With Means For Working Congealing Material, E.g., Beater Patents (Class 62/342)
  • Patent number: 11596162
    Abstract: An ice cream maker fitting for a stand mixer provided with a main body having a mobile element rotating about a first rotation axis. The fitting includes at least one adapter element, which is provided with a coupling element configured to be coupled to a blade for processing ingredient. The adapter element is coupled to the mobile element by a magnetic coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Inventors: Andrea Crema, Leopoldo Bazzicalupo, Raffaella Mangiarotti
  • Patent number: 11571009
    Abstract: A machine for pasteurizing liquid or semi-liquid food products, including: a first container for the thermal treatment of a liquid or semi-liquid base product; a second container for feeding the liquid or semi-liquid base product, connected to the first, thermal treatment container, for feeding the liquid or semi-liquid base product; a stirrer for mixing the product in the first, processing container and mounted inside the first, thermal treatment container; a thermal system including an exchanger associated with the walls of the first, processing container and configured to release heat at the walls of the first, thermal treatment container, the machine wherein the stirrer is externally helically shaped and extends between a first, inlet end and a second, outlet end, so that as it rotates, the liquid or semi-liquid product is made to advance between the first, inlet end and the second, outlet end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: ALI GROUP S.R.L.—CARPIGIANI
    Inventors: Andrea Cocchi, Roberto Lazzarini
  • Patent number: 11428462
    Abstract: A set temperature calculating apparatus, a low temperature treatment system, a set temperature calculating method, and a set temperature calculating program are provided for realizing a low temperature treatment. The set temperature calculating apparatus includes: a first obtaining unit configured to obtain data correlating with a heat load in a container storage; a second obtaining unit configured to obtain a set temperature when performing temperature control in the container storage; and a learning unit configured to learn a cargo core temperature in the container storage according to a data set including a combination of the data correlating with the heat load and the set temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kiichirou Satou
  • Patent number: 11363826
    Abstract: A method for producing a frozen product including a solid matrix throughout which particulates are distributed using an apparatus including at least one compartment which is rotatable about an axis. The method can include the steps of adding to the compartment a liquid to be frozen to form the matrix and particulates to be distributed therein, reducing the temperature around the compartment to a temperature below the freezing point of the liquid, rotating the compartment about the axis while at least some of the liquid freezes within the compartment trapping at least some of the particulates within the frozen matrix and removing the frozen product from the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: 24KICE LTD
    Inventors: Sean Bird, Hannah Bird
  • Patent number: 11320038
    Abstract: A threaded fastener actuator that includes a worm-gear used to transfer rotational power to an impeller gear. The impeller gear includes a polygonal channel for receiving an actuator feature included in a threaded fastener. As the worm-gear is rotated, the impeller gear rotates about a vertical movement axis, which causes the threaded fastener contained in polygonal channel to also rotate and engage with a corresponding threaded coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Inventor: Peter Baruch Mueller
  • Patent number: 11279609
    Abstract: Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks. Some machines include a refrigeration system to cool food or drink in a pod. Some machines include an evaporator of the refrigeration system, the evaporator including an inlet port to receive refrigerant and an outlet port to discharge refrigerant. Some machines include a processor controlling the refrigeration system. In some examples, the refrigeration system is operable to apply a freezing cycle to the food or drink in which refrigerant flows through the evaporator exchanging heat from ingredients in the pod to the refrigerant causing a temperature difference between an evaporator inlet temperature and an evaporator outlet temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: ColdSnap, Corp.
