# US 2013/0157556 A1 · Air Inlet Arrangement for Ice Cream or Yogurt Machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0157556 A1 - Document ID: US20130157556A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/326,345 - Filed: 2011-12-15 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-15 - Inventors: Lingyu Dong; Chun Dong Dong - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130157556A1 ## CPC - A23G 9/22: Details, component parts or accessories of apparatus insofar as not peculiar to a single one of the preceding groups - A23G 9/20: the products being mixed with gas, e.g. soft-ice - A23G: COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF ## Abstract An air inlet arrangement for an ice cream machine or yogurt machine includes an air-solution tube supported in a solution container which is adapted for storing a predetermined volume of solution at a predetermined fluid elevation, and an air nozzle. The air-solution tube has an elongated structure defining a top end, a bottom end, and a process channel between the top end and the bottom end, wherein the air-solution tube has a height greater than the fluid elevation of the solution container, wherein a volume of the air-solution tube is such that the air-solution tube is arranged to contain 80 g or less of the solution. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An air inlet arrangement for an ice cream machine or yogurt machine, comprising: an air-solution tube supported in a solution container which is adapted for storing a predetermined volume of solution at a predetermined fluid elevation, wherein said air-solution tube has an elongated structure defining a top end, a bottom end, and a process channel between said top end and said bottom end, wherein said air-solution tube has a height greater than said fluid elevation of said solution container, wherein a volume of said air-solution tube is such that said air-solution tube is arranged to contain less than a regular serving of said solution, wherein said air-solution tube has a solution inlet provided thereon for allowing said solution to enter said process channel through said solution inlet; and an air nozzle provided at said top end of said air-solution tube for allowing air to be sucked into said process channel through said air nozzle, wherein said air and said solution is arranged to be sucked into said process channel and then discharged out of said air-solution tube through said bottom end thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The air inlet arrangement, as recited in claim 1, wherein said air-solution tube has a circular cross section which defines a top portion, a bottom portion, and a mid portion integrally extended between said top portion and said bottom portion, wherein said top end is formed at said top portion, while said bottom end is formed at said bottom portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The air inlet arrangement, as recited in claim 2, wherein a diameter of said mid portion of said air-solution tube is smaller than that of said top portion and said bottom portion so that said mid portion constitutes a contracted portion of said air-solution tube for fluid flow velocity in said mid portion of said air-solution tube. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The air inlet arrangement, as recited in claim 3, wherein a boundary between said top portion and said mid portion defines a first shoulder of said air-solution tube, while a boundary between said bottom portion and said mid portion defines a second shoulder of said air-solution tube, wherein an outer surface of said first shoulder and said second shoulder are slanted so as to facilitate gradual decrease in diameter between said top portion and said mid portion and between said mid portion and said bottom portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The air inlet arrangement, as recited in claim 4, wherein said solution inlet is formed on said bottom portion of said air-solution tube so that said ice cream or yogurt solution is able to enter said process channel through said solution inlet. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The air inlet arrangement, as recited in claim 5, wherein said solution inlet is formed on said bottom portion at a position which is in a vicinity of said second shoulder so that said solution entering said process channel is to be met with a jet of air having maximum velocity within said air-solution tube. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The air inlet arrangement, as recited in claim 5, wherein said air nozzle comprises a nozzle body and a nozzle inlet formed on a top side of said nozzle body for communicating said process channel with ambient air, wherein said nozzle body has a circular cross section and a nozzle cavity formed therein, wherein said nozzle cavity communicates said nozzle inlet with said process channel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The air inlet arrangement, as recited in claim 6, wherein said air nozzle comprises a nozzle body and a nozzle inlet formed on a top side of said nozzle body for communicating said process channel with ambient air, wherein said nozzle body has a circular cross section and a nozzle cavity formed therein, wherein said nozzle cavity communicates said nozzle inlet with said process channel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The air inlet arrangement, as recited in claim 7, wherein said nozzle body further defines a plurality of body sections each having a predetermined cross sectional diameter to form a corresponding number of securing platforms between two body sections, wherein a cross sectional diameter of an upper body section is slightly larger than a cross sectional diameter of a lower body section to form said corresponding securing platform between said two body sections. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The air inlet arrangement, as recited in claim 8, wherein said nozzle body further defines a plurality of body sections each having a predetermined cross sectional diameter to form a corresponding number of securing platforms between two body sections, wherein a cross sectional diameter of an upper body section is slightly larger than a cross sectional diameter of a lower body section to form said corresponding securing platform between said two body sections. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The air inlet arrangement, as recited in claim 9, wherein said nozzle body of said air nozzle is arranged to attach on said top end of said air-solution tube in such a manner that said top end is arranged to bias against one of said securing platforms of said nozzle body, wherein a diameter of at least one of said securing platforms is slightly smaller than a cross sectional diameter of said top end of said air-solution tube so that said nozzle body is capable of being securely mounted on said air-solution tube. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The air inlet arrangement, as recited in claim 10, wherein said nozzle body of said air nozzle is arranged to attach on said top end of said air-solution tube in such a manner that said top end is arranged to bias against one of said securing platforms of said nozzle body, wherein a diameter of at least one of said securing platforms is slightly smaller than a cross sectional diameter of said top end of said air-solution tube so that said nozzle body is capable of being securely mounted on said air-solution tube. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The air inlet arrangement, as recited in claim 1, wherein a diameter of said solution inlet is 4-7 mm and a diameter of said bottom portion of said air-solution tube is 10-20 mm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The air inlet arrangement, as recited in claim 12, wherein a diameter of said solution inlet is 4-7 mm and a diameter of said bottom portion of said air-solution tube is 10-20 mm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The air inlet arrangement, as recited in claim 1, wherein said air-solution tube has a height greater than said fluid elevation contained in said solution container, wherein a volume of said air-solution tube is such that said air-solution tube is arranged to contain approximately 80 g or less of said solution. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The air inlet arrangement, as recited in claim 14, wherein said air-solution tube has a height greater than said fluid elevation contained in said solution container, wherein a volume of said air-solution tube is such that said air-solution tube is arranged to contain approximately 80 g or less of said solution. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The air inlet arrangement, as recited in claim 12, wherein said top portion of said air-solution tube is divided into a top upper and a top lower section, wherein said top upper section has a cross sectional diameter slightly smaller than that of said top lower section so as to form a slightly contracted upper section of said top portion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The air inlet arrangement, as recited in claim 16, wherein said top portion of said air-solution tube is divided into a top upper and a top lower section, wherein said top upper section has a cross sectional diameter slightly smaller than that of said top lower section so as to form a slightly contracted upper section of said top portion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The air inlet arrangement, as recited in claim 17, wherein said bottom portion of said air-solution tube is divided into a bottom upper and a bottom lower section wherein said bottom upper section has a cross sectional diameter slightly larger than that of said bottom lower section so as to form a slightly contracted bottom lower section of said bottom portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The air inlet arrangement, as recited in claim 18, wherein said bottom portion of said air-solution tube is divided into a bottom upper and a bottom lower section wherein said bottom upper section has a cross sectional diameter slightly larger than that of said bottom lower section so as to form a slightly contracted bottom lower section of said bottom portion.