WO2008083652A2

WO2008083652A2 - Device for the production of portioned frozen goods

Info

Publication number: WO2008083652A2
Application number: PCT/DE2007/002265
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hans-Willi Lutz; Martin Hauenstein
Original assignee: Wenko-Wenselaar Gmbh & Co. Kg
Priority date: 2007-01-08
Filing date: 2007-12-17
Publication date: 2008-07-17
Also published as: DE112007003391A5; DE202007000239U1; WO2008083652A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for the production of portioned frozen goods from liquid or pasty foodstuffs, comprising a container holding the total volume of the foodstuff in a liquid or pasty state and means for dividing up the frozen goods to be produced by freezing the liquid or pasty foodstuff into a number of portions of defined size (portioning means), the container housing the foodstuff being a freezer bag (12) and the means for dividing up the freezing goods are located on a clamping device (11) which comprises two units (11a, 11b) with a jointed connection, which, in a closed position hold a freezer bag (12) placed therein, in a clamping manner. According to the invention, portions of frozen goods of different sizes may be produced as required wherein in order to change the size of the frozen goods portion the means for dividing up the frozen goods is preferably at least partly movable. The clamp device has preferably two units (11a, 11b) each with transverse ribs (13) and movable longitudinal ribs (10).

Description

Device for producing portioned frozen food

The present invention relates to a device for producing portioned frozen food from liquid or pasty foods, comprising a container receiving the total volume of the food in a liquid or pasty state and means for subdividing the frozen food to be produced by freezing from the liquid or pasty food into a number of Portions of defined size (portioning means).

From DE 2005 001 465 U1 a bag for the production of ice cubes is known, with two layers of plastic film, which are connected to each other via seams to form a bag on three sides. On the fourth side of a filling channel is formed, is filled through the water into the interior of the bag. The interior of the bag is divided by middle seams into several interconnected compartments. After freezing, individual ice cubes form in these compartments. The two layers of the plastic film of the freezer bag are detachable from one another at least at a part of the seams, so that the ice cubes can be removed from an open region of the bag with separate layers. In this known solution, therefore, the process of portioning the frozen food by the predetermined subdivision of the freezer bag itself takes place in compartments. The chosen size of these compartments also determines the size of the individual portions to be taken after freezing, in this case ice cubes in a ball or cube shape. The size of the producible by means of this known device portions of the frozen food is therefore not variable.

The published patent application DE 196 18 859 A1 describes a sauce portioner comprising a plastic freezer bag with chambers of defined size. The chambers are connected to each other and form defined breaking points. Between the sauce bags a separation point is formed by a perforation. The aim of this device is to make it possible, after freezing, to separate off the portions of human-sized sauce. The size of these portions is also determined by the size of the chambers and not variable in the same device. In EP 1 536 194 A1 a device for the production of portioned frozen food of the type mentioned is described, comprising a water-filled container within which a plurality of mutually movable partitions are arranged. The device is used to produce small pieces of ice. The said partitions are fastened to a ceiling-shaped handle element. Each partition wall has a plurality of depressions through which intermediate spaces are formed, in which small pieces of ice can form. Containers and partitions are made of an elastic material. After freezing the water, the dividing walls with the pieces of ice can be removed from the container. The possibility of deformation of the partitions and their mobility relative to each other only serves to demold the ice pieces formed in the wells of the partitions. The size of the individual portions of the frozen food is therefore set by the size of the wells in the partitions from the outset here.

From GB 11 61 864 A, a device for producing portioned frozen food from liquid food with the features of the type mentioned is known, which is used for the production of cube ice cream or the like. In this device, the liquid to be frozen is taken up in a trough-like container. There are webs that extend in the transverse direction. By suitable guide means in the form of vertical webs, which extend in the longitudinal direction, it is possible to move the transverse webs along the longitudinal webs in their respective position. As a result, the respective size of the individual compartments in which the frozen food is produced can be changed. In these conventional devices for the production of cube ice, the frozen food after freezing is located in the individual compartments of the tub-like container. The goods to be frozen have direct contact with the usually metallic material of the container and can therefore only be removed from the container by the action of mechanical forces. This process is usually quite laborious and it also happens that individual ice cubes break during the removal. To remove the frozen food, that is, the ice cube, is usually done so that the container is warmed by warm water a little and possibly holds with the opening side down, so that then fall out of the ice cubes.

