An ice cream forming apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to cold drink product processing technical field, specifically to a ice cream forming equipment, the ice cream forming equipment provided by the present application includes first shell, chocolate dispenser, second shell and stirring mechanism, the chocolate dispenser is equipped with multiple partitions, the partitions divide the accommodating cavity in the chocolate dispenser into multiple material channels, in the process of producing ice cream, the ice cream slurry flows downwards and is shunted by the partitions, the ice cream slurry flows downwards from the material channels on both sides of the partitions, the chocolate feeding channel provides chocolate slurry to the lower side of the partitions, the ice cream slurry flowing down from the material channels on both sides of the partitions sandwiches the chocolate slurry, the temperature of the ice cream slurry is low, the temperature of the chocolate slurry is high, the chocolate slurry is cooled by the ice cream slurry to form large chocolate pieces, the stirring mechanism stirs the large chocolate pieces into chocolate pieces, and the chocolate pieces and the ice cream slurry are stirred uniformly, finally forming the ice cream with uniformly distributed chocolate pieces.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cold beverage processing technology, specifically to an ice cream forming device. Background Technology

[0002] Chocolate and ice cream are a classic combination, and this type of product has consistently ranked among the top sellers in the ice cream market. Currently, the common practice for combining chocolate and ice cream is to simultaneously fill the cone with ice cream and chocolate using a rotating mechanism, resulting in ice cream where both chocolate and ice cream are arranged in a spiral pattern with alternating strips; alternatively, a layer of chocolate is coated onto the surface of the ice cream stick. However, in ice cream made using these methods, the chocolate is typically in large flakes or strips, and there is currently no ice cream forming equipment on the market capable of evenly distributing small chocolate chips within sliced ​​ice cream. Summary of the Invention

[0003] (I) The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is that existing ice cream forming equipment cannot distribute small chocolate pieces evenly in sliced ​​ice cream.

[0004] (II) Technical Solution

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, one embodiment of the present invention provides an ice cream forming device, comprising: a first housing, a chocolate dispenser, a second housing, and a stirring mechanism;

[0006] The first housing, the chocolate dispenser, and the second housing are connected in sequence from top to bottom;

[0007] An ice cream feeding chamber is formed inside the first housing, and an ice cream inlet communicating with the ice cream feeding chamber is provided on the first housing;

[0008] A stirring chamber is formed inside the second housing, and the stirring mechanism is disposed inside the stirring chamber;

[0009] The chocolate dispenser includes a shell and longitudinally extending partitions. A receiving cavity is formed inside the shell, and a plurality of partitions are spaced apart in the receiving cavity to divide the receiving cavity into a plurality of feeding channels.

[0010] The partition is provided with a chocolate feeding channel, the discharge end of which is located at the lower end of the partition and is connected to the stirring chamber.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there are two partitions, which are parallel to each other, and the two partitions divide the receiving cavity into three material channels.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the chocolate feeding channel includes a horizontally arranged first channel and an inclinedly arranged second channel, one end of the second channel is connected to the first channel, and the other end is located at the lower end of the partition and is connected to the stirring chamber.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the chocolate dispenser further includes a feed tube and a pressurizing mechanism;

[0014] The first channel is formed inside the feed pipe, and the pressurizing mechanism is used to drive the chocolate paste into the first channel.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the pressurizing mechanism corresponds one-to-one with the chocolate feeding channel.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice cream forming equipment further includes a multi-channel peristaltic pump; each of the chocolate feeding channels corresponds to one channel of the peristaltic pump.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the thickness F of the partition is 5-10 mm, and the inner diameter K of the chocolate feeding channel is 2-4 mm.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice cream forming equipment further includes a heating mechanism;

[0019] A heating channel is formed in the inner wall of the second housing, and the heating mechanism is connected to the heating channel for introducing heated fluid into the heating channel; the heating channel and the stirring chamber are spaced apart from each other.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the second housing is cylindrical and the heating channel is spiral.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the heating mechanism includes a heating tank and a heating wire, wherein the heating wire is disposed inside the heating tank;

[0022] The heating tank is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet, and the air outlet is connected to the air inlet of the heating channel.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the heating mechanism includes an air inlet section and a heating section connected in the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet;

[0024] The air inlet is connected to the air inlet section, the heating wire is located in the heating section, and the air outlet is provided on the heating section.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the heating mechanism further includes a uniformly distributed sheet, which is disposed within the heating section and located between the heating wire and the air inlet, and the uniformly distributed sheet is provided with a plurality of vent holes.

