Machine and system for preparing a cooled food product with aerated or whipped texture in controlled manner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10375973-B2
Application number	US-201415033718-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2014
Priority date	Oct 30, 2013
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine for preparing a cooled food product, comprising: —a receiving seat (1), for accommodating an essentially cup-shaped container, comprising a heat exchange element (1a) having a heat exchange contact surface (21) arranged to be in contact with an outer surface of a side wall (8d) of the container when the container is placed in the machine, —a cooling unit (4) arranged for cooling the heat exchange element (1a) and, —a stirring unit (5) connectable to a stirring member (9) and arranged for driving the stirring member (9) in at least one rotational movement; wherein it comprises —means for measuring the temperature of the product while being prepared, —a control unit for automatically setting output parameters according to input parameters received by the control unit and compared to threshold values stored in the unit; —wherein the output parameters comprises: at least one rotational velocity of the stirring member and the cooling power of the cooling unit, and —wherein the input parameters comprises any one or more of: the measured product temperature, the stirring time.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising a container, the system further comprising a food product preparation machine comprising:
a receiving seat configured for accommodating the container, the receiving seat comprising a heat exchange element having a heat exchange contact surface arranged to be in contact with an outer surface of a side wall of the container when the container is placed in the machine;
a cooling unit arranged for cooling the heat exchange element;
a stirring unit connectable to a stirring member and arranged for driving the stirring member in at least one rotational movement;
a member configured for measuring a temperature of a cooled food product while being prepared;
a torque sensing member configured for sensing the viscosity of the cooled food product during preparation;
a control unit configured for controlling output parameters according to phases during the preparation of the cooled food product, a passage from a first phase to a second phase being triggered by any one or a combination of preparation parameters, which are specific to a type of cooled food product to be prepared, the output parameters comprise: at least one rotational velocity of the stirring member and a cooling power of the cooling unit,
wherein the preparation parameters comprise the measured temperature of the cooled food product, a stirring time and a sensed torque value, and the container comprising ingredients for the preparation of the cooled food product, the container comprising a heat transfer side wall portion having an inner freezing surface, the container comprises an identification member containing a recipe code related to the type of cooled food product to be prepared; and
a recognition member connected to the control unit and the stirring unit and configured for interacting with the identification member; and wherein the control unit is further configured to control the preparation of the cooled food product according to the type of cooled food product identified by the recognition member.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the identification member comprises a barcode.

3. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a product volume sensor configured for determining an increase of volume due to an overrun of the cooled food product during preparation, the preparation parameters further comprising a product volume increase sensed by the product volume sensor.

4. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising an air transmission member configured for providing air into the cooled food product, and wherein the output parameters further comprise an actuation time for the air transmission member.

5. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a user interface configured for providing a start input signal to the control unit, the start input signal configured to start control of preparation of the cooled food product.

6. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a display device configured for displaying a visual and/or an acoustic signal and arranged for receiving a stop output signal from the control unit indicating an end of the preparation of the cooled food product.

7. A system comprising a container, the system further comprising a food product preparation machine comprising:
a receiving seat configured for accommodating the container, the receiving seat comprising a heat exchange element having a heat exchange contact surface arranged to be in contact with an outer surface of a side wall of the container when the container is placed in the machine;
a cooling unit arranged for cooling the heat exchange element;
a stirring unit connectable to a stirring member and arranged for driving the stirring member in at least one rotational movement;
a member configured for measuring a temperature of a cooled food product while being prepared;
a torque sensing member configured for sensing the viscosity of the cooled food product during preparation;
a control unit configured for controlling output parameters according to phases during the preparation of the cooled food product, a passage from a first phase to a second phase being triggered by any one or a combination of preparation parameters, which are specific to a type of cooled food product to be prepared, the output parameters comprise: at least one rotational velocity of the stirring member and a cooling power of the cooling unit, and
wherein the preparation parameters comprise the measured temperature of the cooled food product, a stirring time and a sensed torque value, and the container comprising ingredients for the preparation of the cooled food product, the container comprising a heat transfer side wall portion having an inner freezing surface,
wherein the stirring unit is arranged for driving the stirring member according to a combination of movements, wherein the combination of movements comprises a first rotational movement of the stirring member about a longitudinal axis of the stirring member, the longitudinal axis of the stirring member is arranged offset to a central longitudinal axis of the container or the receiving seat, and a second closed loop movement about the central longitudinal axis of the container or the receiving seat, and wherein the output parameters comprise a first velocity of the first rotational movement and a second velocity of the second closed loop movement of the stirring member.

8. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the container comprises an identification member containing a recipe code related to the type of cooled food product to be prepared.

9. The system according to claim 8 , further comprising a recognition member connected to the control unit and configured for interacting with the identification member; and wherein the control unit is further configured to control the preparation of the cooled food product according to the type of cooled food product identified by the recognition member.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the recognition member is connected to the stirring unit.

11. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the closed loop movement is an orbital rotation of the stirring member about the central longitudinal axis of the container.

Assignees

• Nestec Sa
• Nestle Sa

Inventors

• Noth Andre
• Yoakim Alfred
• Sunderland Charles-Austin

Classifications

• A23G9/28

  for portioning or dispensing · CPC title

• A23G9/228 Primary

  Arrangement and mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• A23G9/12

  using means for stirring the contents in a non-moving container · CPC title

• A23G9/08 Primary

  Batch production {(A23G9/06 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A23G9/20

  the products being mixed with gas, e.g. soft-ice · CPC title