Semi-Liquid Food Dispenser Control for Stable Viscosity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control systems for viscous semi-liquid food dispensers, such as ice cream machines, face challenges in accurately maintaining product characteristics like overrun due to temperature-based control methods that are indirect, lagging, and influenced by environmental factors, leading to inconsistent product quality.
Innovation Solution
A control method that utilizes real-time monitoring of both temperature and rotation speed of the stirring motor to dynamically adjust the target temperature setpoint, employing self-adaptive fuzzy control to maintain consistent viscosity and minimize environmental influences, ensuring accurate and reliable product characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If temperature-based control is used to maintain food characteristics, then the control system is simple to implement, but the control accuracy is insufficient and the response is lagging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines temperature-based control with rotation speed-based control into a unified control system. The control device simultaneously monitors both temperature and rotation speed, merging two control approaches to achieve both simplicity and accuracy. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining the simplicity of temperature control while adding the precision of rotation speed measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces rotation speed as an intermediary parameter that directly reflects food viscosity and characteristics. Instead of relying solely on temperature as an indirect indicator, the system uses rotation speed change rate as a direct mediator to sense food state changes, improving measurement precision while maintaining system simplicity.
2Ease of operation
If temperature monitoring is used to control food characteristics, then the control system is easy to implement, but the control response is lagging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism that continuously monitors rotation speed and compares it with reference values. When the rotation speed change rate exceeds a threshold, the system immediately responds by adjusting temperature or stopping dispensing. This real-time feedback loop eliminates the lag inherent in traditional temperature-only monitoring while keeping the system easy to operate.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection by monitoring rotation speed changes before significant food characteristic changes occur. By detecting the rate of change in rotation speed, the system can take preventive action (adjusting temperature or pausing dispensing) before the food quality deteriorates, reducing control response time while maintaining operational simplicity.
3Device complexity
If environment factors are not considered in control, then the control system is simple, but the product characteristics are severely influenced by environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts control parameters (temperature setpoints, dispensing speeds) based on real-time rotation speed feedback. When environmental conditions cause food viscosity changes, the rotation speed changes accordingly, triggering automatic parameter adjustments. This allows the system to adapt to environmental factors without increasing structural complexity.
4Measurement precision
If rotation speed sensor is used to detect food softness and hardness, then direct measurement is possible, but measurement accuracy is insufficient due to measurement error
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on a single rotation speed measurement, the patent monitors the rate of change of rotation speed over time. By observing how the rotation speed changes rather than its absolute value, the system achieves more reliable measurements that are less susceptible to measurement errors and baseline variations, improving both precision and reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A control method for a viscous semi-liquid frozen or hot food dispenser comprising a stirring means configured to stir the food, a motor (50) configured to drive the stirring means to rotate, a refrigerating means or heating means configured to input cold energy or heat energy into the food, a rotation speed sensor (80) configured to detect a stirring speed, and a temperature sensor (13) configured to detect the food temperature, the control method comprising the steps of: a) refrigerating or heating the food by the refrigerating means or heating means; b) comparing the food temperature detected by the temperature sensor (13) with a target preset value of the food temperature, and determining to continue the refrigeration or heating, or to stop the refrigeration or heating and to keep stopping for a preset time; c) intervening by corresponding adjustment of the target preset value when a data set collected from the rotation speed sensor (80) shows that change trend of the rotation speed meets predefined intervention conditions; and d) returning to step a) for the next cycle. The control method for a viscous semi-liquid food dispenser is capable of controlling viscosity of food accurately and reliably to maintain consistence of the characteristics of the dispensed product and minimize the influence from the environment as much as possible.