Apparatus and methods for fabricating a frozen food product
First Claim
1. An apparatus for fabricating a frozen food product, the apparatus comprising:
- a cold plate including a cooling mechanism, wherein the cold plate is viewable by a customer during operation of the apparatus to fabricate the frozen food product;
at least one base-mix container containing a base mix for the frozen food product;
a plurality of flavor containers, each containing a flavor;
a plurality of dedicated-flavor conduits, each dedicated-flavor conduit extending from one of the flavor containers and providing a passage for the flavor to flow from the flavor container;
a flavor block coupled with the dedicated-flavor conduits and configured to receive flavors flowing from the dedicated-flavor conduits;
a common flavor conduit coupled with the flavor block and configured to enable a selected flavor to flow from one of the dedicated-flavor conduits through the flavor block into the common flavor conduit; and
a turbulence tube in fluid communication with the base-mix container for the flow of the base mix from the base-mix container through the turbulence tube, wherein the turbulence tube defines an inner passage and includes;
a discharge end defining a discharge orifice at a second end of the inner passage; and
a flavor-input port coupled with the common flavor conduit and defining a passage that joins the inner passage in the turbulence tube;
wherein the turbulence tube is configured to mix flavor flowing into the turbulence tube from the flavor-input port with base mix flowing into the turbulence tube from the base-mix conduit and to discharge that mixture through the discharge orifice.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for a frozen food product, such as an ice cream or frozen-yoghurt product, produces an aerated and flavored base mix. The base mix is provided in a liquid form to the apparatus and is mixed with a gas in the apparatus to aerate the base mix. Flavor is added to the aerated base mix in a turbulence tube of the apparatus, and the aerated and flavored base mix is then deposited out of the turbulence tube onto a cold plate of the apparatus as a thin layer material. The cold plate may be disposed such that it is in open view of a customer. One or more solid-food mix-in additives can be added to the aerated and flavored base mix on the cold plate. The aerated and flavored base mix is allowed to at least partially freeze on the cold plate with the additive(s) dispersed therein to produce a frozen food product, which is then manually scraped from the cold plate and served to a customer. The apparatus for fabricating the frozen food product (with the assistance of a human operator) can define a small footprint and can be designed as a portable cart or a mobile or stationary counter. A method of making a frozen food product with the apparatus is provided.
23 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus for fabricating a frozen food product, the apparatus comprising:
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a cold plate including a cooling mechanism, wherein the cold plate is viewable by a customer during operation of the apparatus to fabricate the frozen food product; at least one base-mix container containing a base mix for the frozen food product; a plurality of flavor containers, each containing a flavor; a plurality of dedicated-flavor conduits, each dedicated-flavor conduit extending from one of the flavor containers and providing a passage for the flavor to flow from the flavor container; a flavor block coupled with the dedicated-flavor conduits and configured to receive flavors flowing from the dedicated-flavor conduits; a common flavor conduit coupled with the flavor block and configured to enable a selected flavor to flow from one of the dedicated-flavor conduits through the flavor block into the common flavor conduit; and a turbulence tube in fluid communication with the base-mix container for the flow of the base mix from the base-mix container through the turbulence tube, wherein the turbulence tube defines an inner passage and includes; a discharge end defining a discharge orifice at a second end of the inner passage; and a flavor-input port coupled with the common flavor conduit and defining a passage that joins the inner passage in the turbulence tube; wherein the turbulence tube is configured to mix flavor flowing into the turbulence tube from the flavor-input port with base mix flowing into the turbulence tube from the base-mix conduit and to discharge that mixture through the discharge orifice. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An apparatus for fabricating a frozen food product, the apparatus comprising:
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a cold plate including a cooling mechanism, wherein the cold plate is viewable by a customer during operation of the apparatus to fabricate the frozen food product; at least one base-mix container containing a base mix for the frozen food product; a plurality of liquid-ingredient containers, each containing a liquid and at least one containing a flavor; a plurality of dedicated-liquid conduits, each dedicated-liquid conduit extending from one of the liquid-ingredient containers and providing a passage for the liquid to flow from the liquid-ingredient container; a flavor block coupled with the dedicated-liquid conduits and configured to receive liquids flowing from the dedicated-liquid conduits; a common liquid conduit coupled with the flavor block and configured to enable a selected liquid to flow from one of the dedicated-liquid conduits through the flavor block into the common liquid conduit; and a turbulence tube in fluid communication with the base-mix container for the flow of the base mix from the base-mix container through the turbulence tube, wherein the turbulence tube defines an inner passage and includes; a discharge end defining a discharge orifice at a second end of the inner passage; and a liquid-input port coupled with the common flavor conduit and defining a passage that joins the inner passage in the turbulence tube; wherein the turbulence tube is configured to mix flavor flowing into the turbulence tube from the liquid-input port with base mix flowing into the turbulence tube from the base-mix conduit and to discharge that mixture through the discharge orifice.
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Specification