An apparatus is disclosed for preparing a food article (300) such as a corn dog. The apparatus includes a frame (10) mounting a loading station (50), a dipping station (162), a frying station (190) and an unloading station (220). The loading station (50) inserts one end (306) of a stick (302) into the food article (300) and the other end (304) into an aperture (40) in a stick bar (38). The stick (302) and food article (300) are held in the aperture (40) by a spring loaded plunger (310) extending into the aperture (40). The spring loaded plunger (310) holds the stick (302) and food article (300) on the stick bar (38) while the food article (300) is dipped in batter at the dipping station (162) and fried at the frying station (190). The cooked food article (300) and stick (302) are removed from the stick bar (38) at the unloading station (220) for shipment to the customer.

A system and a method of making a soluble coffee product is used to make a serving of fresh coffee on the go that is healthy and matches the user's taste. The overall process starts by mixing the amount of soluble coffee, the first amount of liquid sweetener, and the amount of bee pollen into a quantity of liquid mixture. The quantity of liquid mixture is partitioned into liquid-mixture portions by filling each molding receptacle with a corresponding liquid-mixture portion from the liquid-mixture portions. Each liquid-mixture portion is inserted with a corresponding stick from the lollipop sticks. The liquid-mixture portions are frozen into solid-mixture portions. The solid-mixture portions are removed from the molding receptacles. A liquid-sweetener coating is applied to each solid-mixture portion by dipping each solid-mixture portion into the second amount of liquid sweetener. Finally, the liquid-sweetener coating is frozen into a solid-sweetener coating for each solid-mixture portion.

A system and a method of making a soluble coffee product is used to make a serving of fresh coffee on the go that is healthy and matches the user's taste. The overall process starts by mixing the amount of soluble coffee, the first amount of liquid sweetener, and the amount of bee pollen into a quantity of liquid mixture. The quantity of liquid mixture is partitioned into liquid-mixture portions by filling each molding receptacle with a corresponding liquid-mixture portion from the liquid-mixture portions. Each liquid-mixture portion is inserted with a corresponding stick from the lollipop sticks. The liquid-mixture portions are frozen into solid-mixture portions. The solid-mixture portions are removed from the molding receptacles. A liquid-sweetener coating is applied to each solid-mixture portion by dipping each solid-mixture portion into the second amount of liquid sweetener. Finally, the liquid-sweetener coating is frozen into a solid-sweetener coating for each solid-mixture portion.

The invention relates to an apparatus for decorating frozen confectionery (1) on sticks, the apparatus comprising: a coating station (4) for applying coating material onto the frozen confectionery (1), a particle dispensing station (7) for applying particles onto the coated frozen confectionery, a conveyor (3) for moving the frozen confectionery past the coating station and the particle dispensing station, the conveyor (3) comprising gripping means (2) arranged on the conveyor (3) and having a product attached position and an opened position for gripping and releasing the stick of the frozen confectionery (1), and the conveyor (3) comprising guides for moving the gripping means with the frozen confectionery between a vertical position and a horizontal position, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a heating station (11) installed at a position between the coating station (4) and the particle dispensing station (7), and wherein the gripping means (2) are arranged to hold the frozen confectionery in the horizontal position when passing the heating station (11) and the particle dispensing station (7), and optionally coating removal means (6) for removing coating material on one side of the frozen confectionery, which coating removal means (6) are at a position after the coating station (4) in the direction of the movement of the conveyor (3) and before the particle dispensing station. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing decorated frozen confectionery on sticks making use of the apparatus.

The invention relates to an apparatus for decorating frozen confectionery (1) on sticks, the apparatus comprising: a coating station (4) for applying coating material onto the frozen confectionery (1), a particle dispensing station (7) for applying particles onto the coated frozen confectionery, a conveyor (3) for moving the frozen confectionery past the coating station and the particle dispensing station, the conveyor (3) comprising gripping means (2) arranged on the conveyor (3) and having a product attached position and an opened position for gripping and releasing the stick of the frozen confectionery (1), and the conveyor (3) comprising guides for moving the gripping means with the frozen confectionery between a vertical position and a horizontal position, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a heating station (11) installed at a position between the coating station (4) and the particle dispensing station (7), and wherein the gripping means (2) are arranged to hold the frozen confectionery in the horizontal position when passing the heating station (11) and the particle dispensing station (7), and optionally coating removal means (6) for removing coating material on one side of the frozen confectionery, which coating removal means (6) are at a position after the coating station (4) in the direction of the movement of the conveyor (3) and before the particle dispensing station. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing decorated frozen confectionery on sticks making use of the apparatus.

A stick handling apparatus for handling ice cream sticks, said apparatus comprising a magazine arranged to hold ice cream sticks, a conveyor band arranged to retrieve ice cream sticks from the magazine, a stacker unit arranged to retrieve ice cream sticks from the conveyor band and to stack the ice cream sticks one after the other, a stick placing unit arranged to receive the ice cream sticks from the stacker unit for positioning the ice cream sticks inside a piece of ice cream mass, and a printer unit configured to print information on the ice cream sticks while the ice cream sticks are conveyed by the conveyor band.

The present disclosure relates to an ice cream machine having a filling zone and an emptying zone. The ice cream machine may include a rotatable unit, a mould for receiving ice cream, a stick providing arrangement, and a guiding structure arranged to prevent more than one stick from entering the groove of the mould from the stick providing arrangement. The stick providing arrangement is arranged such that a rotation of the rotatable unit causes the groove to match the position of the stick providing arrangement and thereby allow a single stick to enter the groove, wherein further rotation of the rotatable unit causes one of the sidewalls of the groove to bring the stick along the rotational movement of the rotatable unit.

Provided is an ice candy forming tool for pets which can form an ice candy simply and reliably, and the formed ice candy can be properly fed to pets. An ice candy forming tool for pets, which comprises an ice candy holding part comprising guard having first surface and second surface, grip which is connected to the first surface, and ice candy holding piece which is connected to the second surface, and a body part comprising concave portion and opening; wherein the guard has a notch which is provided on circumferential edge of the guard and communicates the first surface with the second surface.

Provided is an ice candy forming tool for pets which can form an ice candy simply and reliably, and the formed ice candy can be properly fed to pets. An ice candy forming tool for pets, which comprises an ice candy holding part comprising guard having first surface and second surface, grip which is connected to the first surface, and ice candy holding piece which is connected to the second surface, and a body part comprising concave portion and opening; wherein the guard has a notch which is provided on circumferential edge of the guard and communicates the first surface with the second surface.

The invention is directed to a method of forming a molded item said method comprising the steps of (a) providing a mold former comprising an indentation having an inner surface and a bottom face and made of plastics and manufactured by a 3-dimensional printing process, said mold former being shaped to form a mold having (i) an indentation corresponding to the desired shape of said molded item; and (ii) a series of holes extending between the inner surface and the bottom face of the mold former, (b) forming a mold in said mold former from a plastics material; (c) positioning an elongate member in said mold; (d) introducing a volume of liquid into said indentation; (e) positioning a cover over said mold and sealing it thereto; (f) causing said liquid to solidify.