Frozen food dispensing system that limits internal clean-in-place operations
The present invention relates to frozen food dispensing systems configured for external-ingredient delivery and reduced or eliminated internal cleaning requirements. In various embodiments, the system includes a mixing chamber that receives a food portion and a gas portion, an auger driven by an auger motor, a refrigeration system that freezes the mixture to a malleable consistency, and a control system that monitors temperature, motor resistance, and ingredient flow. One embodiment couples one or more external ingredient sources directly to the mixing chamber to extend serving capacity beyond the internal limits of the equipment. Another embodiment employs an external manifold with valves and a vacuum pump to meter multiple ingredients into a blending chamber before transfer into the mixing chamber. A further embodiment provides a single-use or limited-use mixing chamber or a disposable shell to eliminate clean-in-place cycles. The systems collectively support continuous operation, simplified service, and improved sanitation.
1 . A frozen food dispensing system configured for external ingredient delivery, the system comprising:
a housing;
a mixing chamber configured to receive a food portion and a gas portion;
a manifold positioned outside the housing and having a blending chamber, a plurality of ingredient inlets, and at least one ingredient egress port fluidly coupled to the mixing chamber;
a plurality of valves configured to control ingredient flow from a plurality of external ingredient sources positioned remote from the housing;
a pump connected to the ingredient egress port and configured to apply vacuum by creating a negative-pressure region within the manifold to draw ingredients from the plurality of external ingredient sources through appropriate ones of the plurality of valves and into the blending chamber, wherein blended ingredients exit the manifold through the at least one ingredient egress port and enter the mixing chamber;
a refrigeration system including a compressor, a condenser coil, a refrigerant metering device, and an evaporator coil in thermal communication with the mixing chamber, configured to freeze a food product within the mixing chamber; and
a control system including a microcontroller configured to actuate the plurality of valves and the pump according to a predetermined sequence to achieve targeted blend ratios;
wherein the mixing chamber is configured to receive ingredients from the external ingredient sources, thereby reducing internal cleaning requirements and permitting inspection, cleaning, and maintenance of the manifold, the plurality of valves, and pump connections without opening the housing or exposing internal refrigeration components, while the mixing chamber and refrigeration system remain installed.
2 . The frozen food dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the control system automatically transitions between the external ingredient sources based when a depletion condition is detected.
3 . The frozen food dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to actuate selected ones of the plurality of valves, and the pump connected to the ingredient egress port is configured to create the negative-pressure region within the manifold by briefly drawing ambient air through selected ones of the plurality of ingredient inlets, thereby removing residual ingredient material when switching flavors or replacing the mixing chamber.
4 . The frozen food dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the manifold comprises a manifold body and a plurality of pressure sensors configured to measure pressure of ingredients entering through the plurality of ingredient inlets and blended ingredients exiting through the at least one ingredient egress port.
5 . The frozen food dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of valves are configured for valve modulation to regulate ingredient flow into the blending chamber based on commanded timing, blend ratio, or pressure feedback.
6 . A method of using the frozen food dispensing system of claim 1 , the method comprising the steps of:
supplying ingredients from the plurality of external ingredient sources into the manifold;
modulating at least one of the plurality of valves to meter the ingredients into the blending chamber;
operating the pump connected to the ingredient egress port to create a pressure differential within the manifold that draws the ingredients from the plurality of external ingredient sources into the blending chamber; and
transferring blended ingredients from the manifold through the at least one ingredient egress port into the mixing chamber for freezing.
7 . A frozen food dispensing system configured for external ingredient delivery, the system comprising:
a housing;
a mixing chamber configured to receive a food portion and a gas portion;
a manifold body having a front side, a back side, a top side, at least one blending chamber, a plurality of ingredient inlet ports at the top side, a plurality of pressure reservoirs at the back side, a plurality of ingredient egress ports at the front side intersecting the plurality of pressure reservoirs, and a plurality of ingredient ingress ports at the front side intersecting the at least one blending chamber;
a plurality of inlet conduits fastened to the plurality of ingredient inlet ports and configured to receive ingredients from a plurality of external ingredient sources positioned remote from the housing;
a plurality of electronic valves secured to the front side of the manifold body and movable between an open position and a closed position such that, in the open position, an ingredient passes from one of the plurality of pressure reservoirs through one of the plurality of ingredient egress ports and through one of the plurality of ingredient ingress ports into the at least one blending chamber, and such that, in the closed position, the ingredient is prevented from egressing the one of the plurality of pressure reservoirs through the one of the plurality of ingredient egress ports;
at least one food product egress conduit fastened to the at least one blending chamber and fluidly coupled to the mixing chamber;
a pump connected to the at least one food product egress conduit and configured to draw ingredients through the manifold body and into the mixing chamber;
a refrigeration system including a compressor, a condenser coil, a refrigerant metering device, and an evaporator coil in thermal communication with the mixing chamber, the refrigeration system being configured to freeze a food product within the mixing chamber; and
a control system including a microcontroller configured to actuate the plurality of electronic valves and the pump to achieve targeted blend ratios.
