US 4,758,143 A · Manufacture of specialty ice cream products

Abstract

In a machine for manufacturing multi-layered decorative ice cream cake and pie products. The machine frame supports a plurality of ingredient dispensing stations including ice cream dispensing stations. A conveyor simultaneously conveys products between the respective stations for indexing and positioning the products. The ice cream dispensers are mounted on lift positioning devices for lowering and raising the ice cream dispensers between a raised standby position and a lowering dispensing position. Ice cream dispensing valves on the ice cream dispensers open and close between a valve open position for flow of ice cream through an ice cream dispensing head from a continuous pressurized source of ice cream and a valve closed position for blocking the dispensing flow of ice cream. An index timer actuates the conveyor to convey products between stations and index products at each station for a selected dwell period. Position timers associated with the lift positioning devices actuate the lift to establish dispensing position intervals. Valve timers associated with the respective ice cream dispenser valves establish valve open intervals. The index timer dwell period, dispensing position intervals, and valve open intervals are operatively related and individually controlled through control elements. A central ice cream command and control panel permits an operator to achieve individualized control over operating parameters.

A system for manufacturing decorative ice cream cake and pie products comprising:

a plurality of ingredient dispensing stations including a plurality of ice cream dispensing stations, each ice cream dispensing station comprising an ice cream dispenser including an ice cream dispensing head constructed and arranged for dispensing ice cream on a product indexed or positioned at the station;
conveyor means for simultaneously conveying a plurality of products between the respective stations and for indexing or positioning the products at the respective stations;
a plurality of lift positioning means each operatively coupled to a respective ice cream dispenser and constructed and arranged for lowering and raising the ice cream dispenser at the respective station between a raised standby position and a lowered dispensing position;
a plurality of valve means each operatively coupled to a respective ice cream dispenser and constructed and arranged for opening and closing between a valve open position for flow of ice cream through the ice cream dispensing head from a continuous pressurized source of ice cream coupled to the ice cream dispensing head and a valve closed position for blocking the dispensing head flow of ice cream;
index timer means for generating timed index pilot signals for actuating the conveyor means, said index timer means being operatively coupled to the conveyor means for actuating the conveyor means to convey products between stations and maintain the products at each station for a selected dwell period, said index timer means being adjustable for varying the frequency of the index pilot signals and the dwell period at the stations according to the products on the conveyor means indexed or positioned at the respective ingredient dispensing stations;
a plurality of position timer means for generating dispensing position interval signals and actuating the lift positioning means, each position timer means being operatively coupled to a respective lift positioning means for actuating the lift positioning means to lower the ice cream dispenser to the dispensing position and maintain the ice cream dispenser in the lowered dispensing position during a selected dispensing position interval less than the dwell period, said position timer means and dispensing position interval signals being adjustable to vary the dispensing position interval for achieving different ice cream configurations according to the products on the conveyor means indexed or positioned at the ice cream dispensing stations;
said conveyor means being operatively arranged and coupled for actuating the position timer means when products are indexed or positioned at the respective stations to initiate the dispensing position interval signals;
and a plurality of valve timer means for generating valve open interval signals and actuating the respective valve means, each valve timer means being operatively coupled to a respective valve means for actuating and opening the respective valve means of the ice cream dispenser and for maintaining the valve means in open position for dispensing ice cream during a selected valve open interval less than the dwell period, said valve timer means and valve open interval signals being adjustable to vary the valve open interval for dispensing different quantities of ice cream and for achieving different ice cream configurations according to the products on the conveyor means indexed or positioned at the ice cream dispensing stations;
said lift positioning means being operatively arranged and coupled for actuating the valve timer means to initiate the valve open interval signals when the ice cream dispenser is in the lowered dispensing position.

6 more elements

Manufacture of specialty ice cream products

Life of this patent

Manufacture of specialty ice cream products

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20