and the top ice
tray to hold the bottom tray and the top ice tray together within
the housing, wherein the clear ice shapes are produced in the first
plurality of mold cells when the free flowing oxygen from the top
ice tray passes to the bottom tray through the plurality of
perforations in the middle layer.
2. The ice tray assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing
is made up of an insulated material.
3. The ice tray assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing
comprises a plurality of grooves along inner walls of the housing
for sliding the bottom tray, the top ice tray and the one or more
latches within the housing.
4. The ice tray assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom
tray comprises a second plurality of mold cells, each having an
open top end and a closed bottom end for collecting the free
flowing oxygen from the top ice tray.
5. The ice tray assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the bottom
tray further comprises one or more engagement provisions configured
to engage with the one or more latches.
6. The ice tray assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top ice
tray is made of at least one of Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene
(ABS), polystyrene and polypropylene.
7. The ice tray assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top ice
tray further comprises one or more engagement provisions configured
to engage with the one or more latches.
8. The ice tray assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
plurality of perforations in the middle layer is of varying
sizes.
9. The ice tray assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the middle
layer is made of at least one of a silicon material and a rubber
material.
10. The ice tray assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of
the one or more latches comprises a first engagement provision and
a second engagement provision for engaging with corresponding
provision of the bottom tray and the top ice tray,
respectively.
11. An ice tray assembly for producing clear ice shapes, the ice
tray assembly comprising: a housing of a box configuration
comprising an open side; a bottom tray adapted to be disposed
within the housing; a middle layer configured to be disposed over
the bottom tray within the housing, the middle layer comprising a
plurality of perforations; and a top ice tray configured to be
disposed over the middle layer within the housing, the top ice tray
comprising a first plurality of mold cells for forming clear ice
shapes from water present in the first plurality of mold cells in
response to free flowing oxygen from the top ice tray to the bottom
tray through the plurality of perforations, each mold cell
comprising an open top end and an open bottom end.
12. The ice tray assembly as claimed in claim 11, further
comprising one or more latches, each latch coupled at least with
the bottom tray and the top ice tray to hold the bottom tray and
the top ice tray together.
13. The ice tray assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the
housing comprises a plurality of grooves along inner walls of the
housing for sliding the bottom tray, the top ice tray and the one
or more latches within the housing.
14. The ice tray assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the
housing is made up of insulated material.
15. The ice tray assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the
bottom tray comprises a second plurality of mold cells having an
open top end and a closed bottom end for collecting the free
flowing oxygen from the top ice tray.
16. The ice tray assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the
bottom tray further comprises one or more engagement provisions
configured to engage with the one or more latches.
17. The ice tray assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the top
ice tray is made of at least one of polystyrene and
polypropylene.
18. The ice tray assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the top
ice tray further comprises one or more engagement provisions
configured to engage with the one or more latched.
19. The ice tray assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the
middle layer is made of a silicon material.
20. The ice tray assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the
middle layer is made of a rubber material.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to an ice tray and, more
particularly to an ice tray assembly used for producing clear ice
shapes.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Generally, ice trays are used for producing ice shapes such
as ice cubes for domestic purpose or for commercial purposes. The
use of conventional ice trays leads to the formation of ice cubes
with air trapped inside the ice cubes. Due to the trapped air, the
ice cubes appear white instead of clear. The conventional ice trays
generally do not separate the ice cubes from the trapped air and
the ice cubes appear white.
[0003] There are some conventional clear ice producing trays,
however their yield to produce clear ice is low, and such trays are
not capable of producing clear ice of different shapes and of high
quality. Also, design of the conventional clear ice producing trays
makes the extraction of the clear ice from the trays difficult and
time consuming.
[0004] In view of the above shortcomings, there is a requirement
for an ice tray assembly that produces clear ice shapes with high
yield and with less extraction time from trays.
SUMMARY
[0005] In an embodiment, an ice tray assembly for producing clear
ice shapes is disclosed. The ice tray assembly includes a housing,
a bottom tray, a top ice tray, a middle layer and one or more
latches. The housing includes an open side. The bottom tray is
adapted to be disposed within the housing. The top ice tray is
configured to be disposed over the bottom ice tray within the
housing. The top ice tray includes a first plurality of mold cells
for forming clear ice shapes from water present in the first
plurality of mold cells. Each mold cell includes an open top end
and an open bottom end. The middle layer is adapted to be
sandwiched between the bottom tray and the top ice tray. The middle
layer includes a plurality of perforations to pass free flowing
oxygen from the top ice tray to the bottom tray. One or more
latches are coupled at least with the bottom tray and the top ice
tray, to hold the bottom tray and the top ice tray together. The
clear ice shapes are produced in the first plurality of mold cells
when the free flowing oxygen from the top ice tray passes to the
bottom tray through the plurality of perforations in the middle
layer.
