System for achieving aesthetic effects in chilled edible products - Patent Application 20070122997

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a system for dispensing chilled edible products from a preparation apparatus configured to displace a serving container relative to a dispensing nozzle within a displacement path in response to one or more product and / or serving container parameters to obtain a repeatable aesthetic effect for the dispensed edible product.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the dispensing of chilled edible products from preparation appliances. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system for obtaining aesthetic servings of the dispensed edible products.

[0002] The following references are considered to be relevant as background to the presently disclosed subject matter. - US2018 / 368440 - WO2013 / 121421 - WO2015 / 022678

[0003] Acknowledgment of the above references herein should not be inferred as meaning that they are in any way relevant to the patentability of the subject matter of the present disclosure. [Background technology]

[0004] Various appliances are known for preparing chilled edible products, such as ice cream, gelato, sorbet, slushies, and the like. Typically, such appliances include a reservoir that holds a bulk quantity of the chilled edible product, from which metered amounts are dispensed and dispensed according to a user's request. Other appliances include bulk reservoirs of ingredients, from which defined amounts of the product are prepared and then dispensed upon a user's request. Still other appliances utilize pre-measured containers, e.g., capsules, containing defined amounts of ingredients for the preparation of a single serving of the product; the containers are fed into the appliance to prepare the product, and the product is then dispensed from the appliance.

[0005] Typically, the final product is dispensed from the appliance into a serving container or vessel through a dispensing nozzle. While the nozzle itself can be designed to provide an aesthetic effect to the dispensed product, e.g., a shaped nozzle, the uniformity and eye-catching effect of the dispensed product during dispensing (and once dispensed into the container) often depend on various parameters, such as viscosity, flowability, consistency, temperature, etc. Thus, various recipes and preparation conditions / parameters result in different physical properties of the product, which affect its dispensing from the appliance and the visual appearance of the dispensed product. While simple mechanisms for rotation or vertical displacement of the serving cup have been proposed, such mechanisms are often pre-programmed, have limited freedom of movement, and cannot be easily customized for products with a wide range of possible consistencies.

[0006] General Description The present disclosure provides a system that can accept serving containers, such as cups, glasses, cones, etc., and provide for relative displacement of the serving containers relative to a nozzle along a combination of movement directions while dispensing a cooled edible product from the appliance. According to the present disclosure, the combined relative movement of the serving containers relative to the nozzle can be performed along a combination of movement directions and is determined according to various physical parameters of the dispensed product and the serving container, such that aesthetic effects and repeatable patterns can be obtained. The system of the present disclosure provides for automatic determination of the movement pattern of the serving containers relative to the dispensing nozzle according to one or more of the following data provided by a user and related to the product prepared by the containers of ingredients provided within the appliance, derived from production parameters, measured or detected properties of the product, or any combination thereof.

[0007] The term chilled edible product is meant to denote any food product that is designed to be consumed at low temperatures and is at least partially flowable at such temperatures. The chilled edible product can be, for example, ice cream, soft serve ice cream, gelato, sorbet, frozen yogurt, frozen drinks, slushies, granitas, sherbets, flavored ice creams, etc.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a system for displacing serving containers beneath and relative to a dispensing nozzle of a chilled food product preparation apparatus, the system being configured for data communication with the preparation apparatus, the system comprising: a displaceable base for receiving at least one serving container, the displaceable base configured to be displaceable in a displacement pattern consisting of a combination of displacements along two or more of a vertical axis perpendicular to the displaceable base, a plane of the displaceable base, an inclination angle relative to the plane of the displaceable base, and a rotation about the vertical axis; two or more displacement means associated with the displaceable base for displacing the displaceable base along the displacement pattern; and a control module configured to receive one or more product parameters of the chilled food product from the preparation apparatus and determine the displacement pattern in accordance with the data, the control module configured to operate the two or more displacement means.

[0009] According to another aspect, the present disclosure provides a system for displacing serving containers beneath and relative to a dispensing nozzle of a chilled food product preparation apparatus, the system being configured for data communication with the preparation apparatus, the system comprising: a displaceable base for receiving at least one serving container, the displaceable base being configured to be displaceable in a displacement pattern consisting of a combination of displacements along two or more of a vertical axis perpendicular to the displaceable base, a plane of the displaceable base, an inclination angle relative to the plane of the displaceable base, and a rotation about the vertical axis; two or more displacement means associated with the displaceable base for displacing the displaceable base along the displacement pattern; and a control module configured to receive one or more serving container parameters and determine the displacement pattern according to a combination of the serving container parameters and one or more product parameters of a chilled food product, the control module being configured to operate the two or more displacement means.

