United States Patent [19]

[11]
[45]

OBrien
[54] ICE-CREAM MAKER
[75] Inventor: William J. OBrien, Vaucluse,

Patent Number:
Date of Patent:

2,252,043

Jan. 5, 1988
366/144 X

Sissel .... ..

2,541,814 2/1951 Gaddini

3,505,735

Australia

4,070,957
4,551,026

[73] Assignee: Breville R & D Pty. Ltd., Pyrmont,

Australia

8/1941

4,716,822

. 366/213 X

4/ 1970 Breuning ......................... .. 99/455

I/ 1978 Korekawa et a1.

11/1985

Cristante

.... ... .. ...

. 366/ 149 X
. . . ..

366/ 149

4,632,566 12/1986 Masel et a1. ....................... .. 366/ 149

Primary Examiner-Timothy F. Simone

[21] Appl. No.: 893,863

[22] Filed:
Aug. 6, 1986
[30]
Foreign Application Priority Data

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Murray and Whisenhunt

[57]

ABSTRACT

Australia ............................ .. PH2953

A domestic ice-cream maker for insertion in a freezer

consisting of a container in the form of an annular

Nov. 7, 1985 [AU]

Nov. 28, 1985 [AU]

Australia
Australia

PH03298
PHO3618

trough, a mixing blade being arranged in the trough for

rotating around the axis of the trough and being driven

May 26, 1986 [AU]

Australia .......................... .. PHO6097

by an electric motor which is characterized by the pro

vision of a fan or fans arranged above the container to
direct a stream of air downwardly onto the surface of
ice-cream mix in the container to produce rapid freez
ing of the ice-cream mix when the ice-cream maker is
inserted in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator.
Preferably, the electric motors are driven by a pack of

Oct. 17, 1985 [AU]

[51]
[52]

Int. Cl.4 ..................... .. A23C 13/04; A23G 9/00

US. Cl. ...................................... .. 99/455; 62/342;

[58]

Field of Search ............. .. 366/144, 145, 147, 149,

366/149; 366/279

366/293, 295, 309, 312, 279, 197, 205; 62/342,

343; 99/452, 453, 485
[56]

References Cited

rechargeable battery cells contained in the ice-cream

maker.

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

1,973,291

9/ 1934 Moore ............................. .. 99/455 X

10

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures

US. Patent

Jan. 5, 1988

Sheet 1 of6

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Jan. 5, 1988

Sheet 2 of6

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US. Patent

Jan. 5, 1988

Sheet 3 of6

4,716,822

US. Patent

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4 ,716 ,822

US. Patent

Jan. 5,1988

Sheet 5 of6

Q44 Jam/ %

F/G. 4b

4,716,822

US. Patent

Jan. 5, 1988

Sheet 6 of6

15/6. 5

4,716,822

4,716,822

ICE-CREAM MAKER

was found in practice extremely difficult to construct an

ice-cream maker which would make ice-cream with a

battery pack of an acceptable size. After considerable

The present invention relates to ice-cream makers
and more particularly to ice-cream makers intended for
domestic use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It has long been known that in the making of ice
cream it is necessary to stir the ice-cream mix while 10

freezing it. If this is not done large ice crystals form

making the product unpalatable. In the earlier forms of
domestic ice-cream makers this was achieved by the use
of an outer container having within it a rotatable inner
container. The space between the two containers was
?lled with a mixture of ice and salt and the ice-cream
mix was placed in the inner container and the inner

container rotated, the ice-cream mix being stirred by

means of a ?xed mixing blade. Alternatively, the mixing

experiment it was found that the solution to the problem

lay in the provision of a fan which blew cold air from
the freezer compartment directly into the ice-cream mix
while it was being stirred. By doing this it was found

possible to make ice-cream of an acceptable consistency

during the life of a pack of six commercially available

rechargeable cells.
A further object of the invention is to provide a do
mestic ice cream maker of the third category of im
proved effectiveness insofar as the time required for

