Granted Patent B2

US 7,131,279 · App. 10/971,796 · Granted Nov 7, 2006

Abstract

Claims (58)

1. A method of dispensing a food product comprising the steps of

providing a substantially horizontal surface having a central axis and a periphery;

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 surface and sets to form an at least partially solidified product layer;

scraping the layer from said surface as scrapings;

pushing said scrapings away from said axis to a selected location on said surface adjacent to said periphery so as to consolidate said scrapings thereat, and

removing the consolidated scrapings from said selected location as said food product.

2. The method defined in claim 1 including the step of cooling said surface to a temperature low enough to at least partially freeze said liquid product mix to form said product layer.

3. The method defined in claim 2 including the additional step of selecting an ice cream or yogurt mix for deposit by the depositing means.

4. The method defined in claim 1 including the additional step of controlling the residence time of the liquid product mix on said surface depending upon the composition of said liquid product mix.

5. The method defined in claim 1 including the additional steps of monitoring the temperature of said surface, and controlling the temperature of said surface depending upon the composition of said liquid product mix.

6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the removal step includes compacting the consolidated scrapings beyond said periphery into a selectively-shaped body of food product.

7. The method defined in claim 6 including the additional step of depositing said body into a container.

8. 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 substantially vertical rotary axis and a periphery;

mixing together a liquid ingredient and a fluid ingredient to form a liquid product mix;

depositing the liquid product mix onto said surface while rotating said surface about said axis so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the surface in a layer;

cooling the surface to a temperature low enough to at least partially freeze said layer to form a product body;

scraping the product body from said surface to said periphery as product body scrapings;

collecting the scrapings at a single selected location on said surface adjacent to said periphery to form consolidated scrapings thereat, and

removing said consolidated scrapings from said selected location.

9. The method defined in claim 8 including the additional step of controlling the temperature of said surface and/or the residence time of the liquid product mix layer on said surface depending upon the composition of at least one of said liquid and said fluid ingredients.

10. A method of dispensing a food product comprising providing a substantially horizontal rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery;

rotating said surface about said axis;

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 sets to form a relatively thin, at least partially solidified product body;

scraping the at least partially solidified product body into a linear ridge row of scrapings aligned with said axis on said surface, said ridge row having a radially inner end proximal to said axis and an outer end;

pushing said ridge row at the inner end thereof away from said axis to a selected location on said surface adjacent to said periphery to consolidate the ridge row at said selected location, and

removing the consolidated ridge row from said selected location.

11. The method defined in claim 10 and further including 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.

12. A method of dispensing a food product comprising the steps of providing a rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery;

rotating the surface about said axis;

depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the rotary surface while said surface is rotating so that the liquid product mix spreads out on said surface and sets to form an at least partially solidified product layer;

scraping the at least partially solidified product layer into a ridge row of scrapings on said surface;

pushing the ridge row away from said axis into a forming cylinder located beyond said periphery thereby compacting the scrapings into a shaped solid body within the forming cylinder, and

ejecting the shaped solid body from the forming cylinder as said food product.

13. Apparatus for dispensing a food product comprising a substantially horizontal rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery;

motive means for rotating the rotary surface about said axis;

depositing means spaced above the rotary surface for depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the rotary surface while said surface is rotating so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the rotary surface and sets to form a thin, at least partially solidified product body, and

product delivery means disposed between said depositing means and the rotary surface, said delivery means including

scraping means supported above the rotary surface and having a working edge engaging the rotary surface along a line extending substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement thereof while said rotary surface is rotating to scrape the at least partially solidified product body into a single ridge row on said rotary surface,

pushing means for pushing said ridge row along said rotary surface as away from said axis to a selected location on said surface adjacent to said periphery so as to consolidate said scrapings, and

removing means for removing said consolidated scrapings from said selected location as said food product.

14. The apparatus defined in claim 13 and further including means for cooling said rotary surface to a temperature low enough to at least partially freeze the liquid product mix deposited on said rotary surface to form a frozen product body.

15. Apparatus for dispensing a food product comprising

a substantially horizontal rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery;

a motor for rotating the rotary surface about said axis;

a depositing device spaced above the rotary surface for depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the rotary surface while said rotary surface is rotating so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the rotary surface and sets to form a thin, at least partially solidified product body;

a scraper supported above the rotary surface and having a working edge engaging the rotary surface along a line extending substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement thereof while said rotary surface is rotating to scrape said at least partially solidified product layer into a single ridge row on the rotary surface, said ridge row having an inner end proximal to said axis;

a pushing device for pushing said ridge row at said inner end radially along said surface away from said axis to a selected location on said surface at the periphery thereof to consolidate to scrapings, and

a removal device for removing the consolidated scrapings from said selected location as said food product.

16. The apparatus defined in claim 15 and further including a refrigeration system connected to said rotary surface for cooling said rotary surface to a temperature low enough to at least partially freeze the liquid product mix deposited on said rotary surface to form a product layer which is at least partially frozen.

17. Apparatus for dispensing a food product comprising

a generally horizontal rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery;

a motor for rotating the rotary surface about said axis;

a depositing device spaced above the rotary surface for depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the rotary surface while the rotary surface is rotating so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the rotary surface and sets as an at least partially solidified product layer;

a scraping device supported above the rotary surface for scraping said product layer from said surface into a row of scrapings extending away from said axis, and

a pushing device for pushing said row of scrapings toward a selected location at the periphery of said surface so as to consolidate said scrapings.

18. The apparatus defined in claim 17 and further including a cooling device connected to said rotary surface for cooling same to a freezing temperature.

19. The apparatus defined in claim 17 and further including a compacting device located adjacent to said surface periphery at said selected location for compacting said consolidated scrapings.

20. The apparatus defined in claim 17 and further including a controlling device for controlling the temperature of said surface and/or the residence time of said liquid product mix on said surface depending upon the composition of said liquid product mix.

Assignments (8)