CA2465925A1 - Method and apparatus for producing and dispensing an aerated and/or blended food - Google Patents
Method and apparatus for producing and dispensing an aerated and/or blended food Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2465925A1 CA2465925A1 CA002465925A CA2465925A CA2465925A1 CA 2465925 A1 CA2465925 A1 CA 2465925A1 CA 002465925 A CA002465925 A CA 002465925A CA 2465925 A CA2465925 A CA 2465925A CA 2465925 A1 CA2465925 A1 CA 2465925A1
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- apparatus defined
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- fluid
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Classifications
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- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
- G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
- G07F17/0064—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for processing of food articles
- G07F17/0071—Food articles which need to be processed for dispensing in a cold condition, e.g. ice and ice cream
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23G—COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF
- A23G9/00—Frozen sweets, e.g. ice confectionery, ice-cream; Mixtures therefor
- A23G9/04—Production of frozen sweets, e.g. ice-cream
- A23G9/045—Production of frozen sweets, e.g. ice-cream of slush-ice, e.g. semi-frozen beverage
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23G—COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF
- A23G9/00—Frozen sweets, e.g. ice confectionery, ice-cream; Mixtures therefor
- A23G9/04—Production of frozen sweets, e.g. ice-cream
- A23G9/14—Continuous production
- A23G9/16—Continuous production the products being within a cooled chamber, e.g. drum
- A23G9/163—Continuous production the products being within a cooled chamber, e.g. drum with intermittent operation
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23G—COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF
- A23G9/00—Frozen sweets, e.g. ice confectionery, ice-cream; Mixtures therefor
- A23G9/04—Production of frozen sweets, e.g. ice-cream
- A23G9/20—Production of frozen sweets, e.g. ice-cream the products being mixed with gas, e.g. soft-ice
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23G—COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF
- A23G9/00—Frozen sweets, e.g. ice confectionery, ice-cream; Mixtures therefor
- A23G9/04—Production of frozen sweets, e.g. ice-cream
- A23G9/22—Details, component parts or accessories of apparatus insofar as not peculiar to a single one of the preceding groups
- A23G9/228—Arrangement and mounting of control or safety devices
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23G—COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF
- A23G9/00—Frozen sweets, e.g. ice confectionery, ice-cream; Mixtures therefor
- A23G9/04—Production of frozen sweets, e.g. ice-cream
- A23G9/22—Details, component parts or accessories of apparatus insofar as not peculiar to a single one of the preceding groups
- A23G9/28—Details, component parts or accessories of apparatus insofar as not peculiar to a single one of the preceding groups for portioning or dispensing
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23G—COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF
- A23G9/00—Frozen sweets, e.g. ice confectionery, ice-cream; Mixtures therefor
- A23G9/04—Production of frozen sweets, e.g. ice-cream
- A23G9/22—Details, component parts or accessories of apparatus insofar as not peculiar to a single one of the preceding groups
- A23G9/28—Details, component parts or accessories of apparatus insofar as not peculiar to a single one of the preceding groups for portioning or dispensing
- A23G9/281—Details, component parts or accessories of apparatus insofar as not peculiar to a single one of the preceding groups for portioning or dispensing at the discharge end of freezing chambers
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23G—COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF
- A23G9/00—Frozen sweets, e.g. ice confectionery, ice-cream; Mixtures therefor
- A23G9/04—Production of frozen sweets, e.g. ice-cream
- A23G9/22—Details, component parts or accessories of apparatus insofar as not peculiar to a single one of the preceding groups
- A23G9/28—Details, component parts or accessories of apparatus insofar as not peculiar to a single one of the preceding groups for portioning or dispensing
- A23G9/281—Details, component parts or accessories of apparatus insofar as not peculiar to a single one of the preceding groups for portioning or dispensing at the discharge end of freezing chambers
- A23G9/282—Details, component parts or accessories of apparatus insofar as not peculiar to a single one of the preceding groups for portioning or dispensing at the discharge end of freezing chambers for dispensing multi-flavour ice-creams
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23G—COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF
- A23G9/00—Frozen sweets, e.g. ice confectionery, ice-cream; Mixtures therefor
- A23G9/04—Production of frozen sweets, e.g. ice-cream
- A23G9/22—Details, component parts or accessories of apparatus insofar as not peculiar to a single one of the preceding groups
- A23G9/28—Details, component parts or accessories of apparatus insofar as not peculiar to a single one of the preceding groups for portioning or dispensing
- A23G9/281—Details, component parts or accessories of apparatus insofar as not peculiar to a single one of the preceding groups for portioning or dispensing at the discharge end of freezing chambers
- A23G9/283—Details, component parts or accessories of apparatus insofar as not peculiar to a single one of the preceding groups for portioning or dispensing at the discharge end of freezing chambers for filling containers with material
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23G—COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF
- A23G9/00—Frozen sweets, e.g. ice confectionery, ice-cream; Mixtures therefor
- A23G9/44—Frozen sweets, e.g. ice confectionery, ice-cream; Mixtures therefor characterised by shape, structure or physical form
- A23G9/46—Aerated, foamed, cellular or porous products
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23G—COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF
- A23G9/00—Frozen sweets, e.g. ice confectionery, ice-cream; Mixtures therefor
- A23G9/44—Frozen sweets, e.g. ice confectionery, ice-cream; Mixtures therefor characterised by shape, structure or physical form
- A23G9/48—Composite products, e.g. layered, laminated, coated, filled
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- F25B41/00—Fluid-circulation arrangements
- F25B41/20—Disposition of valves, e.g. of on-off valves or flow control valves
- F25B41/22—Disposition of valves, e.g. of on-off valves or flow control valves between evaporator and compressor
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- F25C1/00—Producing ice
- F25C1/12—Producing ice by freezing water on cooled surfaces, e.g. to form slabs
- F25C1/14—Producing ice by freezing water on cooled surfaces, e.g. to form slabs to form thin sheets which are removed by scraping or wedging, e.g. in the form of flakes
- F25C1/145—Producing ice by freezing water on cooled surfaces, e.g. to form slabs to form thin sheets which are removed by scraping or wedging, e.g. in the form of flakes from the inner walls of cooled bodies
Abstract
Apparatus for dispensing a frozen or partially frozen food product has a freezing surface (26) with a central axis and periphery, a motor (36) for rotating the freezing surface about that axis, a turret (52) 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 (276) supported above the freezing surface and having a working edge (272) 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 (304) positioned adjacent to the periphery of the freezing surface has a side window (306) 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 (309) 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.
An ejector (309) 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 surface about said axis;
depositing means spaced above the surface for depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the surface while that is rotating so that the liquid mix spreads out on the surface and sets to form a thin, at least partially solidified product body, and product delivery means disposed between said depositing means and the surface, said delivery means including scraping means supported above the surface and having a working edge engaging the surface while said 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 surface as said food product.
