Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.

An interface assembly for a frozen dessert machine is disclosed that includes a freezer door having opposed front and rear sides and including at least one recessed mounting pocket formed in the rear side thereof, the at least one recessed mounting pocket including a cornice covering an upper portion thereof, and at least one elongated baffle having opposed proximal and distal end portions, the proximal end portion of the at least one baffle including a retention flange that is dimensioned and configured for detachable reception within the at least one mounting pocket of the freezer door behind the cornice.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure includes a device for manufacturing a frozen edible product, including a cylindrical tank and a dasher disposed within the cylindrical tank and configured to rotate in a direction of rotation on an axis of rotation. A non-circular cylindrical core extends within the core along the axis of rotation. The dasher includes a generally cylindrical frame concentric with the tank and having a plurality of gaps, deflectors extending radially inward relative to the axis of rotation and circumferentially in the direction of rotation from the gaps, and blades extending radially outward from the dasher.

Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks. Some machines include a refrigeration system to cool food or drink in a pod. Some machines include an evaporator of the refrigeration system, the evaporator including an inlet port to receive refrigerant and an outlet port to discharge refrigerant. Some machines include a processor controlling the refrigeration system. In some examples, the refrigeration system is operable to apply a freezing cycle to the food or drink in which refrigerant flows through the evaporator exchanging heat from ingredients in the pod to the refrigerant causing a temperature difference between an evaporator inlet temperature and an evaporator outlet temperature.

The invention relates to a device (10), a container (20), a system (100) comprising the device (10) and the container (20), and a method for delivering frozen or chilled beverages. The device (10) is provided for receiving a container (20) comprising a frozen product and for processing the frozen product of the container (20) for delivering a frozen or chilled beverage, wherein the container (20) comprises a first end (20a), a second end (20b) and a sidewall (20c) extending between the first end (20a) and the second end (20b). The device (10) comprises a slicing element (60) and a driving unit (50) configured to rotate the container (20) and thus the frozen product about a rotation axis for rotating the frozen product relative to the slicing element (60) in order to slice the frozen product. The device (10) further comprises a reading unit (41) configured to read a machine-readable identification element (22) of the container (20), wherein the reading unit (41) is positioned such that an identification element (22) provided on the sidewall (20c) of the container (20) is readable by the reading unit (41), when the container (20) is rotating about the rotation axis.

A machine for making and dispensing liquid or semi-liquid food products, includes, in combination: a container for containing liquid or semi-liquid products; a thermal treatment cylinder contained inside the container and having an axis that is inclined relative to the vertical; a stirrer mounted to the outside of the thermal treatment cylinder; a thermal system including a heat exchanger associated with the thermal treatment cylinder, wherein the container for containing liquid or semi-liquid products is defined by a first, inside wall and a second, outside wall, the first, inside wall and the second, outside wall forming between them a gap that is not affected by the liquid or semi-liquid products.

A stirrer of a machine for making and dispensing liquid or semi-liquid food products, rotating about an axis, comprises:

a first end element and a second end element;

longitudinal elements extending along the axis between the first end element and second end element;

scraping elements which are removably couplable to the longitudinal elements, the scraping elements having a portion that is partly helical in shape.

A micro puree machine including a housing, a power shaft, a bowl assembly and a platform. The power shaft extends from the housing. The bowl assembly including at least one locking bowl element. The platform includes at least one complementary locking platform element that is configured to engage the at least one locking bowl element such that rotation of the bowl assembly relative to the platform is prevented at times the bowl assembly is positioned thereon. The platform is rotatable from a first position to a second position relative to the housing such that the platform raises the bowl assembly towards the power shaft during the rotation of the bowl assembly and platform. The raising of the bowl assembly facilitates connection between the power shaft and a blade assembly that is positioned in a lid assembly on the bowl assembly.

Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.

A machine for making liquid or semi-liquid food products includes a frame and a thermal system, which performs at least one thermodynamic cycle using a main heat exchanger fluid, and a production unit. The production unit is provided with a processing container having a cavity which defines a processing chamber for making a liquid or semi-liquid food product, a stirrer, applied or applicable on the frame at a fixed position and fitted or fittable in the processing container, and coupling means between the processing container and the drive shaft to allow coupling and hence transmission of motion from the motor to the processing container. In particular, the stirrer is provided with an inner core and an outer covering made of different materials.