COMMERCIAL FROZEN FOOD PREPARATION APPARATUS

• US 20110090756A1
• Filed: 10/12/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: F'Real Foods LLC (Rich Products Corporation)
• Original Assignee: F'Real Foods LLC (Rich Products Corporation)
• Inventors: Farrell, James, Scheible, Kathleen Ann, Voges, Jens Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,905,626 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 366/138
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/045 of slush-ice, e.g. semi-frozen beverage
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/20 the products being mixed with gas, e.g. soft-ice
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/28 for portioning or dispensing
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 43/044 with tools driven from the top side
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/13 Mixing of ice-cream ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/80 with stirrers rotating about a substantially vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/805 wherein the stirrers or the receptacles are moved in order to bring them into operative position; Means for fixing the receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/02 Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/00 Cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto B08B6/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/816 into which liquid is added and the resulting preparation is retained, e.g. cups preloaded with powder or dehydrated food

Abstract

A machine prepares semi frozen food products and/or beverages from pre-prepared (e.g. frozen) cups. A user chooses the desired frozen cup, inserts it into the machine, chooses how they would like it prepared from a range of thickness options, and the machine then opens a sealed chamber door and inserts the product upward into the chamber and prepares the product by blending it in the cup. Upon removal of the product and resealing of the chamber door, the cleaning mechanisms provide thorough cleaning of all food contact surfaces and the chamber interior. Automatic high temperature steam sanitation takes place in the chamber if the machine is not used for an extended period of time, thus greatly reducing or eliminating the need for manual cleansing and sanitation by an attendant and ensuring healthy food preparation at all times.

Claims

1. A food preparation apparatus, comprising:

a chamber comprising a door, the door sealing to the chamber when the door is in a closed position;

a carriage comprising a cup holder;

a motor that transports the carriage and a cup within the cup holder into the chamber from a starting position and returns the carriage and cup to the starting position; and

a mechanism that opens the door of the chamber as the carriage is transported and the cup is placed within the chamber and closes the door as the carriage is transported to the starting position,

the apparatus configured to clean the chamber when the door is in the closed position and sealed to the chamber.

2. The food preparation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a chimney coupled to an orifice of the chamber.

3. The food preparation apparatus of claim 2, wherein the orifice coupled to the chimney is located at a lower portion of the chamber, and is the only means for steam to escape from the chamber when the door is in the closed position.

4. The food preparation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a mixing blade coupled to a drive shaft; and

cup lid weight through which the drive shaft passes.

5. The food preparation apparatus of claim 4, wherein the weighted cup lid is supported by the driveshaft and configured to tilt and expose a portion of the underside of the weighted cup lid.

6. The food preparation apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a water delivery system that dispenses water into the cup as the mixing blade bores through a product within the cup during a preparation cycle,

the water delivery system comprising one or more scouring nozzles and configured to automatically deliver water through the one or more scouring nozzles to the an underside of the weighted cup lid after preparation when the door of the chamber is in a closed position.

7. The food preparation apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is configured to rotate the drive shaft and the weighted cup lid as the water delivery system delivers water from the scouring nozzles to the cup lid weight, drive shaft, and mixing blade.

8. The food preparation apparatus of claim 1, wherein walls of the chamber comprise a thermoset polymer.

9. The food preparation apparatus of claim 8, wherein the walls of the chamber are fabricated to create a surface texture that facilitates the release of food particles.

10. The food preparation apparatus of claim 8, wherein the walls of the chamber are fabricated to have approximately 0.5-2.0 micron diameter protrusions approximately 1-4 microns high.

11. The food preparation apparatus of claim 10, wherein the protrusions are distributed approximately 5-15 microns apart.

12. The food preparation apparatus of claim 8, wherein a surface of the weighted cup lid is fabricated to have approximately 0.5-2.0 micron diameter protrusions approximately 1-4 microns high.

13. The food preparation apparatus of claim 12, wherein the protrusions are distributed approximately 5-15 microns apart.

