STRUCTURAL ARRANGEMENT FOR A THERMAL CHAMBER FOR MANUFACTURING HOME-MADE YOGURT

Abstract

“CONSTRUCTIVE ARRANGEMENT IN A THERMAL CHAMBER FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HOME-MADE YOGHURT”, selectively chosen to be natural or greek, said thermal chamber being comprised of an outer container (casing) (1) provided with its respective lid (2); the said casing (1) embodied by an internal perimeter frame (3) next to its upper edge, which selectively accommodates and supports coaxially an inner container (4) and/or a filter container (6); wherein the inner container (4) has smaller dimensions than the casing (1), in a way that creates between the two structures a free perimeter space that works as an air chamber (5) which act as a thermal insulator to the thermal chamber (1, 2); being that the filter container (6), with slightly smaller dimensions when compared to the inner container (4), tightly fits in the inner container (4), but still with a depth not as profound as in the inner container (4), creating a collector interspace (7) between the bottom walls of both structures; the bottom wall of the filter container (6) is designed with a netting-like surface (6a), through which occurs the drainage of the liquid (serum) created during the processing of the milk volume kept in the thermal chamber, thus defined.

Claims

1- “CONSTRUCTIVE ARRANGEMENT IN A THERMAL CHAMBER FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HOME-MADE YOGHURT”, selectively chosen to be natural or greek, is characterized by the fact that the thermal chamber comprises of an outer container (casing) (1) provided with its respective lid (2); the said casing (1) embodied by an internal perimeter frame (3) next to its upper edge, which selectively accommodates and supports coaxially an inner container (4) with radial upper edge (4a) and/or a filter container (6) with radial upper edge (6a); wherein the inner container (4) has smaller dimensions than the casing (1), in a way that creates between the two structures a free perimeter space that works as an air chamber (5) which act as a thermal insulator to the thermal chamber (1, 2); being that the filter container (6), with slightly smaller dimensions when compared to the inner container (4), tightly fits in the inner container (4), but still with a depth not as profound as in the inner container (4), creating a collector interspace (7) between the bottom walls of both structures; the bottom wall of the filter container (6) is designed with netting-like surface (6a), through which occurs the drainage of the liquid (serum) created during the processing of the milk volume kept in the thermal chamber, thus defined; being also foreseen at least one handle for manual hold (4b and 6c) to be pluggable to the containers (4 and 6) to their insertion and detachment from the casing (1).

Description

[0008] The present innovation will be described in details with reference to the drawings shown below, wherein:

[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates a bottom level perspective exploded view of all items that make out the thermal chamber for producing home-made yoghurt;

[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates a top level perspective exploded view of all items that make out the thermal chamber for producing home-made yoghurt;

[0011] FIG. 3 illustrates a vertical diametric cut of the thermal chamber for producing home-made yoghurt in its assembled and closed condition;

[0012] FIG. 4 illustrates a vertical diametric cut from the perspective of Figure's 3 line “A-A” of the thermal chamber for producing home-made yoghurt in its assembled and closed condition;

[0013] FIG. 5 illustrates a vertical diametric cut of the thermal chamber for producing home-made yoghurt in the select assembled condition of a natural yoghurt; and

[0014] FIG. 6 illustrates a vertical diametric cut of the thermal chamber for producing home-made yoghurt in the select assembled condition of a greek yoghurt;

[0015] According to what is illustrated in the figures cited hereinabove, the constructive arrangement in a thermal chamber for the production of home-made yoghurt object of this innovation comprises of an outer container (casing) (1) with a preferably cylindrical shape and upper opening closed by its respective thermal lid (2), the said casing (1) embodied by an internal perimeter frame (3) next to its upper edge, which accommodates and supports the outward radial prolonged upper edge (4a) of an inner container (4) and/or the outward radial prolonged upper edge (6a) of a filter container (6).

[0016] The inner container (4) has smaller dimensions than the casing (1), in a way that creates between the two structures a free perimeter space that works as an air chamber (5) which act as a thermal insulator, as seen in the FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6.

[0017] With slightly smaller dimensions when compared to the inner container (4), the filter container (6) has a tight fit to this inner container (4), but still with a depth not as profound as in the inner container (4), creating a collector interspace (7) between the bottom walls of both structures, as seen in the FIGS. 3 and 4. The bottom wall of the filter container (6) is designed with a netting-like surface (6b), through which occurs the drainage of the liquid (serum) created during the processing of the milk volume kept in the thermal chamber, thus defined. On this design the serum created is naturally drained to the collector interspace (7) of the inner container (4).

[0018] As seen in the FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6 the inner container (4) and the filter container (6) can be set together or individually inside the outer container (1), being this configuration option the defining element of the yoghurt to be produced. With the filter component (6) on, it is produced greek yoghurt, because of the simultaneous fermentation and drainage of the milk mixture kept inside the casing (1) closed by its lid (2). Thus, it occurs the separation of the serum that is sent to the collector interspace (7) when applied the set in the FIG. 3, or it is sent to the bottom of the casing (1) when set as in the FIG. 6.

[0019] When the filter container (6) is not used, as seen in the FIG. 5, it is produced natural yoghurt, because the drainage of the serum occurs after the fermentation of the milk mixture kept inside the casing (1) closed by its lid (2), in other words, after its production, the yoghurt is removed from the thermal chamber and then it carries with the mechanical separation or the drainage of the serum created during the fermentation.

[0020] Every piece of the thermal chamber is preferably made of transparent plastic material, wherein the netting-like surface (6b) of the filter container (6) is composed by a removable stainless steel grid, easing its cleaning after every use. Along with the set goes a thermometer and a spoon, not represented, which act as monitoring and handling elements of the milk volume during the production of the yoghurt.

[0021] As illustrated in the FIGS. 1 and 2, handles for manual hold (4b and 6c) are foreseen to be pluggable to holes bored in the upper edges of the containers (4 and 6) to ease their insertion and detachment from the casing (1) when carried.

[0022] Another singularity of this constructive arrangement is in the fact that every piece (3, 4, 6, 6b) is designed to neatly fit inside the thermal chamber (1, 2), simplifying the availability of the set both when for sale and when idle and stored by the user at home.

[0023] As said before, the thermic insulating characteristic of this chamber (1, 2) occurs because of the free perimeter space (5) between the casing (1, 2) and the containers (4) and (6), wherein the air chamber created in this space act as a thermal insulator that during the process maintains the temperature of the milk mixture—previously heated between 37° C. (98.6° F.) and 45° C. (113° F.) before transferred to the outer container (1, 2)—allowing it to be fermented and thus producing natural or greek yoghurt.