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

The present invention is concerned with an apparatus for making a coated frozen confectionery product by co-extrusion of a frozen confection and a coating substance, and in particular a nozzle body forming part of the apparatus. The nozzle body according to the invention has a nozzle exit, through which the coated confectionery product is discharged as stream; the stream of coated confectionery product being the frozen confectionery product at least partially coated with the coating substance. The nozzle body preferably comprises: —a frozen confection product channel communicating with at least one frozen confectionery inlet port and leading to the nozzle exit, —at least one coating supply channel communication with at least one coating inlet port and leading to at least one coating application chamber opening into the frozen confection product channel at a position upstream of the nozzle exit, and—a spreading tongue arranged downstream of the at least one coating application chamber and upstream of or forms part of the nozzle exit, said spreading tongue being adapted to distribute the coating substance onto the surface of the frozen confection and define the cross sectional shape of the stream of coated confectionery product. The invention also relates to a method for making a coated frozen confectionery product by co-extrusion.

A system for depositing foodstuff material in the fluid state on a foodstuff product, the system including: a product conveying line; at least one foodstuff material dispensing unit including includes a plurality of rows of nozzles; and a dispensing control unit, in which the dispensing unit includes a valve device associated to each individual nozzle to control foodstuff material flow through the nozzle, the valve device including: an open/close member, a solenoid; and a magnetic element operatively connected to the open/close member and mobile between a first position in which it closes the respective nozzle, preventing dispensing of the foodstuff material therethrough, and a second position in which a passage is opened through the nozzle for dispensing the foodstuff material.

A process for producing foodstuff products provided with a respective decoration having a given configuration, the process including the steps of: making a plurality of foodstuff products each having a surface cavity and a profile in plan view that is predetermined to reproduce the given configuration of the respective decoration; advancing the foodstuff products on a conveying line in a direction of advance; via a camera, detecting, for each foodstuff product, the respective cavity; determining one or more data indicating a volume of the cavity of the foodstuff product; providing a fluid foodstuff material dispensing unit, including a plurality of rows of nozzles transverse to the direction of advance; dispensing an amount of fluid foodstuff material in the cavity of each foodstuff product substantially equal to the volume of the cavity.

An apparatus for embedding objects in castings made in batch includes a base comprising a plurality of cavities for molding, each cavity corresponding to an item to be molded; a framework comprising a plurality of gripping mechanisms for suspending objects from the framework into the cavities for embedding the objects within the molded items, each gripping mechanism being configured to release a respective object upon actuation; and, a lifting mechanism transitionable for effecting actuation of the plurality of gripping mechanisms such that objects suspended by the gripping mechanisms are released. A method of casting includes partially filling a plurality of cavities with a liquid; suspending objects from a framework; simultaneously partially sinking the objects into the liquid in the cavities; releasing the objects from the framework after at least partially hardening of the liquid; and fully immersing the objects with the liquid.

An apparatus for embedding objects in castings made in batch includes a base comprising a plurality of cavities for molding, each cavity corresponding to an item to be molded; a framework comprising a plurality of gripping mechanisms for suspending objects from the framework into the cavities for embedding the objects within the molded items, each gripping mechanism being configured to release a respective object upon actuation; and, a lifting mechanism transitionable for effecting actuation of the plurality of gripping mechanisms such that objects suspended by the gripping mechanisms are released. A method of casting includes partially filling a plurality of cavities with a liquid; suspending objects from a framework; simultaneously partially sinking the objects into the liquid in the cavities; releasing the objects from the framework after at least partially hardening of the liquid; and fully immersing the objects with the liquid.

An ice cream roll maker includes a housing, a freezer wheel mounted within the housing and configured for rotation about a horizontal axis, and a reservoir within the housing for holding a liquid ingredient. An outer peripheral surface of the freezer wheel is configured to receive the liquid ingredient from the reservoir and transform the liquid ingredient into a frozen coating layer on the outer peripheral surface.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for applying stripes of liquid coating on a confectionery product comprising a rotatable applicator for liquid coating, at least one shield positioned above the rotatable applicator to collect coating material not applied onto the product, a manifold for providing the rotatable applicator with the coating material in a liquid form, and wherein the rotatable applicator is arranged to spin about an axis which is orientated from horizontal and up to 30 deg of deviation from horizontal, and wherein the applicator has openings along it's circumference through which coating material may be projected upon spinning of the applicator. The invention also relates to a method for decorating confectionery products and to the products.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for applying stripes of liquid coating on a confectionery product comprising a rotatable applicator for liquid coating, at least one shield positioned above the rotatable applicator to collect coating material not applied onto the product, a manifold for providing the rotatable applicator with the coating material in a liquid form, and wherein the rotatable applicator is arranged to spin about an axis which is orientated from horizontal and up to 30 deg of deviation from horizontal, and wherein the applicator has openings along it's circumference through which coating material may be projected upon spinning of the applicator. The invention also relates to a method for decorating confectionery products and to the products.

The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a coated frozen confection, the process comprising the steps of (a) manufacturing a frozen confection, followed by; (b) imparting thermal energy to the surface of the frozen confection, sufficient to cause at least partial melting of the surface of the frozen confection, followed by; (c) allowing the surface of the frozen confection to refreeze, followed by; (d) coating the frozen confection in a liquid coating, which subsequently solidifies to provide a solid coating.