Patent Publication Number: US-2005129819-A1

Title: Process and apparatus for preparing frozen confection

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      While children enjoy frozen confections in the forms in which adults usually take them, for example, as scoops of ice cream, ice milk, frozen yogurt, sherbet, sorbet or the like, presenting a child with a frozen confection which includes an ornamental aspect such as the shape of a favorite character has special appeal.  
      Especially attractive are products combining consumer-identifiably different frozen confections, e.g., different colors and/or flavors, to form a combined frozen confection in the form of one or several characters or other designs. In preferred products, the extruded design is visibly distinguishable from the rest of the frozen confection. Unfortunately, forming a design using combined frozen confections poses special technical challenges.  
      Among the frozen confection product forms especially attractive to children are the “pop up,” wherein the frozen confection is confined within an open-ended cylinder and rests on a round platform. Access to the frozen treat is provided by exerting an upward force on the frozen platform to move the frozen confection above the open end of the cylinder. The platform is often provided with a downwardly extending stick or other means for assisting the consumer in forcing the platform upwardly.  
      Binley U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,653 discloses coextrusion of a chocolate or other couverture with an ice confection.  
      White et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,720,175 and 5,582,856 disclose systems for making a frozen confection having differently flavored or colored sections. The products are molded and several arrangements are suggested for making the differently colored/flavored sections, e.g., removing a portion of the product after molding and then re-molding with the different colored/flavored section replacing the removed section, or spraying a first colored/flavored section onto the mold and then adding a second colored section.  
      Crowder U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,853 discloses a frozen confection comprising a plurality of ingredients of individual colors. A nozzle having a plurality of inlet conduits and one discharge opening for forming the frozen confection is disclosed.  
      Tindall U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,190 is directed to an ice cream can filling machine with nozzles for a varigating liquid such as a syrup.  
      There is still a need for an effective way to manufacture a combined frozen confection with good definition.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is directed to a method of making a combined frozen confection, and to equipment for forming same. The equipment especially comprises a filling nozzle. The invention is particularly directed to combined frozen confections formed in pop ups or the like. The combined frozen confection is especially a pop up having a shape extruded down the center, preferably an intricate shape such as a star or a pineapple, which remains recognizable over the length of the pop up cylinder. A second confection, preferably one having a different color or other appearance, flows into the pop-up cylinder around the periphery of the centrally extruded frozen confection to form a frozen confection combining the extruded frozen confection design and the peripheral frozen confection identifiable by consumers as different.  
      The method and the nozzle of the invention are capable of producing an extruded shape in very good detail, in contrast with at least one other product presently available in the market, wherein the level of detail of the extruded shape is more modest.  
      The nozzle of the invention has an internal shape corresponding to the desired shape of the extruded central shaped frozen confection. Preferably the nozzle includes a very thin wall and the outside of the wall defines the shape for the peripheral frozen confection flow. The nozzle can be stopped and started for intermittent filling while maintaining shape control. This allows the nozzle to be easily mounted on cup and tube filling equipment. Preferably the nozzle is 1.5 inches or longer. Longer nozzle lengths are believed to result in improved shape definition.  
      The method and nozzle of the invention may be used in many different types of frozen confection products, e.g., to extrude shapes into a ½ gallon carton, a cone, a pop up or onto a stick frozen confection, e.g., a Popsicle brand ice pop.  
      For a more complete understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a mandrel through which frozen confection is fed to a nozzle.  
       FIG. 2  is a partial cross section along the lines  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  is a partial cross section along the lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 4  is a partial cross section of a shaped nozzle which can be accommodated within the mandrel of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 5  is a partial cross section of an alternative shaped nozzle which can be accommodated within the mandrel of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a nozzle cap which can be used in the invention.  
       FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of the cap of  FIG. 6 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      A stainless steel mandrel  10  may be employed in the invention. Mandrel  10  includes a central channel  12  which opens at one end  11 . Port  14  is disposed medially of the mandrel and permits fluid communication between channel  12  and the outside of the mandrel. In addition to central channel  12 , two peripheral channels  18  and  20  are disposed within mandrel  10  on opposite sides of central channel  12 . Ports  16  and  17  open from channels  18 ,  20  to the outside of the mandrel so that these channels also are in fluid communication with the exterior. Channels  18  and  20  open to the exterior of the mandrel at end  11 .  
      Seen in  FIG. 4 , is a nozzle  80  having a shaped (in cross section) portion  30  and a cylindrical (in cross section) portion  31 . Nozzle shaped portion  30  has the cross sectional shape of a star. Section  31  of nozzle  80  will be inserted into the open end of mandrel  10  and an opening drilled, or otherwise formed, therein in alignment with port  14  of mandrel  10 . After insertion, section  31  is substantially fully accommodated within channel  12  of mandrel  10  whereas shaped section  30  will project outwardly from the  11  end of mandrel  10 . In this way, central channel  34  of nozzle  80  will be in fluid communication with port  14  of mandrel  10 .  
      Shaped section  30  imparts to centrally extruded portions of the frozen confection a shape corresponding to the shape of the cross section of section  30 , for instance, star  32 . Peripheral channels  18  and  20  communicate with the exterior of nozzle  30  at end  11 .  
       FIG. 5  shows a nozzle  40  having an alternative shape, that of a pineapple.  
      Mandrel  10  and the shaped section  30  of nozzle  80  which extends from one end thereof, are housed in housing  90 , which may be made from stainless steel or other materials. Housing  90  includes an opening  92  which may be formed by cap  94  or other means. Cap  94  may be associated with the housing by use of screws  96  or other known means.  
      In operation, a first frozen confection is fed, for example by tubing, into port  14  and into section  31  of nozzle  80  which has been inserted into channel  12  of mandrel  10 . First frozen confection then travels through central channel  34  of nozzle  80 . First frozen confection, still within nozzle  80 , traverses end  11  of mandrel  10  and enters central channel  34  of nozzle  30 . First frozen confection constitutes the central extrudate.  
      Meanwhile, a second frozen confection, which is consumer identifiably different from the first, is fed into ports  16  and  17  of mandrel  10  and thence into peripheral channels  18  and  20 . These, likewise, traverse end  11  of mandrel  10 . Typically, these will not be in fluid communication with central channel  34  of nozzle  30 . Rather, they emerge from end  11  to the exterior of nozzle  30  but within housing  90 . They then fill in the space between the outer, thin walls of the nozzle  80  and the cylindrical wall of housing  90 . The result is a central extrudate formed from the first frozen confection and a peripheral extrudate formed from the second frozen confection.  
      The combined extrudate is urged toward opening  92  of cap  94 . It has been found desirable to leave at least 1.5 inches between the end  100  of nozzle  80  and opening  92  of cap  94 . It has also been found desirable that the cross section area of opening  92  is smaller than the cross sectional area of the combined extrudate. For instance, the nozzle might be {fraction (1/2)} inch in diameter. The diameter of the nozzle could, for instance, be 80% or even 60% or the inner diameter of the housing and thence of the combined extrudate cross section.  
      It has been found desirable to begin to extrude first the second frozen confection from the peripheral channels,  16  and  17 , that is to give them a lead time, which may be for instance sufficient to provide a lead of approximately at least 2 inches in length.  
      Upon emerging from opening  92 , the combined extrudate can be fed into the cylinder of a push up or some other frozen confection container. Since the second confection is identifiably different, e.g., a different color, the consumer can identify the design of the central extrudate as a star, pineapple or other figure. Moreover, the extended length of the nozzle is believed to permit enhanced definition of the central extrudate. In addition, the design of the mandrel/nozzle combination, permits intermittent filling by accommodating stopping and starting while maintaining shape control.  
      It should be understood of course that the specific forms of the invention herein illustrated and described are intended to be representative only, as certain changes may be made therein without departing from the clear teaching of the disclosure. Accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims in determining the full scope.