WO2019175577A1

WO2019175577A1 - Confection chilling arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO2019175577A1
Application number: PCT/GB2019/050699
Authority: WO
Original assignee: Ispresso Limited
Priority date: 2018-03-13
Filing date: 2019-03-13
Publication date: 2019-09-19
Also published as: GB201803972D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to a confection chilling arrangement with a conical shaped cooling chamber (2), a conical shaped container packaging (1) designed to fit into the cooling chamber. An angle (3) is critical to allow the optimum thermal transfer and a specially designed flash cooling system that is assembled with heat exchangers (4) and Peltier thermoelectric coolers (5) using a force to clamp the Peltier thermoelectric coolers to the cooling chamber (2) that allows optimum thermal transfer into the cooling chamber (2) for the on demand preparation of a frozen/cold confection.

Description

Confection Chilling Arrangement

The present invention relates to confection chilling arrangements and more particularly to a conical shaped cooling chamber, a conical shaped container packaging designed to fit into the cooling chamber, and a specially designed assembly of heat exchangers and peltier thermoelectric coolers clamped together with a force to allow optimised thermal transfer.

There is an objective of preparing portioned frozen confections utilizing reusable, recyclable and/or disposable packaging units. Thus, it would be possible to prepare freshly made portions of frozen/cold confections on-demand in a much shorter period of time compared to current domestically available ice cream makers. Frozen and cold confections include, but are not exclusive to, dairy and non-dairy ice creams, gelato, sorbets, sherbets, mousses, frozen yogurts, and slush beverages.

Currently available domestic ice cream makers produce quantities of ice cream ranging from 0,5 litre to 2 litres in scraped bowls and must be removed manually. Patent application WO/2010/149509/A1 relates to a portioned frozen confection system, not only utilizes cylindrical container packaging but also the container incorporates all the internal scraper and plunger unit inside the packaging.

Aspects of the present invention are defined in claim 1 below. Other features of aspect of the present invention are outlined in the claims dependent upon claim 1.

Embodiments of aspects of the present invention are described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :- a) Figure l is a schematic side illustration of a confection carton and chilling chamber in accordance with aspects of the present invention;

b) Figure 2 is an exploded upper perspective view of a confection carton and chilling chamber as depicted in Figure 1; and,

c) Figure 3 is an alternate exploded upper perspective view of a confection carton and chilling chamber as depicted in Figure 1.

The present invention improves upon the prior art by providing a means to prepare freshly made frozen/cold convection with conically shaped container packaging designed to fit inside a conical cooling chamber and utilising a flash cooling system that requires a specific force designed to optimise the thermal transfer required to produce a frozen/cold confection. The present invention for example specifically improves upon application WO/2010/149509/A1 by: a) employing a conical-to-conical fit design that ensures a tight contact for heat exchange versus a cylindrical-to-cylindrical fit and eliminates the need to loosen and tighten the cooling chamber on insertion of the container packaging; and, b) employing a force on assembly that optimises thermal transfer to produce frozen confectionary on demand.

The present invention relates to a confection chilling arrangement with a conical shaped cooling chamber, a conical shaped container packaging designed to fit into the cooling chamber. An angle is critical to allow the optimum thermal transfer and a specially designed flash cooling system that is assembled with heat exchangers and Peltier thermoelectric coolers using a force to clamp the Peltier thermoelectric coolers to the cooling chamber that allows optimum thermal transfer into the cooling chamber for the on-demand preparation of a frozen/cold confection With aspects of the present invention a conical shaped container normally in the form of carton packaging or a bowl is designed to fit inside a purposely designed conical chilling or cooling chamber to chill or cool the contents within the container. Chilling will be used to form a confection such as ice cream and cooling may provide mousse or similar confections. The conical container will hold the necessary contents and ingredients necessary to prepare the required frozen/cold confection on demand.

To chill or cool a chamber for the container efficiently formed in a suitable material, such as an aluminium cooling block, the mass of the cooling block needs to be reduced but to a sufficient depth so that at its thinnest point, structural integrity is maintained in the cooling block. This allows thermal transfer to occur efficiently and quickly between the block and the container within the chamber. Due to use of a desired internal angle of the chamber any Peltier effect thermoelectric coolers needs to be mounted to allow the maximum thermal transfer to occur to rapidly cool or chill the block and so the container within. The nature of the block will spread the chilling or cooling effect over the contact area between the block and the container. The conical shape of the chamber and container as described below will be through the thickness of the block wall as the thermal‘depth’ as presented to the confection within the container. At the wider portion of the conical chamber and so container in a block the wall will be thinner whilst the narrower part of the chamber/container the block wall will be thicker. This variation in‘thermal’ depth will be used with other means to chum (mix, aerate and combine) such as a blade assembly within the container to improve preparation of an on- demand confection to a high quality. Although a conical shape is preferred it will be understood that other tapering truncated shapes such a pyramid, diamond or the like can be used to provide a block thickness which varies to give different thermal depths utilised in confection manufacture.

