A machine for dispensing an individual portion of a frozen dessert may include a cartridge cart having walls forming a cavity having a longitudinal central axis and configured to accommodate a cartridge. The cartridge may include a tube having first and second ends, a nozzle disposed at the first end, and a piston disposed between the nozzle and the second end and configured to slidably move along the tube. The individual portion of the frozen dessert may be contained within the tube between the nozzle and the piston. The machine may also include a plunger, a drive source operably coupled to the plunger and configured to drive the plunger along the central axis, and a support configured to support the first end of the cartridge such that actuating the drive source causes the individual portion of frozen dessert to dispense through the nozzle.

Disclosed is a receptacle and valve assembly (100) for use in a device (1) for dispensing frozen confection (13). The receptacle (8) comprises a product compartment (20) containing the frozen confection located inside a bottle and having a tubular outlet (22). The valve (7) comprises a tubular inlet (41) having a deformable gasket (43) on an outer surface thereof. The tubular inlet (41) of the valve is receivable within the tubular outlet (22) of the receptacle to allow the deformable gasket (43) to form a fluid-tight seal with an inner wall of the tubular outlet.

A machine for making liquid or semi-liquid food products includes a processing chamber for processing a basic mixture and including a stirrer and thermal treatment system operating in conjunction to convert the basic mixture into a liquid or semi-liquid product; an electronic drive and control unit; a dispensing device having a dispensing nozzle connected to the processing chamber to deliver the product; a support having a seat for housing a receiving container; a movement device for vertically moving the support between a vertical position away from the nozzle and a vertical position close to the nozzle; and a device for rotating the housing seat about a vertical axis. The electronic drive and control unit is operatively connected to the movement device and to the device for rotating the housing seat to drive them according to a predetermined law of motion.

A machine for preparing frozen confectionery has the ability or characteristic of forming a seat used for accommodating an essentially cup-shaped container. The machine has a heat exchange element having a heat exchange contact surface arranged to be in contact with a heat exchange portion of the container when the container is placed in the machine. The heat exchange element has an inverted conical or curved shape or a number of inverted conical sections, or a combination of curved and inverted conical sections. The confectionery produced can be a frozen product, such as soft ice, or a chilled dessert, such as mousse or whipped yogurt.

A machine for dispensing an individual portion of a frozen dessert may include a cartridge cart having walls forming a cavity having a longitudinal central axis and configured to accommodate a cartridge. The cartridge may include a tube having first and second ends, a nozzle disposed at the first end, and a piston disposed between the nozzle and the second end and configured to slidably move along the tube. The individual portion of the frozen dessert may be contained within the tube between the nozzle and the piston. The machine may also include a plunger, a drive source operably coupled to the plunger and configured to drive the plunger along the central axis, and a support configured to support the first end of the cartridge such that actuating the drive source causes the individual portion of frozen dessert to dispense through the nozzle.

The invention relates to machine for preparing frozen confectionery comprising receiving means (1) forming a seat for accommodating an essentially cup-shaped container (8), said receiving means comprising an heat exchange element (1a) having a heat exchange contact surface arranged to be in contact with an heat exchange portion (12) of the container (8) when the container is placed in the machine; wherein said heat exchange element (1a) has an inverted conical or curved shape or a plurality of inverted conical sections, or a combination of curved and inverted conical sections. The confectionery produced can be a frozen product such as soft ice or a chilled dessert such as mousse or whipped yogurt.

A filling unit and a method for filling a confectionery mass into a container or a mold includes a fill housing with a filling nozzle (2) and at least two dosing pistons in a cylinder which is connected to the fill housing. In the fill housing, a valve is arranged for each cylinder. A mixing block with internal ducts connects each of the outlets with a respective internal duct in the filling nozzle. The confectionery mass is conducted from a filling nozzle into at least one of the cylinders after which the confectionery mass is dosed down into the mold or container by actuating the dosing pistons. The speeds of the pistons are controlled independently of each other, providing varying patterns in longitudinal direction of the ice-cream/confectionery product. The movement of the filling unit relative to the container or mold can be varied providing additional options for variation in patterns.

A machine for making a liquid or semi-liquid product of the frozen type which includes a container for processing the liquid or semi-liquid product, provided with a loading opening; a stirrer positioned inside said container; a refrigeration system, provided with a heat carrying fluid, and comprising a heat exchanger, associated with said container; said container, stirrer and heat exchanger forming a batch freezing unit, a supplying unit for supplying a basic liquid product, associated with said container for releasing a basic liquid product designed to be mixed with a basic powder; closing means for the supplying unit, operatively acting on the supplying unit and capable of being activated and deactivated to allow supplying of the basic liquid product; a control unit, designed to control the refrigeration system, said stirrer and the closing means.

A machine for making and dispensing ice creams, comprises in combination: a container designed to contain a basic mixture for converting it into ice cream; a mixer and a refrigeration system, operatively associated with said container respectively for mixing said basic mixture and for cooling said basic mixture in such a way as to convert it, in the container, into ice cream; a control and operating unit, operatively associated with said refrigeration system for controlling activation and deactivation of said refrigeration system and for regulating its cooling thermal power at least between a first, production thermal power and a second, preservation thermal power which is lower than said first, production thermal power, said control and operating unit being designed to allow said refrigeration system to be activated at the second, preservation power when said container is substantially empty.

A machine for cooling a food or drink includes a refrigeration system operable to cool ingredients for producing the cooled food or drink. The refrigeration system includes an evaporator defining a receptacle sized to receive the ingredients. The evaporator includes an inlet to receive a refrigerant and an outlet to discharge the refrigerant. The refrigeration system includes a closed-loop refrigerant path passing through the evaporator between the inlet of the evaporator and the outlet of the evaporator for exchanging heat between the received ingredients and the refrigerant to cool the received ingredients. The refrigeration system includes a compressor operable to pump the refrigerant through the closed-loop refrigerant path. The compressor includes an inlet to receive the refrigerant and an outlet to discharge the refrigerant. The refrigeration system includes a thermo-electric device located along the closed-loop refrigerant path between the outlet of the evaporator and the inlet of the compressor.