DEVICE FOR PRODUCING A FLOWABLE PRODUCT

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for producing a flowable product, such as in particular ice cream, ice cream or another creamy product, from a starting mixture according to the preamble of claim 1. This device comprises a processing container provided in a device housing with a temperature-controlled inner wall that encloses an interior space suitable for receiving the starting mixture, which is accessible via a container opening. The inner wall is suitable for heating or cooling the starting mixture. In order to enable access for complete removal of the product from the processing container to a desired extent or to be able to seal the interior space during the production process, the device comprises a container door that is displaceably mounted on the device housing.This device can be pivoted between a closed position, in which the container opening is fluid-tightly sealed by the container door, and an open position, in which the interior is accessible via the container opening. The device also comprises a stirring element arranged in the interior, which can be driven by a rotatable drive shaft to stir and mix the starting mixture or product. Spacers are attached to the stirring element to space it from the processing container.

[0002] Generic devices of the aforementioned type are primarily used to stir a starting mixture, in particular with components of water, milk, cream, yoghurt, thickeners, pieces of fruit, fruit concentrate, spices and other flavoring components, such as sugar, vanilla, chocolate and other known and suitable components of foodstuffs, by means of the stirring device until a flowable, viscous product, such as in particular ice cream, ice cream or other cream, is produced with simultaneous tempering.

[0003] An essential component of these devices are the non-metallic spacers, which space the metallic part of the rotating stirring element from the likewise metallic processing vessel, thus preventing metal-to-metal contact. This prevents abrasive wear of the stirring element and the processing vessel.

[0004] From DE 693 07 615 T2, for example, a stirring device for producing ice cream is known, which comprises a stirring device having U-shaped paddle blades. In order to prevent direct contact of the stirring element with the inner wall of a processing container, several spacing means are provided on the stirring element. Firstly, several spacing means acting in the radial direction and designed as plastic scrapers are arranged on the radially outer end of the stirring element. Secondly, a plastic plug is provided on the axial end face of the stirring element, with a head portion of the plastic plug protruding relative to the axial end face of the stirring element.

[0005] A disadvantage of the known device is that, depending on the manufacturing tolerances, the plastic plug can be very complex to manufacture and assemble, as it must be adapted to each individual device and its manufacturing tolerances. Furthermore, the axial extension of the part of the plastic plug protruding from the stirring device creates a dead zone on the inside of the container door, in which a large amount of the product to be manufactured adheres. Therefore, after completion of a manufacturing process, this area requires increased cleaning effort.

[0006] GB 999 332 A describes a device for producing and dispensing slush ice. The device comprises a cylindrical processing container, which is closed at the front by a screwed-on plate. Within the processing container, an agitator is provided, which has two blade-shaped scraping means extending longitudinally between two front arms of the agitator.

[0007] EP 0 335 096 B1 describes a homogenization device with a processing container containing a guide cone and a stirring device mounted on a lid. The finished product is discharged via an outlet valve at the bottom.

[0008] The object of the invention is to avoid the disadvantages, to prevent direct contact between two metal parts of the device and at the same time to reduce the cleaning effort.

[0009] This object is achieved by a device having the features of claim 1. It is provided that the spacing means have at least one stripping element which projects in the axial direction on the end face of the stirring element and otherwise extends in the radial direction on the end face. During operation of the device, the stripping element is driven to rotate together with the stirring element in its direction of rotation and adjacent to an inner side of the container door. This arrangement of the stripping element between the end face of the stirring element and the inner side of the container door ensures, on the one hand, that axial contact is prevented between the stirring element and the container door, which are both typically made at least partially of metal. This can prevent damage or increased wear due to the displacement of metal on metal.In addition, the scraper element ensures that the product accumulating on the container door during the production process is continuously removed and returned to the agitation process. This prevents a compact layer of product from adhering to the container door. This reduces the amount of product adhering to the container door during emptying and significantly reduces the cleaning effort after a production process.

[0010] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the stripping element extends at least substantially over the radius of the container opening. This ensures that the inside of the container door, facing the interior and in contact with the product, can be completely grasped and cleaned by the stripping element. Thus, when the manufacturing process is completed and the container door is moved to the open position, only minimal product residue remains on the container door. This minimizes product loss due to adhesion and the cleaning effort after the manufacturing process.

[0011] Advantageously, the scraper element is formed by a rubber lip. This ensures that the scraper element that comes into contact with the processing container has sufficient deformability to achieve a sufficient cleaning effect throughout the entire production process, even across a larger gap range.

[0012] Advantageously, the scraper element is detachably mounted on the stirring element. This allows the worn scraper element to be quickly and easily replaced with a new one as needed. Furthermore, it can be provided that different scraper elements with different degrees of hardness and / or dimensions are used, depending on the intended use of the device.

