JP2533461B2 - Surface quick freezing device for frozen dessert - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for producing frozen desserts such as ice cream or shaved ice, which is filled in a container, and more particularly to a surface for cooling and hardening the surface of the frozen dessert material exposed after filling the container. It relates to a quick freezer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When industrially manufacturing ice confections such as ice cream and shaved ice, an agitated and cooled ice cream material or a piece of ice is filled in a container, and the exposed surface is covered with a lid. The article coated with is brought into the curing chamber and cured in the curing chamber. However, since the ice cream material just after filling still retains fluidity, its shape collapses during transportation to the curing chamber. This problem is particularly noticeable in the case where the soft ice cream is filled up in the container above the container. Further, in the case of shaved ice, the surface is melted during the transportation to the curing chamber, and the surface is re-frozen into a plate shape during cooling in the curing chamber, which lowers the commercial value. Therefore, conventionally, a freezing device is arranged between the content filling part and the exposed surface coating part, and a container immediately after being filled with ice cream material or ice fragments is sent to the freezing device to rapidly freeze the surface. Was there.

In a conventional refrigerating apparatus, a tunnel-shaped freezer is arranged along the carrying direction, and cold air in the tunnel is made to act on the goods being carried to freeze the material in the container. Liquid nitrogen was sprayed in an open state toward the exposed surface of the item.

[0004]

However, in the tunnel freezer type, since the structure of the tunnel must be constructed so that external heat does not enter the tunnel, the equipment cost is high and both ends are Since it is necessary to cool the entire inside of the open tunnel, the running cost is high.

On the other hand, in the type in which the liquid nitrogen is directly jetted to the exposed surface of the article being conveyed, the exposed surface is easily deformed due to the influence of the jetting pressure of the liquid nitrogen, and the article is related to the jetting direction. There is a problem in that the degree of cooling in the circumferential direction of the is uneven, and the cooling temperature is uneven. The present invention has been made paying attention to such a point, and an object thereof is to provide a freezing device that can efficiently and rapidly cool an item with a simple configuration.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention has a surface hardening device disposed between the content filling part and the exposed surface covering part, and the surface hardening device covers the upper side of the frozen dessert. It is characterized in that it is composed of a horn and a liquid nitrogen spray nozzle arranged inside the horn so as to open toward the ceiling wall portion of the horn, and the liquid nitrogen spray nozzle is connected in communication with the liquid nitrogen storage container.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the surface hardening device is arranged between the content filling part and the exposed surface covering part, and the surface hardening device covers the upper side of the frozen dessert, and the ceiling wall part of the horn inside the horn. Since it is configured with a liquid nitrogen spray nozzle arranged so as to open toward, the liquid nitrogen is applied while the container part filled with the frozen dessert material is covered with a horn. The useless escape of
High thermal efficiency can be maintained. As a result, the amount of liquid nitrogen used can be reduced and the running cost can be reduced.

Further, since the liquid nitrogen atomizing nozzle is opened inside the horn toward the ceiling surface of the horn, the mist of liquid nitrogen will pour down from above, so the ejection pressure is applied to the item to be cooled. Does not directly act on the object to be cooled, and it acts uniformly on the entire object to be cooled.
The exposed surface portion of the object to be cooled can be cooled uniformly.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part, FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a frozen dessert manufacturing apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. This ice confectionery manufacturing device
A container supply device (1) for supplying a cone cup onto a conveying means (F) for producing soft ice cream ice cream in a cone cup, and contents for squeezing the ice cream into a cone cup in the form of a soft ice cream. Filling device
(2) and a surface hardening device (3) that rapidly cools the exposed surface of the ice cream formed on the cone cup.
And an exposed surface coating device comprising a supply device (4a) for supplying a plastic cap and a fixing device (4b) for fixing the cap while covering the exposed surface of the ice cream in a cone cup with the exposed surface cured ( 4) and transport means
They are arranged in order from the upper side along the moving direction of (F).

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the surface hardening device (3) has a plurality of bell-shaped horns (5) arranged in a state where the lower surface is open above the conveying surface of the conveying means, and each horn (5). And the liquid nitrogen spray nozzles (6) respectively disposed inside the liquid nitrogen spray nozzles (6). Each liquid nitrogen spray nozzle (6) has a diffusion plate (7) at the lower end thereof. The spouts (8) formed almost all around the upper surface of the
It is opened toward the ceiling wall part of.

