IT202100010553A1 - PROCEDURE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF AN ICE CREAM ON A STICK - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION of the industrial invention entitled:

?Procedure for the production of ice cream on a stick?

DESCRIPTION TEXT

The present invention relates to a process for making an ice cream on a stick, in particular comprising a first body fixed to a stick and made of a first material, and a shell which covers the first body and made in a second material.

With reference to figures 6A-6D, according to the prior art, the conventional method for making such an ice cream provides for the provision of a mold 101? equipped with a cavity 101A?, on the bottom of which ? prepared in advance a stick 208? (figure 6A).

The procedure provides, therefore, to dose inside the cavity? 101A? the first material 201? to make the first 204 body? (figure 6B).

Subsequently, the first material 201? dosed inside the cavity? 101A? of the 101 mold? is cooled to consolidate, while establishing a tight connection between the first body 204? and the stick 208?.

Does the process therefore provide for the extraction of the semi-finished product constituted by the first body 204? and from the stick 208? fixed thereon, by gripping the product on the stick 208?, and to immerse the first body in a bath made up of the second material 202? in liquid form (Figure 6C).

When the product is removed from the bath (FIG. 6D), a layer of the second material remains attached to the first body 2042, which is then cooled to thus consolidate. to get the outer shell 206?.

The automation of the process indicated above requires the preparation of a very complex and expensive plant, which finds application only in industrial production environments.

AND? therefore felt the need for a production process that is more? simple and less expensive to automate intended for medium and small production areas, such as craft workshops or small realities? industrial.

The object of the present invention is to provide a new process for the production of an ice cream on a stick which satisfies the above requirement.

This object is achieved through a process according to claim 1.

The claims form an integral part of the technical teaching provided herein.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the attached drawings, provided purely by way of non-limiting example, in which:

- figure 1 schematically represents an example of a machine for implementing the method described herein;

- figure 2 represents a unit? of the valve of the machine of figure 1 according to an axonometric view;

- figures 3A, 3B represent a sectional view of the unit? of the valve of figure 2, in two different operating conditions, respectively;

- figures 4A to 4E show successive steps of an example of the process described herein;

- figure 5 shows an example of ice cream made with the process described here;

- figures 6A to 6D show successive steps of a process according to the prior art.

Various specific details are illustrated in the following description aimed at a thorough understanding of the embodiments. Can the embodiments be made without one or more? specific details, or with other methods, components or materials, etc. In other cases, known material structures or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid making various aspects of the embodiment obscure.

References used here are for convenience only. and therefore do not define the scope of protection or the scope of the forms of implementation.

As anticipated above, the solution described herein relates to a process for the production of an ice cream on a stick.

With reference to figure 5, the product in question ? overall indicated with the reference number 200 ? comprises, in particular, a first body 204 fixed on a stick 208 and made of a first material, and a shell 206 which covers the first body 204 and ? made in a second material.

Unlike the process of the prior art discussed at the beginning, to form the first body and the outer shell the process described here provides for dosing inside the cavity of a mold simultaneously the first material intended to form the first body, and the second material intended to form the second body.

Before being dosed, the first material? kept refrigerated at a temperature below 10?C.

After the dosing phase of the two materials, the semi-finished product obtained is cooled until it reaches a temperature lower than at least ?20?C, even more? preferably lower than -40?C.

Furthermore, the procedure described here provides for the insertion of a stick inside the cavity of the mold cos? to penetrate the first and second bodies.

Preferably, the step of inserting the stick? carried out before the cooling phase of the two bodies to a temperature below -20?C.

Preferably, the process described here employs a dosing machine of the type comprising:

a machine for making a stuffed food product, comprising:

- a first container for receiving a first food material;

- a second container to receive a second food material or a unit? connection to connect a second container, containing the second material, to the machine;

- a unit? metering device comprising at least one metering nozzle, wherein the metering nozzle comprises a first outlet and a second outlet, which ? outside the first exit and surrounds the first exit;

- at least one unit? a valve for controlling a flow of the first material to the first outlet and a flow of the second material to the second outlet; And

- a unit? control to command at least one unit? of a valve for providing, individually or simultaneously, a flow of material through the first outlet and a flow of material through the second outlet.

