Ice cream discharging device and ice cream machine

Abstract

The invention discloses an ice cream discharging device and an ice cream machine. The ice cream discharging device comprises a magnetic switch, an ice cream barrel, a feeding assembly and a discharging valve assembly. In the working process, when an operator pulls a valve rod to enable the valve rod to move upwards to reach an opening position, an induction magnet installed on the valve rod can be close to a magnetic switch along with the valve rod, a magnetic field induction effect is generated, and the magnetic switch starts a rotary driving piece in the feeding assembly to enable the rotary driving piece to start rotary feeding movement. The problem of pollutant contact possibly generated by a traditional mechanical contact type switch is effectively avoided; meanwhile, the counter can accurately record the number of times that the light is blocked by the shading base every time, and the number of times of blocking is converted into the actual number of turns of rotation of the rotary driving piece according to the number of times of blocking. And high-precision rotation number metering can be realized, so that the extrusion amount of ice cream is accurately controlled, and the component of each part of product is ensured to meet the standard requirement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ice cream machine technology, and in particular to an ice cream dispensing device. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional ice cream machine dispensing devices mainly consist of the following core components: an operating handle, a top shaft mounted on top of the handle, and a top plate assembly located inside the machine casing. When ice cream needs to be made, the user pulls the handle upwards, which causes the connected top shaft to move upwards in sync. During its ascent, the top shaft contacts the end of the top plate located outside the machine casing. As the top shaft continues to push upwards, this end of the top plate is lifted, causing the other end of the top plate to move downwards. This downward movement eventually causes the top plate to contact the motor switch, thus starting the motor and completing the ice cream extrusion process.

[0003] However, this traditional design has several obvious drawbacks: First, because the top shaft is constantly exposed to the outside of the machine, it inevitably comes into contact with various contaminants, including dust and food residue. These contaminants gradually accumulate on the surface of the top shaft and between the moving parts, causing the top shaft to move poorly and affecting its normal lifting function. Second, the top plate, a key component, is usually made of metal spring material. Although it has a certain degree of elasticity, it is prone to metal fatigue during frequent bending and deformation, which may eventually lead to breakage and failure. Once the top plate is damaged, the entire dispensing device will malfunction. In addition, there are problems with controlling the ice cream extrusion volume. The extrusion volume depends on the number of rotations of the feeding screw, and the existing counting mechanism is not accurate enough, which is prone to counting deviations. This directly affects the accuracy of the final extruded ice cream portion, causing inconvenience to the user. These design flaws not only affect the user experience but also shorten the service life of the equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention proposes an ice cream dispensing device, including a magnetic switch, an ice cream bucket, a feeding assembly, and a dispensing valve assembly; the front of the ice cream bucket has a dispensing port; the feeding assembly is installed inside the ice cream bucket, and the feeding assembly includes a rotary drive component, a light-shielding seat is mounted on the tail shaft of the rotary drive component, and a counter is mounted at the tail of the rotary drive component; the light-shielding seat rotates with the rotary drive component and passes through the counter; the dispensing valve assembly is installed at the dispensing port, and the dispensing valve assembly includes a valve stem, the top of which is provided with an induction magnet.

[0005] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the discharge valve assembly further includes a discharge seat and a wrench, wherein a valve stem is installed in the inner cavity of the discharge seat; the wrench is rotatably mounted on the discharge seat and is connected to the valve stem, and the valve stem is moved up and down by turning the wrench.

[0006] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a discharge chamber is provided longitudinally in the discharge seat, an extrusion port is provided at the bottom of the discharge chamber, and an inlet is opened on the side wall of the discharge chamber, with the inlet facing the discharge port, so that the discharge chamber communicates with the cavity of the ice cream bucket; a valve rod is vertically installed in the discharge chamber.