8 . The frozen food dispensing system of claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of pressure sensors secured within respective ones of the plurality of pressure reservoirs.
9 . The frozen food dispensing system of claim 7 , wherein, when one of the plurality of electronic valves is in the open position, the ingredient traverses along a surface of the front side of the manifold body between one of the plurality of ingredient egress ports and one of the plurality of ingredient ingress ports within an ingredient transfer void.
10 . The frozen food dispensing system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the plurality of ingredient egress ports is maintained in a permanently open state using a valve cap.
11 . The frozen food dispensing system of claim 7 , wherein a diameter of at least one of the plurality of ingredient egress ports and a diameter of a corresponding one of the plurality of ingredient ingress ports are configured to achieve ratiometric mixing within the at least one blending chamber.
12 . The frozen food dispensing system of claim 7 , wherein the control system is configured to actuate the plurality of electronic valves sequentially or simultaneously so that each ingredient contributes a correct proportion to a final mixture formed in the at least one blending chamber.
13 . A method of using the frozen food dispensing system of claim 7 , the method comprising the steps of:
supplying ingredients through the plurality of inlet conduits into the manifold body;
actuating at least one of the plurality of electronic valves to permit an ingredient to pass from one of the plurality of pressure reservoirs through one of the plurality of ingredient egress ports and through one of the plurality of ingredient ingress ports into the at least one blending chamber;
drawing ingredients through the manifold body using the pump connected to the at least one food product egress conduit; and
transferring a food product from the at least one blending chamber through the at least one food product egress conduit into the mixing chamber for freezing.
14 . A frozen food dispensing system configured for external ingredient delivery, the system comprising:
a housing;
a mixing chamber configured to receive a food portion and a gas portion;
a manifold having a blending chamber, a plurality of ingredient inlets, and at least one ingredient egress port fluidly coupled to the mixing chamber;
a plurality of valves configured to selectively control flow of ingredients from a plurality of external ingredient sources positioned remote from the housing into the blending chamber;
at least one pressure sensor configured to determine a blending chamber pressure;
a refrigeration system including a compressor, a condenser coil, a refrigerant metering device, and an evaporator coil in thermal communication with the mixing chamber, the refrigeration system being configured to freeze a food product within the mixing chamber; and
a control system including a microcontroller configured to initiate a recipe pulse sequence when the blending chamber pressure is below a predetermined food product pressure and to terminate the recipe pulse sequence when the blending chamber pressure is at least the predetermined food product pressure.
15 . The frozen food dispensing system of claim 14 , wherein the control system is configured to automatically transition between the plurality of external ingredient sources when a depletion condition is detected.
16 . The frozen food dispensing system of claim 14 , further comprising:
a pump, wherein the control system is configured to actuate selected ones of the plurality of valves, and the pump connected to the at least one ingredient egress port is configured to create a negative-pressure region within the manifold by briefly drawing ambient air through selected ones of the plurality of ingredient inlets, thereby removing residual ingredient material when switching flavors or replacing the mixing chamber.
17 . The frozen food dispensing system of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of valves are configured for valve modulation to regulate ingredient flow into the blending chamber based on commanded timing, blend ratio, or pressure feedback.
18 . The frozen food dispensing system of claim 14 , further comprising:
a pump connected to the at least one ingredient egress port is configured to draw ingredients through the manifold without requiring an individual pump at each of the plurality of external ingredient sources.
19 . The frozen food dispensing system of claim 14 , wherein the manifold is positioned outside the housing to permit inspection, cleaning, and maintenance of the manifold, the plurality of valves, and pump connections without opening the housing and without exposing internal refrigeration components.
20 . A method of using the frozen food dispensing system of claim 14 , the method comprising the steps of:
determining the blending chamber pressure by way of the at least one pressure sensor;
initiating a recipe pulse sequence when the blending chamber pressure is below the predetermined food product pressure;
actuating at least one of the plurality of valves according to the recipe pulse sequence to fill the mixing chamber with a food product; and
terminating the recipe pulse sequence when the blending chamber pressure is at least the predetermined food product pressure.