System and method for dispensing frozen desserts

Abstract

A system for dispensing frozen confection (30) is disclosed, the system comprising a cartridge (1) and a device (20). The cartridge (1) comprises a tubular body (2) extending from an open end to a dispensing end, a piston (5) slidable in the tubular body (2), an end piece (3) formed of paperboard and closing the dispensing end of the tubular body (2) and having a dispensing hole (4), and a frozen confection (30) contained in the tubular body between the piston (5) and the end piece (3). The device (20) comprises a base (10) for positioning the cartridge (1) in or on the device (20); and a plunger (22) positioned to enter the cartridge (1) through the open end of the tubular body (2) when the cartridge (1) is located in the base (10), and to engage with the piston (5) and move the piston (5) toward the end piece (3), thereby generating a dispensing force for pushing the frozen confection (30) out of the dispensing hole (4). The base (10) of the device (20) comprises an annular plate (11) supporting the end piece (3) of the cartridge (1) against the dispensing forces.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a system and method for dispensing frozen confectionery, such as ice cream, from a cartridge. More particularly, the present invention relates to such a method and system, wherein the cartridge comprises a tubular body and a piston slidable within the tubular body. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, systems for dispensing frozen desserts, such as soft serve ice cream, have been developed in which prepackaged ice cream is delivered from a container through a dispensing device.

[0003] In one type of system, gas pressure is used to apply the dispensing force. For example, WO 2013 / 124193 A discloses a method for dispensing frozen desserts, comprising: providing a refrigerated, insulated chamber, wherein at least one container is contained, wherein the frozen dessert is contained at a temperature of -12°C or lower; wherein the at least one container has an outlet closed by a self-closing valve; wherein the container comprises a flexible bag containing the frozen dessert located in a bottle; pressurizing the gas inside the bottle and the area outside the flexible bag, thereby applying pressure to the frozen dessert, thereby causing the valve to open and the frozen dessert to be squeezed out of the container through the outlet; releasing the pressure, causing the valve to close.

[0004] The use of pressurized gas requires that the material of the container be both airtight and able to withstand high internal pressures. Therefore, such containers are usually made of plastic materials, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

[0005] In another type of system, a collapsible container is used, and a dispensing force is used to push out the frozen dessert while collapsing the container. For example, US 2002 / 0119221 A discloses a method for pushing out food from a food package, the method comprising the following steps: providing a pushing device, the pushing device comprising a container receiving member, the container receiving member having a substantially cylindrical main body member and a bottom member, the bottom member having a through hole in its central region, and a pressing member adapted to introduce the cylindrical main body member from above; arranging the food package in the container receiving member; when the container made of soft material is controllably guided along the inner surface of the cylindrical main body member or the peripheral surface of the through hole of the bottom member, compressing the food package from above toward the bottom by the pressing member to prevent the container from moving sideways until the container is flattened; thereby pushing out the contained food through the pushing hole and the bottom through hole of the container made of soft material.

[0006] Collapse of containers made of soft materials may result in rupture and / or damage to the container, leading to contamination of the dispensing device and sanitation issues. In addition, the device requires complex guidance and control means to ensure that the package is collapsed in a controlled manner.

[0007] In another type of system, a cartridge containing an internal piston is used, whereby a dispensing device having a plunger is used to drive the piston through the cartridge and generate a dispensing force. For example, EP 0995685A discloses a dispensing system for frozen desserts, comprising a plurality of containers and a dispensing device. Each container contains a separate portion of the frozen dessert and comprises a substantially cylindrical tube having a first and a second end, a nozzle device toward the first end, and a piston device between the nozzle device and the second end, which is adapted to slide along the tube. The separate portion of the frozen dessert is contained in the cylindrical tube between the nozzle device and the piston device. The dispensing device comprises a plunger device mounted for reciprocating motion along the longitudinal axis, a drive device for driving the plunger along the longitudinal axis, and a support device for supporting the first end of the container when the plunger is engaged with the piston device. The arrangement enables the separate portion of the frozen dessert to be dispensed by actuating the drive device when the container is located on the support device.

[0008] This cartridge-based system has proven to be commercially successful and has been used in They are particularly attractive due to the fact that a simple, hygienic and inexpensive dispensing device can be used. Due to the high dispensing forces within such a cartridge, especially when dispensing ice cream at low temperatures such as -18°C, commercial systems have so far used cartridges made of plastic materials, such as PET or polypropylene (PP).

