WO2004089104A1

WO2004089104A1 - Ice cream maker and method of controlling the same

Info

Publication number: WO2004089104A1
Application number: PCT/JP2004/004467
Authority: WO
Inventors: Miho Shirakawa; Junya Kusumoto; Etsushi Aga
Original assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2003-04-01
Filing date: 2004-03-29
Publication date: 2004-10-21
Also published as: HK1086166A1; JP2004313182A; JP4509616B2

Abstract

An ice cream maker and a method of controlling the maker, where, in rotating agitating blades (9) for agitating an ice cream material (A) received in an agitation container (11) by using a motor (4) driven by a battery (2) as the power source, the motor (4) for rotating the blades (9) is controlled such that it is operated for a predetermined time at predetermined time intervals that are set for early stage agitation and late stage agitation. This enables power consumption of the battery (2) is to be reduced and ice cream with good quality is to be produced.

Description

Description Ice cream manufacturing machine and its control method

The present invention relates to an ice cream manufacturing machine capable of automatically manufacturing a high-quality ice cream simply by putting an ice cream material into a stirring vessel and putting the ice cream material into a freezer, and a control method therefor. Things. Background art

Ice Ream uses a dairy product such as milk as the main raw material, and when it is frozen in a frozen environment, it contains ice cream and fragrances. Smooth, less irritating ice cream coolness is obtained. In a commercial ice cream manufacturing machine, the ice cream material is stirred in the environment cooled by the refrigerator by charging the ice cream material into the device, and the overrun operation is automatically performed.

At home, there is also a demand for manufacturing ice cream, such as those that use a cooling function or the low-temperature environment of a freezer to freeze the ice cream material while rotating the stirring blades with a motor to stir the frozen ice cream material. It has been known. In order to produce high quality ice cream, a stirring mechanism and stirring control for stirring the ice cream material to be frozen are important factors. The conventional techniques (1) to (8) of the stirring mechanism and stirring control in this ice-stream manufacturing apparatus will be described below.

(1) Similar to the present invention, a battery is operated as a driving power source, and as a conventional technology for manufacturing an ice cream using a low-temperature environment of a freezer, the battery is rotated and driven using a rechargeable battery as a power source. Ice cream ingredients in a container with stirrer There is known an ice cream manufacturing machine that manufactures an ice cream by storing the ice cream in a freezer (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H01-197953). In this ice cream making machine, as shown in FIG. 10, a stirrer 54 is rotated by a motor 55 rotating with a battery 56 as a power source, and the ice cream material stored in the container 51 is stirred. It is configured to be able to. This ice cream manufacturing machine is formed in a shape and size that can be stored in a household freezer, and operates using a battery 56 as a power source. Therefore, an ice cream manufacturing machine in which ice cream material is put in a container 51 is used. When placed in the freezer, the ice cream is manufactured automatically. The ice cream manufacturing machine is provided with a control circuit, and by detecting the current of the motor 55 or the temperature of the motor winding, the load state of the motor 55, that is, the ice cream material is frozen and the viscosity is reduced. Is detected, and when the viscosity reaches a predetermined value, the rotation of the motor 55 is stopped assuming that the disk is completed.

(2) A stirrer employing a control method of detecting a change in the viscosity of a stirrer from a change in the load on the motor and stopping the motor when a predetermined viscosity is reached as in the above-mentioned prior art (1) is known ( Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 0 2—0 5 2 5 8 6 In this stirrer, position detecting means is provided on a rotating body in contact with the agitated object and on a non-rotating member facing the rotating body, and a rotation detection signal is generated when the rotating body rotates and faces the non-rotating member. The rotation speed of the rotating body is detected by using this function, and control is performed to stop the motor when the rotating speed of the rotating body decreases due to the increase in the viscosity of the agitated material and the rotating speed decreases to a predetermined value. ing.

(3) There is known an ice cream V-manufacturing machine provided with a control function for producing a dough of the ice cream material in an ice creamer having a freezing function and detecting the finished product (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H1-11-1). 9 1649 publication). This ice cream manufacturing machine is equipped with a heater, a temperature sensor, and a timer in addition to the refrigeration function. In fabric making, the ice cream is heated by a heater while monitoring the temperature with a temperature sensor while stirring the ice cream material. Heat after a predetermined time Stop and start freezing. The stirring blade is rotated at a high speed for a predetermined kneading time, and after the kneading time is completed, the stirring blade is rotated at a low speed. When the elapse of the predetermined time is detected by the timer, the completion notification is made.

(4) Similar to the above-mentioned prior art (3), there is known an ice cream manufacturing machine having a refrigerating function and provided with a control device for manufacturing the ice cream (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-1866945). Publication). The control device includes: a temperature detector that detects a temperature of the ice cream material; a rotation number power counter that counts a rotation number of the stirring blade; and a rotation number that has been counted reaches a predetermined rotation number. And a rotation speed comparator for stopping the operation of the ice-stream manufacturing machine when the operation is stopped. In this ice cream manufacturing machine, the stirring device impeller agitates the ice dream material, cools the container, and starts stirring when the temperature of the ice dream material detected by the temperature detector reaches a predetermined temperature. The number of revolutions of the blade is counted by the number of revolutions counter. When the number of rotations reaches a predetermined count, the rotation number comparator stops the operation of the ice-stream manufacturing machine, assuming that the ice cream is completed.

(5) Providing a freezing function only for the production of ice cream as in the prior arts (3) and (4) above is costly and requires a large-sized device. 2. Description of the Related Art A control device for a freezer with an ice creamer having an ice cream manufacturing function is known (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H02-218118). When the container containing the ice cream material is set on the cool storage container in the freezer, and the stirring blades are inserted into the container to start production, the control device pre-cools the ice cream material for a predetermined time. Then, the stirring blade is rotated for a predetermined time to perform cleaning, and an ice cream is manufactured by supercooling for a predetermined time.

