An ice cream machine

Abstract

The embodiment of the application provides an ice cream machine, which comprises a machine shell, a stirring shaft, a stirring knife and a cup, and further comprises: a driving mechanism arranged in the machine shell and used for driving the stirring shaft to rotate the stirring knife in the cup by using electric power; a lifting mechanism arranged in the machine shell and connected with the stirring shaft, wherein the lifting mechanism drives the stirring knife to lift in the cup by the stirring shaft when the lifting mechanism lifts; and a handle arranged outside the machine shell and connected with the lifting mechanism at one end, wherein the handle drives the lifting mechanism to lift when the handle rotates. The embodiment only needs one electric driving mechanism (motor) to drive the stirring shaft to rotate the stirring knife, and the stirring shaft drives the stirring knife to lift and cut in the cup in a manual mode, so that ice cream can also be made, and the structure is simple and can greatly reduce the cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of ice cream preparation technology, and in particular relates to an ice cream machine. Background Technology

[0002] Ice cream machines typically produce smooth and creamy ice cream through automatic churning, cutting, and freezing. Current ice cream machines generally use two motors: one to drive the churning shaft, which rotates the blades inside the cup, and the other to drive the churning shaft, which moves the blades up and down within the cup to cut the ice. This structure is complex and costly.

[0003] For example, Chinese patent CN119453357A discloses an easily driven ice cream machine with two motors. One motor drives the stirring shaft to rotate the stirring blade through a transmission mechanism, while the other motor drives the stirring shaft and stirring blade to move up and down inside the cup via a screw through the transmission mechanism in both forward and reverse directions. The two motors work synchronously to make the stirring blade move up and down and rotate to cut and mix the frozen ingredients in the cup to make ice cream. This structure is complex and relatively expensive. Moreover, after the stirring shaft extends into the cup to stir the food, it retracts into the machine casing, making it difficult to clean effectively and posing a hygiene and safety hazard. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art, the purpose of this application is to provide an ice cream machine that uses a manually driven stirring shaft and stirring blade to lift and lower.

[0005] The technical solution adopted in this application embodiment is an ice cream machine, including a machine casing, a stirring shaft, a stirring blade, and a cup, and further comprising: A drive mechanism is located inside the housing and uses electricity to drive the stirring shaft to rotate the stirring blade inside the cup; A lifting mechanism is provided inside the housing and connected to the stirring shaft. When the lifting mechanism moves up and down, it drives the stirring blade to move up and down inside the cup via the stirring shaft. A handle is located outside the housing, with one end passing through the housing and connected to the lifting mechanism. When the handle is rotated, it drives the lifting mechanism to rise and fall.

[0006] In an optional embodiment, a bushing is provided around the stirring shaft, and the drive mechanism is connected to the bushing via a transmission mechanism to drive the bushing to rotate the stirring shaft. Under the drive of the lifting mechanism, the stirring shaft can move relative to the bushing along its own axial direction. The bushing transmits the power of the drive mechanism to the stirring shaft, causing it to rotate, but does not restrict the vertical movement of the stirring shaft. This design is simple and easy to implement.

[0007] In an optional embodiment, the drive mechanism includes a motor and a drive wheel mounted on the output shaft of the motor; the transmission mechanism includes a drive pulley or multiple meshing drive gears. When the transmission mechanism includes a drive pulley, the drive pulley is connected to the drive wheel via a drive belt, and the bushing is fixed inside the pulley hole of the drive pulley; when the transmission mechanism includes multiple drive gears, one of the drive gears meshes with the drive wheel, and the bushing is fixed inside the pulley hole of another drive gear. The drive mechanism and transmission mechanism have simple structures, stable and reliable force transmission, and ensure the rotation effect of the stirring shaft and stirring blades.

[0008] In an optional embodiment, the lifting mechanism includes a rack and a driven gear. The rack extends vertically and is connected to the stirring shaft. The driven gear meshes with the rack. One end of the handle is connected to the driven gear. When the handle is rotated in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, the handle drives the driven gear to rotate in the first or second direction. When the driven gear rotates, it drives the rack to lift the stirring shaft. The stirring shaft can rotate relative to the rack around its own axis. The lifting mechanism using a rack and driven gear is not only simple in structure but also easy and labor-saving to operate, providing a better user experience.