[0009] The present inventors have now recognised that there is a need for improved systems for dispensing frozen confections. In particular, the inventors have recognised a need to provide a system which provides the advantages of cartridge-based systems but eliminates or at least reduces the need for disposable plastics. Summary of the invention

[0010] In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a system for dispensing frozen confectionery, the system comprising:

[0011] (i) a barrel comprising:

[0012] - a tubular body extending from an open end to a dispensing end,

[0013] - a piston slidable in said tubular body,

[0014] - an end piece formed of cardboard closing the dispensing end of the tubular body and comprising a dispensing orifice, and

[0015] - a frozen confection contained within said tubular body between said piston and said end piece; and

[0016] (ii) an apparatus comprising:

[0017] - a seat for positioning the cartridge in or on the device; and

[0018] - a plunger positioned for entering the cartridge through the open end of the tubular body when the cartridge is located in the seat and for engaging with the piston and moving the piston towards the end piece, thereby generating a dispensing force for pushing the frozen confection out of the dispensing orifice;

[0019] Therein, the base of the device includes an annular plate, which supports the end piece of the cartridge against the dispensing force.

[0020] The inventors have found that, assuming that the cardboard body is tubular, the forces generated during dispensing of the frozen confection from the cartridge may be contained in the cardboard body, but if the end piece is cardboard, these forces may result in significant deformation, or even tend to push the end piece out of the tubular body. However, by supporting the end piece with an annular plate on the device, the inventors have found that the entire (or at least substantially all) cartridge can be made of a sustainable material such as cardboard, without compromising the performance of the cartridge compared to conventional cartridges made of polypropylene.

[0021] As used herein, when an element (i.e. a tubular body, an end piece or a piston etc.) is referred to as being "formed from paperboard", this means that at least the structural components of the element consist essentially of paperboard. Typically, such an element will comprise at least 70% (by weight) of paperboard, more preferably at least 80% (by weight), more preferably at least 90% (by weight) and most preferably 95% to 100% (by weight) of the element being paperboard. Typically, in order to allow for good moisture resistance, a small amount of the element will be plastic material, such as a plastic coating (e.g. a polypropylene and / or polyethylene coating). Such a plastic coating should not comprise more than 20% (by weight) of the element, otherwise the suitability of the element for recycling in a waste paper system may be affected. The paperboard used in the present invention preferably has a thickness of at least 0.2 mm, more preferably at least 0.3 mm, more preferably at least 0.4 mm and most preferably 0.5 to 0.8 mm. Additionally or alternatively, the grammage of the paperboard is preferably at least 200 g / m 2 , more preferably at least 300 g / m 2 , most preferably 400 to 800 g / m 2 .

[0022] Preferably, one or (more preferably) both of the tubular body and the piston are formed from paperboard, except for the end pieces.

[0023] When the cartridge is located in the seat, the annular plate preferably surrounds the dispensing orifice, since the end piece is then supported at all points around the orifice and stress concentrations in specific areas which could, for example, lead to tearing in these areas can be avoided.

[0024] The base preferably comprises an annular groove around the annular plate. Such a groove helps to position the cartridge in the base. This is especially true when the tubular body of the cartridge has an end lip extending from the end piece, because the end lip can be located in the annular groove at this time.

[0025] In some embodiments, the annular plate may be arranged to always be in contact with the end piece when the cartridge is in the base. However, such an arrangement may increase the likelihood of the plate being contaminated by the frozen confection, thus requiring cleaning between dispensing occasions. In an alternative embodiment, the annular plate is spaced apart from the end piece when the cartridge is in the base and there is no dispensing force. However, the spacing should not be too large, as the annular plate still needs to support the end piece during dispensing. Typically, the end piece will deform slightly during dispensing until it contacts the annular plate, which prevents it from being irreversibly deformed, torn, and / or becoming dislocated.

[0026] Preferably, the end piece is a substantially planar disc as this allows simple manufacture from a piece of cardboard.

[0027] Since the dispensing force is generated by the plunger of the device moving the piston within the tubular body, the cartridge does not need to be placed in a container during dispensing, which would be the case, for example, if the dispensing force is generated by collapsing the entire cartridge as in US 2002 / 0119221 A. Therefore, it is preferred that the base of the device is spaced from the plunger but aligned with the plunger and that there is no protective wall between the plunger and the base. By leaving a free space between the plunger and the base, the cartridge can be easily accessed for removal from the device, and the base can also be easily accessed for cleaning.

[0028] In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for dispensing a portion of a frozen confection from a cartridge, the method comprising the steps of:

[0029] a. Provide a system according to any embodiment of the first aspect;

[0030] b. Position the barrel in the base; then

[0031] c. driving the plunger into the cartridge through the open end of the tubular body to engage the piston and move the piston toward the end piece, thereby generating a dispensing force to push the frozen confection out of the dispensing aperture. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0033] Figure 1 A perspective view from above and to one side of the open end of a cartridge used with an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0034] Figure 2 Shown from above and from one side of the dispensing end Figure 1 The barrel in the.

