Artisan Ice System, Method and Apparatus

Abstract

In a system for production of artisan ice, a freezer receives an artisan ice production unit comprising a water bath, a mold bottom and a mold top. The mold bottom and top define a mold that is partially immersed in the water bath when the water bath and mold are engaged and filled with water. The water bath may be heated by a heat source to control freezing of the water in the mold. The water bath, and mold top define lips above the level of water in the mold to prevent leakage of water from the mold and water bath. The mold bottoms may be stacked when the mold bottoms contain artisan ice portions for compact storage of the artisan ice portions.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An artisan ice production system, the system comprising:
 a. a freezer configured to chill an air within the freezer to below a freezing temperature of water;   b. an artisan ice production unit, said freezer being configured to receive and to support said artisan ice production unit, said artisan ice production unit including a water bath and a mold, said water bath and said mold being configured to contain a water, a portion of said mold being configured to be submerged within said water bath when said mold and said water bath contain said water.   
     
     
         2 . The artisan ice production system of  claim 1  wherein said freezer defines a surface within said freezer, said surface being configured to receive and to support said artisan ice production unit, said surface including a heat source, said heat source being configured to provide heat to said water bath. 
     
     
         3 . The artisan ice production system of  claim 2  wherein said mold defines a mold top and a mold bottom, said mold bottom defining a perforation communicating through said mold bottom, whereby said water within said mold is in communication with said water in said water bath when said mold top and bottom are in engagement with said water bath and said mold and said water bath contain said water. 
     
     
         4 . The artisan ice production system of  claim 3  wherein said water bath is insulated against a heat transfer from said water bath to said chilled air within said freezer. 
     
     
         5 . The artisan ice production system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a. an upstanding water bath lip defined by a periphery of said water bath;   b. a mold top lip defined by said mold top, said water bath lip and said mold top lip extending upward to a lip level, said lip level being above a level of said water in said mold when said mold and said water bath are in engagement and said mold and water bath are filled with said water, whereby said water does not leak from said mold when said mold is filled with said water.   
     
     
         6 . The artisan ice production system of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a. a fill hole communicating through said mold top;   b. a fill lip surrounding said fill hole, said fill lip extending upward to said lip level, whereby a level of said water within said fill lip corresponds to a level in said water bath and provides a feedback to a user as to whether said mold is filled and as to whether said water bath will overflow.   
     
     
         7 . The artisan ice production system of  claim 3  wherein said mold defines a shape for an artisan ice, said shape being a sphere or a cube. 
     
     
         8 . The artisan ice production system of  claim 3  wherein said mold bottom contains an artisan ice portion, said mold bottom is a one of a plurality of mold bottoms, each of said mold bottoms containing a one of said artisan ice portions, said plurality of mold bottoms combined with said artisan ice portions being stackable one on another without contact between said artisan ice portions, whereby said artisan ice portions may be compactly stored without damage to said artisan ice portions. 
     
     
         9 . The artisan ice production system of  claim 8  wherein said freezer is configured to accept said plurality of stacked mold bottoms containing said artisan ice portions in a stacked condition. 
     
     
         10 . The artisan ice production system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a. a plurality of sensors, said sensors being configured to detect a temperature of said heat source and a temperature of said chilled air;   b. a control system, said control system being configured to control said temperature of said heat source and said temperature of said chilled air.   
     
     
         11 . A method for producing an artisan ice, the method comprising:
 a. providing an artisan ice production unit, said artisan ice production unit comprising a water bath and a mold configured to be immersed partially in said water bath;   b. filling said mold and said water bath with a water so that mold is partially immersed in said water bath;   c. providing a freezer;   d. placing said artisan ice production unit in a chilled air in said freezer.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , the method further comprising: providing a heat source within said freezer, said heat source being in contact with said water bath, said heat source being configured to provide a heat to said water bath to control a freezing of said water in said mold. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a. providing a plurality of sensors, said plurality of sensors detecting a temperature of said chilled air and a temperature of said heat source;   b. providing a control system, said control system being in communication with said sensors, said control system be operably connected to said freezer and to said heat source;   c. controlling said temperature of said air and said temperature of said heat source using said control system to control a freezing of said water in said mold.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: providing an insulation, said insulation being configured to reduce a flow of heat from said water bath to said chilled air, whereby a requirement for said heat from said heat source is reduced. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said mold comprises a mold top and a mold bottom, said step of providing said water bath and said mold further comprises:
 a. providing said mold top, said water bath having a periphery, said periphery of said water bath defining a water bath lip, said mold top defining a mold top lip, said mold top lip being configured to engage said water bath lip, said water bath lip and said mold top lip extending upward to a lip level, said lip level being at or above a level of said water in said mold when said mold and said water bath are in engagement and said mold and water bath are filled with said water;   b. providing a fill hole communicating through said mold top;   c. providing a fill lip surrounding said fill hole, said fill lip extending upward to said lip level, whereby said water does not leak from said mold when said mold is filled with said water and whereby a level of water in said fill lip provides a feedback to a user as to whether said mold is filled and as to whether said water bath will overflow.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said mold comprises a mold top and a mold bottom, the method further comprising:
 a. removing said mold top and said water bath to reveal an artisan ice portion in said mold bottom; 
 b. stacking said mold bottom with said artisan ice portion in said mold bottom with another mold bottom with another artisan ice portion, whereby said mold bottom is configured for stacking without damage to said artisan ice portions. 
 c. placing said stacked mold bottoms and artisan ice portions in said freezer for storage. 
 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for artisan ice production, the apparatus comprising:
 a. a water bath, said water bath having an open water bath top, said water bath being configured to contain a water;   b. a mold top and a mold bottom configured for engagement with said water bath, said mold top and bottom in combination defining a mold, said mold being configured to contain said water, said mold bottom being configured to be at least partially immersed in said water contained in said water bath when said mold top and said mold bottom are in engagement with said water bath and said mold and said water bath are filled with said water.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein said mold bottom defining a perforation communicating through said mold bottom, whereby said water within said mold is in communication with said water in said water bath when said mold top and bottom are in engagement with said water bath and said mold and said water bath contain said water. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , the apparatus further comprising:
 a. an upstanding water bath lip defined by a periphery of said water bath;   b. a mold top lip defined by said mold top, said water bath lip and said mold top lip extending upward to a lip level, said lip level being above a level of said water in said mold when said mold and said water bath are in engagement and said mold and water bath are filled with said water;   c. a fill hole communicating through said mold top;   d. a fill lip surrounding said fill hole, said fill lip extending upward to said lip level, whereby said water does not leak from said mold when said mold is filled with said water and whereby a level of said water within said fill lip corresponds to a level in said water bath and provides a feedback to a user as to whether said mold is filled and as to whether said water bath will overflow.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein said mold bottom is a one of a plurality of mold bottoms, each of said plurality of mold bottoms being configured to hold a plurality of artisan ice portions, each of said plurality of mold bottoms being stackable one on another when each of said plurality of mold bottoms contains said plurality of artisan ice portions, said plurality of mold bottoms being stackable without touching of any one or said artisan ice portions to any other of said artisan ice portions, whereby said artisan ice portions may be compactly stored without damage to said artisan ice portions.