The conical container (packaging carton or a bowl) will have a sealable opening at the top to allow insertion of a bladed mixing/ scraper unit. A preferred solution is to mount Peltier thermoelectric coolers edge to edge on a vertical surface with the minimum thickness of material in the block. This allows an internal angle in the chamber that retains structural integrity to the cooling block. The peltier thermoelectric coolers are then clamped in between the cooling block and the heat exchanger chamber with normally a compression forceto ensure good thermal contact and transfer. This clamping force in conjunction with the assembly between the heat exchanger and the cooling block allows the optimisation of thermal transfer.

The present invention relates to the fast and on-demand preparation of freshly made and portioned frozen/cold edible confections (dairy and non-dairy ice creams, gelato, sorbets, sherbets, mousses, frozen yogurts, and slush beverages) utilizing reusable, recyclable and/or disposable packaging units (cartons) or reusable bowls. The invention relates to three key components, A) a conical cooling chamber, B) a conical container packaging, and C) an assembly of the flash cooling system clamped with a force to optimise thermal transfer to the cooling system.

Figure 1 shows how a conical container packaging is inserted into the conical cooling chamber. The packaging seal at the top of the container packaging is manually removed to allow access for the external mixer/scraper unit. The external mixer/scraper unit is inserted into the container packaging. A rotational mechanical drive is applied to the mixer/scraping unit as the chamber cools the contents of the container packaging. The mixing/scraping unit scrapes, mixes and aerates the ingredients within the container during cooling. When the confection is ready, the mixer/scraper unit is removed allowing the packaging container to be removed for consumption of the frozen/cold confection. To be ready to receive the next container packaging, the cooling chamber can undergo a defrosting stage to eliminate any ice crystal build-up on the surface of the internal walls of the conical cooling chamber. Such ice will alter the heat transfer effects of the surface of the chilling/cooling chamber as well as be detrimental to the packaging carton in terms of presentation etc.

The core element of the confection chilling arrangement in accordance with aspects of the present invention are as follows :-

A) The Conical Cooling Chamber

A conically shaped cooling chamber (2), is designed with dimensions to hold a conically shaped container packaging. The cooling chamber is effectively a refrigeration unit using either conventional vapour compression or thermoelectric 'peltier' technology. During the defrosting stage, a reversed compressor gas flow valve can be used in the case of vapour compression refrigeration or reversing the polarity and or stopping the electrical current (DC, direct current) in the case of thermoelectric 'peltier'. This allows for the internal surface of the conical cooling chamber to increase in temperature (heating instead of cooling) very quickly to the point at which any ice crystals will melt and liquefy and/or evaporate.

B) The Conical Container Packaging

Figure 2 shows the conical container packaging. The conical container packaging is designed with dimensions to fit snugly into the conical cooling chamber (Fig. 2). The container packaging is pre-dosed containing all the ingredients necessary to make a frozen/cold confection. The ingredients are preferably chilled or shelf-stable and include a gaseous phase e.g. air, in the container packaging headspace. The volume ratio of liquid & solid ingredients versus gas can vary between 30% and 90% depending on the type and texture of frozen convention required. The container packaging has a removable peel-off seal at the top (Figure 5). The top seal is removed so that the scraper unit can be inserted into the packaging.

C) The flash cooling assembly

Figure 3 shows the assembly of the flash cooling unit comprising heat exchanger block, peltier thermoelectric heater s/coolers and a cooling chamber.

As can be seen in Figure 1 the packaging carton or bowl 1 is configured to be a snug fit within the chilling arrangement 2 in terms of the shape of the chamber to receive the carton/bowl 1. The chamber has an angle 3 such that a tapered conical carton/bowl 1 sits closely within the chamber of the arrangement 2. The weight of the carton/bowl 1 with the components of the confection will force engagement between the surfaces of the carton 1 and chilling chamber of the arrangement 2. The angle 3 is chosen to facilitate such forced engagement but additionally a force normally from above will be applied for good surface to surface abutment and so heat transfer. It will be understood as the confection solidifies that the mixing/scraping mechanism to may apply some force normally downward as the mixing/scraping mechanism chums the confection components in an inward downward spiral flow motion to cause confection formation. As can been in figure 1 an upper lip part of the chilling arrangement chamber 2 generally has less depth or is thinner than a lower base part of the arrangement. Thus, as illustrated in figure 2 with Peltier effect devices 5 secured to substantially vertical side walls of the arrangement 2 a different thermal depth or gradient is presented to the carton 1 presented within the chamber of the arrangement. The heat density of the thicker lower parts of the assembly 2 will be different to the upper lip parts of the assembly 2. These differences are utilised in the confection making process with the carton 1 when chilled with its contents to form the confection.