[0013] In a further advantageous embodiment, the stirring element has a receiving groove in which the scraper element is accommodated. The scraper element can be held in the receiving groove in a form-fitting, locking, or clamping manner. Furthermore, the receiving groove can have a U-profile, L-profile, C-profile, or T-profile. This ensures that the scraper element is held securely in the originally intended position required for a high cleaning effect.

[0014] Furthermore, it is advantageous if at least one fastening means, such as in particular a screw element, a bolt, or a clamp, is arranged on the stirring element, which creates a holding force acting against the stripping means for a fixed position on the stirring element. This ensures a stable position of the stripping element relative to the stirring element.

[0015] It is advantageous if the fastening means, in particular with a head section, protrudes in the radial direction from a circumferential surface of the stirring element, whereby it can simultaneously function as a spacing means acting in the radial direction.

[0016] Advantageously, the fastening means is a plastic screw. The plastic screw can be screwed into a corresponding thread recessed into the peripheral surface of the stirring element. This makes it particularly easy to fix the scraper and, if necessary, remove and replace it by removing the plastic screw. Furthermore, the screw head can act as a radial spacer.

[0017] It is also advantageous if the scraper element also extends, at least in sections, axially along the inner wall. In this way, radial contact of the stirring element with the inner wall can be avoided by interposing the scraper element. Furthermore, the corner area between the container door and the inner wall can be effectively kept free of adhering product.

[0018] Advantageously, the axially extending section of the scraper element also serves to fix the scraper element in the radial direction. For this purpose, clamping or locking means can be provided on the axially extending section, for example, which interact with corresponding counter-clamping or locking means provided on the relevant circumferential surface of the stirring element. This allows the radially extending section of the scraper element to be fixed by the axially extending section itself, which is formed integrally therewith.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the stripping element has a profile that tapers radially toward a contact area. Such a contact area, particularly when using an elastic material for the stripping element, allows for particularly effective removal of the product from the inside of the container door.

[0020] In a further advantageous embodiment of the device, the spacing means comprise at least two, preferably three scraper elements, each extending radially on the end face of the stirring element and arranged at an angle to one another in the direction of rotation of the stirring element. This increases the scraping performance with respect to the product adhering to the inside of the container door, thereby further reducing the cleaning effort after a manufacturing process. In addition, the stirring element can be supported more stably relative to the container door during a manufacturing process by the at least one additional scraper element. In particular, in the case of three scraper elements that are angularly offset from one another, their statically determined support behavior enables particularly stable support of the stirring element, which ensures smooth rotational movement of the stirring element during operation.

[0021] Furthermore, it is advantageous if the stirring element can be subjected to a contact force in the direction of the container door by one of the spacing means, which can be placed against a container base of the processing container. In this way, it can be ensured, on the one hand, that the stirring element is sufficiently spaced from the container base during operation to prevent metal-on-metal movement. On the other hand, it can be ensured that the front side of the stirring element is arranged sufficiently close to the container door, even in the event of axial play, that the scraper element comes into contact with the inside of the container door and frees it of any adhering product during operation.

[0022] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the spacer element that can be applied to the container bottom is formed by a circumferentially driven scraping element that can be subjected to an elastic restoring force. This allows the spacer element to also serve to repeatedly remove adhering product from the container bottom during operation, thereby further reducing subsequent cleaning effort.

[0023] It is pointed out that all features of the subject matter according to the invention described above are interchangeable or combinable with one another, unless an exchange or combination thereof is excluded for technical reasons.

[0024] The figures illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the invention. They show: Figure 1 shows a front view of a device according to the invention with a container door in a closed position, Figure 2 shows a side view of the device according to Figure 1 , Figure 3 a perspective view of the device according to the invention with a container door in an open position, Figure 4 a perspective view of a stirring device of the device according to Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 5 a section through a scraper element of the stirring device accommodated in a receiving groove according to Figure 4 , Fig. 6 a section through an alternative embodiment of the stripping element according to Figure 5 , Figure 7 a side view of the stirring device in direction VII from Figure 4 with a scraping element in an alternative embodiment and Figure 8 a perspective view of the stirring device in an alternative embodiment.

[0025] In the Figure 1 and 2An exemplary embodiment of a device 2 for producing a flowable product, in particular ice cream, ice cream or other creamy product from a starting mixture, is shown. The device 2 comprises a device housing 4 in which a cylindrical processing container 6 is accommodated. As can be seen in particular from Figure 2As can be seen, the processing container 6 has a container base 7 and a temperature-controlled inner wall 8, which enclose an interior space 10 in which the starting mixture to be processed is accommodated. The temperature-controlled inner wall 8 serves to cool or heat the received starting mixture and can be acted upon for this purpose by a compressor 12 and / or a heating device (not shown), which are also accommodated within the device housing 4. In addition, a stirring device 14 is accommodated in the device housing 4, by means of which the starting mixture can be stirred or mixed and brought into contact with the temperature-controlled inner wall 8.