[0009] In an optional embodiment, the lower part of the rack is provided with a connecting part, the connecting part has a mounting cavity, the stirring shaft passes through the mounting cavity, and a bearing is provided between the stirring shaft and the cavity wall of the mounting cavity, so that the stirring shaft can rotate relative to the connecting part and the rack; The outer peripheral wall of the stirring shaft is provided with an upper limit groove and a lower limit groove. The upper limit groove is located above and close to the bearing, and the lower limit groove is located below and close to the bearing. Each of the upper and lower limit grooves is provided with a limiting block, so that when the rack moves up and down, the stirring shaft is driven to move up and down via the limiting blocks. This structure easily achieves a lifting mechanism that can both drive the stirring shaft up and down without restricting its rotation.

[0010] In an optional embodiment, the stirring shaft includes an upper stirring shaft section and a lower stirring shaft section, which are detachably coupled together. The upper stirring shaft section has a flattened structure, which engages with the bushing to allow the bushing to rotate, thereby driving the stirring shaft to rotate. The stirring shaft can also move relative to the bushing along its own axial direction. By configuring the stirring shaft as a two-section structure, disassembly and cleaning are facilitated.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, a cup lid is detachably connected to the lower end of one side of the housing, and the mouth of the cup is detachably connected to the cup lid. The cup lid has a shaft hole. The lower end of the lower stirring shaft section passes through the shaft hole and is connected to the stirring blade. The stirring blade is located inside the cup. A limiting member protruding radially along the lower stirring shaft section is provided on the upper part of the lower stirring shaft section. A first elastic member is sleeved on the lower stirring shaft section, with its two ends respectively abutting against the cup lid and the limiting member. The lower stirring shaft section, stirring blade, elastic member, and cup lid can be removed from the housing as a whole for easy cleaning.

[0012] In an optional embodiment, the machine housing is equipped with an upper position switch and a lower position switch located below the upper position switch. The upper and lower position switches are respectively connected to the control system of the ice cream machine. A prompting component is provided on the machine housing. A trigger linkage is fixed to the rack. When the rack rises to the high position, the stirring shaft drives the stirring blade to rise to the top of the cup. The trigger linkage triggers the upper position switch, which sends an upper position signal to the control system. The control system then controls the prompting component to issue a warning and controls the drive mechanism to shut down. When the rack descends to the low position, the stirring shaft drives the stirring blade to descend to the bottom of the cup. The trigger linkage triggers the lower position switch, which sends a lower position signal to the control system. The control system then controls the prompting component to issue a warning. This facilitates the determination of the positions of the stirring shaft and stirring blade, improving operational convenience and accuracy.

[0013] In an optional embodiment, the motor is located on the upper part of one side inside the housing, and the stirring shaft is located on the other side inside the housing and parallel to the output shaft of the motor. A cup-receiving cavity is provided on the lower part of one side inside the housing for accommodating cups when not in use. This improves space utilization and reduces the use of packaging materials during transportation, thereby lowering costs.

[0014] In an optional embodiment, the ice cream machine further includes a second elastic component. The upper end of the second elastic component abuts against the lower end of the lifting mechanism and the bottom of the machine casing. The extension and retraction direction of the second elastic component is the same as that of the first elastic component, and both extend and retract synchronously. The second elastic component provides support for the rack, ensuring the parallelism between the rack and the stirring shaft during rack movement, thus making the movement more balanced.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the embodiments of this application are as follows: This application only requires an electric drive mechanism (motor) to drive the stirring shaft to rotate the stirring blade. By manually driving the stirring shaft to drive the stirring blade to move up and down and cut inside the cup, ice cream can also be made. This structure is simple and can greatly reduce costs.

[0016] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and illustrative only, and are not intended to limit this application.

[0017] The overview of various implementations or examples of the technology described in this application is not a full disclosure of the entire scope or all features of the disclosed technology. Attached Figure Description

[0018] In drawings that are not necessarily drawn to scale, the same reference numerals may describe similar parts in different views. The drawings generally illustrate various embodiments by way of example rather than limitation and, together with the description and claims, serve to illustrate the claimed embodiments. Where appropriate, the same reference numerals are used in all drawings to refer to the same or similar parts.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of an ice cream machine according to an embodiment of this application.