In this known device, although the portion size of the frozen food can be changed, but it is disadvantageous that the frozen food is not in a separate separate container, but is housed directly in the freezer container and adheres to the floor, walls and transverse webs. The known device therefore does not permit convenient removal of portions of the frozen food and is in particular not suitable for other types of food. freeze as water such as liquid or pasty foods, such as soups, sauces or the like.

From WO 85/01 340 A1 it is known to insert a freezer bag in a container which can be subdivided into rectangular sections, which receives a liquid to be frozen in portions, generally water. After inserting the freezer bag into the subdivided by transverse webs and longitudinal webs container of the freezer bag is clamped by means of a usable from above in a translational movement rust, which also has longitudinal and transverse webs. After the freezing process, you can take the freezer bag from the container and the frozen goods contained therein is now divided according to the arrangement of the webs of rust in individual smaller portions and can be removed in this form the freezer bag. In this device, however, the subdivision of the subjects by the webs in the grid is fixed, so that it is not possible to vary the portion size as needed. In addition, the handling of this device is relatively cumbersome because before the freezing process after inserting the freezer bag, the rust must be properly inserted into the container, which can be problematic depending on the filling of the freezer bag. After freezing, the grate, which may have frozen on the container, must first be lifted upwards so that the freezer bag can be removed.

Based on the prior art described above, the object of the present invention is to provide a device for producing portioned frozen food of the type mentioned above, which allows a simultaneous convenient removal of several portions of the frozen food from the container and easy and Quem is in the handling.

The solution to this problem provides a device for producing portioned frozen food of the type mentioned above with the characterizing features of the main claim. According to the invention, the container accommodating the foodstuff is a freezer bag and the means for subdividing the frozen foodstuff are located on a clamping device which comprises two articulated units which in a closed position clampingly grasp the freezer bag inserted therebetween. Unlike the aforementioned prior art, the food to be frozen in portions is first placed in a freezer bag. A tub-like container as in a conventional apparatus for the preparation of ice cubes is not required. The use of the freezer bag, which is usually made of plastic, provides a hygienic solution and later facilitates the portionwise removal of the frozen food.

The portioning is done according to the invention by means of a clamping device. The freezer bag with the liquid or pasty food is first closed and then simply inserted into the clamping device and indeed on the lower of the two hingedly interconnected units. Both units are divided, for example, by webs in preferably approximately rectangular fields, which later results in the portioning. The clamping device is then closed by pivoting the upper unit downwards in a simple movement, so that then both units of the clamping device lie approximately parallel one above the other and receive and clamp or hold the freezer bag together with the frozen product. It can then be done the freezing process. Thereafter, it is not necessary to remove by mechanical action, the frozen food from the container, but it is simply opened in a pivoting movement, the clamping device and the freezer bag taken out. Since the webs of the two units of the clamping device have pressed into the frozen food, this is divided according to the size of the fields of the clamping device into smaller portions, but it is still a total in the freezer bag. From this, it can then conveniently be taken in portions according to the need, with the unequipped portions, which are still in the freezer bag yes, can be frozen again until used.

