System for providing a single serving of a frozen confection

Abstract

A system for providing a single serving of a frozen confection, wherein the system comprises a pod comprising at least one ingredient for providing a single serving of a frozen confection; the system cools the pod; the system introduces water into the pod; the system simultaneously stirs the contents of the pod while scraping at least one wall of the pod to prevent a build-up of the frozen confection on the at least one wall of the pod; and the system ejects the frozen confection out of the pod.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing a single serving of a frozen confection, the method comprising:
 inserting a pod containing one or more ingredients and a mixing paddle into a recess of a machine for providing the single serving of the frozen confection;   contacting a side wall of the pod against a side wall of the recess;   connecting a motor of the machine to the mixing paddle;   rotating the mixing paddle inside the pod while cooling the recess to form the frozen confection from the one or more ingredients;   increasing overrun volume of the ingredients in the pod by at least 30% by mixing frozen contents with air flowing into the pod through a first opening in a first end wall of the pod; and   moving the mixing paddle inside the pod to dispense the frozen confection through a second opening in a second end wall of the pod as air flows into the pod through the first opening located on an opposite end of the pod from the second opening,   wherein the frozen confection is dispensed directly from the pod into an edible cone or a collecting container while the pod is in the recess of the machine without the frozen confection coming into contact with another object exterior to the pod.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pod is aluminum. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pod is frustoconical. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising driving the pod downward into engagement with the side wall of the recess. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising cooling the pod disposed in the recess. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein cooling the pod in the recess comprises using a refrigeration coil to coil the pod. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising pumping air into the pod to increase the overrun volume. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mixing paddle defines one or more openings. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein connecting the motor of the machine to the mixing paddle comprises engaging a plunger of the machine with the mixing paddle. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more ingredients comprise 4 to 6 ounces of ingredients. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more ingredients comprise a dry mix, and a majority of the constituents of the dry mix have a size of 50 μm or less. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more ingredients comprise at least 0.1% stabilizers by volume and up to 0.5% emulsifiers. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more scraper paddles makes a close sliding fit with the base and the sidewall. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more scraper paddles have a helical configuration. 
     
     
         15 . A method for providing cooled food or drink, the method comprising:
 inserting a pod into a recess of a machine for providing the cooled food or drink, the pod containing one or more ingredients and a paddle, the machine comprising a refrigerant to cool the food or drink;   contacting a sidewall of the pod against a sidewall of the recess;   connecting a motor of the machine to the paddle by a shaft extending from a machine lid to the pod;   rotating the mixing paddle inside the pod to scrape the cooled food or drink off a wall of the pod and mix the cooled food or drink by forcing the flow of the contents through openings defined in blades of the mixing paddle to churn the product with air flowing into the pod through an opening in an upper wall of the pod to create overrun;   opening a seal of an opening defined in a floor of the pod; and   rotating the mixing paddle inside the pod in a dispensing direction to force the contents of the pod through the opening in the floor of the pod.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the pod is aluminum. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising cooling the pod disposed in the recess. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein cooling the pod in the recess comprises using a refrigeration coil to coil the pod. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising pumping air into the pod to increase the overrun volume. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein connecting the motor of the machine to the mixing paddle comprises engaging a plunger of the machine with the mixing paddle. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more ingredients comprise a dry mix, and a majority of the constituents of the dry mix have a size of 50 μm or less. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more scraper paddles makes a close sliding fit with the base and the sidewall. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more scraper paddles have a helical configuration. 
     
     
         24 . A method for providing cooled food or drink and heated food or drink, the method comprising:
 inserting a first pod into a first recess of a machine for providing the cooled food or drink, the first pod containing one or more ingredients and a mixing paddle, the machine comprising a refrigerant to cool the food or drink;   inserting a second pod into a second recess of a machine for providing the heated food or drink, the second recess being adjacent to the first recess, the second pod containing one or more ingredients;   contacting a side wall of the first pod against a side wall of the first recess;   connecting a motor of the machine to the mixing paddle by a shaft;   rotating the mixing paddle inside the first pod in a mixing direction to scrape the cooled food or drink of the side wall of the first pod;   opening a seal of an opening defined in a floor of the first pod; and   rotating the mixing paddle inside the pod in a dispensing direction to force the contents of the first pod through the opening in the floor of the first pod.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the one or more ingredients of the second pod comprises coffee or tea. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising identifying a type of pod that is received in each of the first recess and second recess. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , sending either cold or hot water to the appropriate recess in response to identifying the type of pod received in each of the first recess and second recess. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising sending hot water to the second recess. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the second pod is smaller than the first pod. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first pod is frustoconical. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising driving the first pod downward into engagement with the side wall of the recess.