[0007] The second aspect of the present invention is an ice cream machine, including a machine casing, a dispensing device, and a dual-temperature control component. The dual-temperature control component is installed inside the machine casing, and the dispensing device adopts the ice cream dispensing device described above. The dispensing valve assembly is installed at the front of the machine casing. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the ice cream tub is housed within a casing, and the tub is connected to a dual-temperature control assembly via piping to form a refrigeration or heating cycle. When switching to the refrigeration cycle, the ice cream is frozen; when switching to the heating cycle, bacteria are effectively killed while preserving the nutritional components and original flavor of the ingredients. This function is particularly suitable for making ice cream containing fresh fruit or raw eggs, ensuring food safety.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the dual-temperature control assembly includes a compressor, a control valve, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, and an expansion valve. The control valve has an inlet, an outlet, a first connection port, and a second connection port. The inlet is connected to the outlet of the compressor, and the outlet is connected to the suction port of the compressor. The first connection port and the second connection port are respectively connected to the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger. An expansion valve is installed between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, with the first heat exchanger in contact with the ice cream tub.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, an expansion valve is installed between a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, the first heat exchanger being in contact with an ice cream tub.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a protrusion is provided at the front of the chassis, and an operation panel and a control circuit board are mounted on the protrusion. The protrusion makes the operation of the operation panel more convenient. A magnetic switch is installed at the inner bottom of the protrusion and is electrically connected to the control circuit board, so that the signal of the magnetic switch is transmitted back to the control circuit board.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the chassis is provided with a front opening, and the discharge port is located behind the front opening; the discharge seat is installed in front of the front opening.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a mixing tank is also provided. The mixing tank is installed on the top of the machine casing. Ice cream ingredients are put into the mixing tank and stirred. The stirred ingredients are then fed into the ice cream bucket through a pipeline for freezing.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the feeding assembly further includes a feeding screw, which is installed inside the ice cream bucket and connected to a rotary drive. The rotary drive drives the feeding screw to rotate, so that the raw material is continuously pushed towards the discharge port, thereby realizing the conveying of ice cream.

[0014] The present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: 1. During operation, when the operator moves the valve stem upwards to the open position, the induction magnet mounted on the valve stem will approach the magnetic switch. Due to the principle of magnetic induction, when the distance between the induction magnet and the magnetic switch reaches the preset sensing range, a magnetic field will be generated between them. This induction will immediately trigger the magnetic switch to activate the rotary drive component in the feeding assembly, causing it to begin rotating. The rotary drive component drives the feeding screw to rotate through its mechanical transmission structure, thus smoothly extruding the ice cream product. This control method based on the principle of magnetic induction not only greatly improves the system's response sensitivity but also adopts a completely non-contact design, effectively avoiding the contaminant contact problems that may occur with traditional mechanical contact switches, fundamentally solving the potential for control malfunctions caused by contaminant accumulation.

[0015] 2. As the rotary drive unit rotates steadily, a specially designed light-shielding seat mounted on its tail shaft also rotates synchronously. The light-shielding seat periodically passes through the detection area of ​​a photoelectric counter mounted at the tail of the rotary drive unit. The light source inside the counter continuously emits a stable detection beam. When the rotating light-shielding seat passes through the light path, it temporarily blocks the light, creating an interruption in the light path. The counter accurately records the number of times the light is blocked each time and converts this number of interruptions into the actual number of rotations of the rotary drive unit. This enables high-precision measurement of rotations, thereby accurately controlling the amount of ice cream extruded and ensuring that the portion size of each product meets the standard requirements.

[0016] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an ice cream dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an ice cream dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 3 This is a top view schematic diagram of the ice cream dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the AA section; Figure 5 for Figure 4 Enlarged diagram of B in the middle; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of an ice cream machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of an ice cream machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 8 This is a top view schematic diagram of an ice cream machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 for Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the CC section; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of refrigerant flow in the refrigeration state of an ice cream machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of refrigerant flow in a hot state in an ice cream machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0018] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements with the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0019] In the description of this invention, "more than" means two or more, and "greater than," "less than," "exceeding," etc., are understood to exclude the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0020] Reference Figures 1 to 2 An ice cream dispensing device includes a magnetic switch 100, an ice cream bucket 200, a feeding assembly 300, and a dispensing valve assembly 500. The ice cream bucket 200 has a dispensing port 210 at its front. The feeding assembly 300 is installed inside the ice cream bucket 200 and includes a rotary drive 310. A light shield 320 is mounted on the tail shaft of the rotary drive 310, and a counter 340 is mounted at the tail of the rotary drive 310. The light shield 320 rotates with the rotary drive 310 and passes through the counter 340. The dispensing valve assembly 500 is installed at the dispensing port 210 and includes a valve stem 510. A sensing magnet 520 is provided on the top of the valve stem 510.

