Patent ID: 7603870

Claim:
An automated machine for making semi-frozen beverages, which machine includes: a bowl system including an upper chamber with an open top, a lower chamber open to and positioned below said upper chamber, a lid assembly including first and second lid halves removably placed on said upper chamber top and adapted for dosing same and each said lid half having inner and outer ends and a dispensing assembly including a dispensing tube communicating with said lower chamber and a valve having an open position opening said dispensing tube and a closed position closing said dispensing tube; a mixing system including an auger assembly rotatably received in said lower chamber, a drive assembly coupled to said auger assembly for rotating same, a rotational axis about which said auger assembly rotates and said auger assembly including helical fighting forming a central, coaxial receiver receiving said evaporator cylinder; a refrigeration system including: an evaporator cylinder positioned in said lower chamber in said auger assembly receiver, said evaporator cylinder having inner and outer tubes and an expansion/evaporation space therebetween for receiving said refrigerant; a compressor; a condenser; said evaporator cylinder receiving refrigerant from said compressor and said condenser receiving refrigerant from said cylinder; a refrigeration control connected to said compressor and including a sensor for sensing a temperature or viscosity of the chamber contents and controlling the flow of refrigerant to said evaporator cylinder in response thereto; a torque resistance assembly connected to said drive assembly and activated in response to a viscosity of said chamber contents, said torque resistance assembly comprising said drive assembly being rotatably mounted with respect to said bowl system, said torque resistance assembly being deflectable from a first position to a second position with respect to a vertical axis of the auger and adapted for rotating with respect to said rotational axis between first and second positions, said torque resistance assembly including a switch mounted on said bowl system in contact with said drive assembly and having open and closed positions corresponding to said drive assembly first and second positions respectively; a refrigerant line extending from said compressor to said evaporator cylinder; and a solenoid valve in said refrigerant line, said solenoid valve having an open position corresponding to said switch closed position and a closed position corresponding to said switch open position.