GB2139516A - An apparatus for use in preparation of foodstuffs - Google Patents

Abstract

A bowl 2 is provided with a lid 3 and a feedtube 4 and is mounted on a shaft 5 driven for rotation by a motor 6. A tool arrangement 7, mounted on the shaft 5 within the bowl 2, comprises a cutting disc 8, and a wire assembly 9 and a dispensing component 10, the cutting disc 8 and wire assembly 9 being arranged to implement the preparation of foodstuff within the bowl 1 and the dispensing component 10 being arranged to urge, in a continuous manner, prepared foodstuff from the bowl 2 into a container, via outlet 11. Simultaneous implementation of the preparation and dispensing of the foodstuff reduces the length of time that the foodstuff remains in the bowl 2 and thus aids in maintaining the prepared foodstuff, such as soft ice-cream, at the required temperature and consistency. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An Apparatus for Use in Preparation of Foodstuffs for Consumption This invention relates to an apparatus for use in the preparation of foodstuffs for consumption, and it is particularly, though not exciusively, useful in the preparation of soft-ice or soft-icecream.

Such an apparatus for use in the preparation of soft-ice-cream is disclosed in our copending Patent Application EPO 83302055.5 (Pub. No.

0091825), wherein prior to preparation within the apparatus, a mixture of water and a granular or powdered soft-ice material is prepared and prefrozen for storage. When required for consumption, chunks of the pre-frozen mixture are fed into a housing mounted on the apparatus, the chunks being chopped and the frozen mixture being subsequently whipped by a suitable rotatably-driven tool arrangement mounted within the housing and driven by a motor of the apparatus, thereby producing the soft-ice-cream.

However, the apparatus disclosed in Application No. EPO 83302055.5 (Pub. No.

0091825) is so constructed that, once the softice-cream has been prepared, it is necessary to remove the lid of the housing and at least part of the tool arrangement and to scoop manually the soft-ice-cream out from within the housing, which may cause the consistency and temperature of the prepared soft ice-cream to be spoiled.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved type of apparatus for use in the preparation of foodstuffs, such as soft-icecream.

According to the invention there is provided an apparatus for use in preparation of foodstuffs for consumption including a housing for retaining the foodstuffs, said housing having a tool arrangement mounted therein for rotation on a rotatable shaft, and driving means for driving said shaft, said tool arrangement comprising one or more components arranged so as to implement said preparation and a further component arranged to present prepared foodstuffs substantially continuously, for dispensing from the housing, said dispensing being effected via an outlet provided in said housing, said one or more components and said further component being capable of simultaneous implementation of their respective functions.

The driving means and the rotatable shaft preferably form part of either a food mixer or a food processor, and the housing preferably consists of a bowl mounted on the food mixer or processor.

The one or more components for implementing said preparation preferably comprises a first component arranged to carry out a grating, slicing, shredding or chopping action on chunks of pre-frozen mixture of the foodstuffs, such as softice-cream to produce fragments thereof, and a second component arranged to carry out a mixing and/or whipping action on the fragments of the pre-frozen mixture, so as to produce an aerated soft-ice-cream having a consistency similar to that of ordinary whipped cream.

The further component is preferably arranged, by rotation thereof at a substantially high speed, to dispense continuously, as it is being prepared by the apparatus, the prepared soft-ice-cream from the housing via the outlet.

A shutter mechanism may be provided to retain prepared foodstuff within the housing until it is required, at which time the shutter mechanism can be opened and the further component activated to dispense the foodstuffs from within the housing, via the outlet.

The invention will now be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein: Figure 1 shows one embodiment of the invention, and Figure 2 shows a second embodiment thereof.

Referring to Figure 1, a food processor, shown in general outline at 1, has a bowl 2, in which preparation of foodstuff takes place, mounted thereon, having a lid 3 with a feed-tube 4 formed therein. The bowl 2 surrounds a rotatable shaft 5, which is driven by a motor 6 of the food processor 1.

A tool arrangement, shown generally at 7, is also mounted on the shaft 5 within the bowl 2.

The tool arrangement 7 comprises a first component 8, which consists of a suitable cutting disc for providing a grating, shredding, slicing, chopping or abrasive action, a second component 9, which consists of a wire assembly for providing a mixing and/or whipping action, and a further component 10, which consists of a dispensing disc for urging foodstuffs prepared by the first and second components, 8 and 9, out of the bowl 2, in a substantially continuous manner.

The dispensing action performed by the disc 10 is achieved by rotation thereof on the shaft 5, at a suitable speed, to urge the foodstuff out of the bowl 2 via outlet 11 disposed near the base of the bowl 2.

The outlet 11 may be provided with a shutter 1 2, so that foodstuff can be prepared and retained within the bowl 2 until required, at which time the shutter can be opened and, by rotation of the disc 10, the foodstuff can be dispensed via the outlet 11.

The cutting disc 8 has apertures, (not shown) formed therein for providing the grating, shredding, slicing or chopping action of the foodstuff and through which the consequently formed fragments thereof pass into the bowl 2.

The cutting disc 8 may also have an upstanding portion (also not shown) at the centre thereof, so that the disc 8 may be easily lifted off of the shaft 5, over which cylindrical portion 1 5 of the disc 8 is placed.

The wire assembly 9 consists of any suitable configuration of wires, sufficiently robust for providing a mixing and/or whipping action.