[0020] Figure 2 and Figure 3 These are cross-sectional views of the ice cream machine according to embodiments of this application from different directions.

[0021] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Enlarged view of section A.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the ice cream machine with the casing removed, according to an embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 6 This is an exploded view of the ice cream machine according to an embodiment of this application, with the casing removed.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure in an embodiment of this application, showing the separation of the upper and lower stirring shaft sections.

[0025] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of an ice cream machine according to an embodiment of this application, showing the fit between the lid and the machine housing, as well as the fit between the lid and the cup.

[0026] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the ice cream machine in the lowest position according to an embodiment of this application.

[0027] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of the ice cream machine according to an embodiment of this application when the stirring shaft is in its lowest position.

[0028] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the ice cream machine according to an embodiment of this application when the stirring shaft is in its lowest position.

[0029] Figure 12 and Figure 13 These are schematic diagrams illustrating the motion of the stirring shaft, rack, driven gear, handle, and cup lid, respectively, according to embodiments of this application. Figure 10 The stirring shaft is at its lowest position. Figure 11 The stirring shaft is at its highest position.

[0030] Figure label: 1-Housing housing; 11-Cup receiving cavity; 12-Second elastic component; 2-Stirring shaft; 21-Upper stirring shaft section; 211-Flat structure; 212-Upper coupling part; 22-Lower stirring shaft section; 221-Lower coupling part; 23-Shaft sleeve; 24-Limiting component; 25-First elastic component; 26-Limiting block; 3-Stirring blade; 4-Cup; 41-First screw fastener; 5-Handle; 6-Drive mechanism; 61-Motor; 62-Drive wheel; 7-Transmission mechanism; 71-Transmission pulley; 72-Transmission belt; 8-Lifting mechanism; 81-Rack; 82-Connecting part; 83-Mounting cavity; 84-Bearing; 85-Driven gear; 9-Control component; 91-Upper position switch; 92-Lower position switch; 93-Trigger linkage; 10-Cup lid; 101-Second screw fastener; 102-Sealing ring. Detailed Implementation

[0031] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the described embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0032] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this application shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this application do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0033] To keep the following description of the embodiments of this application clear and concise, detailed descriptions of known functions and known components are omitted.

[0034] This application provides an ice cream machine that can make smoothies, popsicles, milkshakes, etc.

[0035] like Figures 1 to 13 As shown, the ice cream machine of this embodiment includes a housing 1, a stirring shaft 2, a stirring blade 3, and a cup 4. The stirring shaft 2 is movable within the housing 1 along its own axis, and its lower end can extend out of the housing 1 during movement. The cup 4 is detachably connected to the lower end of one side of the housing 1, and the stirring blade 3 is detachably disposed at the lower end of the stirring shaft 2 and located inside the cup 4.

[0036] The ice cream machine also includes a drive mechanism 6, a lifting mechanism 8, and a handle 5. The drive mechanism 6 is located inside the housing 1 and uses electricity to drive the mixing shaft 2, which in turn drives the mixing blade 3 to rotate within the cup 4. That is, the drive mechanism 6 provides power for the rotation of the mixing shaft 2 and the mixing blade 3. The lifting mechanism 8 is located inside the housing 1 and connected to the mixing shaft 2. When the lifting mechanism 8 moves up and down, it drives the mixing blade 3 to move up and down within the cup 4 via the mixing shaft 2. That is, the lifting mechanism 8 provides power for the movement of the mixing shaft 2 and the mixing blade 3. The handle 5 is located outside the housing 1, with one end passing through the housing 1 and connected to the lifting mechanism 8. When the handle 5 rotates, it drives the lifting mechanism 8 to move up and down. That is, the lifting power of the lifting mechanism 8 comes from the manual force applied to it by the handle 5.

[0037] The ice cream machine of this embodiment is electrically driven for the rotation of the stirring shaft 2 and the stirring blade 3, while the lifting is driven by manual mode, which reduces power consumption, greatly reduces costs, and has a simple structure and is easy to operate.

