Apparatus and method for making ice cream products

Abstract

Ice cream products are made quickly by mixing ingredients with a liquefied gas in an open container from which clouds of vapor emanate. A deflector close above the open container keeps the vapor from rising away from the container and directs it laterally and downwardly around the container. A source of colored light is visible through openings in a powered mixer used to produce the ice cream products, and a heater prevents the products from freezing to the container. The ice cream products are made in a place where customers can see and feel the vapor.

1 . Apparatus for making an ice cream product comprising:
 a container for holding ingredients of the ice cream product, the container being sufficiently open to enable a visible amount of vapor from a liquefied gas to move out of the container to the surroundings;   an arrangement delivering into the container a sufficient amount of a liquefied gas to produce the ice cream product from the ingredients and produce a visible amount of vapor; and   a mixer, whereby the liquefied gas is mixed with the ingredients.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising heating means for preventing the ingredients and the product from freezing to the container. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a heater in heating relationship to the container. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the heater is an electric resistance heating element. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising a base, wherein the electric resistance heating element is in the base, and the container contacts the base. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mixer is a powered mixer. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising a source of colored light connected to the powered mixer. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the powered mixer has a support, the support has at least one opening, and the source of colored light is positioned inside the support such that the colored light passes out of the opening to the surroundings. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the powered mixer has an open bottom and elements supporting the open bottom above a support surface, and the source of colored light is positioned inside the powered mixer such that the colored light passes out of the open bottom to the surroundings. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the container is a disposable container. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the container is an open-top container. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a deflector positioned in vertical alignment with and slightly above the container. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the container has a perimeter, and the deflector extends laterally beyond the container perimeter along at least most of length of the perimeter.