MACHINE FOR PRODUCTS SUCH AS ICE CREAMS, GRANITA OR FROZEN BEVERAGES

• US 20130152620A1
• Filed: 07/21/2011
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ugolini SPA (Delta Finanziaria SpA)
• Original Assignee: Ugolini SPA (Delta Finanziaria SpA)
• Inventors: Ugolini, Marco Corrado
• Granted Patent: US 9,591,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/426
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/12 using means for stirring the contents in a non-moving container
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/227 Details
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/36 Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling

Abstract

A machine for producing and dispensing products such as ice cream, frozen beverages or granita comprises a transparent product container which is provided with a tap for dispensing the product and which contains an evaporator of a refrigerating circuit or cooling the product in the container and a mixer element for stirring the product. The machine comprises means for diffusing a thin stream of moving air over the outer walls of the container. These air diffusion means may comprise a fan which emits an air flow inside a diffuser element which is arranged above the container and which defines a mouth around the top of the container and blows downwards the thin stream of air onto the outer walls of the container. The diffuser element may be advantageously formed in the lid the container.

Claims

1. Machine for producing and dispensing product products such as ice cream, frozen beverages or granita, comprising a visible container for containing the product, which is provided with a tap for dispensing the product and which contains an evaporator of a refrigerating circuit for cooling the product in the container and a mixer element for stirring the product, wherein the machine further comprises means for diffusing moving air over outer walls of the container, the means having a diffuser element which defines at least one mouth around a top part of the container and which blows a layer of air over the outer walls of the container.

2. Machine according to claim 1, wherein the air diffusion means comprise a fan, wherein the fan is configured for emitting an air flow inside the diffuser element arranged above the container.

3. Machine according to claim 1, wherein the diffuser element is formed by a lid configured for closing the top part of the container and which defines internally a chamber for diffusion of the moving air, wherein the lid has a bottom edge which is spaced from side wall of the container so as to define peripherally the at least one mouth around the container for communicating with the diffusion chamber.

4. Machine according to claim 3, wherein the air diffusion means comprise a fan, wherein the fan is configured for emitting an air flow inside the diffuser element arranged above the container, wherein the diffusion chamber is removably connected to at least one passage, the at least one passage configured for supplying the air flow from the fan.

5. Machine according to claim 1, further comprising a channel defined underneath the container, the channel configured a for collecting condensate which flows along the outer walls of the container.

6. Machine according to claim 5, wherein the channel has a discharge outlet leading into a grille arranged underneath a zone for dispensing the product from the tap.

7. Machine according to claim 1, further comprising a channel arranged around a dispensing mouth of the tap, the dispensing mouth configured for collecting and conveying to a discharge outlet condensate which flows down an outer front zone of the container in vicinity of the tap.

8. Machine according to claim 1, wherein the evaporator is in the form of a cylinder with a substantially horizontal axis, which projects into the container from a rear wall, wherein the mixer element is configured to rotate on the cylinder along an axis coaxial with the substantially horizontal axis of the cylinder.

9. Machine according to claim 8, wherein rotation of the mixer element is provided via means of a motor unit at least partially housed inside a compartment of the machine.

10. Machine according to claim 9, wherein the air diffusion means comprise a fan for emitting an air flow inside a compartment of the machine, wherein the fan draws in air from a part of the compartment which houses the motor unit.

11. Machine according to claim 1, wherein the air diffusion means comprise nozzles, the nozzles configured for emitting an air flow in vicinity of bottom of the container.

12. Machine according to claim 11, wherein the evaporator is in the form of a cylinder with a substantially horizontal axis, which projects into the container from a rear wall, wherein the mixer element rotates on the cylinder along an axis coaxial with the substantially horizontal axis of the cylinder, wherein the nozzles are arranged so as to open out on said rear wall of the container.

13. Machine according to claim 11, wherein underneath the container, there is a base which houses a fan, the fan configured for producing an air flow which is at least partially intercepted by a conveyor element configured to convey the air flow to the nozzles.

14. Machine according to claim 13, wherein the fan is configured to draw air through a condenser of the refrigerating circuit.