A development of the task solution according to the present invention provides to make the size of the fields of the clamping device variable in order to specify as required different portion sizes of the frozen food. A preferred solution in this case provides that the means for subdividing the frozen goods comprise webs which are mounted at least partially displaceable. These webs may for example be arranged extending in the longitudinal direction of the device or in the transverse direction. Preferably, two or more mutually spaced such movable webs are provided. These displaceable webs can be displaceably mounted, for example, in transverse to these extending fixed further webs. This offers the possibility to provide in the fixed webs guide means which serve for a guided movement when moving the movable webs. For example, a number of fixed webs spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction can be used. Arranging fend and also provide a number of respective movable webs, which extend transversely to the fixed webs and thus in the longitudinal direction. This results in a number of approximately rectangular fields whose size changes when moving the movable webs. Conversely, the displaceable webs can run in the transverse direction just as well. It can also be provided that both the transversely extending and the longitudinally extending webs are each displaceable. In this case, one can create rectangular fields with transversely and longitudinally variable sizes which define the respective size of the portion of the frozen product to be produced.

The particular advantage of the solution according to the invention is that with only a single device of this type frozen food portions of very different sizes can be created.

Further advantages of the invention result from the fact that the device comprises a clamping device for the frozen food container and the means for subdividing the frozen goods are located on this clamping device. It is therefore unnecessary, after freezing, for example, as in the above-cited prior art, to take out an insert used for portioning out of a container receiving the frozen product, which can be difficult to achieve after freezing when the container is being built - adhere elements to each other. Instead, the frozen goods container used is a frozen food bag which is filled with the food to be frozen, which is in liquid or pasty form, and closed, for example, with a suitable clamp. Subsequently, after opening the clamping device, the frozen food bag can be pushed into it and the clamping device closed after the desired size of the portions of the frozen product has been adjusted by displacing the displaceable webs. When closing the bars press into the not yet frozen food, displace this and create the subdivision, so that after freezing corresponding portioned frozen food is obtained. The opening of the clamping device is very easy to handle, since it is a pivoting movement and can be solved by the lever effect, both units of the clamping device easily from each other.

According to a preferred variant of the invention, it is such that the first of the two units which can be connected to one another in an articulated manner has outer strips connected to the joints which run in the longitudinal direction and between which fixed webs arranged in the transverse direction run. About this outer bars, the two units of the device can be hinged together. At least the respective outer displaceable webs can preferably be pushed outwards to the outer strips. Preferably, you can move all the movable webs so far that then they are outside together, so that then run no separating webs between the outer bars and thus the maximum size of the portions defining approximately rectangular fields is given.

The solution according to the invention is suitable for use for all liquid and pasty foods. These are liquids of any kind that are consumable, including water. These may be, for example, soups or sauces, which can be frozen and thawed in portions when the solution according to the invention is used. Also included are viscous, viscous or creamy (pasty) foods, where appropriate also with solids. These are all foods that have a suitable consistency in order to fill in a flexible container such as a freezer bag and then to be deformed by the webs of the device according to the invention so that individual portions of desired size arise.

The features mentioned in the dependent claims relate to preferred developments of the task solution according to the invention. Further advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail by way of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Showing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention in the closed state;

Figure 2 is a corresponding view of the device in the open state;

Figure 3 is another view from above of the device, in which case the displaceable longitudinal webs are pushed outwards;

Figure 4 is a perspective detail view of only the upper unit without the longitudinal webs;

Figure 5 is a perspective detail view of a single longitudinal ridge;

Figure 6 is a perspective enlarged detail view of a section of the device. Hereinafter, reference is first made to Figures 1 and 2 and based on this, the basic structure of a device according to the invention will be explained. FIG. 1 shows the clamping device 11 according to the invention in the closed state. This clamping device comprises two similarly designed units, namely a first upper unit 11a in the drawing and a second lower unit 11b in the drawing. Both units are hinged together on one side via the two joints 14, 15, so that the clamping device can be opened in a pivoting movement, as the illustration in FIG. 2 shows. In this open position, a container such as a freezer bag 12 between the two units 11 a, 11 b of the clamping device can be inserted at the open side opposite the joints 14, 15 side. In the figure 2, this freezer bag 12 is shown empty for reasons of drawing. In fact, this freezer bag 12 contains the liquid or pasty frozen food. After filling with the frozen food bag is closed in a conventional manner at its open side with a suitable clip. Such brackets are known and are therefore not explained here. After the filled freezer bag 12 is sealed by means of the clip and inserted into the clamping device shown in Figure 2, the device can be adjusted by moving the webs 10 so that the desired portion size is obtained after freezing.

