Method and apparatus for producing and dispensing aerated products

A method of producing and dispensing an aerated food product comprising the steps of

• mixing together a liquid and a gas to produce an atomized fluid stream comprised of liquid particles;
• flowing said fluid stream through a confining passage so that the liquid particles coalesce and become aerated before the fluid exits the passage;
• rapidly chilling the aerated fluid exiting said passage so that the fluid at least partially freezes to form said food product, and
• conducting the food product directly to a container from which the food product may be eaten.

A method of producing and dispensing an aerated food product comprising the steps of

• mixing together a liquid and a gas to produce an atomized fluid stream comprised of liquid particles;
• flowing said liquid stream through a confining passage so that the liquid particles coalesce and become aerated before the fluid exits the passage;
• rapidly chilling the aerated fluid exiting said passage so that the fluid at least partially freezes to form said food product, and
• conducting the food product directly to a container from which the food product may be eaten,
• said chilling and conducting steps being performed by
• depositing the fluid effluent from said passage onto a rotating drum having a chilled peripheral surface so that the fluid is distributed in a thin layer on said peripheral surface and freezes to form an aerated coating, and
• scraping the coating from said peripheral surface into said container.

Apparatus for producing and dispensing an aerated food product comprising

• means for producing an atomized effluent, said producing means including a fitting having a first inlet for receiving a fluid to be atomized, a second inlet for receiving a gas so that the fluid and gas intersect and mix inside the fitting, and an outlet.
• means for supplying a liquid to be atomized and an edible pressurized gas to the first and second inlets, respectively;
• a conduit defining a relatively long turbulent mixing passage of small cross-section, said conduit having one end connected to said fitting outlet to receive the atomized effluent therefrom and an other end spaced from said one end so that the effluent is subjected to confined turbulent mixing in said passage during its transit thereof and prior to its discharge from said conduit other end, and
• cooling means positioned to receive and at least partially freeze the discharge from said conduit other end.

Apparatus for making an aerated frozen food product comprising

• mixing means for supplying an atomized product from a liquid and a fluid which are to be intimately admixed;
• a relatively small diameter conduit having an entrance end connected to receive said liquid and said fluid and having a discharge end;
• temperature reducing means having an entrance position located opposite the discharge end of said conduit and an exit position spaced therefrom;
• means for applying said liquid and said fluid to said mixing means whereby said atomized product undergoes confined turbulent mixing in said conduit so that a thoroughly intermixed product is discharged from said conduit to said temperature reducing means whereupon said intermixed product undergoes a phase transition on its way to the exit position of said temperature reducing means.

Apparatus for making an aerated food product comprising

• mixing means for supplying an atomized product from a liquid and a fluid which are to be intimately admixed;
• a relatively small diameter conduit having an entrance end connected to receive said liquid and said fluid and having a discharge end;
• temperature reducing means having an entrance position located opposite the discharge end of said conduit and an exit position spaced therefrom,
• said temperature reducing means including
• a rotary drum having a thermally conductive peripheral surface,
• means for chilling said surface to a temperature below 32.degree. F., and
• means for rotating the drum at a selected speed;
• means for applying said liquid and said fluid to said mixing means whereby said atomized product undergoes confined turbulent mixing in said conduit so that a thoroughly intermixed product is discharged from said conduit to said temperature reducing means whereupon said intermixed product undergoes a phase transition on its way to the exit position of said temperature reducing means.

Apparatus for producing and dispensing an aerated food product comprising

• mixing means for mixing a liquid and a gas to produce an atomized fluid stream comprised of liquid particles;
• a flow-through confinement passage connected to receive the fluid stream from the mixing means, said passage confining the flow of the fluid stream so that the liquid particles coalesce and become aerated before exiting the passage;
• means for receiving and distributing the aerated fluid stream from the confinement passage into a relatively thin fluid layer;
• means for rapidly changing the temperature of the fluid layer in the distributing means so that the layer at least partially solidifies to form a coating of aerated food product, and means for removing the coating from the receiving and distributing means.

Apparatus for producing and dispensing an aerated food product comprising

• mixing means for mixing a liquid and a gas to produce an atomized fluid stream comprised of liquid particles;
• means defining a flow-through passage having an entrance end positioned to receive the fluid stream from the mixing means and an exit end spaced from the entrance end, said passage confining the flow of the fluid so that the liquid particles coalesce and become aerated before the fluid leaves the passage through said exit end thereof;
• cooling means located adjacent to the passage exit end for at least partially freezing the aerated fluid exiting said passage to form said food product, and
• means for introducing the frozen food product directly into a container from which the food product may be eaten.

Apparatus for producing and dispensing an aerated food product comprising

• mixing means for mixing a liquid and a gas to produce an atomized fluid stream comprised of liquid particles;
• means defining a flow-through passage having an entrance end positioned to receive the fluid stream from the mixing means and an exit end spaced from the entrance end, said passage confining the flow of the fluid so that the liquid particles coalesce and become aerated before the fluid leaves the passage through said exit end thereof;
• means for introducing the frozen food product directly into a container from which the food product may be eaten,
• said introducing means including
• a rotary drum having a rotary axis and a peripheral surface positioned under the exit end of said passage so that the fluid exiting said passage can drop onto said surface at a first angular location about said axis,
• means for rotating said drum about said axis so that the fluid dropped thereon is distributed on said peripheral surface as a relatively thin fluid layer,
• cooling means for chilling the peripheral surface so that the fluid layer thereon at least partially freezes and solidifies to form a coating of aerated food product,
• scraper means engaging said peripheral surface at a second angular position about said axis spaced from said first position for scraping said coating from said peripheral surface, and
• means for supporting a container below the scraper means to catch the coating scrapings.

Apparatus for making an aerated food product comprising

• a mixing chamber having first and second inlets and an outlet;
• a relatively small diameter conduit having an inlet and connected to the chamber outlet and an outlet end;
• source means for providing a liquid product to the chamber first inlet in response to fluid pressure;
• a source of pressurized gas;
• means for conducting said gas to the second chamber inlet and to said liquid product source means so that said gas propels the liquid product to the mixing chamber, atomizes the liquid product in the chamber and forces the atomized liquid product through the conduit for confined turbulent mixing so that a uniform aerated liquid product is delivered from said conduit outlet end, and
• means for cooling the aerated liquid product delivered from said conduit outlet end to at least partially freeze said liquid product, said cooling means comprising
• a rotary drum having a peripheral surface positioned adjacent to said conduit outlet end;
• means for rotating said drum so that said aerated liquid product delivered from said conduit outlet end spreads in a layer on said drum surface;
• means for chilling said surface so as to at least partially freeze said layer to form a solid coating, and
• means for removing said coating from said surface.