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

The present invention relates to an ingredient blending system and method for use in frozen beverage equipment and soft-serve ice cream equipment. In an exemplary embodiment, a manifold body has at least one blending chamber, more than one ingredient inlet port, more than one pressure reservoir, more than one ingredient egress port that intersects the pressure reservoir, and more than one ingredient ingress port that intersects the blending chamber. More than one inlet conduit is fastened to each of the ingredient inlet ports, more than one pressure sensor is secured within each of the pressure reservoirs, and more than one electronic valve is secured to the manifold body. In accordance with a recipe pulse sequence, the ingredients are blended in the blending chamber forming a food product, and injected into the mixing cylinder where the food product is chilled and dispensed to a customer for consumption.

A system for processing liquid or semi-liquid food products includes a machine provided with: at least one containment vessel for containing the product to be processed; a stirrer arranged inside the containment vessel;
the system is characterized in that said stirrer includes, in combination, at least: a rotating body rotating about an axis of rotation, said rotating body including a plurality of propellers extending about said axis of rotation; a plurality of scraping elements, supported by said rotating body; a drive shaft, connectable to the rotating body, for the rotation of the rotating body about the axis of rotation; a curvilinear element extending around the axis of rotation and configured to be inserted inside the rotating body and rotatably coupled with the drive shaft.

A carbonated beverage apparatus includes a freezing cylinder for receiving a mixture, a beater device disposed inside the freezing cylinder for pushing the mixture in a spiral manner from an inlet of the freezing cylinder to an outlet thereof, and a baffle supporting arrangement positioned surrounded by the beater device, wherein the beater device is rotatable to remove the mixture from an inner wall of the freezing cylinder radially back into the freezing cylinder and to stir the mixture via the baffle supporting arrangement before flowing out of the outlet.

A carbonated beverage apparatus includes a freezing cylinder for receiving a mixture, and a stirring pusher disposed inside the freezing cylinder for pushing and mixing the mixture from an inlet of the freezing cylinder to an outlet thereof in a spiral manner, wherein the mixture is removed from the inner wall of the freezing cylinder radially back into a center portion of the freezing cylinder by the stirring pusher.

A scraper blade for a frozen dessert machine includes a blade body extending from a first end to a second end. The blade body includes a cutting edge on a first side of the blade body facing a scraping direction. A biasing projection extends from a second side of the blade body in a direction opposite the scraping direction of the cutting edge. A frozen product machine includes a freezing cylinder defining a longitudinal axis and a rotating beater assembly within the freezing cylinder. The rotating beater assembly includes a beater body and a scraper blade as described above. The scraper blade is operatively connected to the beater body. The biasing projection of the scraper blade biases the cutting edge against an inner diameter surface of the freezing cylinder.

A machine for making liquid or semi-liquid food products includes a plurality of supply containers containing a basic mixture and deformable wall, so the space occupied by each first container depends on a quantity of basic mixture therein. A processing container includes a stirrer and thermal treatment system, operating with one another to convert the basic mixture into a liquid or semi-liquid product. A connecting system connects the supply containers to the processing container to transfer the basic mixture from one of the supply containers to the processing container and includes a plurality of pneumatically operated closing valves, where each of the valves is associated with one of the supply containers and can be activated and deactivated independently of the remaining valves to allow the placement of one of the containers in connection with the processing container.

A micro puree machine has a mixing shaft attachable to a blade that is subject to both linear and rotational movement. A drive motor is contained within a lower portion of the machine housing and operatively couples to a first gear that engages a second gear on the mixing shaft for rotation of the mixing blade. A position motor within the upper housing operates to move the mixing blade linearly to engage the ingredients in the bowl. During both axial and rotational movement of the mixing shaft, the drive motor and the position motor remain stationary within their respective positions in the housing.

A carbonated beverage apparatus includes a freezing cylinder for receiving a mixture, and a stirring pusher disposed inside the freezing cylinder for pushing and mixing the mixture from an inlet of the freezing cylinder to an outlet thereof in a spiral manner, wherein the mixture is removed from the inner wall of the freezing cylinder radially back into a center portion of the freezing cylinder by the stirring pusher.

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.