(6) In addition, a motor and a drive unit having a control unit and a stirring blade are detachably provided in a cold storage container equipped with a cold storage agent instead of a refrigeration function, and the frozen dessert material is charged into the cold storage container cooled in the freezer. Attach the drive unit to move the stirring blades 2. Description of the Related Art There is known a frozen dessert production apparatus that produces a frozen dessert such as an ice cream by being rotationally driven by a heater (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 05-252874). The frozen dessert manufacturing apparatus controls the rotation of the stirring blade by detecting the temperature of the frozen dessert material being stirred by the temperature detecting unit and judging the softness of the dessert. The stirring blade is configured to include a piece for removing the frozen dessert material from the inner wall surface of the inner case into which the frozen dessert material is charged, and a stirring piece that is provided upright inside and stirs the frozen dessert material. ing.

(7) In commercial frozen dessert production equipment installed in stores, etc., the container containing the frozen dessert material is stirred by the stirrer while being cooled by the cooler, and the temperature and viscosity of the dessert are detected and the detected value There is known a frozen dessert production apparatus that controls a cooler and a stirrer based on an output obtained by comparing the temperature of a refrigerator with a predetermined reference value (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 05-146526). In this frozen dessert manufacturing apparatus, by providing a plurality of combinations of the detected value of the temperature and viscosity and the reference value, ON-OFF control of the rotation of the stirring blade and the cooling operation corresponding to plural kinds of frozen desserts is performed. be able to.

(8) Further, a stirring control method for heating and sterilizing frozen desserts in a commercial frozen dessert mix heat sterilizing apparatus has been disclosed (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H06-158388). In order to reuse the cold dessert mix, which has a very low viscosity at a low temperature, collected from the manufacturing equipment, it is melted by heating and then heat-sterilized while stirring to prevent local heating. In the heat sterilization process, intermittent agitation of the frozen dessert mix whose viscosity has been reduced by heating prevents foaming due to excessive agitation, and also in the cooling and cooling process after sterilization, intermittently rotates the stirring blades to prevent excessive foaming. Stirring control is performed. In the control of the ice cream making machine according to the prior art, the ice cream making machine or the stirring device according to the prior arts (1) and (2) continuously stirs until the viscosity of the ice cream is completed. The agitation prevents the fat and water in the ice cream material from separating and removes air. The purpose was to provide a cool tongue by including it, so there was no need to continuously stir, resulting in wasteful power consumption. In the case of an ice room manufacturing machine, the battery must be driven in a freezer, and the battery is the driving power source. As power consumption increases, the frequency of battery replacement increases. In addition, ice cream manufacturing machines operate in a low-temperature environment, and the batteries that drive them generally tend to have low-temperature discharge characteristics. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures such as using a battery with an unnecessarily large capacity to compensate for the reduced discharge characteristics, and covering the battery housing with heat insulating material to prevent the battery temperature from dropping. There was a problem to do. In the control method disclosed in the prior art (3), at the stage of kneading the ice cream material, the stirring blade is rotated at high speed for a predetermined time by heating with a heater while monitoring the temperature, and then cooled and the stirring blade is rotated for a predetermined time. It is made into ice cream by rotating at low speed. In the control method disclosed in the prior art (4), the temperature is detected while stirring the ice-cream material, and when the temperature reaches a predetermined temperature, the number of rotations of the stirring blade is counted to reach the predetermined rotation speed. When it is judged that the ice cream is completed, the operation is stopped. In addition, the control method disclosed in the prior art (5) is different from the control method of the prior art (4) in that the ice cream material is cooled by a predetermined time after the ice cream material reaches a predetermined temperature. Judgment is completed. Further, according to the control method disclosed in the prior art (7), the temperature and the viscosity of the frozen dessert material are detected, and control corresponding to the type and season of the frozen dessert is performed. In these control methods, the elapsed time or the number of revolutions is counted by continuously rotating the stirring blades.Therefore, even if it is possible to use a commercial power supply as a power supply, it is possible to use an ice-cooled Voom operated by a battery power supply. Battery power consumption is large and impractical for constructing a manufacturing machine.

In the control of the apparatus for heating and sterilizing frozen dessert mix disclosed in the prior art (8), the stirring blades are intermittently driven to rotate and the dessert is continuously rotated. ―

6 Prevents excessive foaming of the box. This apparatus is not for manufacturing a cream as in the present invention, but for sterilizing and preserving ice confections such as ice combs which have been produced. It is in a state of rotation, and a rotation stop time is provided instead of continuous rotation to prevent bubbles that hinder the heat transfer at the heating temperature and excess bubbles from the frozen dessert. Therefore, this intermittent rotation control is important for the time for stopping the stirring, and cannot be applied to the stirring for including air in the ice cream material necessary for manufacturing the ice cream.

An object of the present invention is to improve the stirring performance which is indispensable for the production of an ice cream, and to reduce the power consumption by using a battery with a small decrease in the discharge characteristics in a low-temperature environment, thereby improving the quality of the ice cream. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ice dream manufacturing machine capable of manufacturing a dream and a control method thereof. Disclosure of the invention

In order to achieve the above object, the first invention of the present application is to rotate an agitating blade by a motor using a battery as a power source, and to agitate the ice cream material contained in the agitating container in a freezing environment to form an ice cream. An ice cream manufacturing machine to be manufactured, wherein a stirring control unit started by a pressing operation of an operation button includes: a temperature detection unit that detects a temperature of the ice cream material; a time measurement unit that performs time measurement; The start and stop of the initial stirring algorithm and the late stirring algorithm set in advance based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection means are determined, and the stirring stop time set in the initial stirring algorithm and the late stirring algorithm is determined. The current from the battery to the motor is controlled based on the signal output from the time measuring means at the stirring timing for a short stirring execution time. Wherein the thus provided an input and output control means for opening and closing control is. According to the ice cream manufacturing machine configured as described above, the stirring button is operated by pressing the operation button, and the input / output control means controls the rotation of the motor based on the temperature of the ice cream material detected by the temperature detection means. However, by performing the initial agitation and the late agitation corresponding to the temperature of the ice cream material, it is possible to perform the stirring corresponding to the state of the ice cream material. In addition, since the stirring is performed intermittently with the stirring execution time shorter than the stirring stop time, the power consumption of the battery can be reduced and a high quality ice cream can be manufactured.

