Abstract:
A machine for making ice-cream products comprises at least a motor operatively connected to a rod-shaped element so as to drive the rotation of the latter about its own axis of extension, grip means for moving the motor and/or the rod-shaped element at least along the axis of rotation of the rod-shaped element so that the rod-shaped element is at least partly immersed in a containment tank. The machine comprises means for activating the motor, preferably contact sensors, positioned on the grip means.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a machine for making ice-cream products. 
         [0002]    More particularly, the present invention relates to a machine for making mixtures of products used for preparing artisan ice-creams and the like. 
         [0003]    As is known, a machine of this type comprises a rod-shaped element which is driven in rotation and immersed in a tank or container holding the ingredients of the mixture being prepared. 
         [0004]    The rotation of the rod-shaped element is driven by a motor, normally electric, which is directly connected to the rod-shaped element and positioned immediately above it. 
         [0005]    One end of the rod-shaped element supports a suitably shaped element which is immersed in the mixture of ingredients and, rotating, processes the ingredients, suitably processing and mixing them. 
         [0006]    In this type of machine, which, as already indicated, is used in particular in the artisan products sector, the tubular element is immersed in the above-mentioned tank directly by an operator. 
         [0007]    In particular, the operator grips a handgrip present at the motor body and lowers the motor-rod-shaped element assembly until the latter is at least partly immersed in the tank. 
         [0008]    At this point, the operator, with his free hand or releasing a handgrip, presses a switch which activates the electric motor, causing the rod-shaped element to start rotating. 
         [0009]    At the end of the mixture preparation cycle, the operator again operates the activation switch, interrupting rod-shaped element rotation. 
         [0010]    However, there may be several problems linked to use of the prior art machines briefly described above. 
         [0011]    Since the operator must operate a switch to activate the machine, he must hold the motor-rod-shaped element assembly with only one hand during the start and stop step. 
         [0012]    Since the motor-rod-shaped element assembly is very often heavy, excessive effort by the operator is often required. 
         [0013]    Moreover, if during machine operation the operator inadvertently immerses a hand in the tank containing the mixture, for example to check the consistency, dangerous accidents may occur due to the fact the rod-shaped element rotates at a speed of several thousand revolutions per minute. 
         [0014]    In addition to this, the mixing times and the quantities of ingredients needed to make up the mixture are left to the operator&#39;s experience, even if aided by predetermined recipes. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    In this context, the aim of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages. 
         [0016]    In particular, the present invention has for an aim to provide a machine for making ice-cream products which is easy to use and does not require excessive effort by the operator. 
         [0017]    The present invention also has for an aim to provide a machine for making ice-cream products which guarantees high standards of safety during use. 
         [0018]    Another aim of the present invention is to provide a machine for making ice-cream products which can aid the operator in the ice-cream product preparation steps. 
         [0019]    Accordingly, the present invention achieves these aims with a machine for making ice-cream products comprising the features described in one or more of the claims herein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0020]    The technical features of the invention, with reference to the above aims, are clearly described in the claims below and its advantages are more apparent from the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention provided merely by way of example without restricting the scope of the inventive concept, and in which: 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view, with some parts cut away to better illustrate others, of a machine for making ice-cream products in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of a detail of the machine of  FIG. 1  with further parts cut away to better illustrate others; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram relative to the reciprocal connection of several elements of the machine of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]    With reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral  1  denotes as a whole a machine for making ice-cream products in accordance with the present invention. 
         [0025]    The machine  1  comprises a supporting body  2  on which a motor  3  (schematically illustrated in  FIG. 1 ) and a rod-shaped element  4  driven in rotation by the motor  3  are mounted in a cantilever fashion. 
         [0026]    In the preferred embodiment, the supporting body  2  comprises two supporting elements  5 , at a first end  2   a  of the supporting body  2 , designed to rest on a work surface to stably support the entire machine. 
         [0027]    The supporting body  2  is substantially box-shaped and contains a plurality of control elements for the motor  3 -rod-shaped element  4  assembly which are described below. 
         [0028]    At the opposite end to the supporting elements  5  there extends a sliding guide  6  for the motor  3 -rod-shaped element  4  assembly, allowing the assembly to move along an axis X substantially coinciding with the axis of rotation of the rod-shaped element  4 . 
         [0029]    Said movement is performed by an operator using grip means  7 . 
         [0030]    In this way, positioning a tank or container (not illustrated) containing the ingredients needed to prepare an ice-cream product mixture under the rod-shaped element  4 , it is possible to at least partly immerse the latter in the tank to process the mixture. 
         [0031]    In the preferred embodiment, the guide  6  is substantially L-shaped, is integral with the motor  3  and slides in a suitable groove (not illustrated) made in the supporting body  2 . 
         [0032]    Therefore, the guide  6  supports the motor  3 -rod-shaped element  4  assembly in a cantilever fashion relative to the supporting body  2 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0033]    In particular, the motor  3  is housed in a containment body  8  to completely shield any mechanical element and prevent contamination of the mixture ingredients. 
         [0034]    Below the containment body  8  the rod-shaped element  4  extends away from it, on which it is possible to mount, on each occasion, a different processing head  4   a  such as a stirrer, an emulsifier, a blender or other devices designed to process the mixture being prepared by means of a rotary movement. 
