Method and apparatus for producing and dispensing an aerated and/or blended food product

• US 6,698,228 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: W. Health L.P.
• Original Assignee: Moobella LLC
• Inventors: Brunner, Charles S., Kateman, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Application Number:
  US10/160,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20030085237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 62/71, 623/46, 623/54, 165/94, 994/60, 994/69
• US Class Current: 62/346
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/045 of slush-ice, e.g. semi-frozen beverage
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/163 with intermittent operation
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/20 the products being mixed with gas, e.g. soft-ice
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/228 Arrangement and mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/28 for portioning or dispensing
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/281 at the discharge end of freezing chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/282 for dispensing multi-flavour ice-creams
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/283 for filling containers with material
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/46 Aerated, foamed, cellular or porous products
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/48 Composite products, e.g. layered , laminated, coated, filled
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 41/22 between evaporator and compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 1/145 from the inner walls of cooled bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0071 Food articles which need to be processed for dispensing in a cold condition, e.g. ice and ice cream

Abstract

Apparatus for dispensing a frozen or partially frozen food product has a freezing surface with a central axis and periphery, a motor for rotating the freezing surface about that axis, a turret spaced above the freezing surface for depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the freezing surface while it is rotating so that the liquid mix spreads out on the freezing surface and cools to form a flat, at least partially frozen product body and a product delivery assembly disposed between the turret and the freezing surface. That assembly includes a scraper supported above the freezing surface and having a working edge engaging the freezing surface while it is rotating to scrape the frozen product body into a ridge row of scraped product. A vertical forming cylinder positioned adjacent to the periphery of the freezing surface has a side window and a bottom opening. A scraper blade may push the row of product into the forming cylinder through the window thereby compacting the scrapings into a shaped solid body. An ejector in the cylinder pushes the shaped solid body out of the bottom opening into a container such as a cup or cone. A dispensing method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. Apparatus for dispensing a food product comprising

a rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery;

motive means for rotating the rotary surface about said axis;

depositing means spaced above the rotary surface for depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the rotary surface while that is rotating so that the liquid product body, and

product delivery means disposed between the depositing means and the rotary surface, said delivery means including

scraping means supported above the rotary surface and having a working edge engaging the rotary surface while said rotary surface is rotating to scrape the at least partially solidified product body into a ridge row on said rotary surface;

leveling means spaced above said rotary surface to establish a gap therewith, said leveling means being positioned ahead of the scraping means so as to level the liquid product mix on said rotary surface while said rotary surface is rotating to the height of said gap prior to the formation of said at least partially solidified product body, and

removing means for removing said ridge row from the rotary surface as said food product.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the leveling means comprise

a roller having opposite ends, a rotary axis extending between said ends axis and a conical surface, and

mounting means for mounting the roller at said roller axis above the rotary surface so that said conical surface is parallel to the rotary surface and defines a gap therewith.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 6, wherein the roller comprises

a rigid conical core, and

an elastomeric covering on said core and which constitutes said conical surface.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein said elastomeric covering includes a pair of circular elastomeric ridges at the opposite ends of said roller which contact said rotary surface and maintain the conical surface of the roller at a selected distance from the rotary surface so as to establish said gap.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 8 and further including means for moving the roller closer to said rotary surface so that said ridges are compressed to an extent that said conical surface contacts the rotary surface.

19. The apparatus defined in claim 1 or 2 as further including means for cooling the rotary surface to a temperature low enough to at least partially freeze the liquid product mix deposited on said rotary surface to from a frozen product body.

2. Apparatus for dispensing a food product comprising

a rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery;

motive means for rotating the rotary surface about said axis;

depositing means spaced above the rotary surface for depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the rotary surface while that is rotating so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the rotary surface and sets to form a thin, at least partially solidified product body, and

product delivery means disposed between the depositing means and the rotary surface, said delivery means including

scraping means supported above the rotary surface and having a working edge engaging the rotary surface while said rotary surface is rotating to scrape the at least partially solidified product body into a ridge row, and

removing means for removing said ridge row from the rotary surface as said food product, said removing means comprising

a vertical forming cylinder positioned adjacent to the periphery of the rotary surface, said forming cylinder having a side window and a bottom opening;

