Grinder-dispenser apparatus for frozen material

A grinding apparatus for dispensing a dose of ground frozen material starting from a frozen block includes a grinding unit for grinding the frozen block in order to provide an amount of ground frozen material and a feeding unit for feeding the frozen block to the grinding unit. In particular, the feeding unit includes a feeding member that is adapted for moving frozen block for a desired predetermined grinding stroke against grinding unit such that a grinding length of block is ground. A grinding unit provides at least one grater and one motor for causing the grater to rotate. In order to obtain a desired weight of the dose, a volume of frozen material is calculated that corresponds to said weight, since the density of the frozen material is known.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing frozen material that is adapted to dispense a determinate dose of ground frozen material starting from a frozen block. In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing ground frozen food.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Various types of food dispensing devices are known in the art for grinding frozen blocks, as described for example in WO2009003033, RU2346746, WO03099027.

Such machines are not suitable for grinding frozen material in order to provide small doses of frozen ground material, so that each dose has a predetermined quantity of ground material.

In particular, it is desirable that the block is ground for a determined amount in order to provide a determined dose of frozen ground material. It is also desirable that the machine stops grinding the frozen block and starts again grinding when a further dose is required.

It is also, in particular, desirable that each dose of ground material has a determined size of the ground frozen granules. Normally, it is required that a grating or grinding part is changed and replaced by another one that is adapted to grind the frozen material with the desired different granulometry. This solution, however, requires to open the machine, to unlock the grating part, to lock it again and to close the machine, and for this reason it is disadvantageous.

It is also, in particular, desirable to prepare mixtures of different frozen material. This can be carried out by grinding in parallel the blocks, and then to mix eventually the ground frozen material in order to form the desired mixture.

These problems may arise for example in a machine like that disclosed in WO2006061187 or in WO2007137870, where an apparatus is described that is capable of dispensing a dose of warm food product creating a ready-to-eat single-dose warm food product. In particular, solid food components are provided at the inlet of the apparatus, then they are shredded and moved to a mixing and heating chamber.

In such machines, some components are kept at a low preserving temperature up to the introduction in the heating chamber. In this case the components with the respective shredders can be kept at a preservation temperature by a refrigerating chamber that contains them. To this purpose, the apparatus comprises an automatic refrigerated feeder of a food component. It can be for example a shredder of a frozen block of cheese. In order to prepare desired recipes, other blocks can be provided and ground selectively and separately, for example tomato, ham, salami, various different vegetables, etc., and then mixed in such a way to obtain the desired recipe.

Accordingly, the need is felt dosing precisely the food components, and then stopping the grinding step in order to start again only when a further dose is required.

Moreover, another problem arises concerning adjusting the size of the granules of the ground frozen food, without changing the grating element. A further problem arises of grinding selectively the frozen blocks and providing desired mixtures of ground frozen food.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a feature of the present invention to provide a grinder-dispenser apparatus that is adapted to dispense a desired dose of a frozen ground material in a minimum waiting time.

It is also a feature of the present invention to provide a grinder-dispenser apparatus that is adapted to dispense a dose of a frozen ground material and to stop until another dose is required.

It is also a feature of the present invention to provide a grinder-dispenser apparatus that is more accurate with respect to the prior art systems.

It is yet a feature of the present invention to provide a grinder-dispenser apparatus that is adapted to grind the frozen material with a desired granulometry without changing the grater.

It is another feature of the present invention to provide a grinder-dispenser apparatus has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture.

It is a particular feature of the present invention to provide such a grinder-dispenser apparatus that is adapted to provide doses of ground frozen food.

These and other features are achieved by an apparatus for dispensing a dose of ground frozen material starting from a frozen block, said apparatus comprising:a grinding means, for grinding said frozen block in order to provide an amount of ground frozen material;a feeding means for feeding said frozen block to said grinding means; wherein said feeding means comprises:means for moving said frozen block for a desired predetermined grinding stroke against said grinding means, and causing the block to be ground for a length that corresponds to said grinding stroke, and then to stop said frozen block,means for adjusting said grinding stroke such that said amount of ground frozen material corresponds to a desired dose of ground frozen material.