    Inventors: Matthew Fonte, Benjamin Fichera
  • Patent number: 11147290
    Abstract: A machine for making liquid or semi-liquid food products includes a processing chamber; a frame defining an opening to the chamber; a stirrer mounted inside the chamber; a cooling system including a heat exchanger associated with the chamber; a closing device connected to the frame and movable between a closed configuration occlude the opening, and an open configuration allowing access to the chamber through the opening. The closing device includes a door hinged to the frame. A retaining device acts on the closing device to maintain the closed configuration. The retaining device includes a rotary element, connected to one between the door and the frame and a stop provided on the other. The rotary element is rotatable between a retaining configuration, engaging the stop to stop the opening of the door, and a disengaged configuration, disengaged from the stop to allow opening of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: ALI GROUP S.R.L.—CARPIGIANI
    Inventors: Andrea Cocchi, Roberto Lazzarini
  • Patent number: 11131492
    Abstract: A refrigerator utilizes a dual direction ice maker capable of overlapping multiple ice production cycles in time to accelerate ice production and/or routing ice to multiple storage bins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Eric Scalf
  • Patent number: 11013867
    Abstract: A weighing system for medical applications may include a basin that has a base and a sloped sidewall that collectively form a bounded cavity with open top surface that receives and holds the material to be weighed. The basin may be free floating above the weighing device within a restricted range of travel. In some examples, the weighing system includes a thermal treatment device to adjust the temperature of the material in the basin. The rate at which heat is delivered to the basin may vary depending on the weight of the contents in the basin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Microtek Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Heidi Frances Hendrix, David Richard Rawlings, Sean Corrigan, David B. Richmond, David Davis
  • Patent number: 10960148
    Abstract: A weighing system for medical applications may include a basin that has a base and a sloped sidewall that collectively form a bounded cavity with open top surface that receives and holds the material to be weighed. The basin may be free floating above the weighing device within a restricted range of travel. In some examples, the weighing system includes a thermal treatment device to adjust the temperature of the material in the basin. The rate at which heat is delivered to the basin may vary depending on the weight of the contents in the basin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Microtek Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Heidi Frances Hendrix, David Richard Rawlings, Sean Corrigan, David B. Richmond, David Davis
  • Patent number: 10905134
    Abstract: A base/additive product feeding unit for a machine for the production and/or distribution of ice cream, or other ice cream product, comprises a plurality of storage tanks for delivering predetermined quantities of base/additive products used to prepare ice cream in a batch freezing chamber provided with a stirrer and heat treatment means. The connection between the storage tanks and the batch freezing chamber is accomplished by an intake having a plurality of side inputs connected to respective storage tanks and an additional input made in a cover of the intake and connected to a further storage tank in such a way as to allow at least two storage tanks to be superposed on each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: ALI GROUP S.R.L.—CARPIGIANI
    Inventors: Andrea Cocchi, Roberto Lazzarini
  • Patent number: 10718422
    Abstract: A threaded fastener actuator that includes a worm-gear used to transfer rotational power to an impeller gear. The impeller gear includes a polygonal channel for receiving an actuator feature included in a threaded fastener. As the worm-gear is rotated, the impeller gear rotates about a vertical movement axis, which causes the threaded fastener contained in polygonal channel to also rotate and engage with a corresponding threaded coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Inventor: Peter Baruch Mueller
  • Patent number: 10660349
    Abstract: A machine for making and dispensing cold or iced products includes: an element for containing the product to be dispensed and equipped with a mouth for dispensing the food product; a dispenser located at the mouth for dispensing the food product and able to be turned on or off to allow the food product to be dispensed; a thermal treatment cylinder; a stirrer, coaxial with the thermal treatment cylinder and adapted to rotate about a respective axis of rotation; a refrigeration system in which a refrigerant fluid circulates and includes an evaporator associated with the thermal treatment cylinder, a condenser, a pressure reducing element and a compressor; wherein the evaporator includes a first tubular member and a second tubular member extending along an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation X, the second tubular member being inserted inside the first tubular member to define an annular chamber extending uninterruptedly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: ALI GROUP S.R.L.—CARPIGIANI
    Inventors: Andrea Cocchi, Roberto Lazzarini
  • Patent number: 10595544
    Abstract: A system, machines and consumables for the preparation of portioned amount of a cooled edible product constituting a defined number of servings which may be 1, 2, 3, etc. are provided. One example of such an edible product is ice cream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: SOLO GELATO LTD.