2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 and further including means for cooling said surface to a temperature low enough to at least partially freeze the liquid product mix deposited on said surface to form a frozen product body.
3. The apparatus defined in claim 1 or 2 wherein said delivery means also include leveling means spaced above the 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 surface while said surface is rotating to the height of said gap prior to the formation of said at least partially solidified product body.
4. The apparatus defined in claim 1 or 2 wherein the removing means comprise a vertical forming cylinder positioned adjacent to the periphery of the 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.
5. The apparatus defined in claim 4 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.
6. The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said scraping means and said leveling means extend radially away from said axis.
7. The apparatus defined in claim 4 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.
8. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein the leveling means comprise a roller having opposite ends, a rotary axis extending between said ends and a conical surface, and mounting means for mounting the roller at said roller axis above the freezing surface so that said conical surface is parallel to the freezing surface and de-fines a gap therewith.
9. The apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein the roller comprises a rigid conical core, and an elastomeric covering on said core and which constitutes said conical surface.
10. The apparatus defined in claim 9 wherein said elastomeric covering includes a pair of circular elastomeric ridges at the opposite ends of said roller which contact said freezing surface and maintain the conical surface of the roller at a selected distance from the freezing surface so as to establish said gap.
11. The apparatus defined in claim 10 and further including means for moving the roller closer to said freezing surface so that said ridges are compressed to an extent that said conical surface contacts the freezing surface.
12. The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein the scraping means comprise a channel supported above the freezing surface, a liner in the channel and facing the freezing surface, said liner having opposite walls defining between them an alley which extends over the freezing 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 surface axis and an extended position relatively close to said cylinder.
13. The apparatus defined in claim 12 wherein the scraper is shaped to close said window when the scraper is in said extended position.
14. The apparatus defined in claim 12 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 chan-nel to bias the scraping edge toward the freezing surface.
15. The apparatus defined in claim 14 wherein said one liner wall and the channel have opposing surfaces and the biasing means includes a resilient strip sandwiched between said opposing surfaces.
16. The apparatus defined in claim 4 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 adjacent to said bottom opening.
17. The apparatus defined in claim 16 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.
18. The apparatus defined in claim 16 wherein the diaphragm normally spans the concave wall so that it is substantially parallel to the bottom opening of the cylinder.
19. The apparatus defined in claim 16 wherein the diaphragm 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 con-cave wall.
20. The apparatus defined in claim 18 wherein said diaphragm is elastic and stretches when extended.
21. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein the depositing means include a first supply of first product base;
a first aeration nozzle having first and second input ports and an output 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 let 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 freezing surface so that said mixture constitutes said selected amount of liquid product and is delivered from said conduit means to the freezing surface.
22. The apparatus defined in claim 19 wherein the conduit means comprise a pas-sage leading from said outlet port to a location over said 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 freezing surface with a selected amount of aeration.
23. The apparatus defined in claim 22 wherein said passage is two to four feet long.
24. The apparatus defined in claim 23 wherein said passage is about three feet long.
25. The apparatus defined in claim 22 and 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;
means for conducting compressed gas to the second inlet port of the sec-and 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.
26. Apparatus for dispensing a food product comprising a freezing surface having a fluid conduit extending within said surface, said conduit having an inlet and an outlet and a wall extending between the conduit and the freezing surface;
bearing means for supporting said surface for rotation about a surface axis;
motive means for rotating said surface about the surface axis;
depositing means spaced above said surface for depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on said surface while said surface is rotating so that the liquid product mix spreads out on said surface, and a refrigeration system for circulating a refrigerant through said conduit to cool said freezing surface sufficiently to convert the liquid product mix to an at least partially frozen product body, said refrigerant system including a compressor, a condenser, and a fluid connection for connecting the compressor, condenser, and said conduit inlet and outlet to form a closed refrigeration loop containing a refrigerant, said freezing surface constituting an evaporator in the refrigeration loop.
27. The apparatus defined in claim 26 and further including means for removing the product body from the freezing surface.
28. The apparatus defined in claim 26 wherein the bearing means include a pair of rotary fluid couplings connecting the conduit inlet and outlet in said refrigeration loop.
29. The apparatus defined in claim 26 wherein the refrigerant system includes an expansion valve having a valve orifice and being connected in the refrigeration loop between the compressor and the conduit inlet to control the flow of refrigerant to the conduit so as to maintain the freezing surface at a selected first temperature.
30. The apparatus defined in claim 29 and further including a second valve having an orifice larger than the orifice of the expansion valve;
means for conducting refrigerant from the compressor to the conduit inlet through the second valve when the depositing means is depositing liquid product mix on the freezing surface so as to flood the conduit with refrigerant in the liquid phase, said refrigerant changing to a gaseous phase within the freezing surface thereby pro-ducing a large temperature differential between said wall and the freezing surface.
31. The apparatus defined in claim 30 wherein the second valve is a throttling valve having a valve orifice which varies in size in response to a control signal, and the refrigeration unit also includes sensing means for sensing the refrigerant pressure at the conduit outlet and control means responsive to said signal to vary the size of the second valve orifice directly with the refrigerant pressure at the conduit outlet whereby to maintain a relatively constant refrigerant temperature and pressure in said conduit.
32. Apparatus for dispensing a food product comprising a rotary surface having a surface axis;
motive means for rotating the surface about the surface axis;
depositing means spaced above said surface for depositing a selected amount of a liquid on said surface while said surface is rotating so that the liquid spreads out on said surface, said depositing means including a manifold having upper and lower walls and an axis extending between said walls;
means for supporting the manifold above said surface for rota-tion about the manifold axis;
a plurality of mixing chambers within said manifold and distrib-uted about the manifold axis, each mixing chamber including a plurality of inlets at said upper wall and an outlet, a separate fluid conduit within the manifold extending from the outlet of each mixing chamber to the lower wall of the manifold at a location thereon disposed over said surface;
a plurality of fluid containers positioned above said manifold and arranged about the manifold axis, each container having an outlet leading to one inlet of a different one of said plurality of mixing chambers, and flow control means for controlling the flow of fluid through the outlet of each container so that a selected volume of a first fluid from each container may be delivered by said manifold to said surface.
33. The apparatus defined in claim 32 wherein the manifold containing said mixing chambers and said conduits constitutes a solid block.
34. The apparatus defined in claim 32 wherein the supporting means comprise a rotary shaft extending along said axis and a support plate on the top of the manifold and which supports said containers.
35. The apparatus defined in claim 34 wherein said containers are wedge-shaped and positioned on the plate in a circle whose center is at said manifold axis.
36. The apparatus defined in claim 32 wherein the flow control means for control-ling the flow of said first fluid through the outlet of each container comprises a pump mounted on said each container, said pump including a piston which faces away from the manifold axis and when pushed, pumps said selected volume of first fluid from said each container to the associated mixing chamber.