[0026] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the second housing includes a stirring section and an extrusion section connected to each other, the stirring section being located above the extrusion section, a stirring chamber being formed within the stirring section, and a stirring mechanism being disposed within the stirring chamber;

[0027] An extrusion chamber is formed within the extrusion section, and a discharge port communicating with the extrusion chamber is provided on the extrusion section.

[0028] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the stirring mechanism includes a stirring shaft, stirring blades and a driving mechanism, wherein the stirring blades are disposed on the stirring shaft;

[0029] A support plate is provided at the connection between the stirring section and the extrusion section. The lower end of the stirring shaft is rotatably connected to the support plate through a bushing. The driving mechanism passes through the first housing and is connected to the upper end of the stirring shaft for driving the stirring shaft to rotate.

[0030] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the stirring section is cylindrical, the extrusion section is conical, and the inner diameter of the extrusion section gradually decreases from top to bottom, with the lower end of the extrusion section forming the discharge port.

[0031] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: The ice cream forming equipment provided by the present invention includes a first shell, a chocolate dispenser, a second shell, and a stirring mechanism; wherein, the chocolate dispenser is provided with a plurality of longitudinally arranged baffles, the baffles dividing the receiving cavity of the chocolate dispenser into a plurality of channels; during the ice cream production process, ice cream syrup is supplied to the ice cream feeding cavity through the ice cream inlet on the first shell, the ice cream syrup flows downward and is diverted by the baffles, the ice cream syrup flows downward from the channels on both sides of the baffles, the chocolate supply channel supplies chocolate syrup to the lower side of the baffles, and the ice cream syrup flowing down from the channels on both sides of the baffles sandwiches the chocolate syrup in the middle, the ice cream syrup temperature is lower and the chocolate syrup temperature is higher, the chocolate syrup sandwiched in the middle is cooled by the ice cream syrup to form large pieces of chocolate, the large pieces of chocolate enter the stirring cavity with the ice cream syrup, the stirring mechanism stirs the large pieces of chocolate into chocolate fragments, and stirs the chocolate fragments and ice cream syrup evenly, finally forming ice cream with chocolate fragments evenly distributed at the outlet. Attached Figure Description

[0032] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an ice cream forming device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 A half-sectional view of a chocolate dispenser;

[0035] Figure 3 for Figure 2 BB cross-sectional view;

[0036] Figure 4 A longitudinal sectional view of a chocolate dispenser;

[0037] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the stirring mechanism;

[0038] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a uniformly distributed sheet.

[0039] Icon: 1 - Ice cream forming equipment;

[0040] 11-First housing; 111-Ice cream inlet chamber; 112-Ice cream inlet; 113-Drive mechanism;

[0041] 12-Chocolate dispenser; 121-Outer shell; 122-Baffle; 123-Feed channel; 124-Chocolate feeding channel; 1241-First channel; 1242-Second channel; 125-Feed pipe;

[0042] 13-Second shell; 131-Stirring section; 1311-Stirring chamber; 132-Extrusion section; 1321-Extrusion chamber; 1322-Discharge port; 133-Heating channel;

[0043] 14-Stirring mechanism; 141-Stirring shaft; 142-Stirring blades;

[0044] 15-Support plate; 151-Shaft sleeve;

[0045] 16-Heating mechanism; 161-Heating tank; 1611-Air inlet section; 1612-Heating section; 162-Heating wire; 163-Even distribution plate; 1631-Ventilation hole. Detailed Implementation

[0046] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in these embodiments can be combined with each other. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0047] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, one embodiment of the present invention provides an ice cream forming device 1, including: a first housing 11, a chocolate dispenser 12, a second housing 13, and a stirring mechanism 14; the first housing 11, the chocolate dispenser 12, and the second housing 13 are connected sequentially from top to bottom; an ice cream feeding chamber 111 is formed inside the first housing 11, and an ice cream inlet 112 communicating with the ice cream feeding chamber 111 is provided on the first housing 11; a stirring chamber 1311 is formed inside the second housing 13, and the stirring mechanism 14... The chocolate dispenser 12, which is disposed in the mixing chamber 1311, includes a housing 121 and a longitudinally extending partition 122. A receiving cavity is formed inside the housing 121. Multiple partitions 122 are spaced apart in the receiving cavity to divide the receiving cavity into multiple material channels 123. A chocolate feeding channel 124 is provided on the partition 122. The discharge end of the chocolate feeding channel 124 is located at the lower end of the partition 122, and the discharge end of the chocolate feeding channel 124 is connected to the mixing chamber 1311.