[0010] In the disclosed system, a displaceable base is provided, the displaceable base configured to receive and securely hold a serving container from which the chilled edible product is dispensed from the appliance, the base being displaceable by two or more displacement means, e.g., electric motors, to displace the serving container in a displacement pattern, thereby displacing the serving container relative to the product dispensing nozzle of the appliance, such that an aesthetically pleasing shape of the chilled edible product is formed within the serving container.

[0011] The displacement pattern is determined by a control module of the system based on one or more product parameters of the chilled edible product and / or one or more parameters of the serving container.

[0012] Because the physical properties of chilled edible products produced by the appliance can vary significantly from product type to product type, dispensing such products through the appliance's nozzle can result in a variety of unpleasant visual appearances and inconsistent, uneven, or unrepeatable filling of the serving container. For example, the physical properties of soft serve ice cream will be significantly different from those of sorbet, frozen drinks (such as iced coffee), or any other type of chilled edible product. When the chilled edible product is dispensed from the nozzle, such physical differences result in different self-positioning of the product within the serving container depending, for example, on the product's consistency, physical stability, viscosity, temperature, etc. The system is configured to receive and / or acquire / acquire one or more physical parameters of the chilled edible product and, based on these parameters, determine a displacement pattern of the displaceable base that will result in optimal filling of the serving container while obtaining a consistent, visually appealing, aesthetic placement of the product within the serving container.

[0013] Furthermore, because a variety of containers, e.g., having different volumes or shapes, can be used as vessels into which the cooled edible product is dispensed, the system is configured to receive or acquire one or more parameters of the serving container and, based on these parameters (typically, but not exclusively, in combination with one or more product parameters), determine a displacement pattern of the displaceable base that results in optimal filling of the serving container while obtaining the consistent aesthetic placement described above.

[0014] A displacement pattern consists of a combination of displacements along two or more displacement directions, typically three or more, depending on product parameters and the desired visual effect. Displacement directions include vertical movement, i.e., movement toward and away from the dispensing nozzle along a vertical axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the displaceable base, lateral movement along the plane defined by the displaceable base, tilting displacement, which tilts the displaceable base (or container) at one or more angles defined relative to the plane of the displaceable base (the plane defined when the base is in its rest position), and rotational displacement about the vertical axis. The degree of movement in each direction, the combination of directions, and the sequence of movements are determined by the control module according to product and / or serving container parameters to result in a displacement pattern.

[0015] The term product parameter is meant to refer to a physical property of a chilled edible product, such as composition, consistency, flowability, viscosity, temperature, etc. The term is also meant to refer to one or more measurements, e.g., measured or obtained by an apparatus, that are indicative of one or more product parameters. For example, a measurement of the resistance of an impeller in the processing chamber of an apparatus typically indicates the viscosity of the product, and such a measurement is therefore indicative of a product parameter. The term is also meant to encompass parameters obtained by indirect means, such as the texture or flowability of a chilled edible product, assessed from visual imaging or processing of a visual feed (e.g., processing images of a live camera feed of the product in the apparatus or while it is flowing through a nozzle).

[0016] The one or more product parameters may be provided to the control module from a variety of sources. According to some embodiments, the control module is configured to receive at least one of: (a) coded data carried by a container of an ingredient configured for feeding into the appliance, the coded data indicative of the one or more product parameters; (b) one or more product parameters provided by a user through a user interface of the appliance and / or system; (c) one or more measurements taken by the appliance, the one or more measurements indicative of the one or more product parameters; and (d) one or more visual inputs of the cooled edible product.

