Abstract: A food blending apparatus and a method of blending food within a container with the object of providing a hygienic system whereby disposable containers are charged with product at a location remote from consumption. After filling with ingredients the container is sealed and then cooled. Containers include an integral blender which when connected to a drive enable the product to be blended at the point of consumption after location in driving connection with the drive means. Product is accessed through a sealed opening of the container after opening the seal. After consumption the container is disposed of and is constructed to make disposal economical.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus is provided for dispensing viscous product from containers of product, usually by extruding product from a container outlet. Product is discharged by a plunger which causes product to be discharged, and the plunger is operated by a drive arrangement having a linear actuator by which the plunger is movable. The linear actuator uses an electric motor as the prime mover, and the motor's rotary motion is converted into a linear motion of the plunger. By the use of a linear drive it is possible to achieve constant velocity of movement of the plunger independent of the resistance to movement, within the predetermined limits. The movement of the plunger can be controlled according to the resistance encountered. The apparatus also includes means for removing containers from their seating after discharge.

Abstract: A blended beverage is prepared using a first solid ingredient and a second liquid ingredient, the ingredients being stored in separate storage vessels, those vessels being coupled to one another. The liquid ingredient is intended to be poured from its storage vessel onto the solid ingredient, so that the solid and liquid ingredients can be blended together in the same storage vessel. The storage vessel into which the liquid ingredient is poured has a lid which carries an impeller for blending the ingredients together. The container may include an internal shoulder for seating the lid inside the walls of the storage vessel.

Abstract: A food blending apparatus and a method of blending food within a container with the object of providing a hygienic system whereby disposable containers are charged with product at a location remote from consumption. After filling with ingredients the container is sealed and then cooled. Containers include an integral blender which when connected to a drive enable the product to be blended at the point of consumption after location in driving connection with the drive means. Product is accessed through a sealed opening of the container after opening the seal. After consumption the container is disposed of and is constructed to make disposal economical.

Abstract: The invention has application to dispensing dessert products from pre-filled containers. The container (11) has an outlet (12A) and a moveable portion (13) which is engageable to reduce the container internal volume and cause product to be extruded from an outlet. The container is located on a support (15) during dispensing and there are elements (48–51, 53) for detecting whether the product is extrudable and/or whether dispensing is complete. In addition, there is a detector (35–37) for detecting a container in a discharge position on the support.

Abstract: A food blending apparatus and a method of blending food within a container with the object of providing a hygienic system whereby disposable containers are charged with product at a location remote from consumption. After filling with ingredients the container is sealed and then cooled. Containers include an integral blender which when connected to a drive enable the product to be blended at the point of consumption after location in driving connection with the drive means. Product is accessed through a sealed opening of the container after opening the seal. After consumption the container is disposed of and is constructed to make disposal economical.

Abstract: A food blending apparatus and a method of blending food within a container with the object of providing a hygienic system whereby disposable containers are charged with product at a location remote from consumption. After filling with ingredients the container is sealed and then cooled. Containers include an integral blender which when connected to a drive enable the product to be blended at the point of consumption after location in driving connection with the drive means. Product is accessed through a sealed opening of the container after opening the seal. After consumption the container is disposed of and is constructed to make disposal economical.

Abstract: Dispensing apparatus is provided for dispensing viscous product from containers (10) of product, usually by extruding product from a container outlet. Product is discharged by a plunger (13) which causes product to be discharged and the plunger is operated by a drive arrangement having a linear actuator (15) by which the plunger is moveable. The linear actuator uses an electric motor as the prime mover and the motor's rotary motion is converted into a linear motion of the plunger. By the use of a linear drive it is possible to achieve constant velocity of movement of the plunger independent of the resistance to movement, within the predetermined limits. The movement of the plunger can be controlled according to the resistance encountered. The apparatus also includes means for removing containers from their seating after discharge.

Abstract: The invention is particularly concerned with providing a drive mechanism to extrude product from containers. In order to reduce the amount of effort which manual operation would entail there is provided a gear wheel 23 meshing with the driven gear through high ratio gearing, the driven gear 25 being associated with a cam 27 about which is located a cam follower 32. The cam follower carries a plunger arranged to move to engage the container 10 and discharge product therefrom.

