Mold and method for manufacturing a frozen confectionery

• US 6,565,902 B2
• Filed: 09/03/1999
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Ruano Del Campo, Miguel, Domenech Sendra, Eduardo
• Primary Examiner(s): Cano, Milton I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Madsen, Robert A
• Application Number:
  US09/390,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20020094362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 426/91, 426/95, 426/100, 426/101, 426/104, 426/134, 426/421, 426/515, 426/306, 426/279, 425/442, 425/126.2
• US Class Current: 426/134
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/44 characterised by shape, structure or physical form liquid products, solid products in the form of powders, flakes or granules for making liquid products A23G9/52
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/48 Composite products, e.g. layered , laminated, coated, filled
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/503 products with an inedible support, e.g. a stick

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a three dimensional confectionery of frozen confectionery which can be easily handled and consumed, consists of a frozen confectionery body and a handling member for holding it. The handling member passes through the body and projects from the ends of the body, so that the confectionery can be consumed while being held by the two ends with both hands. The invention is also directed to a process for making and a mold and production line apparatus for making the confectionery.

Claims

1. A method of making a three dimensional frozen confectionery, comprising:

placing a handling member having a central portion and first and second ends between first and second sections of a mold that are pivotally connected together about a hinge configured to retain the first and second sections in pivotal attachment with each other both with the mold open and closed;

pivoting the first and second mold sections about the hinge to;

close the mold and form a cavity around the central portion of the handling member with the first and second ends of the handling member exposed from the mold cavity,

seal the cavity from the second end of the handling member, and

define an opening around the first end of the handling member such that the first end is received through the opening;

directing a first fluid confectionery into the mold cavity through the opening with the first end received through the opening;

freezing the confectionery in the mold around the handling member;

pivoting the first and second mold sections about the hinge to open the mold; and

demolding from the open mold the frozen confectionery.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the freezing of the confectionery comprises cooling the mold cavity to a temperature sufficiently low to freeze the confectionery in the mold cavity.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the cooling of the cavity comprises placing the mold in a freezing fluid environment, cold air tunnel, or combination thereof after the confectionery is directed therein.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the closing of the mold sections comprises sealingly engaging a second end of the handling member by the closing of the mold sections.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the frozen confectionery comprises ice.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the closing of the mold sections comprises hot blow-molding a plurality of thermoplastic sheets and sealing the sheets about the cavity such that the sheets can be detached from each other by peeling.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the demolding of the confectionery comprises applying heat to the cavity to assist in releasing then confectionery from the first and second mold sections.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising directing a second liquid confectionery into the cavity with the frozen first confectionery and cooling the second confectionery to form first and second contacting and distinct portions of the frozen confectionery.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising emptying a portion of the first liquid confectionery from the cavity after partial freezing to form a first layer on the first and second mold sections and then directing a second liquid confectionery into the cavity to form a second layer of the second confectionery adjacent and in contact with the first layer.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising emptying a portion of the second liquid confectionery from the cavity after partial freezing to form the second layer on the first layer and then directing a third liquid confectionery into the cavity to form a third layer.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding to the liquid confectionery inclusions that comprise one or more of chocolate, nuts, fruits, a sauce, a syrup or a mixture thereof in an amount sufficient to change the appearance of the confectionery.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising coating the frozen confectionery after demolding, wherein the coating is substantially applied to the frozen confectionery but not the ends of the handling member.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the confectionery comprises ice cream, the coating comprises chocolate and the coating is applied by rolling or spraying.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the confectionery comprises a water ice or sorbet, the coating comprises water and is applied by spraying to form a protective surface glaze.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the handling member is inserted with the mold sections attached at the hinge, and the opening of the mold comprises pivoting the mold sections about a hinge pin of the hinge and retaining the mold sections attached by the hinge.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the hinge is disposed on a side of the mold substantially opposite from the opening.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising latching the mold sections to mold sections of adjacent molds in the open position.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising conveying the mold about a closed circuit along with a plurality of said molds to repeat said method for making a plurality of said frozen confectioneries with exposed first and second ends of handling members.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the handling member comprises a stick and the confectionery is molded such that the exposed ends project sufficiently from the frozen confectionery for holding from the ends during handling and consumption.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising retaining the mold sections retained in pivotal attachment with the mold open.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the frozen confectionery is demolded from the open mold with the first and second ends exposed from the confectionery.

22. A frozen-confectionery mold, comprising:

first and second mold sections;

a hinge pivotally attaching the mold sections together and configured for allowing the mold sections to pivot between open and closed positions while remaining attached together;

a mold cavity defined between the mold sections and configured for receiving and molding the confectionery in the closed position, the mold sections defining therebetween an opening in fluid communication with the cavity and configured for receiving a handling member in a molding position with a first end of the handling member extending through the opening exposed from the mold cavity and with a central portion of the handling member extending across the cavity, the opening being configured for receiving the confectionery directed therein in a fluid state with the handling member in the molding position for filling the cavity with the fluid confectionery;

an end handling portion defined between the mold sections and configured for holding a second end of the handling member sealed and exposed from the cavity for supporting the handling member in the molding position; and

a cooling device in cooling association with the mold for cooling the mold to a temperature for freezing the confectionery in the cavity to produce a frozen confectionery with protruding first and second ends.

23. The mold of claim 22, further comprising a catch associated with the first mold section and configured for catching on another mold section of an adjacent mold to retain the first and second mold sections in the open position for demolding the frozen confectionery.

24. The mold of claim 22, wherein the hinge comprises a pinned hinge.

25. A frozen confectionery manufacturing device, comprising:

a plurality of molds of claim 22;

a conveyer configured for moving the molds in a closed circuit for making a plurality of said frozen confectioneries with exposed first and second ends of said handling members thereof.