[0048] The ice cream forming equipment 1 provided by the present invention includes a first housing 11, a chocolate dispenser 12, a second housing 13, and a stirring mechanism 14; wherein, the chocolate dispenser 12 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally arranged partitions 122, the partitions 122 dividing the receiving cavity inside the chocolate dispenser 12 into a plurality of material channels 123; during the ice cream production process, an external ice cream feeding device supplies ice cream slurry into the ice cream feeding cavity 111 through the ice cream inlet 112 on the first housing 11. Since the ice cream feeding cavity 111 is located on the upper side of the chocolate dispenser 12, the fluid ice cream slurry flows downward under the pressure provided by the external ice cream feeding device and enters the chocolate dispenser 12. The chocolate dispenser 12 is equipped with a partition 122, which divides the receiving cavity of the chocolate dispenser 12 into multiple channels 123. For example, if there are N partitions 122, then the N partitions 122 will divide the receiving cavity into N+1 channels 123; the ice cream mixture enters the channels 123 and is divided into N+1 streams.

[0049] The ice cream mixture flows downwards and is diverted by the partition 122. The ice cream mixture flows downwards through the channels 123 on both sides of the partition 122. The chocolate supply channel 124 supplies chocolate mixture to the lower side of the partition 122. The ice cream mixture flowing down from the channels 123 on both sides of the partition 122 sandwiches the chocolate mixture in the middle. The ice cream mixture temperature is relatively low, typically -3°C to -5°C, while the chocolate mixture temperature is relatively high, typically above 50°C, for example, 50°C-55°C. The sandwiched chocolate mixture is cooled by the ice cream mixture, forming large pieces of chocolate. At this point, the structure entering the receiving cavity is: one layer of ice cream mixture - one layer of chocolate chips - one layer of ice cream mixture - one layer of chocolate chips - one layer of ice cream mixture. This layer structure is related to the number of partitions 122. For example, if there are N partitions 122, there will be N large pieces of chocolate chips and N+1 layers of ice cream mixture.

[0050] Multi-layered composite chocolate flakes and ice cream mix enter the mixing chamber 1311. The mixing mechanism 14 agitates the large chocolate flakes into small chocolate fragments and mixes the chocolate fragments and ice cream mix evenly, ultimately forming ice cream with evenly distributed chocolate fragments at the outlet 1322. The ice cream forming equipment 1 provided in this application does not adopt the rotating structure of cup filling commonly used in the industry, but adopts a static forming method. That is, it relies on the extrusion of the ice cream mix onto the unsolidified chocolate to form large pieces of chocolate, and then through agitation, the large pieces of chocolate are turned into small pieces of chocolate, which are then evenly mixed with the ice cream. This prevents leakage and ensures the stability of the chocolate forming process during continuous production.

[0051] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the present invention has two partitions 122, which are parallel to each other and divide the receiving cavity into three material channels 123. The outer shell 121 of the chocolate dispenser 12 is annular, and the two partitions 122 extend vertically. The two partitions 122 divide the receiving cavity within the outer shell 121 into three material channels 123, one of which is elongated, while the two side channels 123 are arc-shaped. Each of the two partitions 122 forms a chocolate feeding channel 124, into which the multi-layered composite structure entering the mixing chamber 1311 includes three layers of ice cream syrup and two layers of large chocolate chips.

[0052] It should be noted that in the above embodiments of this application, the number of partitions 122 is not limited to two, but can be three, four, five or even more; and the shape of the chocolate dispenser 12 is not limited to a ring shape, but can also be square, triangular, quadrilateral or the like.