Further, the second invention of the present application for achieving the above object is to rotate a stirring blade by a motor using a battery as a power source, and to stir the ice room material contained in the stirring container in a freezing environment. An ice cream manufacturing machine for manufacturing ice cream, wherein a stirring control unit started by a pressing operation of an operation button includes: a viscosity detecting means for detecting a viscosity of the ice cream material; a time measuring means for time counting; and The start and stop of the initial stirring algorithm and the late stirring algorithm set in advance are determined based on the viscosity detected by the detecting means, and the stirring execution time shorter than the stirring stop time set in the initial stirring algorithm and the late stirring algorithm is determined. The current from the battery to the motor based on the signal output from the timing means at the stirring timing Input / output control means for controlling the opening and closing of the circuit is provided.

According to the ice cream manufacturing machine having the above-described configuration, the motor is controlled to open and close based on the viscosity detection of the ice cream material by the viscosity detecting means. Therefore, the predetermined viscosity in the process of increasing the viscosity by freezing the ice cream material is increased. It is possible to control to an optimum stirring state according to the state. This stirring operation is performed according to the viscosity state detected by the viscosity detecting means, such as the stirring start time, the stirring time, and the stirring interval set in the timing means by the input / output control means.

In addition, the third invention of the present application for achieving the above object uses a battery as a power source. An eye-ream manufacturing machine that rotates an agitating blade by a motor and agitates the ice cream material contained in the agitating vessel in a frozen environment to produce an eye-ream, which is activated by pressing the operation button. The stirring control unit includes: a temperature detection unit that detects a temperature of the ice cream material; a viscosity detection unit that detects a viscosity of the ice cream material; a time measurement unit that performs time measurement; and a temperature detected by the temperature detection unit. A preset initial stirring algorithm is started, the initial stirring algorithm is switched to a preset late stirring algorithm based on the viscosity detected by the viscosity detecting means, and the initial stirring algorithm and the late stirring algorithm are set. The stirring time is set to be shorter than the set stirring stop time. Characterized by comprising an input and output control means for controlling opening and closing the current circuit to the motor from the battery is provided on the basis of a signal play output from the means time.

According to the ice cream manufacturing machine configured as described above, since the temperature detecting means and the viscosity detecting means are provided, the input / output control means can perform the stirring control based on the temperature and the viscosity of the ice cream material. In addition, by controlling the stirring interval and the stirring time by the timing means, it is possible to manufacture a high-quality eye cream even in a state where the power consumption of the battery is suppressed by the stirring control according to the state of the eye-ream material.

The operation button in each of the above configurations is configured such that when the pressing operation is performed and the pressing operation is released after a predetermined short period of time, the pressing operation is enabled, so that the articles stored in the freezer can be operated. It is possible to avoid a situation in which the device falls down and malfunctions.

Further, since the temperature detecting means is configured as a temperature sensor in contact with the stirring vessel, the temperature of the ice cream material can be indirectly detected, and the installation structure can be easily configured.

The temperature detecting means is a temperature sensor attached to the inner surface of the lid of the stirring vessel. ―

With this configuration, the temperature of the ice lime material can be estimated from the temperature inside the stirring vessel, and the installation structure can be easily configured.

In addition, by using a lithium-based battery, even if the battery is operated in a low-temperature environment of a freezer, there is little deterioration in discharge characteristics, and it is suitable for producing a high-quality ice cream by a stable stirring operation. .

Further, the fourth invention of the present application for achieving the above object is that a stirring blade is rotated by a motor using a battery as a power source, and the ice cream material contained in the stirring container is stirred in a freezing environment. A method for controlling an ice cream manufacturing machine for manufacturing an ice cream, comprising: detecting a temperature of an ice cream material; starting a motor when the temperature falls below a predetermined temperature; The initial agitation for rotating and driving the motor for a first predetermined time shorter than the interval is performed, and the viscosity of the ice cream material is detected. When the viscosity becomes the first predetermined viscosity, the second stirring is performed. At a time interval, the latter agitation of rotating the motor for a second predetermined time shorter than the time interval is performed, and the agitation operation is stopped when the viscosity of the ice-cream material reaches the second predetermined viscosity. To.

According to the above control method, there is no wasted power until the temperature of the ice cream material becomes lower than the predetermined temperature, so that there is no wasteful power consumption, initial stirring to prevent separation of fat and moisture of the ice cream material, and Since the late agitation in which air is included is performed by changing the agitation interval and the agitation time, it is possible to manufacture a high-quality ice cream while suppressing unnecessary power consumption of the battery.

Further, the fifth invention of the present application for achieving the above-mentioned object, according to the fifth invention, is to rotate a stirring blade by a motor using a battery as a power source, and to stir the ice cream material accommodated in the stirring container in a freezing environment, thereby controlling the ice cream. This is a control method for an eye-ream manufacturing machine that manufactures a ream, detects the temperature of the ream-ream material, and starts the motor when the temperature falls below a first predetermined temperature. Then, at the first time interval, an initial agitation for rotating the motor for a first predetermined time shorter than the time interval is performed, and when the temperature of the ice-ream material falls below the second predetermined temperature, the second stirring is performed. The second-stage agitation for rotating the motor for a second predetermined time shorter than the time interval at the time interval is performed, and the agitation operation is stopped when the temperature of the ice-cream material reaches the third predetermined temperature. And

According to the above-described control method, there is no unnecessary power consumption because the agitator material is not agitated until the temperature becomes lower than a predetermined temperature. Is performed based on the temperature of the ice cream material, control is performed according to the state of the star cream material, and the stirring is performed while changing the stirring interval and the stirring time. It is possible to manufacture high quality ice turrets while minimizing power consumption.