[0006] In another embodiment, an ice tray assembly for producing
clear ice shapes is disclosed. The ice tray assembly includes a
housing, a bottom tray, a middle layer and a top ice tray. The
housing includes an open side. The bottom tray is adapted to be
disposed within the housing. The middle layer is configured to be
disposed over the bottom tray within the housing. The middle layer
includes a plurality of perforations. The top ice tray is
configured to be disposed over the middle layer within the housing.
The top ice tray includes a first plurality of mold cells for
forming clear ice shapes from water present in the first plurality
of mold cells in response to free flowing oxygen from the top ice
tray to the bottom tray through the plurality of perforations. Each
mold cell includes an open top end and an open bottom end. The
clear ice shapes are produced in the first plurality of mold cells
when the free flowing oxygen from the top ice tray passes to the
bottom tray through the plurality of perforations in the middle
layer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0007] The invention itself, together with further features and
attended advantages, will become apparent from consideration of the
following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings. One or more embodiments of the present
invention are now described, by way of example/s only, with
reference to the accompanied drawings wherein like reference
numerals represent like elements and in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an ice tray
assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the ice tray
assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0010] FIG. 3A illustrates a side view of the ice tray assembly, in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 3B illustrates a sectional view of the ice tray
assembly along the line AA illustrated in FIG. 3A, in accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 3C illustrates a top view of the ice tray assembly, in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 3D illustrates a sectional view of the ice tray
assembly along the line BB as illustrated in FIG. 3C, in accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a housing of the
ice tray assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0015] FIG. 5A illustrates a perspective view of a bottom tray of
the ice tray assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0016] FIG. 5B illustrates an enlarged view of a region `B`, as
illustrated in FIG. 5A in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0017] FIG. 5C illustrates another perspective view of the bottom
tray, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0018] FIG. 6A illustrates a perspective view of a top ice tray of
the ice tray assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0019] FIG. 6B illustrates another perspective view of the top ice
tray, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0020] FIG. 7A illustrates a perspective view of a middle layer of
the ice tray assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0021] FIG. 7B illustrates a top view of the middle layer, in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 7C illustrates an enlarged view of a region `C` as
illustrated in the FIG. 7B, in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0023] FIG. 8 illustrates a view of a latch of the ice tray
assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0024] The drawings referred to in this description are not to be
understood as being drawn to scale except if specifically noted,
and such drawings are only exemplary in nature.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications
and alternative forms. Specific embodiments thereof have been shown
with the help of examples in the drawings and are described in
detail below. It should be understood, however that it is not
intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed,
but on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications,
equivalents, and alternative fallings within the spirit and the
scope of the invention.
[0026] The terms "comprises", "comprising", or any other variations
thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that
a setup, device or method that comprises a list of components or
steps does not include only those components or steps but may
include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent
to such setup or device or method. In other words, one or more
elements in a system or apparatus proceeded by "comprises . . . a"
does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other
elements or additional elements in the system or apparatus.
[0027] For the better understanding of this invention, reference
will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in greater depth in
the accompanying figures and description given below. In the
following figures, the same reference numerals are used to identify
the same components in various views.
Overview
[0028] Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide an ice
tray assembly primarily used for forming high quality clear ice.
The ice tray assembly also helps in easy extraction of the clear
ice. In one configuration, the ice tray assembly includes a
housing, a bottom tray, a top ice tray, a middle layer and one or
more latches. The housing is insulated and has an open top end. The
insulated housing allows the cold air to flow only in a top down
direction leading to the directional freezing of the ice tray
assembly. The housing includes grooves and acts as a support for
other components of the ice tray assembly, for example a stacked
combination of the bottom tray, the middle layer, the top ice tray
and the latches is placed within the housing.