[0053] According to one embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 4 As shown, the chocolate feeding channel 124 includes a horizontally arranged first channel 1241 and an inclined second channel 1242. One end of the second channel 1242 is connected to the first channel 1241, and the other end is located at the lower end of the partition 122 and connected to the stirring chamber 1311. In this application, the chocolate feeding channel 124 is not a 90-degree channel (the first channel 1241 is horizontal and the second channel 1242 is vertical). Instead, the first channel 1241 is inclined relative to the second channel 1242. Preferably, the angle between the first channel 1241 and the second channel 1242 is an obtuse angle. This reduces the resistance to the flow of chocolate slurry in the chocolate feeding channel 124, prevents chocolate slurry from clogging the chocolate feeding channel 124, and also facilitates the cleaning of the chocolate feeding channel 124.

[0054] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the thickness F of the partition 122 is 5-10 mm, for example, F is 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10, preferably 7-9 mm; wherein the thickness of the partition 122 is usually the thickness of the formed large block of chocolate chips; the inventors have found that the partition 122 of the above thickness can ensure the stable forming of the chocolate chips and also ensure that the resistance is not too high when the chocolate chips are cut by the stirring mechanism 14. In this application, the diameter K of the chocolate feeding channel 124 is 2-4 mm, preferably 2.5-3.5 mm, for example, K is 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5 or 4, etc. The chocolate feeding channel 124 of the above size can ensure the fluidity of the chocolate paste, making it easy to clean, and can also prevent the proportion of chocolate paste in the ice cream product from being too high. It should be noted that F and K are not limited to integers.

[0055] According to one embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 4As shown, the chocolate dispenser 12 also includes a feed pipe 125 and a pressurizing mechanism (not shown in the figure); the feed pipe 125 forms a first channel 1241, and the pressurizing mechanism is used to provide pressure to force the chocolate paste into the first channel 1241. In this embodiment, one end of the feed pipe 125 is embedded in the outer shell 121 of the chocolate dispenser 12 and extends horizontally, forming the first channel 1241 inside. A hollow cavity is formed in the partition 122 to form a second channel 1242, and the outlet of the second channel 1242 is located at the lower end of the partition 122. A pressurizing mechanism provides pressure, forcing the chocolate syrup from the external container into the first channel 1241, and then along the first channel 1241 into the second channel 1242. Finally, it flows out through the outlet 1322 of the second channel 1242. The outflowing chocolate syrup is sandwiched between ice cream syrup flowing down from the two side channels 123. Because the temperature of the ice cream syrup is typically -3°C to -5°C, while the temperature of the chocolate syrup is typically 50°C to 55°C, the chocolate syrup is cooled to form large, crisp chocolate flakes. This application uses a static molding method, relying on the extrusion of the ice cream syrup onto the unsolidified chocolate to form large, crisp chocolate flakes, ensuring the stability of the chocolate flake forming. This enables the uniform addition of chocolate flakes to ice cream slices in industrial continuous production.

[0056] According to one embodiment of the present invention, each of the chocolate feeding channels 124 corresponds to a separate pressurizing mechanism, that is, the pressurizing mechanism corresponds one-to-one with the chocolate feeding channel. In the prior art, a rotating structure for cup-type filling is used to simultaneously flow chocolate syrup and ice cream syrup into the cup or container. On the one hand, the final product is not ice cream evenly mixed with chocolate chips, but rather a ring of chocolate followed by a ring of ice cream. On the other hand, the rotating structure for cup-type filling typically uses a dispensing ring to dispense the chocolate syrup. The dispensing ring usually uses a rotor motor as the drive mechanism, with one inlet and one outlet. To supply multiple chocolate feeding channels, one inlet channel and multiple outlet channels are set up, i.e., a "one-in, multiple-out" drive method. However, chocolate syrup easily solidifies during use, thus easily leading to insufficient pressure in one channel and blockage of the channel. In this application, static extrusion molding does not require a feeding ring, so each chocolate feeding channel 124 can be equipped with an independent pressurizing mechanism, which can ensure the driving pressure of each chocolate feeding channel 124. During the production process, even if the chocolate slightly solidifies in the chocolate feeding channel 124, the feeding pressure can keep the chocolate feeding channel 124 unobstructed, preventing blockage of the chocolate feeding channel 124 during the production process.

[0057] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice cream forming equipment 1 further includes a multi-channel peristaltic pump, with each chocolate feeding channel 124 corresponding to one channel of the peristaltic pump, that is, each chocolate feeding channel 124 is provided with pressure drive through an independent channel of the peristaltic pump. This ensures the driving pressure of each chocolate feeding channel 124, keeps each chocolate feeding channel 124 unobstructed, and prevents blockage of the chocolate feeding channel 124 during the production process.

