Cooled Container Support for Hygienic Ice Cream Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice cream making machines face issues with food safety due to bacterial contamination and thermal shock, leading to compromised product quality and safety.
Innovation Solution
A machine with a thermal treatment system and interchangeable supporting elements equipped with cooling means to maintain consistent temperature during ice cream dispensing, preventing contamination and thermal shock.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If containers are kept in the freezer before dispensing, then contamination risk is reduced, but temperature control precision deteriorates causing thermal shock
Solution Approach 1:
The container is preliminarily cooled to a controlled temperature within the range of -10°C to 0°C before the ice cream dispensing process begins. This preliminary temperature adjustment prevents thermal shock during dispensing while maintaining food safety standards, resolving the contradiction between contamination prevention and temperature control precision.
2Ease of operation
If ice cream is dispensed into containers at ambient temperature, then operation is simplified, but contamination risk increases and product quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically cools the container to the required temperature range of -10°C to 0°C before dispensing, eliminating the need for manual freezer management by the operator. This self-service temperature control maintains food safety while keeping the operation simple, as the machine handles the temperature management automatically.
3Reliability
If containers are cooled to very low temperatures, then contamination risk is reduced, but ice crystals form spoiling texture
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the container temperature parameter to a specific range of -10°C to 0°C, which is sufficiently cold to prevent bacterial contamination but not so cold as to cause ice crystal formation. This precise parameter control resolves the contradiction between food safety and texture quality by finding the optimal temperature window.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances food safety and maintains product quality by reducing contamination risks and thermal shocks during ice cream handling.
Implementation Method 1
cooling means (502) configured to cool the supporting element (500) to a predetermined temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A machine for making ice cream includes a production unit including a processing container. The machine also includes a thermal treatment system associated with the processing container and a dispenser operatively connected to the processing container to allow extracting an ice cream type product from the machine. The machine also includes a supporting body fitted under the dispenser and a supporting element connected removably to the supporting body. The supporting element includes a receiving cavity, configured to reversibly house a container used to contain the ice cream type product delivered by the dispenser, and cooling means configured to cool the supporting element.