Providing single servings of cooled foods and drinks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems for rapidly cooling food and drinks are inefficient in achieving freezing temperatures within a short time frame, particularly for single servings, and often require pre-cooling or extensive preparation.

Innovation Solution

The development of a refrigeration system with a low startup time and efficient heat transfer, utilizing a pod-machine interface that includes a refrigeration cycle with a working fluid loop and a bypass line, capable of cooling ingredients from room temperature to freezing in less than two minutes, using sterilized pods that can store dairy products at room temperature for extended periods.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a refrigeration system is used to cool food and drinks from room temperature to freezing, then the temperature reduction is achieved, but the cooling time is typically long (more than two minutes)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature reductionVSAvoidcooling time

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The refrigeration system is segmented into multiple independent components: evaporator, compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and bypass line. This segmentation allows the bypass line to independently pre-cool the working fluid, enabling rapid temperature reduction without requiring the entire system to reach operating temperature simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bypass line performs preliminary cooling of the working fluid by routing it directly from the compressor to the evaporator, bypassing the condenser and expansion valve. This pre-cooling action reduces the temperature of the working fluid before it enters the main cooling cycle, enabling faster overall cooling of the pod contents.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If a refrigeration system with standard startup time is used, then the system is simple to operate, but the system requires extensive preparation and pre-cooling time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation simplicityVSAvoidpreparation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically switches between different operating modes using the bypass line. During rapid cooling operations, the bypass line is activated to pre-cool the working fluid. During normal operations, the standard refrigeration cycle is used. This dynamic adaptability allows the system to provide rapid cooling when needed without sacrificing operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If sterilization processes (retort, UHT, HPP) are applied to pods, then shelf stability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshelf stabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses disposable single-serving pods that are pre-filled and sterilized. These pods are designed for single use only, eliminating the need for complex cleaning and sterilization equipment in the machine. The pods can be manufactured using standard sterilization processes (retort, UHT, HPP) and then distributed ready-to-use, balancing shelf stability requirements with manufacturing feasibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Productivity

If a pod-machine interface with efficient heat transfer is designed, then the cooling speed is improved, but the interface complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling speedVSAvoidinterface complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The evaporator acts as an intermediary heat transfer component between the working fluid and the pod contents. The bypass line enhances this intermediary function by pre-cooling the working fluid before it reaches the evaporator. This intermediary approach enables efficient heat transfer without requiring direct contact between the pod and extreme cold temperatures, maintaining interface simplicity while improving cooling speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Enables the rapid production of frozen foods and drinks, such as soft-serve ice cream, from room-temperature pods in approximately 90 seconds, with efficient heat transfer and minimal preparation, providing consumers with single-serving options and convenient, shelf-stable pods that do not require pre-cooling.

Implementation Method 1

The pod-machine interface that is easy to use and provides extremely efficient heat transfer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

These systems and methods are based on a refrigeration cycle with low startup times

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRefrigeration cycle: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 3

HPP is a cold pasteurization technique by which products, already sealed in its final package, are introduced into a vessel and subjected to a high level of isostatic pressure (300-600 megapascals (MPa) (43,500-87,000 pounds per square inch (psi)) transmitted by water

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHigh pressure processing: Pressurisation

Data Source

PatentUS11627747B2Providing single servings of cooled foods and drinks

Publication Date: 2023.04.18 COLDSNAP CORP

AI summary

Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.