Advantageously, said means for adjusting said grinding stroke comprises a means for adjusting the speed of said grinding stroke.

Advantageously, said means for moving comprises a push member that is adapted to push said frozen block against said grinding means.

In particular, said grinding means provides at least one grater and one motor for causing said grater to rotate, a means for adjusting the speed of said motor being provided such that the granulometry of said ground frozen material can be adjusted up to achieving a desired granulometry value.

Advantageously, said means for adjusting the speed of said grinding stroke is adapted to adjust the speed of said grinding stroke responsive to the speed of said motor.

Alternatively, said means for adjusting the speed of said motor is adapted to adjust the speed of said motor responsive to the speed of said grinding stroke.

Preferably, a refrigerating chamber is provided in which said grinding means and said feeding means are housed and kept under a freezing temperature.

Advantageously, a further means for moving a further frozen block against said grinding means is provided, such that two frozen blocks can be selectively or contemporaneously moved against said grinding means.

Preferably, said grinding means comprises a drum-shaped grater.

In particular, said grinding means comprises one drum-shaped grater and a further means for moving a further frozen block against said drum-shaped grater is provided, wherein said means for moving and said further means for moving are arranged at an angle with respect to each other such that two frozen blocks can be moved against said drum-shaped grater, approaching said drum-shaped grater from two different directions.

Alternatively, said grinding means comprises a single drum grater having different grating portions, in particular that is adapted to grind a block having more layers, each layer corresponding to a respective grating portion. This solution is useful when different ground frozen materials have to be prepared, by preliminarily preparing a multilayer block. Owing to different density, resistance and desired size of the ground frozen material, the grater portions may have different cutting profiles.

Alternatively said grinding means comprises a reciprocating grating plate. Advantageously, said grating plate has different grating portions, in particular adapted to grind a block having more layers, each layer corresponding to a respective grating portion.

Advantageously, a plurality of independent means for moving is provided, each for moving one frozen block against said grinding means, wherein a program means is provided for operating selectively said means for moving in order to obtain a mixture of ground frozen materials according to a determined dose and a determined recipe. Advantageously, said means for moving is adapted to be charged with at least two frozen blocks in series, such that a first frozen block is moved against said grinding means and a second frozen block closely follows said first frozen block and is eventually moved against said grinding means when said first frozen block has been completely ground. In particular, said means for moving comprises a push member that is adapted to push said second frozen block against said first frozen block such that said first frozen block is pushed against said grinding means and such that when said first frozen block has been completely ground a third frozen block can be charged between said push member and said second frozen block.

Advantageously, said program means is adapted to operate said means for adjusting the speed of said grinding stroke in order to adjust the speed of said push member when said first frozen block has been almost completely ground up to when said grinding means starts grinding said second frozen block, in such a way that a desired dose of frozen material is ground when passing from the first block to the second block.

According to another aspect to the invention, an apparatus for dispensing a warm food product comprises a means for receiving at least one component of said food product as a dose of ground frozen food material, heating said dose and putting it, once heated, into a stiff edible container, creating a ready to eat combination of said dose and of said edible container, wherein said means for receiving is adapted to receive said dose of ground frozen food material from the apparatus as above defined.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

As shown inFIG. 1a grinding apparatus10is depicted for dispensing a dose2a(FIG. 3) of ground frozen material starting from a frozen block2.

The apparatus10comprises:a grinding unit20, for grinding the frozen block2in order to provide an amount of ground frozen material;a feeding unit30for feeding the frozen block to the grinding unit.

More in detail, the feeding unit30comprises a feeding member3that is adapted for moving frozen block2for a desired predetermined grinding stroke2bagainst grinding unit20such that a grinding length L of block2is ground. In particular, feeding member3is a push member that is operated by a motor4, via a reduction gear4a, a gear transmission4b,7, and a screw actuator6.

With reference again toFIG. 1, grinding unit20provides at least one grater5and one motor1for causing the grater5to rotate. A reduction gear1ais provided and transmission gears1band5afor transmitting the torque of the motor1to grater5. The push member3, as above described, causes the block2to move against grinding unit20, in order to be ground for length L, also shown inFIG. 3, that corresponds to grinding stroke2bof push member3. A adjustment unit40for adjusting the grinding length L and grinding stroke2bcan be provided and a unit50for adjusting the speed of the motor1can be also provided, as described below.