[0058] It should be noted that the pressurizing mechanism described in this application can also be a rotary pump, that is, each chocolate feeding channel 124 is driven by a separate rotary pump, which can also achieve the purpose of ensuring the pressure of each chocolate feeding channel 124 and keeping the chocolate feeding channel 124 unobstructed. Its purpose does not depart from the design concept of this invention and should fall within the protection scope of this invention.

[0059] In the actual production of ice cream products, the entire production line includes many other stations besides the ice cream forming equipment 1 provided in this application, such as cutting, feeding, packaging, and gripping stations. However, there is no insulation equipment in the chocolate feeding section. If any of the above stations experiences a prolonged malfunction, causing a temporary shutdown, the ice cream feeding system can be shut down. However, to ensure the stability of product production and prevent chocolate from clogging the chocolate feeding channel 123, the chocolate feeding system needs to be kept running continuously. In this case, the chocolate supply will be reduced to avoid waste. If the shutdown is short-term, the chocolate will not clog the ice cream forming equipment 1. If the shutdown is long-term, the chocolate will solidify in the mixing chamber 1311 of the second shell 13 of the ice cream forming equipment 1. Upon restarting, continuous production will be impossible.

[0060] To address this issue, one embodiment of the ice cream forming apparatus 1 provided by the present invention further includes a heating mechanism 16, such as... Figure 1 As shown, a heating channel 133 is formed in the inner wall of the second housing 13. The heating mechanism 16 is connected to the heating channel 133 and is used to introduce heated fluid into the heating channel 133. The heating channel 133 and the stirring chamber 1311 are spaced apart from each other. When the equipment is stopped, the heating mechanism 16 is started. The heating mechanism 16 heats the fluid and introduces the heated fluid into the heating channel 133. The fluid heats the inner wall of the second housing 13. At this time, the chocolate syrup and ice cream syrup will automatically flow out after their temperature rises and softens, and will not solidify in the stirring chamber 1311.

[0061] Optionally, in this embodiment, the fluid heated by the heating mechanism 16 is air. The heating channel 133 has an air inlet and an air outlet. The gas enters the heating mechanism 16 through a drive component, which can be an air compressor. The air compressor introduces compressed air into the heating mechanism 16. After being heated in the heating mechanism 16, the compressed air enters the heating channel 133 through the air inlet, circulates through the heating channel 133, and then exits through the air outlet. If the fluid is another medium, such as water, the temperature inside the ice cream forming equipment 1 is low when the machine is stopped. If the fluid is water, it may freeze and block the heating channel 133, affecting subsequent use. Therefore, this application uses air as the heating fluid. The compressed air is discharged directly from the air outlet after heating the second housing 13, which avoids the above-mentioned problems.

[0062] like Figure 1 As shown, in this application, the second housing 13 is cylindrical, and the heating channel 133 is spiral and extends along the length of the second housing 13. In this embodiment, the heating channel 133 is a sandwich structure inside the second housing 13, which is spiral in shape. Its air inlet is located at the upper end and its exhaust port is located at the lower end. In this way, after the heated compressed air enters the heating channel 133 through the air inlet, it flows from top to bottom and can heat the entire cylinder wall of the second housing 13, so that the cylinder wall of each area of ​​the second housing 13 can be heated. Therefore, no matter where the chocolate paste solidifies on the inner wall of the second housing 13, it can be quickly heated and softened and flow out of the second housing 13 smoothly without causing blockage of the ice cream forming device, thus ensuring the stability of continuous production.

[0063] According to one embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 1 As shown, the heating mechanism 16 includes a heating tank 161 and a heating wire 162, with the heating wire 162 disposed inside the heating tank 161. The heating tank 161 has an air inlet and an air outlet, with the air outlet connected to the air inlet of the heating channel 133. When the ice cream forming equipment 1 is stopped, the heating mechanism 16 is activated. At this time, compressed air enters through the air inlet of the heating tank 161 and is heated by the heating wire 162. The air outlet of the heating tank 161 is connected to the air inlet of the heating channel 133, and the heated air flows into the heating channel 133 to heat the cylinder wall of the second housing 13.