In figure 3 a further refinement of aspects of the present invention is illustrated with a carton 1 with confection components place within the chamber of a chiller arrangement. Peltier effect devices 5 are presented upon heater exchangers 4 which in turn are secured to the chamber block forming the chamber to receive the carton 1. As previously the block is chilled from all sides and a scraper/mixer mechanism used to form the confection in use. The chilling (and heating for defrost) effects of the Peltier effect devices 5 is regulated by the heat exchangers 4 for greater control of the chilling/cooling effects to form the confection. The chamber block in accordance with aspects of the present invention is normally formed from aluminium to allow heat transfer whilst having the necessary structural strength so that relatively thin depths of chamber wall for heat transfer in accordance with aspects of the present invention can also have the resilience to consistently present the carton as normally initially quite flaccid elements, particularly when the seal or lid to the carton packaging is removed.

In accordance with aspects of the present invention there is provided optimisation of the cooling chamber by positioning the Peltier coolers as close to the inner wall of the chamber as possible while leaving a minimum of material thickness of lmm in the block for strength as the thinnest point.

Aspects of the present invention ensure the clamping force is required is that necessary to hold the cooling chamber as tight in contact as possible to the face of the Peltier cooling module.

There is no actual contact pressure between the packaging or carton and the cooling chamber wall. Ideally, there is an exact fit with the angle allowing for any tolerance variation. However, it may be necessary to add a clamping force or method to prevent rotation of the packaging in use with and during the mixing process.

The chamber wall ideally needs to be smooth and the packaging or carton outer wall and inner wall need also to be smooth. This smooth to smooth engagement allows a true fit of the packaging to the cooling chamber wall for thermal transfer and an inner smooth surface for the scraper blades to rotate across and scrape off the frozen product.

The confection will hardened as formed in the packaging carton and will remain in the packaging to be eaten with a spoon.

Reference annotations

(1) Conical container packaging

(2) Conical cooling chamber (3) angle

(4) heat exchanger

(5) thermo electric cooler

Claims

1. A confection chilling arrangement comprising a conical shaped chilling/cooling chamber (2) suitable for receiving a conical container packaging (1) for the on demand preparation of a frozen/cold confection, the chilling/cooling chamber in a solid block with means for chilling thereabout such that the conical shaped chamber has a wall depth variation gradient along the sides of the arrangement between upper parts and lower parts and across which the means for chilling acts upon a wall of the chamber .

2. A cooling chamber according to claim 1, wherein the means for chilling is either conventional vapour compression or thermoelectric 'Peltier' cooling technology.

3. A conical shaped container packaging (1) for a confection chilling arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the packaging is suitable for inserting into the conical cooling chamber (2) by a reciprocal wall angle between the packaging and the chamber, said container packaging contains the ingredients necessary for producing a frozen/cooled confection with conical dimensions determined to ensure a fit into chamber with a pre-determined compression force due to the weight of the ingredients acting along the wall angle .

4. A container packaging according to claim 3, comprising of sealable openings at the top (5) and that allows for the insertion of a mixing/scraping unit and allows the formation of the frozen/cold confection by chilling/cooling and mixing action of the mixing/scraping unit.

5. A container packaging according to claim 4, wherein the sealable openings are closures such that the ingredients and contents necessary to produce the frozen/cold confection remain stable within the packaging adjacent the wall of the chamber for chilling.

6. A container packaging according to any of claims 3 to 5 wherein the ingredients provide portioned and aerated volumes (50ml - 300ml) of frozen/cold confections including, but are not exclusive to, dairy and non-dairy ice creams, gelato, sorbets, sherbets, mousses, frozen yogurts, and slush beverages.

7. An arrangement as claims in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the means of chilling (4) is clamped to the cooling chamber (1) with a force to achieve thermal contact forthermal transfer.

8. An arrangement as claim in any of claims 1, 2 or 7 wherein the angle of the chamber is such that in use a reciprocal packaging carton or a bowl is urged into side-by-side abutment by the weight of the carton or bowl and its contents.

9. An arrangement as claimed in any of claims 1, 2, 7 or 8 wherein the block to form the chamber is substantially formed for aluminium.

10. An arrangement as claimed in any of claims 1, 2, 7, 8 or 9 wherein the conical chamber and so any reciprocal packaging has a truncated taper..

11. An arrangement as claimed in any of claims 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 or 10 wherein the arrangement includes mixing and/or scraping means arranged at one end of the conical chamber in use.

12. An arrangement as claimed in claim 11 wherein the mixing and/or scraping means is configured when the chamber has a packaging carton or a bowl with confection with such that the mixing and/or scraping means drives motion of the confection to further enforce engagement of the carton or bowl with the chamber for heat transfer.