Abstract:
A dough mixer includes a cabinet and a bowl supported within the cabinet. The bowl includes a bowl body defining an opening through which dough is inserted into the bowl for a mixing operation. An agitator is mounted in the bowl for rotation therein. A refrigeration jacket is mounted to an exterior of the bowl body. The refrigeration jacket includes a plurality of channel members. Each channel member includes a unitary plate member having an elongated center panel extending along a periphery of the bowl body. The center panel is spaced from and facing the bowl body. A first leg is connected to the center panel by a first bend. The first leg extends toward the bowl body. A second leg is connected to the center panel by a second bend. The second leg extends away from the bowl body.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This application relates generally to dough mixers and more particularly to a dough mixer including a mixing bowl with refrigeration jacket. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Bread dough is often mixed at controlled temperatures (e.g., about 78° F. to about 80° F.). During mixing, friction and viscous shear causes temperature to rise in the dough, which can cause the dough to become sticky and difficult to process. 
     Mixers are known that utilize cooled mixing components to control temperature of the dough during a mixing process. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,568 discloses a mixing bowl for a mixer that includes flow passages in a sheet panel through which a cooling fluid passes. 
     SUMMARY 
     In an aspect, a dough mixer includes a cabinet and a bowl supported within the cabinet. The bowl includes a bowl body defining an opening through which dough is inserted into the bowl for a mixing operation. An agitator is mounted in the bowl for rotation therein. A refrigeration jacket is mounted to an exterior of the bowl body. The refrigeration jacket includes a plurality of channel members. Each channel member includes a unitary plate member having an elongated center panel extending along a periphery of the bowl body. The center panel is spaced from and facing the bowl body. A first leg is connected to the center panel by a first bend. The first leg extends toward the bowl body. A second leg is connected to the center panel by a second bend. The second leg extends away from the bowl body. 
     In another aspect, a dough mixer a cabinet and a bowl supported within the cabinet. The bowl includes a bowl body defining an opening through which dough is inserted into the bowl for a mixing operation. An agitator is mounted for rotation within the bowl. A refrigeration jacket is mounted to an exterior of the bowl body. The refrigeration jacket includes a plurality of channel members. Each channel member includes an elongated center panel extending about a periphery of the bowl body. The center panel is spaced from and faces the bowl body. A first leg is connected to the center panel by a first bend that turns toward the bowl body. A second leg is connected to the center panel by a second bend that turns away from the bowl body. 
     In another aspect, for a dough mixer including a cabinet, a bowl supported within the cabinet, the bowl includes a bowl body defining an opening through which dough is inserted into the bowl for a mixing operation, an agitator mounted for rotation within the bowl and a refrigeration jacket mounted to an exterior of the bowl body. The refrigeration jacket includes a channel member including an elongated center panel extending along a periphery of the bowl body. The center panel is spaced from and faces the bowl body. A first leg is connected to the center panel by a first bend. The first leg extends toward the bowl body. A second leg is connected to the center panel by a second bend. The second leg extends away from the bowl body. 
     In another aspect, a method of forming a refrigeration jacket for a dough mixer including a cabinet, a bowl supported within the cabinet, the bowl comprising a bowl body defining an opening through which dough is inserted into the bowl for a mixing operation and an agitator mounted for rotation within the bowl is provided. The method includes forming a plurality of channel members such that each channel member includes an elongated center panel. A first leg is connected to the center panel by a first bend and a second leg connected to the center panel by a second bend. The plurality of channel members are mounted to the bowl body such that the first leg extends toward the bowl body. The second leg extends away from the bowl body and the center panel is spaced from and faces the bowl body. 