37. The apparatus defined in claim 36 and further including a fluid delivery station;
means for rotating the manifold so that any one of the plurality of con-tainers can be positioned opposite the delivery station;
a pusher at the delivery station for pushing against the piston of the container opposite the delivery station, and control means for controlling the means for rotating and the pusher so that said first fluid from a selected one of the plurality of containers can be pumped to said manifold and deposited on said surface.
38. The apparatus defined in claim 37 and further including fluid delivery means at the fluid delivery station for delivering a second fluid to a second inlet of the mixing chamber receiving the first fluid being pumped from the container positioned opposite the delivery station.
39. The apparatus defined in claim 38 wherein the fluid delivery means include a nozzle having a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet;
means for delivering a first product base to said first nozzle inlet;
means for delivering a gas to the second nozzle inlet, said base and gas combining in the nozzle to form said second fluid, and means for connecting the nozzle outlet to said other inlet of the mixing chamber associated with the container positioned opposite the delivery station.
40. The apparatus defined in claim 39 wherein the nozzle outlet extends over said manifold upper surface, and said means for connecting include means for moving the nozzle sub-stantially perpendicular to said upper wall of the manifold in response to a control sig-nal, and means for producing said control signal when the selected container is posi-tioned opposite the delivery station so that the nozzle outlet is plugged into said second inlet of the mixing chamber associated with the selected container.
41. The apparatus defined in claim 40 and further including restraining means on the connecting means for restraining the selected container when the nozzle outlet is plugged into said second inlet so that said selected container remains stationary when said pusher is pushing.
42. A method of dispensing a food product comprising the steps of providing a surface having an axis;
positioning over said surface depositing means which deposit a selected amount of liquid product mix onto the surface while rotating the depositing means and surface relatively about said axis so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the sur-face in a relatively thin layer and sets to form an at least partially solidified product body, and removing the product body from the surface.
43. The method defined in claim 42 including the step of cooling said surface to a temperature low enough to at least partially freeze said layer to form said product body.
44. The method defined in claim 42 or 43 including the additional step of control-ling the residence time of the liquid product mix on said surface depending upon the composition of said liquid product mix.
45. The method defined in claim 42 or 43 including the additional steps of monitoring the temperature of said surface, and controlling the temperature of said surface depending upon the compo-sition of said mix.
46. The method defined in claim 42 or 43 including the additional step of leveling the liquid mix deposited on said surface to a selected thickness prior to its setting to form said product body.
47. The method defined in claim 42 or 43 including the additional step of removing the product body by scraping same from the surface to form scrapings.
48. The method defined in claim 47 including the additional step of compacting and forming the scrapings into a selectively-shaped body of food product.
49. The method defined in claim 48 including the additional step of depositing said body into a container.
50. A method of dispensing a food product composed of a plurality of ingredients which are mixed to form the food product, said method comprising the steps of providing a rotary surface having a rotary axis and a periphery;
mixing together first and second fluid ingredients to form a liquid prod-uct mix;
depositing the liquid product mix onto said surface while rotating said surface so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the surface in a relatively thin layer;
cooling the surface to a temperature low enough to at least partially freeze the liquid product mix layer to form a frozen product body;
scraping the frozen product body from said surface to the periphery thereof to form product body scrapings, and collecting and compacting the scrapings to form the food product.
51. The method defined in claim 50 including the additional step of controlling the temperature of said surface and/or the residence time of the liquid mix layer on said surface depending upon the identities of said first and sec-and fluid ingredients.
52. The method defined in claim 50 including the step of leveling the liquid product mix layers deposited on said surface to a selected thickness prior to the freezing thereof.
53. Apparatus for dispensing product comprising a manifold having upper and lower walls and an axis extending between said walls;
means for supporting the manifold above a surface;
a plurality of mixing chambers within said manifold and distributed about the manifold axis, each mixing chamber including a plurality of inlets at said up-per wall and an outlet, and a separate fluid conduit within the manifold extending from the outlet of each mixing chamber to a selected portion of the lower wall of the mani-fold;
a plurality of fluid containers positioned above said manifold and ar-ranged about the manifold axis, each container having an outlet leading to one inlet of a different one of said plurality of mixing chambers, and flow control means for controlling the flow of fluid through the outlet of each container so that a selected volume of a fluid from each container may be deliv-ered to said lower wall portion.
54. The apparatus defined in claim 53 wherein the manifold containing said mixing chambers and the conduits constitutes the solid block of material.
55. The apparatus defined in claim 53 wherein said containers are wedge-shaped and positioned above said manifold in a circle centered on said axis.
56. The apparatus defined in claim 55 wherein the supporting means comprise a rotary shaft extending along said axis and a support plate above the manifold and which supports said containers.
57. The apparatus defined in claim 53 wherein each fluid conduit comprises an elongated tube or channel whose dimensions result in turbulent flow of fluid flowing through the conduit.
58. The apparatus defined in claim 53 wherein the flow control means for control-ling the flow of fluid through the outlet of each container comprise a pump integral to said each container, said pump including an outwardly facing piston which, when pushed, pumps said selected volume of fluid from said each container to the associated mixing chamber.
59. The apparatus defined in claim 58 wherein said manifold is rotatable about said axis, and further including a fluid delivery station, means for rotating the manifold so that any one of the plurality of containers may be positioned opposite the delivery station, a pusher at the delivery station for pushing against the piston of the container opposite the deliver station, and control means for controlling the means for rotating and the pusher so that said fluid from a selected one of the plurality of containers may be pumped from the lower wall portion of said manifold.
60. The apparatus defined in claim 59 and further including fluid delivery means at the fluid delivery station for delivering a second fluid to the second inlet of the mixing chamber that receives the first mentioned fluid being pumped from the container posi-tioned opposite the delivery station.
61. The apparatus defined in claim 60 wherein the fluid delivery means include a nozzle having a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet;
base delivering means for delivering a product base to said first nozzle inlet;
gas delivering means for delivering a gas to said second nozzle inlet, said base and gas combining in the nozzle, and means for connecting the nozzle outlet to the other inlet of the mixing chamber associated with the container positioned opposite the delivery station.
62. The apparatus defined in claim 61 wherein the nozzle outlet extends over said manifold upper surface, and said means for connecting include means for moving the nozzle sub-stantially perpendicular to said upper wall of the manifold in response to a control sig-nal, and a controller for producing said control signal when the selected container is positioned opposite the delivery station so that the nozzle outlet is plugged into said second inlet of the mixing chamber associated with the selected container.
63. The apparatus defined in claim 62 and further including restraining means on the connecting means for restraining the selected container when the nozzle outlet is plugged into said second inlet so that said selected container remains stationary when said pusher is pushing.
63. The apparatus defined in claim 53 wherein the outlet of each container plugs into one of the inlets of the associated mixing chamber, and the flow control means include a pump including a piston built intot he said each container and which faces away from said axis and when pushed pumps said selected volume of fluid from said each container to the associated mixing chamber.