[0035] Figure 3 Shows that before allocation Figure 1 Schematic cross-sectional view of the cartridge in FIG. 1 being located on the base of the device.

[0036] Figure 3a Shows Figure 3 Partial detail of the barrel and base shown.

[0037] Figure 4 Shows Figure 3 Bottom plan view of the middle barrel and base.

[0038] Figure 5 Shows that before allocation Figure 1 Schematic cross-sectional view of the cartridge in FIG. 1 being located on an alternative base of the device.

[0039] Figure 6 Shows the distribution process Figure 5 barrel and base.

[0040] Figure 7 A perspective view from above and from the side of a dispensing device for use in the present invention is shown before the cartridge is placed in a base.

[0041] Figure 8 Shows Figure 1 Schematic cross-section of the cartridge in FIG. 1 after all the frozen confection has been dispensed from the cartridge.

[0042] Fig. 9 Shows Figure 8 A cartridge in which the end piece and the piston have been removed from the tubular body. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] like Figures 1 to 3 As best shown, a cartridge 1 for use in an embodiment of the present invention comprises a tubular body 2, which in this embodiment is in the form of a hollow cylinder. The tubular body 2 is preferably formed of paperboard coated with a thin layer of plastic such as polyethylene and / or polypropylene to form a moisture-proof surface on its inner side.

[0044] Inside the tubular body 2 is a piston 5 which in this embodiment is a substantially planar disc having a diameter nearly identical to the inner diameter of the tubular body 2 so that the piston 5 fits snugly within the tubular body 2 but can slide up and down therein. The piston may be formed of plastic, but is preferably formed of cardboard.

[0045] In a filled barrel, Figures 1 to 3 As shown, a portion of a frozen confection 30, such as ice cream, is contained within the hollow tubular body 2 between the piston 5 and the end piece 3. Figures 1 to 3In the embodiment shown, the end piece 3 is a substantially planar disc which fits into and closes the dispensing end of the tubular body 2 and has in its centre a star-shaped dispensing orifice 4. The end piece 3 is formed from cardboard.

[0046] like Figure 3a As best shown, the end piece 3 is held within the tubular body 2 by abutting against an edge 2a formed by folding the wall of the tubular body 2 back a short distance inside the tubular body 2. This also forms an end lip 2b extending away from the end piece 3, on which the cartridge 1 can stand in a self-supporting manner. In some embodiments, the end piece 3 can be fixed to the inner wall of the tubular body 2 by using crimping and / or a food-grade adhesive.

[0047] The dispensing device for use in the present invention may be any device capable of driving a plunger into the cartridge 1. Preferably, the dispensing device 20 is a conventional dispenser for dispensing soft ice cream from a cartridge, as described in EP 0 995 685 A (the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference), but with a modified base 10. Such a device 20 is preferably Figure 7 As shown, the improved base 10 is shown in more detail as Figure 3 and Figure 4 shown.

[0048] The device 20 includes a handle 21 connected to a plunger 22 by a drive mechanism (not shown) contained within a housing 23. Below and spaced from the plunger 22 is a base 10, which is held within a support 24 so that the central opening 14 of the base is concentric with the plunger 22. The housing 23 and support 24 are mounted on a base 25, and there is no protective wall between the plunger 22 and the base 10, so that the cartridge 1 can be easily positioned on and removed from the base 10, and the base 10 and plunger 22 can be easily accessed for cleaning.

[0049] like Figure 3 , Figure 3a and Figure 4 As shown, the base 10 is annular and has a groove 12 on its upper surface concentric with the central opening 14. The annular groove is shaped to receive the end lip 2b of the cartridge 1 so that the cartridge can stand in the base 10 when the dispensing hole 4 of the end piece 3 is aligned with the central opening 14 of the base 10. Between the annular groove 12 and the central opening 14, the upper surface of the base 10 forms an annular plate 11. Figure 3 and Figure 4 In the embodiment shown, the annular plate 11 is in contact with the lower surface of the end piece 3 even before dispensing of the frozen confection from the cartridge begins.

[0050] Alternative embodiments of the base 10 include Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown. In this embodiment, the base 10 includes an annular planar support plate 11 having an edge wall 11a around its circumference, the edge wall 11a being slightly larger than the circumference of the tubular body 2 of the cartridge 1, so that when the cartridge stands on the annular support plate 11, the outer wall of the end lip 2b abuts against the inner side of the edge wall 11a of the base 10. Therefore, the annular support plate 11 is spaced from the end piece 3 by the length of the end lip 2b, and therefore does not contact the end piece 3 in the absence of a dispensing force. Figure 6 As shown, during the dispensing process, the dispensing force deforms the end piece 3 out of its planar configuration until it contacts and is supported by the annular plate 11. This means that Figure 3 and Figure 4 Compared to the embodiment shown, the base 10 has less contact with the end piece 3 and is therefore more hygienic.