[0021] During operation, when the operator moves the valve stem 510 upwards to the open position, the sensing magnet 520 mounted on the valve stem 510 will move closer to the magnetic switch 100. Due to the principle of magnetic induction, when the distance between the sensing magnet 520 and the magnetic switch 100 reaches the preset sensing range, a magnetic field will be generated between them. This induction will immediately trigger the magnetic switch 100, and the magnetic switch 100 will send a feedback signal back to the control board.

[0022] The control panel controls the feeding assembly (300), activating the rotary drive 310 within it to begin rotating. The rotary drive 310, through its mechanical transmission structure, drives the feeding screw 330 to rotate, thus smoothly extruding the ice cream product. This control method, based on the principle of magnetic induction, not only significantly improves the system's response sensitivity but also employs a completely non-contact design, effectively avoiding the contaminant contact problems that may arise with traditional mechanical contact switches. This fundamentally solves the potential for control malfunctions caused by contaminant accumulation.

[0023] As the rotary drive unit 310 rotates steadily, a specially designed light-shielding seat 320 mounted on the tail shaft of the rotary drive unit 310 also rotates synchronously. The light-shielding seat 320 periodically passes through the detection area of ​​the photoelectric counter 340 mounted at the tail of the rotary drive unit 310. The light source inside the counter 340 continuously emits a stable detection light. When the rotating light-shielding seat 320 passes through the light path, it temporarily blocks the light, creating an interruption in the light path. The counter 340 accurately records the number of times the light is blocked each time and converts this number of interruptions into the actual number of rotations of the rotary drive unit 310. This enables high-precision measurement of rotations, thereby accurately controlling the amount of ice cream extruded and ensuring that the portion size of each product meets the standard requirements.

[0024] Reference Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the discharge valve assembly 500 also includes a discharge seat 530 and a wrench 540. A valve stem 510 is installed in the inner cavity of the discharge seat 530. The wrench 540 is rotatably mounted on the discharge seat 530 and is connected to the valve stem 510. By operating the wrench 540, the valve stem 510 can be moved up and down.

[0025] Specifically, a discharge chamber 533 is provided longitudinally inside the discharge seat 530. The bottom of the discharge chamber 533 is provided with an extrusion port 532. The side wall of the discharge chamber 533 has an inlet port 531 facing the discharge port 210, so that the discharge chamber 533 communicates with the cavity of the ice cream bucket 200. The valve stem 510 is vertically installed in the discharge chamber 533.

[0026] Pull the lever 540 upward to move the valve stem 510 upward, thereby releasing the valve stem 510 from the inlet 531 and allowing the ice cream to enter the outlet 533 from the inlet 531 and flow out from the outlet 210. After the ice cream is extruded, pull the lever 540 downward to move the valve stem 510 downward, thereby re-closing the inlet 531 and extruding any remaining ice cream in the outlet 533. This prevents ice cream from remaining in the outlet 533 and causing it to melt and drip from the outlet 210, affecting the hygiene of the work surface.

[0027] Reference Figure 6 , 7 As shown, the ice cream machine includes a chassis 400, a dispensing device, and a dual-temperature control component 600. The dual-temperature control component 600 is installed inside the chassis 400. The dispensing device adopts the ice cream dispensing device described above. The dispensing valve assembly 500 is installed at the front of the chassis 400. The ice cream tub 200 is housed within the casing 400, and is connected to the dual-temperature control unit 600 via piping, forming a cooling or heating loop. When switched to the cooling loop, the ice cream is frozen; when switched to the heating loop, bacteria are effectively killed while preserving the nutrients and original flavor of the ingredients. This function is particularly suitable for making ice cream containing fresh fruit or raw eggs, ensuring food safety.

[0028] Reference Figure 7 , 9 As shown, a mixing tank 700 is also provided to facilitate mixing of raw materials. The mixing tank 700 is installed on the top of the machine casing 400. A heating element 740 is installed at the bottom of the mixing tank 700. The mixing tank 700 is equipped with a discharge pipe 710 and a return pipe 720. Both the discharge pipe 710 and the return pipe 720 are connected to the ice cream bucket 200, and the discharge pipe 710 and the return pipe 720 pass through the heating element 740. A return control valve 730 is installed on the return pipe 720.

[0029] Ice cream ingredients are placed in mixing tank 700 and stirred. The stirred ingredients are then fed into ice cream bucket 200 through discharge pipe 710 for freezing and extrusion.