Machines of the type indicated above are, for example, the dosing machines called ?ONE SHOT?.

According to the prior art, this type of machine is normally used for the production of filled chocolate products, for example pralines.

How will you see? hereinafter, the process described here provides that the dosing machine used comprises a unit? cooling to cool an internal surface of the first container cos? to cool the first material intended to form the aforementioned first body or the internal body of the ice cream.

Will it be described below? a preferred embodiment of the dosing machine for implementing the method described herein.

With reference to figures 1 to 3B, the machine described here - indicated as a whole with the reference number 10 - comprises a first container 2 for receiving a first food material;

- a second container 4 for receiving a second food material;

- a unit? dosing knob 6 for dosing the first and second material contained in containers 2 and 4;

- a first unit? of valve 8 for controlling a flow of the first material to the unit? dosing 6, and a second unit? of valve 12 for controlling a flow of the second material to the unit? dosing 6.

In one or more preferred embodiments, such as the one illustrated, the unit? metering device 6 comprises a series of nozzles 14. These nozzles protrude below from a structure 6C of the unit? 6, from which they are taken.

Each nozzle 14 comprises a first outlet 14A and a second outlet 14B, which? external to the first exit 14A and surrounds it.

For example, in one or more preferred embodiments, such as the one illustrated, the nozzle 14 comprises a first tubular duct 14C and a second tubular duct 14D, which is coaxial with respect to the first duct 14C and ? arranged externally so as to surround the first conduit 14C. The extremity? bottom of the first duct 14C defines the aforementioned first outlet 14A. On the other hand, the opening obtained between the extremity? bottom of the duct 14C and the extremity? bottom of the second duct 14D defines the aforementioned second outlet 14B.

The number of nozzles 14 pu? vary according to the needs of specific applications.

In one or more preferred embodiments, such as the one shown, each of the two units? of valve 8, 12 comprises a block 22 which defines, at the top, a series of inlet ports 24 and, at the bottom, a series of outlet ports 26, preferably vertically aligned with the ports 24, along respective directions Zi.

The number of mouths 24, 26 ? function of the number of nozzles 14. Preferably, the two series of mouths 24, 26 extend along a direction X on a horizontal plane of the block 22.

Inside the block 22, between the inlet mouths 24 and the outlet mouths 26, ? obtained a cylindrical seat 28, within which? a shutter member 32 of corresponding shape is movably mounted. In particular, the seat 28 extends horizontally in the same direction X along which the mouths 24 and 26 are aligned.

The shutter organ 32 ? movable axially, in translation, along the same direction X, actuated by a motorized linear actuator 34.

Furthermore, the block 22 has a series of cylindrical chambers 36 which extend horizontally along respective directions Yi, orthogonal to the direction X, and each flow into the cylindrical seat 28 in a position in which a respective pair of mouths 24 and 26 are located.

Within each chamber 36 ? placed a piston (not shown) that ? mobile along the Yi direction according to an alternating translational motion, as will be seen? in the sequel.

The shutter member 32 has on its outer surface a series of pairs of recesses 40, 42 each positioned in correspondence with a respective pair of mouths 24, 26.

With reference to a single pair, the recess 40 ? intended to connect the inlet mouth 24 and the collection chamber 36, while the hollow 42 is designed to connect the collection chamber 36 and the outlet mouth 26.

Preferably, the recesses 40, 42 have a depth which never reaches the geometric axis of the shutter member 32. Still preferably, the recesses 40, 42 are made by milling along a cutting plane secant with respect to the circular profile of the section of the member 32.