65. Apparatus for dispensing a product comprising a nozzle having a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet;
a support means for supporting the nozzle above a receptacle so that the support can move vertically between a lower position where the nozzle can be plugged into the receptacle and an upper position wherein the nozzle can be spaced above the receptacle;
base delivering means for delivering a product base to the first nozzle inlet;
gas delivering means for delivering a gas to the second nozzle inlet, said base and gas combining in the nozzle to form an aerated fluid, and moving means for moving said support vertically between said two po-sitions.
66. The apparatus defined in claim 65 wherein the nozzle outlet is tapered, and the support includes a first section connected to the nozzle, a second section connected to the moving means, means linking said first and second support sections to permit the first section to move in a horizontal plane relative to the second section, and means for biasing the first section to a home position in said plane which centers the nozzle outlet over the receptacle.
67. The apparatus defined in claim 65 wherein the base delivering comprise a deformable container having an interior for containing a product base, and a fluid conduit extending between the container interior and the first nozzle inlet for conducting the product base from the container to the nozzle.
68. The apparatus defined in claim 67 wherein the container, conduit and nozzle comprise a unitary plastic structure.
69. The apparatus defined in claim 68 and further including means for pumping product base from said container to said nozzle.
70. The apparatus defined in claim 69 wherein said conduit is flexible, and said pumping means comprise a peristaltic pump having a pumping head engaging said conduit.
71. The apparatus defined in claim 68 wherein said nozzle is separable from said support and said gas delivering means.
72. The apparatus defined in claim 64 and further including a manifold having a top opening defining said receptacle and means for moving the manifold to position the receptacle directly under the nozzle outlet.
73. The apparatus defined in claim 64 wherein the gas delivering means comprise a source of compressed gas having an outlet, and a conduit connecting the source outlet to the second nozzle inlet.
74. Apparatus for dispensing a product comprising a substantially horizontal flat surface;
a roller having opposite ends, a rotary axis extending between said ends and a conical surface;
mounting means for mounting the roller at said roller axis above said flat surface so that said conical surface is parallel to the flat surface and defines a gap therewith, and means for moving the roller and flat surface relatively so as to level a liquid deposited on the flat surface to the height of said gap.
75. The apparatus defined in claim 74 wherein the roller comprises a rigid conical core, and an elastomeric cover covering said core and which constitutes said coni-cal surface.
76. The apparatus defined in claim 75 wherein said elastomeric cover includes a pair of circular elastomeric ridges at the opposite ends of said roller which contact said flat surface and maintain said conical surface of the roller at a selected distance from the flat surface so as to establish said gap.
77. The apparatus defined in claim 76 and further including means for moving the roller closer to said flat surface so that said ridges are compressed to an extent that said conical surface contacts the flat surface.
78. The apparatus defined in claim 74 wherein said flat surface is rotatable about a central axis, and said moving means move said surface about the central axis, said roller being mounted so that the roller axis extends radially from the central axis.
79. The apparatus defined in claim 74 and further including means for removing liquid deposited on the flat surface after it has been leveled by the roller.
80. The apparatus defined in claim 74 and further including means for chilling the flat surface so as to at least partially freeze liquid deposited on the flat surface.
81. Apparatus for dispensing a product comprising a substantially horizontal sur-face having an edge;
a substantially vertical forming cylinder positioned adjacent to said edge, said forming cylinder having a side window and a bottom opening;
pushing means for pushing product deposited on said surface through said win-dow into the forming cylinder so as to compact the product into a shaped solid body within the cylinder, and ejection means in the cylinder for pushing the shaped solid body out of said bottom opening.
82. The apparatus defined in claim 81 wherein the ejection means include a piston having an end facing said bottom opening and being movable 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 adjacent to said bottom opening.
83. The apparatus defined in claim 82 wherein the ejection member includes a cup with a concave wall facing the bottom opening of the cylinder;
a diaphragm covering said concave wall to define an interior space, and a passage extending from said interior space to a location outside the cup.
84. The apparatus defined in claim 83 wherein the diaphragm normally spans the concave wall so that it is substantially parallel to the bottom opening of the cylinder.
85. The apparatus defined in claim 83 Wherein the diaphragm normally follows the contour of said concave wall, and further including means for introducing fluid through said passage into said interior space as to deform the diaphragm so that it substantially spans said con-cave wall.
86. The apparatus defined in claim 84 wherein said diaphragm is elastic and stretches when deformed.
87. The apparatus defined in claim 81 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 solid body is being ejected.
88. The apparatus defined in claim 81 and further including rinsing means for rins-ing the interior of said cylinder and said ejection member.
89 The apparatus defined in claim 88 wherein said rinsing means comprise a cup;
means for movably mounting the cup below the bottom opening of the cylinder so that the cup can be swung between a closed position wherein it covers said bottom opening and an open position wherein it exposes said bottom opening;
actuating means for moving the cup between said positions;
means for delivering rinsing liquid to said cup under pressure when the cup is in said closed position so that the rinsing liquid jets up into the forming cylinder and impinges on the ejection member, and means for conducting rinsing liquid away from the cup when the cup is in its closed position.
90. The apparatus defined in claim 89 wherein the liquid delivering means comprise a rinsing liquid container having an outlet;
a conduit connecting the outlet of the container to the cup, and means for pumping rinsing liquid from the container through the conduit to the cup.
91. The apparatus defined in claim 81 wherein said surface is a freezing surface which at least partially freezes product deposited on said surface, and the pushing means comprise a scraper for scraping the at least partially frozen product from said surface into the forming cylinder.
92. Apparatus for dispensing a product comprising a substantially flat surface;
scraping means including a channel supported above said surface, said channel having opposite walls defining between them an alley which extends over said surface and one of the walls supporting a scraping edge which contacts said surface;
moving means for moving said scraping means and said surface relative to one another so that the scraping means scrapes, product deposited on said surface from said surface into said alley, and pushing means for pushing product in said alley to the edge of said sur-face.
93. The apparatus defined in claim 92 wherein the pushing means comprise a movable scraper slidable along said alley, and a pusher for pushing the scraper along said alley between a retracted po-sition spaced away from the edge of said surface and in an extended position at the edge of said surface.
94. The apparatus defined in claim 93 wherein the scraping means include biasing means for biasing said scraping edge toward said surface.
95. The apparatus defined in claim 93 wherein the scraping edge is releasably se-cured to said one wall of said channel for easy replacement.
96. The apparatus defined in claim 95 wherein the blade has a cylindrical base which snaps into a semi-cylindrical groove in said one wall of the channel.
97. The apparatus defined in claim 92 wherein the scraping means support the channel so that the channel is self leveling relative to said surface.