[0038] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, a bushing 23 is fitted around the stirring shaft 2, meaning the bushing 23 partially surrounds the stirring shaft 2. The drive mechanism 6 is connected to the bushing 23 via a transmission mechanism 7, and is used to drive the bushing 23 to rotate the stirring shaft 2. Driven by the lifting mechanism 8, the stirring shaft 2 can move relative to the bushing 23 along its own axial direction. When the bushing 23 rotates, it drives the stirring shaft 2 to rotate synchronously, but the bushing 23 does not restrict the stirring shaft 2's vertical movement along its own axis. That is, the power of the drive mechanism 6 is transmitted to the stirring shaft 2 through the bushing 23, causing the stirring shaft 2 to rotate, but without restricting its vertical movement; the structure is simple and easy to implement.

[0039] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the drive mechanism 6 includes a motor 61 and a drive wheel 62 mounted on the output shaft of the motor 61; the transmission mechanism 7 includes a transmission pulley 71 or multiple meshing transmission gears. When the transmission mechanism 7 includes a transmission pulley 71, the transmission pulley 71 is connected to the drive wheel 62 via a transmission belt 72, and a bushing 23 is fixed inside the wheel hole of the transmission pulley 71. When the transmission mechanism 7 includes multiple transmission gears, one transmission gear meshes with the drive wheel 62, and a bushing 23 is fixed inside the wheel hole of another transmission gear. It can be understood that when the drive wheel 62 is connected to the transmission pulley 71 via the transmission belt 72, the outer contour structure of the drive wheel 62 is adapted to the transmission belt 72; when the drive wheel 62 meshes with a transmission gear, the drive wheel 62 has teeth. The embodiment of this application shows the form of transmission via the transmission belt 72. The drive mechanism 6 and transmission mechanism 7 of the embodiment of this application have simple structures, stable and reliable force transmission effect, and ensure the rotation effect of the stirring shaft 2 and the stirring blade 3.

[0040] In some embodiments, continue to combine Figure 5 and Figure 6 The lifting mechanism 8 includes a rack 81 and a driven gear 85. The rack 81 extends vertically and is connected to the stirring shaft 2 to drive the stirring shaft 2 to rise and fall without restricting its rotation. The driven gear 85 meshes with the rack 81. One end of the handle 5 is connected to the driven gear 85. When the handle 5 is rotated in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, the handle 5 drives the driven gear 85 to rotate in the first or second direction. When the driven gear 85 rotates, it drives the rack 81 to drive the stirring shaft 2 to rise and fall. The stirring shaft 2 can also rotate relative to the rack 81 along its own axis. The lifting mechanism 8, which uses a rack 81 and a driven gear 85, is not only simple in structure, but also allows the rack 81 to drive the stirring shaft 2 and the stirring blade 3 to rise and fall simply by rotating the handle 5. This makes operation simple and effortless, providing a better user experience.

[0041] Furthermore, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, the driven gear 85 has a wheel axle protruding from the wheel hole, and the wheel axle is fixed to the wheel hole. One end of the handle 5 is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the wheel axle. When the user holds the handle 5 and rotates it, it will drive the driven gear 85 to rotate, which in turn drives the rack 81 to rotate, and the rack 81 will then drive the stirring shaft 2 and the stirring blade 3 to rotate.

[0042] Continue to combine Figure 5 and Figure 6 The lower part of the rack 81 is provided with a connecting part 82, which has a mounting cavity 83. The mounting cavity 83 extends through the upper and lower surfaces of the connecting part 82 along the axial direction of the stirring shaft 2. The stirring shaft 2 passes through the mounting cavity 83, and a bearing 84 is provided between the stirring shaft 2 and the cavity wall of the mounting cavity 83 to allow the stirring shaft 2 to rotate relative to the connecting part 82 and the rack 81. See [reference needed] Figure 4 The rotation of the stirring shaft 2 relative to the rack 81 is achieved by setting bearing 84.

[0043] like Figure 4 As shown, there are two bearings 84, which are located at the upper and lower ends of the mounting cavity 83 respectively, to ensure the stability of the rotational connection between the connecting part 82 and the stirring shaft 2.