As shown inFIGS. 2 and 3a frozen block2is arranged on a feeding unit11such that it can be fed to the grating unit by push member3. InFIG. 3the frozen block is shown after having ground away a frozen material dose having a volume corresponding to grinding stroke2band length L.

InFIGS. 2 and 3grinding unit20comprises two counter-rotating drum-shaped graters5, with a vertical axis such that the dose2afalls down on a supporting shelf21.

At the end of grinding stroke2bpush member3stops so that also frozen block2stops, and no further ground frozen material is added to the already ground dose2a.

More precisely, as shown schematically inFIG. 4, in order to obtain a desired weight W of the dose, a volume V of frozen material is calculated that corresponds to said weight W, since the density D of the frozen material2is known. For this reason, the block2is preliminarily prepared having a desired known shape, for example a parallelepiped, or a cylinder, or a shape similar to a parallelepiped, or a cylinder, having a known cross section A. In this case the block has a parallelepiped shape.

In this way, grinding length L is calculated so that the volume V of the ground dose is L-A. The weight W is obtained by the volume V multiplied by the density D of the block2.

If a determined dose2ahas to be dispensed, in terms of weight of ground frozen material, the corresponding grinding stroke is L=W/(D−A). So, an adjustment unit changes accordingly the grinding length L in order to adjust the weight of the ground frozen material.

In particular, adjustment unit40(FIG. 1) adjusts the grinding length L such that the amount of ground frozen material corresponds to a desired dose2aof ground frozen material.

In case the blocks are not perfect parallelepiped or cylinders, as shown inFIGS. 4A,4B and4C a program means for correcting the cross section of the block is provided, both at the beginning and end of the block, and also throughout the block. For example the block may be obtained in a mould, and the may have a trapezoidal cross section and slightly tapered ends.

In particular, the adjustment unit40can include a computing control system that calculates the correction of the length of the linear displacement based on the volumetric shape of the ingredient block2.

For example, as shown inFIG. 4Ba calculation can based on a mathematical formula like y=−0, 001L*L+0, 001*130*L for a 1 dimensional elliptical deviation of the top part of the ingredient block.

A more general formulation to describe the block shape can be defined as
∫∫L1L2M·N·dM·dN

where M and N are the sides of the block cross section, and L1and L2define the grinding length L of the block.

Adjustment unit40ofFIG. 1can include program means that follows a calibration diagram that represents the volume per distance ingredient displacement, as shown inFIG. 4D. In particular, at each cm of stroke the volume of the cm3of ground material is indicated in ordinates. Since the blocks have not perfectly square-cut ends, the diagram shows that the volume of material that is ground for each cm of stroke is lower at the ends and maximum at the central region of the block.

For this reason, it is possible to calculate the dose in correspondence at the beginning or end of a block. In particular, in case of passage between two blocks the program means automatically corrects the calculation of the dose, and adjusts the stroke accordingly. Alternatively, the program means can subtract any empty spaces that exist between two blocks, and then adjust the stroke accordingly.

This calculation is useful in particular in the case shown inFIG. 5, when a first block2′ has been almost completely ground by grater5and a second block2″ is added. Block2can be easily added after that push member3has returned back to a starting position along a support guide11. A signal means can be provided to signal for how much length block2′ has been ground. This signal means can calculate, for example the number of grinding strokes L that are left before that block2′ is ended and then communicate to a user such number of left grinding strokes/doses such that well in advance before that block2′ is completely finished, second block2″ can be added. Then pusher3pushes block2″ against block2′, until the latter is completely ground.

In a preferred embodiment, adjustment unit40for adjusting the grinding length L comprises also a unit for adjusting the speed of the grinding stroke L, as described below with reference toFIGS. 6,6A and7. Grinding stroke adjustment unit40and grater speed adjustment unit50can operate separately or responsive to each other. Grinding stroke adjustment unit40and grater speed adjustment unit50, in particular, can be controlled responsive to each other so that the granulometry of the ground frozen material is adjusted up to achieving a desired granulometry value. In particular, granulometry is a function of the force with which the block is pushed against the grater, but also of the reciprocating or rotating speed of the grater. For example, a grater that rotates slowly with high force of pusher3, corresponds to a maximum size of the frozen granules. Instead, a grater that rotates fast with low force of pusher3, corresponds to a minimum size of the frozen granules, like a snow of ground frozen material.