Further, the sixth invention of the present application for achieving the above object is to rotate the stirring blades by a motor using a battery as a power source, and to stir the ice room material stored in the stirring container 內 in a freezing environment. A method for controlling an ice cream machine for manufacturing ice cream, comprising: starting a motor after a predetermined standby time has elapsed after a start operation has been performed; and a first predetermined time shorter than that time interval at a first time interval. Performs initial agitation to rotate the motor only for a certain period of time. Detects the viscosity of the ice-cream material and, when the viscosity of the ice-cream material becomes greater than or equal to the first predetermined viscosity, at the second time interval. The second-stage stirring in which the motor is rotationally driven for a second predetermined time shorter than the time interval is performed, and the stirring operation is stopped when the viscosity of the ice cream material reaches the second predetermined viscosity. .

According to the above control method, there is no unnecessary power consumption because the stirring is not performed until the waiting time when the temperature of the ice-cream material becomes equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature, and separation of the fat and moisture of the ice-cream material is prevented. Initial agitation and ice cream ―

11 Since the late stage of mixing the material with air is performed based on the viscosity of the ice cream material, control is performed according to the state of the ice cream material, and the stirring is performed at different stirring intervals and times. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture a high-quality crystal dream while suppressing unnecessary power consumption of the battery.

Further, the seventh invention of the present application for achieving the above object is to rotate a stirring blade by a motor using a battery as a power source, and to stir the ice cream material contained in the stirring container in a freezing environment. A method for controlling an ice cream manufacturing machine for manufacturing an ice cream, comprising: starting a motor after a predetermined standby time has elapsed after a start operation has been performed; and a first predetermined time shorter than that time interval at a first time interval. Initial stirring for rotating and driving the motor for a second time is performed for a second predetermined time, and after the second predetermined time has elapsed, the motor is rotationally driven for a third predetermined time shorter than the second time interval. The second-stage stirring is performed for a fourth predetermined time.

According to the above control method, no stirring is performed until the waiting time for the ice cream material to reach the predetermined temperature or less elapses, so that there is no unnecessary power consumption, and the initial stirring for preventing separation of fat and moisture of the ice cream material. The late-stage agitation, in which air is contained in the ice cream material, is performed by time control, so control is easy.Since the agitation interval and the agitation time are changed, the quality is high while suppressing unnecessary power consumption of the battery. Ice Ream can be manufactured. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of an ice cream manufacturing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the ice cream making machine, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the structure of the stirring blade.

FIG. 4 shows a configuration for implementing the control method according to the first embodiment. _

12 is a block diagram,

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an installation example of a temperature sensor.

Fig. 6 is a timing chart showing the timing of motor drive in the stirring control.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration for implementing the control method according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration for implementing the control method according to the third embodiment,

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a configuration for implementing a control method according to the fourth embodiment,

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of an eye-screen manufacturing machine according to the related art. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings to provide an understanding of the present invention. The embodiment described below is an example embodying the present invention, and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of an ice cream manufacturing machine according to an embodiment. A stirring blade 9 is provided in a stirring vessel 11 configured to close an opening with a lid 13. A manufacturing machine main body 1 containing a motor 4, a battery 2, etc. in a main body case 6 including an upper case 18 and a lower case 19 is provided on the lid 13, and a stirring vessel 1 is provided. It is configured so that the ice cream material A is stored in 1 and can be stored in the freezer.

As shown in FIG. 2, the manufacturing machine main body 1 is formed in an oval cross section, and can be detached from the lid 13 by pushing up and down the attaching / detaching button 14. In addition, the lid 13 is fixed to the stirring vessel 11 by a hook mechanism, and the lock state is released by opening the lock lever 15. Then, the lid 13 can be removed from the stirring vessel 11. Further, since the lid 13 is provided with the see-through window 16 formed of a transparent resin, the completed state of the ice cream can be checked from the outside.

The stirring vessel 11 has good thermal conductivity so that the temperature in the freezer is easily transferred, and a metal material (in this case, stainless steel) that can obtain a mechanical strength even when formed to be thin to improve the thermal conductivity. The opening is opened and closed by a lid 13 having an opening formed at the center for connecting the drive shaft 12 to the stirring blade 9. Since the stirring vessel 11 is made of a metal material, the stirring vessel 11 cooled to the freezing temperature feels uncomfortable when it is touched with bare hands. A formed handle can be provided. In addition, the outer surface of the stirring vessel 11 may be coated with a resin film or a resin coating.However, it is unavoidable that the temperature in the freezer slightly lowers the thermal conductivity for transferring heat to the stirring vessel 11. .

As shown in FIG. 3, the stirring blades 9 arranged in the stirring vessel 11 can uniformly stir the ice cream material A charged into the stirring vessel 11 by rotation, and have low stirring resistance. It is formed in such a shape. As shown in FIG. 1, when the stirring blade 9 is fitted to the driving shaft 12 projecting from the lower part of the manufacturing machine main body in the axial direction thereof, the lower end of the center part due to its own weight is agitated by the stirring vessel 11. The drive shaft can be moved up and down within a distance g from the lower position contacting the bottom surface of the outer cylinder 12 to the ascending position where the lower end of the drive shaft 12 contacts the bottom of the outer cylinder 12 a formed in a concentric double cylinder structure. Fits in 1 and 2. By configuring the stirring blade 9 to be able to move up and down in this way, even if any solid matter is trapped between the stirring blade 9 and the stirring vessel 11, the stirring blade 9 rises, so that the solid The rotation of the stirring blade 9 does not stop due to the material being caught between the stirring blade 9 and the stirring vessel 11 ₍ as shown in FIG. 3, the rotation of the stirring blade 9 , Each below The inclined surface 9c is formed so that the amount of protrusion in the rotational direction increases toward the end. Due to the formation of the inclined surface 9 c, when the stirring blade 9 rotates, a force for moving the blade 9 a and 9 b in a downward direction acts on the blade 9 a and 9 b, and the rotation causes the stirring blade 9 to rise and the stirring vessel 11 The problem that the ice cream material on the bottom side cannot be stirred is solved. Even if the inclined surface 9c is formed on one of the blades 9a and 9b, the stirring blade 9 can be provided with an action of moving the stirring blade 9 downward.