[0029] The top ice tray is disposed above the bottom tray and
includes a first plurality of mold cells having an open top and an
open bottom. The clear ice shapes are formed in the mold cells of
the top ice tray forms upon freezing of the water present in the
mold cells. The middle layer is sandwiched between the top ice tray
and the bottom tray and acts as a base for the top ice tray. The
middle layer includes a plurality of perforation. The perforations
separate the free flowing oxygen from the top ice tray. The middle
layer is removable, thereby helps in easy extraction of the clear
ice shapes. The bottom tray is adapted to catch the free flowing
oxygen from the top ice tray. The bottom tray includes a second
plurality of mold cells to form scrap ice shapes upon freezing of
the water present therein. The second plurality of mold cells has
an open end and closed bottom. The second plurality of mold cells
can have different shapes as long as the volume of the bottom tray
is greater than the volume of the top tray. The latches are
configured to hold the top ice tray and the bottom tray together
within the housing.
[0030] Once the latches engage with the top ice tray and the bottom
tray with the middle layer sandwiched between the top ice tray and
the bottom tray, the latches form a water tight seal, and the
combination is placed inside the housing and water is poured into
the ice tray assembly. The middle layer allows the free flowing
oxygen from the top ice tray to flow to the bottom ice tray and
thereby leading to the formation of clear ice in the top ice tray
and scrap ice shapes in the bottom tray. Once the water in the top
ice tray is completely frozen, the ice tray assembly is removed
from the freezer and then from the housing, and is allowed to thaw
for some time. The removable middle layer helps in convenient
extraction of clear ice shapes from the top ice tray without
causing any damage to the clear ice shapes.
[0031] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an ice tray
assembly 10 in a utilized state, according to an embodiment of the
present invention. In operation, the ice tray assembly 10 is placed
inside a freezer (not shown) for the formation of clear ice shapes.
Various components of the ice tray assembly 10 are described with
reference to FIGS. 2 to 8.
[0032] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the ice tray assembly
10, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The ice
tray assembly 10 includes a housing 15, a bottom tray 20, a top ice
tray 25, a middle layer 30 and one or more latches 35. The housing
15 provides support to other components of the ice tray assembly
10. The ice tray assembly 10 is shown to have included the above
stated components in a specific configuration, however, those
ordinarily skilled in the art would appreciate that the ice tray
assembly 10 may include slightly different configurations of the
above stated components.
[0033] During assembly, a stacked combination of the bottom ice
tray 20, the middle layer 30, the top ice tray 25 along with the
latches 25, is disposed within the housing 15. The bottom tray 20
acts as a base for the top ice tray 25. The top ice tray 25 is
disposed over the bottom tray 202 in a configuration such that the
middle layer 30 is sandwiched between the top ice tray 25 and the
bottom tray 20. The combination of the bottom tray 20, the middle
layer 30 and the bottom ice tray 25 are held together by the one or
more latches 35 and thereafter the combination is placed inside the
housing 15.
[0034] Once the combination of the bottom tray 20, the middle layer
30, the top ice tray 25 and the latches 35 are disposed inside the
housing 15, water is poured into the ice tray assembly 10. The
water enters the ice tray assembly 10 through the top ice tray 25.
The middle layer 30 has a plurality of perforations that allows the
water and the free flowing oxygen from the top ice tray 25 to flow
towards the bottom ice tray 20, thereby leading to formation of
clear ice shapes 40 in the top ice tray 25. Scrap ice shapes 45 may
be formed in the bottom tray 20.
[0035] After the ice tray assembly 10 is filled with water, it is
placed inside a freezer. Once the water in the top ice tray 25 is
completely frozen, the ice tray assembly 10 is removed from the
freezer and then the combination of the bottom tray 20, the middle
layer 30, top ice tray 25 and the latches 35 is removed from the
housing 15 and made to thaw for a few minutes. The combination is
easily dissembled by removing the latches 35 and the bottom tray
20. The middle layer 30 can be removed by peeling off, making the
extraction of the clear ice shapes 40 from the top ice tray 25 very
convenient.
[0036] Different example views of the ice tray assembly 10 are
hereinafter described with reference to FIGS. 3A to 3D. FIG. 3A
illustrates a side view of the ice tray assembly 10 according to an
embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3B illustrates a
sectional view of the ice tray assembly 10 along a line AA as
illustrated in FIG. 3A. FIG. 3C illustrates a top view of the ice
tray assembly 10 and FIG. 3D illustrates a sectional view of the
ice tray assembly 10 along a line BB as illustrated in FIG. 3C.