[0044] Furthermore, the outer peripheral wall of the stirring shaft 2 is provided with an upper limit groove and a lower limit groove. The upper limit groove is located above and close to the bearing 84, and the lower limit groove is located below and close to the bearing 84. Limiting blocks 26 are respectively provided in the upper limit groove and the lower limit groove. (See...) Figure 4 This is so that when the rack 81 rises and falls, the stirring shaft 2 rises and falls through the limiting block 26. That is, the axial direction of the stirring shaft 2 is limited by the limiting block 26, so that the stirring shaft 2 can rise and fall synchronously with the rack 81, but the limiting block 26 does not restrict the rotation of the stirring shaft 2.

[0045] The stirring shaft 2 can be a one-piece structure, or a single shaft. The upper part of the stirring shaft 2 is connected to the transmission mechanism 7 through the bushing 23. The upper part of the stirring shaft 2 is also connected to the connecting part 82 on the rack 81. However, the connecting part 82 is located below the bushing 23 and the transmission mechanism 7. When the rack 81 moves to the highest position, the connecting part 82 is close to the bushing 23 and the transmission mechanism 7.

[0046] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7As shown, the stirring shaft 2 has a split structure. That is, the stirring shaft 2 includes an upper stirring shaft section 21 and a lower stirring shaft section 22, which are detachably coupled together. For example, the lower end of the upper stirring shaft section 21 is provided at the connector to form an upper coupling part 212. The outer peripheral surface of the upper coupling part 212 is provided with an axially extending concave-convex structure. The upper end of the lower stirring shaft section 22 forms a lower coupling part 221. The lower coupling part 221 is provided with a connecting hole. The inner wall of the connecting hole is adapted to the outer peripheral surface structure of the upper coupling part 212. The upper coupling part 212 can be engaged with the connecting hole in a plug-in manner so that the upper coupling part 212 can be tightly inserted into the lower coupling part 221, realizing the detachable connection between the upper stirring shaft section 21 and the lower stirring shaft section 22. By setting the mixing shaft 2 into a two-section structure, and during the lifting and lowering process of the mixing shaft 2, only the lower mixing shaft section 22 extends into the cup 4 and gets covered with frozen food, the lower mixing shaft section 22 and the mixing blade 3 connected to it can be removed for cleaning, thus improving the convenience of cleaning.

[0047] like Figure 5 As shown, the upper stirring shaft section 21 has a flat structure 211. The upper stirring shaft section 21 cooperates with the bushing 23 through the flat structure 211, so that when the bushing 23 rotates, it drives the stirring shaft 2 to rotate, and the stirring shaft 2 can also move relative to the bushing 23 along its own axial direction. The so-called flat structure 211 refers to the formation of a plane (flat position) on the outer circumference of the cylindrical stirring shaft 2, which facilitates the positioning of the stirring shaft 2 and the bushing 23, so that when the bushing 23 rotates, it drives the stirring shaft 2 to rotate as well. The flat structure 211 is easy to process and manufacture, and has a simple structure.

[0048] In some embodiments, such as Figure 8 As shown, a cup lid 10 is detachably connected to the lower end of one side of the housing 1, and the mouth of the cup 4 is detachably connected to the cup lid 10, which can seal the mouth of the cup 4. The cup lid 10 has a shaft hole, through which the lower end of the lower stirring shaft section 22 passes and is connected to a stirring blade 3. The stirring blade 3 is located inside the cup 4. A limiting member 24 protruding radially along the lower stirring shaft section 22 is provided on the upper part of the lower stirring shaft section 22. A first elastic member 25, with its two ends respectively abutting against the cup lid 10 and the limiting member 24, is fitted onto the lower stirring shaft 22. The lower stirring shaft section 22, the stirring blade 3, the elastic member, and the cup lid 10 can be removed from the housing 1 as a whole for easy cleaning.

[0049] Because the cup lid 10 is fixed relative to the housing 1 during the lifting and rotation of the stirring blade 3 driven by the stirring shaft 2, when the stirring shaft 2 descends, the limiting member 24 on it will compress the first elastic member 25 downwards. The first elastic member 25, in turn, applies an upward force to the stirring shaft 2 through the limiting member 24, providing resistance to the descent of the stirring shaft 2, allowing it to descend slowly. This allows the stirring blade 3 to thoroughly stir the frozen food inside the cup 4. If the stirring blade 3 descends to the bottom of the cup 4 and no further cutting and stirring is needed, when the handle 5 is released, the stirring shaft 2 can move upwards to a higher position under the reset action of the first elastic member 25, and drive the stirring blade 3 to the top inside the cup 4.

