A dispensing apparatus has: a freezing cylinder; a water flowpath; a first controllable valve along the water flowpath; a syrup flowpath; and a second controllable valve along the syrup flowpath. The flowpaths merge as a water/syrup flowpath to the freezing cylinder. The first controllable valve and the second controllable valve each have: a valve body having a cartridge compartment, an inlet to the cartridge compartment, and an outlet from the cartridge compartment; and a valve cartridge. The valve cartridge has: a cartridge body mounted in the cartridge compartment; a valve element carried by the cartridge body; and a solenoid carried by the cartridge body and coupled to the valve element to drive movement of the valve element. The valve element is shiftable between a first condition permitting communication between the inlet and the outlet and a second condition blocking communication between the inlet and the outlet.

A method is disclosed for optimization of a production of frozen ice cream products, such as extruded edible ice cream products, from a freezing system comprising a freezing apparatus, comprising recording one or more properties of the production, such as one or more measured values related to the freezing system during the production process, and using the one or more recorded properties for controlling one or more operational parameters of the freezing system. The method also involves conveying pre-products to be frozen into the freezing apparatus, cooling the pre-products to form frozen products inside the freezing apparatus, conveying the frozen products out of the freezing apparatus measuring one or more surface temperatures of frozen products leaving the freezing apparatus, and using the one or more measured surface temperatures for controlling one or more operational parameters of the freezing apparatus.

A dispensing apparatus (20; 300; 400) comprises: a freezing cylinder (40); a water flowpath (526); a first controllable valve (130) along the water flowpath; a syrup flowpath (528), merging with the water flowpath and proceeding as a water/syrup flowpath (552) to the freezing cylinder; and a second controllable valve (132) along the syrup flowpath. The first controllable valve and the second controllable valve each comprise: a valve body (144; 432) having a cartridge compartment (164,166), an inlet (176) to the cartridge compartment, and an outlet (178) from the cartridge compartment; and a valve cartridge (162). The valve cartridge comprises: a cartridge body (200) mounted in the cartridge compartment; a valve element (222) carried by the cartridge body and shiftable between a first condition permitting communication between the inlet and the outlet and a second condition blocking communication between the inlet and the outlet; and a solenoid (224) carried by the cartridge body and coupled to the valve element to drive movement of the valve element.

An appliance for producing frozen food products, such as ice cream or slush drinks, includes a cooling cylinder connected in a refrigeration circuit, the cooling cylinder including a thermally-conductive cylinder wall and end cap closing the distal end of the cylinder wall, the cylinder wall and end cap separating refrigerant on one side from product to be frozen on the other side. A divider member disposed adjacent the cylinder wall forms contiguous evaporator compartments spaced apart axially. Restrictor passages in the divider member permit communication between contiguous compartments and refrigerant first enters the first-cooled evaporator compartment at one of the axial ends and flows in series between the evaporator compartments. For fast, efficient freezing of small batches, the product to be frozen is either driven by the auger, or drains, toward the first-cooled evaporator compartment.

A machine for making liquid or semi-liquid products, including a first container adapted to contain a basic mixture, having an inside surface and an outside surface and equipped with a stirrer disposed inside the first container; a thermodynamic system comprising a circuit for circulating a heat exchanger fluid and a first heat exchanger associated, in use, with walls of the first container, the first heat exchanger is defined by at least one element which is fixable, in use, to the outside surface of the first container, having an open cavity, extending uninterruptedly and defining, when coupled with the outside surface, a channel for circulating heat exchanger fluid, the element also having at least one inlet and one outlet for the heat exchanger fluid.

An improved frozen product dispenser wherein a product is placed into a cooled hopper and the product is then fed from the hopper into a freezing and dispensing chamber where it is frozen and dispensed.

There is provided a frozen food product, such as frozen juice, and the method of providing same. This involves cooling the food product, such as a juice, to a slurry temperature within a freezing temperature range for the juice to provide a slurry, the juice slurry comprising a liquid juice component and a frozen juice component; providing the juice slurry to a container; and freezing the juice slurry within the container.

An improved frozen product dispenser wherein a product is placed into a cooled hopper and the product is then fed from the hopper into a freezing and dispensing chamber where it is frozen and dispensed.

A machine for making liquid or semi-liquid products, including: a first processing container for processing a basic liquid or semi-liquid product and defining a processing chamber; a cooling cylinder mounted inside the first container; a rotary stirrer mounted inside the first container and outside the cooling cylinder; a thermal treatment system provided with at least a first exchanger associated with the cooling cylinder; a second processing container; a connecting duct designed to connect the second processing container to the first processing container to transfer the basic liquid or semi-liquid product from the second processing container to the first processing container; a dispensing device associated with the first processing container to deliver the liquid or semi-liquid product to the outside.

A machine for making liquid or semi-liquid products, includes: a first processing container for processing a basic liquid or semi-liquid product and defining a processing chamber; a cooling cylinder mounted inside the first container; a second processing container; a connecting duct between the first container and the second container; a dispensing device associated with the first processing container and configured, in a dispensing configuration, to deliver the liquid or semi-liquid product to the outside or, in an inhibiting configuration, to prevent the liquid or semi-liquid product from being dispensed; and a shutoff valve configured, in a closed configuration, to close the connecting duct between the first container and the second container or, in an open configuration, to open the connecting duct between the first container and the second container.