     The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of an embodiment of a mixer; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a mixer bowl including refrigeration jacket for use with the mixer of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a section view of the mixer bowl of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a laid-out view of the mixer bowl along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3  illustrating coolant flow through the refrigeration jacket; 
         FIG. 5  is an end view of an embodiment of a channel member for forming the refrigeration jacket for the mixer bowl of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a section view of the refrigeration jacket along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a section view of the refrigeration jacket along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a section view of the refrigeration jacket along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a section view of a front-to-back extending channel along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a section view of another front-to-back extending channel along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 4 ; and 
         FIG. 11  illustrates another embodiment of a channel member for forming the refrigeration jacket. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a mixer  10  includes a mixing bowl  12  mounted within a cabinet  14 . The mixing bowl  12  is an open top  20  arrangement that, in this illustration, is rotated to a sideways position. The mixing bowl  12  is supported at each end by support members  16  that are mounted to a support plate  18 . An agitator  22  is rotatably mounted within the mixing bowl  12 . The agitator  22  includes a pair of mixing arms  24  and  26  and a rotatable shaft  28  that supports and rotates the mixing arms  24  and  26  during a mixing operation. While agitator  22  is shown by  FIG. 1 , various agitator assemblies can be utilized including refrigerated agitator assemblies such as that described by U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,558, the details of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the mixing bowl  12  is provided with a refrigeration jacket  30  on its bowl body  36 , which is formed by a plurality of channel members  32  (e.g., formed of stainless steel). The channel members  32  provide flow passages  34  (see  FIG. 3 ) through which a coolant, such as cold water or glycol can travel in order to control or maintain a temperature within the mixing bowl  12  during a mixing operation. 
     The bowl body  36  includes a U-shaped sheet panel  38  (e.g., formed of stainless steel) that forms a front  40 , a bottom  42  and a rear  44  of the bowl  12 . Side panels  46  and  48  connect the front  40 , bottom  42  and rear  44  of the bowl body  36 . The refrigeration jacket  30  extends from the front  40  of the bowl body  36  to the rear  44  of the bowl body. Side channel members  50  are also provided on each of the side panels  46  and  48  so that coolant can also flow along the sides of the bowl body  36 . A coolant passage assembly  52  connects the refrigeration jacket  30  to a coolant source  54  (see inlet  56 ) and also provides an outlet  58  for the coolant exiting the refrigeration jacket. The coolant passage assembly  52  also connects the side channel members  50  to the coolant source  54 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the channel members  32  are aligned side-by-side, extending horizontally along the bowl body  36  and substantially parallel to each other. An outer U-shaped panel can be provided that extends in generally the same direction as the sheet panel  38 , overlapping the channel members  32  and providing a space therebetween in which an insulating material (not shown) can be provided. In other embodiments, an outer U-shaped panel may not be provided. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the refrigeration jacket  30  provides a first serpentine flow path segment  64  and a second serpentine flow path segment  66  that is connected to the first serpentine flow path segment by a channel member  68  that extends in a front-to-back direction. Coolant enters the refrigeration jacket  30  via a jacket inlet  70  (see also  FIG. 2 ) located at the rear  44  of the bowl body  36  and travels immediately toward the front  40  of the bowl body via another front-to-back extending channel member  72 . The coolant then enters the second serpentine flow path segment  66  at entrance  76  and travels along each of the channel members  32  using side openings  78 . The coolant then exits the second serpentine flow path segment  66  at exit  80  and flows along the front-to-back channel member  68  to an entrance  82  of the first serpentine flow path segment  64 . The coolant then travels along each of the channel members  32  using side openings  84  and exits the first serpentine flow path segment  64  at exit  86  (see also  FIG. 2 ). From the exit, the coolant is directed to the outlet  58  of the coolant passage assembly  52 . 
