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A method of dispensing a food product composed of a plurality of ingredients which are mixed to form the food product, includes the steps of providing a rotary surface having a rotary axis and a periphery, mixing together first and second fluid ingredients to form a liquid product mix, depositing th

A method of dispensing a food product composed of a plurality of ingredients which are mixed to form the food product, includes the steps of providing a rotary surface having a rotary axis and a periphery, mixing together first and second fluid ingredients to form a liquid product mix, depositing the liquid product mix onto the surface while rotating the surface so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the surface in a layer, cooling the surface to a temperature low enough to at least partially freeze said layer to form a frozen product body, removing the product body from the surface as product body scrapings, and collecting and compacting the scrapings to form the food product.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of dispensing a food product comprising the steps ofproviding a substantially horizontal surface having a central axis and a periphery; positioning over said surface depositing means which deposit a selected amount of liquid product mix onto the surface while rotating the depositing mean

1. A method of dispensing a food product comprising the steps ofproviding a substantially horizontal surface having a central axis and a periphery; positioning over said surface depositing means which deposit a selected amount of liquid product mix onto the surface while rotating the depositing means and surface relatively about said axis so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the surface and sets to form an at least partially solidified product layer; scraping the layer from said surface as scrapings and consolidating the scrapings at said periphery; removing the consolidated scrapings as said food product, and leveling the liquid product mix deposited on said surface to a selected thickness prior to its setting to form said product layer. 2. A method of dispensing a food product comprising the steps ofproviding a substantially horizontal surface having a central axis and a periphery; positioning over said surface depositing means which deposit a selected amount of liquid product mix onto the surface while rotating the depositing means and surface relatively about said axis so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the surface and sets to form an at least partially solidified product layer; scraping the layer from said surface as scrapings and consolidating the scrapings at said periphery; removing the consolidated scrapings as said food product, and depositing food particulates onto said liquid product mix after the spreading thereof. 3. The method defined in claim 2 including the additional step of controlling the amount of particulates deposited depending upon the composition of the particulates and/or of said liquid product mix.4. A method of dispensing a food product comprising the steps ofproviding a substantially horizontal surface having a central axis and a periphery; positioning over said surface depositing means which deposit a selected amount of liquid product mix onto the surface while rotating the depositing means and surface relatively about said axis so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the surface and sets to form an at least partially solidified product layer; scraping the layer from said surface as scrapings and consolidating the scrapings at said periphery; removing the consolidated scrapings as said food product, and heating said surface to a temperature high enough to at least partially set said liquid product mix to form said product layer. 5. A method of dispensing a food product composed of a plurality of ingredients which are mixed to form the food product, said method comprising the steps ofproviding a rotary surface having a substantially vertical rotary axis and a periphery; mixing together a liquid ingredient and a fluid ingredient to form a liquid product mix; depositing the liquid product mix onto said surface while rotating said surface about said axis so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the surface in a layer; cooling the surface to a temperature low enough to at least partially freeze said layer to form a product body; scraping the product body from said surface to said periphery as product body scrapings; collecting and compacting the scrapings adjacent to said periphery to form the food product, and leveling the liquid product mix layer deposited on said surface to a selected thickness prior to the cooling thereof. 6. A method of dispensing a food product composed of a plurality of ingredients which are mixed to form the food product, said method comprising the steps ofproviding a rotary surface having a substantially vertical rotary axis and a periphery; mixing together a liquid ingredient and a fluid ingredient to form a liquid product mix; depositing the liquid product mix onto said surface while rotating said surface about said axis so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the surface in a layer; cooling the surface to a temperature low enough to at least partially freeze said layer to form a product body; scraping the product body from said surface to said periphery as product body scrapings; collecting and compacting the scrapings adjacent to said periphery to form the food product, anddepositing food particulates onto said liquid product mix after the spreading thereof. 7. A method of dispensing a food product comprising the steps ofproviding a rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery; rotating the surface about said axis; depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the rotary surface while said surface is rotating so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the surface and sets to form an at least partially solidified product layer; leveling the liquid product mix on said rotary surface while said surface is rotating to a selected height above said surface prior to the formation of said at least partially solidified product layer; scraping the at least partially solidified product layer into a ridge row of scrapings on said rotary surface, and removing the scrapings from said rotary surface as said food product. 