HK1177712B - Machine for the treatment of food mixtures with an improved performance - Google Patents

Description

Apparatus for processing food mixtures with improved performance

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an apparatus for the treatment of food mixtures with improved properties, in particular for the production of ice cream, desserts and cooked food products.

Background

Currently, in the field of food mixture processing, various apparatuses are used, each dedicated to a specific operation. For example, it is necessary to provide a device for treating the food product, which is then subjected to a heating and cooling phase in a further device, or to only one of them. These multiple treatments are found, for example, in the dessert and deli industries and also in the self-made ice cream industry.

As an example of the home-made ice cream industry, home-made ice cream is produced by using a system consisting of three steps:

1) pasteurizing the base mixture by heating the base mixture at a temperature of about +85 ℃ and rapidly cooling the base mixture at a temperature of about +4 ℃ in order to disrupt bacterial flora;

2) curing the pasteurized mixture at +4 ℃ for a suitable period of time, e.g., 12 hours;

3) the ripened mixture is stirred by cooling the ripened mixture until an ice cream with a solid structure is produced, optionally at a temperature which may substantially be in the range of 8 ℃ to-11 ℃ from the stirrer.

All this is done in different containers or equipment, such as pasteurizers, cooking bowls and blenders.

Therefore, there must be available equipment and associated space, and in addition the mixture being treated has to be moved from one equipment to another.

All this thus leads to the operation of various apparatuses, both with regard to the flushing operation and generally with regard to the cleaning operation.

A particular requirement is for example that the food mixture must be mixed into a container and then homogenized and suitably processed, and subsequently moved into another container for subsequent heating and/or cooling and processing stages.

Disclosure of Invention

The general object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art in a simple, inexpensive and particularly effective way.

Another object is to provide a processing device capable of performing several operations all concentrated in a single device.

With a view to achieving the above object, according to the present invention, it is an object to provide an apparatus for processing a food mixture, having the features described in the dependent claims.

Drawings

The structural and functional characteristics of the present invention and its advantages compared to the prior art will become clearer and more evident from reading the following description, with reference to the attached drawings, which show an embodiment of a device for treating food mixtures made according to the present invention.

In the figure:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective top view of an apparatus for processing a food mixture in a closed position made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 1 with the device in an open position, that is with the upper lid raised;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus in the position of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the device in a closed position;

fig. 5 is a perspective view of a first variant of the device for processing a food mixture according to the invention, in the closed position, i.e. with the upper cover down;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 5 in an open position, i.e., with the upper lid raised;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the apparatus of FIGS. 5 and 6;

fig. 8 is a perspective view of a second variant embodiment of the apparatus for processing a food mixture according to the invention, according to the first operating configuration, in the closed position, i.e. with the upper cover lowered;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 8 in a closed position, i.e., with the upper cover down, but with the motor arrangement raised, according to a second operating configuration;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 8 or 9 in an open position, i.e., with the upper cover raised;

fig. 11 is an exploded view of the device of fig. 8-10.

Detailed Description

With reference first to figures 1 to 4, a device 1 for treating food mixtures with improved properties according to the invention is shown, in particular for the production of ice cream, desserts and cooked food products.

The apparatus 1 for processing food mixtures shown in its distinctive part provides a frame depicted and particularly shown as 11, in which a container or cylinder 12 made of steel is arranged for containing the food mixture to be processed.

The container or cylinder 12 is integral with the frame 11 which supports an upper lid 13 hinged thereto for closing the container or cylinder 12.

In particular the upper lid 13 is hinged at 14 to the frame 11 so as to be in a closed or open position over the upper opening 15 of the container or cylinder 12.

Inside the container or cylinder 12 there is arranged a rotating shaft 16, coaxial with the container 12, motorized from the bottom by a gear motor (not shown).

The rotating shaft 16 rotatably supports spatula mixing blades at the bottom 17a and sides 17b of the inner wall and bottom of the container 12.

According to the invention, in addition to having an inlet 18 for feeding the food to be treated, the upper cover 13 is also provided with another opening 19, in which a mixer, for example of the electric type and completely independently powered, is arranged.

In particular, the mixer 20 is positioned in an extension sleeve 21, which is positioned in correspondence of the opening 19 on the outer wall of the upper cover and is oriented towards the outside.

In a preferred embodiment, the extension sleeve 21 provides a shaped ring 22 for receiving a pin 23 integral with the body of the mixer 20 and directed outwardly.

The mixer 20 is thus positioned freely removable by acting on the bayonet joint formed by the ring 22 of the extension sleeve and the pin 23 of the mixer 20.

This configuration facilitates the cleaning operation and at the same time allows the mixer 20 with the particular stirring blade 24 to be easily replaced by another mixer 20 similar but with a different blade, if necessary.

Advantageously, another tool for processing the food mixture, having the same external dimensions and connection, can be placed in the opening 19, if necessary.

Thus, it is not necessary to move the food mixture to be treated from one container to another, it being advantageously possible to treat it by different treatment methods.