     Flow of coolant through the first and second serpentine flow path segments  64  and  66  cools the sheet panel  38  and is used to refrigerate the internal volume of the bowl  12 . The coolant flowing along the first and second flow path segments  64  and  66  leaves the refrigeration jacket  30  before it has been warmed up excessively. In some embodiments, a temperature sensor may be used to monitor temperature of the bowl  12 , which can also be used to control the rate of coolant flow through the refrigeration jacket  30 . A display may also be provided for indicating temperature to an operator. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the refrigeration jacket  30  is formed of the channel members  32  extending along the bowl body  36  from side-to-side. Each channel member  32  is formed of a unitary plate of sheet material that is formed (e.g., by bending) to include an elongated center panel  88 , a first leg  90  connected to the center panel by a first bend  92  and a second leg  94  that is connected to the center panel by a second bend  96 . As can be seen, the first bend  92  bends toward the bowl body  36  and the second bend  96  bends away from the bowl body. Additionally, the curvature of the second bend  96  is about the same as that of the first bend  92  such that an angle α 2  is about equal to α 1  where α is measured from the respective leg to the center panel  88  as shown. In some embodiments, α 1  and α 2  are at least about 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees. In some embodiments, such as that shown by  FIG. 11 , α 2  is different than α 1 . In this embodiment, α 2  is greater than α 1 . 
     In some embodiments, at least about ¾ inch of the width of sheet material is bent to form the second leg  94 , such as about one inch of the width of sheet material or more. In some embodiments, the width of a center panel portion W 1  is at least about 3 times (e.g., between about 3 and 5 times) the width of a second leg portion W 2  of the channel member  32 . In some embodiments, the bend radius of the second bend  96  is about equal to the thickness of the sheet material (e.g., about ⅜ inch). 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a section of the refrigeration jacket  30  along lines  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4  exemplifying assembly of the refrigeration jacket. The first legs  90  of the channel members  32  extend toward the bowl body  36  while the second legs  94  extend away from the bowl body. The center panels  88  are spaced away from and face the bowl body  36 . 
     The first legs  90  of the channel members  32  are welded at welds  98  thereby welding the channel members directly to the bowl body  36 . The channel members  32  are also welded to an adjacent channel member. The second bend  96  of channel member  32   a  abuts the first bend  92  of channel member  32   b  such that the second leg  94  of the channel member  32   a  overhangs the first bend  92  of the channel member  32   b,  forming a seam  100  along the lengths of the channel members  32   a  and  32   b.  A weld  102  is applied along the seam  100  thereby connecting the adjacent channel members  32   a  and  32   b  together. The welds  98  and  102  also provide a fluid-tight seal along the lengths of the channel members  32  to prevent leakage of coolant from the refrigeration jacket  30 . 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate other sections of the refrigeration jacket  30  where the channel member  32  is connected to an end channel member  104 . The end channel member  104  has first and second legs  106  and  108  that both extend in the same direction toward the bowl body  36 . Welds  10  and  112  are applied to outside corners of the first and second legs  106  and  108 .  FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate sections of the front-to-back extending channel members  68  and  72 , which are formed by individual panels  114 ,  116 ,  118  welded together by welds  120 . 
     The above-described refrigeration jacket  30  can provide a number of advantages. The refrigeration jacket  30  not only provides channels for coolant to flow, but also improves the strength of the bowl  12  by reinforcing the U-shaped sheet material  38 . Such reinforcement of the sheet material  38  can allow for use of sheets of lesser thickness (e.g., ¼ inch or ⅜ inch stainless steel) which can improve heat transfer and cooling within the bowl, even given the relatively large capacity of the mixing machine, e.g., between about 400 and 3,200 pounds. 
     The second bend  96  can be located adjacent the first bend  92  of an adjacent channel member  32  thereby resulting in a tight contact point therebetween. The second leg  94  overhangs the adjacent channel member  32  to provide a pocket into which a multiple pass fillet weld can be applied thereby enabling a high quality welded joint. The above-described channel member design can also increase bending area moment of inertia of the channel cross section. 
     It is to be clearly understood that the above description is intended by way of illustration and example only and is not intended to be taken by way of limitation, and that changes and modifications are possible. For example, in some embodiments, various components may be used to reinforce the refrigeration jacket  30  such as straps and/or bars that run across the channels forming the refrigeration jacket. Accordingly, other embodiments are contemplated and modifications and changes could be made without departing from the scope of this application.