Machine, container, system and method for preparing ice cream or chilled desserts on demand

Abstract

A machine for preparing frozen confectionery has the ability or characteristic of forming a seat used for accommodating an essentially cup-shaped container. The machine has a heat exchange element having a heat exchange contact surface arranged to be in contact with a heat exchange portion of the container when the container is placed in the machine. The heat exchange element has an inverted conical or curved shape or a number of inverted conical sections, or a combination of curved and inverted conical sections. The confectionery produced can be a frozen product, such as soft ice, or a chilled dessert, such as mousse or whipped yogurt.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A single-use container designed for insertion into a device for preparing a frozen confectionary, the single-use container comprising:
 a body that is at least partly rigid, the body comprising an inner freezing surface and a heat exchange portion designed for interacting with a cooling member of the device, the heat exchange portion having a structure selected from the group consisting of an inverted conical shape, an inverted curved shape, a plurality of inverted conical sections, and a combination of inverted curved sections and inverted conical sections; and   a lid member enclosing a compartment holding a predefined amount of comestible ingredients, wherein the container is configured for preparing a frozen confectionary from the comestible ingredients within the compartment upon cooling of the comestible ingredients by the heat exchange portion of the body.   
     
     
         2 . The single-use container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container has a closed bottom. 
     
     
         3 . The single-use container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container does not have a piston member pushing any product in the container towards the bottom of the container. 
     
     
         4 . The single-use container according to  claim 1 , comprising a removable or breakable lid member closing the body. 
     
     
         5 . The single-use container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container is adapted for serving as a container for the frozen confectionary. 
     
     
         6 . The single-use container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container is rotationally symmetric about a central axis of the body of the container. 
     
     
         7 . The single-use container according to  claim 1 , comprising an upper rim portion that is selected from the group consisting of (i) a portion of increased diameter of the body and (ii) a flange-like rim portion. 
     
     
         8 . The single-use container according to  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a side wall, and the heat exchange portion forms an annular portion arranged at the circumference of the side wall. 
     
     
         9 . The single-use container according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange portion is made of metal. 
     
     
         10 . The single-use container according to  claim 1 , wherein the comestible ingredients comprise an ambient shelf-stable or chilled confectionery and optionally a gas. 
     
     
         11 . The single-use container according to  claim 1 , wherein the amount of comestible ingredients ranges from 20 to 60% of the provided volume of the container. 
     
     
         12 . The single-use container according to  claim 1 , wherein the amount of confectionary ingredients ranges from 61% to 95% of the provided volume of the container. 
     
     
         13 . The single-use container according to  claim 1 , wherein the frozen confectionary is selected from the group consisting of ice cream, sorbet, sherbet, water ice, granitas, frozen yoghurt, frozen dairy, soft ice, Mellorine, frozen custard, non-dairy frozen confection, milk ice, ice lolly, gelato, frozen jelly, chilled desserts, mousses, milk shakes, smoothies and caffé latté. 
     
     
         14 . The single-use container according to  claim 1 , comprising an identification member integrated and/or provided on the container, the identification member designed to provide information regarding the product type and/or the container volume to the device. 
     
     
         15 . The single-use container according to  claim 1 , comprising an identification member integrated and/or provided on the container and configured to enable a control unit of the device to adapt preparation parameters. 
     
     
         16 . The single-use container according to  claim 1 , comprising an identification member selected from the group consisting of an optical bar code, an RFID tag, and embossed structures. 
     
     
         17 . A kit comprising a plurality of single-use containers designed for being inserted into a device for preparing a frozen confectionary, each container comprising a body that is at least partly rigid, the body comprising an inner freezing surface and a heat exchange portion designed for interacting with a cooling member of the device, the heat exchange portion having a structure selected from the group consisting of an inverted conical shape, an inverted curved shape, a plurality of inverted conical sections, and a combination of inverted curved sections and inverted conical sections, each container comprising a lid member enclosing a compartment holding a predefined amount of comestible ingredients, wherein each container is configured for preparing a frozen confectionary from the comestible ingredients within the compartment upon cooling of the comestible ingredients by the heat exchange portion of the body, the containers being different from each other at least by the volume of the body, the containers comprising at least a common heat exchange surface and a common inner freezing surface. 
     
     
         18 . A system comprising:
 a machine comprising a receiving member forming a seat comprising a heat exchange element; and   a single-use container designed for being inserted into the machine, the container comprising a body that is at least partly rigid, the body comprising an inner freezing surface and a heat exchange portion designed for interacting with a cooling member of the device, the heat exchange portion having a structure selected from the group consisting of an inverted conical shape, an inverted curved shape, a plurality of inverted conical sections, and a combination of inverted curved sections and inverted conical sections, the container comprising a lid member enclosing a compartment holding a predefined amount of comestible ingredients,   wherein the container is configured for or preparing a frozen confectionery from the comestible ingredients within the compartment upon cooling of the comestible ingredients by heat exchange between the heat exchange element of the machine and the heat exchange portion of the container, wherein the heat exchange portion is shaped complementary to the heat exchange element.   
     
     
         19 . A method for preparing a frozen confectionery comprising:
 placing a single-use container containing a predetermined amount of ingredients into a receiving member of a dedicated preparation machine;   cooling a product comprising the ingredients within the container to a freezing temperature of the product by interaction of a heat exchange portion of the container with a heat exchange element of the dedicated preparation machine; and   stirring the product while cooling the product by a stirring member connected to the machine, wherein the heat exchange portion of the container has a shape complementary to the shape of the heat exchange element and selected from the group consisting of an inverted conical shape, an inverted curved shape, a plurality of inverted conical sections, and a combination of inverted curved sections and inverted conical sections.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , comprising using the container as an initial storage container, a process container during preparation of the frozen confectionary, and a final container from which a consumer directly consumes the frozen confectionary. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the control unit of the machine identifies an identification member on the container by a sensor member designed to interact with the identification member of the container, and the control unit adapts the process parameters to a dedicated preparation recipe stored in the control unit or in the identification member of the container. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the identification member is arranged to enable the control unit to adjust the preparation parameters.