Arrangement and method for mixing of particulate filling into consumer ice mass

Abstract

An arrangement is disclosed for mixing of particulate filling material into a consumer ice mass. The arrangement comprises a housing with at least one supply opening for the consumer ice mass, at least one inlet for the filling material to a cavity in the housing, an outlet opening, and a rotor cylinder with one or more rotor blades for the mixing-in of the consumer ice mass and the filling material by rotation. The rotor blades create a number of cells in the cavity by being pressed against the surface of the cavity. The rotor cylinder is supported from two opposing sides of the cavity by bearings in the form of a rear bearing and a front bearing. Furthermore, a rotor blade for use in such an arrangement and a method using such an arrangement are disclosed.

1 . An arrangement for mixing of particulate filling material into a consumer ice mass, said arrangement comprising a housing with:
 at least one supply opening for the consumer ice mass,   at least one inlet for the filling material to a cavity in the housing,   an outlet opening, and   a rotor cylinder with one or more rotor blades for the mixing-in of the consumer ice mass and the filling material by rotation,   wherein the rotor blades create a number of cells in the cavity by being pressed against the surface of the cavity, and   wherein the rotor cylinder is supported from two opposing sides of the cavity by bearings in the form of a rear bearing and a front bearing.   
     
     
         2 . The arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the front bearing protrudes into the rotor cylinder and into notches in each of the rotor blades. 
     
     
         3 . The arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the center of the rotor is displaced in relation to the center of the cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The arrangement according to  claim 3 , wherein the center of the rotor is displaced horizontally in relation to the at least one inlet. 
     
     
         5 . The arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotor blades consist of at least one of two plates mutually displaced by 90 degrees and three plates mutually displaced by 60 degrees. 
     
     
         6 . A rotor blade for use in a rotor cylinder of an arrangement for mixing of particulate filling material into a consumer ice mass, said rotor blade comprising:
 at least one front bearing notch in a front-side edge of the rotor blade, which is suitable for accommodating at least a part of a front bearing of the arrangement protruding into the rotor cylinder while allowing the rotor blade to slide forth and back in its longitudinal direction during operation of the arrangement.   
     
     
         7 . The rotor blade according to  claim 6 , further comprising: at least one of at least one front-side notch and at least one rear-side notch, the the length of the at least one notch corresponding substantially to the movement of the rotor blade in the longitudinal direction during operation of the arrangement. 
     
     
         8 . The rotor blade according to  claim 7 , wherein the width of a connection piece at the same longitudinal position as the at least one notch is less than one third of the full width of the rotor blade. 
     
     
         9 . The rotor blade according to  claim 7 , further comprising one or more through-going openings for the creation of one or more openings through the rotor blade. 
     
     
         10 . The arrangement according to  claim 9 , wherein the one or more through-going openings are recesses or holes in the rotor blade. 
     
     
         11 . The rotor blade according to  claim 9 , wherein the one or more through-going openings are placed at or in the vicinity of transverse edges of the notch(es) or at or in the vicinity of the outermost transverse edges of the rotor blade. 
     
     
         12 . The rotor blade according to  claim 6 , wherein the end surfaces of the rotor blade are rounded so that the shape of each end surface corresponds to a part of a cylindrical surface. 
     
     
         13 . The rotor blade according to  claim 6 , wherein the width of the rotor blade, corresponding to the length of an outermost transverse edge thereof, exceeds the width of the inlet for filling material of the arrangement, in which the blade is to be used, in the direction parallel to the rotational axis of the rotor cylinder by more than 22%. 
     
     
         14 . A method for mixing of particulate filling material into a consumer ice mass by an arrangement according to  claim 1 .