Abstract:
A dessert mixing machine comprises a housing and a motor driven drive shaft associated with the housing. An auger is operably attached to the drive shaft, the auger being rotated when the motor driven shaft is rotated. A mixing cone is provided, with the mixing cone and the auger being moveable relative to one another. A drive assembly for moving the mixing cone and the auger relative to one another is also provided. A locking system is operable to restrict or limit movement of the mixing cone and the auger relative to one while the auger is being rotated by the motor driven shaft.

Description:
[0001]    Priority is claimed of copending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/905,228, filed Mar. 5, 2007, which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to machines for mixing food products. More particularly, the present invention relates to machines for mixing and dispensing frozen desserts. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A variety of machines for mixing frozen desserts have been developed to date. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,974,965 and 5,067,819, and pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/116,914, to at least some of the present inventors, disclose examples of such machines. The entire contents of these references are incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0004]    While such machines have been developed, presently some challenges remain to be addressed. For example, operators of such machines have been known to have difficulty in simultaneously operating the machines while dispensing product from the machines. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a dessert mixing machine is provided, including: a housing, and a motor driven drive shaft associated with the housing. An auger can be operably attached to the drive shaft, the auger being rotated when the motor driven shaft is rotated. A mixing cone can also be provided, with the mixing cone and the auger being moveable relative to one another. A drive assembly can move the mixing cone and the auger relative to one another. A locking system can be operable to restrict or limit movement of the mixing cone and the auger relative to one while the auger is being rotated by the motor driven shaft. 
         [0006]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a dessert mixing machine is provided, including: a housing, and a motor driven drive shaft associated with the housing. An auger can be attached to a distal end of the drive shaft, the auger being rotatable when the motor driven shaft is rotated. A mixing cone can also be provided, the mixing cone and the auger being moveable relative to one another. A drive assembly can cause movement of the mixing cone and the auger relative to one another. The drive assembly can include a hand lever graspable by a user of the machine to move the mixing cone and the auger relative to one another. A locking system can be operable to restrict or limit movement of the mixing cone and the auger relative to one while the auger is being rotated by the motor driven shaft. A locking system actuating switch can be selectively operable to engage and disengage the locking system. The locking system actuating switch can be coupled to the hand lever to enable a user to access the actuating switch while grasping the hand lever. 
         [0007]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method of mixing and dispensing a dessert is provided, including: introducing ingredients into a mixing cone; positioning a motor driven auger within the mixing cone and mixing the ingredients with the auger; restricting movement of the mixing cone and the auger relative to one another; and dispensing dessert from the mixing cone while movement of the mixing cone and the auger relative to one another is restricted. 
         [0008]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention so that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and so that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. Other features of the present invention will become clearer from the following detailed description of the invention, taken with the accompanying drawings and claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a side, partially sectioned view of a dessert mixing machine in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, shown with one or more panels removed from the view to aid in illustrating various operating components of the machine; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a front, partially sectioned view of the dessert mixing machine of  FIG. 1 , shown with one or more panels removed from the view to aid in illustrating various operating components of the machine; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an opposing side view of the dessert mixing machine of  FIG. 1 , shown with one or more panels removed from the view to aid in illustrating various operating components of the machine; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a partially sectioned, more detailed view of various components of a locking system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
       [0013]    It will be understood that the attached figures are merely for illustrative purposes in furthering an understanding of the invention. The figures may not be drawn or shown to scale, thus dimensions, particle sizes, and other aspects can be exaggerated to make illustrations thereof clearer. Therefore, departure can be made from the specific dimensions and aspects shown in the figures in order to produce the systems of the present invention. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    Before the present invention is disclosed and described, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular structures, process steps, or materials disclosed herein, but is extended to equivalents thereof as would be recognized by those of ordinarily skilled in the relevant arts. It should also be understood that terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. 
         [0015]    It must be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a” and “the” include plural referents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to an “auger” can include one or more of such augers. 
       DEFINITIONS 
       [0016]    In describing and claiming the present invention, the following terminology will be used in accordance with the definitions set forth below. 
         [0017]    As used herein, relative terms, such as “upper,” “lower,” “upwardly,” “downwardly,” etc., are used to refer to various components of dessert mixing machines of the present invention, as those terms would be readily understood by one of ordinary skill in the relevant art. It is to be understood that the use of such terms in no way limits the present invention but is only to aid in describing the components of the mixing machines in the most straightforward manner. 
         [0018]    As used herein, the term “substantially” refers to the complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. As an arbitrary example, when an object or group of objects is/are referred to as being “substantially” symmetrical, it is to be understood that the object or objects are either completely symmetrical or are nearly completely symmetrical. The exact allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in some cases depend on the specific context. However, generally speaking the nearness of completion will be so as to have the same overall result as if absolute and total completion were obtained. 