[0051] To dispense a portion of frozen confection 30 from cartridge 1, the cartridge is first positioned in base 10 as described above. The handle 21 of device 20 is then pulled downwards, which actuates plunger 22 to move downwards. Plunger 22 enters tubular body 2 of cartridge 1, where it contacts the upper surface of piston 5. Continued actuation of handle 21 drives plunger 22, and therefore piston 5, further downwards into the tubular body, pushing frozen confection 30 through dispensing aperture 4 and central opening 14 into a waiting container (not shown), such as a bowl or cone.

[0052] After dispensing, the handle 21 is pushed back upwards, which in turn retracts the plunger 22 from the tubular body 2. The cartridge 1 can then be removed from the base 10 and placed into a recycling stream.

[0053] In embodiments where the end piece 3 is held in place by the edge 2a and is not fixed to the tubular body 2, as in Figure 8 and Fig. 9 Both the end piece 3 and the piston 5 are shown to be removable from the tubular body. Figure 8 The bold arrow 100 in FIG. 1 shows the force that can be applied (e.g., by a user's finger) to simply Fig. 9 The end piece 3 and piston 5 are shown removed. Both the end piece 3 and piston 5 can then be poured out of the open end of the tubular body 2. This is advantageous because it allows the tubular body 2 to be subsequently flattened to reduce the volume occupied in a recovery system, and / or allows the end piece 3 and tubular body 2 to be made of different materials and recovered in different streams.

[0054] All numbers in this specification expressing amounts of material, time periods, length ratios, reaction conditions, physical properties of materials and / or use may be optionally understood to be modified using the term "about".

[0055] It should be noted that in specifying any range of values, any particular upper value can be associated with any particular lower value.

[0056] For the avoidance of doubt, the word “comprising” means “including” and not necessarily “consisting of” or “composed of”. In other words, the listed steps or options do not have to be exhaustive.

[0057] The disclosure of the present invention as presented herein shall be deemed to cover all embodiments as presented in the claims multiple references to each other, regardless of the fact that the claims may not have multiple references or redundancy.

[0058] Where features are disclosed with respect to a particular aspect of the invention (eg, a method of the invention), that disclosure should also be considered to be applicable, by analogy, to any other aspect of the invention (eg, a system of the invention).

Claims

1. A system for dispensing frozen desserts, the system comprising: (i) a barrel comprising: - a tubular body extending from an open end to a dispensing end, - a piston slidable within said tubular body, - an end piece which is a substantially planar disc formed of cardboard and which closes said dispensing end of said tubular body and comprises a dispensing orifice, and - a frozen confection contained within said tubular body between said piston and said end piece; and (ii) an apparatus comprising: - a seat for positioning the cartridge in or on the device; and - a plunger positioned for entering the cartridge through the open end of the tubular body when the cartridge is located in the seat and for engaging the piston and moving the piston towards the end piece, thereby generating a dispensing force for pushing the frozen confection out of the dispensing orifice; wherein the base of the device comprises an annular plate which supports the end piece of the cartridge against the dispensing force, wherein the end piece is held in the tubular body by abutting against an edge formed by folding the wall of the tubular body back a short distance on the inside of the tubular body, which also forms an end lip projecting away from the end piece and on which the cartridge can stand in a self-supporting manner, wherein the base has an edge wall around its circumference, the edge wall being slightly larger than the circumference of the tubular body of the cartridge, so that when the cartridge stands on the annular plate, the outer wall of the end lip abuts against the inner side of the edge wall of the base, and Wherein, when the cartridge is located in the base, the annular plate is spaced apart from the end piece by the length of the end lip in the absence of the dispensing force.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: In a state where the cartridge is located in the base, the annular plate surrounds the dispensing hole.

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The end piece deforms during dispensing until it contacts the annular plate, which prevents the end piece from irreversibly deforming, tearing, and / or becoming dislocated.

4. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The tubular body is formed from paperboard.

5. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The piston is formed from cardboard.

6. A method for dispensing a portion of a frozen confection from a cartridge, the method comprising the steps of: a. Provide a system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims; b. so that the cartridge is located in the base; Then c. driving the plunger through the open end of the tubular body into the cartridge to engage the piston and move the piston toward the end piece, thereby generating a dispensing force that pushes the frozen confection out of the dispensing aperture.

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