[0064] Optional, such as Figure 1 As shown, the heating mechanism 16 includes a connected air inlet section 1611 and a heating section 1612 from the air inlet to the air outlet; the air inlet is connected to the air inlet section 1611, the heating wire 162 is disposed in the heating section 1612, and the air outlet is provided on the heating section 1612. Figure 1 and Figure 6As shown, the heating mechanism 16 further includes a uniformly distributed plate 163, which is disposed within the heating section 1612. The uniformly distributed plate 163 has multiple evenly distributed vent holes 1631. In this embodiment, the uniformly distributed plate 163 can evenly disperse the incoming compressed air. The dispersed air is heated by the heating wire 162 and then enters the heating channel 133. Figure 6 As shown, the uniformly distributed plate 163 is provided with a plurality of vent holes 1631, which are evenly distributed on the uniformly distributed plate 163 to ensure that the compressed air entering the heating section 1612 can be heated evenly.

[0065] The following is combined Figure 1 and Figure 6 The working principle of the heating mechanism 16 described in this invention will be explained in detail below.

[0066] When the ice cream forming equipment 1 stops, the heating mechanism 16 is activated. Compressed air enters the air inlet section 1611 through the air inlet of the heating tank 161, and then flows upwards through the vents 1631 on the distribution plate 163, evenly entering the heating section 1612. The compressed air is heated by the heating wire 162, becoming hot air at 30℃-40℃ in the heating section 1612. The heating wire 162 has a power of 800W to 1000W, which can heat the required compressed air to 30℃-40℃. If the temperature is too low, the material inside the second shell 13 cannot be softened quickly; if the temperature is too high, the material inside will gelatinize, and the gelatinized material will stick to the inner wall of the second shell 13, affecting the continuity of production. The air inlet section 1611 is equipped with a pneumatic control valve, which can be activated to control the flow of compressed air.

[0067] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the second housing 13 includes a stirring section 131 and an extrusion section 132 connected to each other. The stirring section 131 is located above the extrusion section 132, and a stirring chamber 1311 is formed inside the stirring section 131. The stirring mechanism 14 is disposed inside the stirring chamber 1311. The extrusion section 132 is provided with an extrusion chamber 1321, and the lower end of the extrusion section 132 is provided with a discharge port 1322 communicating with the extrusion chamber 1321. The ice cream mixture and chocolate chips stirred by the stirring mechanism 14 are pressed and shaped inside the extrusion section 132 and then flow out from the discharge port 1322. A cutting mechanism is provided outside the extrusion section 132. The cutting mechanism can be a cutting bow or a cutting wire. The cutting mechanism continuously cuts at the discharge port 1322 to cut out the finished ice cream product. The ice cream product is in the shape of a sheet, and chocolate chips are evenly distributed inside the ice cream.

[0068] According to one embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 1 and Figure 5As shown, the stirring mechanism 14 includes a stirring shaft 141, stirring blades 142, and a driving mechanism 113. The stirring blades 142 are mounted on the stirring shaft 141. A support plate 15 is provided at the connection between the stirring section 131 and the extrusion section 132. The lower end of the stirring shaft 141 is rotatably connected to the support plate 15 via a bushing 151. The driving mechanism 113 passes through the first housing 11 and is drively connected to the upper end of the stirring shaft 141 to drive the stirring shaft 141 to rotate. In this embodiment, the axis of the stirring shaft 141 extends vertically. The driving mechanism 113 is a drive motor. The output shaft of the drive motor passes through the first housing 11 and is drively connected to the upper end of the stirring shaft 141 via a bushing 151 or a coupling. The drive motor drives the stirring shaft 141 to rotate along the axis, thereby driving the stirring blades 142 connected to it to rotate. The rotating stirring blades 142 chop large pieces of chocolate into small chocolate chips, while simultaneously mixing the ice cream mixture and the chocolate chips evenly.

[0069] Optionally, the top view projection of the stirring blade 142 is semi-circular, and its top view projection radius is slightly smaller than the radius of the second cylinder. Simultaneously, the two stirring blades 142 intersect each other longitudinally, which can thoroughly cut the chocolate chips and ensure that the ice cream mixture and chocolate chips are evenly mixed.