98. Apparatus for dispensing a product comprising a surface having a fluid conduit extending within said surface, said con-duit having an inlet and an outlet and a wall extending between the conduit and the sur-face;
bearing means for supporting said surface for rotation about an axis;
motive means for rotating said surface about said axis;
a heat exchange system for circulating a thermally conductive medium through said conduit to change the temperature of said surface sufficiently to convert a product deposited on said surface to an at least partially solidified product body.
99. The apparatus defined in claim 98 and further including means for depositing a product on said surface, and means for removing the solidified product body from said surface.
100. The apparatus defined in claim 98 wherein the heat exchange system comprises a refrigeration system for circulating a refrigerant through said conduit to cool said sur-face sufficiently to convert said product to an at least partially frozen product body, said refrigerant system including a compressor, a condenser, and fluid connection means for connecting the compressor, condenser and said conduit inlet and outlet to form a closed refrigeration loop containing a refrigerant, said surface constituting an evaporator in the refrigeration loop.
101. The apparatus defined in claim 100 wherein said surface has a covering of metal-infused polytetrafluoroethylene.
102. The apparatus defined in claim 100 wherein the bearing means include a pair of rotary fluid couplings connecting the conduit inlet and outlet in said refrigeration loop.
103. The apparatus defined in claim 100 wherein the refrigeration system includes a controllable valve oriface which varies in size in response to control signals, and control means delivering a first control signal to open the valve oriface when product is deposited on said surface and second control signals to reduce the size of the valve oriface when product is not being deposited on said surface.
motive means for rotating the surface about said axis;
depositing means spaced above the surface for depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the surface while that is rotating so that the liquid mix spreads out on the surface and sets to form a thin, at least partially solidified product body, and product delivery means disposed between said depositing means and the surface, said delivery means including scraping means supported above the surface and having a working edge engaging the surface while said 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 surface as said food product.
2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 and further including means for cooling said surface to a temperature low enough to at least partially freeze the liquid product mix deposited on said surface to form a frozen product body.
3. The apparatus defined in claim 1 or 2 wherein said delivery means also include leveling means spaced above the 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 surface while said surface is rotating to the height of said gap prior to the formation of said at least partially solidified product body.
4. The apparatus defined in claim 1 or 2 wherein the removing means comprise a vertical forming cylinder positioned adjacent to the periphery of the 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.
5. The apparatus defined in claim 4 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.
6. The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said scraping means and said leveling means extend radially away from said axis.
7. The apparatus defined in claim 4 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.
8. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein the leveling means comprise a roller having opposite ends, a rotary axis extending between said ends and a conical surface, and mounting means for mounting the roller at said roller axis above the freezing surface so that said conical surface is parallel to the freezing surface and de-fines a gap therewith.
9. The apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein the roller comprises a rigid conical core, and an elastomeric covering on said core and which constitutes said conical surface.
10. The apparatus defined in claim 9 wherein said elastomeric covering includes a pair of circular elastomeric ridges at the opposite ends of said roller which contact said freezing surface and maintain the conical surface of the roller at a selected distance from the freezing surface so as to establish said gap.
11. The apparatus defined in claim 10 and further including means for moving the roller closer to said freezing surface so that said ridges are compressed to an extent that said conical surface contacts the freezing surface.
12. The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein the scraping means comprise a channel supported above the freezing surface, a liner in the channel and facing the freezing surface, said liner having opposite walls defining between them an alley which extends over the freezing 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 surface axis and an extended position relatively close to said cylinder.
13. The apparatus defined in claim 12 wherein the scraper is shaped to close said window when the scraper is in said extended position.
14. The apparatus defined in claim 12 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 chan-nel to bias the scraping edge toward the freezing surface.
15. The apparatus defined in claim 14 wherein said one liner wall and the channel have opposing surfaces and the biasing means includes a resilient strip sandwiched between said opposing surfaces.
16. The apparatus defined in claim 4 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 adjacent to said bottom opening.
17. The apparatus defined in claim 16 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.
18. The apparatus defined in claim 16 wherein the diaphragm normally spans the concave wall so that it is substantially parallel to the bottom opening of the cylinder.
19. The apparatus defined in claim 16 wherein the diaphragm 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 con-cave wall.
20. The apparatus defined in claim 18 wherein said diaphragm is elastic and stretches when extended.
21. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein the depositing means include a first supply of first product base;
a first aeration nozzle having first and second input ports and an output 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 let 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 freezing surface so that said mixture constitutes said selected amount of liquid product and is delivered from said conduit means to the freezing surface.
22. The apparatus defined in claim 19 wherein the conduit means comprise a pas-sage leading from said outlet port to a location over said 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 freezing surface with a selected amount of aeration.
23. The apparatus defined in claim 22 wherein said passage is two to four feet long.
24. The apparatus defined in claim 23 wherein said passage is about three feet long.
25. The apparatus defined in claim 22 and 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;
means for conducting compressed gas to the second inlet port of the sec-and 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.
26. Apparatus for dispensing a food product comprising a freezing surface having a fluid conduit extending within said surface, said conduit having an inlet and an outlet and a wall extending between the conduit and the freezing surface;
bearing means for supporting said surface for rotation about a surface axis;
motive means for rotating said surface about the surface axis;
depositing means spaced above said surface for depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on said surface while said surface is rotating so that the liquid product mix spreads out on said surface, and a refrigeration system for circulating a refrigerant through said conduit to cool said freezing surface sufficiently to convert the liquid product mix to an at least partially frozen product body, said refrigerant system including a compressor, a condenser, and a fluid connection for connecting the compressor, condenser, and said conduit inlet and outlet to form a closed refrigeration loop containing a refrigerant, said freezing surface constituting an evaporator in the refrigeration loop.
27. The apparatus defined in claim 26 and further including means for removing the product body from the freezing surface.
28. The apparatus defined in claim 26 wherein the bearing means include a pair of rotary fluid couplings connecting the conduit inlet and outlet in said refrigeration loop.
29. The apparatus defined in claim 26 wherein the refrigerant system includes an expansion valve having a valve orifice and being connected in the refrigeration loop between the compressor and the conduit inlet to control the flow of refrigerant to the conduit so as to maintain the freezing surface at a selected first temperature.
30. The apparatus defined in claim 29 and further including a second valve having an orifice larger than the orifice of the expansion valve;
means for conducting refrigerant from the compressor to the conduit inlet through the second valve when the depositing means is depositing liquid product mix on the freezing surface so as to flood the conduit with refrigerant in the liquid phase, said refrigerant changing to a gaseous phase within the freezing surface thereby pro-ducing a large temperature differential between said wall and the freezing surface.
31. The apparatus defined in claim 30 wherein the second valve is a throttling valve having a valve orifice which varies in size in response to a control signal, and the refrigeration unit also includes sensing means for sensing the refrigerant pressure at the conduit outlet and control means responsive to said signal to vary the size of the second valve orifice directly with the refrigerant pressure at the conduit outlet whereby to maintain a relatively constant refrigerant temperature and pressure in said conduit.