Concerning the force of the block against the grater, this is responsive to the programmed advancement speed of the block against the grater, i.e. the speed of pusher3. The more the speed, the more the force. In fact, the speed of the block is the speed with which the block is ground by the grater. It may be not necessary to control the force directly of push element3, except from the case of passing a maximum pushing force. The maximum pushing force can be controlled for example directly by motor1or by transmission gear1aor by a clutch means in the grater transmission chain.

FIG. 5shows also a refrigerating chamber15that is provided for housing the whole grinding apparatus10. The room within refrigerating chamber15can be also exceed the space necessary to house grinding apparatus10for storing additional blocks, as a reserve. Moreover, in refrigerating chamber15several grinding apparatus10, for a corresponding number of blocks2can be housed, as in the case shown inFIG. 11where six blocks2and grinding apparatus10are provided. As shown inFIG. 8, a further unit for moving a further frozen block against the grater unit20is provided, such that four frozen blocks2are selectively or contemporaneously moved against a same grinding unit10. In this case the grinding unit comprises a single drum-shaped grater5. In general, the grinding unit comprises one drum-shaped grater and several units for moving a further frozen block against the drum-shaped grater5, and the units for moving are arranged at an angle (inFIG. 8the angle is 90°.) with respect to each other such that two frozen blocks2can be moved against the drum-shaped grater approaching it from different directions.

This is advantageous and allows a program unit to operate selectively the moving units to cause the blocks to be ground and then to obtain a mixture of different ground frozen materials according to a determined dose and a determined recipe. In the case ofFIG. 8four blocks are ground selectively or contemporaneously.

In case of food frozen material, for example mozzarella cheese, tomato, ham and a vegetable, many different recipes can be prepared by selectively moving the blocks2against the drum shaped grater5.

In the example ofFIG. 9an alternative embodiment is shown of the grater and of the block with a single drum grater having different grating portions and a block having more layers, each layer corresponding to a respective grating portion. This solution is useful when different ground frozen materials have to be prepared, by preliminarily preparing a multilayer block. Owing to different density, resistance and desired size of the ground frozen material, the grater portions may have different cutting profiles.

Even if drum-shaped graters have been cited as an example, other type of graters can be used, for example a reciprocating grating plate5′, shown inFIG. 10, that is adapted to move, for example according to two direction X and Y. In particular, grating plate5′ may have different grating portions, in particular adapted to grind a block having more layers, each layer corresponding to a respective grating portion.

InFIG. 11, an apparatus100for dispensing a warm food product is shown comprising a unit60for receiving at least one component of the food product as a dose of ground frozen food material, heating the dose and putting it once heated, thought a portion61, into a stiff edible container30, creating a ready to eat combination of the dose and of the edible container. Empty edible containers30can be put into the machine through a door51and stored in the machine at a desired temperature. Also frozen blocks30can be stored in frozen chamber15at a desired temperature that is obtained by frozen device25. A plurality of frozen blocks2and corresponding block grinding and feeding units10as above described are arranged within refrigerating chamber15, through a door52. A display53informs the user about the consumption of the blocks and on other operating parameters. The user takes an empty edible container30and puts an empty edible container30into the machine through door54, such that it is filled with a warm food dose, obtained by heating the frozen ground dose, as previously prepared. In particular, unit60is a heated plate that receives the frozen ground dose that is distributed on it and that has a desired granulometry, such that they can be heated very quickly.

The foregoing description of a specific embodiment will so fully reveal the invention according to the conceptual point of view, so that others, by applying current knowledge, will be able to modify and/or adapt for various applications such an embodiment without further research and without parting from the invention, and it is therefore to be understood that such adaptations and modifications will have to be considered as equivalent to the specific embodiment. The means and the materials to realize the different functions described herein could have a different nature without, for this reason, departing from the field of the invention. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.