A FILLING HEAD FOR FILLING A CONTAINER WITH FROZEN CONFECTION

Abstract

A filling head comprising: a housing having a lower nozzle exit, a first material inlet, a second material inlet and a reciprocatable piston movable within the housing; the piston having a) an outer wall and upper and lower ends; b) a first internal material flow channel connecting an entry in the outer wall to an exit in the lower end, c) a second internal material flow channel connecting an entry in the outer wall to an exit in the lower end, and; wherein the exit of the first channel is annular, surrounding the exit of the second material flow channel; the piston, housing and inlets being positioned and dimensioned such that the piston in relation to the housing has: (1) an upper position wherein material flows from both first and second inlets are blocked by the piston outer wall; (2) a mid position wherein the first material inlet is in communication with the first internal material flow channel entry but the second material inlet is blocked by the piston outer wall; (3) a lower position wherein the first material inlet is in communication with the first internal material flow channel entry and the second material inlet is in communication with the second internal material flow channel entry.

Claims

1. A filling head comprising: a housing having a lower nozzle exit, a first material inlet, a second material inlet and a reciprocatable piston movable within the housing; the piston having a) an outer wall and upper and lower ends; b) a first internal material flow channel connecting an entry in the outer wall to an exit in the lower end, c) a second internal material flow channel connecting an entry in the outer wall to an exit in the lower end, and; wherein the exit of the first channel is annular, surrounding the exit of the second material flow channel; the piston, housing and inlets being positioned and dimensioned such that the piston in relation to the housing has: (1) an upper position wherein material flows from both first and second inlets are blocked by the piston outer wall; (2) a mid position wherein the first material inlet is in communication with the first internal material flow channel entry but the second material inlet is blocked by the piston outer wall; (3) a lower position wherein the first material inlet is in communication with the first internal material flow channel entry and the second material inlet is in communication with the second internal material flow channel entry.

2. A filling head according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a shaft within which the piston moves, the shaft comprising the first material inlet and the second material inlet.

3. A filling head according to claim 2, wherein the shaft is dimensioned such that the outer walls of the piston engage with the walls of the shaft.

4. A filling head according to claim 1, wherein the first material inlet is positioned below the second material inlet, and the first material flow channel entry is below the second material flow channel entry.

5. A process of delivering frozen confection material from a filling head according to claim 1, wherein the piston moves in an downstroke from (1) an upper position to (2) a mid position whereupon only first material is extruded from the exit nozzle and then to (3) a lower position whereupon the first and second materials are coextruded from the exit nozzle, followed by an upstroke 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) an upper position.

6. A process according to claim 5, involving the insertion of the filling head into the container and, simultaneously with the movement of the piston, allowing frozen confection material to flow out of the nozzle exit as the filling head rises above an evolving surface of frozen confection material until the container is substantially filled just as the piston reaches its upper position on its return upstroke.

7. A process according to claim 5, wherein the piston moves in its downstroke in a continuous movement, passing through the uppermost, mid and lower positions as it moves.

8. A process according to claim 5, wherein the piston moves in its upstroke in a continuous movement, passing through the lowermost, mid position and uppermost position as it moves until flow is stopped at the uppermost position.

9. A process according to claim 5, wherein the time taken for the piston to move from the upper position to the lower position is from 0.2 to 2.0 seconds, more preferably from 0.2 to 1.0 seconds, most preferably from 0.2 to 0.6 seconds.

10. A process according to claim 5, wherein the time taken for the piston to move from the lower position to the upper position is from 0.2 to 2.0 seconds, more preferably from 0.2 to 1.0 seconds, most preferably from 0.2 to 0.6 seconds.

11. A process according to claim 5, wherein the time taken for the upstroke is substantially the same as the time taken for the downstroke.

12. A process according to claim 5, wherein the first frozen confection material is an ice cream.

13. A process according to claim 5, wherein the first and/or second confectionery material contains solid-like inclusions.

Description

[0048] The invention will now be illustrated, by way of example, with reference to the following figures in which:

[0049] FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a filling head according to the invention in its uppermost position.

[0050] FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of a filling head according to the invention in its mid position.

[0051] FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a filling head according to the invention in its lower position.

[0052] FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the housing of a filling head according to the present invention.

[0053] FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of a piston for the housing shown in FIG. 4.

[0054] Turning to the figures, FIG. 1 shows a filling head 10 comprising a housing 12 and a reciprocatable piston 14. The housing 12 comprises a first material inlet 16 and second material inlet 18 and a nozzle 19.

[0055] As can be seen in the figures the piston 14 makes a snug fit with the housing 12.

[0056] Within the piston 14 is a first internal material flow channel 20 connecting an upper entry 22 in the outer wall to an exit 24 in the lower end. Also within the piston is a second material flow channel 26 connecting an upper entry 28 in the outer wall to an exit 30 in the lower end.

[0057] The first material inlet 16 directly into the shaft of the housing 12 and meets the outer wall of the piston 14. Likewise, the second material inlet 18 feeds directly into the shaft of the housing 12 and meets the outer wall of the piston 14.

[0058] In the position shown in FIG. 1 the piston 14 is in its upper position. It can be seen that the flow of first confection material is blocked due to the presence of the outer wall of the piston 14. Likewise, flow of the second confection material is blocked by the presence of the outer wall of the piston 14. Thus in this position there is no flow of any confection material out of nozzle 19.

[0059] In the position shown in FIG. 2 the piston 14 is in its mid position. It can be seen that there is communication between the first material inlet 16 and upper entry 22 of the first internal material flow channel 20. Thus, the first confection material can flow through the first material inlet 22, through the channel 20 and out of nozzle 19. Flow of the second confection material is still blocked by the presence of the outer wall of the piston 14.

[0060] In the position shown in FIG. 3 the piston 14 is in its lower position. It can be seen that there is communication between the first material inlet 16 and upper entry 22 of the first internal material flow channel 20. Thus, the first confection material can flow through the first material inlet 22, through the channel 20 and out of nozzle 19.

[0061] It can also be seen that upper entry 28 in the outer wall of piston 14 is aligned and in communication with second material inlet 18. Thus, the second confection can flow through the second material inlet 28, through the internal material flow channel 26 to the exit 30 in the lower end of the piston 14.

[0062] Furthermore, as the exit 30 is located centrally to the nozzle 19, and because the exit 24 is arranged in an annular fashion around exit 30, the result is that there is coextrusion from the nozzle 19 of a central region of second confection material surrounded by an annulus of first confection material.

[0063] In use, the entire filling head 10 is positioned above a container which is to be filled with confection. Filling begins as the piston moves downwards away from the position shown in FIG. 1. Initially, only first confection material flows out of nozzle to produce a base layer of first confection material in the container. As it moves downwards to the mid position this continues to be the case. Once the lower position is reached then coextrusion begins and a core of second confection material is produced within a surrounding annular region of first confection material.

[0064] Once sufficient material has been coextruded the piston moves upwards, closing off the flow of second confection material as the mid point is reached as shown in FIG. 2. This results in a top layer of encompassing first confection material. Flow is stopped when the piston reaches the upper position and the container is now full of second confection material fully encased in first confection material. In one particular embodiment, the entire process of filing takes a total of 1.2 seconds.

[0065] FIGS. 4 and 5 show the filling head 10 separated into its respective housing 12 and piston 14 respectively. This enables the features of the two elements to be more clearly visualised.