making the icecream is shortened and in that the quality

of the product is somewhat better, whether the appara
tus is driven from a battery pack or from mains. These
improvements are achieved by the use of a fan or other
means to blow cold air from the freezer compartment

blade was rotated. Ice-cream makers of this kind are at 20 directly onto the icecream mix. In this connection, it has

present in use and, whereas in the earliest forms, the

been found that if instead of using a single fan for this

purpose two fans arranged side by side are used still

rotation was carried out by hand it is now usually car
further improvements in the results are obtained.
ried out by means of an electric motor. Such ice-cream
makers are effective but they are relatively cumbersome
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
and inconvenient to use by reason of the necessity of 25
preparing a mixture of crushed ice and salt.
The present invention consists in a domestic icecream
Another form of domestic ice-cream makers consists
maker for insertion in a freezer consisting of a container

in what is in effect, a miniature freezer, the apparatus

in the form of an annular trough, a mixing blade being

incorporating a refrigerating unit and a means for stir

arranged in the trough for rotation around the axis
ring a ice-cream mix in a container. Such ice-cream 30 thereof, electric motor means in driving connection

makers are extremely effective but, by reason of the

necessity of providing a refrigerating apparatus, they

with the mixing blade to produce rotation thereof, cha

racterised in that means are provided to produce a

are expensive.
stream of air directed downwardly onto the surface of
A third form of apparatus has been marketed consist
an icecream mix in the container.
35
ing simply of a container having within it a rotatable
In preferred forms of the invention the electric motor
mixing blade driven by a small electric motor which is
or
electric motors for driving the mixing blade and the
powered through a connecting cord by means of which
fan
or fans is or are powered by a battery pack so that
the motor is connected to the electric mains. Such ice
the icecream maker is a self-contained unit that may be
cream makers are simply placed in the freezing com

partment of a conventional refrigerator, the connecting

cord is led out of the refrigerator through the door seal
and connected to the electric mains. Stirring is carried
on until the ice-cream mix has reached the desired con
sistency. In some ice-cream makers of this sort a ther

placed in the freezing compartment of a refrigerator

without the necessity for leading an electric mains cord

into the refrigerator. It is further preferred that a pair of
fans arranged side by side is used for directing air onto
the surface of icecream in the container and it is also

mostatic control is provided so that when the consis 45 preferred to use a mixing blade of a con?guration such
tency of the ice-cream mix is such as to cause the motor
to overheat a thermostat switch switches the motor off.

that on rotation it acts to separate the icecream mix

from the inner and outer walls of the container to pro

In some ice-cream makers of this sort the ice-cream mix

duce gaps between the icecream mix and the walls of
is contained in a simple metal container and the ice
the container through which the icecream mix is acces
cream mix is chilled simply by its presence in the freezer 50 sible to cold air from the fan or fans.
compartment. In one form of apparatus, however, an
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
electric motor is not only used to rotate a mixing blade
in the ice-cream mix container but also to drive a small
In order that the nature of the invention may be bet
fan which acts to draw in air around the bottom of the
ter understood and put into practice a preferred em
container and up its sides. This does, to some extent,
bodiment thereof is hereinafter described, by way of '

speed up the freezing of the ice-cream mix.

Domestic ice-cream makers of the last described cate

gory, despite being quite effective and inexpensive,

have not achieved a high degree of popularity. This is

example, with reference to the accompanying drawings,

in which:
FIG. 1 is a median cross sectional view of an ice

believed to be due to an irrational fear on the part of 60 cream maker according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof with the upper cover
users of introducing into a refrigerator a mains powered
partially broken away to expose the parts underneath;
electrical device. This is despite the fact that in some
FIG. 3 is a developed drawing of the transmission
cases the voltage applied to the motor is only 24 volts.
gear system;
One object of the present invention is to provide
domestic ice-cream makers of the third category in 65 FIGS. 40 and 4b are views of the mixing blade; and
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of the container
which the use of a mains connection is dispensed with
illustrating the effect of rotating the blade in an ice
by providing a battery pack which forms part of the

ice-cream maker. While this concept is simple enough it

cream mix.