8. A method of dispensing a food product comprising the steps ofproviding a rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery; rotating the surface about said axis; depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the rotary surface while said surface is rotating so that the liquid product mix spreads out on said surface and sets to form an at least partially solidified product layer; scraping the at least partially solidified product layer into a ridge row of scrapings on said surface; removing the scrapings from said surface by pushing the ridge row into a forming cylinder located adjacent to said surface thereby compacting the scrapings into a shaped solid body within the forming cylinder; ejecting the shaped solid body from the forming cylinder as said food product; providing a container tray below the forming cylinder, said tray being moveable between a first position proximal to the forming cylinder so that a container thereon is in position to receive the shaped solid body ejected from the forming cylinder is and a second position disposed away from the forming cylinder, and moving the tray to the second position when a shaped solid body is within the forming cylinder and to the first position when the shaped solid body is in the container on the tray. 9. A method of dispensing a food product comprising the steps ofproviding a rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery; rotating said surface about said axis; providing a supply of product base; combining the product base and a gas in an aeration nozzle having an outlet so that a product base/gas mixture issues from said outlet; conducting said mixture from said outlet to said surface so that the mixture spreads out on said surface and sets to form an at least partially solidified product layer; scraping the at least partially solidified product layer into a ridge row of scrapings on said surface, and removing the scrapings from said surface as said food product. 10. The method defined in claim 9 wherein the conducting step includes subjecting said mixture to confined turbulent mixing so that said mixture is delivered to said surface with a selected amount of aeration.11. A method of dispensing a food product comprising the steps ofproviding a generally horizontal rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery; rotating said surface about said axis; depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on said surface while said surface is rotating so that the liquid product mix spreads out on said surface and sets as an at least partially solidified product layer; leveling said liquid product mix on said surface to a selected height above said surface prior to the setting of said liquid product mix, and scraping said layer from said surface as scrapings and consolidating the scrapings adjacent to said periphery. 12. A method of dispensing a food product comprising the steps ofproviding a generally horizontal rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery; rotating said surface about said axis; providing a plurality of liquid containers above said rotary surface, each container having an outlet; selectively conducting liquid from the outlets of the containers to said surface so that a determined volume of liquid from each container may be deposited selectively on said surface to set as an at least partially solidified product layer, and scraping said product layer from said surface as scrapings and consolidating the scrapings adjacent to said periphery. 13. The method defined in claim 12 including the additional steps ofapplying a different scannable code to each container, and controlling the temperature of said surface in accordance with the code of the container from which said liquid is conducted. 14. The method defined in claim 12 including the additional steps ofapplying a scannable code to the surface of each container, and controlling the residence time of the liquid on said surface in accordance with the code on the container from which said liquid is conducted. 15. A method of dispensing a product comprising the steps ofproviding a substantially flat surface having an axis of rotation; rotating the surface about said axis; depositing a selected amount of a settable liquid product mix on said rotating surface so that the mix spreads out on said surface as a liquid layer; leveling said liquid layer on said surface to a selected liquid layer level; causing said liquid layer to set thereby forming an at least partially solidified layer having a defined thickness, and removing said partially solidified layer from said surface. 16. The method defined in claim 15 wherein the causing step is accomplished by cooling said surface.17. The method defined in claim 15 wherein the causing step is accomplished by heating said surface.18. The method defined in claim 15 wherein the leveling step is accomplished by advancing said liquid layer under a leveling device spaced from said surface.19. A method of dispensing a food product comprising the steps ofproviding a rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery; rotating the surface about said axis; depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the rotary surface while said surface is rotating so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the surface and sets to form an at least partially solidified product layer; leveling the liquid product mix on said rotary surface while said surface is rotating to a selected height above said surface prior to the formation of said at least partially solidified product layer, and removing the scrapings from said rotary surface as said food product. 20. The method defined in claim 19 including the additional step of controlling the residence time of the liquid product mix on said surface depending upon the composition of said liquid product mix.21. The method defined in claim 19 including the additional steps ofmonitoring the temperature of said surface, and controlling the temperature of said surface depending upon the composition of said mix. 22. The method defined in claim 19 wherein the removal of said scrapings from said surface is accomplished by scraping the at least partially solidified product layer into a ridge row of said scrapings on said surface, andpushing said ridge row into a forming device located adjacent to the periphery of said surface so as to compact the scrapings into a shaped solid body. 23. The method defined in claim 22 including the additional step of ejecting the shaped solid body from the forming device into a container.24. Apparatus for dispensing a food product comprisinga generally horizontal rotary surface having a central axis and a periphery; a motor for rotating the rotary surface about said axis; a depositing device spaced above the rotary surface for depositing a selected amount of liquid product mix on the rotary surface while the rotary surface is rotating so that the liquid product mix spreads out on the rotary surface; a leveling device positioned above the rotary surface for leveling the liquid product mix deposited on said surface to a selected thickness; means for maintaining the rotary surface at a temperature which causes the leveled liquid product mix on said surface to at least partially set to form an at least partially solidified product layer; a compactor located adjacent to said periphery, and a scraping device supported above the rotary surface for scraping said product layer from said surface consolidating the scrapings at said periphery, and pushing the consolidated scrapings into said compactor.