An automatic frozen food product vending machine includes a frozen food product dispensing station for dispensing at least one frozen food product, a container dispenser for storing multiple frozen food product containers and configured to automatically dispense one frozen food product container at a time, a first movable platform for supporting a dispensed frozen food product container, a topping dispensing station for dispensing at least one topping, a second movable platform for supporting the dispensed frozen food product container, a user input device configured to receive a user selection of a desired frozen food product, a user selection of a desired amount of frozen food product, and a user selection of a desired topping, and processing electronics configured to automate operation of the vending machine after the user selections are made.

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 (10) for the production and dispensing of food products such as ice cream and the like comprises a tub (11) containing a cylindrical evaporator (12) of a refrigerating circuit (13) and motor-driven helical mixer (14) which rotates coaxially inside the evaporator. The tub is also provided at the front with a tap (15) for dispensing the product through a dispensing outlet (16) which is arranged above a front zone of the machine which receives a container (18) for holding a measured amount of product. Behind the receiving zone the machine has, in the form of a single module (20), a control panel provided with means (21) for displaying information about the machine, pushbuttons (22) for operating the machine and a sensor (23) which detects the presence of an object which is placed in the vicinity of the receiving zone and activates the machine so as to prepare it for dispensing via the tap when the presence of an object is detected.

A separable container and related method for delivering predetermined portions of product contained within a container is provided. The container has a sidewall having a plurality of frangible sections disposed at predetermined distances along the height of the sidewall. A plurality of flexible dividers are interspersed with the product in the container, each of the flexible dividers being substantially aligned with a respective frangible section of the sidewall. Sidewall segments are separable from the container to expose a predetermined portion of the product contained therein, and the flexible dividers define a boundary between adjacent predetermined portions of product to facilitate separation of the exposed predetermined product portions from a remainder of product seated within the container sidewall.

A process for mass production of round portions of frozen confection. The portions are characterized by an artisanal hand-scooped appearance and distinctiveness, and surface melting characteristics comparable to the manually scooped product. These units are manufactured by hardening in molds that introduce particular features of shape and texture. Furthermore the mold composition allows preservation of subtle differences that result from variations in each portion's internal pressure when the confection expands during freezing.

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.

A self-contained food processor is provided for treating a food flow path in the food processor with a solution. The food flow path can be treated without requiring disassembly and reassembly of the food processor and without requiring direct operator input. The food processor includes a controller for directing passage of a solution through at least portions of the food flow path without requiring constant operator oversight. The food processor can employ available positive pressure water supply, such as public utility water pressure to selectively and automatically push solutions, including rinses, backwards or forwards through the food flow path in the food processor.

A machine for storing and dispensing liquid or semi-liquid food products comprises, in combination: a refrigerated compartment internally including: supporting means for supporting at least one container of liquid or semi-liquid or semi-solid food product to be dispensed, a pump connectable to the at least one container of liquid or semi-liquid or semi-solid food product to be dispensed; a dispensing nozzle associated with the pump; a refrigeration system comprising a refrigerating circuit associated with the refrigerated compartment to keep it at a predetermined temperature; at least one door for closing the refrigerated compartment.

A process for filling a container with a first frozen confection material encapsulating a second confection material, the process involving the use of a filling head; the filling head comprising: a housing having a nozzle exit, a lower first material inlet, an upper second material inlet and a reciprocatable piston movable within the housing; the piston having an outer wall and upper and lower ends and an internal material flow channel connecting an upper entry in the outer wall to an exit in the lower end, the piston, housing and inlets being positioned and dimensioned such that the piston has: (1) a lower position wherein material flows from both first and second inlets are blocked by the piston outer wall; (2) a mid position wherein the piston does not block the first inlet but the second inlet is blocked by the piston outer wall; (3) an upper position wherein the first inlet is not blocked and wherein 20 the second material inlet is in communication with the internal material flow channel; the process involving allowing frozen confection material to flow out of the nozzle exit into the container as the piston moves in an upstroke from (1) a lower position to (2) a mid position and then to (3) an upper position whereupon the first and second materials are coextruded from the exit nozzle, followed by a downstroke to (2) a mid position whereupon only first material is extruded from the exit nozzle to encapsulate the previously extruded second material, and then to (1) a lower position.

A frozen food product dispensing machine includes a housing, a freezer barrel disposed within the housing, a plurality of drawers, and a manifold comprising a plurality of inlets and one outlet. The plurality of drawers are disposed within and slidably coupled to the housing and configured to each support a liquid food product mix reservoir. The inlets are each fluidly coupled to one of the liquid food product mix reservoirs, and the outlet is fluidly coupled to the freezer barrel to supply liquid food product mix from all of the liquid food product mix reservoirs to the freezer barrel.