[0026] The stirring device 14 essentially comprises a rotatable stirring element 18, which is arranged in the interior 10 of the processing container 6 and can be driven by a drive shaft 16. The stirring element 18 is made largely of metal, such as stainless steel in particular. To prevent direct contact between the metal of the stirring element 18 and the inner wall 8 of the processing container 6, which is also made of metal, a plurality of spacing means 20 are held on the stirring element 18, which ensure that the stirring element 18 is spaced apart from the processing container 6 both in the axial direction and in the radial direction. In addition, an electric drive unit 22 is provided, which enables a rotational movement of the stirring element 18 by means of the drive shaft 16.

[0027] The processing container 6 further has a container opening 24 on its front side V, which can be closed in a fluid-tight manner with a container door 26. For this purpose, the container door 26 is pivotally mounted on the front side V of the device housing 4 by means of a hinge element 28 arranged on the left side of the container opening 24. The container door 26 can be pivoted between a shown closed position, in which the container opening 24 is closed by the container door 26, and an open position in which the interior 10 is accessible via the container opening 24. On the side of the container door 26 facing away from the hinge element 28, a locking device 30 is provided, by means of which the container door 26 can be locked in the closed position.

[0028] As from Fig. 2As can also be seen, the processing container 6 is held obliquely in the device housing 4 such that it, or rather its axis A, extends to the horizontal H at an angle W of 20 to 50°, preferably 30°. Due to this oblique arrangement of the processing container 6, the container opening 24 is also oriented obliquely. In this way, after the container door 26 has been moved into the open position, in which the interior 10 is accessible via the container opening 24, the product to be manufactured can flow directly out of the processing container 6, so that complete removal of the product and cleaning of the processing container 6 are greatly simplified.

[0029] Figure 3shows the device 2 with the container door 26 in the open position. It can be seen that an axial spacing means 20 is provided on the axial end face 34 of the stirring element 18 facing the container opening 24. This protrudes in the axial direction from the axial end face 34 of the stirring element 18 and is made of an elastic material, such as, in particular, plastic or rubber. When the container door 26 is in the closed position, the spacing means 20 is arranged between the stirring element 18 and the container door 26 and thereby prevents contact between the metallic part of the stirring device 14 and the likewise metallic inner side 38 of the container door 26, as is the case, in particular, during operation of the device 2. The spacing means 20 is additionally designed in the form of a scraper element 36 or as a rubber lip.As a result, the axial spacing means 20 or the stripping element 36, when the stirring element 18 is driven in rotation, also serves to strip or clean the inner side 38 of the container door 26, which can be brought into contact therewith. For this purpose, the stripping element 36 preferably extends from a geometric center M of the axial end face 34 in the radial direction outwards or over the entire radius of the container opening 24.

[0030] Figure 4shows the stirring element 18 in the removed state. This has three blades 40 that are angularly offset from one another. In order to ensure not only the axial spacing but also a radial spacing of the stirring element 18 from the inner wall 8 of the processing container 6, two radial spacing means 20 in the form of plastic scrapers 46 made of a plastic, such as POM, are formed on each blade 40. The plastic scrapers 46 are arranged in a recess 48 on the circumferential surface 50 of the stirring element 18 and can be subjected to a radially outwardly directed spring force by a spring section 52 arranged therein. In this way, the stirring element 18 is supported and centered on three sides within the processing container 6 on the inner wall 8.

[0031] As from Figure 4As can also be seen, the stripping element 36 is accommodated in a receiving groove 54, in which it is fixed in the axial direction by a positive fit, clamping, or releasably by a snap-in connection. This allows the stripping element to be replaced as needed, for example, in the event of wear.

[0032] To prevent the stripping element 36 from moving radially or out of the receiving groove 54, a fastening means 56 in the form of a screw or plug is provided on the circumferential surface 50 of the respective blade 40. The fastening means 56 is fastened in a suitably shaped recess, which is also recessed into the blade 40. In the fastened state, a head 58 of the fastening means 56 protrudes radially from the blade 40. This head 58 is made of plastic, such as POM, and can thus also function as a radial spacing means 20.