[0017] According to some embodiments, the ingredient containers are bulk containers that hold ingredients for preparing multiple servings of the chilled edible product. According to other embodiments, the ingredient containers are pods or capsules that hold ingredients in quantities to prepare only a single serving of said chilled edible product. When preparation of a chilled edible product is desired, the ingredient containers are fed into the appliance, which is configured to acquire and transmit product parameters decoded from the coded data on the ingredient containers, thereby directing the system to operate in accordance with the product parameters. Because each product is different, depending on the product parameters, the data decoded from the ingredient containers is specific to the particular ingredient (which may vary significantly from product to product) or the desired end product to be produced therefrom (i.e., different products produced from the same ingredient), allowing the displacement pattern to be precisely tailored to the particular product being produced.

[0018] The displaceable base is configured to receive one or more serving containers. Serving containers typically have an upper opening through which chilled edible products can be received and dispensed. The serving containers can have any desired geometry, shape, or size. While the serving containers can have a volume suitable for holding multiple servings of the chilled edible products, preferably, the serving containers have a volume slightly larger than the volume of a single serving of the chilled edible products. For example, a single serving of ice cream or gelato can have a volume of 50 to 250 ml, and a single serving of a frozen drink or slushie can have a volume of 200 to 1,000 ml. Serving containers can include, for example, cups, cones, bowls, glasses (e.g., drinking glasses, goblets, flutes, balloon glasses, wine glasses, tumblers, shot glasses, etc.), or any other container suitable for serving chilled edible products. The serving containers can be made of any suitable material, such as, for example, paper, plastic, glass, metal, ceramic, an edible composition (eg, a waffle or biscuit), etc.

[0019] According to some embodiments, the displaceable base is configured to accept a single serving container. According to some other embodiments, the displaceable base is configured to accept multiple serving containers, and the displacement pattern is configured to displace the displaceable base to enable sequential (i.e., continuous) filling of the serving containers. In such embodiments, the system's control module also receives data from the appliance regarding the dispensing sequence and timing of the nozzle operation to enable a series of dispensing operations to sequentially fill the serving containers. When accepting multiple containers, the containers can be the same or different from one another.

[0020] According to some embodiments, the control module is configured to receive one or more serving container parameters, either from a user or from one or more acquisition means of the system. The serving container parameter(s) refer to one or more physical properties of the serving container, such as shape, volume, material, dimensions, etc.

[0021] According to some embodiments, the control module is configured to determine the displacement pattern according to a combination of the one or more product parameters and the one or more serving container parameters. In other words, since the displaceable base can be configured to accommodate various shapes and volumes of serving containers, in such cases the displacement pattern can be determined not only based on the product parameters but also as a function of one or more parameters of the serving containers.

[0022] According to some embodiments, serving container parameters are provided to the control module by use via a user interface of the appliance or system. According to some other embodiments, the system comprises one or more container sensors configured to acquire said one or more container parameters and communicate said container parameters to said control module. According to other embodiments, the serving containers may be equipped with one or more identification means, e.g., RFID tags, bar codes, QR codes, etc., and the appliance may be equipped with a suitable reader utility, thereby enabling acquisition and transfer of one or more serving container parameters to the control module.

[0023] According to some embodiments, the control module is configured to provide a user of the appliance with recommendations for serving container geometries, sizes, or shapes based on the one or more product parameters. That is, upon obtaining the product parameters, the control module can issue recommendations, provided to the user via the user interface, regarding recommended serving containers for a particular manufactured chilled edible product for optimal repeatability and aesthetic effect.

[0024] The displaceable base, according to some embodiments, can include at least one serving-container-retaining device for removably receiving one or more serving containers. The serving-container-retaining device can have a predefined configuration suitable for holding a particular type and / or configuration of serving containers.

[0025] Alternatively, the serving-container-retaining device can be configurable to accept serving containers of various geometries, shapes, or sizes and to securely retain the serving containers during displacement of the displaceable base. In such embodiments, the control module is configured to receive one or more serving-container parameters and to configure the container-retaining device to securely accept the serving containers in accordance with the one or more container parameters.

[0026] Depending on the described effects and the produced chilled edible product, it may be desirable for the serving containers to be cooled. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the displaceable base comprises or is associated with a cooling unit and configured to cool the serving containers. A control module can be associated with the cooling unit and configured to operate the cooling unit to cool the serving containers to a defined temperature according to the one or more product parameters. Alternatively, the control module can be configured to issue a recommendation to the user via a user interface recommending the use of chilled / refrigerated serving containers according to the product parameters.