The main body 1 of the manufacturing machine is a battery 2 which is a lithium primary battery whose discharge characteristics are hardly deteriorated even in a low temperature environment, a motor 4 which rotates using the battery 2 as a power source, and transmits the rotation of the motor 4 to the drive shaft 12. The main body case 6 houses a reduction gear group 5 to rotate, a circuit board 7 constituting a control circuit for controlling the rotation of the motor 4, and the like. On the upper surface of the body case 6, an operation button 3 for outputting a start signal from an operation section 2 7 (see FIG. 4) serving as a start switch, and an indicator lamp (LED) 8 for indicating that an ice cream is being manufactured. A battery cover 17a is formed to be openable and closable on a battery accommodating chamber 17 accommodating the battery 2, and the battery can be replaced by opening the battery cover 17a.

As shown in FIG. 1, the drive gear 5a, which is the last stage of the reduction gear group 5, has a cylindrical shaft 20 having a boss structure, and the spline shaft 1 of the drive shaft 12 inserted into the cylinder. Combined with 2 c. The cylindrical shaft 20 is rotatably supported in a support cylinder 19 a formed at the center of the lower case 19. The drive shaft 1 2 has the spline shaft 12 b formed at the upper part, the outer cylinder 12 a having a double cylinder structure and the center shaft 12 b formed at the lower part, and the drive shaft 12 It is rotatably supported by the central opening of the lid 13.

When manufacturing an ice cream with the ice cream making machine having the above configuration, press the detachable button 14 to remove the manufacturing machine body 1 from the lid 13 and open the lock lever 15 to lock the lid 13. Release the lid 13 from the stirring vessel 11 and remove the ice cream into the opened stirring vessel 11 Add the material for the Next, the opening of the stirring vessel 11 is closed with the lid 13, and the lock lever 15 is pressed to lock the state where the stirring vessel 11 is closed with the lid 13. When the manufacturing machine body 1 is mounted on the lid 13 so that the spline shaft 12c of the drive shaft 12 is fitted into the cylindrical shaft 20 of the drive gear 5a, a preparation for manufacturing an ice cream is performed. Is completed, press the operation button 3 to start the ice cream manufacturing machine, and store it in the freezer.

The operation of the ice cream manufacturing machine stored in the freezer is controlled by a control circuit configured on the circuit board 7 to manufacture the ice cream, and the manufacturing operation is automatically executed. Hereinafter, first to fourth embodiments of the configuration of the control circuit and the control method using the configuration will be described.

FIG. 4 shows a configuration of a first embodiment for controlling the stirring of the ice cream production machine. On the circuit connecting the battery 2 and the motor 4, a drive unit 26 for ON / OFF of the circuit and a shunt resistor 28 for detecting the motor current are connected in series, and the drive unit 26 is a stirring control unit 2. ON / OFF control by 1 The stirring control unit 21 includes an input / output control unit 22, a current detection unit (viscosity detection unit) 23, a timer (time measurement unit) 24, and a temperature detection unit 25. I have.

The temperature detector 25 outputs a detection output from the temperature sensor 10 for detecting the temperature of the ice cream material A to the input / output controller 22 as a temperature detection signal. The temperature sensor 10 can be provided on the stirring blade 9, the stirring container 11, or the lid 13 in contact with the ice cream material A. In order to provide the temperature sensor 10 on the stirring blade 9, since the stirring blade 9 is a rotating body, it is necessary to provide a sliding connection structure to connect the temperature sensor 10 to the temperature detection unit 25. Since the stirring blade 9 has a detachable structure, the connection structure is more complicated. In addition, by providing a temperature sensor 10 inside the lid 13, that is, inside the stirring vessel 11, the temperature of the air in the stirring vessel 11 is changed to the ice cream material. The temperature of material A can be detected indirectly, but if ice cream material A adheres, an error may occur in temperature detection. Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the configuration is such that the temperature of the ice cream material A can be detected from the temperature of the stirring vessel 11.

In FIG. 5, a temperature sensor 10 such as a thermistor is accommodated in a metal case 29 attached to a portion of the lid 13 facing the stirring container 11 so as to protrude toward the stirring container 11. When the stirring vessel 11 is closed with the lid 13, the tip of the metal case 29 is configured to contact the inner surface of the stirring vessel 11. A connection contact 30 connected to the temperature sensor 10 is mounted in a recess for accommodating the lower case portion of the manufacturing machine body 1 of the lid 13, and a connection contact 30 connected to the temperature sensor 10 is provided on an outer surface of the lower case 19. The opposing contact 31 is attached, and the opposing contact 31 is wired and connected to the circuit board 7. With this configuration, when the stirring vessel 11 is closed with the lid 13, the tip of the metal case 29 comes into contact with the stirring vessel 11, and reaches approximately the same temperature as the stirring vessel 11 due to heat conduction. When the manufacturing machine body 1 is mounted on the lid 13, the connection contact 30 and the counter contact 31 are contacted and connected, and the temperature sensor 10 housed in contact with the metal case 29 is connected to the metal case 2. Since a temperature change corresponding to the temperature of 9 occurs, the state can be detected by the temperature detection unit 25 configured on the circuit board 7 from the connection contact 30 through the opposite contact 31.