Each horn (5) of this surface hardening device (3) has one
It is fixed to one connecting plate (9), and this connecting plate (9) can be moved up and down by an air cylinder (10). As a result, each horn (5) moves up and down in series. Also,
Each liquid nitrogen spray nozzle (6) is connected to a header (12) by a liquid nitrogen supply pipe (11) composed of a flexible tube, and this header (12) is connected to a liquid nitrogen storage container (13). is there.

In the frozen dessert producing apparatus thus constructed,
The cone cup supplied to the conveying means is tact-fed, but the ice cream filled in the cone cup with the content filling device (1) is filled with the tact-feeding means of the surface hardening device (3). It is sent to the location. Then, when the cone cup filled with the ice cream is sent to the location of the surface hardening device (3), the air cylinder (10) for raising and lowering operates during the next ice cream filling work, and the horn (5 ), Cover the exposed surface of the ice cream filled in a cone cup from above, spray liquid nitrogen in a mist form from the liquid nitrogen spray nozzle (6), and apply liquid nitrogen to the exposed part of the ice cream. The cold heat is applied to rapidly cool and cure. At this time, the liquid nitrogen will be blown out toward the ceiling wall of the horn (5), so that it will be poured uniformly inside the horn (5).

When the surface hardening process in the surface hardening device (3) is completed, the spraying of liquid nitrogen is stopped, and then the horn (5) is raised to apply the ice cream in the cone cup to the next exposed surface coating device (4). ), And after covering it with a cap, it is transferred to a freezing chamber (not shown).

Although the horn (5) is formed in a bell shape in the above embodiment, it may be a cylindrical body having an open lower surface, or may be a tapered shape with a lower recess. . Further, in the case where the top end of the filled ice cream is lower than the top edge of the container or the protruding height thereof is small, the arrangement height of the horn (5) may be fixed. Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the container content filling device
Although the surface hardening device (3) was arranged following (2), a chocolate injection device and other additive feeding device should be arranged between the content filling device (2) and the surface hardening device (3). You may

Although the ice cream manufacturing apparatus has been described in the above embodiment, the present invention can be applied to an apparatus for filling shaved ice. Further, in the above embodiment,
The explanation has been given on the case where the exposed surface is covered with the cap, but the exposed surface coating device (4) is configured to cover the exposed surface by directly sealing the upper end of the covering sheet that covers the outer surface of the cone cup. May be.

[0016]

According to the present invention, the surface hardening means is disposed between the contents filling portion and the exposed surface covering portion, the surface hardening means covers the upper side of the frozen dessert, and the ceiling of the horn inside the horn. Since it is configured with a liquid nitrogen spray nozzle arranged so as to open toward the wall portion, liquid nitrogen is made to act while the container portion filled with frozen dessert material is covered with a horn. It is possible to maintain high thermal efficiency by eliminating wasteful escape of cold heat. As a result, the amount of liquid nitrogen used can be reduced and the running cost can be reduced.

Further, since the liquid nitrogen atomizing nozzle is opened inside the horn toward the ceiling surface of the horn, the mist of liquid nitrogen will pour down from above, so the ejection pressure is applied to the object to be cooled. Does not directly act on the object to be cooled, and it acts uniformly on the entire object to be cooled.
The exposed surface portion of the object to be cooled can be cooled uniformly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a frozen dessert producing apparatus.

3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

3 ... Surface hardening device, 5 ... Horn, 6 ... Liquid nitrogen spray nozzle, 13 ... Liquid nitrogen storage container.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A container that has been conveyed is filled with frozen dessert material, the exposed surface of the filled frozen dessert material is covered with a coating material, and the article with the exposed surface covered is conveyed to a curing chamber. A surface quick freezing device for frozen desserts arranged in the frozen dessert manufacturing apparatus configured as described above, wherein a surface hardening device (3) is provided between the content filling section and the exposed surface coating section
And the surface hardening device (3) is a horn (5) that covers the upper side of the frozen dessert, and liquid nitrogen that is opened inside the horn (5) toward the ceiling wall of the horn (5). A quick desiccation device for frozen desserts, characterized in that it is composed of a spray nozzle (6), and the liquid nitrogen spray nozzle (6) is connected in communication with a liquid nitrogen storage container (13). 2. The surface quick-freezing device for frozen dessert according to claim 1, wherein the surface hardening device (3) is configured to be movable up and down with respect to the conveying surface.