Abstract:
A system and mechanism for forming discrete units of ice cream is disclosed utilizing cryogenically cooled equipment during the manufacturing process. The discrete units are formed and then coated with one or more various confectionary substances, also using cryogenically cooled equipment, so as to result in a substantially uniformly-coated ice cream product.

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 and then coating units of ice cream. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Ice cream products are known to be popular. However, there is also a market for combining ice cream shapes with various coatings. By adding such coatings to ice cream shapes, the variety of flavors and products can be greatly increased. However, many types of coatings have difficulty being uniformly applied at temperatures where the ice cream is solid or semi-solid. As a result, coated ice cream products may sometimes be unintentionally produced which are unappealing in either taste or appearance, or both. Consequently, an improved system for combining ice cream with coatings is desired. 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]    One aspect of the present invention relates to a method for producing coated frozen food products. In accordance with this method, ice cream is formed into a plurality of substantially uniformly-shaped units and the units are conveyed along a conveyor, the conveyor being cryogenically cooled. The units are then covered with at least one coating while the units are within a cryogenically cooled container. Ultimately, the units are removed from the cryogenically cooled container and can be stored in a frozen form. 
         [0004]    Another aspect of the present invention relates to an apparatus for producing coated frozen food products. This apparatus 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 being rotatable around their 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 cryogenically cooled container configured to receive the units from the conveyor and cover the units with at least one coating. In this way, a frozen confection can be cryogenically made but use far less liquid nitrogen and cost far less than other known methods of making such confections. 
         [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  shows a coating mechanism for applying a coating to the various units in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  shows a flowchart of the steps for operating the coating mechanism of  FIG. 3 ; and 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  shows more detail of the coating mechanism of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0011]    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. 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a mechanism  100  for stamping or pressing ice cream into 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, the pair of indentations forms a mold into which the ice cream  116  is forced and thus shaped into the units  104 . It will be appreciated that the ice cream  116  can alternatively be shaped by a single indentation on one roller and a flat surface on the other. Thus, in an embodiment not depicted in  FIG. 1 , one of the rollers  112 L,  112 R may have no indentations  120 . 
         [0013]    Also, rather than a flat surface on the rollers  112 L,  112 R, 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 conveyer  124  then transports the units  104  to a coating and tumbling mechanism  300  (shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , not shown in  FIG. 1 ) for further processing. 
         [0014]    By making the all 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  ensuring a uniform coating during a later processing step, the indentations  120  may be shaped different from one another in order to produce different shaped or sized units  104  at the same time. 
         [0015]    One potential shape of the unit  104  could be discs, although many other shapes are contemplated within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Other shapes could include but are not limited to hearts, spheres, footballs, or iconic symbols such as, for example, a Pac-Man symbol. The important factor is that the units  104  be a recognizable, familiar shape, and be substantially uniform in size. 
         [0016]      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. 
         [0017]    Because of 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  24 . 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 . 
         [0018]      FIG. 3  shows an exemplary coating mechanism  300  for applying a coating  308  to the various units  104 . The mechanism  300  includes a hopper  302  which may be roughly cylindrical in shape with an opening  303  at one end and can be rotated about an axis at its center such as, for example, by a motor coupled with gears on the outside of the hopper  302 . The opening  303  may have a provision for a lid or other covering (not shown) so that the hopper  302  may be sealed if desired. One possible reason to seal the hopper  302  is to help maintain a low temperature within the hopper  302  during the coating process. The mechanism  300  sprays coating  308  on the units  104 ; the coating  308  is received under pressure via a fluid passageway such as from an insulated pipe  304  located within the hopper  302  and then sprayed through a nozzle at the terminating end of the pipe  304  within the hopper  302 . In order to evenly and uniformly coat the units  104 , the mechanism  300  operates to agitate the units  104  such as, for example, by rotating the hopper  302  so as to slowly and gently tumble the units  104  while applying the coating  308 . One of ordinary skill will recognize that there are other functionally equivalent ways contemplated within the scope of the present invention to agitate the units  104  during coating so as to ensure a uniform coating of a desired thickness such as, for example, via vibration. 