    Inventor: Barak Beth Halachmi
  • Patent number: 10406021
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for producing and delivering sterile, airless, and highly loaded ice slurry for inducing therapeutic hypothermia. The method is capable of producing and delivering ice slurry in a patient to induce hypothermia through internal and external cooling methods such as subcutaneous, intravascular, intraperitoneal, gastrointestinal, and lung methods. The method is capable of producing and delivering saline ice slurry or other phase-change slurries compatible with human tissues. Ice slurry is made by crushing, smoothing, and mixing ice slush in an airtight and self-collapsible liquid container, followed by being pumped out through flexible tubing and injection port into a patient body without air. The novel method and system are simple, and easy to use, which facilitate long term storage, immediately ready to use, and airless delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Inventors: Yue Wu, Yue Shao
  • Patent number: 10386117
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for cooling of beverages containers, such as cans or bottles, quickly, or on demand. An apparatus may provide for quickly cooling a number of beverage containers when power is available and for storing them, once they have been cooled. The apparatus may include a thermoelectric cooler configured to rapidly cool a beverage container in a cooling cell. The methods may include detecting the presence of a beverage container in a cooling cell and cooling the beverage container to a selected temperature. The availability of external power may be detected and a rapid cooling of a beverage container may begin when power becomes available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: PepsiCo, Inc.
    Inventors: Emad Jafa, Mikhail Verbitsky, Andrey Balanev, Georgy Martsinovskiy, Vasilii Abashkin
  • Patent number: 10375973
    Abstract: The invention relates to a machine for preparing a cooled food product, comprising: —a receiving seat (1), for accommodating an essentially cup-shaped container, comprising a heat exchange element (1a) having a heat exchange contact surface (21) arranged to be in contact with an outer surface of a side wall (8d) of the container when the container is placed in the machine, —a cooling unit (4) arranged for cooling the heat exchange element (1a) and, —a stirring unit (5) connectable to a stirring member (9) and arranged for driving the stirring member (9) in at least one rotational movement; wherein it comprises —means for measuring the temperature of the product while being prepared, —a control unit for automatically setting output parameters according to input parameters received by the control unit and compared to threshold values stored in the unit; —wherein the output parameters comprises: at least one rotational velocity of the stirring member and the cooling power of the cooling unit, and —wherein the in
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle S.A.
    Inventors: Andre Noth, Alfred Yoakim, Charles-Austin Sunderland
  • Patent number: 9894912
    Abstract: A machine for processing a chilled food product includes a product in a storage container, wherein the product has a frozen portion and a non-frozen portion in the storage container, and the frozen portion has a granular size. The machine mixes the frozen portion of the product with the non-frozen portion of the product within the storage container, flows the frozen portion and non-frozen portion into contact with a shearing apparatus, and shears at least the frozen portion with the shearing apparatus, thereby reducing the granular size of the frozen portion. The machine may refine and process chilled food products such as smoothies and slushes to have a smoother and more even consistency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: BLENDTEC, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph O. Jacobsen, David J. Throckmorton, Thomas D. Dickson, Jr., David Q. Bytheway, Bradley S. Maxfield, Evan J. Bauer
  • Patent number: 9055730
    Abstract: A food processing vat is provided with a zoned heat transfer system that provides zoned temperature control to the vat. The zoned heat transfer system selectively transmits heat to or removes heat from different portions of a bottom wall and/or side wall(s) of the vat. A heat transfer fluid may be directed through the zoned heat transfer system along a flow path that is selected based on a target size and/or a target temperature of a batch of food product being processed in the vat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Cheese & Whey Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy J. Isenberg, John E. Zirbel
  • Patent number: 9016926
    Abstract: A machine for the homogenization and thermal treatment of liquid and semi-liquid food products, for example ice creams, whipped cream, creams, chocolate, yogurt and the like, comprises a containment tank for the mixture and a centrifugal pump put in fluid communication with the bottom of the containment tank for drawing mixture from the tank and putting it back into the tank, heating and cooling means acting at the pump for heating and cooling the mixture in transit in the pump. The heating and cooling means comprise a thermal machine with reversible thermodynamic cycle and using carbon dioxide as refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: ALI S.p.A.—Carpigiani Group