[0033] As from Figure 5 As can be seen, the receiving groove 54 can, for example, have a T-shaped profile PN, into which a correspondingly T-shaped section of a profile PA of the stripping element 36 engages in a form-fitting manner. The profile PA of the stripping element 36 can, as in Figure 5 shown, taper towards a contact area K, which is inclined at a free end in the direction of rotation. Alternatively to the embodiment according to Figure 5 the contact area K can be determined according to Figure 6 be substantially linear, with the free end of the profile PA being wedge-shaped for this purpose. In both cases, the contact area K enables particularly effective removal of the adhering product from the inside 38 of the container door 26.

[0034] As from Figure 7As can be seen, one of the spacing means 20 is arranged on an axial rear side 62 of the stirring element 18 facing away from the axial end face 34, and can be placed against the container base 7 of the processing container 6 in order to press the stirring element 18 in the direction of the container door 26. This ensures that the scraping element 36 is arranged sufficiently close to or adjacent to the inner side 38 of the container door 26 in order to be able to repeatedly remove the product adhering to it during operation. The spacing means is formed by a circumferentially drivable scraping element 64, which can also be subjected to an elastic restoring force by a spring section 52 embedded in the stirring element 18.The resulting clamping forces prevent direct metal-to-metal contact between the container base 7 and the stirring element 18 during operation. At the same time, the product adhering to the container base 7 can be repeatedly removed by means of the rotating scraper element 64, thus reducing subsequent cleaning effort. The scraper element 64 can also extend at least substantially over the entire radius of the container base 7 in order to be able to remove it as completely as possible during operation.

[0035] Fig. 7also shows an alternative embodiment of the stripping element 36, which, in addition to the radial extension starting from the center point M towards the circumferential surface 50, also extends over a section 60 in the axial direction along the circumferential surface 50 of the respective blade 40. In this case, it can be provided that the axially extending section 60, in addition to its function as a radial spacing means 20, also simultaneously has clamping or locking means by means of which it can be fixed in a recess let into the circumferential surface 50 (not shown) in order to function as a fastening means 56 for the radially extending section of the stripping element 36.

[0036] Figure 8shows an alternative embodiment of the stirring element 18, in which a scraper element 36 is provided on the axial end face 34 of each of the three blades 40. In this way, the stirring element 18 can be supported particularly stably on the inner side 38 of the container door 26 during a manufacturing process and, with the rotating drive, repeatedly frees it of adhering product at particularly short intervals.

Claims

1. Device (2) for producing a flowable product, in particular ice cream, from a starting mixture, comprising a processing container (6) provided in a device housing (4) with a temperature-controllable inner wall (8) which encloses an inner space (10) suitable for receiving the starting mixture and which is accessible via a container opening (24), a container door (26) displaceably held on the device housing (4) which is pivotable between a closed position, in which the container opening (24) is closed, and an open position, in which the inner space (10) is accessible via the container opening (24), and an agitator element (18) arranged in the inner space (10) and which is drivable by a rotatable drive shaft (16) and on which spacing means (20) for spacing the agitator element (18) from the processing container (6) are held, characterised in that the spacing means (20) have at least one wiper element (36) which extends in radial direction on an end face (34) of the agitator element (18) and which is drivable in a circulating manner, resting against an inner side (38) of the container door (26), in direction of rotation (D) of the agitator element (18).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the wiper element (36) extends at least over one radius of the container opening (24).

3. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the wiper element (36) is formed by a rubber lip.

4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the wiper element (36) is releasably arranged on the agitator element (18).

5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the agitator element (18) has a receiving groove (54) in which the wiper element (36) is held.

6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that at least one fastening means (56) is arranged on the agitator element (18), by means of which the wiper element (36) can be fixed in radial direction.

7. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that the fastening means (56) projects in radial direction from a circumferential surface (50) of the agitator element (18).

8. Device according to claim 7, characterised in that the fastening means (56) is formed by a plastic screw.

9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the wiper element (36) additionally extends in sections in axial direction along a circumferential surface of the agitator element (18).

10. Device according to claim 9, characterised in that the axially extending portion of the wiper element (36) additionally serves to fix the wiper element (36) in radial direction.

11. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the wiper element (36) has a profile (PA) which tapers in radial direction towards a contact area (K).

12. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that the spacing means (20) have at least two, preferably three wiper elements (36) which extend in each case in radial direction on the end face (34) of the agitator element (18) and are arranged at an angular offset to one another in the direction of rotation of the agitator element (18).

13. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that the agitator element (18) is pressable in direction of the container door (26) by one of the spacing means (20) which is placeable against a container bottom (7) of the processing container (6).

14. Device according to claim 13, characterised in that the spacing means (20) which are placeable against the container bottom (7) are formed by a scraper element (64) which is driveable in a circulating manner and to which an elastic restoring force can be applied.