In one or more preferred embodiments, such as the one illustrated, the recesses 40, 42 have two different orientations around the geometrical axis of the shutter member 32, preferably phase shifted by about 90?. Will you notice? that in the configuration shown the cutting plane from which ? defined each of the two recesses 40, 42 ? inclined at 45? with respect to the horizontal axis of the corresponding chamber 36 (ie with respect to the direction Yi along which this chamber extends).

The operation of the unit? of valve, 8 or 12, provides for arranging the shutter member 32 in its first position in which the recesses 40 are brought in correspondence with the inlet mouths 24 placing the latter in communication with the collection chambers 36.

At this point, the pistons inside the chambers 36 perform a stroke in the opposite direction to the shutter member 32 to suck the material contained in the container 2 or 4 into the same chambers 36.

Subsequently, the shutter member 32 is moved to its second position in which the recesses 42 are brought in correspondence with the outlet mouths 26, placing these in communication with the collection chambers 36.

Subsequently, the pistons are again actuated in a stroke in the opposite direction with respect to the previous one, towards the shutter member 32, to push the material out of the collection chambers 36 and send it to the nozzles 14 of the unit. dosing 6.

The material sucked from the container 2 is fed to the outlets 14A of the nozzles 14, while the material sucked from the container 4 is fed to the outlets 14B.

The dosing operation performed by the machine provides that the first and second material are dosed through the outlets 14A and 14B, respectively, preferably, first only the second material, then simultaneously the first and second material, and finally only the second material , what? to be formed inside a cavity? of a mold an inner body or a filling made of the first material and an outer shell made of the second material, which covers the inner body.

Does the machine 10 comprise a unit? of control 90 configured to control the actuators 34 of the two units? of valve 8, 12 in a synchronized manner to implement the dosing process described above.

Preferably, the unit? of dosing 6 ? movable vertically to lift, during the dosing phase, the nozzles 14 with respect to the mold in which the two materials are dosed. To this end, the machine 10 comprises an actuator (not shown) arranged to actuate the vertical movement of the unit? dosing 6.

In operation, the unit? metering device 6 is initially placed in a lowered position in which the nozzles 14 are placed inside the cavity? of the mold and close to the relative bottom.

With the nozzles 14 in this position, the dosing phase is started and the nozzles 14 are then raised gradually following the speed? of filling the cavity? of the mould.

For the reasons of which it will be said? hereinafter, preferably, the collection chamber 36 and the relative piston of the unit? of valve 8 have a diameter greater than the diameter of the homologous components of the unit? of valve 12.

According to an important feature of the present invention, the machine 10 comprises a unit of cooling 60 to cool an internal surface S of the container 2 so? to cool the material in this content.

In one or more preferred embodiments, such as the one illustrated, the unit? cooling system 60 comprises a refrigeration circuit operating with a refrigerant fluid.

Preferably, the refrigerant fluid includes a refrigerant gas, for example R452A and, even more so, preferably, a mixture of water and glycol.

In one or more preferred embodiments, such as the one illustrated, the refrigeration circuit comprises, in particular, a compressor 62, an evaporator 63 and a unit? of heat exchange 64. The unit? of heat exchange 64 ? arranged to place the refrigerant fluid in a condition of heat exchange with the internal surface S of the container 2. The unit? of heat exchange 64 comprises an internal region (not visible) which ? crossed by one or more conduits of the refrigerant fluid circuit and an external wall 64A in heat exchange with these conduits.

In one or more preferred embodiments, such as the one illustrated, the container 2 comprises side walls 2A and a bottom 2B which delimit a chamber V1 for receiving the material. The unit? of heat exchange 64 ? mounted in direct contact with one of the side walls 2A. In particular, the outer wall 64A of the unit? 64 ? placed in direct contact with the lateral wall 2A which defines the internal surface S.

The unit? cooling 60 ? arranged to keep the material contained in the container 2 at a temperature below 10°C.

Thanks to the unit of cooling 60, the machine 10 ? capable of dosing cold fillings for the preparation of cold or frozen food products, such as ice cream, without the need for of external plants for the production of "cold", which are usually absent in small production areas, such as, for example, craft workshops or small realities? industrial.