         [0019]    The use of “substantially” is equally applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. As an arbitrary example, an opening that is “substantially free of” material would either completely lack material, or so nearly completely lack material that the effect would be the same as if it completely lacked material. In other words, an opening that is “substantially free of” material may still actually contain some such material as long as there is no measurable effect as a result thereof. 
         [0020]    Distances, forces, weights, amounts, and other numerical data may be expressed or presented herein in a range format. It is to be understood that such a range format is used merely for convenience and brevity and thus should be interpreted flexibly to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. 
         [0021]    As an illustration, a numerical range of “about 1 inch to about 5 inches” should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited values of about 1 inch to about 5 inches, but also include individual values and sub-ranges within the indicated range. Thus, included in this numerical range are individual values such as 2, 3, and 4 and sub-ranges such as from 1-3, from 2-4, and from 3-5, etc. 
         [0022]    This same principle applies to ranges reciting only one numerical value and should apply regardless of the breadth of the range or the characteristics being described. 
       INVENTION 
       [0023]    As shown by example in the figures, in one embodiment the present invention provides a dessert mixing machine  10  for use in preparing frozen comestibles such as smoothies, shakes, malts, soft ice cream combinations, and the like. The system  10  can generally include a mixing auger  12 , a motor  14 , a pulley system  16  and a drive shaft  18  for driving the auger  12 . A mixing cone  20  is provided that can be oriented in coaxial alignment with the mixing auger  12 . A housing  22  can be provided to generally cover shield the various operating components of the system. (Note that the housing  22  is shown in varying degrees of completion in the figures: in order to most clearly illustrate the various working components of the system, some of the panels of the housing are omitted from some of the views). 
         [0024]    Various components of the system  10 , including the auger  12 , the motor  14 , pulley system  16 , drive shaft  18 , housing  22  and mixing cone  20  can be comprised of conventional components. The patents and the patent application referred to above give a full and complete description of the general makeup and operation of such mixing apparatus. 
         [0025]    The system can include a mixing cone  20  attached to a carriage  26  (best seen in  FIG. 3 ) that can be configured to travel upwardly and downwardly along a vertical support post. The carriage  26  can be slidably mounted on a rigid, elongate track  28  ( FIG. 3 ) for linear, reciprocating movement toward and away from the auger  12  (alternately, the auger can be mounted on a slidable interface for movement toward and away from the mixing cone). The carriage  26  is designed to move along the track  28  with a minimum of frictional resistance. To this end, it is advantageous to provide a track  28  having parallel, spaced side edges which form a race for ball bearings mounted within the carriage  26 . 
         [0026]    A gear mechanism or assembly  40  can be provided within the housing  22 . A drive shaft  36  of the gear mechanism  40  can extend from the gear mechanism  40  through a side wall of the housing  22 . A lever  38  ( FIG. 2 ) can extend from the drive shaft  36  to be positioned adjacent to (but spaced slightly from the side of) the housing  22  such that the lever can be moved in a pivotal movement about the drive shaft  36 . The gear mechanism  40  can have an output drive sprocket  42  which is driven in rotational motion upon pivotal movement of the lever  38 . 
         [0027]    An upper idler sprocket  32  can be positioned above the auger  12  and generally in line with the longitudinal length of the track  28 . A drive chain  34  can be connected at one end to the carriage  26 . The drive chain  34  can extend from the carriage  26  around the upper idler sprocket  32  to the drive sprocket  42  of the gear mechanism  40 . The drive chain  34  can extend around the drive sprocket  42  to and around a lower idler sprocket  37  and back to the carriage  26 . When the lever  38  of the gear mechanism  40  is moved upwardly and downwardly in pivotal movement, the drive chain  34  moves around the drive sprocket  42  so as to move the carriage  26  and the mixing cone  20  mounted thereon in linear movement toward and away, respectively, from the auger  12 . 
         [0028]    In one aspect of the invention, a sealing mechanism can be provided to seal the top of the mixing cone  20  when the mixing cone  20  has been moved toward the auger  12  so that the auger  12  is positioned within the mixing cone  20 . In this manner, liquids such as milk can be introduced into the mixing cone  20  to be mixed with a frozen material such as ice cream to make a conventional, semi-liquid milk shake. The top of the mixing cone  20  can be sealed to prevent liquid and semi-liquid material from being ejected or forced from the top of the mixing cone  20  by the vigorous mixing action of the auger  12 . 