32. Apparatus for dispensing a food product comprising a rotary surface having a surface axis;
motive means for rotating the surface about the surface axis;
depositing means spaced above said surface for depositing a selected amount of a liquid on said surface while said surface is rotating so that the liquid spreads out on said surface, said depositing means including a manifold having upper and lower walls and an axis extending between said walls;
means for supporting the manifold above said surface for rota-tion about the manifold axis;
a plurality of mixing chambers within said manifold and distrib-uted about the manifold axis, each mixing chamber including a plurality of inlets at said upper wall and an outlet, a separate fluid conduit within the manifold extending from the outlet of each mixing chamber to the lower wall of the manifold at a location thereon disposed over said surface;
a plurality of fluid containers positioned above said manifold and arranged about the manifold axis, each container having an outlet leading to one inlet of a different one of said plurality of mixing chambers, and flow control means for controlling the flow of fluid through the outlet of each container so that a selected volume of a first fluid from each container may be delivered by said manifold to said surface.
33. The apparatus defined in claim 32 wherein the manifold containing said mixing chambers and said conduits constitutes a solid block.
34. The apparatus defined in claim 32 wherein the supporting means comprise a rotary shaft extending along said axis and a support plate on the top of the manifold and which supports said containers.
35. The apparatus defined in claim 34 wherein said containers are wedge-shaped and positioned on the plate in a circle whose center is at said manifold axis.
36. The apparatus defined in claim 32 wherein the flow control means for control-ling the flow of said first fluid through the outlet of each container comprises a pump mounted on said each container, said pump including a piston which faces away from the manifold axis and when pushed, pumps said selected volume of first fluid from said each container to the associated mixing chamber.
37. The apparatus defined in claim 36 and further including a fluid delivery station;
means for rotating the manifold so that any one of the plurality of con-tainers can be positioned opposite the delivery station;
a pusher at the delivery station for pushing against the piston of the container opposite the delivery station, and control means for controlling the means for rotating and the pusher so that said first fluid from a selected one of the plurality of containers can be pumped to said manifold and deposited on said surface.
38. The apparatus defined in claim 37 and further including fluid delivery means at the fluid delivery station for delivering a second fluid to a second inlet of the mixing chamber receiving the first fluid being pumped from the container positioned opposite the delivery station.
39. The apparatus defined in claim 38 wherein the fluid delivery means include a nozzle having a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet;
means for delivering a first product base to said first nozzle inlet;
means for delivering a gas to the second nozzle inlet, said base and gas combining in the nozzle to form said second fluid, and means for connecting the nozzle outlet to said other inlet of the mixing chamber associated with the container positioned opposite the delivery station.
40. The apparatus defined in claim 39 wherein the nozzle outlet extends over said manifold upper surface, and said means for connecting include means for moving the nozzle sub-stantially perpendicular to said upper wall of the manifold in response to a control sig-nal, and means for producing said control signal when the selected container is posi-tioned opposite the delivery station so that the nozzle outlet is plugged into said second inlet of the mixing chamber associated with the selected container.
41. The apparatus defined in claim 40 and further including restraining means on the connecting means for restraining the selected container when the nozzle outlet is plugged into said second inlet so that said selected container remains stationary when said pusher is pushing.
42. A method of dispensing a food product comprising the steps of providing a surface having an axis;
positioning over said surface depositing means which deposit a selected amount of liquid product mix onto the surface while rotating the depositing means and surface relatively about said axis so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the sur-face in a relatively thin layer and sets to form an at least partially solidified product body, and removing the product body from the surface.
43. The method defined in claim 42 including the step of cooling said surface to a temperature low enough to at least partially freeze said layer to form said product body.
44. The method defined in claim 42 or 43 including the additional step of control-ling the residence time of the liquid product mix on said surface depending upon the composition of said liquid product mix.
45. The method defined in claim 42 or 43 including the additional steps of monitoring the temperature of said surface, and controlling the temperature of said surface depending upon the compo-sition of said mix.
46. The method defined in claim 42 or 43 including the additional step of leveling the liquid mix deposited on said surface to a selected thickness prior to its setting to form said product body.
47. The method defined in claim 42 or 43 including the additional step of removing the product body by scraping same from the surface to form scrapings.
48. The method defined in claim 47 including the additional step of compacting and forming the scrapings into a selectively-shaped body of food product.
49. The method defined in claim 48 including the additional step of depositing said body into a container.
50. A method of dispensing a food product composed of a plurality of ingredients which are mixed to form the food product, said method comprising the steps of providing a rotary surface having a rotary axis and a periphery;
mixing together first and second fluid ingredients to form a liquid prod-uct mix;
depositing the liquid product mix onto said surface while rotating said surface so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the surface in a relatively thin layer;
cooling the surface to a temperature low enough to at least partially freeze the liquid product mix layer to form a frozen product body;
scraping the frozen product body from said surface to the periphery thereof to form product body scrapings, and collecting and compacting the scrapings to form the food product.
51. The method defined in claim 50 including the additional step of controlling the temperature of said surface and/or the residence time of the liquid mix layer on said surface depending upon the identities of said first and sec-and fluid ingredients.
52. The method defined in claim 50 including the step of leveling the liquid product mix layers deposited on said surface to a selected thickness prior to the freezing thereof.
53. Apparatus for dispensing product comprising a manifold having upper and lower walls and an axis extending between said walls;
means for supporting the manifold above a surface;
a plurality of mixing chambers within said manifold and distributed about the manifold axis, each mixing chamber including a plurality of inlets at said up-per wall and an outlet, and a separate fluid conduit within the manifold extending from the outlet of each mixing chamber to a selected portion of the lower wall of the mani-fold;
a plurality of fluid containers positioned above said manifold and ar-ranged about the manifold axis, each container having an outlet leading to one inlet of a different one of said plurality of mixing chambers, and flow control means for controlling the flow of fluid through the outlet of each container so that a selected volume of a fluid from each container may be deliv-ered to said lower wall portion.
54. The apparatus defined in claim 53 wherein the manifold containing said mixing chambers and the conduits constitutes the solid block of material.
55. The apparatus defined in claim 53 wherein said containers are wedge-shaped and positioned above said manifold in a circle centered on said axis.
56. The apparatus defined in claim 55 wherein the supporting means comprise a rotary shaft extending along said axis and a support plate above the manifold and which supports said containers.
57. The apparatus defined in claim 53 wherein each fluid conduit comprises an elongated tube or channel whose dimensions result in turbulent flow of fluid flowing through the conduit.
58. The apparatus defined in claim 53 wherein the flow control means for control-ling the flow of fluid through the outlet of each container comprise a pump integral to said each container, said pump including an outwardly facing piston which, when pushed, pumps said selected volume of fluid from said each container to the associated mixing chamber.