For example, in the first stage it is possible to shred the product and in the second stage actually mix it, depending on the operation of specific elements arranged coaxially with the outer wall of the container or cylinder 12 or externally of its bottom, for example using heating and/or cooling operations.

In the figure it can be seen that the treated product can be removed by simply rotating the upper cover 13. The processing operation can be restarted in a short time.

As mentioned above, in order to clean the mixer 20 or another processing tool, it is removed quickly by acting on the bayonet fitting. Vice versa, once cleaning is completed or for replacement purposes, the reverse is done by restoring the bayonet fitting.

Other variations of the above-described embodiments are also possible.

In such a variant, a first variant is shown in fig. 5-7, in which a variant of the device 10 for treating food mixtures according to the invention with improved performance is shown.

The food mixtures mentioned are those used in particular for the production of ice creams, desserts and cooked foods.

The apparatus 10 for processing a food mixture shown in its distinctive part provides a frame depicted and particularly shown as 110 in which a container or cylinder 120 is disposed for containing the food mixture to be processed.

The container or cylinder 120 is integrated with a frame 110 supporting an upper cover 130 hinged thereto for closing the container or cylinder 120.

In particular, the lid 130 is hinged 140 to the frame 110 so as to be in a closed or open position over an upper opening 150 of the container or cylinder 120.

Inside the container or cylinder 120 there is arranged a rotating shaft 160, coaxial with the container 120 and motorized from the bottom by a gear motor (not shown).

The rotating shaft 160 rotatably supports the spatula mixing blade at the bottom 170a and the side 170b of the inner wall and bottom of the container 120.

According to the invention, in addition to having an inlet 180 for feeding the food product to be treated, the upper cover 130 is also provided with another opening 190 in which a portion of a motorized body 310, for example a mixer 200 that is electrically powered and completely independently powered, can be arranged.

More particularly, in addition to the motorized body 310, the mixer 200 comprises a shaft 320 moved by an electric motor integrated in the motorized body 310, which carries a suitable tool 240 (as an example: a paddle or blade) at one end.

The end of the shaft 320 opposite to the end with the tool 240 is equipped with a quick mechanical coupling 340 so that it can engage/disengage a corresponding power take-off 350 provided on the underside of the motorized body 310 in order to transmit the torque necessary to drive the tool 240.

The shaft 320 is supported in an operative (substantially vertical) position by a quick-clip mount (referred to as a clip) 360 removably attached to the edge of the cylinder 120.

Care must therefore be taken that the shaft 320 is completely contained within the volume defined by the container 120 when closed by the upper lid 130 of the container.

The clip 360 thus extends partially inside the container 120 and partially outside it: more particularly, it has, inside the cylinder, a sleeve for coupling with the shaft 320 and, externally, a driving device, for example a cam with a driving rod by means of which it is removably coupled to the edge of the cylinder 120.

To this end it must be noted (figure 6) that the upper cover 130 is suitably equipped with a receptacle 370 in which the clip 360 is housed when it is mated therewith.

It must be noted that the motorized body 310 of the mixer 200 is arranged in an extension sleeve 210, positioned in correspondence with the opening 190 on the outer wall of the upper cover and oriented towards the outside.

In a preferred embodiment, the extension sleeve 210 provides a shaped ring 220 for receiving the pin 230 integral with and outwardly directed from the motorized body 310 of the mixer 200.

Care must therefore be taken that the sleeve 210 is used to center the motorized body 310, since it ensures that the motorized body 310 is properly coupled to the shaft 320 once the shaft is installed.

The motorized body 310 is therefore positioned freely removable by acting on the bayonet joint formed by the ring 220 of the extension sleeve and by the pin 230.

The device 10 is thus obtained, in which the shaft 320 of the mixer 200 is coupled to the container 120 and the motorized body 310 of the same mixer 200 is coupled to the upper lid 130 of the container 120.

This structure facilitates the cleaning operation and at the same time allows easy replacement of the tool 240 if necessary; in this case it is sufficient to open the upper cover 130, thereby releasing the clip 360 and replacing the shaft 320.

Fig. 6 clearly shows another advantage: in such a position, the shaft 320 remains in the position mounted in the container 120 even if the upper cover 130 is in the open position, and in addition the motorized body 310 is released from the shaft 320.

Advantageously, this results in a very good intrinsic safety of the device 10, since when the user lifts the upper lid 130 in order to access the inside of the container, while he/she opens the upper lid 130, he/she disengages the motorized body 310 from the shaft 320, preventing the tool 240 of the shaft from operating accidentally when his/her hand is inside the container 120.

Advantageously, another tool for processing the food mixture, having the same external dimensions and connections, can be placed in the opening 190 if necessary, such as a chopping blade, a whipping blade, a dough mixer-like tool, etc.

Thus, in order to use various tools, the motor 310 will be suitably driven at different operating speeds suitably selected for each process.

Thus, it is not necessary to move the food mixture to be treated from one container to another, it being advantageously possible to treat it by different treatment methods.