    Inventors: Andrea Cocchi, Roberto Lazzarini
  • Patent number: 9003822
    Abstract: An apparatus for breaking ice clumps in a refrigerator. The apparatus includes an ice storage bin, an axle rotatably supported by an ice storage bin, an actuator operatively coupled to the axle and an ice breaker operatively coupled to the actuator. The ice breaker moves in a reciprocal manner upon the driving of the axle and the actuator. Such reciprocal movement of the ice breaker breaks ice clumps in the storage bin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Wayne E. Lawson, Daniel S. Renz, Arun Madhav Talegaonkar, Geoffrey Lee Ranard
  • Publication number: 20150034668
    Abstract: A product dispensing apparatus includes a first drawer assembly including a first drawer containing a first product; and one or more refrigerated cylinders that is operable to receive the first product; where the first drawer is selectively movable from a first position to a second position, the second position extending outwards and away from the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: James J. Minard, Thomas J. Franken
  • Patent number: 8899063
    Abstract: A machine for producing products such as ice cream, frozen beverages or granita. An example of the machine comprises a tank with a tap for dispensing a product. A cylinder with a substantially horizontal axis projects from a rear wall inside the tank. The cylinder forms the evaporator of a refrigerating circuit. A mixer element around the cylinder rotates coaxially with the cylinder axis. A motor unit is connected to the mixer element via a drive shaft passing along the axis of the cylinder. The drive shaft connects to the mixer element at one end of the cylinder opposite the rear wall. The motor unit comprises a final reduction stage in alignment with the cylinder axis, a motor arranged at an angle with respect to the cylinder axis and substantially parallel to the rear wall, and an angular drive between the final reduction stage and the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Ugolini SpA
    Inventor: Marco Corrado Ugolini
  • Patent number: 8893926
    Abstract: An apparatus for and method of cleaning and sanitizing a beverage dispenser is characterized by fluid connectors that may quickly and conveniently be manually fluid coupled with either supplies of beverage components to be delivered through flow paths to beverage dispensing valves or with a source of cleaning and sanitizing fluid to be delivered through the flow paths to the beverage dispensing valves to clean and sanitize the flow paths and dispensing valves. The beverage component supplies have valves with which the fluid connectors fluid couple, and a manifold has an inlet port for receiving cleaning and sanitizing fluid and outlet ports that are each located in proximity to an associated beverage component supply valve and with which the fluid connectors may be fluid coupled after being de-coupled from their associated beverage component supply valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Cornelius, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Anderson, Karl M. Bogacz, Peter S. Tinucci, N Sudhir Kumar, Ramakrishnan Anoop
  • Patent number: 8887522
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a reservoir (2) for containing a food product, an appendage (10) which protrudes from the reservoir (2) and defines a chamber (11) communicating with the reservoir (2), an outlet hole (22) for the food product, the appendage (10) being delimited by a lower surface (12) in which the outlet hole (22) is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: S.P.M. Drink Systems S.p.A.
    Inventor: Enrico Grampassi
  • Publication number: 20140318172
    Abstract: Cooling assemblies having a sealable cooling chamber formed as the interior volume of a curved or spherical outer container and a sealable inner canister are disclosed. The outer container may be provided as a multi-layer container having an external elastomeric shell. The external elastomeric shell may have an inner framework including a plurality of longitudinal ribs and a reinforcing wall. A movable flap adjustable between a projecting condition in which the flap extends from the exterior surface of the outer container and a closed position in which the flap doesn't project may be provided for supporting the cooling assembly in a stationary condition and the flap may be used as a handle for opening a lid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventor: Graeme ESAREY
  • Patent number: 8869540
    Abstract: A machine for producing liquid and semi-liquid food products with a continuous cycle comprises a containment tank (5) for basic liquid or semi-liquid food products comprising an outfeed hole (6), a whipping and freezing cylinder (2) having an infeed for the basic food products connected to the tank (5) outfeed hole (6), and comprising a mixer for whipping and freezing of the basic food products and for obtaining an end product, a pump (7) acting in the containment tank (5) and comprising an intake duct (8) for drawing the basic food products from the tank (5) and a delivery duct (9) for transferring the drawn products towards the tank (5) outfeed (6). The machine also comprises a flexible delivery pipe (11) connected to the pump (7) delivery duct (9) and to the tank (5) outfeed (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Carpigiani Group—Ali S.p.A.
