Inventors:
Kenneth J. Michlitsch - Palo Alto CA 94303
Shaun Meredith - Natick MA 01760
Daniel J. Keating - Somerville MA 02145
Yaakov Weinstein - Brookline MA 02445
Eugene Lee - Somerville MA 02144
Michael D. Rees - New York NY 10007
Darren Soetantyo - Providence RI 02906
Sean Padgett - Grafton MA 01519
Steven D. Eppinger - Lexington MA 02421
International Classification:
A23G 0928
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus are provided for serving ice cream with a chemically-heated ice cream scoop. The scoop comprises a bowl and a handle with an interior cavity filled with a nontoxic, supercoolable salt solution. The salt solution may be selectively crystallized by triggering an activator in fluid communication with the solution. Crystallization evolves a significant amount of heat that is used to elevate the temperature of the scoop bowl, thereby decreasing the cutting force required to separate a serving of ice cream from a storage container and reducing adherence of the ice cream within the scoop bowl. After use, the scoop may be recharged by elevating the temperature of the crystallized solution above its crystallization temperature. The process of crystallization, melting, and supercooling may be repeated indefinitely.