Further, the operation section 27 outputs a start signal by a pressing operation of the operation button 3. The output of the start signal from the operation unit 27 by the operation button 3 employs a switch structure that starts when the operation button 3 is pressed and then released after a predetermined short time. Therefore, when the article stored in the freezer falls on the operation button 3 and continues to be pressed, or when the pressing is repeated within a short time such as vibration, the operation unit 27 is activated. No, the ice cream manufacturing machine with the ice cream material A in the stirring vessel 1 1 is stored in the freezer, the operation button 3 is pressed, and the pressing is released. When a start signal is input from the operation unit 27 to the input / output control unit 22, the input / output control unit 22 sets a predetermined temperature at which the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 10 detected by the temperature detection unit 25 is preset. Maintain the cooling standing state waiting for the temperature to be reached. When the temperature of the stirring vessel 11 detected by the temperature sensor 10 reaches the set temperature, the temperature detecting section 25 detects the temperature of the stirring vessel 11 cooled by the low-temperature environment in the freezer. 5 outputs a signal to the input / output control unit 22, so that the input / output control unit 22 starts the stirring control operation and outputs an ON signal to the drive unit 26. The drive unit 26 rotates the motor 4 by closing the circuit connecting the battery 2 to the motor 4 only while the ON signal is input. The current detection unit 23 performs a motor current detection operation, and the temperature detection unit 25 performs a stirring container temperature detection operation, and inputs a detection signal to the input / output control unit 22.

The ON / OFF control of the drive unit 26 by the input / output control unit 22 is performed as shown in FIG. That is, when the temperature of the stirring vessel 11 becomes lower than the predetermined temperature from the cooling and standing state, the initial stirring control is executed. In the initial stirring, an ON signal is output to the driving unit 26 at an initial stirring time interval (for example, 5 minutes) set by the timer 24, and the motor 4 is rotated for a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds). The agitating blade 9 agitates the ice dream material A to prevent separation of the fat and water of the ice dream material A having a low viscosity. At the time of rotation of the motor 4 during this initial stirring, the current detection unit 23 detects the motor current from the voltage across the shunt resistor 28, and the load change of the motor 4, that is, the freezing of the eye-stream material A proceeds. Monitor the change in the current value as the viscosity increases.

During the initial stirring control, when the corresponding motor current is detected when the ice cream material A set in advance by the current detection unit 23 reaches the first predetermined viscosity, the input / output of the current detection unit 23 is performed. Outputs a signal indicating that the viscosity exceeds the specified value to the control unit 22. The input / output control unit 22 switches the stirring control to the latter-stage stirring control in response to the signal of the predetermined viscosity excess. Late stirring control is set by the timer 24 The ON time is output to the drive unit 26 at the agitation time interval (for example, 1.5 minutes) of the late agitation, and the motor 4 is rotated for a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds). Then, the ice cream material A whose viscosity has been increased is stirred so that air is contained therein. The motor current is also detected by the current detection unit 23 during the rotation of the motor 4 during the latter agitation, and a change in the load of the motor 4 is monitored, that is, a change in the current value accompanying an increase in viscosity due to the progress of freezing of the ice cream material A. I do.

During the latter-stage stirring control, when the motor current when the preset ice-stream material A reaches the second predetermined viscosity is detected by the current detection unit 23, the current detection unit 23 controls the input / output control. Output a signal indicating that the viscosity exceeds the specified value to part 22. At this time, the predetermined viscosity of the ice cream material A is set to the viscosity of the finished state of the ice cream, so that the input / output control unit 22 to which the signal of exceeding the predetermined temperature is input, The output of the ON signal to the drive unit 26 is stopped, and the stirring control ends.

In the above control method, the viscosity of the ice-cream material A is detected as a change in the motor current due to a change in the load of the motor 4, but the same applies to a configuration in which the viscosity is detected from the rotation speed of the motor 4. The control method can be implemented. For example, a mark is provided on the surface of the drive gear 5a, which is the last stage of the reduction gear group 5, and a sensor for detecting the mark is provided.The mark on the rotating drive gear 5a is detected by the sensor. that detects the rotational speed of the stirring blade 9 which is connected to the number of times or we drive gear 5 a within a predetermined time period, _t also can be regarded as a rotational speed change due to change in viscosity Aisuku ream material a, encoder It is also possible to detect the viscosity from a change in the rotation speed of the motor 4 by providing a rotation sensor such as.

Next, a second embodiment of the stirring control will be described with reference to FIG. The stirring control according to the second embodiment includes controlling the start of the initial stirring and the late stirring based on the temperature detection input from the temperature detection unit 23. As shown in FIG. 7, the stirring control section 32 is provided with only a temperature detection section 23 as means for detecting the state of the ice cream material A. Note that the same components as those used in the first stirring control are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

The temperature detector detects that the stirring vessel 11 into which the ice cream material A has been charged is cooled by the low-temperature environment in the freezer, and the temperature of the stirring vessel 11 detected by the temperature sensor 10 has reached the first set temperature. When the temperature is detected at 25, the temperature detection unit 25 outputs a signal to the input / output control unit 33, so the input / output control unit 35 starts the control operation of the initial stirring and sends an ON signal to the drive unit 26. Output. The drive unit 26 closes the circuit connecting the battery 2 to the motor 4 only while the ON signal is input, and rotates the motor 4 to perform the initial stirring.

The temperature detector 23 monitors the temperature of the stirring vessel 11 detected by the temperature sensor 10, and when it is detected that the temperature of the stirring vessel 11 has reached the second predetermined temperature, the temperature detector 23 is turned on. Since a signal is output to the output control unit 35, the input / output control unit 35 switches the control operation of the drive unit 26 from the initial stirring to the late stirring. During the latter period of stirring, the temperature detecting section 23 monitors the temperature of the stirring vessel 11 detected by the temperature sensor 10, and when the stirring vessel 11 reaches the third predetermined temperature, the input / output control section 3 5 Since the signal is output, the input / output control unit 35 determines that the ice cream is completed, stops the output of the ON signal to the drive unit 26, and ends the stirring control.