    Inventors: Gino Cocchi, Gianni Zaniboni, Roberto Lazzarini
  • Patent number: 8820109
    Abstract: An apparatus for making and dispensing frozen aerated products includes a rotating horizontal freeze plate with an upper surface for receiving a chilled aerated mix. The chilled aerated mix includes, in one embodiment, a base that has been sufficiently aerated, and at least one flavor. The horizontal freeze plate rotates about its central axis. The apparatus also includes a spreader body for distributing the chilled aerated mix on the rotating freeze plate. The spreader body extends radially across at least a portion of the upper surface of the freeze plate. The apparatus further includes a scraper for scraping frozen aerated mix off of the rotating freeze plate. The scraper includes a scraper blade with a leading edge that extends radially across the portion of the freeze plate and that engages the upper surface of the freeze plate. The scraper blade is directed opposite the direction of rotation of the freeze plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Fluid Management Operations LLC
    Inventors: Christopher K. Khoo, William A. Miller
  • Patent number: 8746004
    Abstract: A machine including: a housing; a cylindrical-shaped processing tub that extends into the housing; cooling means adapted to cool the processing tub; a mixing member rotatably mounted within the processing tub, with the mixing member being structured so as to mix ingredients in the processing tub and so as to scrape at least the inner side surface of the processing tub to prevent the ingredients from adhering to the side wall of the tub; and a containing collar which is dimensioned so as to be fitted in a releasable manner in the processing tub above the mixing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Valmar Global VSE ZA Sladoled D.O.O.
    Inventor: Valter Jejcic
  • Patent number: 8733121
    Abstract: A frozen treat dispenser (11) dispenses a snow cone and/or a slushy, and has at least an ice storage bin (14) for storing ice (10), a cup de-nesting mechanism (49) to separate a cup from a stack having a plurality of cups, an ice grinder (21) to grind ice from the ice storage bin to produce snow (82), a flavor dispenser (25), a cup transport mechanism (23) to move the cup to a first position (40A) whereby the ice grinder can at least partially fill the cup with the snow and to a second position (40B) whereby the flavor dispenser can dispense at least one flavor onto the snow in the cup, and a processor (152) to control the operation of at least one of the cup de-nesting mechanism, the ice grinder, the flavor dispenser, or the indexer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Inventor: Richard J. Soderman
  • Patent number: 8733115
    Abstract: A method for controlling freezing capacity of a variable-frequency freezing AC ice-water system separates the freezing capacity of each individual requirement end so as to reduce sudden or peak concentrating freezing demand and relieve variable-frequency load demand, and defines operating procedures corresponding to different requirement ends, respectively, wherein each of the operating procedures has a corresponding high-low temperature range that can be used as a temperature buffer zone so as to redistribute supply of the freezing capacity to each requirement end, thereby allowing the compressors thereof to operate smoothly and thus achieve energy saving as a result. The drawbacks of damaged pipelines are overcome that cause deficiency in freezing capacity as encountered in prior techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shyang-Yih Chen, Yu-Huan Wang, Chen-Kun Hsu, Ming-Hsien Pan, Pin-Chuan Chen, Ya-Ru Yang, Yan-Shao Lin
  • Patent number: 8701435
    Abstract: A frozen product dispenser is characterized by at least two product freeze barrels for receiving product therein and for freezing the product for dispensing, and a refrigeration system for chilling the at least two barrels. The refrigeration system has at least two evaporators for and heat transfer coupled to each barrel, separate and controllable expansion valves each having an outlet coupled to an inlet to an inlet to an associated one of the evaporators, at least two compressors having outlets coupled to inlets to the expansion valves and inlets coupled to outlets from the evaporators, and at least one condenser in fluid circuit between outlets from the compressors and inlets to the expansion valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: IMI Cornelius, Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Gist, Kyle B. Elsom, Gregory M. Billman, Nikolay Popov, Santhosh Kumar, Daniel C. Leaver
  • Publication number: 20140102128
    Abstract: A batch-freezer machine for producing ice-cream. The machine includes an external casing; a substantially cylindrical-shaped processing tank extending inside the casing from the front wall of said casing, while remaining coaxial to a substantially horizontal reference axis; a front closing hatch structured to close the opening of the processing tank in a fluid-tight manner; and a rotating mixing member housed in an inside the processing tank and structured to blend/mix the semi-solid mixture that forms inside the processing tank. The mixing member is provided with a centrifugal impeller which faces the inner face of the hatch, and is structured so as to be able to push/eject the semi-solid mixture located at the center of the opening of the processing tank towards the internal cylindrical lateral surface of the processing tank when the mixing member rotates inside the processing tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: Valmar Global Vse Za Sladoled D.O.O.