[0027] According to some embodiments, the system is configured for detachable attachment to the chilled food product preparation apparatus. According to some other embodiments, the system is an integral system of the chilled food product preparation apparatus (i.e., formed integrally with the apparatus).

[0028] At times, it is desirable to add one or more toppings (liquid or solid), for example, during dispensing of the cooled edible product (e.g., to create a layered effect) or on top of the product after dispensing into a serving container. According to some embodiments, the control module is configured to receive one or more topping parameters, which can be part of or in addition to the product parameters, and determine the displacement pattern accordingly.

[0029] In some embodiments, the appliance with which the system is configured to communicate allows for the simultaneous preparation of two or more different chilled edible products in the same appliance, each dispensed from a designated dispensing nozzle. In such cases, the product parameters also include data regarding the associated dispensing nozzle from which the product is dispensed, and the displacement pattern is also calculated based on the position of the nozzle from which the product is dispensed.

[0030] In another possible configuration, the appliance may comprise two or more nozzles, each designed to dispense a different chilled edible product, but the different products designed to be consumed together (e.g., one nozzle dispenses one flavor of ice cream and the other a different flavor of ice cream). In such cases, the product parameters also include data regarding the sequence of dispense of chilled edible products from each nozzle, and the displacement pattern is also calculated based on such data. According to some embodiments, the control module may communicate with the appliance to time the sequence of dispensing through the nozzles, so that different aesthetic effects can be achieved based on the displacement pattern.

[0031] As mentioned above, the system can be linked to an appliance for establishing data communication therewith or can be linked to the appliance, and the system can also be linked to the appliance to receive one or more utilities from the appliance, such as electricity or cooling.

[0032] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus for preparing a chilled edible product from ingredients and dispensing said product, the apparatus comprising: a cooling processing chamber configured to receive the ingredient and process the ingredient therein to obtain the cooled edible product; a cooling utility for cooling the processing chamber; a dispensing nozzle associated with the chamber and configured to dispense the cooled edible product from the processing chamber; and a system as described herein configured to position at least one serving container vertically below the dispensing nozzle and to displace the displaceable base according to the displacement pattern while dispensing the cooled edible product through the dispensing nozzle.

[0033] According to some embodiments, the apparatus is configured to receive capsules or pods containing ingredients for preparing the chilled edible product and transfer the ingredients from the capsules or pods to a chilled processing chamber. While the capsules or pods can contain some of the ingredients needed to prepare a single serving of the chilled edible product, preferably the capsules or pods contain all of the ingredients needed to prepare a single serving of the chilled edible product by the apparatus. In other words, the apparatus is configured to receive and process pods or capsules containing a volume / quantity of ingredients for preparing a single serving of the chilled edible product from the entire contents of the pod or capsule.

[0034] According to some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a data acquisition and processing means, e.g., a data processing utility, configured to acquire and process coded data carried by the capsule or pod, said coded data being processed into one or more product parameters that are communicated to the displacement system.

[0035] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method of dispensing chilled edible product from an appliance as disclosed herein, the method comprising dispensing chilled edible product through a dispensing nozzle while simultaneously displacing said displaceable base according to said displacement pattern to obtain a desired shape of the chilled edible product in the serving container.

[0036] Throughout this specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", as well as variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step, or group of integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any integer or step, or group of integers or steps.

[0037] It should be noted that in general, the term "at least one" as applied to any component of the systems, apparatus, or methods of the present disclosure should be read to encompass one, two, three, four, or more different occurrences of said component.

[0038] It should be understood that certain features of the present disclosure that are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Rather, for brevity, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination, or as suitable in any other described embodiment of the present disclosure. Certain features described in the context of various embodiments are not considered essential features of those embodiments, unless the embodiment cannot operate without those elements.