[0030] When it is necessary to recover the remaining ingredients in the ice cream bucket 200, circulate and heat them for sterilization, or improve the defrosting efficiency of the ingredients, the corresponding return control valve 730 can be opened to form a closed circuit in the return pipe 720. At this time, the ingredients or cleaning water stored in the mixing tank 700 are transported to the ice cream bucket 200 under pressure through the discharge pipe 710. During this process, the discharge valve assembly 500 remains closed to prevent material leakage, while the feeding assembly 300 starts operating, pushing the material back into the mixing tank 700 along the return pipe 720, forming a circulation path. If heating is required, the heating element at the bottom of the mixing tank 700 can be activated simultaneously to continuously heat the fluid while achieving uniform temperature rise of the material, thereby improving thermal efficiency and ensuring temperature control accuracy. This system can effectively realize the recovery and reuse of residual materials, while supporting multiple process requirements such as heating, sterilization, and defrosting.

[0031] Specifically, the feeding assembly 300 also includes a feeding screw 330, which is installed inside the ice cream bucket 200 and is connected to a rotary drive 310. The rotary drive 310 drives the feeding screw 330 to rotate, so that the raw materials are continuously pushed towards the discharge port 210, thereby realizing the conveying of ice cream.

[0032] Reference Figure 6 As shown, specifically, the dual-temperature control assembly 600 includes a compressor 610, a control valve 620, a first heat exchanger 630, a second heat exchanger 640, and an expansion valve 650. The control valve 620 has an inlet, an outlet, a first connection port, and a second connection port. The inlet is connected to the outlet of the compressor 610, and the outlet is connected to the suction port of the compressor 610. The first connection port and the second connection port are respectively connected to the first heat exchanger 630 and the second heat exchanger 640. The expansion valve 650 is installed between the first heat exchanger 630 and the second heat exchanger 640, and the first heat exchanger 630 is in contact with the ice cream bucket 200.

[0033] Reference Figure 11 As shown, during the heating and sterilization process, the refrigerant is first compressed into a high-temperature steam state by the compressor 610. At this time, the control valve 620 switches the pipeline, allowing the high-temperature steam refrigerant to enter the first heat exchanger 630 through the control valve 620, causing the ice cream bucket 200 to continuously absorb heat. This heats the ingredients in the ice cream bucket 200 and maintains the preset temperature for a certain period of time, thereby achieving sterilization.

[0034] After heat exchange, the refrigerant enters the expansion valve 650 to reduce pressure and then enters the second heat exchanger 640. In the second heat exchanger 640, it absorbs external heat and then returns to the compressor 610 through the control valve 620; and repeats the above working cycle.

[0035] Reference Figure 10 When the freezing process is performed, the control valve 620 switches the pipeline, so that the refrigerant is compressed into a high-temperature vapor state by the compressor 610 and then enters the second heat exchanger 640 through the control valve 620. It dissipates heat and becomes a low-temperature, high-pressure liquid. Then, it is depressurized through the expansion valve 650 and becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure gas-liquid mixture. It then enters the first heat exchanger 630 and continuously absorbs heat from the ice cream bucket 200, thereby achieving a low-temperature environment in the ice cream bucket 200 and freezing the raw materials.

[0036] After absorbing heat in the first heat exchanger 630, the refrigerant turns into gas and returns to the compressor 610, repeating the above working cycle.

[0037] To effectively improve the heat exchange efficiency between external air and the second heat exchanger 640, a forced convection device is specially added to the system. Specifically, a set of fans 660 is installed on the air inlet side of the second heat exchanger 640. These fans 660 continuously deliver air at a specific angle to the fin surface of the heat exchanger. This active air delivery method not only significantly accelerates the flow speed of ambient air, allowing more fresh air to quickly pass through the surface of the heat exchanger, but also optimizes the uniformity of airflow distribution, ensuring that all parts of the heat exchanger receive sufficient heat exchange opportunities. The speed of the fans 660 can be intelligently adjusted according to actual operating conditions, ensuring both heat dissipation and energy consumption control, thereby achieving the best balance between heat exchange efficiency and energy consumption.

[0038] Reference Figure 9 As shown, in this embodiment, a protrusion 410 is provided at the front of the chassis 400. An operation panel and a control circuit board are mounted on the protrusion 410. The protrusion 410 makes the operation of the operation panel more convenient. The magnetic switch 100 is installed at the inner bottom of the protrusion 410 and is electrically connected to the control circuit board, so that the signal of the magnetic switch 100 is transmitted back to the control circuit board.

