Abstract:
A system and mechanism for forming discrete units of ice cream is disclosed utilizing cryogenically cooled rotating rollers to form the ice cream units during the manufacturing process.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an ice cream mechanism, and more particularly to a system and mechanism for forming beaded ice cream using cryogenically cooled equipment. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Ice cream products are known to be popular and there are a variety of different methods for manufacturing various ice cream products that may be stored in conventional freezers as well as commercial-grade freezers which can maintain temperatures of about negative 40° F. Some of these methods utilize cryogenic equipment and techniques to form free-flowing particulate ice cream confections such as those disclosed in earlier U.S. patents. However, there is the need for alternative and efficient methods to form such confections and the need for such improvement is especially great with regards to ice-cream type food products formed using cryogenically cooled equipment. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Aspects of the present invention relate to a method for producing particulate frozen food products. The steps of such a method include a) rotating a first and second cylindrical roller adjacent one another such that an aperture is formed along a respective major axis of each roller, each roller having a plurality of hemispherical indentations; b) providing ice cream at an opening of the aperture such that the ice cream flows through the aperture between the rollers and is forced into at least some of the indentations to form a plurality of substantially uniformly-shaped units, the rollers maintained at a temperature colder than the ice cream; and c) controlling rotation of the first and second cylindrical roller such that a pair of the plurality of indentations are formed such that one of the pair is located on the first roller and another of the pair is located on the second roller and are positioned thereon to be aligned with one another at a point of rotation where the ice cream and the pair of indentations coincide. 
         [0004]    Another aspect of the present invention relates to an apparatus for producing frozen food products that includes a) a first and second cylindrical roller adjacent one another such that an aperture is formed along a respective major axis of each roller, each roller having a plurality of indentations and rotatable around its respective longitudinal axis; b) an ice cream feeder positioned so as to feed ice cream to the aperture to pass between the first and second cylindrical roller and be forced into at least some of the indentations to form a plurality of substantially uniformly-shaped units; c) a conveyor positioned to catch the plurality of substantially uniformly-shaped units, the conveyor being maintained at a cryogenic temperature; and d) a controller configured to control rotation of the first and second cylindrical roller such that a pair of the plurality of indentations are formed such that one of the pair is located on the first roller and another of the pair is located on the second roller and are positioned thereon to be aligned with one another at a point of rotation where the ice cream and the pair of indentations coincide. 
         [0005]    It is understood that other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein it is shown and described only various embodiments of the invention by way of illustration. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various other respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  shows a stamping mechanism for stamping or pressing ice cream into uniform shapes or units in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  shows a flowchart of the steps for operating the stamping mechanism of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  depicts a serving of particulate products that are formed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  depicts various generally spherical shapes that are meant to be encompassed by the term “beads” as used throughout the present description and claims. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0010]    The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of various embodiments of the invention and is not intended to represent the only embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well known structures and components are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the concepts of the invention. 
         [0011]    The embodiments of the present invention relate to particulate frozen food product or frozen confection, and in certain embodiments to particulate ice creams, ice milks, sorbets, and ices capable of being stored within commercial dairy freezers and storage equipment at conventional freezer temperatures. Such particulate confections that are storable at colder temperatures (e.g., −40° F.) to maintain their free-flowing characteristics are contemplated as well. 
         [0012]    As a result of the methods described herein, there are provided formulations of frozen confections, such as ice cream, ice milk, ices, frozen yogurt, sherbet, or sorbet, in the form of small particulate shapes that remain free-flowing during storage. The particulate shapes, generally referred to as “beads”, may have a generally spherical, spheroid shape as shown in  FIG. 3 , but may also have an oblong, elliptical, oblate, tubular, or other slightly irregular shape as shown in  FIG. 4 . In addition to having an irregular overall shape, the surface of the particulate shape may also be either smooth or irregular (e.g. bumpy, pocked, etc.). On average, the particulate shapes will preferably have a diameter of about 5 mm or less but can also be larger such as between about 6 and about 10 mm. Particulate shapes having diameters outside these ranges are also contemplated. For non-spherical shapes which do not have a conventional diameter, the diameter is considered to be the diameter of the smallest sphere into which the particulate shape would fit. 
         [0013]    It is desired that the particulate or beaded product is in a free-flowing format so that it is readily pourable. Free-flowing, as used herein, is a broad term which includes the ability of the product to flow as individual particulate shapes, with little or no clumping or sticking to each other, during such pouring. There may be slight sticking after a period of storage, but a light tap on the container will unstick the particulate shapes and allow them to be free flowing. The generally spherical shape helps contribute to the free-flowing, pourable product. 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  shows a mechanism  100  for stamping or pressing ice cream into generally uniform shapes or units  104 . The mechanism has an aperture  108  for admitting the ice cream to be processed. The rollers  112 L and  112 R have indentations  120  in various shapes, and one or both are maintained at cryogenic temperatures. For example, the rollers  112 L,  112 R may be partially hollow so that cryogenic fluid can be circulated within the roller. Also, the rollers may be formed as jacketed sleeves so that the cryogenic fluid can circulate between the two sleeves. As shown, the indentations  120  are formed on both rollers  112 L,  112 R. In operation a pair of indentations (one on each roller  112 L,  112 R) may become aligned substantially at the point where the ice cream  116  flows between the two rollers  112 L,  112 R. As this occurs, a plurality of pairs of the indentations form a mold into which the ice cream  116  is forced and thus shaped into the units  104 . Because the indentations  120  are arranged along the entire outer surface of the rollers  112 L,  112 R, different pairs align with one another at multiple points of rotation. 