14. A food preparation apparatus, comprising:

a chamber comprising a door at a underside of the chamber, the door sealing to the chamber when the door is in a closed position;

a carriage comprising a cup holder;

a motor that elevates the carriage and a cup within the cup holder into the sealed chamber from a starting position and returns the carriage and cup to the starting position; and

a mechanism that opens the door of the chamber as the carriage is elevated and the cup is placed within the chamber and closes the door as the carriage is lowered to the starting position,

the apparatus configured to initiate a cleaning sequence after the door has been closed.

15. A food preparation apparatus, comprising:

a chamber comprising a door at a lower portion of the chamber, the door sealing to the chamber when the door is in a closed position;

a carriage comprising a cup holder;

a motor that elevates the carriage and a cup within the cup holder into the sealed chamber from a starting position and returns the carriage and cup to the starting position; and

a water delivery system that dispenses water into the cup as a blade mixes a product within the cup during a preparation cycle,

the water delivery system comprising one or more scouring nozzles, the system configured to automatically deliver water through the scouring nozzles to an underside of the weighted cup lid following each preparation cycle, when the door of the chamber is in a closed position and the chamber door is sealed.

16. The food preparation apparatus of claim 15, wherein the water delivery system further comprises one or more rotary nozzles configured to spray water on the chamber walls.

17. The food preparation apparatus of claim 16, wherein the water delivery system is further configured to activate and dispense water from a first rotary nozzle after a threshold period of time since a previous cleansing of the chamber has been met or exceeded.

18. The food preparation apparatus of claim 17, wherein the water delivery system is further configured to refill a water reservoir coupled to the first rotary nozzle after it has dispensed the water.

19. The food preparation apparatus of claim 18, wherein the water delivery system is further configured to activate and dispense water from a second rotary nozzle after the threshold has been met or exceeded and the reservoir has been refilled.

20. The food preparation apparatus of claim 16, wherein the water delivery system further comprises a reservoir and a pump located upstream of the one or more rotary nozzles, the reservoir sized to provide a water supply sufficient to allow the nozzles to dispense 3-5 gallons per minute for 1-3 seconds.

21. The food preparation apparatus of claim 20, wherein the pump is located between the reservoir and the one or more nozzles and increases the water pressure twenty psi or more above that of an input water pressure to the apparatus.

22. The food preparation apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus or water delivery system thereof comprises a heater for heating the water that is dispensed into the cup during the preparation cycle.

23. The food preparation apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is configured to utilize the heater to generate steam and utilize the steam for sanitizing the apparatus.

24. The food preparation apparatus of claim 23, wherein the heater is controlled to heat water to 235 degrees Fahrenheit for steam production and controlled to heat water to 125 degrees Fahrenheit for water used in the preparation cycle.

25. The food preparation apparatus of claim 24 wherein the apparatus comprises a water line that delivers water from the heater to a port within the chamber, the water line and port used to deliver both the water dispensed into the cup and the steam used to sanitize the chamber.

26. A food preparation apparatus, comprising:

a chamber comprising a door at a lower portion of the chamber, the door sealing to the chamber when the door is in a closed position;

a carriage comprising a cup holder;

a motor that elevates the carriage and a cup within the cup holder into the sealed chamber from a starting position and returns the carriage and cup to the starting position;

a first set of nozzles within the chamber, the first set configured to spray water upon food contact surfaces; and

a second set of nozzles within the chamber, the second set configured to spray water on splash zone surfaces,

wherein the apparatus is configured to activate the first and second set of nozzles when the chamber door is in a closed position and the door is sealed to the chamber.

28. The food preparation apparatus of claim 26, wherein the second set of nozzles comprise at least one rotary nozzle that delivers water in a rotating pattern around the nozzle and towards splash zone surfaces of the apparatus and chamber as the nozzle rotates.

27. The food preparation apparatus of claim, wherein the first set of nozzles comprise at least one fixed nozzle configured to project a stream of water in a fixed pattern away from the fixed nozzle towards the food contact surfaces and scours the food contact surfaces.