Frozen Confection Architecture with Spaced Rotational Axes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing frozen confection products, particularly those with irregular shapes and multiple streams, lack structural stability due to coincidental longitudinal rotational axes, limiting their shape retention and manufacturing capabilities to smooth surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A structurally stable frozen confection product is created by extruding multiple frozen confection streams with longitudinally rippled shapes, where the rotational axes of each stream are spaced apart, forming a composite product with alternating layers and projections, enhancing mechanical strength and allowing for complex architectures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If multiple frozen confection streams are extruded with coincidental longitudinal rotational axes, then structural stability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases and shape versatility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by spacing the longitudinal rotational axes of multiple frozen confection streams apart from each other, creating an asymmetric configuration that maintains structural stability while enabling complex surface architectures like spirally formed projections and recesses. This asymmetric arrangement allows the streams to interlock and support each other structurally while providing manufacturing versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-axis (coincidental rotational axes) configuration to a multi-dimensional arrangement where longitudinal rotational axes are spaced apart in space. This dimensional change enables the creation of complex three-dimensional surface features and architectures while maintaining structural integrity through the spatial distribution of streams.
2Productivity
If moulding is used to prepare frozen confection products, then production efficiency is improved, but shape versatility is limited to smooth surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the frozen confection product into multiple independent streams that are extruded separately and then combined. Each stream can be independently formed with specific architectures, allowing complex surface features like spirally formed projections and recesses to be created through extrusion while maintaining high production efficiency through continuous manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite frozen confection product by combining multiple frozen confection streams with different compositions and architectures. This composite structure allows each stream to contribute different functional and aesthetic properties, achieving both production efficiency and shape versatility through the integration of diverse extruded components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If frozen confection streams are extruded with spaced rotational axes, then shape complexity is improved, but structural stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple frozen confection streams with spaced rotational axes into a unified composite structure. The streams are positioned and configured so that they interlock and support each other, creating a combined structure that maintains structural stability despite the spaced axes configuration. The merging of streams provides mutual structural reinforcement while preserving shape complexity.
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 spaced rotational axes and layered structure provide enhanced structural stability and enable the production of complex, stable frozen confection products with improved mechanical strength and aesthetic features like spirally formed projections and recesses, overcoming the limitations of traditional manufacturing methods.
Implementation Method 1
a. Passing a continuous flow of from two to eight frozen confections through a stationary nozzle comprising two to eight passageways and corresponding nozzle inlets and outlets; b. Extruding the frozen confections onto a moving conveyor belt to form rippled streams of frozen confection
Implementation Method 2
The conveyor is moving in a horizontal direction and in the same direction as the extrusion of the frozen confections
Implementation Method 3
The frozen confection product may be cooled. The cooled frozen confection product of step c. may be hardened.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a structurally stable frozen confection product comprising from two to eight frozen confection streams rippled in the longitudinal direction, wherein the frozen confection stream ripples form a longitudinal repeat unit comprising a ripple of each frozen confection stream and the frozen confection product comprises from three to eight repeat units and the longitudinal rotational axes of the ripples are spaced apart from each other. Furthermore, the invention relates to a process for the preparation of the structurally stable frozen confection product.