Detachable cell frozen confection forming and holding apparatus

Claim 1

A device for forming and dispensing a frozen liquid comprising: a tube of flexible material containing a freezable liquid having upper and lower walls, one end of said tube having entrance means for permitting the filling of said tube with liquid in an unfrozen state, the other end of said tube being sealed; and plural constriction-forming means in said tube at spaced intervals along the length thereof, for (i) dividing said tube longitudinally into a single line of a plurality of discrete cells connected exclusively in an extended arrangement, (ii) permitting the passage of unfrozen liquid into all of said cells from said entrance means, and (iii) facilitating the detachment of an individual cell from said tube when said liquid is frozen therein, while maintaining the structural integrity of the detached cell and the remaining cells in said tube, said freezable liquid being contained in said cells; said constriction-forming means each comprising an interrupted weld line having a liquid passage gap therein and disposed laterally across said tube, said weld line constricting said tube upon the freezing expansion of liquid in each cell so that said tube is easily broken at said weld line for detachment of a first expanded cell from a second expanded cell by stress along said weld line resulting from the leverage applied by the impingement of said first and second cells against one another when said tube is bent along said weld line; said interrupted weld line remaining intact along both said first and second cells when said first cell is detached from said second cell; each of said detached cells providing a container for the frozen liquid contained therein, said liquid passage gap providing a weakened end for said container along the weld line at which said cell was detached, said weakened end providing a means for dispensing said frozen liquid when pressure is applied to said container; and means for closing said entrance means.

Claim 2

A device for forming and dispensing a frozen liquid comprising: a tube of flexible material containing a freezable liquid having upper and lower walls, one end of said tube having entrance means for permitting the filling of said tube with liquid in an unfrozen state, the other end of said tube being sealed; and plural constriction-forming means in said tube at spaced intervals along the length thereof, for (i) dividing said tube longitudinally into a single line of a plurality of discrete cells connected exclusively in an extended arrangement, (ii) permitting the passage of unfrozen liquid into all of said cells from said entrance means, and (iii) facilitating the detachment of an individual cell from said tube when said liquid is frozen therein, while maintaining the structural integrity of the detached cell and the remaining cells in said tube, said freezable liquid being contained in said cells; said constriction-forming means each comprising an interrupted weld line having a liquid passage gap therein and disposed laterally across said tube, said weld line constricting said tube upon the freezing expansion of liquid in each cell so that said tube is easily broken at said weld line for detachment of a first expanded cell from a second expanded cell by stress along said weld line resulting from the leverage applied by the impingement of said first and second cells against one another when said tube is bent along said weld line; said interrupted weld line remaining intact along both said first and second cells when said first cell is detached from said second cell; each of said detached cells providing a container for the frozen liquid contained therein, said liquid passage gap providing a weakened end for said container along the weld line at which said cell was detached, said weakened end providing a means for dispensing said frozen liquid when pressure is applied to said container; and means for closing said entrance means.