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 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.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving member comprises an annular ring extending from an upper opening to a lower opening. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the annular ring is only partially composed of the heat exchange element, the heat exchange element comprising a heat exchange contact surface arranged to be in contact with the heat exchange portion of the container when the container is placed in the machine. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the structure of the heat exchange portion of the container has an inverted conical shape, and the heat exchange element of the machine also has an inverted conical shape, and a distance from one side of the heat exchange element to an opposite side of the heat exchange element defines a diameter of the heat exchange element that is continuously decreasing from a first end of the heat exchange element to a second end of the heat exchange element opposite from the first end of the heat exchange element such that a first diameter at the first end of the heat exchange element is greater than a second diameter at the second end of the heat exchange element. 
     
     
         5 . A method for preparing a frozen confectionery, the method 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.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , 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. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 , 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. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the identification member is arranged to enable the control unit to adjust the preparation parameters.