[0050] like Figure 6 As shown, the outer periphery of the cup 4 is provided with a first screw fastener 41, and the inner periphery of the cup lid 10 is provided with a first screw groove that matches the first screw fastener 41. When the cup 4 is rotated and mounted on the cup lid 10, the first screw fastener 41 is screwed into the first screw groove. See [reference needed]. Figure 8 A detachable connection is achieved between the cup 4 and the lid 10. To ensure a tight seal between the lid 10 and the cup opening, preventing frozen food from spilling out, a sealing ring 102 can be provided on the lid 10 to ensure a close fit against the upper edge of the cup opening. See [link to documentation]. Figure 2 .like Figure 7 As shown, a second swivel 101 is provided on the upper part of the outer periphery of the cup lid 10. The lower end of the housing 1 is partially recessed inward to form a mounting position. The inner periphery of the mounting position is provided with a second groove that matches the second swivel 101. When the cup lid 10 is rotated into the mounting position, the second swivel 101 is screwed into the second groove. See [reference needed]. Figure 8 This enables a detachable connection between the cup lid 10 and the housing 1.

[0051] Optional, such as Figure 3 As shown, the ice cream machine also includes a second elastic component 12. The upper end of the second elastic component 12 abuts against the lower end of the lifting mechanism 8. When the lifting mechanism 8 includes a rack 81, the upper end of the second elastic component 12 abuts against the lower end face of the rack 81. The upper end of the second elastic component 12 abuts against the bottom of the machine housing 1. The extension and retraction direction of the second elastic component 12 is the same as that of the first elastic component 25, and the two extend and retract synchronously. By setting the second elastic component 12, a supporting force can be provided for the rack 81. During the lifting and retraction of the rack 81, the parallelism between the rack 81 and the stirring shaft 2 is ensured, making the movement more balanced.

[0052] The first elastic component 25 and the second elastic component 12 can each be springs. Using springs as elastic components is relatively simple to design and manufacture. They can work stably for a long time without complicated maintenance, and springs have a high fatigue life and are not easily damaged under normal working conditions.

[0053] In some embodiments, the ice cream machine further includes a control component 9, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the control component 9 includes an upper position switch 91 and a lower position switch 92 located inside the housing 1, with the lower position switch 92 positioned below the upper position switch 91. The upper position switch 91 and lower position switch 92 are respectively connected to the control system of the ice cream machine. A warning component (not shown) is provided on the housing 1. A trigger linkage 93 is fixed to the rack 81. When the operating handle 5 drives the rack 81 to the high position, the stirring shaft 2 drives the stirring blade 3 to the top of the cup 4. The trigger linkage 93 triggers the upper position switch 91, which sends an upper position signal to the control system. The control system then controls the drive mechanism 6 to close and controls the warning component to issue a warning. When the rack 81 descends to the low position, the stirring shaft 2 drives the stirring blade 3 to the bottom of the cup 4. The trigger linkage 93 triggers the lower position switch 92, which sends a lower position signal to the control system. The control system then controls the warning component to issue a warning. By setting the upper position switch 91 and the lower position switch 92, the position of the stirring blade 3 inside the cup 4 can be detected. The user can stop rotating the handle 5 in time according to the warning reminder to avoid damage to the cup 4 and the cup lid 10 caused by excessive lifting and lowering of the stirring blade 3.

[0054] The specific structure of the indicator component is not limited; for example, it can be an indicator light or a buzzer. When an indicator light is used as the indicator component, the control system can control the indicator light to display different colors when it receives the upper and lower position signals, so that the user can determine whether the stirring blade 3 is in a high or low position based on the extension of the indicator light, and thus determine the rotation direction of the handle 5.

[0055] Both the upper position switch 91 and the lower position switch 92 can be micro switches, proximity switches, etc.

[0056] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the motor 61 is located on the upper part of one side inside the housing 1, and the stirring shaft 2 is located on the other side inside the housing 1, parallel to the output shaft of the motor 61. Since the motor 61 does not need to lift or lower, it does not occupy the space below it. The lower part of one side inside the housing 1 (the space below the motor 61) is set as a cup-containing cavity 11, which is used to accommodate cups 4 when not in use. When the ice cream machine is not working, or when the ice cream machine is equipped with two cups 4, the unused cups 4 can be placed in the cup-containing cavity 11, which can save packaging materials and reduce costs during transportation. Moreover, when two cups 4 are provided, there is no need to set up a separate storage space for the unused cup 4, realizing efficient use of space.

