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US 10,782,049 B1Granted
Providing single servings of cooled foods and drinks
AssigneeSigma Phase, Corp.
InventorsMatthew Fonte, John Heymans, Benjamin Fichera, Jason Hugenroth
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.
Claims18
A machine for producing cooled food or drinks from ingredients in a pod containing the ingredients, the machine comprising:
- a housing;
- a refrigeration system with a working fluid loop of two phase refrigerant that runs from the evaporator to a compressor to a condenser to an expansion device back to the evaporator;
- and
- a motor operable to move a mixing paddle of a pod in the evaporator receptacle;
- wherein the evaporator of the refrigeration system defines a receptacle sized to receive the pod and the evaporator comprises:
- a body defining longitudinally extending channels spaced such that the channels are spread around the circumference of the evaporator between an inlet and an outlet;
- a first cover attached to one end of the body;
- and
- a second cover attached to the other end of the body;
- wherein the first and second covers act as manifolds connecting a plurality of the longitudinal channels such that the compressor provides a fluid mass velocity up to 180,000 lb/hr-ft2;
- and
- wherein the motor is operable to mix the ingredients in the pod during cooling to generate frozen food or drink within two minutes.
9 more elements
A machine for producing cooled food or drinks from ingredients in a pod containing the ingredients, the machine comprising:
- a housing;
- and
- a refrigeration system with a working fluid loop of two-phase refrigerant that runs from the evaporator to a compressor to a condenser to an expansion valve or capillary tube back to the evaporator;
- wherein the evaporator defines a receptacle sized to receive the pod, the evaporator having a heat transfer surface area of under 50 square inches, the evaporator comprising:
- a body defining longitudinally extending channels, spaced such that the channels are spread around the circumference of the evaporator between the inlet and outlet;
- a first cover attached to one end of the body;
- and
- a second cover attached to the other end of the body;
- wherein the first and second covers act as manifolds connecting a plurality of the longitudinal channels such that a mass of the body, the first cover, and the second cover is under 1.5 pounds.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.