System for providing a single serving of a frozen confection

A machine for providing a single serving of a frozen confection, the machine comprising:

• a housing;
• a lid movably attached to the housing and configured to move between an open position in which a receptacle sized to receive a single-use, disposable pod is exposed and a closed position in which the receptacle is inaccessible, the pod having a bottom surface and a sidewall extending from the bottom surface, the bottom surface and the sidewall defining an interior of the pod, the interior of the pod being at least partially pre-filled with ingredients for producing the single serving of the frozen confection;
• a cooling assembly sized to receive the ingredients and disposed within the housing such that a longitudinal axis of the cooling assembly is stationary relative to the housing as the lid is moved between the open position and the closed position, the cooling assembly operable to cool the ingredients to produce the single serving of the frozen confection;
• a mixing motor operable to rotate a paddle to mix the ingredients to produce the single serving of the frozen confection from the ingredients;
• and
• a dispensing opening sized to dispense the produced single serving of the frozen confection from the machine, located below the lid, and offset from the longitudinal axis of the cooling assembly,
• wherein the machine is configured such that a new pod is used for each serving of the single serving of the frozen confection, and the pod is pre-filled with enough ingredients to provide the single serving of the frozen confection.

A system for providing a single serving of a frozen confection, the system comprising:

• a single-use, disposable pod having a bottom surface and a sidewall extending from the bottom surface, the bottom surface and the sidewall defining an interior of the pod, the interior of the pod being at least partially pre-filled with ingredients for producing the single serving of the frozen confection;
• a machine comprising:
• a housing;
• a lid movably attached to the housing and configured to move between an open position in which a receptacle sized to receive the pod is exposed and a closed position in which the receptacle is inaccessible;
• a cooling assembly sized to receive the ingredients and disposed within the housing such that a longitudinal axis of the cooling assembly is stationary relative to the housing as the lid is moved between the open position and the closed position, the cooling assembly operable to cool the ingredients to produce the single serving of the frozen confection;
• a mixing motor operable to rotate a paddle to mix the ingredients to produce the single serving of the frozen confection from the ingredients;
• and
• a dispensing opening sized to dispense the produced single serving of the frozen confection from the machine, located below the lid, and offset from the longitudinal axis of the cooling assembly,
• wherein the machine is configured such that a new pod is used for each serving of the single serving of the frozen confection, and the pod is pre-filled with enough ingredients to provide the single serving of the frozen confection.