A frozen food appliance and related method of making a frozen food product. A rotational drive assembly configured in an axial alignment using a direct drive to produce rotational movement of a blade element to contact a frozen food precursor in a frozen food container associated with the frozen food appliance where the rotational drive assembly omits rotational speed modifying gears and transmissions positioned between a drive motor and the blade element. In another aspect, a rotational drive assembly may be kept in axial alignment with a frozen food container via a multi portioned container mount having a float connector.

Disclosed are exemplary embodiments for monitoring for and/or detecting freeze-up and/or paddle wear conditions within dispensers and mixers associated with soft frozen desserts (broadly, edibles or edible products) and crushed ice drinks (broadly, drinkables or potable products).

A frozen food appliance and related method of making a frozen food product. A rotational drive assembly configured in an axial alignment using a direct drive to produce rotational movement of a blade element to contact a frozen food precursor in a frozen food container associated with the frozen food appliance where the rotational drive assembly omits rotational speed modifying gears and transmissions positioned between a drive motor and the blade element. In another aspect, a rotational drive assembly may be kept in axial alignment with a frozen food container via a multi portioned container mount having a float connector.

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

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

A frozen product machine that solves problems associated with conventional home ice cream and frozen product machines by prevents loss of product in the chamber and decreases freezing time for a liquid product. A cooling chamber is cooled by a cooling element that provides variable cooling temperatures throughout the cooling chamber. A temperature gradient, progressing from lower temperatures at the bottom of the chamber, or the outlet, to higher at the top of the chamber, or inlet, create a more efficient means of cooling a frozen product. An auger, that may be shaped to match the shape of the cooling chamber may include slots that allow for controlled flow of frozen product through the chamber to promote efficient cooling. Hinged fins may rotate from open to closed within the slot to further enhance flow of frozen product through the frozen product machine.

A frozen food appliance and related method of making a frozen food product. A rotational drive assembly configured in an axial alignment using a direct drive to produce rotational movement of a blade element to contact a frozen food precursor in a frozen food container associated with the frozen food appliance where the rotational drive assembly omits rotational speed modifying gears and transmissions positioned between a drive motor and the blade element. In another aspect, a rotational drive assembly may be kept in axial alignment with a frozen food container via a multi portioned container mount having a float connector.

A refrigerated food processing and dispensing apparatus including a freezing barrel, the freezing barrel having an inlet port; a refrigerated ingredient storage compartment; a pump having an inlet and an outlet; a pressure block positioned within the refrigerated ingredient storage compartment that includes a fluid inlet, a gas inlet, an interior passage in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the gas inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the interior passage, and a first pressure transducer coupled to the pressure block and configured to provide a signal corresponding to the pressure within the interior passage; a gas control valve having an input coupled to a source of pressurized gas and an outlet; and a gas check-valve positioned within the refrigerated ingredient storage compartment having an input fluidly coupled to the outlet of the gas control valve and an output fluidly coupled to the pressure block gas input.

A food product dispenser including a cabinet; a freezing cylinder for freezing a food product located within the cabinet; an evaporator including a fluid path that generally encircles the freezing cylinder and that has an evaporator inlet and an evaporator outlet; a compressor located within the cabinet at a location below the freezing cylinder and having an inlet being fluidly coupled to the evaporator outlet; a condenser at least partially positioned between the compressor and the evaporator, where the condenser has an inlet is fluidly coupled to the compressor outlet; a variable flow expansion valve located within the cabinet and having a first inlet fluidly coupled to the condenser outlet and a first outlet fluidly coupled to the evaporator inlet and a second expansion valve located within the cabinet having a second inlet fluidly coupled to the condenser outlet and a second fluid outlet coupled to the compressor inlet, where the second variable flow expansion valve being located within the cabinet at a location closer to the evaporator than to either the compressor or the condenser.

A sealed pressurized food dispensing system with self-cleaning features that can include a freezing barrel, a faceplate defining a dispense bore and a cleaning bypass passage passing through the faceplate and having an open end, where the dispenser can also include a valve stem that may be moved between a dispensing position and a non-dispensing position where the cleaning bypass passage is positioned such that, when the valve stem is in its non-dispensing position, no fluid path exists between the interior of the freezing barrel and the open end of the cleaning bypass passage within the faceplate.