Apparatuses and methods for making ice blocks, such as ice cubes

Abstract

An ice cube mold consists of a flexible body having a first face, a second face and a peripheral edge. A plurality of ice forming cavities are formed in both the first face and the second face. Having ice forming cavities on both faces allows two or more of the ice cube molds to be formed into an assembly. In accordance with a described method, the assembly is inserted into a container, which is flooded with water and then placed in a freezer until the water forms ice in the ice forming cavities.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . An ice cube mold, comprising:
 a flexible body having a first face, a second face and a peripheral edge, with a plurality of ice forming cavities formed in both the first face and the second face.   
     
     
         2 . The ice cube mold of  claim 1 , wherein bottoms of the ice forming cavities in the first face define spacer panels between cavities on the second face and bottoms of the ice forming cavities on the second face define spacer panels between cavities on the second face. 
     
     
         3 . The ice cube mold of  claim 1 , wherein ice forming cavities with an open side are formed along at least a portion of the peripheral edge. 
     
     
         4 . The ice cube mold of  claim 1 , wherein a pull tab is formed along at least a portion of the peripheral edge. 
     
     
         5 . The ice cube mold of  claim 1 , wherein each of the cavities is tapered with decreasing width when moving from an access opening of each cavity to a bottom of each cavity. 
     
     
         6 . The ice cube mold of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible body maintain flexibility at temperatures below minus eighteen degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         7 . The ice cube mold of  claim 6 , wherein the flexible body is made of silicone. 
     
     
         8 . An ice cube mold, comprising:
 a flexible body having a first face, a second face and a peripheral edge, with a plurality of ice forming cavities formed in both the first face and the second face, bottoms of the ice forming cavities in the first face defining spacer panels between cavities on the second face and bottoms of the ice forming cavities on the second face define spacer panels between cavities on the second face, each of the cavities is tapered with decreasing width when moving from an access opening of each cavity to a bottom of each cavity, ice forming cavities with an open side being formed along at least a portion of the peripheral edge and a pull tab being formed along at least a portion of the peripheral edge.   
     
     
         9 . An ice cube mold assembly, comprising:
 at least two of the ice cube molds of  claim 1 , placed in face to face relation to form an assembly, the ice forming cavities of a first ice cube mold being aligned with the ice forming cavities of a second ice cube mold, which is adjacent to the first ice cube mold, with the ice forming cavities of the first ice cube mold forming a first half of a plurality of cumulative ice cube compartments and the ice forming cavities of the second ice cube mold forming a second half of the cumulative ice cube compartments, gaps being provided between the at least two ice cube molds to allow entry of water and exit of air from the cumulative ice cube compartments;   a water retaining container receiving the assembly in close fitting relation.   
     
     
         10 . The ice cube mold assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the water retaining container is comprised of a water retaining liner supported within a structural retainer. 
     
     
         11 . The ice cube mold assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the water retaining liner is a bag having an access opening, with a first side and a second side opposed to the first side, the first side and the second side being lined with at least one groove and at least one ridge, respectively, the at least one groove and the at least one ridge interlocking to form a seal when the first side and the second side are pressed together. 
     
     
         12 . The ice cube mold assembly of  claim 9 , wherein each ice cube mold is supported upright on the peripheral edge when the assembly is positioned within water retaining container. 
     
     
         13 . The ice cube mold assembly of  claim 9 , wherein each ice cube mold has a pull tab formed along at least a portion of the peripheral edge, the pull tab of each ice cube mold being laterally offset from the pull tab of an adjacent ice cube mold. 
     
     
         14 . The ice cube mold assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the ice cube molds are arranged in pairs. 
     
     
         15 . The ice cube mold assembly of  claim 9 , wherein each ice cube mold has ice forming cavities with an open side formed along at least a portion of the peripheral edge, the open side of the ice forming cavities being closed by the water retaining container. 
     
     
         16 . The ice cube mold assembly of  claim 9 , wherein a cover closes an access opening of the water retaining container. 
     
     
         17 . The ice cube mold assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the water retaining container is comprised of a flexible body having a central portion surrounded by appendages, the appendages being movable between a collapsed position laying on a common plane relative to the central portion and an operative position extending vertically relative to the central portion to provide containment. 
     
     
         18 . The ice cube mold assembly of  claim 17 , wherein there are four appendages configured in two pairs of opposed appendages and one of the two pairs of opposed appendages have lateral wings which cover gaps between the appendages. 
     
     
         19 . The ice cube mold assembly of  claim 17 , wherein a tie strap maintains the appendages in the operative position. 
     
     
         20 . A method of forming ice cubes, comprising:
 providing a plurality of ice cube molds, each ice cube mold comprising a flexible body having a first face, a second face and a peripheral edge, with a plurality of ice forming cavities formed in both the first face and the second face;   forming an ice cube mold assembly by placing at least two of the ice cube molds in face to face relation, the ice forming cavities of a first ice cube mold being aligned with the ice forming cavities of a second ice cube mold, which is facing the first ice cube mold, with the ice forming cavities of the first ice cube mold forming a first half of a plurality of cumulative ice cube compartments and the ice forming cavities of the second ice cube mold forming a second half of the cumulative ice cube compartments, gaps being provided between the at least two ice cube molds to allow entry of water and exit of air from the cumulative ice cube compartments;   inserting the ice cube mold assembly into a water retaining container that accommodate the assembly in close fitting relation;   filling the container with water;   placing the container holding the assembly in a freezer until the water freezes;   removing the assembly from the container; and   disassembling the assembly to release ice cubes which have formed from the cumulative ice cube compartments.