Each of the two lattice-like units 11a, 11b of the clamping device 11 comprises in the present embodiment, a plurality of parallel spaced fixed transverse webs 13 extending in the transverse direction and a plurality of parallel spaced longitudinal webs 10 which extend in the longitudinal direction of the device and intersect with the transverse webs. In the illustration of Figure 2, the displaceable longitudinal webs 10 are set so that they have a uniform distance from each other, resulting in each case between two adjacent longitudinal webs 10 and two adjacent transverse webs 13 equal rectangular fields. However, the longitudinal webs 10 are freely displaceable within the two outer strips 16, 18 of the respective unit connected to the joints 14 and 15, for example, into a maximum outer position, as shown in FIG. In this position, the longitudinal webs are adjacent to each other and the outermost longitudinal web 10 is in each case on the outer bar 16 and 17 at. This extreme position shown in Figure 3 is intended to explain the operation of the device. In practice, it will generally be the case that the longitudinal webs 10 assume intermediate positions which lie between the two extremes shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, so that by means of appropriate adjustment of the longitudinal webs 10 at different distances from one another rectangular areas 19 of different sizes between these and the transverse webs can create and consequently different sized portions of the frozen food can be obtained.

As indicated in Figure 2, the lower unit 11 b there is similar in principle to the above-described upper unit 11 a, with fixed transverse webs and displaceable longitudinal webs, which are in an analogous position to the corresponding longitudinal webs 10 of the upper unit 11 a bring, so that after the insertion of the freezer bag 12 and before closing the clamping device 11, the respective longitudinal webs of both units are set so that they lie one above the other after closing the clamping device 11 and the deformable or displaceable food from the top and the underside is acted upon. As a rule, with closed clamping device 11, the respective webs of the two units 11 a, 11 b of the clamping device 11 to each other, such that between them only the two layers of 12 Gefriergutbeutels lie, while the food was displaced and then the space in the respective rectangular Fields 19 between the longitudinal and transverse webs occupies.

Thereafter, the entire device can be placed with the filled frozen food bag 12 with closed clamping device 11 in a freezer and frozen. Frozen goods are thus obtained in individual portions defined by the rectangular panels 19, which, depending on the setting of the longitudinal webs, can be larger and smaller as needed. The removal of individual portions can be effected, for example, by the frozen food bag 12 having corresponding predetermined breaking points such as perforations or the like (not shown here), so that the portions of the frozen food bag containing the respective portions can be separated without impairing the remaining part of the frozen food bag. It can also be alternatively provided that the respectively desired portion of the freezer bag can be dissolved out by forming an opening at the corresponding point.

As an alternative to the embodiment variant described above by way of example, only the transverse webs 13 or both the transverse webs 13 and the longitudinal webs 10 can also be designed to be displaceable, so that in the latter case the size of the desired portions can be set in two different dimensions.

Hereinafter, reference is made to Figures 4 to 6 and based on this, the details regarding the function of the displaceable longitudinal webs 10 are explained in more detail. The figure

6 shows that the displaceable longitudinal webs 10 are guided through the transverse webs 13 and guided displaceably on them. This is possible because the crossover Webs 13 are formed as double webs, each having an upper half-way 13a and a lower half-way 13 b, between each of which a free space 13 c is given, so that the crosspiece 13 is formed as a whole rail. This can be clearly seen in the detail view according to FIG. 4, which shows the upper unit 11a of the clamping device 11, the displaceable longitudinal webs 10 being taken out of the upper unit 11a here.