[0070] like Figure 1 As shown, the stirring section 131 is cylindrical, the extrusion section 132 is conical, and the inner diameter of the extrusion section 132 gradually decreases from top to bottom. The lower end of the extrusion section 132 forms the discharge port 1322. In this example, the extrusion section 132 is configured with a constricted structure to increase the pressure applied to the ice cream mixture and chocolate chips inside the extrusion section 132, so that the ice cream is extruded and shaped.

[0071] The working principle of the ice cream forming equipment 1 provided by the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0072] The ice cream forming equipment 1 provided by the present invention has two modes: a normal operation mode and a shutdown mode.

[0073] In normal operation mode, the external ice cream feeding device supplies ice cream syrup into the ice cream feeding chamber 111 through the ice cream inlet 112 on the first housing 11; at the same time, the control system controls the peristaltic pump to start, and the peristaltic pump feeds the chocolate syrup in the external tank into the mixing chamber 1311 through the chocolate feeding channel 124.

[0074] The ice cream mixture flows downward and is diverted by the partition 122. The ice cream mixture flows downward from the channels 123 on both sides of the partition 122. The chocolate supply channel 124 supplies chocolate mixture to the lower side of the partition 122. The ice cream mixture flowing down from the channels 123 on both sides of the partition 122 sandwiches the chocolate mixture in the middle. The temperature of the ice cream mixture is relatively low, usually -3°C to -5°C, while the temperature of the chocolate mixture is relatively high, usually above 50°C. Therefore, the chocolate mixture sandwiched in the middle is cooled by the ice cream mixture to form large pieces of chocolate crisps.

[0075] The control system starts the drive motor, which rotates the stirring shaft 141, causing the stirring blades 142 to rotate synchronously. The stirring blades 142 cut the large pieces of chocolate into small chocolate chips inside the stirring chamber 1311. Simultaneously, the stirring blades 142 mix the ice cream mixture and chocolate chips evenly, then the mixture enters the extrusion section 132 below. The constricted structure of the extrusion section 132 applies pressure to the evenly mixed ice cream mixture and chocolate chips, extruding the ice cream into shape within the extrusion section 132. The resulting cylindrical ice cream flows out from the outlet 1322 and is cut into slices by a cutting mechanism located at the outlet 1322. This ice cream contains a uniform mixture of chocolate chips.

[0076] When a malfunction occurs at a certain workstation on the production line, the ice cream forming equipment 1 enters the shutdown mode to determine whether it is a short-term or long-term shutdown. For example, a minor malfunction that can be resolved in three to five minutes is considered a short-term shutdown, in which case the heating mechanism 16 does not need to be activated to heat the second shell 13.

[0077] When a prolonged shutdown is detected, such as a shutdown of more than 30 minutes, the control system stops supplying ice cream mix to the chocolate forming equipment via the external ice cream feeding equipment. Simultaneously, it activates the heating mechanism 16 and reduces the speed of the peristaltic pump to decrease the supply of chocolate mix, thereby reducing waste. It also reduces the speed of the drive motor to minimize wear and tear on the equipment during non-production periods.

[0078] After the heating mechanism 16 is started, the external air supply equipment provides compressed air to the air inlet section 1611 through the air inlet. The compressed air enters the heating section 1612 evenly through the air vents 1631 of the evenly distributed plate 163. The compressed air is heated to 30℃-40℃ in the heating section 1612 by the heating wire 162. The heated compressed air enters the heating channel 133 through the air outlet of the heating section 1612. The compressed air flows from top to bottom along the heating channel 133 and is discharged from the exhaust port. At this time, the temperature of the chocolate mixture and ice cream mixture in the second shell 13 rises. After the mixture softens, it will flow out automatically and will not solidify in the mixing chamber 1311, thus preventing blockage of the ice cream forming equipment 1 and ensuring the stability of continuous production.