[0039] Specifically, the chassis 400 has a front opening 420, and the discharge port 210 is located behind the front opening 420; the discharge seat 530 is installed in front of the front opening 420.

[0040] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "some embodiments" or "as one might imagine" indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one embodiment or example.

[0041] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ice cream dispensing device, characterized in that, include: Magnetic switch (100); An ice cream tub (200) is provided with a discharge port (210) at the front. A feeding assembly (300) is installed inside the ice cream tub (200). The feeding assembly (300) is connected to a rotary drive (310). A light shield (320) is mounted on the tail shaft of the rotary drive (310). A counter (340) is mounted on the tail of the rotary drive (310). The light shield (320) rotates with the rotary drive (310) and passes through the counter (340). The discharge valve assembly (500) is installed at the discharge port (210). The discharge valve assembly (500) includes a valve stem (510). The top of the valve stem (510) is provided with an induction magnet (520). When the valve stem (510) moves upward to the open position, when the induction magnet (520) approaches the magnetic switch (100), the magnetic switch (100) is turned on, and the feeding assembly (300) starts feeding. When the magnetic switch (100) is turned off, the feeding assembly (300) stops feeding.

2. The ice cream dispensing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The discharge valve assembly (500) also includes a discharge seat (530) and a wrench (540). The valve stem (510) is installed in the inner cavity of the discharge seat (530). The wrench (540) is rotatably mounted on the discharge seat (530) and is connected to the valve stem (510). By turning the wrench (540), the valve stem (510) moves up and down.

3. The ice cream dispensing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The discharge seat (530) has a discharge chamber (533) arranged longitudinally inside. The bottom of the discharge chamber (533) is provided with an extrusion port (532). The side wall of the discharge chamber (533) has an inlet port (531). The inlet port (531) faces the discharge port (210), so that the discharge chamber (533) communicates with the cavity of the ice cream bucket (200). The valve rod (510) is vertically installed in the discharge chamber (533). When the wrench (540) is turned, the valve rod (510) moves up and down, so that the valve rod (510) closes or opens the inlet port (531).

4. An ice cream machine, characterized in that, The device includes a chassis (400), a dispensing device, and a dual-temperature control assembly (600). The dual-temperature control assembly (600) is installed inside the chassis (400). The dispensing device is an ice cream dispensing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The dispensing valve assembly (500) is installed at the front of the chassis (400). The ice cream tub (200) is installed inside the chassis (400), and the ice cream tub (200) is connected to the dual-temperature control component (600) through a pipeline to form a cooling or heating cycle.

5. The ice cream machine according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes a mixing tank (700), which is mounted on the top of the housing (400), and a heating element (740) is mounted on the bottom of the mixing tank (700). The mixing tank (700) is equipped with a discharge pipe (710) and a return pipe (720). Both the discharge pipe (710) and the return pipe (720) are connected to the ice cream bucket (200), and the discharge pipe (710) and the return pipe (720) pass through the heating element. The return pipe (720) is equipped with a return control valve (730).

6. The ice cream machine according to claim 4, characterized in that, The dual-temperature control assembly (600) includes a compressor (610), a control valve (620), a first heat exchanger (630), a second heat exchanger (640), an expansion valve (650), and a fan (660). The control valve (620) has an air inlet, an air outlet, a first connection port, and a second connection port. The air inlet is connected to the air outlet of the compressor (610), and the air outlet is connected to the air intake port of the compressor (610). The first connection port and the second connection port are respectively connected to the first heat exchanger (630) and the second heat exchanger (640). The expansion valve (650) is installed between the first heat exchanger (630) and the second heat exchanger (640), and the first heat exchanger (630) is in contact with the ice cream bucket (200); The fan (660) is directed toward the second heat exchanger (640).

7. The ice cream machine according to claim 4, characterized in that, The front of the chassis (400) is provided with a protrusion (410), and the magnetic switch (100) is installed on the inner bottom of the protrusion (410).

8. The ice cream machine according to claim 4, characterized in that, The chassis (400) is provided with a front opening (420), and the discharge port (210) is located behind the front opening (420); the discharge seat (530) is installed in front of the front opening (420).

9. The ice cream machine according to claim 4, characterized in that, The feeding assembly (300) also includes a feeding screw (330), which is installed inside the ice cream bucket (200) and is connected to the rotary drive (310).

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