Dual-axis rotational mixer for food products

• US 9,907,319 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2015
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steak 'n Shake Enterprises, Inc. (Biglari Capital LLC)
• Original Assignee: Steak 'n Shake Enterprises, Inc. (Biglari Capital LLC)
• Inventors: Biglari, Sardar, Milton, David
• Primary Examiner(s): COOLEY, CHARLES E
• Application Number:
  US14/657,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20160262421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 366217
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/08 Batch production A23G9/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/086 using a rotatable container containing the cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/106 provided with agitating means
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/22 Details, component parts or accessories of apparatus insofar as not peculiar to a single one of the preceding groups
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/224 Agitators or scrapers
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 29/10 with receptacles rotated about two different axes, e.g. receptacles having planetary motion
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/422 having a jaw-type or finger-type shape
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/5312 with vertical baffles mounted on the walls
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric

Abstract

A dual-axis mixer for food products includes a product holder that is configured to hold a sealed product cup containing a food product to be mixed. The mixer has a primary axis of rotation about a central axis, and a secondary axis of rotation radially offset from the central axis. In doing so, the secondary axis positioned to rotate around the primary axis. Furthermore, the product holder is located at the secondary axis and is configured to rotate about the secondary axis. Rotation about the primary axis applies centripetal force to the food product, and the secondary axis rotates the product holder to churn the food product within the product cup.

Claims

1. A dual-axis self-serve frozen food product mixer, comprising:

a mixing chamber adapted to receive within the mixing chamber a previously sealed product cup containing a frozen food product to be mixed;

a product holder disposed within the mixing chamber and configured to hold the previously sealed product cup and seal around the previously sealed product cup to form a double seal, the product holder including;

a cup lid movable along a fixed shaft defining a primary axis, and

a cup holder adapted to receive the previously sealed product cup, wherein the cup lid is movable along the fixed shaft to come in cooperation with the cup holder and form the double seal; and

a mechanism configured to rotate the product holder about the primary axis;

wherein the product holder is configured to rotate the cup holder and the sealed product cup about a secondary axis of rotation that is radially offset from the primary axis while the cup holder and the sealed product cup are rotated about the primary axis.

2. The mixer as in claim 1, wherein the food product is an ice cream product.

3. The mixer as in claim 1, wherein the sealed product cup comprises internal agitation components.

4. The mixer as in claim 1, further comprising:

a heat source associated with the mixing chamber to provide heat to the food product.

5. The mixer as in claim 1, wherein a speed of rotation for one or both of product holder and the cup holder is adjustable.

6. The mixer as in claim 1, further comprising:

a door to provide access to the mixing chamber.

7. The mixer as in claim 1, wherein the secondary axis is in a plane that is parallel to a plane of the primary axis.

8. The mixer as in claim 1, wherein the product holder and the cup holder are counter-rotating.

9. The mixer as in claim 1, further comprising:

a counterbalancing weight attached to the product holder.

10. The mixer as in claim 1, wherein the primary axis is located along the fixed shaft.

11. The mixer as in claim 1, wherein the mechanism configured to rotate the product holder about the primary axis includes:

a motor configured to drive the rotation of product holder and the cup holder via one or more pulley mechanisms.

12. The mixer as in claim 1, wherein the mechanism configured to rotate the product holder about the primary axis includes:

a motor configured to drive the rotation of the product holder.

13. A dual-axis mixer for food products, comprising:

a mixing chamber adapted to receive within the mixing chamber a previously sealed product cup containing a frozen food product to be mixed;

a product holder disposed within the mixing chamber and configured to hold the previously sealed product cup and seal around the previously sealed product cup to form a double seal, the product holder including;

a cup lid movable along a fixed shaft defining a primary axis, and

a cup holder adapted to receive the previously sealed product cup, wherein the cup lid is movable along the fixed shaft to come in cooperation with the cup holder and form the double seal;

the mixer further defining a secondary axis of rotation radially offset from the primary axis, the secondary axis positioned to rotate about the primary axis; and

a processor configured to execute a control process configured to control the mixer to mix the food product,

wherein the cup holder is located at the secondary axis and is configured to rotate about the secondary axis,

wherein the product holder provides centripetal force to the food product as the product holder rotates around the primary axis, and

wherein the cup holder rotates the sealed product cup to churn the food product within the sealed product cup.

14. The mixer as in claim 13, wherein the food product is an ice cream product.

15. The mixer as in claim 13, further comprising:

a user interface in communication with the processor.