Continuous popcorn machines having variable heating profiles and associated systems and methods

1. A popcorn machine, comprising:

a tube extending along a longitudinal axis and having an upper tube portion and a lower tube portion, wherein the upper tube portion and the lower tube portion form a circumferential boundary of a tubular process chamber, and wherein the tubular process chamber includes first and second heating zones extending along the longitudinal axis;

a first heating element positioned to heat the first heating zone;

a second heating element positioned to heat the second heating zone;

a first temperature sensor positioned to detect a temperature at a transition point between the first heating zone and the second heating zone;

a second temperature sensor positioned to detect a temperature in the second heating zone;

an auger positioned at least partially within the tube, wherein the auger is rotatable to move ingredients through the process chamber; and

a control system operatively coupled to the first and second heating elements and the first and second temperature sensors, wherein the control system includes at least one non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause the control system to—

based on the temperature at the transition point, control the first heating element to provide a generally increasing temperature profile along a length of the first heating zone such that the ingredients reach a preset temperature at the end of the first heating zone; and

based on the temperature in the second heating zone, control the second heating element to provide a generally constant temperature profile at the preset temperature along a length of the second heating zone.

2. The popcorn machine of claim 1 wherein the tube extends along the longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end, and wherein the first heating zone extends from the first end to past a midpoint of the tube.

3. The popcorn machine of claim 2 wherein the transition point is positioned between the first heating zone and the second end of the tube.

4. The popcorn machine of claim 1 wherein the second temperature sensor is positioned at a midpoint of the second heating zone.

5. The popcorn machine of claim 1 wherein the ingredients include popcorn kernels, and wherein the preset temperature is a popping temperature of the popcorn kernels.

6. The popcorn machine of claim 1 wherein the first and second heating elements are differentially positioned toward a first side of the auger to direct more heat toward the first side of the auger than a second side of the auger opposite the first side.

7. The popcorn machine of claim 6 wherein the first side of the auger is a rising side of the auger.

8. The popcorn machine of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of scrapping wires (a) extending from a shaft of the auger and toward the tube and (b) configured to exert a force against the tube.

9. A popcorn machine having a process chamber with a variable temperature along a length thereof, the popcorn machine comprising:

a tube defining the process chamber;

an auger positioned at least partially within the tube and rotatable to move ingredients through the process chamber;

a first heating element positioned proximate the tube and configured to heat a first heating zone of the process chamber, whereby the first heating zone has a generally increasing temperature profile along a length thereof such that the ingredients reach a predetermined temperature at the end of the first heating zone; and

a second heating element positioned proximate the tube and configured to heat a second heating zone of the process chamber, whereby the second heating zone has a generally constant temperature profile at the predetermined temperature along a length thereof.

10. The popcorn machine of claim 9 wherein the tube extends along a longitudinal axis, and wherein the generally increasing temperature profile increases generally linearly along the longitudinal axis in a direction toward the second heating zone.

11. The popcorn machine of claim 9 wherein the ingredients include popcorn, and further comprising a first temperature sensor positioned to detect the predetermined temperature at the end of the first heating zone, and wherein the predetermined temperature is a popping temperature of the popcorn.

12. The popcorn machine of claim 9 , further comprising:

a first temperature sensor positioned to detect a temperature at a transition point between the first heating zone and the second heating zone; and

a second temperature sensor positioned to detect a temperature near a midpoint of the second heating zone.