Agitating – Stirrer within stationary mixing chamber – Rotatable stirrer
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-17
2001-11-20
Cooley, Charles E. (Department: 1723)
Agitating
Stirrer within stationary mixing chamber
Rotatable stirrer
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318889
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
An ice cream mixing apparatus for mixing ice cream with one or more flavor additives comprises a funnel for holding the ice cream and the flavor additives, an auger with a spindle for creating a mixing action, an auger driver for rotating the auger spindle, and a linear actuator for relative movement of the funnel and auger into a position in which the auger is telescoped into the funnel, in which position a rotation of the auger will mix the ice cream and the flavor additives.
The ice cream will normally be in hard form, while the flavor additives may he fruits or nuts. The result of such a mixing is a semiliquid ice cream in which the flavor additives are more or less distributed, which may be sold to consumers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such apparatuses are known from a number of patents. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,548,054, 4,637,221, 4,708,489 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,965 all describe machines or apparatuses comprising an auger or agitator with a helical thread or cutter extending into a funnel or container for holding the ice cream and additives. The auger and funnel are relatively rotatable, and after some rotation the ice cream and additives have obtained a semiliquid condition which is attractive to consumers.
The ice cream is supplied in small, rather hard blocks. A mixing of the ice cream thus causes a rather heavy transient loading of the auger during the start of the mixing, which in turn means a rather heavy loading of the driver, which normally will be an electric motor. This is per se a problem which can be easily overcome by a correct sizing of the motor. The market price of an ice cream mixing apparatus does, however, not justify a big, costly motor, and an ice cream mixing apparatus which can utilise a small electric motor as the auger driver, would therefore be favorable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to provide an ice cream mixing apparatus for mixing ice cream with one or more flavor additives, in which the problem with a transient heavy loading of the auger driver during the start of mixing hard ice cream is reduced or eliminated.
The invention thus has an ice cream mixing apparatus for mixing ice cream with one or more flavor additives, comprising a funnel for holding the ice cream and the flavor additives, an auger with a spindle for creating a mixing action, an auger driver for rotating the auger spindle, and a linear actuator for relative movement of the funnel and auger into a position in which the auger is telescoped into the funnel, in which position a rotation of the auger will mix the ice cream and the flavor additives. The linear actuator is movable between an upper position corresponding to the auger being withdrawn from the funnel and a lower position corresponding to the auger being within the funnel. A spring means is arranged in series with elements transferring linear motion from the actuator to the auger.
A moving of the linear actuator towards the lower position causes the auger to enter the funnel. Resistance from hard ice cream in the funnel does, however, prevent the auger from penetrating the ice cream. This causes the spring means to extend and allow further moving of the linear actuator towards the lower position. The extension of the spring means causes a tension force which is transferred to the auger, and acts as an axial force between the auger and the ice cream. This axial force pushes the auger into the ice cream in the funnel.
After some rotation, the auger rotation causes the ice cream to soften, which allows the auger to penetrate the ice cream. The spring means then retracts and forces the auger into the ice cream. The auger thus enters the ice cream gradually as the ice cream softens.
The axial force on the auger is almost proportional to the rotation load which acts on the auger due to high viscosity in the ice cream. The control of the axial force as described above is thus a control of the load acting on the driver, and the problem with a transient heavy loading of the auger driver during the start of mixing hard ice cream is thus reduced or eliminated.
Preferably the auger spindle is axially supported by a driver bracket which is movable towards the funnel, and the linear actuator is arranged to act parallel to the auger spindle for generating the movement of the driver bracket, i.e. the movement which causes the auger to enter the funnel. In this embodiment the spring means is arranged between the driver bracket and the linear actuator.
Preferably the spring means is movable between a retracted position in which stopper elements prevent a further retraction of the spring means, and an extended position in which the spring means exerts a maximum tension force.
The maximum tension force exerted by the spring means in the extended position is preferably adapted to the maximum allowable force not to overload the auger driver. In this way it is ensured that an overloading of the auger driver does not take place.
Preferably the stopper elements are adapted to be in engagement when the linear actuator is in the lower position and the auger is fully within the funnel thereby causing a movement of the linear actuator towards the upper position to withdraw the auger from the funnel.
Further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
It is preferred that the auger operate at a high speed when unloaded or slightly loaded, and low speed when heavy loaded. To control the changeover between low speed and high speed, the ice cream mixing apparatus preferably comprises a sensor which detects a predetermined extension of the spring means, corresponding to a predetermined axial load of the auger, which, as discussed above, corresponds to a certain rotational load of the auger. This sensor controls a switch which changes the motor speed.
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Japanese Patent Abstract, 10000058A, Jan. 6, 1998.
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Cooley Charles E.
Marienlyst Eiendom AS
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