A single longitudinal web 10 is shown in detail in FIG. It can be seen that the longitudinal web 10 has on both sides of an approximately urn perceptible-like trained end 10a up, which protrudes beyond the outermost transverse web 13 in the inserted into the transverse webs mounted position shown in FIG. Figure 5 also shows that at the top and bottom at regular intervals on the longitudinal webs 10 notches 10 b are formed so that the longitudinal webs 10 are formed there narrower in height. In these notches 10 b engage from above and below each of the double webs 13 a, 13 b, resulting in a rail-like guide for the longitudinal webs displaceable along the transverse webs 13 when moving. The longitudinal webs can also be designed so that you can remove them completely from the transverse webs 13. A corresponding view without longitudinal webs is shown in FIG. 4. However, this removal can also be provided only for the manufacturer's assembly. The user can, however, push the longitudinal webs 10 generally completely outward, in a position shown in Figure 3, so that then lie between the transverse webs 13 elongated rectangular fields of maximum size, which determine the size of the portions of the frozen food to be frozen.

Bezugszeichenlistβ

10 longitudinal bars

10 a hammerhead-like ends

10 b notches 11 clamping device 11 a upper unit

11 b lower unit

12 freezer bags

13 transverse webs 13 a upper half web 13 b lower half web 13 c free space (rail)

14 joint

15 joint 16 outer edge

17 outer bar

18 outer bar

19 rectangular fields

20 transverse webs 21 longitudinal webs

Claims

claims

1. A device for producing portioned frozen food from liquid or pasty foods, comprising a total volume of the food in liquid or pasty state receiving container and means for subdividing the frozen by freezing from the liquid or pasty food to be produced in a number of portions of defined size (Portioning means), characterized in that the container accommodating the foodstuff is a freezer bag and the means for subdividing the frozen product are located on a clamping device (11) comprising two units (11a, 11b) articulated to one another , Which grip in a closed position the inserted between these freezer bags (12) by clamping.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for subdividing the frozen goods are formed such that on at least one, preferably on both units of the clamping device (11) fields are formed, which determine the portion size of the frozen food, and that these fields are variable in size.

3. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that the means for subdivision of the frozen goods webs (10) which are mounted to change the size of the fields at least partially displaceable.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the fields are approximately rectangular and are defined by longitudinal and transverse webs, which are located on the two units (11 a, 11 b) of the clamping device.

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the clamping device (11) comprises two articulated units (11 a, 11 b) interconnected, which lie in a closed position approximately parallel to each other and one above the other and between them pick up the freezer bag (12) while the two

Units in the open position an angle with each other.

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that at least one of the units (11 a, 11 b) has at least one extending in the transverse direction or in the longitudinal direction fixed web (13) and at least one in

Lengthwise or transversely extending slidable web (10).

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the at least one displaceable web (10) in one or more of the fixed webs (13) is displaceably guided.

8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the first of the two hingedly interconnectable units with the joints (14, 15) connected to outer strips (16, 18) which extend in the longitudinal direction and between which arranged in the transverse direction fixed webs (13) run.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that one, two or more displaceable longitudinally extending webs (10) within the by the distance of the two outer strips (16, 18) predetermined area are arranged transversely to its longitudinal orientation displaceable.

10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that by approximately at right angles intersecting transverse webs (13) and displaceable longitudinal webs (10) rectangular fields (19) of variable size are defined, which determine the size of the frozen food portion.

11. Device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that a second of the articulated units also connected at least one transversely or longitudinally extending fixed web (20) and at least one extending in the longitudinal direction or in the transverse direction movable web (21) and preferably spaced outer strips (17), between which the displaceable webs (21) are arranged displaceably.

12. Device according to one of claims 6 to 11, characterized in that on the fixed webs (13) and on the displaceable webs (10) each mutually associated guide means (13a-c, 10b) are provided, which guide the Ver¬ ensure sliding sliding webs ensure.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the fixed webs (13) are designed as double webs and between these with the notches (10 b) provided with displaceable webs (10) are guided like a rail.