Commercial frozen food preparation apparatus
First Claim
1. A food preparation apparatus comprising;
- a chamber comprising a door which seals, the chamber when the door is in a closed position;
a carriage comprising a cup holder;
a motor that transports the carriage with the cup holder into the chamber from a starting position and returns the carriage to the starting position wherein said chamber door is opened when said carriage enters said chamber and closed after said carriage leaves said chamber; and
a cleaning system comprising a plurality of nozzles, a fluid reservoir and a fluid pump wherein, after said carriage leaves said chamber, pump pressurized fluid from said reservoir is sprayed into said chamber from said nozzles to clean said chamber.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
101 Citations
31 Claims
-
1. A food preparation apparatus comprising;
-
a chamber comprising a door which seals, the chamber when the door is in a closed position; a carriage comprising a cup holder; a motor that transports the carriage with the cup holder into the chamber from a starting position and returns the carriage to the starting position wherein said chamber door is opened when said carriage enters said chamber and closed after said carriage leaves said chamber; and a cleaning system comprising a plurality of nozzles, a fluid reservoir and a fluid pump wherein, after said carriage leaves said chamber, pump pressurized fluid from said reservoir is sprayed into said chamber from said nozzles to clean said chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A food preparation apparatus comprising:
-
a chamber comprising a door at an underside of the chamber that seals the chamber when the door is in a closed position; a carriage comprising a cup holder; a motor that elevates the carriage and the cup holder into the sealed chamber from a starting position and returns the carriage to the starting position wherein said chamber door is opened when said carriage enters said chamber and closed after said carriage leaves said chamber; and a cleaning system comprising a plurality of nozzles, a fluid reservoir, a fluid pump, a flow meter and at least one heater wherein, after said carriage leaves said chamber, a measured amount of heated and pump pressurized fluid from said reservoir is sprayed into said chamber from one or more of said nozzles to clean said chamber.
-
-
15. A food preparation apparatus comprising:
-
a chamber comprising a door at a lower portion of the chamber sealing to the chamber when the door is in a closed position; a carriage comprising a cup holder; a motor that elevates the carriage and a cup within the cup holder into the sealed chamber from a starting position and returns the carriage and cup to the starting position; and a water delivery system that dispenses water into the cup as a blade mixes a product within the cup during a food preparation cycle, the water delivery system further comprising one or more fixed scouring nozzles to automatically deliver water to an underside of a weighted cup lid following each preparation cycle when the door of the chamber is in a closed, sealed position and one or more rotary nozzles configured to spray water on walls of the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A food preparation apparatus comprising:
-
a chamber comprising a door at a lower portion of the chamber that seals the chamber when the door is in a closed position a carriage comprising a cup holder; a motor that elevates the carriage and a cup within the cup holder into the sealed chamber from a starting position and returns the carriage and cup to the starting position; a first set of nozzles within the chamber configured to spray water in a fixed position onto the inside of said chamber; and a second set of nozzles within the chamber comprising at least one rotary nozzle to spray water in a rotating pattern, wherein the apparatus is configured to activate the first and second set of nozzles when the chamber door is in a closed, sealed position.
-
-
26. A food preparation apparatus comprising:
-
a food preparation chamber which can be sealed for cleaning after food is prepared in the chamber and removed; and
,a cleaning system to clean the interior of the food preparation chamber after sealing comprising a fluid reservoir, a fluid pump, a flow meter and a plurality of nozzles such that a measured amount of pump pressurized fluid from said reservoir can be sprayed by said nozzles to clean the interior of said food preparation chamber. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
Specification