         [0035]    To activate rotation of the rod-shaped element  4  there are advantageously motor  3  activation elements  9  positioned on the grip means  7 , so that to activate the rod-shaped element  4  the operator must make contact with the grip means  7 . 
         [0036]    The latter consist of two handles  10  integral with the containment body  8 , each designed to be gripped by the operator. 
         [0037]    In particular, each handle  10  has a respective activation element  9 . The latter advantageously consist of contact sensors  9   a , so that the operator can activate the rod-shaped element  4  while keeping both hands on the handles  10 . 
         [0038]    A type of contact sensor  9   a  particularly advantageous in the present invention is a capacitive sensor. 
         [0039]    More particularly, the contact sensor  9   a  is a capacitive sensor in which one electrode of each capacitor is inside the handle  10 , whilst the other electrode is on the outer surface of the handle  10 , so that it can be gripped by the operator, making the circuit with the ground (earth) and varying the capacitor capacitance. 
         [0040]    Advantageously, on the handles  10  there is a potentiometer  11  which is also capacitive, for varying the speed of rotation of the rod-shaped element  4 , preferably between 2000 and 12000 revolutions per minute, without the operator being forced to release his grip on the handles  10  even temporarily. 
         [0041]    It is important to emphasize that the motor  3  is electric. To make the rod-shaped element  4  rotate at the high numbers of revolutions indicated above, the motor  3  is connected to an inverter  12  ( FIG. 3 ). 
         [0042]    The electric motor  3  speed of rotation is directly linked to the frequency of the power supply voltage and would not be able to reach the high speeds of rotation indicated above. The inverter  12  used in the present invention is, for example, of the type operating from alternating current to alternating current (AC-AC). The input voltage is first converted into direct current by a rectifier and leveled by capacitors, then applied to the inversion section. The aim of this double operation is to vary the frequency as required within a predetermined range (corresponding to the number of revolutions indicated above) without the presence of a transformer. 
         [0043]    The inversion circuit is housed in the supporting body  2  and is operatively connected to the motor  3  by means of electrical connections running inside the guide  6 . 
         [0044]    In accordance with what is described above, when preparing a mixture for ice-cream products an operator must grip the handles  10  on the containment body  8  with both hands in order to be able to start the motor  3  and make the rod-shaped element  4  rotate. 
         [0045]    The operator must then lower the motor  3 -rod-shaped element  4  assembly into the mixture located in the containment tank, aided in this operation by the guide  6 . 
         [0046]    The operator uses the capacitive potentiometer  11  to regulate the speed of rotation of the rod-shaped element  4  according to the mixture being prepared. 
         [0047]    To further facilitate the work of the operator, the machine  1  also comprises means  13  for generating steam (schematically illustrated in  FIG. 3 ), preferably positioned inside the supporting body  2 . 
         [0048]    The steam generating means  13  are in fluid communication with the rod-shaped element  4 . More particularly, they are in fluid communication with an opening  14  at the lower end  15  of the rod-shaped element  4 , to allow steam to be introduced into the mixture being processed, for example to heat it without the need to interrupt processing. 
         [0049]    Steam dispensing is also activated by a capacitive potentiometer (not illustrated) positioned on one or both handles  10 . 
         [0050]    More particularly, inside the supporting body  2  there are means  15  for controlling the quantity of steam sent to the rod-shaped element  4  according to the mixture being prepared, as is schematically illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0051]    Advantageously, in this way, it is possible to determine the initial ingredients of the mixture, and in particularly the quantity of water initially introduced into the mixture, taking into account the fact that additional water, in the form of steam, will subsequently be introduced. 
         [0052]    All of these operations, carried out according to the type of mixture being produced, are managed by a control unit  16  ( FIG. 3 ) also inserted in the supporting body  2 . 
         [0053]    In particular, the control unit  16  is operatively connected to the above-mentioned inverter  12  to make the rod-shaped element  4  rotate at an optimum speed of rotation for the type of mixture being prepared, to the steam generation means  13  for introducing a predetermined and precise quantity of water in the form of steam into the mixture being processed, and to a timer  17  located inside the supporting body  2  to keep the rod-shaped element  4  rotating for a predetermined time. 
         [0054]    The functions managed by the control unit  16  are activated by means of a display  18  positioned on the outer surface of the supporting body  2  ( FIGS. 1 and 3 ). 
         [0055]    The operator uses the display  18  to indicate to the control unit  16  the type of mixture that must be prepared. 
         [0056]    According to the data entered by the operator, the control unit  16  sets the number of revolutions for the rod-shaped element  4 , the length of time for which it will rotate, the moment when steam must be introduced into the mixture and the quantity of steam to be introduced. 
         [0057]    All of these functions are activated at the moment when the operator grips the handles  10  with both hands, therefore operating the activation elements  9 . 
         [0058]    The display  18  also allows one or more of the above-mentioned functions to be disabled, leaving to the operator&#39;s discretion the choice of the corresponding parameter or parameters not managed by the control unit  16 , for example to experiment with the preparation of new mixtures. 
         [0059]    The invention described above is susceptible of industrial application and may be modified and adapted in several ways without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept. Moreover, all the details of the invention may be substituted by technically equivalent elements.