pushing means for pushing said ridge row into the forming cylinder through said window thereby compacting the product into a shaped solid body within the cylinder, and

ejection means in said cylinder for pushing the shaped solid body out of said bottom opening.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 and further including

a tray for supporting a container and moveably positioned below the cylinder for movement between at least a first position proximal to said bottom opening so that a container thereon is in position to receive the shaped solid body ejected from the cylinder and a second position disposed away from said bottom opening, and

means for moving the tray between said first and second positions.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said scraping means and said leveling means extend radially away from said axis.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 2 and further including

closure means for selectively opening and closing said bottom opening, and

means for controlling the closure means so that the bottom opening is closed when the product is being compacted and open when the product is being ejected.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 2, wherein

the scraping means comprise a channel supported above the rotary surface, a liner in the channel and facing the rotary surface, and said liner having opposite walls defining between them an alley which extends over the rotary surface and one of said walls having an edge constituting said scraping edge, and

said pushing means comprise a movable scraper slidable along said alley and means for moving the scraper along said alley between a retracted position relatively close to said central axis and an extended position relatively close to said cylinder.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein the scraper is shaped to close said window when the scraper is in said extended position.

12. The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein said one liner wall and its said scraping edge are movable relative to said channel, and biasing means are operative between said one liner wall and said channel to bias the scraping edge toward the rotary surface.

13. The apparatus defined in claim 12 wherein said one liner wall and the channel have opposing surfaces and the biasing means include a resilient strip sandwiched between said opposing surfaces.

14. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein the ejection means comprise

a piston having an end facing said bottom opening and being moveable within the forming cylinder;

an ejection member mounted to said piston end, and

means for moving the piston between a first position which locates the ejection member above said window and a second position which locates the ejection member below said window adjacent to said bottom opening.

15. The apparatus defined in claim 14 wherein the ejection member includes

a cup with a concave wall facing the bottom opening of the cylinder;

an elastomeric covering on said concave wall to define an interior space, and

a passage extending from said interior space to a location outside the cup.

16. The apparatus defined in claim 15 wherein said covering normally spans the concave wall so that it is substantially parallel to the bottom opening of the cylinder.

17. The apparatus defined in claim 15

wherein said covering normally follows the contour of said concave wall, and

further including means for introducing a fluid through said passage into said interior space so as to deform the diaphragm so that it substantially spans said concave wall.

18. The apparatus defined in claim 16 wherein said covering stretches when extended.

20. Apparatus for dispensing a food product comprising

a rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery;

motive means for rotating the rotary surface about said axis;

depositing means spaced above the rotary surface for depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the rotary surface while that is rotating so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the rotary surface and sets to form a thin, at least partially solidified product body, said depositing means including

a first supply of first product base;

a first aeration nozzle having first and second inlet ports and an outlet port;

a hose connecting the first supply to the first inlet port so as to deliver first product base to said first nozzle;

means for conducting compressed gas to the second inlet port so that a first product base/gas mixture can issue from said outlet port, and

conduit means extending from said outlet port to a location above the rotary surface so that said mixture constitutes said selected amount of liquid product and is delivered from said conduit means to the rotary surface;

product delivery means disposed between the depositing means and the rotary surface, said delivery means including

scraping means supported above the rotary surface and having a working edge engaging the rotary surface while said rotary surface is rotating to scrape the at least partially solidified product body into a ridge row, and

removing means for removing said ridge row from the rotary surface as said food product.

21. The apparatus defined in claim 20 wherein the conduit means comprise a passage leading from said outlet port to a location over said rotary surface and having a length and diameter such that the passage produces confined turbulent mixing of said mixture whereby the liquid product is delivered to the rotary surface with a selected amount of aeration.

22. The apparatus defined in claim 21 wherein said passage is two to four feet long.

23. The apparatus defined in claim 22 wherein said passage is about three feet long.

24. The apparatus defined in claim 21, further including

a second supply of said product base;

a second aeration nozzle similar to the first nozzle;

a second hose connecting the second supply to the first inlet port of the second nozzle so as to deliver second product base to the second nozzle and

means for conducting compressed gas to the second inlet port of the second nozzle so that a second product base/gas mixture can issue from the outlet port of the second nozzle to said conduit means in lieu of the first product base/gas mixture from the first nozzle.

