Ice scoop with focused dispensing region

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10533788-B2
Application number	US-201815874933-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 19, 2018
Priority date	Jan 19, 2018
Publication date	Jan 14, 2020
Grant date	Jan 14, 2020

Abstract

A scoop includes a rear wall and a pair of spaced apart side walls; a gripping portion disposed on at least one of the rear wall or side walls; a floor portion connected to the rear wall and the pair of spaced apart side walls, the floor portion having a front edge portion; and a recessed portion formed in the floor portion adjacent to at least one of the spaced apart side walls and dipping below a level of the floor portion, the recessed portion being configured to guide a material contained in the scoop toward the front edge portion of the scoop while dispensing the material from the scoop.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ice scoop comprising:
a rear wall and a pair of spaced apart side walls;
a gripping portion disposed on at least one of the rear wall or side walls;
a floor portion connected to the rear wall and the pair of spaced apart side walls, the floor portion having a front edge portion;
a recessed portion formed in the floor portion alongside at least one of the spaced apart side walls and dipping below a level of the floor portion, such that the at least one of the spaced apart side walls is contiguous with the recessed portion and forms at least a portion of an outer side wall of the recessed portion, the recessed portion being inclined downward so as to become gradually deeper in a direction toward the front edge portion of the ice scoop, the recessed portion being configured to guide ice pieces contained in the ice scoop toward the front edge portion of the ice scoop while dispensing the ice pieces from the ice scoop; and
a plurality of ribs protruding from the floor portion,
wherein each of the plurality of ribs is shaped so as to gradually increase in height from the front edge portion of the ice scoop rearward toward the rear wall and then define a blunt surface spaced apart from and facing the rear wall, the blunt surface of each of the plurality of ribs and the rear wall defining a holding region therebetween, and
wherein the plurality of ribs keeps the ice pieces in the holding region and from falling out of the ice scoop while the ice pieces are being dispensed from the ice scoop through the recessed portion.

2. The ice scoop of claim 1 , further comprising a dividing wall protruding from the floor portion at a location adjacent to the recessed portion so as to divide the recessed portion from a remainder of the floor portion.

3. The ice scoop of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of ribs is generally triangular in shape when viewed from a side view.

4. The ice scoop of claim 1 , wherein the rear wall and the pair of spaced apart side walls join the floor portion with a smooth curve.

5. The ice scoop of claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion is formed with a smooth rounded curvature on its sides which gradually flatten out at a bottom of the recessed portion when viewed from a front view.

6. The ice scoop of claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion is formed with a smooth rounded curvature on its sides and at a bottom of the recessed portion when viewed from a front view.

7. The ice scoop of claim 1 , wherein the gripping portion comprises a handle disposed on the rear wall.

8. The ice scoop of claim 1 , wherein the ice scoop is formed of at least one of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polypropylene resin, or stainless steel metal.

9. An ice scoop comprising:
a rear wall and a pair of spaced apart side walls;
a gripping portion disposed on at least one of the rear wall or side walls;
a floor portion connected to the rear wall and the pair of spaced apart side walls, the floor portion having a front edge portion;
means, formed in the floor portion alongside and contiguous with at least one of the spaced apart side walls, for guiding of ice pieces contained in the ice scoop in a substantially single file fashion from a remainder of the floor portion of the ice scoop toward the front edge portion of the ice scoop and into a container, and
a plurality of ribs protruding from the floor portion,
wherein each of the plurality of ribs is shaped so as to gradually increase in height from the front edge portion of the ice scoop rearward toward the rear wall and then define a blunt surface spaced apart from and facing the rear wall, the blunt surface of each of the plurality of ribs and the rear wall defining a holding region therebetween, and
wherein the plurality of ribs keeps the ice pieces in the holding region and from falling out of the ice scoop while the ice pieces are being dispensed from the ice scoop through the means for guiding.

10. The ice scoop of claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of ribs is generally triangular in shape when viewed from a side view.

11. The ice scoop of claim 9 , wherein the rear wall and the pair of spaced apart side walls join the floor portion with a smooth curve.

12. The ice scoop of claim 9 , wherein the gripping portion comprises a handle disposed on the rear wall.

13. The ice scoop of claim 9 , wherein the means for guiding comprises a recessed portion that is inclined downward so as to become gradually deeper in a direction toward the front edge portion of the ice scoop.

14. The ice scoop of claim 9 , wherein the ice scoop is formed of at least one of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polypropylene resin, or stainless steel metal.

15. The ice scoop of claim 1 , wherein a beginning portion of the recessed portion is approximately two-thirds of the way back from the front edge portion of the ice scoop as compared to a distance between the front edge portion of the ice scoop and the rear wall of the ice scoop.

Assignees

• Bsh Home Appliances Corp
• Bsh Hausgeraete Gmbh

Inventors

• Gutkowski William
• Mok Andy
• Spradley Benjamin

Classifications

• F25C2400/04

  Ice guide, e.g. for guiding ice blocks to storage tank · CPC title

• A47F13/08

  Hand implements, e.g. grocers' scoops, ladles, paper-bag holders · CPC title

• F25C5/043 Primary

  Tools, e.g. ice picks, ice crushers, ice shavers · CPC title