For example, in the first stage it is possible to shred the product and in the second stage actually mix it, depending on the operation of specific elements arranged outside the container or cylinder 120 or outside its bottom, for example using heating and/or cooling operations.

In addition to the mechanical treatment performed by the blades 170a, 170b, 240, the apparatus 10 is also arranged for performing a thermal treatment of the mixture inside the container 120, for which purpose it is provided with heating and/or cooling elements for said container 120.

For example, for cooling or heating the mixture, a coil (not shown in the figures) is provided, arranged around the container 120, in which coil a cooling or heating fluid flows.

Such coils may for example be part of a cooling circuit and/or a heating circuit and are of a type known per se; they will not be described.

The object mentioned in the introductory part of the description is thus achieved.

Obviously, the shape of the frame making up the device for treating food mixtures according to the invention may differ from that shown in the figures, purely as a non-limiting example, as may the materials and assembly methods.

A second variation 100 of the apparatus is shown, for example, in figures 8-11.

Like reference numerals in this second variation 100 denote like parts of the first variation and they are not described again.

The only difference between the device 100 and the device 10 is that the motorized body 310 of the mixer 200 is guided in its movement between a position remote from the opening 190 (fig. 9) and an operating position in which it is partially fitted into the opening 190 by means of the articulated control arm 400.

To this end, articulated arm 400 comprises a base 410 by means of which it is hinged to frame 110.

Thus, the arm 400 is able to pivot about a horizontal axis that is substantially parallel to the axis about which the upper cover 130 rotates in the illustrated example.

The motorized body 310 is rotatably coupled to the articulated arm 400 so it can be positioned in an easy and quick manner.

For example motorized body 310, is rotatable about two pins 420 integral therewith and cooperates with corresponding receptacles of articulated arm 400.

Thus, optionally, the sleeve 210 can be omitted, since its centering function is in this case achieved by an articulated arm 400 for moving the motorized body so as to correctly position its part equipped with a power take-off for connection to the shaft 320.

It must be noted, however, that the sleeve 210 may be provided in any manner, for example, to improve the connection between the motorized body 310 and the shaft 320.

The object mentioned in the introductory part of the description is thus achieved.

Obviously, the shape of the frame making up the device for treating food mixtures according to the invention may differ from that shown in the figures, purely as a non-limiting example, as may the materials and assembly methods.

The scope of protection of the invention is therefore defined by the appended claims.

Claims (9)

1. Device (1, 10, 100) for the treatment of food mixtures with improved performance, comprising a container or cylinder (12, 120) for collecting a food mixture, integral with a frame structure (11, 110) and equipped with an upper lid (13, 130) for closing the container (12, 120) and hinged to the frame structure (11, 110) so as to be in a closed or open position on an upper opening (15, 150) of the container (12, 120), in which container (12, 120) there is provided a rotation shaft (16, 160) coaxial with the container (12, 120) and rotatably supporting a spatula mixing blade at the bottom (17a, 170a) and at the sides (17b, 170b) of the inner and bottom walls of the container; the apparatus comprises, at its opening (19, 190), a mixer (20, 200) removably connected to the upper cover (13, 130);

characterized in that the mixer (20, 200) is arranged inside an extension sleeve (21, 210) arranged in correspondence of the opening (19, 190) on the outer wall of the upper cover and oriented towards the outside, and that the extension sleeve comprises a bayonet fitting (22, 23).

2. The apparatus (1, 10, 100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the treatment is a thermal treatment and the apparatus (1, 10, 100) comprises heating and/or cooling means for the container (12).

3. The apparatus (1, 10, 100) according to claim 1, characterized in that said bayonet joint comprises a shaped ring (22) in said extension sleeve (21) and an outwardly oriented pin (23) integral with the body of said mixer (20).

4. The apparatus (1, 10, 100) according to claim 1, characterized in that said mixer (200) is provided with at least one motorized body (310) and with a shaft (320) supporting at least one tool (240), said tool (240) being drivable in rotation by said motorized body through said shaft (320), said shaft (320) and said motorized body (310) being further couplable to each other so as to transmit motion to said tool (240), and said motorized body being connectable to said upper cover (130), and said shaft (320) being connectable to said container (120).

5. The apparatus (1, 10, 100) according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises a quick-clip mount or clip (360) removably connected to the container (120) and for removably engaging the shaft (320).

6. Device (1, 10, 100) according to claim 5, characterized in that said clip (360) extends at least partially inside said container (120) and at least partially outside said container (120), said clip (360) being provided with a sleeve for coupling with said shaft (320).

7. The apparatus (1, 10, 100) according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the shaft (320) is housed within a volume defined by the container (120) when closed by the upper cover (130).

8. The apparatus (1, 10, 100) according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that it comprises an articulated arm (400) coupled to said motorized body (310) so as to guide its movement between at least a first position, in which said motorized body (310) is distanced from an opening (190) of said upper cover (130), and a second position, in which said motorized body (310) is at least partially mounted in said opening (190) for coupling to said shaft (320).

9. The device (1, 10, 100) according to claim 7, characterized in that said shaft (320) is completely housed inside said volume.