         [0029]    The sealing of the top of the mixing cone  20  can also allow a cleaning and sanitizing solution to be introduced into the mixing cone  20  when desired. When the auger  12  is activated with the cleaning and sanitizing solution in the mixing cone, a vigorous, thorough cleaning and sanitizing of the auger  12  and mixing cone  20  can be achieved. The sealing mechanism for sealing the top of the mixing cone  20  can advantageously prevent the cleaning and sanitizing solution from being ejected or forced from the top of the mixing cone  20  by the vigorous mixing action of the auger  12 . 
         [0030]    The sealing mechanism can comprise a sealing plate  100  ( FIG. 1 ) that is attached to a gear housing component  102  from which the drive shaft  18  of the auger  12  extends. The sealing plate  100  can be substantially circular in shape and can have a central opening through which the drive shaft of the auger  12  is received for rotational movement of the drive shaft  18 . The central opening in the sealing plate  100  forms a bearing surface through which the drive shaft  18  is allowed to rotate when driving the auger  12  and the sealing plate  100  can simultaneously slide longitudinally along the drive shaft  18 . The sealing plate is mounted to the gear housing component  102  through a coil spring  104  that is positioned coaxially about the drive shaft  18 . In its most simple implementation, the upper end of the spring  104  is attached as by welding to the housing component  102  and the lower end of the spring  104  is attached as by welding to the sealing plate  100 . 
         [0031]    The ingredients that are to be mixed into the milk shake or other similar type comestible are placed within the mixing cone  20  and the hand lever  38  is activated so as to raise the mixing cone  20  upwardly. The mixing cone moves upwardly to fully encompass and contain the mixing auger  12 , and the otherwise open upper end of the mixing cone  20 , which forms a substantially circular seal ring, can then make contact with the lower sealing surface of the sealing plate  100 . The sealing plate  100  is forced upwardly against the spring  104  to compress the spring  104  and hold the sealing plate in tight sealing engagement with the upper end of the mixing cone  20 . Once engagement of the upper end of the mixing cone  20  and the sealing plate  100  has been achieved, the auger can be operated in a high speed mode to vigorously mix and blend the materials in the mixing cone  20 . 
         [0032]    A shut off valve  111  can be provided at the lower end of the mixing cone  20  so that liquid and semi-liquid material cannot exit the mixing cone  20  when the valve  111  is closed. The shut off valve  111  can comprise a valve body  112  which has a cylindrical opening extending through the valve body  112  from top to bottom. The top end of the cylindrical opening can be conveniently provided with internal threads, and the valve body  112  can be readily attached to the lower end of the mixing cone  20  by screwing the valve body  112  to external threads that are provided on the lower end of the mixing cone  20 . A horizontal slot  113  can be provided in part of the valve body  112 . The slot  113  can be located between the upper and lower ends of the valve body  112 . A flat sliding valve plate  114  can be adapted to slide into and out of the slot  113 . 
         [0033]    The valve plate  114  can include an elongate extension (or handle) that extends from the slot  113 , and the valve plate  114  can be conveniently attached to the valve body for pivotal movement of the valve plate  114  and the extension about a vertical axis near the point where the extension projects from the slot  113 . By sliding the extension to one side, the valve plate  114  can be pivoted out of the slot  113  so as to open the cylindrical opening in the valve body  112 . Conversely, when the extension is moved back to its initial position extending substantially straight out of the valve body  112 , the valve plate is pivoted into the slot  113  so as to close the cylindrical opening in the valve body  112 . 
         [0034]    When the mixing cone  20  and auger  12  are to be cleaned and sanitized, a cleaning and sanitizing solution can be introduced into the mixing cone  20 . The hand lever  38  can be activated (generally, downwardly) so as to raise the mixing cone  20  upwardly. The mixing cone  20  moves upwardly to fully encompass and contain the mixing auger  12 , and the otherwise open upper end of the mixing cone  20  makes contact with the sealing plate  100 . The sealing plate  100  is generally forced upwardly against the spring  104  to compress the spring  104  and hold the sealing plate in tight sealing engagement with the upper end of the mixing cone  20 . Once engagement of the upper end of the mixing cone  20  and the sealing plate  100  has been achieved, the auger can be operated in a high speed mode to vigorously wash and sanitize the auger  12  and mixing cone  20 . 
         [0035]    A catch basin or sink  90  can be advantageously provided immediately below the mixing cone  20 . The sink  90  can catch any material dripping from the mixing cone  20  during normal use in making frozen desserts. In addition, the sink can collect the cleaning and sanitizing solution as it drains from the mixing cone  20  during the cleaning and sanitizing step. The sink  90  can be advantageously connected through a conventional trap  92  to a drain waste vent system. If a drain waste vent system is not available, the sink  90  can be connected to a collection vessel or tank (not shown) which would then be periodically emptied when necessary. 