    Inventor: Valter Jejcic
  • Publication number: 20140000302
    Abstract: A stirrer of a machine for making and dispensing ice cream products rotates about an axis inside a cylindrical mixing and freezing unit and comprises a plurality of helical scrapers extending around the axis and operating on an inside wall of the mixing and freezing unit to be scraped, a shaft for rotating the stirrer about the axis and mounting the helical scrapers at a first end of them. Each helical scraper comprises a guide and at least one scraping member which can be slidably coupled to and uncoupled from the guide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Andrea COCCHI, Roberto LAZZARINI
  • Publication number: 20130340463
    Abstract: A refrigerator is provided, including a body having a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment positioned under the refrigerator compartment and separated by a mullion, and a cooling device provided at a lower portion of the refrigerator compartment, with a cold air passage guiding cold air to the cooling device. The cooling device may include a case having an open front surface, an agitating assembly disposed in the case and swinging about a rotational axis that is parallel with a longitudinal direction of the case, an agitating mechanism electrically or mechanically connected with the agitating assembly to swing the agitating assembly, a fan motor assembly mounted at a rear end of the case and supplying cold air into the case, and a cover selectively opening or closing the opened front surface of the case. An intake port and a discharge port of the cold air passage communicate with the freezer compartment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Inventors: Yeonwoo Cho, Yanggyu Kim, Younseok Lee
  • Publication number: 20130327080
    Abstract: A beverage dispenser for partially frozen beverages includes at least one bowl for storing a beverage product, with a freezing cylinder positioned in the bowl. The beverage dispenser further includes a cooling system for supplying a cooling medium to the freezing cylinder to cool the beverage product when stored in the bowl, along with a dispenser assembly for dispensing the beverage product from the bowl. The beverage dispenser includes an auger which rotates about the freezing cylinder. A driven hub is positioned on and rotates with respect to the freezing cylinder, and the driven hub engages a rear end portion of the auger. A driver hub is positioned inside of the freezing cylinder and is magnetically coupled to the driven hub, such that rotation of the driver hub causes a corresponding rotation of the driven hub, and thus, rotation of the auger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventors: Richard Leon Sipp, Curry Joseph Cates, Jose G. Avendano
  • Publication number: 20130327079
    Abstract: A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a body having a storage chamber; a door selectively opening or closing the storage chamber; a cooling device including: a case of which a front surface is open and mounted at a side in the storage chamber; an agitating assembly that is swingably disposed in the case; a cover that is rotatably mounted on the case to open or close the front surface of the case; and a driving assembly that is mounted on the case and an underside of the agitating assembly to generates a driving force for swinging the agitating assembly; and a refrigeration cycle for producing cold air to be supplied to the storage chamber and the cooling device, wherein the cooling device further includes a starting torque supply mechanism supplying mechanical or electric energy to the agitating assembly, such that the agitating assembly in a stopped state start swinging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventors: Yeonwoo CHO, Yanggyu KIM, Younseok LEE
  • Patent number: 8572998
    Abstract: A machine for making ice-cream products includes a whipping and freezing unit with a horizontal axis, and an inspection door connected to one end of the whipping and freezing unit to allow access to the inside of the unit. The inspection door has a dispensing hole so that the whipping and freezing unit can be put in fluid communication with the outside environment and a dispensing door for selectively opening and closing the dispensing hole. The dispensing door includes a separator, having an opening, able to rotate relative to the inspection door so that the dispensing hole is selectively opposite the opening and allows controlled dispensing of ice-cream products from the whipping and freezing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: ALI S.p.A.