4,716,822

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE

INVENTION

The icecream maker illustrated in the drawings is

contained in a plastic container consisting of a lower
portion 10 and an upper portion 11 which are intercon
nected by means of a bayonet joint shown in section at
12. A handle portion 10a extends at one side from the

switch 27 accessible from the top of the upper casing 11.

The electric circuit is such that four of the cells 18 are
used to drive the motors of the two fans 23 and 24 and
four to drive the motor 22. The fan motors absorb less
energy than the motor 22 and this arrangement ensures
that the fans continue to operate after rotation of the

mixing blade 14 has ceased.

The motor 22 drives the shaft 15 through a speed

lower portion 10 and a corresponding handle portion

reduction gearbox consisting of pinions 28, 31, 32, 33,
11:11 from the upper portion 11. These together consti 0 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38 the arrangement of which is clearly
tute a handle by means of which the icecream maker
shown in the developed drawing of the transmission
may be lifted into or out of the freezer compartment of
shown in FIG. 3. Between pinion 36 and 37 is a dog
a refrigerator.
clutch 41 which is spring loaded by means of the coil
The lower portion 10 contains the container 13 in
spring 42. As the ice cream mix stiffens during freezing
which the icecream is made. This is in the form of a
resistance to movement of the mixing blade 14 increases
stainless steel or other metal annular trough the upper
and when this reaches a certain level the clutch 41 will
face of which is open. Within the container 13 the mix
start to slip and the mixing blade will become station
ing blade 14, the construction of which is described in
ary. This ensures that the motor 22 will not be damaged
greater detail below, is mounted for rotation about the
by-overheating when the motion of the mixing blade is
axis of the container by means of the driving shaft 15.
halted. As has been explained above the fans 23 and 24
All the remaining parts of the icecream maker are con

tained in the upper casing 11 which is separable from

the lower casing 10 by partial rotation in relation
thereto. After such partial rotation has been effected the

will continue to rotate when movement of the mixing

blade has ceased. Slipping of the clutch 41 provides an
audible indication that making of ice cream has been

completed.

upper container 11 and its contents may be lifted from 25

As seen in FIGS. 40 and 4b, the blade 14 is of a com
the lower coner 10 and the driving shaft 15 with
plex shape the lower part thereof having an outline

drawn from the socket 16 constituting part of the mix

ing blade 14. The mixing blade 14 and the container 13
may then be removed from the lower casing 10 for

corresponding to the internal shape of the container 13

washing.

as best seen in FIG. 1. The blade is formed by moulding

from plastic material and consists of a central socket 16
surrounded by an annular portion 43 from which

In the upper casing 11 is a battery container 17 which

is made of heat insulating material. This serves to retain

joined by a circumferentially extending sloping portion

projects an upper radially extending portion 44 which is

the slight heat generated by operation of the eight re

chargable cells 18 during operation of the icecream

45 which extends at an angle of about 45 to the bottom

maker. The rechargable cells 18 are connected by elec

may be connected when the cells 18 require recharging.

tion 46 extends from the top to the bottom of the blade

and is supported at the bottom by the strut 47.
The shape of the blade has been arrived at empirically

A small electric motor 22 serves to drive the driving

with the particular intention of producing the effect

tric circuitry to a socket 21 to which a battery charger

of the container 13. A leading vertically extending por

shaft 15 through speed reduction gearing which is de

illustrated in FIG. 5 from which it will be seen that

scribed in more detail below in connection with FIG. 3. 40 rotation of the blade in the ice cream mix causes a gap
Two fans 23 and 24 are arranged side by side immedi
to form between the ice cream mix and the outer wall of
ately above the open face of the container 13. Each fan
the container 13 as indicated at 48 and also a gap be
is driven by a small separate electric motor contained
tween the ice cream mix and the inner wall of the con
within the hub of the fan. The fans draw air through the
tainer as indicated at 49. The figure shows the con?gu=
openings 25 in the upper casing 11 and direct it down: 45 ration of the ice cream mix at a fairly late stage in the
wardly onto the surface of an icecream mix in the con
formation of ice cream where the ice cream mix has
tainer 13. The air then passes around the container 13
become relatively rigid. During earlier stages while the
and out through an aperture 26 in the bottom of the
ice cream mix is more liquid the pattern is somewhat

lower casing 10.