         [0036]    The present invention also advantageously provides a mechanism and means for locking and firmly holding the mixing cone  20  in a fixed, locked position, relative to the auger. This can be done in virtually any location along the direction of travel of the mixing cone relative to the auger, and is particularly useful when the mixing cone has been raised into sealing engagement with the sealing plate  100 , both during mixing of comestibles in the mixing cone  20  or when cleaning and sanitizing the mixing cone  20  and auger  12  with a cleaning and sanitizing solution. 
         [0037]    In accordance with the present invention, a novel means and mechanism for locking and securely retaining the drive system in any desired position in the travel of the mixing cone  20  can be provided. One embodiment of such means and mechanism for locking the drive system is shown schematically at  51  in  FIG. 4 . The drive shaft  36  of the gear mechanism  40  can be connected to and extend from a drive gear  41 . The drive gear  41  in turn drives a smaller pinion gear  44  which can be attached to and turn a sprocket  42 . The sprocket  42  in turn can drive the drive chain  34  as disclosed previously. 
         [0038]    A solenoid  52  can be mounted near one of the gears. As shown in the drawings the solenoid  52  can be mounted near the smaller pinion gear  44 . The solenoid can include a plunger  50  that can be normally retracted within the solenoid  52  when the solenoid  52  is not energized. When the solenoid  52  is activated or energized by having an electrical current pass through the coil of the solenoid  52 , the plunger  50  is driven outwardly from its normal retracted position, and a distal end of the plunger  50  can be pushed into contact with any one of the gears of the gear mechanism  40 . As shown in the drawings the distal end of the plunger can be pushed into contact with the smaller pinion gear  44 , but as mentioned above can be made to engage any of the gears of the gear mechanism  40 . In one aspect, the distal end of the plunger  50  can be shaped in the form of a blunt chisel such that the end can engage snugly between adjacent teeth of a gear of the gear mechanism  40 , such as the drive gear  41 . 
         [0039]    When the solenoid  52  is energized, and the end of the plunger  50  engages a gear such as the smaller pinion gear  44 , the gear mechanism  40  is effectively locked and can no longer move. This in turn prevents the drive chain  34  and the mixing cone  20  from further movement. The mixing cone  20  will be securely retained in its locked position until the solenoid  52  is de-energized, i.e., until electrical current is terminated through the coil of the solenoid  52 . Once the solenoid  52  is de-energized, the gear mechanism  40  is freed, and the mixing cone  20  can again be moved as desired. 
         [0040]    While the locking system is illustrated in the figures as engaging one of the lower set of gears  41 ,  42 ,  44 , etc., it is to be understood that the locking system can be configured in a variety of manners. For example, the locking system may include a manually inserted pin that can engage the chain drive in a variety of positions. The locking system can also engage one of the idler gears  32 ,  37 , if so desired. 
         [0041]    A lock push button switch  54  ( FIG. 2 ) can be provided to control the supply of electrical current to the solenoid  52 . Operation of such a push button switch  54  will be readily understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. When pushed it reciprocates between on and off, with the switch being locked in each of the reciprocating states until again being activated to change to the alternate state. Thus, by pushing the push button switch  54 , electrical current can be provided to the solenoid  52 , and the electrical current will continue to be supplied to the solenoid  52  until the push button switch  54  is pushed a second time to terminate electrical current from the solenoid  52 . 
         [0042]    The push button switch  54  can be advantageously mounted on the handle  38  of the mixing machine such that it can readily be operated by the hand of the operator that is engaging the handle  38 , even while the operator is manipulating the handle. The operator would then position the mixing cone in its desired position and then push the push button switch  54  to lock the mixing cone  20  in that position. The operator&#39;s hand is then free and can be used for other purposes other than continuously holding the handle  38 . When it is desired to again move the mixing cone  20 , the press button switch  54  is pushed again to free the drive mechanism  40  and allow further movement of the mixing cone  20 . Of course, in addition to the specific location of the push button switch  54  of FIG.  2 , the switch can be positioned in a variety of locations, either on or adjacent to the handle. 
         [0043]    In addition to the structural features discussed above, the present invention also provides a method of mixing and dispensing a dessert, including: introducing ingredients into a mixing cone; positioning a motor driven auger within the mixing cone and mixing the ingredients with the auger; restricting movement of the mixing cone and the auger relative to one another; and dispensing dessert from the mixing cone while movement of the mixing cone and the auger relative to one another is restricted. 
         [0044]    It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. Numerous modifications and alternative arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and the appended claims are intended to cover such modifications and arrangements. Thus, while the present invention has been described above with particularity and detail in connection with what is presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use may be made without departing from the principles and concepts set forth herein.