It should now be noted that the increased diameter of the collection chamber 36 and of the relative piston of the unit? of valve 8, compared to the unit? of valve 12, facilitates the dosing of cold materials which are highly viscous and, moreover, allows high flow rates to be dispensed to produce internal bodies or fillings which have an overall volume considerably greater than the volume of material of the outer shell.

Thanks to these characteristics, the dosing machine 10 is particularly advantageous when used for the production of stick ice creams of the type indicated at the beginning.

Furthermore, in one or more preferred embodiments, the machine 10 further comprises a unit? of heating 68 for heating an internal surface S? of the container 4 and/or of the ducts which transport the material from the container 4 to the nozzles 14 of the unit? dosing 6.

In one or more preferred embodiments, the unit? heating element 68 comprises at least one electric resistance.

In one or more preferred embodiments, the container 4 comprises side walls 4A and a bottom 4B which delimit a chamber V2 for receiving the material. The unit? heating 68 pu? comprising at least one electrical resistance arranged in a heat exchange condition with the bottom 4B and/or with at least one of the side walls 4A. Alternatively or in addition, the unit? heating 68 pu? include at least one electrical resistor arranged in a heat exchange condition with one or more? ducts that transport the material from the container 4 to the nozzles 14.

In container 4, machine 10 can contain material that needs to be kept at a temperature higher than room temperature to be dosed in the mode? described above. For example, container 4 can? contain melted chocolate.

In one or more preferred embodiments, such as the one illustrated, the machine 10 also comprises a conveyor 80 which is positioned below the unit? of dosing 6 and ? designed to feed in succession a plurality? of molds 100 below the unit? dosing 6 to perform the dosing process inside the cavities? 101 of the molds 100. Preferably, the conveyor 80 is a conveyor belt that follows a closed loop path.

In one or more preferred embodiments, such as the one illustrated, the conveyor 80 is vertically adjustable to vary the vertical distance between its transport plane 80? and the structure 6C from which the nozzles 14 protrude.

This adjustment allows the machine 10 to operate in various applications in which the products to be made have considerably different heights from one application to another.

In one or more preferred embodiments, such as the one illustrated, the conveyor 80 is carried by a sled 81, which ? vertically movable on a guide frame 82 and ? operated by an actuator 83.

In one embodiment, the vertical movement of the conveyor 80 can also be used to realize the relative movement between the unit? metering device 6 and the mold for forming the product, previously described.

In view of the above, with reference to figures 4A to 4C, the process described here includes the following steps:

- placing the first material 201 in the first container 2 and maintaining the first material 201 at a temperature below 10°C;

- placing the second material 202 in the second container 4;

- through the unit? dosing 6, dose inside a cavity? 101A of a mold 101 the first and second materials 201, 202 through the first and second outlets 14A, 14B, respectively, of the nozzle 14, preferably first only the second materials, then simultaneously the first and second materials, and finally only the second material, cos? to be formed inside the cavity? 101 the first body 204 made in the first material and the outer shell 206 made in the second material, which encloses the first body 204 inside it;

- cooling the first and second bodies 204, 206 until they reach a temperature below -20°C, preferably below -40°C.

Preferably, before cooling the two bodies, the method provides for inserting a stick 208 inside the cavity 101A of the mold 101 cos? to penetrate the first and second body 204, 206.

The subsequent phase of cooling below -20°C makes it possible to create a firm connection between the two bodies 204, 206 and the stick 208.

Preferably, the first material has properties of cohesion of its constituent elements which are preserved only if the same is kept refrigerated at a temperature below 10?C.

The first material can be obtained on the basis of a common recipe for the production of ice cream.

The first material can include a selection of the following ingredients: water, sugars, fats, non-fat milk solids (SLNG) and other solids (AS). For example, the first material can? include one or more of the following ingredients: milk, cream, water, fruit, sugars, thickeners, powdered milk, eggs, dried fruit, fats, vegetables, natural extracts, etc.

