U.S. patent application number 11/711624 was filed with the patent office on 2007-08-30 for automatic machine for producing and dispensing semi-liquid foodstuffs.
Invention is credited to Gino Cocchi, Gianni Zaniboni.
Application Number | 20070199614 11/711624 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38042913 |
Filed Date | 2007-08-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070199614 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cocchi; Gino ; et
al. |
August 30, 2007 |
Automatic machine for producing and dispensing semi-liquid
foodstuffs
Abstract
An automatic machine for producing and dispensing semi-liquid
foodstuffs, in particular ice creams, has a tank for containing a
basic product to be processed to obtain the ice creams, a basic
product feed and processing circuit, in communication with the tank
to draw out the basic product, one or more dispenser taps
positioned at an outfeed end of the feed and processing circuit,
actuators for operating the dispenser taps, a check and control
unit for the actuators and at least one sensor for detecting the
quantity of ice cream dispensed, associated with the control unit
and designed to detect at least part of the profile of the ice
cream dispensed.
Inventors: |
Cocchi; Gino; (Bologna,
IT) ; Zaniboni; Gianni; (Borgonuovo Di Sasso Marconi,
IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Harbin King & Klima
500 Ninth Street SE
Washington
DC
20003
US
|
Family ID: |
38042913 |
Appl. No.: |
11/711624 |
Filed: |
February 28, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/83 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A23G 9/28 20130101; G07F
13/06 20130101; G07F 9/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/83 |
International
Class: |
B65B 3/26 20060101
B65B003/26 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 28, 2006 |
IT |
BO2006A000145 |
Claims
1. An automatic machine for producing and dispensing semi-liquid
foodstuffs, comprising a tank for containing a product to be
processed to obtain the products, a feed and processing circuit for
said product to be processed, dispensing means positioned at an
outfeed end of the feed and processing circuit, first actuator
means for operating the dispensing means, check and control means
for the first actuator means and sensor means for detecting the
quantity of product dispensed, associated with the check and
control means; wherein the sensor means comprise at least one
device designed to detect at least part of the profile of the
product dispensed.
2. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the sensor means are
of the electro-optical type.
3. The machine according to claim 2, wherein the sensor means
comprise at least one photocell.
4. The machine according to claim 2, wherein the sensor means
comprise at least one CCD type image detector.
5. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the sensor means are
of the ultrasonic type.
6. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the sensor means are
of the thermal type.
7. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the device designed to
detect at least part of the profile of the product dispensed
operates according to a line of action skew relative to the central
axis according to which the height of the product dispensed
extends.
8. The machine according to claim 7, comprising means for
supporting the product dispensed and second actuator means
controlled by the check and control means for placing and holding
the supporting means in a predetermined position relative to the
sensor means during product dispensing.
9. The machine according to claim 8, wherein the means for
supporting the product dispensed can move between an upper station
for product dispensing and a lower station from which the product
is picked up by the consumer.
10. The machine according to claim 9, wherein the sensor means
comprise at least two devices designed to detect at least part of
the profile of the product dispensed; each of the devices being
designed to detect at least part of the profile of a product
dispensed according to a respective size or to detect a respective
part of the profile of a product dispensed.
11. The machine according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the
sensors is for detecting the presence of a product container, said
sensor sending a signal to the check and control means if the
container is missing and/or incorrectly positioned, so as to
interrupt product dispensing.
12. The machine according to claim 1, comprising means for
supporting the product dispensed and second actuator means
controlled by the check and control means for placing and holding
the supporting means in a predetermined position relative to the
sensor means during product dispensing.
13. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the sensor means
comprise at least two devices designed to detect at least part of
the profile of the product dispensed; each of the devices being
designed to detect at least part of the profile of a product
dispensed according to a respective size or to detect a respective
part of the profile of a product dispensed.
14. The machine according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the
sensors is for detecting the presence of a product container, said
sensor sending a signal to the check and control means if the
container is missing and/or incorrectly positioned, so as to
interrupt product dispensing.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic machine for
producing and dispensing semi-liquid foodstuffs.
[0002] In particular, without limiting the scope of the inventive
concept, the present invention relates to machines for producing
and dispensing ice creams, soft ice creams, yogurt ice creams,
sorbets and the like.
[0003] As is known, machines of the above-mentioned type, in
particular those for producing soft ice creams referred to
hereinafter by way of example, comprise a tank for containing a
liquid mixture to be processed to obtain the finished product,
refrigerating means associated with the tank to keep the mixture at
a predetermined temperature, a horizontal whipping and freezing
cylinder, to which the mixture is fed by a gear pump, and one or
more dispenser taps, positioned on the whipping and freezing
cylinder outfeed front wall. The gear pump pressurizes the mixture
with air, making the ice cream more or less creamy.
[0004] The dispenser taps may be operated manually, or, in the case
of the automatic dispensing machines covered by this invention,
they may be controlled by a control unit operating in conjunction
with one or more sensors which detect the quantity of ice cream
dispensed.
[0005] As is known, said sensors consist of devices designed to
detect the weight of the ice cream dispensed, for example load
cells.
[0006] In other cases there are devices equipped with volumetric
sensors able to control the quantity of ice cream dispensed.
[0007] The density of the ice cream is normally electronically
controlled during production to prevent it from varying, for
example with variations in the type of mixture. However, even small
variations in the density can result in unacceptable variations in
the volume of the ice cream dispensed.
[0008] Moreover, it is important to consider that the types of
devices described above are relatively complex, expensive and
present objective difficulties in terms of manual and automatic
washing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The aim of the present invention is to produce an automatic
machine for producing and dispensing semi-liquid foodstuffs which
is free of the above-mentioned disadvantage.