25. Apparatus for dispensing a food product comprising

a substantially horizontal rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery;

a motor for rotating the rotary surface about said axis;

a depositing device spaced above the rotary surface for depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the rotary surface while said rotary surface is rotating so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the rotary surface and sets to form a thin, at least partially solidified product body;

a scraper supported above the rotary surface and having a working edge engaging the rotary surface while said rotary surface is rotating to scrape said at least partially solidified product body into a ridge row on the rotary surface;

a removing device for removing said ridge row from the rotary surface to form said food product, and

a leveler spaced above the rotary surface to establish a gap therewith, said leveler being positioned ahead of the scraper so as to level the liquid product mix on said rotary surface while said rotary surface is rotating to the height of said gap prior to the formation of said at least partially solidified product body.

26. Apparatus for dispensing a food product comprising

a substantially horizontal rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery;

a motor for rotating the rotary surface about said axis;

a depositing device spaced above the rotary surface for depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the rotary surface while said rotary surface is rotating so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the rotary surface and sets to form a thin, at least partially solidified product body;

a scraper supported above the rotary surface and having a working edge engaging the rotary surface while said rotary surface is rotating to scrape said at least partially solidified product body into a ridge row on the rotary surface;

a removing device for removing said ridge row from the rotary surface to form said food product;

a vertical forming cylinder positioned adjacent to said periphery, said forming cylinder having a side window and a bottom opening, said removing device pushing the ridge row into the forming cylinder through said window thereby compacting the product into a shaped solid body within the cylinder, and

an ejector in said cylinder for pushing the shaped solid body out of said bottom opening.

27. The apparatus defined in claim 26 said scraper and said leveler extend radially away from said central axis.

28. Apparatus for dispensing a food product comprising

a generally horizontal rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery;

a motor for rotating the rotary surface about said axis;

a depositing device spaced above the rotary surface for depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the rotary surface while the rotary surface is rotating so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the rotary surface and sets as an at least partially solidified product layer;

a leveler spaced above the rotary surface to establish a gap therewith so as to level the liquid product mix on said rotary surface to the height of said gap prior to the setting thereof, and

a scraping device supported above the rotary surface for scraping said product layer from said surface as scrapings and consolidating the scrapings at said periphery.

29. Apparatus for dispensing a food product comprising

a generally horizontal rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery;

a motor for rotating the rotary surface about said axis;

a depositing device spaced above the rotary surface for depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the rotary surface while the rotary surface is rotating so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the rotary surface and sets as an at least partially solidified product layer;

a scraping device supported above the rotary surface for scraping said product layer from said surface as scrapings and consolidating the scrapings at said periphery, and

a forming device adjacent to said periphery for receiving and compacting said scrapings to form said food product.

30. Apparatus for dispensing a food product comprising

a generally horizontal rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery;

a motor for rotating the rotary surface about said axis;

a depositing device spaced above the rotary surface for depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the rotary surface while the rotary surface is rotating so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the rotary surface and sets as an at least partially solidified product layer, said depositing device including

a plurality of fluid containers positioned above said rotary surface, each container having an outlet;

flow control means for controlling the flow of fluid through the outlets of said containers so that a determined volume of fluid from each container may be deposited selectively on said rotary surface as said liquid product mix, and

a scraping device supported above the rotary surface for scraping said product layer from said surface as scrapings and consolidating the scrapings at said periphery.

31. Apparatus for dispensing a food product comprising

a generally horizontal rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery;

a motor for rotating the rotary surface about said axis;

a depositing device spaced above the rotary surface for depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the rotary surface while the rotary surface is rotating so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the rotary surface and sets as an at least partially solidified product layer, said depositing device including selectable containers having outlets;

a scraping device supported above the rotary surface for scraping said product layer from said surface as scrapings and consolidating the scrapings at said periphery;

a source of liquid product base, and

a manifold connected to said outlets and said source so as to receive and mix said product base and fluid from the selected container to produce said liquid product mix.