Commercial frozen food preparation apparatus sanitation

• US 8,763,515 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2010
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• 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: Voges, Jens Peter, Farrell, James J
• Primary Examiner(s): Ross, Dana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Teaters, Lindsey C
• Application Number:
  US12/902,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20110088558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: 992/75, 993/48, 994/60, 366/138, 366/281, 366/284, 366/347
• US Class Current: 99/275
• 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 food preparation chamber;

a vertically oriented drive shaft to prepare food within said chamber;

a cup having a generally horizontal top opening and containing food to be prepared; and

a cup lid weight positioned above said cup, pivotably connected to said drive shaft and having a hole through which said drive shaft passes, said cup lid weight having a generally flat bottom surface which, when said cup lid weight is placed on top of said cup opening, will be oriented on a generally horizontal plane;

wherein said cup lid weight has a high enough center of gravity with respect to its drive shaft connection that it will automatically tilt away from being on a generally horizontal plane when said cup lid weight is not on top of said cup opening.

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

a water nozzle positioned to direct water towards the generally flat bottom surface of said cup lid weight.

3. The food preparation apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured to rotate the drive shaft and cup lid weight as the nozzle delivers water to the generally flat bottom surface of the cup lid weight.

4. The food preparation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cup lid weight is a polymer based structure.

5. The food preparation apparatus of claim 3, wherein the cup lid weight weighs about four or more pounds.

6. The food preparation apparatus of claim 4, wherein the cup lid weight polymer based structure comprises unsaturated polyester.

7. The food preparation apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cup lid weight is formed by a thermoset process.

8. The food preparation apparatus of claim 4, wherein the cup lid weight comprises a high density filler within the polymer based structure.

9. The food preparation apparatus of claim 8, wherein the density filler comprises barium sulfate.

10. The food preparation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a blending disc on said drive shaft to help prepare the food in said cup.