    Inventors: Gino Cocchi, Gianni Zaniboni, Roberto Lazzarini
  • Publication number: 20130269377
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing beverages. The apparatus comprises a dispensing system, a mixing unit, and a control unit comprising a user interface, which interact to prepare a particular beverage when requested by a user. When the control unit receives user input requesting the particular beverage via the user interface, it causes the dispensing system to dispense various ingredients (e.g., fragmented ice, water, flavoring ingredients, milk product) that are mixed by the mixing unit in order to prepare the particular beverage, which is served in a cup. In various embodiments, the apparatus may produce frozen beverages that include fragmented ice (e.g., shaved or crushed ice) as one of their ingredients, such as slush beverages and smoothie beverages, and/or hot beverages that include heated water as one of their ingredients, such as coffee and flavored coffee beverages (e.g., French Vanilla, Mocha, etc.).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventor: Claudio Bertone
  • Patent number: 8534086
    Abstract: A direct expansion evaporator for making a frozen product from raw material includes a feeding channel, a heat exchange channel thermally communicating with the feeding channel, and a refrigerant flowing within the heat exchange channel for exchanging heat between the raw material within the feeding channel and the refrigerant within the heat exchange channel in an expanded evaporation manner. Therefore, the refrigerant releases the thermal energy via the phase changing from liquid to gaseous state of the refrigerant. The heat exchange channel has a pre-cooling portion for pre-cooling the raw material at a predetermined temperature and a freezing portion for freezing the raw material to a final predetermined temperature of the frozen product in two-stage evaporation manner. Thus, the direction expansion evaporator provides a relatively more efficient way for making the frozen product, so as to increase the quality of the frozen product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Inventor: Lingyu Dong
  • Patent number: 8528347
    Abstract: A method for controlling the freezing capacity of a fixed-frequency freezing AC ice-water system, by using temperature buffer difference of individual requirement ends to control the number of operating compressors in a fixed-frequency chiller and make each of the operating compressors have a usage rate close to 100%. Further, various operating procedures are defined for the requirement ends and each of the operating procedures has an individually defined high-low temperature range such that the freezing capacity supply cycle or startup cycle of the fixed-frequency chiller can be adjusted by using the high-low temperature ranges of the operating procedures as temperature buffer strips, thereby allowing the compressors in the fixed-frequency chiller to operate collectively in order to save energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shyang-Yih Chen, Yu-Huan Wang, Chen-Kun Hsu, Ming-Hsien Pan, Pin-Chuan Chen, Ya-Ru Yang, Yan-Shao Lin
  • Patent number: 8505315
    Abstract: A method and device are provided for the preparation of sterile medical ice slurry, for example having ice loadings of greater than approximately 50%. An integrated-operation ice slurry blender-based production and delivery system methods for monitoring cooling capacity of the produced and delivered slurry. All individual medical ice slurry production and delivery steps are integrated into one tightly coupled precisely sequenced and timed system. The novel procedure and equipment is simple to use and makes sterile slurry, which is ready to deliver to patients, for example, in less than 2 minutes after adding predetermined thermally preconditioned ingredient modules to a blender.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Kasza, Farah J. Shareef, Brandon L. Fisher
  • Patent number: 8479532
    Abstract: A machine for the treatment of liquid and semi-liquid food mixtures comprises a mixture whipping and freezing/heating tank (3), a circuit (6) for cooling and/or heating basic products of which the mixture consists, comprising a compressor (7) driven by an electric motor (18), and a mixer (4) rotating inside the tank (3) to mix the basic products. The machine also comprises a control unit (11) for the speed of rotation of the compressor (7) electric motor (18), for regulating the compressor operating speed and varying the thermal power supplied by the compressor (7) according to at least the quantity of mixture treated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Carpigiani Group-Ali S.p.A.