[0039] In order to better understand the subject matter disclosed herein and to illustrate how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0040] [Figure 1A] 1 is a schematic diagram of a system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure showing the direction of movement of a displaceable base relative to a dispensing nozzle of an appliance for the production of chilled edible products. FIG. [Figure 1B] 1 is a schematic diagram of a system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure showing the direction of movement of a displaceable base relative to a dispensing nozzle of an appliance for the production of chilled edible products. FIG. [Figure 1C] 1 is a schematic diagram of a system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure showing the direction of movement of a displaceable base relative to a dispensing nozzle of an appliance for the production of chilled edible products. FIG. [Figure 1D] 1 is a schematic diagram of a system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure showing the direction of movement of a displaceable base relative to a dispensing nozzle of an appliance for the production of chilled edible products. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the appliance comprises multiple dispensing nozzles. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the system is in fluid communication with an instrument. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, showing a displaceable base configured to receive two or more serving containers. [Figure 5A] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the system showing exemplary serving containers that can be received in the displaceable base. [Figure 5B] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the system showing exemplary serving containers that can be received in the displaceable base. [Figure 5C] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the system showing exemplary serving containers that can be received in the displaceable base. [Figure 5D] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the system showing exemplary serving containers that can be received in the displaceable base. [Figure 5E] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the system showing exemplary serving containers that can be received in the displaceable base. [Figure 5F]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the system showing exemplary serving containers that can be received in the displaceable base. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0041] 1A-1D, which illustrate a system 100 capable of accepting serving containers (as can be seen in FIGS. 5A-5F) and displacing the serving containers relative to a dispensing nozzle 202 of a chilled food product preparation apparatus 200 during dispensing of the chilled food product from the chilled food product preparation apparatus 200. A combination of movement directions of a displaceable base (described below) during dispensing of the chilled food product results in aesthetic effects and robust and / or repeatable placement of the chilled food product within the serving container. The combined relative movement of the serving containers relative to the nozzle is performed along the combination of movement directions shown in FIGS. 1A-1D and is determined according to various physical parameters of the dispensed product and / or the serving container. In other words, the system provides for automatic determination of the movement pattern of the serving containers relative to the dispensing nozzle according to data regarding the prepared product provided by a user, data provided by containers of ingredients fed into the apparatus, production parameters, measured properties of the product, one or more serving container parameters, or a combination thereof.

[0042] System 100 includes a displaceable base 102 for receiving at least one serving container (see, e.g., FIGS. 5A-5F). In the exemplary system, displaceable base 102 includes a serving-container-holding device 104 configured to be displaceable by displaceable base 102 along a displacement pattern combining at least two, and typically three or more, displacement directions, including rotational displacement about a vertical axis 116 of the system (FIG. 1A), linear displacement along vertical axis 116 (FIG. 1B), an inclination angle relative to the plane of the displaceable base (FIG. 1C), and lateral displacement within the plane of the displaceable base (FIG. 1D).

[0043] Movement along the various displacement directions is made possible by two or more displacement means (schematically represented 110, seen in Figure 1A) associated with the displaceable base, such as electric motors, hydraulic or pneumatic systems, etc.

[0044] Control module 112 is configured to receive one or more product parameters of the cooled edible product from preparation appliance 200, determine a displacement pattern according to the received data, and operate the displacement means to displace the displaceable base in the displacement pattern according to the received data. The extent of movement in each displacement direction, the combination of directions, and the sequence of movements are determined by the control module according to the product parameters to result in the displacement pattern.

[0045] Product parameters can be provided to the control module from a variety of sources. Typically, the control module is configured to receive at least one of: (a) coded data carried by a container (not shown) of an ingredient configured for feeding into the appliance, the coded data indicative of the product parameters; (b) one or more product parameters provided by a user through the appliance or system user interface 204, 114; (c) one or more measurements taken by the appliance, the one or more measurements indicative of the product parameters; and / or (d) one or more visual inputs of the cooled edible product.

[0046] Exemplary, non-limiting product parameters of a chilled edible product are composition, consistency, flowability, viscosity, temperature, etc., as well as one or more measurements indicative of a product parameter, for example, a measurement of the resistance of a blade within the processing chamber of an appliance, which typically indicates the viscosity of the product.

[0047] In one example, the chilled edible product is produced from ingredients held in a bulk container (not shown) and suitable for preparing multiple servings of the chilled edible product. By another example, the ingredient containers can be pods or capsules (not shown) configured to hold ingredients in amounts to prepare a single serving of said chilled edible product and to feed into the appliance when preparation of the chilled edible product is desired. In either case, the appliance can be configured to acquire and transmit product parameters decoded from coded data on the ingredient containers, thereby directing the system to operate in accordance with the product parameters. Because each product is different, depending on the product parameters, the data decoded from the ingredient containers can be unique to the particular ingredient (which can vary significantly from product to product), allowing the displacement pattern to be precisely tailored to the particular product being produced.