         [0019]    Portions of the coating mechanism are maintained at cryogenic temperatures. This may be accomplished by having at least a portion of the hopper  302  constructed to allow introduction of cryogenic refrigerant in or through portions of the hopper. For example, the hopper  302  may have an inner and outer sleeve so that cryogenic refrigerant may be circulated or located between the two sleeves. However, the fluid passageway, such as the insulated pipe  304 , is maintained at a much higher temperature, in order to facilitate the spray-on coating  308  staying at a temperature to adhere to the units  104 , and to not prematurely solidify until it hits its target. Potential coatings include, but are not limited to, candy, syrup, chocolate, butterscotch, and caramel. The particular type of coating chosen will determine the temperature at which the fluid passageway  304  must be maintained in order to ensure the coating material remains free flowing. 
         [0020]      FIG. 4  shows a flowchart for operating the coating mechanism  300  of  FIG. 3 . The units  104  are dropped into the mechanism  300  from the conveyor  124  via gravity. Alternatively, the units  104  can be collected into batches from the conveyor  124  before being dropped into the coating mechanism  300 . For example, an amount of units  104  for comfortably fitting within the hopper  302  can be collected at some time prior to coating and then dropped into the mechanism  300  to be coated when desirable. They are then tumbled for a predetermined period, depending partly on size and amount of units  104 , and that specific formulation of ice cream&#39;s propensity for receiving and absorbing the coating  308 . The duration may also depend on the density and sticking properties of the coating  308 . The circular tumbling motion of the mechanism  300  also has the effect of preventing clumping of the units  104 . 
         [0021]    Although the mechanism  300  of  FIG. 3  only shows one coating  308  being applied to units  104 , alternative embodiments of the present invention contemplate the application of more than one coating as well. For example, a plurality of coated units may be retrieved from one mechanism  300  and then introduced into a second mechanism  300  such that two coatings may be sequentially applied in this manner. For example, a chocolate coating may first be applied to units  104  and then a hard candy coating applied over top of the chocolate. Alternatively, the mechanism  300  may be provisioned with two or more fluid passage ways (not shown) that are connected to their own respective coating materials. As a result, different coatings may be applied sequentially from each of the fluid passage ways so that the resulting product will have multiple layers of flavor. Furthermore, in an embodiment having multiple spraying mechanisms  308  within the coating mechanism  300 , compound coatings having more than one component may be applied such that each component is applied concurrently with the other components instead of sequentially, as well. 
         [0022]    After a predetermined period of time, the coating mechanism  300  is deactivated and the coated units  104  are removed. These coated units  104  can be packaged in bulk bags, or placed directly in consumer-friendly packaging that is ready for shipping or ready for retail sales. Until that time, the coated units are stored temporarily in frozen form as part of the manufacturing process. 
         [0023]    The above processes shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4  produce coated units  104  of ice cream which can be stored at −40° F. Alternatively, the coated units  104  can be stored in conventional freezers depending on the particular formulation of ice cream being used in production. The thickness of the coating also plays a role in determining the storage temperature as a thicker coating, in general, provides more insulation than a thinner coating. The thickness selected for each coating layer is a function of what attributes are desired in the resulting product. The relative taste of each flavor along with the mouth-feel of the product all play a role in determining how thick to make a particular coating. Thus, the thickness of the coating may vary from fractions of a millimeter to a few millimeters. For larger ice cream units, the thickness of the coating may even be larger. The coated units  104  can come in various sizes and thicknesses as well, including but not limited to discs having diameters of about 2.5 cm, 1.5 cm, 1 cm and 0.5 cm with varying thicknesses. 
         [0024]      FIG. 5  shows more detail of the coating mechanism  300 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , a nozzle  500  is attached to the end of the insulated pipe  304 . The nozzle is designed to operate at specific temperatures and pressures suitable for the coating  308 , and is also easily removed for cleaning. A compressor  504  assists in pumping the coating formulation  508  in its liquid state from a tank  512 . The tank  512  is maintained at a specific temperature, so as to optimize the formulation  508  before it solidifies into the coating  308 . 
         [0025]    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 to the coating mechanism  300 . 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 . 
         [0026]    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.”