[0057] The working process of the ice cream machine according to an embodiment of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings: like Figures 1 to 3As shown, first, the frozen ingredients are put into the cup 4 and the cup 4 is installed on the lid 10. At this time, the rack 81, the stirring shaft 2 and the stirring blade 3 are all in a high position and the handle 5 is facing upward. Then, start motor 61. Motor 61 drives stirring shaft 2 and stirring blade 3 to rotate. Stirring blade 3 stirs the frozen ingredients in cup 4. Next, hold and turn handle 5. Handle 5 drives driven gear 85 to rotate. Driven gear 85 drives rack 81 to descend. Rack 81 drives stirring shaft 2 and stirring blade 3 to descend slowly. This allows stirring blade 3 to rotate and descend simultaneously inside the cup, thoroughly cutting, stirring, and mixing the frozen ingredients. See [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 10 , Figure 11 and Figure 13 ; When the stirring shaft 2 drives the stirring blade 3 to descend to the bottom of the cup 4, the trigger linkage 93 activates the lower position switch 92. The lower position switch sends a lower position signal to the ice cream machine's control system. The control system's prompting component issues a warning. The user receives the warning and stops rotating the handle 5, then continues rotating the handle 5 in the opposite direction. The rack 81 drives the stirring shaft 2 and stirring blade 3 to rise. See below. Figure 3 and Figure 12 When the mixing blade 3 rises to the top inside the cup 4, the trigger linkage 93 triggers the upper position switch 91. The upper position switch sends an upper position signal to the ice cream machine's control system. The control system then controls the prompting component to issue a warning. The user receives the warning and stops rotating the handle 5. Simultaneously, the control system also controls the drive mechanism 6 (motor 61) to stop rotating, and the ice cream is ready. Remove the cup 4 from the lid 10, and the user can then enjoy the ice cream. Finally, remove the lower mixing shaft section 22 along with the lid 10 from the machine casing 1 and the upper mixing shaft section 21. The lid 10 and the lower mixing shaft section 22 can then be cleaned to remove any ice cream residue that may have adhered during the ice cream making process.

[0058] The above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make variations, modifications, substitutions, and alterations to the above embodiments within the scope of this disclosure. Moreover, the above examples (or one or more of them) can be used in combination with each other, and these embodiments can be combined with each other in various combinations or arrangements.

Claims

1. An ice cream machine comprising a casing (1), a stirring shaft (2), a stirring blade (3) and a cup (4), characterized in that, Also includes: The drive mechanism (6) is located inside the housing (1) and uses electricity to drive the stirring shaft (2) to drive the stirring blade (3) to rotate inside the cup (4); The lifting mechanism (8) is located inside the housing (1) and connected to the stirring shaft (2). When the lifting mechanism (8) lifts and lowers, it drives the stirring blade (3) to lift and lower inside the cup (4) through the stirring shaft (2). The handle (5) is located outside the housing (1), and one end passes through the housing (1) and is connected to the lifting mechanism (8). When the handle (5) is rotated, it drives the lifting mechanism (8) to rise and fall.

2. An ice cream machine according to claim 1, characterized in that The stirring shaft (2) is fitted with a bushing (23). The driving mechanism (6) is connected to the bushing (23) through the transmission mechanism (7) and is used to drive the bushing (23) to rotate the stirring shaft (2). Under the drive of the lifting mechanism (8), the stirring shaft (2) can move relative to the bushing (23) along its own axial direction.

3. An ice cream machine according to claim 2, characterised in that, The drive mechanism (6) includes a motor (61) and a drive wheel (62) disposed on the output shaft of the motor (61); the transmission mechanism (7) includes a transmission pulley (71) or a plurality of meshing transmission gears. When the transmission mechanism (7) includes a transmission pulley (71), the transmission pulley (71) is connected to the drive wheel (62) through a transmission belt (72), and the bushing (23) is fixed in the wheel hole of the transmission pulley (71); when the transmission mechanism (7) includes a plurality of transmission gears, one of the transmission gears meshes with the drive wheel (62), and the bushing (23) is fixed in the wheel hole of another transmission gear.