[0048] As described above, the serving-container holding device 104 is configured to receive and securely hold at least one serving container. In the illustrated example, the device 104 has a receiving cavity 106 defined by a shaped circumferential wall 108. Preferably, the wall 108 is shaped to removably receive various serving containers 302, 304, 306, 308, 310, 312, and 314, as seen, for example, in FIGS. 5A-5F , respectively. However, it is also contemplated that the serving-container holding device may be designed to hold specific types and / or configurations of defined serving containers. The serving containers may have any desired geometry, shape, or size suitable for being held by the serving-container holding device 104. While the serving containers may have a volume suitable for holding multiple servings of a chilled edible product, preferably, the serving containers have a volume slightly larger than the volume of a single serving of a chilled edible product.

[0049] The control module can be configurable to receive one or more serving container parameters, such as shape, volume, material, dimensions, etc., and determine the displacement pattern based on a combination of the product parameters and the serving container parameters. In other words, the displaceable base may be configured to accommodate various shapes and volumes of serving containers, so that in such cases the displacement pattern is determined not only based on the product parameters, but also as a function of one or more parameters of the serving containers.

[0050] The displaceable base can be configured to accept multiple serving containers, as shown in FIG. 4. In such cases, a displacement pattern is typically configured to displace the displaceable base to allow for sequential filling of the serving containers. The system's control module 112 can also receive data from the appliance 200 regarding the dispensing sequence and timing of the operation of the nozzle 202 to allow a series of dispensing operations to sequentially fill the serving containers. When accepting multiple containers, the containers can be the same or different from one another.

[0051] As seen in FIG. 3 , the system 100 may include one or more serving container sensors 118 configured to acquire one or more container parameters from the serving containers and communicate the container parameters to the control module 112. The appliance 200 may include additional sensors and / or means 206 for acquiring various spatial parameters of the serving containers or serving-container-holding devices 104 during their movement along the displacement pattern and transmitting the acquired data to the system's control module 112. Such spatial parameters may be used as verification and control means to verify proper relative displacement of the displaceable base 102 with respect to the nozzle 202 and / or to indicate the status of the container's fill. For example, the means 206 may be one or more cameras capable of acquiring images of the serving containers before dispensing and / or images of the cooled edible product during dispensing. Alternatively, the means 206 may be an RFID or barcode reader configured to read and process a suitable RFID tag or barcode provided on the serving container, thereby providing the one or more serving container parameters to the appliance's control module.

[0052] Depending on the described effects and the chilled edible product produced, it may be desirable for the serving containers to be cooled. Accordingly, the device may include or be associated with a cooling unit and configured to cool the serving containers. For example, system 100 may receive circulating cooling fluid from cooling module 208 of appliance 200 through flow line 120 (FIG. 3). However, it is also contemplated that system 100 may include an integrated cooling module 122. Control module 112 may be associated with cooling module 122 and / or cooling module 280 and configured to operate the cooling unit to cool the serving containers to a defined temperature according to one or more of the product parameters described above.

[0053] At times, it is desirable to add one or more toppings (liquid or solid), for example, during dispensing of a cooled edible product (e.g., to create a layered effect) or on top of the product after dispensing into a serving container. The control module 112 can be configured to receive one or more topping parameters, which can be part of or in addition to the product parameters, and determine the displacement pattern accordingly.

[0054] According to another embodiment, the appliance 200 may allow for the preparation of two or more different chilled edible products, each dispensed from a designated dispensing nozzle 202, as seen in Figure 2. In such cases, the product parameters also include data regarding the associated dispensing nozzle from which the product is dispensed, and the displacement pattern is also calculated based on the position of the nozzle from which the product is dispensed.

[0055] 2 can be designed to each dispense a different chilled edible product, but the different products are designed to be consumed together (e.g., one nozzle dispenses one flavor of ice cream and the other dispenses a different flavor of ice cream). In such cases, the product parameters also include data regarding the sequence of dispense of the chilled edible products from each nozzle, and the displacement pattern is also calculated based on such data. In such cases, the control module 112 can communicate with the appliance 200 to time the sequence of dispensing through the nozzles 202 so that different aesthetic effects can be achieved based on the displacement pattern.

