Flavor Injection Blending Assembly for Frozen Confections

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for dispensing flavored frozen confections like soft-serve ice cream, slushes, and shakes often result in a heterogeneous, marbled appearance due to inadequate blending of added flavors, which is less visually appealing to consumers.

Innovation Solution

A flavor injection and blending assembly is integrated with a frozen consumable freezer, featuring a blend cartridge with mixing vanes and a nozzle to create a homogenous blend of flavors within the frozen flowable confection, ensuring a uniform and visually appealing product across various frozen confections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If hand blending or auger blending is used to add flavor, then the process is simple, but the result is a marbled pattern with heterogeneous blend

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of blending processVSAvoidhomogeneity of flavor blend

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical blending methods (hand blending, auger blending) with a fluid dynamic system using a jet stream to inject and disperse flavoring throughout the frozen confection. This substitution eliminates the marbled pattern problem while achieving homogenous distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a jet stream (fluid flow) to carry and distribute the flavoring material throughout the frozen confection. The fluid dynamic approach enables uniform dispersion without the mechanical mixing that causes marbling, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and homogeneity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Ease of manufacture

If flavor gel material is added around the outside, then the process is simple, but the result is a heterogeneous product

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of flavor additionVSAvoiduniformity of flavor distribution

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the external gel material application method with an internal injection system that delivers flavoring throughout the confection's interior. This fundamental approach change achieves uniform distribution while maintaining process simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The jet stream injection system uses fluid flow to penetrate and distribute flavoring throughout the frozen confection, replacing the external gel application method. This achieves homogenous internal distribution rather than external heterogeneity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

3Reliability

If traditional flavoring assemblies are used for ice cream, then the system is optimized for ice cream, but it cannot handle slushes and shakes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperformance for ice creamVSAvoidcompatibility with different frozen confections

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs a universal jet stream injection system that can handle different viscosities and types of frozen confections (ice cream, slushes, shakes) through a single unified approach, eliminating the need for different specialized assemblies for different products.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system adapts to different frozen confections by adjusting parameters such as jet stream pressure, flavoring injection rate, and nozzle positioning, allowing the same basic system to effectively process materials with different viscosities and properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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

The system achieves a homogenous blend of flavors, enhancing the visual appeal and consistency of frozen confections, providing a universal solution for adding flavors to different types of frozen flowable confections like ice cream, slushes, and shakes.

Implementation Method 1

A jet stream is used to carry the flavoring and inject the flavoring into the frozen flowable confection

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid flow:

Implementation Method 2

The blend cartridge includes a mixing vane assembly that is rotated by a drive motor positioned outside of the blend cartridge

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical mixing: Stirring

Data Source

PatentUS11464242B2Flavor blending system

Publication Date: 2022.10.11 FLAVOR BURST CO

AI summary

Devices and systems for dispensing flavored, frozen flowable foods are disclosed. Such devices and systems may include a flavor injection and blending assembly having an inner surface that tapers inwardly near an outlet end to form a nozzle that aids in coalescing strands of frozen flowable confection, formed during mixing, into a unitary form. Flavor injection and blending assemblies having a first mixing vane and a second mixing vane welded to one another are disclosed. Sanitizing systems configured to provide water to a flavor injection and blending assembly are also disclosed.