4. An ice cream machine according to claim 1, characterized in that The lifting mechanism (8) includes a rack (81) and a driven gear (85). The rack (81) extends vertically and is connected to the stirring shaft (2). The driven gear (85) meshes with the rack (81). One end of the handle (5) is connected to the driven gear (85). When the handle (5) is rotated in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, the handle (5) drives the driven gear (85) to rotate in the first direction or the second direction. When the driven gear (85) rotates, it drives the rack (81) to lift the stirring shaft (2). The stirring shaft (2) can rotate relative to the rack (81) along its own axis.

5. An ice cream machine according to claim 4, characterised in that, The lower part of the rack (81) is provided with a connecting part (82), the connecting part (82) has a mounting cavity (83), the stirring shaft (2) passes through the mounting cavity (83), and a bearing (84) is provided between the stirring shaft (2) and the cavity wall of the mounting cavity (83) so that the stirring shaft (2) can rotate relative to the connecting part (82) and the rack (81). The outer peripheral wall of the stirring shaft (2) is provided with an upper limit groove and a lower limit groove. The upper limit groove is located above and close to the bearing (84), and the lower limit groove is located below and close to the bearing (84). Limiting blocks (26) are provided in the upper limit groove and the lower limit groove respectively, so that when the rack (81) rises and falls, the stirring shaft (2) is driven to rise and fall through the limiting blocks (26).

6. An ice cream machine as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that, The stirring shaft (2) includes an upper stirring shaft section (21) and a lower stirring shaft section (22), which are detachably coupled together. The upper stirring shaft section (21) has a flat structure (211), which cooperates with the bushing (23) through the flat structure (211) so that the bushing (23) rotates and drives the stirring shaft (2) to rotate. The stirring shaft (2) can also move relative to the bushing (23) along its own axial direction.

7. An ice cream machine according to claim 6, characterised in that A cup lid (10) is detachably connected to the lower end of one side of the housing (1). The mouth of the cup (4) is detachably connected to the cup lid (10). The cup lid (10) is provided with a shaft hole. The lower end of the lower stirring shaft section (22) passes through the shaft hole and is connected to the stirring blade (3). The stirring blade (3) is located inside the cup (4). The upper part of the lower stirring shaft section (22) is provided with a limiting member (24) that protrudes radially along the lower stirring shaft section (22). The lower stirring shaft section (22) is fitted with a first elastic member (25) whose two ends respectively abut against the cup lid (10) and the limiting member (24).

8. An ice cream machine as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that, The ice cream machine also includes a control component (9), which includes an upper position switch (91) located inside the housing (1) and a lower position switch (92) located below the upper position switch (91). The upper position switch (91) and the lower position switch (92) are respectively connected to the control system of the ice cream machine. The housing (1) is provided with a prompting component. A triggering linkage (93) is fixed on the rack (81). When the rack (81) rises to the high position, the stirring shaft (2) drives the stirring blade (3) to rise to the top inside the cup (4). The triggering link (93) triggers the upper position switch (91), which sends an upper position signal to the control system. The control system controls the prompting component to issue a warning and controls the drive mechanism (6) to close. When the rack (81) descends to the low position, the stirring shaft (2) drives the stirring blade (3) to descend to the bottom of the cup (4). The triggering link (93) triggers the lower position switch (92), which sends a lower position signal to the control system. The control system controls the prompting component to issue a warning.

9. An ice cream machine as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that, The motor (61) is located on the upper part of one side inside the housing (1), and the stirring shaft (2) is located on the other side inside the housing (1) and is parallel to the output shaft of the motor (61). A cup receiving cavity (11) is provided on the lower part of one side inside the housing (1). The cup receiving cavity (11) is used to hold a cup (4) when it is not in use.

10. An ice cream machine as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that, The ice cream machine also includes a second elastic component (12), the upper end of which abuts against the lower end of the lifting mechanism (8), and the lower end of which abuts against the bottom of the machine casing (1). The extension and retraction direction of the second elastic component (12) is the same as that of the first elastic component (25), and the two extend and retract synchronously.

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