59. The apparatus defined in claim 58 wherein said manifold is rotatable about said axis, and further including a fluid delivery station, means for rotating the manifold so that any one of the plurality of containers may be positioned opposite the delivery station, a pusher at the delivery station for pushing against the piston of the container opposite the deliver station, and control means for controlling the means for rotating and the pusher so that said fluid from a selected one of the plurality of containers may be pumped from the lower wall portion of said manifold.
60. The apparatus defined in claim 59 and further including fluid delivery means at the fluid delivery station for delivering a second fluid to the second inlet of the mixing chamber that receives the first mentioned fluid being pumped from the container posi-tioned opposite the delivery station.
61. The apparatus defined in claim 60 wherein the fluid delivery means include a nozzle having a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet;
base delivering means for delivering a product base to said first nozzle inlet;
gas delivering means for delivering a gas to said second nozzle inlet, said base and gas combining in the nozzle, and means for connecting the nozzle outlet to the other inlet of the mixing chamber associated with the container positioned opposite the delivery station.
62. The apparatus defined in claim 61 wherein the nozzle outlet extends over said manifold upper surface, and said means for connecting include means for moving the nozzle sub-stantially perpendicular to said upper wall of the manifold in response to a control sig-nal, and a controller for producing said control signal when the selected container is positioned opposite the delivery station so that the nozzle outlet is plugged into said second inlet of the mixing chamber associated with the selected container.
63. The apparatus defined in claim 62 and further including restraining means on the connecting means for restraining the selected container when the nozzle outlet is plugged into said second inlet so that said selected container remains stationary when said pusher is pushing.
63. The apparatus defined in claim 53 wherein the outlet of each container plugs into one of the inlets of the associated mixing chamber, and the flow control means include a pump including a piston built intot he said each container and which faces away from said axis and when pushed pumps said selected volume of fluid from said each container to the associated mixing chamber.
65. Apparatus for dispensing a product comprising a nozzle having a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet;
a support means for supporting the nozzle above a receptacle so that the support can move vertically between a lower position where the nozzle can be plugged into the receptacle and an upper position wherein the nozzle can be spaced above the receptacle;
base delivering means for delivering a product base to the first nozzle inlet;
gas delivering means for delivering a gas to the second nozzle inlet, said base and gas combining in the nozzle to form an aerated fluid, and moving means for moving said support vertically between said two po-sitions.
66. The apparatus defined in claim 65 wherein the nozzle outlet is tapered, and the support includes a first section connected to the nozzle, a second section connected to the moving means, means linking said first and second support sections to permit the first section to move in a horizontal plane relative to the second section, and means for biasing the first section to a home position in said plane which centers the nozzle outlet over the receptacle.
67. The apparatus defined in claim 65 wherein the base delivering comprise a deformable container having an interior for containing a product base, and a fluid conduit extending between the container interior and the first nozzle inlet for conducting the product base from the container to the nozzle.
68. The apparatus defined in claim 67 wherein the container, conduit and nozzle comprise a unitary plastic structure.
69. The apparatus defined in claim 68 and further including means for pumping product base from said container to said nozzle.
70. The apparatus defined in claim 69 wherein said conduit is flexible, and said pumping means comprise a peristaltic pump having a pumping head engaging said conduit.
71. The apparatus defined in claim 68 wherein said nozzle is separable from said support and said gas delivering means.
72. The apparatus defined in claim 64 and further including a manifold having a top opening defining said receptacle and means for moving the manifold to position the receptacle directly under the nozzle outlet.
73. The apparatus defined in claim 64 wherein the gas delivering means comprise a source of compressed gas having an outlet, and a conduit connecting the source outlet to the second nozzle inlet.
74. Apparatus for dispensing a product comprising a substantially horizontal flat surface;
a roller having opposite ends, a rotary axis extending between said ends and a conical surface;
mounting means for mounting the roller at said roller axis above said flat surface so that said conical surface is parallel to the flat surface and defines a gap therewith, and means for moving the roller and flat surface relatively so as to level a liquid deposited on the flat surface to the height of said gap.
75. The apparatus defined in claim 74 wherein the roller comprises a rigid conical core, and an elastomeric cover covering said core and which constitutes said coni-cal surface.
76. The apparatus defined in claim 75 wherein said elastomeric cover includes a pair of circular elastomeric ridges at the opposite ends of said roller which contact said flat surface and maintain said conical surface of the roller at a selected distance from the flat surface so as to establish said gap.
77. The apparatus defined in claim 76 and further including means for moving the roller closer to said flat surface so that said ridges are compressed to an extent that said conical surface contacts the flat surface.
78. The apparatus defined in claim 74 wherein said flat surface is rotatable about a central axis, and said moving means move said surface about the central axis, said roller being mounted so that the roller axis extends radially from the central axis.
79. The apparatus defined in claim 74 and further including means for removing liquid deposited on the flat surface after it has been leveled by the roller.
80. The apparatus defined in claim 74 and further including means for chilling the flat surface so as to at least partially freeze liquid deposited on the flat surface.
81. Apparatus for dispensing a product comprising a substantially horizontal sur-face having an edge;
a substantially vertical forming cylinder positioned adjacent to said edge, said forming cylinder having a side window and a bottom opening;
pushing means for pushing product deposited on said surface through said win-dow into the forming cylinder so as to compact the product into a shaped solid body within the cylinder, and ejection means in the cylinder for pushing the shaped solid body out of said bottom opening.
82. The apparatus defined in claim 81 wherein the ejection means include a piston having an end facing said bottom opening and being movable 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 adjacent to said bottom opening.
83. The apparatus defined in claim 82 wherein the ejection member includes a cup with a concave wall facing the bottom opening of the cylinder;
a diaphragm covering said concave wall to define an interior space, and a passage extending from said interior space to a location outside the cup.
84. The apparatus defined in claim 83 wherein the diaphragm normally spans the concave wall so that it is substantially parallel to the bottom opening of the cylinder.
85. The apparatus defined in claim 83 Wherein the diaphragm normally follows the contour of said concave wall, and further including means for introducing fluid through said passage into said interior space as to deform the diaphragm so that it substantially spans said con-cave wall.
86. The apparatus defined in claim 84 wherein said diaphragm is elastic and stretches when deformed.
87. The apparatus defined in claim 81 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 solid body is being ejected.
88. The apparatus defined in claim 81 and further including rinsing means for rins-ing the interior of said cylinder and said ejection member.
89 The apparatus defined in claim 88 wherein said rinsing means comprise a cup;
means for movably mounting the cup below the bottom opening of the cylinder so that the cup can be swung between a closed position wherein it covers said bottom opening and an open position wherein it exposes said bottom opening;
actuating means for moving the cup between said positions;
means for delivering rinsing liquid to said cup under pressure when the cup is in said closed position so that the rinsing liquid jets up into the forming cylinder and impinges on the ejection member, and means for conducting rinsing liquid away from the cup when the cup is in its closed position.