[0010] Accordingly, the present invention provides an automatic
machine for producing and dispensing semi-liquid foodstuffs
comprising the features described in one or more of the claims
herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The present invention is now described, by way of example
and without limiting the scope of application, with reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a front view, with some parts schematically
illustrated as blocks, of an embodiment of the machine in
accordance with the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a top view, with some parts in cross-section, of
the machine of FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a side view, with some parts in cross-section, of
the machine of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIGS. 4 and 5 are respectively a schematic side view and
plan view of a portion of the machine of FIG. 1; and
[0016] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of
what is illustrated in FIG. 4.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, the numeral 1 denotes as a
whole an automatic machine for producing and dispensing semi-liquid
foodstuffs, in particular soft ice creams 2.
[0018] The machine 1 comprises a frame 3 which substantially has
the shape of a parallelepiped and supports, at the top, a tank 4
for containing a basic product, in the form of a liquid mixture, to
be processed to obtain the ice creams 2. Associated with the tank 4
there is a circuit 5 of a refrigerating system for keeping the
mixture at a predetermined temperature, in particular around
4.degree. C.
[0019] Below the tank 4, the frame 3 supports a horizontal whipping
and freezing cylinder 6, of the known type, to which the mixture is
fed by a gear pump 7, positioned at the tank 4 and in communication
with the tank via a suction pipe 7a for drawing the mixture from
the tank 4 and sending it by means of a delivery pipe 7b to a
whipping and freezing cylinder 6 infeed 6a.
[0020] Inside the cylinder 6 there is a mixing blade 6b for the
product processed, which is driven in rotation about its axis by a
variable speed motor unit 6c and can push the product towards and
into a dispenser tap 8 mounted on the whipping and freezing
cylinder 6 outfeed front wall. The dispenser tap 8 is checked and
controlled by a control unit 9 (FIGS. 1, 4, 5 and 6) with an
actuator 10 inserted between them.
[0021] It should be noticed that the pump 7, the suction pipe 7a,
the delivery pipe 7b and the cylinder 6 as a whole form a feed and
processing circuit 11 for the above-mentioned mixture.
[0022] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the control unit 9 also checks and
controls, using another actuator 12 inserted in-between, a carriage
13 for supporting a plate 14 on which a container C is stably
rested, for example a glass, a cup or a cone, into which the ice
cream 2 is dispensed.
[0023] The plate 14 can move between an upper station A for ice
cream 2 dispensing and a lower station B from which the ice cream 2
is picked up by the consumer (FIG. 3).
[0024] The control unit 9 receives the consent to dispense an ice
cream 2 from any sensor designed to serve the user, for example a
coin box 15, or from a reader for keys with saved credit, and
adjusts the dispensing based on the information received from a
sensor 16 in a predetermined position close to the tap 8.
[0025] As shown more clearly in FIGS. 4 and 5, the sensor 16 is
designed to detect at least part of the profile of the ice cream 2
dispensed and operates according to a line of action skew relative
to the central axis 2a according to which the height of the ice
cream 2 extends. The sensor 16 may be electro-optical, in
particular a photocell, ultrasonic or a thermal sensor.
[0026] According to the alternative embodiment illustrated in FIG.
6, the sensor 16 is of the electro-optical type, in particular a
CCD type image detector, and operates according to a matrix of
action substantially centered relative to the central axis 2a
according to which the height of the ice cream 2 extends.
[0027] In the station A the control unit 9 places and holds the
plate 14 in a predetermined position relative to the sensor 16
during ice cream 2 dispensing.
[0028] During operation, after dispensing consent has been supplied
by the sensor 15 of any type at the service of the user, the user
takes a container C from a stack positioned in a suitable
magazine--distributor (not illustrated) in the machine 1 and places
the container C on the plate 14 which is at the station A, at a
predetermined height relative to the sensor 16 for the size
selected.
[0029] It should be noticed that, in an automatic form, it is the
control unit 9 which serves a glass, cone or the like, in the
station A by means of the plate 14 which, as indicated above, is
positioned at the predetermined height relative to the sensor 16
for the size selected.
[0030] In both cases, said height is clearly greater for a small
size and less for a large size.
[0031] As illustrated in FIG. 1, one of the two sensors 16, for
example the lower one as seen in FIG. 1, is a container C presence
sensor and allows correct container C positioning on the plate 14
to be checked. If correct container positioning is not detected,
the sensor 16, by means of the control unit 9, stops product 2
dispensing. Obviously, the presence sensor may also consist of any
sensor positioned at another point of the machine but always able
to perform the checks described above.
[0032] Once ice cream 2 dispensing has started, the sensor 16 sends
an end dispensing signal when it intercepts the profile of the ice
cream 2 dispensed. This interception may be optical, ultrasonic or
thermal, depending on the type of sensor 16 mounted at the station
A.
[0033] When ice cream 2 dispensing has stopped, the control unit 9
moves the plate 14 to the station B so that the consumer can pick
up the ice cream 2.
[0034] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, in addition to the sensor
16 described above, close to the dispenser tap 8 there may be, in a
different position, for example at a different height and/or a
different distance from the front of the machine 1, another sensor
16, so that the two sensors 16 can detect at least part of the
profile of an ice cream 2 dispensed according to respective sizes
if the plate 14 is placed in a single position in the station A, or
for more accurate detection of the profile of the ice cream 2
during dispensing. In the latter case, each sensor 16 detects a
respective part of the profile of the ice cream 2 dispensed.
[0035] According to other alternative embodiments, not illustrated
but within the scope of the present invention, close to the tap 8
there may also be more than two sensors 16.
[0036] Finally, mounted on the whipping and freezing cylinder 6
outfeed front wall there may be two or more dispenser taps 8.
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