         [0015]    In order to form generally spherical beads, the indentation  120  are hemispherical in shape such that the two halves align with one another to form a generally spherical unit  104 . To help ensure that indentations  120  properly align with one another the rollers  112 L,  112 R may be geared so as to rotate in a controlled manner that ensures alignment of indentations  120 . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a controller  122  may be used along with an optical encoding mechanism that monitors the rotation of the rollers  112 L,  112 R and controls their speed to ensure the indentations  120  align properly. One of ordinary skill will readily recognize that there are also other functionally equivalent methods of aligning the indentations that may be utilized without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
         [0016]    Rather than a flat surface on the insides of the indentations  120 , the surface may be textured so as to add a texture pattern to a surface of each of the units  104  as well. Once stamped or pressed, the units  104  are dropped by gravity onto a conveyer  124 , which is also maintained at a cryogenic temperature. For example, the conveyor may be located within a trough suspended above a region where liquid nitrogen is fed. Thus, the ambient temperature near the conveyor is maintained near cryogenic temperatures. The conveyor may also be implemented as a screw and trough that is located within a cryogenically cooled environment that laterally transports the units  104  as the screw turns. 
         [0017]    By making all the indentations  120  the same on the rollers  112 L,  112 R, the resulting units  104  will be substantially similar in size and shape. While this is preferable because it assists with sorting units  104  the indentations  120  may be shaped different from one another in order to produce different shaped or sized units  104  at the same time. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  shows a flowchart of the steps for operating the mechanism  100  of  FIG. 1 . First, ice cream is introduced at the aperture  108  in the form of a sheet  116  provided by an ice cream feeding device that can control the size of the sheet and its delivery rate. The sheet  116  extends roughly the length of the rollers  112 R,  112 L because the indentations  120  extend along this entire length as well. Sizing the sheet  116  in this manner ensures maximum use of all the indentations  120 . The thickness of the sheet  116  depends on the desired units  104  being produced but is sufficient to ensure that the indentations  120  are uniformly and completely filled with ice cream during production. Typically, the sheet  116  can range from 5 mm to 15 mm in thickness but other thicknesses are contemplated as well. The temperature of the sheet  116  at the time it meets the aperture  108  is maintained such that the sheet  116  is still malleable and in a semi-solid form that can still be manipulated which for many ice cream products is around 28° F. but this can vary by as much as 10° F. depending on the composition of the ice cream and whether the ice cream sheet  116  is fed via gravity or via a pressurized source. 
         [0019]    Because the rollers  112 L,  112 R are generally cylindrical in nature, the aperture  108  that extends along the length or major axis of each roller exists above the rollers but is almost non-existent at the point where the two rollers meet near their centers. In this way, the sheet  116  is mechanically forced into the indentations  120  through pressure exerted by the surface of the opposite roller. As they each rotate around their center or longitudinal axis (as shown by the arrows in  FIG. 1 ), the rollers  112 L and  112 R come in contact with the sheet  116  and press it into the indentations  120  that are machined into the rollers  112 L and  112 R. As the rollers  112 L,  112 R continue to rotate, the units  104  fall from the indentations  120  and drop onto the conveyor  124 . Beneficially, the rollers  112 L,  112 R rotate so their speed approximately matches that of the falling sheet  116 . Because they are cryogenically cooled, the rollers  112 L and  112 R underneath the aperture  108  are maintained at a much lower temperature than exists at the aperture  108 . For this reason, the sheet  116  is still semi-soft and therefore malleable, but the resulting units  104  are more solidified and no longer malleable and, thus, can easily fall out of the indentations  120  via gravity. The cryogenic temperatures of the conveyor  124  assist in completing the process of hardening the units  104 . 
         [0020]    The units  104  can be collected into batches from the conveyor  124  before being placed in storage containers, shipping containers, or serving containers. For example, an amount of units  104  for comfortably fitting within a container can be collected from the conveyor  124  at a terminating point or at stations along the conveyor  124 . 
         [0021]    The stamping mechanism  100  also has a “return of flash” feature. Because some of the sheet  116  will not be stamped into units  104 , but instead passes through the rollers  112 L and  112 R without contacting the indentations  120 , it is necessary to capture and recycle this raw ice cream or “flash” and any smaller pieces as well. To achieve this, the stamping mechanism  100  has a return filter which ensures that only properly formed units  104  are conveyed along conveyor  124 . The filter acts to screen out objects that are too large and also objects that are too small to be properly shaped units  104 . The remainder or flash is returned to the device that forms the sheets  116 , where that flash gets another chance to be transformed into a unit  104 . 
         [0022]    The ice cream sheet  116  can be made from any of a wide variety of recipes. The consistency and characteristics of the resulting sheet  116  will determine the speed and pressure at which the sheet  116  should be delivered to the aperture. For example, a stiffer mixture will likely need more pressure to have a steady flow rate to the aperture while a thinner mixture may be sufficiently delivered relying only on gravity. Two co-pending patent applications filed by the present Applicant that disclose a variety of applicable ice cream recipes are application Ser. No. 11/299,921 filed Dec. 12, 2005 and application Ser. No. 11/801,049 filed May 8, 2007; the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Additionally, “Ice Cream, 6 ed.” by Robert T. Marshall et al. provides well known recipes for ice cream, confection ice cream, frozen yogurt, puddings, parfaits, sherbets, sorbets, and other frozen confections. Any of these recipes are considered to be examples of “ice cream” that may be used to formulate the sheet  116  that is used in the above-described process and system. 
         [0023]    The previous description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various embodiments described herein. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments. Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but are to be accorded the full scope consistent with each claim&#39;s language, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more.” All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various embodiments described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for” or, in the case of a method claim, the element is recited using the phrase “step for.”