Abstract: This invention is concerned with providing apparatus for blending product within a container (10) by charging the container with product, applying a lid (12) with an integral blending element (14) thereon. The product is blended by driving the blending element with an external drive (34) whilst the container is in an inverted position. The assembled and filled container is located in a holder (22) whilst in a generally upright position and the holder is moved to invert the container so that the lid is lowermost and the product is in contact with the blending element in which position the product is blended. Inversion may take place in a housing (23) in which the product may be heated to a blending temperature.

Abstract: Dispensing apparatus is provided for dispensing viscous product from containers (10) of product, usually by extruding product from a container outlet. Product is discharged by a plunger (13) which causes product to be discharged and the plunger is operated by a drive arrangement having a linear actuator (15) by which the plunger is moveable. The linear actuator uses an electric motor as the prime mover and the motor's rotary motion is converted into a linear motion of the plunger. By the use of a linear drive it is possible to achieve constant velocity of movement of the plunger independent of the resistance to movement, within the predetermined limits. The movement of the plunger can be controlled according to the resistance encountered. The apparatus also includes means for removing containers from their seating after discharge.

Abstract: A food blending apparatus and a method of blending food within a container with the object of providing a hygienic system whereby disposable containers are charged with product at a location remote from consumption. After filling with ingredients the container is sealed and then cooled. Containers include an integral blender which when connected to a drive enable the product to be blended at the point of consumption after location in driving connection with the drive means. Product is accessed through a sealed opening of the container after opening the seal. After consumption the container is disposed of and is constructed to make disposal economical.

Abstract: A container is provided which is intended to blend food products, especially milkshakes, in a prefilled container taken to the point of consumption at which the product is blended and from which the product is usually consumed, the container being for disposal after use. The container has a base, a location member which extends upwards from the base and has an opening at its lower end. A rotatable blending element locates within the container over the location member to rotate relative thereto to blend the product. The blending element is driven by an external drive which releasably engages with the upper end of the blending element in use. In some embodiments the food product is delivered frozen to the point of consumption and is heated by microwave radiation prior to blending.

Abstract: Dispensing apparatus is provided for dispensing viscous product from containers (10) of product, usually by extruding product from a container outlet. Product is discharged by a plunger (13) which causes product to be discharged and the plunger is operated by a drive arrangement having a linear actuator (15) by which the plunger is moveable. The linear actuator uses an electric motor as the prime mover and the motor's rotary motion is converted into a linear motion of the plunger. By the use of a linear drive it is possible to achieve constant velocity of movement of the plunger independent of the resistance to movement, within the predetermined limits. The movement of the plunger can be controlled according to the resistance encountered. The apparatus also includes means for removing containers from their seating after discharge.

Abstract: A food blending apparatus and a method of blending food within a container (30) with the object of providing a hygienic system whereby disposable containers are charged with product at a location remote from consumption. After filling with ingredients the container is sealed and then cooled. Containers include an integral blender (35) which when connected to a drive enable the product to be blended at the point of consumption after location in driving connection with the drive means. Product is accessed through a sealed opening (31) of the container after opening the seal. After consumption the container is disposed of and is constructed to make disposal economical.

Abstract: The dispensing apparatus of the invention is primarily intended to dispense frozen product from one portion containers (10), usually by extrusion through a circular outlet (13). In order that the product shape (46) after discharge is capable of being ball-shaped the receptacle (40) into which the product is discharged is located to provide resisted discharge of product over at least part of the discharge cycle. By providing resisted discharge the product shape is altered and laterally increased so that a ball-shaped portion of product is received in the receptacle.

Abstract: The invention concerns apparatus for blending and dispensing food products within a container, which may be disposable. The container 1 is charged with food product through its upper opening which is then sealed with a closure member 2. The closure member 2 may carry a blender 7 when it closes the container. Alternatively, the blender may be admitted through the closure member 2 when blending is required. In each case the blender is moveable up and down relative to the container to blend the product in the container.