Next, a third embodiment of the stirring control will be described with reference to FIG. The stirring control according to the third embodiment is characterized in that the stirring operation is controlled based on the motor current input from the current detection unit 23, that is, the viscosity detection of the ice cream material A. As shown in FIG. 8, the stirring control section 33 is provided with only the current detection section 23 as a means for detecting the state of the ice cream material A. Note that the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those used for the stirring control in the first and second embodiments, and the description thereof will be omitted. Is omitted.

When the ISTAREAM material A is put into the stirring vessel 11 and a start operation is performed by the operation button 3, the timer 24 starts counting a predetermined standby time. The standby time is set assuming a time until the stirring container 11 is cooled by the low-temperature environment in the freezer and the ice cream material A drops to a predetermined temperature or lower. When the count of the standby time by the timer 24 is counted up, the timer 24 outputs a signal to the input / output control unit 36, so that the input / output control unit 36 starts the control operation of the initial stirring and the drive unit 26 Outputs ON signal to. The drive unit 26 closes the circuit connecting the battery 2 to the motor 4 only while the ON signal is input, rotates the motor 4, and executes the initial stirring. The current detector 23 monitors the motor current, and detects the viscosity of the ice cream material A from the motor current that changes due to the change in the load of the motor 4 due to the change in the viscosity of the ice cream material. When the current detection unit 23 detects that the viscosity of the ice cream material A has reached the first predetermined viscosity set in advance, the current detection unit 23 outputs a signal to the input / output control unit 36. Therefore, the input / output control unit 36 switches the ON / OFF control operation of the drive unit 26 from the initial stirring to the later stirring. Also during the latter period of stirring, the current detector 23 monitors the motor current, and when it is detected that the viscosity of the ice cream material A has reached the second predetermined viscosity, the current detector 23 is operated. Since the signal is output to the input / output control unit 36, the input / output control unit 36 determines that the ice cream is completed, stops the output of the ON signal to the drive unit 26, and ends the stirring control.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the stirring control will be described with reference to FIG. The stirring control according to the fourth embodiment is characterized in that the times of the initial stirring and the late stirring are controlled, and as shown in FIG. No means for state detection is provided. The same configuration as the configuration used for the stirring control in each of the first to third embodiments. The same reference numerals are given to the components, and the description thereof will be omitted.

When the ISTAREAM material A is put into the stirring vessel 11 and the start operation is performed by the operation button 3, the timer 24 starts the powering for a predetermined standby time. The standby time is set assuming a time until the stirring container 11 is cooled by the low-temperature environment in the freezer and the ice cream material A drops to a predetermined temperature or lower. When the count of the standby time by the timer 24 is counted up, the timer 24 outputs a signal to the input / output control unit 37, so that the input / output control unit 37 starts the control operation of the initial stirring and the drive unit 26 Outputs ON signal. The drive unit 26 closes the circuit connecting the battery 2 to the motor 4 only while the ON signal is input, starts the motor 4 and starts the initial stirring. The initial stirring time t 1 is set in advance in the timer 24, and the input / output control unit 37 sends a 〇N signal to the drive unit 26 at the initial stirring time interval set by the timer 24. Then, the motor 4 is rotated for a predetermined time to stir the ice cream material A with the stirring blades 9 to perform a stirring operation for preventing separation of the fat and water of the ice cream material A having a low viscosity. Execute during the initial stirring time t1.

When the initial stirring time t1 ends, the timer 24 outputs a signal of the end of the initial stirring to the input / output control unit 37, so that the input / output control unit 37 switches to the control of the late stirring. The timer 24 is preset with a late stirring time t2, and the input / output control unit 37 sends an ON signal to the driving unit 26 at the late stirring time interval set by the timer 24. Then, the motor 4 is rotated for a predetermined time, the ice cream material A is stirred by the stirring blade 9, and the ice cream material A, whose viscosity has increased, is stirred so as to contain air.

When the end of the late stirring time t2 is input from the timer 24, the input / output control unit 37 determines that the ice cream is completed, and stops outputting the ON signal to the driving unit 26. The stirring control ends.

Although the above control method is time control, the rotation of motor 4 or drive shaft 12 is Similar stirring control can also be performed by counting the number of times the ice cream material A is stirred by the rotating blades 9 from rolling.

In the above-described control operation, when the control is performed based on the viscosity or the temperature of the ice cream material A, the cooling performance of the freezer or the door of the freezer is frequently opened and closed, so that the cooling is not performed smoothly. If A does not reach the set viscosity or temperature during stirring, the total time of the stirring operation is counted by the timer 24, and when the counted time exceeds a predetermined time, the input / output control unit 2 2, 3, 5, and 36 can be configured to stop the operation assuming that the ice cream is completed. Industrial applicability

As described above, according to the ice cream manufacturing machine of the present invention, the stirring is performed according to the temperature and the viscosity of the ice cream material, so that the useless stirring operation is not performed, thereby reducing the consumption of the battery. It is suitable for producing high quality and high quality images.

Further, according to the method for controlling an ice cream manufacturing machine according to the present invention, control is performed such that the stirring operation is not started until the refrigerator is cooled to a predetermined temperature or until a predetermined time has elapsed. No wasted power is consumed, and the stirring operation executes the initial stirring control and the late stirring control according to the state of the ice cream material.Therefore, sufficient air can be produced without separating fat and moisture. It is suitable for producing high quality ice cream at home.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. The stirring blade (9) is rotated by a motor (4) using a battery (2) as a power source, and the ice cream material (A) accommodated in the stirring vessel (11) is stirred in a frozen environment by ice cream. An ice cream making machine for manufacturing a dream,

Temperature control means (25) for detecting the temperature of the ice cream material (A) and timing means ( 24) and an initial stirring algorithm and a late stirring algorithm which are set in advance based on the temperature detected by the temperature detecting means (25), and start and stop of the late stirring algorithm are determined, and the initial stirring algorithm and the late stirring algorithm are determined. The current circuit from the battery (2) to the motor (4) is opened and closed based on the signal output from the timing means (24) at the stirring timing that sets the stirring execution time shorter than the stirring stop time set at And an input / output control means (35) for controlling.