    Inventors: Gino Cocchi, Gianni Zaniboni, Roberto Lazzarini
  • Patent number: 8479531
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid containing bag capable of supplying mixture directly to a cooling cylinder from the bag without depending on gravity and without moving the mixture into a hopper. A liquid containing bag 5 comprises a bag main body 21 containing a liquid and having flexibility, and an outer layer member 23 disposed outside the bag main body 21, capable of forming a sealed space between the outer layer member and the bag main body 21, and having flexibility. Therefore, for example, when compressed air is sealed between the outer layer member 23 and the bag main body 21, an volume of the sealed space between them is enlarged, and the liquid cooled in the bag main body 21 can be pushed to the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Maeda, Tsuyoshi Kurosawa, Takeshi Ishii, Koichiro Ikemoto
  • Patent number: 8434319
    Abstract: An apparatus for preparing and dispensing a flavored ice beverage and a method of using thereof. The apparatus includes at least one container for holding flavor ingredients, a blending unit including a blender container and a blending mechanism, an ice flakes supplying unit, a mechanism for transferring the flavor ingredients to the blender container and a computerized control unit for controlling one or more aspects of the process of producing the ice beverage. The flavor ingredients can be in grain form, powder form or in liquid form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Nicevend Ltd.
    Inventors: Niri Klier, Boaz Granot
  • Publication number: 20130098098
    Abstract: A machine for producing products such as ice cream, frozen beverages or granita comprises a product container which is provided with a tap for dispensing the product. A cylinder with a substantially horizontal axis, which forms the evaporator of a refrigerating circuit of the machine for cooling the product in the container, projects from a rear wall into the container. A mixer element is present around the cylinder and rotates coaxially with the axis of the cylinder by means of a motor unit connected to the mixer element by means of a drive shaft which passes along the axis of the cylinder and which is connected to the mixer element at one end of the cylinder which is opposite to the said rear wall. The motor unit is at least partially housed inside the cylinder through the said rear wall, so as to reduce the overall dimensions of the machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: UGOLINI SPA
    Inventor: Marco Corrado Ugolini
  • Patent number: 8404113
    Abstract: A transportable disaster-relief generating system is a power generated, multi-functional, and compact relief unit with means for providing area lighting via a power generator, purifying and storing potable water from a non-potable water source, and creating ice utilizing purified water. The disaster-relief unit of the present invention may further provide a portable ice storage bin in a knockdown configuration to hold a large quantity of ice. A bladder may be used to hold potable water produced. The equipment is physically protected by the structural framework and base. The device may comprise access doors and suitable paneling on the walls and roof of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Inventor: Irwin Shapiro
  • Patent number: 8402781
    Abstract: A machine for making two different types of product consisting respectively of ice creams and of shakes, includes: a main processing circuit for making the ice cream, having an infeed end associated with a tank for containing a product to be processed and an outfeed end associated with a mixing chamber; an auxiliary processing circuit for making the shake, having an infeed end associated with a tank for containing a diluting liquid and an outfeed end associated with the mixing chamber; a dispenser mechanism positioned at the mixing chamber dispensing the ice cream or the shake; and a selection device for selecting the type of product, equipped with at least a first and a second nozzle. Each nozzle can be associated with the mixing chamber in a corresponding condition for dispensing of the ice cream or the shake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Ali S.p.A.
    Inventors: Gino Cocchi, Gianni Zaniboni, Roberto Lazzarini
  • Patent number: 8375737
    Abstract: An ice maker for a domestic appliance comprises an ice tray, a water feed line which can be used to fill the ice tray with water, a water filter which is arranged in the water feed line such that it can be replaced, and a monitoring unit for calculating a value which is representative of the degree of wear of the filter. The monitoring unit has means for changing the representative value by a first fixed step width each time the ice tray is filled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Hausmann, Peter Nalbach
  • Patent number: 8297182
    Abstract: A machine for producing ice cream shop products comprises a whipping and freezing unit (2) with a horizontal axis (A) and a removable head (10) forming an end wall (11) of the whipping and freezing unit (2), there being in the wall (11) an inlet (12) for ingredients intended to constitute the ice cream shop products, and an outlet (13) for the ice cream shop product prepared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Carpigiani Group-ALI S.p.A.
    Inventors: Gino Cocchi, Gianni Zaniboni, Roberto Lazzarini