[0037] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the housing 15
according to an embodiment of the present invention. The housing 15
includes an open side 151 and a plurality of grooves 152 formed on
inner walls (see, 155a, 155b). In an embodiment, the housing 15 is
insulated to allow cold air from the freezer to flow only in a top
down direction, thereby helping in the directional freezing of the
ice tray assembly 10. In a non-limiting implementation, the housing
15 can be configured of a size of 332.times.163.times.154 mm.
However, the housing 15 can be configured in a variety of other
sizes.
[0038] The plurality of grooves 152 is configured to facilitate
sliding of an assembly including the bottom tray 20, the top ice
tray 25, the middle layer 30 and the latches 35 while inserting the
assembly in or taking out the assembly from the housing 15. In an
embodiment, the housing 15 is configured with a draft (e.g.,
tapered surface) to facilitate easy placement and removal of the
assembly (e.g., the bottom tray 20, the top ice tray 25, the middle
layer 30 and the latches 35) in the housing 15. In a non-limiting
implementation, the draft can be configured at an angle of 2
degrees. However, the draft can be configured in a variety of other
angles. In a non-limiting example, the housing 15 is made of an
expanded polystyrene material. Alternatively, the housing 15 can be
made of other types of insulating materials.
[0039] Referring now to FIGS. 5A to 5C, the bottom tray 20 is
described in accordance with an embodiment of the present
disclosure. The bottom tray 20 is configured to collect the free
flowing oxygen from the top ice tray 25 and acts as a support for
the top ice tray 25. In the illustrated embodiment, the bottom tray
20 includes a second plurality of mold cells 205 and one or more
engagement provisions 210. The mold cells 205 are arranged in a
suitable rectangular grid to form scrap ice shapes 45 (shown in
FIG. 2) therein upon freezing of the water contained in the second
plurality of mold cells 205. In one configuration, the mold cells
205 may be identical to mold cells 255 (see, FIG. 6A) of the top
ice tray 25. However, identical configuration of the mold cells 205
and the mold cells 255 is not necessary, as long as the bottom tray
20 is configured such that it supports the top ice tray 25.
[0040] Each of the mold cells 205 includes an open top end 205a and
a closed bottom end 205b. The open top end 205a is configured to
receive the free flowing oxygen from the top ice tray 25.
[0041] The engagement provisions 210 are configured such that the
provisions 210 can slidably move in or out of the grooves 152,
enabling easy placement of the bottom tray 20 within the housing
15. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, there are four
engagement provisions 210, each formed on one outer side surface of
the bottom tray 20. However, it must be noted that there may be
more or fewer number of such engagement provisions 210 configured
on the bottom tray 20. FIG. 5B represents an enlarged view of the
engagement provision 210. In the illustrated non-limiting
embodiment of FIG. 5B, the engagement provision 210 includes an
opening 215 and a lip 220. The lip 220 is configured to engage with
a complimentary member of the latch 35 (refer FIG. 8). In a
non-limiting implementation, the bottom tray 20 can be configured
of a size of 290.times.125.times.71 mm. However, the bottom tray 20
can be configured in a variety of other sizes.
[0042] In an embodiment, the mold cells 205 are provided with a
slightly tapered configuration. For example, the mold cells 205 may
be tapered with an angle of 1 degree or two degrees. The mold cells
205 having different dimensions or shapes can be used, as long as
the volume of the bottom tray 20 remains higher than the volume of
the top ice tray 25. In non-limiting examples, the bottom tray 20
can be made of at least one of materials such as
Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS), high impact polystyrene,
propylene material and the like.
[0043] Referring now to FIGS. 6A and 6B, the top ice tray 25 is
described, in accordance with an embodiment of present disclosure.
The top ice tray 25 is disposed over the bottom tray 20. The top
ice tray 25 includes a first plurality of mold cells 255 and one or
more engagement provisions 260. The mold cells 255 are arranged in
a suitable rectangular grid to form corresponding clear ice shapes
40 upon freezing of the water contained in the mold cells 255. Each
of the mold cells 255 includes an open top end 255a and an open
bottom end 255b. The open top end 255a receives the water and the
open bottom end 255b acts as an opening for the water and the free
flowing oxygen to flow toward the bottom tray 20.