Claims

1. 1. A system for displacing a serving container beneath and relative to a dispensing nozzle of a chilled food product preparation apparatus, the system being configured for data communication with the preparation apparatus; a displaceable base for receiving at least one serving container, the displaceable base configured to be displaceable in a displacement pattern consisting of a combination of displacements along two or more of a vertical axis perpendicular to the displaceable base, a plane of the displaceable base, an angle of inclination of the displaceable base relative to the plane, and a rotation about the vertical axis; two or more displacement means associated with said displaceable base for displacing said displaceable base along said displacement pattern; a control module configured to receive one or more product parameters of the cooled food product from the preparation appliance and to determine the displacement pattern in accordance with the data, the control module configured to operate the two or more displacement means.

2. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the displacement pattern comprises a combination of displacements along three or more of the vertical axis, the plane of the displaceable base, the tilt angle, and the rotation about the vertical axis.

3. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the displaceable base is configured to accept serving containers of different geometries, shapes, and / or volumes.

4. The system of any one of claims 1 to 3, configured for detachable attachment to a chilled food product preparation appliance.

5. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is an integrated system of chilled food product preparation appliances.

6. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to receive at least one of: (a) coded data carried by an ingredient container configured for feeding into the appliance, the coded data indicative of the one or more product parameters; (b) one or more product parameters provided by the user through a user interface of the appliance or system; (c) one or more measurements taken by the appliance, the one or more measurements indicative of the one or more product parameters; and (d) one or more visual inputs of the cooled edible product.

7. The system of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control module is configured to receive one or more serving container parameters.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the system comprises one or more container sensors configured to acquire the one or more container parameters and communicate the container parameters to the control module.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the system comprises a user interface for providing the one or more vessel parameters.

10. 10. The system of claim 7, wherein the control module is configured to determine the displacement pattern according to a combination of the one or more product parameters and the one or more serving container parameters.

11. The system of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the displaceable base comprises at least one serving-container holding device for removably receiving the one or more serving containers.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the serving container holding device is configurable to accept serving containers of various geometries, shapes, or sizes and to securely hold the serving containers during displacement of the displaceable base.

13. 13. The system of claim 11 or 12, wherein the control module is configured to receive one or more serving container parameters and configure the container holding device to reliably accept the serving container in accordance with the one or more container parameters.

14. 14. The system of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the control module is configured to provide a recommendation to a user of the appliance for the geometry, size, or shape of the serving container based on the one or more product parameters.

15. The system of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the displaceable base comprises or is associated with a cooling unit and is configured to cool the serving containers.

16. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the control module is associated with the cooling unit and configured to operate the cooling unit to cool the serving containers to a defined temperature according to the one or more product parameters.

17. 1. A system for displacing a serving container beneath and relative to a dispensing nozzle of a chilled food product preparation apparatus, the system being configured for data communication with the preparation apparatus; a displaceable base for receiving at least one serving container, the displaceable base configured to be displaceable in a displacement pattern consisting of a combination of displacements along two or more of a vertical axis perpendicular to the displaceable base, a plane of the displaceable base, an angle of inclination of the displaceable base relative to the plane, and a rotation about the vertical axis; two or more displacement means associated with said displaceable base for displacing said displaceable base along said displacement pattern; a control module configured to receive one or more serving container parameters and determine the displacement pattern according to a combination of the serving container parameters and one or more product parameters of the cooled edible product, the control module configured to operate the two or more displacement means.

18. 1. An apparatus for preparing a chilled edible product from ingredients and dispensing said product, said apparatus comprising: a cooling processing chamber configured to receive the ingredients and process the ingredients therein to obtain the cooled edible product; a cooling utility for cooling the processing chamber; a dispensing nozzle associated with the chamber and configured to dispense the cooled edible product from the processing chamber; and the system of any one of claims 1 to 17 configured to position at least one serving container vertically below the dispensing nozzle and to displace the displaceable base according to the displacement pattern while dispensing the cooled edible product through the dispensing nozzle.

19. 20. A method of dispensing chilled edible product from the appliance of claim 18, said method comprising dispensing said chilled edible product through said dispensing nozzle and simultaneously displacing said displaceable base according to said displacement pattern to obtain a desired shape of said chilled edible product in said serving container.

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