Refrigeration – Processes – Congealing flowable material – e.g. – ice making
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-17
2001-01-23
Tapolcai, William E. (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Processes
Congealing flowable material, e.g., ice making
C062S342000, C062S343000, C366S144000, C366S290000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176090
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to dispensing equipment for soft serve confections and specifically to dispensing equipment for frozen cappuccino.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Soft serve confections are very popular, having expanded from the corner ice cream store. The soft serve confection business is now available in the corner convenience store. Many different types of frozen confections are now available, since the equipment to make and dispense is now readily available and can be placed on a counter where it is readily accessible to both the customer and the person responsible for maintaining and servicing the equipment.
The equipment currently used is well known, being in use for many years. While some modification and improvements have been made, the confection is maintained in the frozen state by a refrigeration unit contained within a central drum that is maintained at a preselected temperature below the freezing temperature of the fluid that is to be dispensed as frozen or semi-frozen product. As fluid is moved over the surface of the drum, the temperature is reduced below its freezing temperature, and the fluid crystallizes as a solid material on the drum surface. The crystalized soft material is removed from the surface of the drum by an auger that is activated by the user using an activation device, typically a handle that activates the auger my pulling the handle forward . The auger moves over the surface of the drum and scrapes or removes the frozen material from the drum surface while moving the material toward the dispensing assembly located below the handle. While this assembly is commonly used and works well with most liquids, the texture of the frozen product will be a function of the liquid that is frozen.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,194 to Topper et al. recognized that the texture of the frozen product is important. This patent recognizes that certain viscous materials such as ice cream can have their texture degraded by repeated compression and decompression of the confection, causing undesirable ice crystals to form. These ice crystals degrade the taste and texture of the confection. To avoid the formation of ice crystals in the confection, Topper et al. moves the confection from a storage container through the refrigeration unit to the dispenser by minimizing the compression of the confection. While this solution is very effective for maintaining the texture of viscous materials that may form ice crystals as a result of repeated compression and decompression cycles, it does not provide a solution for liquids that form ice crystals as they are cooled below their freezing temperature on the drum of a refrigeration unit. One such liquid is cappuccino that is having increased popularity as a frozen confection.
Other examples of means for dispensing frozen product from similar refrigeration units are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,309 to Baron et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,744 to Sawyer, III. Sawyer, III discloses a bottled water dispenser that includes an ice maker and an ice crusher.
While certain confections have a smooth texture as they form a frozen concoction during refrigeration, other confections under certain conditions can and do from ice crystals that degrade the taste of the confection. What is needed is a simple, inexpensive device that can be easily fitted to existing frozen confection machines and that can minimize the effect of the crystallization process, forming a smooth confection that improves the taste of the confection.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an apparatus that can be attached to an existing soft serve confection machine or that can be provided as an integral part of a new soft serve confection machine. The apparatus includes a maceration assembly that can receive a predetermined quantity of soft serve product and modify the product. The soft serve product is produced in well known frozen confection machines that utilize a central refrigeration unit typically housed within a metal drum. Soft serve product is formed on the cool metal drum as it solidifies. The soft serve product will have a varying consistency, depending upon the type of frozen confection being produced. In some cases, the confection will form a smooth product. For some confections, rather coarse crystals are formed during solidification. The solidified confection is removed from the metal drum and is translated toward a discharge port as the drum rotates in relation to an auger. The soft serve product will have a varying consistency, depending upon the type of frozen confection being produced. In some cases, the frozen product will form a smooth product. However, the present invention is most suitable for use with those confections that form large ice crystal, in that the product modification forms a smooth confection.
The maceration assembly typically is mounted outside of the portion of the frozen confection machine that houses the refrigeration unit, although this is not necessary. However, the maceration chamber must be positioned to receive the frozen confection after it leaves the refrigeration unit and before it is dispensed into a receiving container for consumption. The maceration chamber is an enclosed unit that includes a first opening through which the frozen confection is received and a second opening through which the frozen confection is dispensed. Extending into the maceration chamber is a whipper assembly. The whipper assembly consists of a whipping device mounted on a rotatable shaft. The whipping device can be any mechanical assembly such as an auger, an impeller, blades projecting at an angle from the motor shaft or such that can act on the frozen confection. The rotatable shaft extends outward from a standard motor assembly that rotates at a predetermined speed.
A detector is activated to activate the motor and initiate rotation of the whipper assembly upon detection of a predetermined condition. The detector can be activated by the predetermined conditions in a number of ways. As frozen confection is translated by the whipping device to a discharge port or point where it enters the maceration chamber, presence of the frozen confection may be detected as it exits the refrigeration unit and enters the maceration chamber. The detection of the confection activates the motor which in turn causes the whipper assembly to rotate. The action of the whipper assembly blends the frozen confection, modifying its consistency as it moves past a whipping device and is dispensed or discharged through the second opening. The blended confection is noticeable smoother and more appealing to the consumer. In addition, the blended confection also has an appearance of a lighter color than when it is discharged from the frozen confection machine.
An advantage of the present invention is that it can be readily adapted to existing confection machines that yield product having large, grainy-type of crystals with little effort. The use of the present invention with existing confection machines will modify the product so that the texture of the product will be smoother and creamier. Because the modification can be made with little effort, the cost of the modification is low.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it can be readily removed from existing machines. This feature makes it very easy to clean. If necessary, it also makes the present invention easy to remove if the type of confection produced by the machine is changed to one which has a smooth texture.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that it can be incorporated into the design of a new machine. While the maceration chamber remains easy to remove for cleaning purposes, the motors that drive the whipping device are internal to the confection machine, so as to be less obtrusive.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of e
Maria Carmen Santa
McNees Wallace & Nurick
Rich Coast Corporation
Tapolcai William E.
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