Machine and method for making liquid and/or semi-liquid products
A machine for making a liquid or semi-liquid product of the frozen type which includes a container for processing the liquid or semi-liquid product, provided with a loading opening; a stirrer positioned inside said container; a refrigeration system, provided with a heat carrying fluid, and comprising a heat exchanger, associated with said container; said container, stirrer and heat exchanger forming a batch freezing unit, a supplying unit for supplying a basic liquid product, associated with said container for releasing a basic liquid product designed to be mixed with a basic powder; closing means for the supplying unit, operatively acting on the supplying unit and capable of being activated and deactivated to allow supplying of the basic liquid product; a control unit, designed to control the refrigeration system, said stirrer and the closing means.
1. An ice cream machine for making a liquid or semi-liquid frozen product, comprising:
a container for processing the liquid or semi-liquid frozen product, the container including a loading opening for loading a basic powder into the container;
a stirrer positioned inside the container;
a refrigeration system, including a heat carrying fluid, and a heat exchanger, associated with the container;
the container, stirrer and heat exchanger forming a batch freezing unit,
a supplying unit for supplying a basic liquid product, associated with the container for releasing the basic liquid product into the container for mixing with the basic powder loaded into the container;
a closing device for selectively operatively acting on the supplying unit between a mode of preventing release of the basic liquid product through the supplying unit into the container and a mode of allowing release of the basic liquid product through the supplying unit into the container;
a control unit, for controlling the refrigeration system, the stirrer and the closing device;
wherein the control unit is configured to cause the release of the basic liquid product into the container after the loading of the basic powder into the container and after activating the stirrer.
2. The machine according to claim 1 , and further comprising a user interface including user commands selectable by the user for controlling the closing device to allow release of the basic liquid product.
3. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the supplying unit is positioned inside the container.
4. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the supplying unit is positioned outside the container.
5. The machine according to claim 4 , and further comprising a feeding hopper connected to the loading opening, wherein the supplying unit is associated with the feeding hopper.
6. The machine according to claim 1 , and further comprising a storage tank for the basic liquid product, and a connecting duct connecting the storage tank to the supplying unit.
7. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the closing device includes a valve.
8. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the supplying unit comprises a nozzle.
9. A method for making a liquid or semi-liquid frozen product, comprising:
preparing a batch freezing unit comprising a container for processing the liquid or semi-liquid frozen product, a loading opening for the container and a stirrer which is positioned inside the container;
loading a basic powder into the batch freezing unit through the loading opening;
selecting, through an interface, a processing program for processing the liquid or semi-liquid frozen product;
releasing, into contact with the basic powder, a predetermined quantity of basic liquid product into the batch freezing unit, the predetermined quantity being a function of the processing program;
activating the stirrer for mixing the basic powder with the basic liquid product;
cooling the basic powder mixed with the basic liquid product, and activating the stirrer for making the liquid or semi-liquid frozen product in the batch freezing unit;
wherein the releasing, into contact with the basic powder, the predetermined quantity of basic liquid product into the batch freezing unit comes after the loading the basic powder into the batch freezing unit and after the activating the stirrer.