90. The apparatus defined in claim 89 wherein the liquid delivering means comprise a rinsing liquid container having an outlet;
a conduit connecting the outlet of the container to the cup, and means for pumping rinsing liquid from the container through the conduit to the cup.
91. The apparatus defined in claim 81 wherein said surface is a freezing surface which at least partially freezes product deposited on said surface, and the pushing means comprise a scraper for scraping the at least partially frozen product from said surface into the forming cylinder.
92. Apparatus for dispensing a product comprising a substantially flat surface;
scraping means including a channel supported above said surface, said channel having opposite walls defining between them an alley which extends over said surface and one of the walls supporting a scraping edge which contacts said surface;
moving means for moving said scraping means and said surface relative to one another so that the scraping means scrapes, product deposited on said surface from said surface into said alley, and pushing means for pushing product in said alley to the edge of said sur-face.
93. The apparatus defined in claim 92 wherein the pushing means comprise a movable scraper slidable along said alley, and a pusher for pushing the scraper along said alley between a retracted po-sition spaced away from the edge of said surface and in an extended position at the edge of said surface.
94. The apparatus defined in claim 93 wherein the scraping means include biasing means for biasing said scraping edge toward said surface.
95. The apparatus defined in claim 93 wherein the scraping edge is releasably se-cured to said one wall of said channel for easy replacement.
96. The apparatus defined in claim 95 wherein the blade has a cylindrical base which snaps into a semi-cylindrical groove in said one wall of the channel.
97. The apparatus defined in claim 92 wherein the scraping means support the channel so that the channel is self leveling relative to said surface.
98. Apparatus for dispensing a product comprising a surface having a fluid conduit extending within said surface, said con-duit having an inlet and an outlet and a wall extending between the conduit and the sur-face;
bearing means for supporting said surface for rotation about an axis;
motive means for rotating said surface about said axis;
a heat exchange system for circulating a thermally conductive medium through said conduit to change the temperature of said surface sufficiently to convert a product deposited on said surface to an at least partially solidified product body.
99. The apparatus defined in claim 98 and further including means for depositing a product on said surface, and means for removing the solidified product body from said surface.
100. The apparatus defined in claim 98 wherein the heat exchange system comprises a refrigeration system for circulating a refrigerant through said conduit to cool said sur-face sufficiently to convert said product to an at least partially frozen product body, said refrigerant system including a compressor, a condenser, and fluid connection means for connecting the compressor, condenser and said conduit inlet and outlet to form a closed refrigeration loop containing a refrigerant, said surface constituting an evaporator in the refrigeration loop.
101. The apparatus defined in claim 100 wherein said surface has a covering of metal-infused polytetrafluoroethylene.
102. The apparatus defined in claim 100 wherein the bearing means include a pair of rotary fluid couplings connecting the conduit inlet and outlet in said refrigeration loop.
103. The apparatus defined in claim 100 wherein the refrigeration system includes a controllable valve oriface which varies in size in response to control signals, and control means delivering a first control signal to open the valve oriface when product is deposited on said surface and second control signals to reduce the size of the valve oriface when product is not being deposited on said surface.
Applications Claiming Priority (5)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US33625201P | 2001-11-02 | 2001-11-02 | |
| US60/336,252 | 2001-11-02 | ||
| US10/160,674 US6698228B2 (en) | 2001-11-02 | 2002-07-31 | Method and apparatus for producing and dispensing an aerated and/or blended food product |
| US10/160,674 | 2002-07-31 | ||
| PCT/US2002/035123 WO2003041513A2 (en) | 2001-11-02 | 2002-11-01 | Method and apparatus for producing and dispensing an aerated and/or blended food |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2465925A1 true CA2465925A1 (en) | 2003-05-22 |
| CA2465925C CA2465925C (en) | 2010-09-28 |
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| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2465925A Expired - Fee Related CA2465925C (en) | 2001-11-02 | 2002-11-01 | Method and apparatus for producing and dispensing an aerated and/or blended food |
Country Status (9)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (6) | US6698228B2 (en) |
| EP (2) | EP2145545A2 (en) |
| JP (2) | JP4383874B2 (en) |
| CN (1) | CN100408948C (en) |
| AU (1) | AU2002353968A1 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2465925C (en) |
| DE (1) | DE60232357D1 (en) |
| MX (1) | MXPA04004950A (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2003041513A2 (en) |
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-
2002
- 2002-07-31 US US10/160,674 patent/US6698228B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2002-11-01 DE DE60232357T patent/DE60232357D1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2002-11-01 JP JP2003543413A patent/JP4383874B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2002-11-01 MX MXPA04004950A patent/MXPA04004950A/en active IP Right Grant
- 2002-11-01 AU AU2002353968A patent/AU2002353968A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2002-11-01 CN CNB028267001A patent/CN100408948C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2002-11-01 CA CA2465925A patent/CA2465925C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2002-11-01 WO PCT/US2002/035123 patent/WO2003041513A2/en active Application Filing
- 2002-11-01 EP EP09159984A patent/EP2145545A2/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2002-11-01 EP EP02789372A patent/EP1448939B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2003
- 2003-12-03 US US10/726,815 patent/US6952928B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2004
- 2004-06-30 US US10/881,684 patent/US7052728B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2004-10-22 US US10/971,796 patent/US7131279B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2006
- 2006-04-06 US US11/278,928 patent/US20060162347A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2006-04-07 US US11/278,993 patent/US20060162348A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
2009
- 2009-07-06 JP JP2009159447A patent/JP2009278983A/en active Pending
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CN100408948C (en) | 2008-08-06 |
| CA2465925C (en) | 2010-09-28 |
| US20040112078A1 (en) | 2004-06-17 |
| DE60232357D1 (en) | 2009-06-25 |
| US7131279B2 (en) | 2006-11-07 |
| AU2002353968A1 (en) | 2003-05-26 |
| US7052728B2 (en) | 2006-05-30 |
| JP2009278983A (en) | 2009-12-03 |
| JP4383874B2 (en) | 2009-12-16 |
| US20050198990A1 (en) | 2005-09-15 |
| US20040250554A1 (en) | 2004-12-16 |
| EP1448939B1 (en) | 2009-05-13 |
| CN1612996A (en) | 2005-05-04 |
| JP2005538681A (en) | 2005-12-22 |
| WO2003041513A3 (en) | 2003-11-27 |
| EP1448939A4 (en) | 2007-07-18 |
| EP1448939A2 (en) | 2004-08-25 |
| US20060162347A1 (en) | 2006-07-27 |
| US20060162348A1 (en) | 2006-07-27 |
| US6952928B2 (en) | 2005-10-11 |
| MXPA04004950A (en) | 2005-04-08 |
| EP2145545A2 (en) | 2010-01-20 |
| US6698228B2 (en) | 2004-03-02 |
| US20030085237A1 (en) | 2003-05-08 |
| WO2003041513A2 (en) | 2003-05-22 |
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
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| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |
Effective date: 20131101 |