As an example, below are three recipes with different balances between sugars, fats, SLNG and AS.

In a way by itself? known, the mixture for ice cream obtained can? undergo the following processing steps at a controlled temperature:

1) pasteurization at a temperature between 85-95°C;

2) maturation: the product is kept at 4°C for a pre-established time;

3) freezing / homogenization / overrun technology: process in which the product is kept cold below 10 ?C and at the same time subjected to stirring to incorporate air and assume a given consistency, or a given ?solidity?.

The quantity? of entrained air can? vary from 0% to 130% (by volume) depending on the type of recipe and the quality? of the product to be made (usually it is less than 35% in artisanal ice creams, and more than 70% in industrial ice creams).

Will you notice? that the temperature lower than 10°C, at which the first material is kept inside the first container 2, allows to preserve the condition of the material reached at the end of the whipping / homogenization / technology overrun process.

There? guarantees that the first material can be worked in an optimal way for the production process of ice cream on a stick illustrated above. Preferably, the second material ? a product containing at least 10% fat. For example, the second material pu? be chocolate.

Pi? in general, note that the procedure described here can? It can also be used to produce popsicles, sorbets, and other similar food products.

Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining the same, the construction details and embodiments may vary, even significantly, with respect to what is illustrated here purely by way of non-limiting example, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention , what? as defined by the appended claims.

For example, note that the dosing machine described here can be devoid of the second container and provide instead a?unit? to connect an external container to the machine or, in particular, to the unit? of valve 12. In a preferred embodiment, the unit? link in question ? designed to connect the machine described here to a chocolate tempering machine.

Claims (6)

1. Process for making an ice cream, or a popsicle, or a sorbet, of the type comprising an inner body (204) fixed on a stick (208) and made of a first material (201), and an outer shell (206) which covers the internal body (204) and ? made of a second material (202), wherein the process employs a machine comprising: - a first container (2) for receiving the first material (201); - a second container (4) to receive the second material (202) or a unit? connection to connect a second container to the machine; - a?unit? metering nozzle (6) comprising at least one metering nozzle (14), wherein the metering nozzle (14) comprises a first outlet (14A) and a second outlet (14B) which ? outside the first exit (14A) and surrounds it; - at least one? unit? valve (8, 12) for controlling a flow of the first material (201) to the first outlet (14A) and a flow of the second material (202) to the second outlet (14B); in which the machine includes a?unit? of cooling (60) to cool an internal surface (S) of the first container (2) so? to cool or refrigerate the first material (201); the process including the following steps: - placing the first material (201) in the first container (2) and maintaining the first material at a temperature below 10°C; - placing the second material (202) in the second container (4); - through the unit? dosing (6), dose inside a cavity? (101A) of a mold (101) the first and second materials (201, 202) through the first and second outlets (14A, 14B), respectively, preferably first only the second materials, then simultaneously the first and second material, and finally only the second material, cos? to be formed inside the cavity? (101A) the inner body (204) made of the first material (201) and the outer shell (206) made of the second material (202), which lines the inner body (204); - cooling the internal body and the external shell (204, 206) to bring them to a temperature below -20°C, preferably below -40°C. The method according to claim 1, which includes inserting a stick (208) into the cavity? (101A) of the mold (101) cos? as to penetrate the outer shell and the inner body (204, 206). 3. Process according to claim 2, wherein the step of inserting the stick (208) is carried out before the cooling step of the inner body and the outer shell (204, 206) at a temperature below -20°C. 4. Process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first material comprises a selection from the following ingredients: water, sugars, fats, non-fat milk solids (SLNG) and other solids (AS), for example, the first material including one or more? of the following ingredients: milk, cream, water, fruit, sugars, thickeners, powdered milk, eggs, dried fruit, fats, vegetables, natural extracts, etc. 5. Process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second material comprises a fat-based material, for example chocolate. 6. Process according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the cavity? (101A) of the mold (101) ? open at the top and the stick (208) ? inserted inside from the top.