different but the end achieved by the particular shape

While the use of a single fan arranged immediately

above the open face of the container produces im
proved results the use of two fans side by side in the

adopted for the blade is that the ice cream mix is not
only stirred as the mixing blade rotates, but also gaps are
formed between the ice cream mix and the container
into which air from the fans 23 and 24 can penetrate.
In use, the container 13 is ?lled with a liquid ice

manner illustrated produces even better results. For

reasons that are not fully understood the results pro

duced by two fans arranged diametrically apart does

not produce as good results. It is believed but this has
not been established as scienti?c fact that the concentra
tion of cold air impinging on the surface of the icecream
produced by the two fans arranged side by side forms a

cream mix. Parts 11 and 12 of the container are then

united so that the driving shaft 15 enters the socket 16

and the parts are connected by the bayonet joint 12. The
whole machine is then inserted into the freezing com
partment of a refrigerator and operation of the motor
frozen crust on the ice cream mix immediately beneath 60 started by means of the switch 27. The mixing blade 14
the fans which is subsequently incorporated into the mix
is rotated continuously by the action of the motor 22
by the action of the mixing blade 14. Whether or not
and the fans 23 and 24 send a current of air onto the
this is correct it has been found empirically that the use
of two fans produces a very satisfactory icecream
within a time well within the capacity of the cells 18.
The cells 18, the motor 22 and the motors driving fans
23 and 24 are connected in an electric circuit details of

which are not shown, which is controlled by an on-off

surface of the ice cream mix. After a period which may

be of the order of 45 minutes the ice cream mix will
become sufficiently stiff to cause the clutch 41 to slip
which is an indication that the machine may be re
moved from the freezer. The two halves of the con~
tainer are then disconnected and ice cream served di

4,716,822

3. A domestic ice-cream maker as claimed in claim 2,

wherein two fans are arranged side by side.
4. A domestic ice-cream maker as claimed in claim 1,
2, or 3, wherein said ?rst and second electric motor
means are energized by a battery pack consisting of a

rectly from the container 13. Thereafter the container

13 and the blade 14 may be removed for washing and a

battery charger plugged into the socket 21 to recharge

the battery ,pack for subsequent use.
I claim:
1. A domestic ice-cream maker for insertion in a

plurality of cells contained in the ice-cream maker.

5. A domestic ice-cream maker as claimed in claim 4,

freezer, comprising:

wherein said ?rst and second electric motor means are

a container in the form of an annular trough having

energized by different groups of cells of said battery

an axis;

pack.

a mixing blade arranged in said trough for rotation

around said axis;

6. A domestic ice-cream maker as claimed in claim 1,

2, or 3, wherein said mixing blade is constructed and
arranged to separate ice-cream mix from inner and

?rst electric motor means drivingly connected to said

mixing blade for producing rotation of said blade;

outer walls of said container as said blade rotates

means for producing a stream of air directed down

wardly onto to a surface of an ice-cream mix in said

thereby producing circumferentially and axially extend

ing gaps between the ice-cream mix and said walls of

container; and

said container into which said stream of air can pene

means for directing air leaving said surface of said

ice-cream mix around said container and through

trate.

7. A domestic ice-cream maker as claimed in claim 1,

an outlet below said container.
20 2 or 3, wherein said ?rst electric motor means drives
2. A domestic ice-cream maker as claimed in claim 1,
said mixing blade through a gear train including a
wherein said means for producing a stream of air con
spring loaded dog clutch arranged to slip when the
ice-cream mix reaches a predetermined level of consis
sists of a fan or fans arranged above said container and
tency during freezing.
second electric motor means for rotating the or each
*
$
t
*
i
25
fan.

30

35

50

55

65