2. Using the battery (2) as a power source, the stirring blade (9) is driven to rotate by the motor (4), and the ice cream material (A) housed in the stirring vessel (11) is stirred in a frozen environment. An ice cream manufacturing machine for manufacturing an ice cream by

A stirring control unit (32), which is activated by pressing the operation button (3), includes a viscosity detecting means (23) for detecting the viscosity of the ice cream material (A), and a timing means ( 24) determining the start and stop of the initial stirring algorithm and the late stirring algorithm set in advance based on the viscosity detected by the viscosity detecting means (23), and the initial stirring algorithm and the late stirring algorithm. Shorter than the stirring stop time set in Input / output control means (36) for controlling the opening and closing of the current circuit from the battery (2) to the motor (4) based on the signal output from the time counting means (24) at the stirring timing of the stirring execution time. An ice cream production machine characterized by comprising:

3. The stirring blade (9) is driven to rotate by the motor (4) using the battery (2) as a power source, and the ice cream material (A) contained in the stirring vessel (11) is stirred in a frozen environment. An ice cream manufacturing machine for manufacturing ice cream by

A stirring control unit (21) activated by pressing the operation button (3) is provided with a temperature detecting means (25) for detecting the temperature of the ice-cream material (A), and a viscosity of the ice-cream material (A). A viscosity detecting means (23) for detecting, a time measuring means (24) for measuring time, and an initial stirring algorithm set in advance based on a temperature detected by the temperature detecting means (25) are started, and the viscosity is measured. The initial stirring algorithm is switched to a preset late stirring algorithm based on the viscosity detected by the detection means (23), and the stirring execution time is shorter than the stirring stop time set in the initial stirring algorithm and the late stirring algorithm. An input / output control means for controlling the opening and closing of the current circuit from the battery (2) to the motor (4) based on the signal output from the timing means (24) at the stirring timing. (2 2) and Aisuku ream manufacturing machine, characterized in that is provided.

4. The operation button (3) according to claims 1 to 3, wherein the pressing operation is enabled when the pressing operation is released and the pressing operation is released after a predetermined short time. Ice cream production according to any one of the above.

5. The ice cream manufacturing machine according to claim 1, wherein the temperature detecting means (25) is a temperature sensor (10) in contact with the stirring vessel (11). .

6. The temperature detecting means (25) is a temperature sensor (10) attached to the inner surface of the lid (13) of the stirring vessel (11). The ice cream manufacturing machine according to the item.

7. The battery (2) is a lithium battery.

4. The ice cream manufacturing machine according to claim 1.

8. Using the battery (2) as a power source, the stirring blade (9) is rotated by the motor (4) to stir the ice cream material (A) contained in the stirring vessel (11) in a frozen environment. A method for controlling an ice cream making machine for manufacturing an ice cream by

The temperature of the ice cream material (A) is detected, and when the temperature falls below the predetermined temperature, the motor (4) is started, and the motor (4) is started at the first time interval for a first predetermined time shorter than the time interval. (4) Performs initial agitation to drive the rotation, detects the viscosity of the ice cream material (A), and when the viscosity reaches the first predetermined viscosity, the second time interval starts from that time interval. An ice cream characterized in that late stirring is performed by rotating the motor (4) for a short second predetermined time, and the stirring operation is stopped when the viscosity of the ice cream material (A) reaches the second predetermined viscosity. A method for controlling a ream manufacturing machine.

9. Using the battery (2) as a power source, the stirring blade (9) is driven to rotate by the motor (4), and the ice cream material (A) contained in the stirring container (11) is stirred in a frozen environment. Ice cream A method for controlling a ream manufacturing machine,

The temperature of the ice-cream material (A) is detected, and when the temperature falls below the first predetermined temperature, the motor (4) is started, and the first time interval is shorter than the first time interval. Initial stirring for rotating the motor (4) for a predetermined time is performed, and when the temperature of the ice-cream material (A) falls below the second predetermined temperature, the second time interval starts at that time interval. The second-stage stirring for rotating the motor (4) for a short second predetermined time is performed, and the stirring operation is stopped when the temperature of the ice-cream material (A) reaches the third predetermined temperature. The control method of the ice cream manufacturing machine.

10. Using the battery (2) as a power source, the stirring blade (9) is rotated by the motor (4) to stir the ice dream material (A) contained in the stirring vessel (11) in a frozen environment. A method for controlling an ice cream making machine for manufacturing ice cream by

Initial stirring in which the motor (4) is started after a predetermined standby time has elapsed after the start operation is performed, and the motor (4) is rotationally driven for a first predetermined time shorter than the first time interval. Is executed, and the viscosity of the ice-cream material (A) is detected. When the viscosity of the ice-cream material (A) becomes equal to or higher than the first predetermined viscosity, the time interval is set at the second time interval. The second-stage stirring for rotating the motor (4) for a shorter second predetermined time is performed, and the stirring operation is stopped when the viscosity of the ice cream material (A) reaches the second predetermined viscosity. The control method of the ice cream manufacturing machine.

1 1. Using the battery (2) as a power source, the stirring blade (9) is driven to rotate by the motor (4), and the ice cream material (A) contained in the stirring container (11) is stirred in a frozen environment. A method for controlling an ice cream making machine that manufactures an ice cream by After a predetermined standby time has elapsed after the start operation, the motor (4) is started, and an initial agitation for rotating and driving the motor (4) for a first predetermined time shorter than the first time interval is performed. The second predetermined time is executed, and after the second predetermined time elapses, the second stirring is performed at the second time interval by rotating the motor (4) for a third predetermined time shorter than the second time interval. A method for controlling an ice cream manufacturing machine, which is performed for a predetermined time.