[0079] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linkage" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances. Furthermore, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0080] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ice cream forming device, characterized in that, include: The first housing (11), the chocolate dispenser (12), the second housing (13), and the stirring mechanism (14); The first housing (11), the chocolate dispenser (12), and the second housing (13) are connected in sequence from top to bottom; An ice cream feeding chamber (111) is formed inside the first housing (11), and an ice cream inlet (112) communicating with the ice cream feeding chamber (111) is provided on the first housing (11); A stirring chamber (1311) is formed inside the second housing (13), and the stirring mechanism (14) is disposed inside the stirring chamber (1311); The chocolate dispenser (12) includes a housing (121) and longitudinally extending partitions (122). A receiving cavity is formed inside the housing (121), and a plurality of partitions (122) are spaced apart in the receiving cavity to divide the receiving cavity into a plurality of feeding channels (123). The partition (122) is provided with a chocolate feeding channel (124), the discharge end of the chocolate feeding channel (124) is located at the lower end of the partition (122), and the discharge end of the chocolate feeding channel (124) is connected to the stirring chamber (1311).

2. The ice cream forming equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Two partitions (122) are provided, and the two partitions (122) are parallel to each other, dividing the receiving cavity into three material channels (123).

3. The ice cream forming equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The chocolate feeding channel (124) includes a horizontally arranged first channel (1241) and an inclined second channel (1242). One end of the second channel (1242) is connected to the first channel (1241), and the other end is located at the lower end of the partition (122) and is connected to the stirring chamber (1311).

4. The ice cream forming equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The chocolate dispenser (12) also includes a feed pipe (125) and a pressurizing mechanism; The first channel (1241) is formed inside the feed pipe (125), and the pressurizing mechanism is used to drive the chocolate paste into the first channel (1241).

5. The ice cream forming equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, The pressurizing mechanism corresponds one-to-one with the chocolate feeding channel (124).

6. The ice cream forming equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The ice cream forming equipment also includes a multi-channel peristaltic pump; each chocolate feeding channel corresponds to one channel of the peristaltic pump.

7. The ice cream forming equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness F of the partition (122) is 5-10 mm, and the inner diameter K of the chocolate feeding channel (124) is 2-4 mm.

8. The ice cream forming equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The ice cream forming equipment also includes a heating mechanism (16); A heating channel (133) is formed in the inner wall of the second housing (13). The heating mechanism (16) is connected to the heating channel (133) and is used to introduce heated fluid into the heating channel (133). The heating channel (133) and the stirring chamber (1311) are spaced apart from each other.

9. The ice cream forming equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that, The second housing (13) is cylindrical, and the heating channel (133) is spiral.

10. The ice cream forming equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that, The heating mechanism (16) includes a heating tank (161) and a heating wire (162), wherein the heating wire (162) is disposed inside the heating tank (161); The heating tank (161) is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet, and the air outlet is connected to the air inlet of the heating channel (133).

11. The ice cream forming equipment according to claim 10, characterized in that, The heating mechanism (16) includes an inlet section (1611) and a heating section (1612) connected in the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet; The air inlet is connected to the air inlet section (1611), the heating wire (162) is located in the heating section (1612), and the air outlet is provided on the heating section (1612).

12. The ice cream forming equipment according to claim 11, characterized in that, The heating mechanism (16) further includes a uniform distribution plate (163), which is disposed in the heating section (1612) and located between the heating wire (162) and the air inlet. The uniform distribution plate (163) is provided with a plurality of vent holes (1631).

13. The ice cream forming equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The second housing (13) includes a stirring section (131) and an extrusion section (132) connected to each other. The stirring section (131) is located above the extrusion section (132). A stirring chamber (1311) is formed in the stirring section (131), and the stirring mechanism (14) is disposed in the stirring chamber (1311). An extrusion chamber (1321) is formed inside the extrusion section (132), and a discharge port (1322) communicating with the extrusion chamber (1321) is provided on the extrusion section (132).

14. The ice cream forming equipment according to claim 13, characterized in that, The stirring mechanism (14) includes a stirring shaft (141), stirring blades (142) and a driving mechanism (113), wherein the stirring blades (142) are disposed on the stirring shaft (141); A support plate (15) is provided at the connection between the stirring section (131) and the extrusion section (132). The lower end of the stirring shaft (141) is rotatably connected to the support plate (15) through a bushing (151). The driving mechanism (113) passes through the first housing (11) and is connected to the upper end of the stirring shaft (141) for driving the stirring shaft (141) to rotate.

15. The ice cream forming equipment according to claim 13, characterized in that, The stirring section (131) is cylindrical, the extrusion section (132) is conical, and the inner diameter of the extrusion section (132) gradually decreases from top to bottom. The lower end of the extrusion section (132) forms the discharge port (1322).

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