In the preferred configuration of the wire assembly 9, a first generally vertical wire 9a is arranged to be disposed closely adjacent to the side wall of the bowl 2 and a second generally vertical wire 9b is arranged to be disposed further within the bowl 2 towards the centre thereof, so that, by rotation of the wire assembly 9, mixing and/or whipping of the foodstuff is provided in substantially all regions of the interior of the bowl 2.

The dispensing disc 10 is also provided with an upstanding cylindrical portion 16, which is fitted over the shaft 5 and connected to the cylindrical portion 1 5 of the cutting disc 8, so that rotation of the shaft 5 causes rotation of the whole tool arrangement 7.

From the Figure it can be seen that the dispensing disc 10 is arranged so as to be closely adjacent to the inner bottom surface of the bowl 2.

It can also be seen from Figure 1 that the bowl 2 has been raised to a substantial height above surface 1 9 upon which the food processor 1 is placed, thus enabling a suitable container (not shown), for catching the dispensed foodstuff, to be positioned under the outlet 11.

In operation, rotation of the tool arrangements 7 is provided by the motor 6, and chunks of a prefrozen mixture of water and a granular or powdered soft-ice material are fed into the feedtube 4. The rotating cutting disc 8 grates, slices, shreds or chops the chunks into fragments of the pre-frozen mixture, which pass through the disc 8 into the bowl 2.

The fragments are then mixed and/or whipped and aerated by the wire assembly 9, until a softice-cream having a consistency of ordinary whipped cream is produced.

The prepared soft-ice-cream can thus be continuously dispensed, by rotation of the dispensing disc 10 at a suitable speed, from the bowl 2 via outlet 11 into a container positioned therebelow, the dispensing being implemented simultaneously with the operation of the first and second preparation components, 8 and 9.

Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the invention, wherein like parts are labelled with like reference numerals with respect to Figure 1.

Figure 2 illustrates only the bowl 2 with lid 3 and feed-tube 4, the rotatable shaft 5 being connected to the motor 6, which is shown in Figure 1.

The bowl 2 in Figure 2 is divided into an upper compartment 20 and a lower compartment 21 by a partition member 22.

The tool arrangement 7 consists of the cutting disc 8, first and second blade portions 23a and 23b, which together form the component for providing the mixing and/or whipping action, and a conical component 24 for presenting prepared soft ice-cream to the outlet 11 , from which dispensing is effected and which in this case is not provided with a shutter, as shown in the embodiment in Figure 1.

The soft ice-cream is therefore confined to the upper compartment 20, wherein it is whipped to the correct consistency and immediately dispensed from the compartment 20 by the conical dispensing component 24, having its outer surface 25 sioping down towards the outlet 11, and through the outlet 11 into a container (not shown) positioned therebelow.

It can therefore be envisaged that by cooperation of the two preparation components and of the dispensing component, their respective functions may be implemented simultaneously so as to reduce substantially the length of time that the soft ice-cream remains in the bowl, thereby aiding in maintaining the soft ice-cream at the required temperature and consistency.

Confinement of the soft ice-cream to the upper compartment 20 in Figure 2 further aids in reducing the time that the soft ice-cream remains within the bowl before it is dispensed.

The blade portions 23a and 23b preferably have a relatively small square cross-sectional area of approximately 0.5 mmx0.5 mm.

The preferred food processor is provided with more than one speed of operation, because it has been found advantageous to operate the processor at a relatively low speed (e.g. 450 rpm) during the initial grating stage of the preparation, and then to operate it at a higher speed (e.g.

1000 or 1500 rpm) during the subsequent whipping and dispensing stages. The food processor is also preferably provided with a "pulse" button which allows brief intermittent activation of the tool arrangement, because the correct consistency of the soft-ice-cream can depend quite critically on the amount of whipping carried out by the wire assembly.

Instead of utilising a food mixer or processor a separate driving unit may alternatively be used to drive the rotatable shaft, upon which the tool arrangement is positioned.

Claims (8)

1. An apparatus for use in preparation of foodstuffs for consumption including a housing for retaining the foodstuffs, said housing having a tool arrangement mounted therein for rotation on a rotatable shaft, and driving means for driving said shaft, said tool arrangement comprising one or more components arranged so as to implement said preparation and a further component arranged to present prepared foodstuffs, substantially continuously, for dispensing from the housing, said dispensing being effected via an outlet provided in said housing, said one or more components and said further component being capable of simultaneous implementation of their respective functions.

2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said driving means and said rotatable shaft form part of a food mixer or processor.

3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said housing consists of a bowl for mounting on the shaft of said food mixer or processor.

4. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1,2 or 3 wherein said one or more components comprises a first component arranged to carry out a grating, slicing, shredding or chopping action on chunks of foodstuff to produce fragments thereof and a second component arranged to carry out a mixing and/or whipping action on the fragments.

5. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said further component comprises a substantially disc-shaped member arranged to urge said prepared foodstuff out of said housing via said outlet.

6. An apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein said further component comprises a substantially conical-shaped member having an outer surface sloping downwardly towards said outlet.

7. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said outlet is provided with a shutter mechanism for retaining prepared foodstuff within the housing, until it is required to be dispensed by said further component.

8. An apparatus substantially as herein described with references to the accompanying drawings.