[0044] In an embodiment, the mold cells 255 are provided with a
tapered configuration for the easy removal of the clear ice shapes
40 from the top ice tray 25. In a non-limiting implementation, the
mold cell can be tapered with an angle of 1 degree. As shown in the
illustrated embodiment of FIG. 6A-6B, there may be four engagement
provisions 260 formed on each side of the outer surface of the top
ice tray 25. However, it must be noted that there may be more or
fewer number of such engagement provisions 260 configured on the
top ice tray 25. In a non-limiting example, the engagement
provision 260 includes a protruding member 265. The protruding
member 265 is configured to engage with a complimentary member
(e.g., a slot or hook) of the latch 35 (refer FIG. 8). In an
embodiment the protruding member 265 includes a circular tip for
engaging with the complimentary member of the latch 35.
[0045] The top ice tray 25 can be configured in variety of shapes
and configurations, and the top ice tray 25 may include mold cells
255 of different shapes and configurations that that are shown in
FIGS. 6A-6B. In non-limiting examples, the top ice tray 25 is made
of materials such as Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS), high
impact polystyrene, propylene material, and the like.
[0046] Referring now to FIGS. 7A and 7C, the middle layer 30 is
described, in accordance with an embodiment of present disclosure.
The middle layer 30 is sandwiched between the bottom tray 20 and
the top ice tray 25. The middle layer 30 forms the base of the top
ice tray 25. The middle layer 30 includes a plurality of
perforations 305. The plurality of perforations 305 allows the free
flowing oxygen from the top ice tray 25 to flow to the bottom tray
20, thereby leading to the formation of clear ice shapes 40 in the
top ice tray 25 and the scrap ice shapes 45 in the bottom tray 20.
FIG. 7C illustrates an enlarged view of the perforation 305. The
middle layer 30 can be removed by peeling off, thereby making
extraction of the clear ice shapes 40 convenient. In an embodiment,
the middle layer 30 is made of a stretchable material like silicon.
In another embodiment, the middle layer 30 is made of a TPE rubber
material.
[0047] In a non-limiting implementation, the middle layer 30 can be
configured of a size of 280.times.114 mm. However, the middle layer
30 can be configured in a variety of other sizes depending upon the
configurations of the bottom tray 20 and the top ice tray 25. In an
embodiment, the middle layer 30 is removably coupled to the top ice
tray 25. In a non-limiting implementation, each perforation 305 can
be configured with a size of 3 mm diameter. In another non-limiting
implementation, each perforation 305 can be configured with a size
of 2.15 mm diameter. However, it should be noted that the
perforations 305 can be configured in a variety of other sizes, and
may be of varying sizes.
[0048] FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of the latch 35
according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the
illustrated embodiment, the latch 35 has an elongated body
including a first engagement provision 355a and a second engagement
provision 355b formed on ends of the elongated body. The length of
the elongated body is such that it can cover heights of the top ice
tray 25 and the bottom tray 20 with the middle layer 30 sandwiched
therein. In this embodiment, each of the engagement provisions 355a
and 355b is hook shaped. The engagement provision 355a can be used
to engage with the lip 220 of the engagement member 210 of the
bottom tray 20. Similarly, the engagement provision 355b can be
used to engage with the protruding member 265 of the engagement
provision 260 of the top ice tray 25. The latch 35 creates a water
tight seal between the top ice tray 25, the middle layer 30 and the
bottom tray 20, and helps in easy placement and removal of the
trays in or out from the housing 15. In a non-limiting example, the
latch 35 is made of an expanded polystyrene material.
[0049] Various embodiments of the present invention advantageously
provide an ice tray assembly that produces a high volume of clear
ice shapes and high quality clear ice shapes. The advantageous
design of the ice tray assembly of the present invention
facilitates in easy extraction of the clear ice shapes without
causing any damage to the clear ice shapes. In the present
invention, the top ice tray is also replaceable, to create
different clear ice shape as per the requirement of the user. It
should also be appreciated that the embodiments of the present
invention can be used in the existing freezers.
[0050] While few embodiments of the present invention have been
described above, it is to be understood that the invention is not
limited to the above embodiments and modifications may be
appropriately made thereto within the spirit and scope of the
invention.
[0051] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the
particular features of this invention, it will be appreciated that
various modifications can be made, and that many changes can be
made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the
principles of the invention. These and other modifications in the
nature of the invention or the preferred embodiments will be
apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein,
whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing
descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of
the invention and not as a limitation.
* * * * *