Description Technical Field

The present invention regards the field of tools for ice cream parlors, in particular the scoops or the devices that put the ice cream in a ball shape.

Prior art

Ice cream scoops are commonly used in ice cream parlors to make balls of ice cream to be placed in a cup or on an ice cream cone. In some shops, there are fewer scoops than there are ice cream flavors and, to avoid the unwanted mixing of flavors, the ice cream maker dips the scoop in a bowl of water before scooping the next flavor. Doing this, a few drops of water that remain on the edge of the tool, when they come in contact with ice cream, they freeze, and the product served to the client has an icy layer on top, lowering the quality of the flavor. The technology associated with these tools is rather outdated. Proof of this is the fact that the scoop as we know it today is described in a patent dating back to 1989 (EP0331520) which describes a manual scoop with a scraper inside the bowl to help separate the ice cream from the bowl. The handle includes an ergonomic, symmetrical handle and actuation means for driving the scraper.

An even older patent, dating back to 1983, (DE3213488) claims a device for cleaning the ice cream scoops, which has a housing in which a nozzle directed upwards is located, connected by a source of rinsing water. The device has an opening in which the head of the scoop is to be introduced up to a stop point designed to allow the tub of the scoop is at the water jet. A device of this kind is obviously not capable of solving the aforementioned problem with regard to the solidification of water on the scoop head. This function is instead brilliantly resolved by the heated scoop described below.

Another problem that ice cream makers often face without a real technical solution, is that of the hardness of the ice cream. When the cream is very hard to break and scoop, at the moment there exists no other solution except to use enough force to form the ice cream scoop. Thanks to the heated scoop, the ice cream maker will find it easier to arrange the ball on the cone or on the cup, effortlessly and guaranteeing an optimal quality of the offered product.

Description of the invention

According to the present invention, a heated ice cream scoop kit is provided, which efficiently solves the aforementioned problems.

The consists of two parts: a scoop and a support. More in detail, herein described are two possible types of supports to be chosen from among, depending on the needs and availability of space in the ice cream parlor.

The scoop, like those already available in the market, has a handle and a semi-spherical tub where the ice cream is collected.

In addition to the common scoops, the scoop of the kit subject of the present invention has a battery integrated in the handle that power-supplies a heating system, advantageously arranged at least on the edge of the.

The activation of the heating elements occurs after pressing a special button arranged at the rear back of the handle, in an ergonomically convenient position for the user who grasps the scoop to scoop the ice cream.

Advantageously, the temperature to which the edge of the tub is brought is comprised between 30°C and l00°C.

In further versions of the present invention, even more complete and advantageous, the entire surface of said tub of the scoop is equipped with said heating elements system. Possibly, said heating elements system can advantageously be divided by tub area, each of which is connected to a corresponding button, ergonomically placed on said handle so as to allow the user holding said scoop to decide how many and which areas of the tub to heat, depending on the hardness of the ice cream. Possibly, like the common scoops, present in the tub can be a moveable manually operated half-spoon, which facilitates the detachment of the ice cream from the inside of the tub. In this embodiment too, the heating elements system is integrated in the moveable half-spoon too so as to be heated and meet the objects of the present invention.

The support, in the simplest version, consists of a housing to place the scoop in a vertical position, so as to be easily grasped by the user. Said support is connected to the power mains through a common plug and it is equipped with an opening on its upper surface, inside which the base of the scoop is placed. Inside the opening is an electrical connector or, preferably, an induction system, suitable to charge the internal battery of said scoop.

This way, even if, after rinsing, some drops of water remain on the tub, such water will never turn into ice due to the high temperature of the tub.

In this embodiment, it is also advantageously possible to implement the kit with a system of magnets arranged on the bottom of the opening of the support and on the base of the scoop, which help the user to position the two elements correctly when not in use.

Alternatively, the support can be equipped with a C-shaped structure, with an upper element and a lower element, parallel to each other, and at least one lateral element perpendicular to them.

In this case, the base of the scoop is suitable to be connected to the upper element of the support, provided on which is a common stable but reversible connection system so as to be in an upside-down and suspended position inside the support.

More in detail, the upper element of the support is equipped with a charging system suitable to charge the internal battery of the scoop. Advantageously positioned on the lateral element and/or the lower element is at least one nozzle suitable to insufflate hot air at least in the direction of the tub of the scoop.

When a special sensor detects the connection of the scoop with the support, a timer determines the insufflation of air for a period of time comprised between 30 seconds and 3 minutes.

Advantageously, several nozzles can be provided. Possibly, the support in this second embodiment can also be equipped with a pair of lateral elements equipped with nozzles, in order to better surround the scoop and dry it in its entirety.

Advantageously, said support can also be equipped with a second type of nozzle suitable to spray a predetermined amount of water towards the tub before activating said insufflation nozzles. Additionally, also provided on said support is a sprayer directed towards the handle of the of the scooper. In this manner, hygiene will be guaranteed even when the same scoop is used by a plurality of ice cream makers.

The advantages provided by the present invention will be clear in light of the description outlined up to now. Furthermore, they will be more apparent due to the attached figures and relative detailed description.

Description of the figures

The invention will be described hereinafter in at least one preferred embodiment, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached figures, wherein:

- FIGURE 1 shows the first embodiment of the kit according to the present invention, in which the scoop 10 is in its most detailed version, with the heating elements of the tub 11 organized by areas l4’-l4”-l4’”, corresponding to a plurality of buttons l5’-l5”-l5’” arranged on the rear back 16 of the handle 12. The base 20 is the one consisting of the base only serving as a battery charger.

- FIGURE 2 illustrates a second embodiment of the kit in which the scoop 10 is in its simplest version, with a single button 15 and heating elements 14 arranged only on the edge 13 of the tub 11, while the support 30 is in its version with an upper element 31, lower element 32 and a pair of lateral elements 35-35’ with nozzles 34-36 both for the emission of water and hot air for drying the tub 11.

Detailed description of the invention

Now, the present invention will be illustrated purely by way of non-limiting or non-binding example, with reference to the figures illustrating some embodiments regarding the present inventive concept.

With reference to FIG. 1, shown is a complex version of the scoop 10 and the simplest version of its support 20. In FIG. 2, instead, the scoop 10 is in its most basic embodiment while the support 30 is much better equipped.

The kit in question consists of only two elements the scoop 10 and the support 20-30. The easy use and ergonomic design of the components make the kit a brilliant solution to the aforementioned problems of scooping ice cream, avoiding the formation of ice on the surface and facilitating the task of the ice cream maker, even when the ice cream is particularly hard. The scoop 10 consists of a handle 12 and a tub 11 at an end of said handle 12, semi- spherical-shaped where the ice cream is collected.

At least the edge of said tub 11 is equipped with an electrical heating elements system powered by a common rechargeable battery integrated in the handle 12 of the scoop 10 and connected to a switch consisting of a button 15 arranged on the rear back 16 of the handle 12.

Given the ergonomic position identified for the button 15, when the ice cream maker grasps the scoop 10 by the handle 12, pressing the button 15 is a natural and effortless action. Activating the heating elements system 14, the edge 13 of the tub 11 will quickly be brought to a temperature comprised between 30°C and l00°C.

In the more complete embodiment, the entire surface of the tub 11 is equipped with a heating elements system 14.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, preferably, the heating elements are organized by areas l4’-l4”- 14’”-... whose activation, and therefore heating, is connected to the pressing of a corresponding button l5’-l5”-l5”’-... positioned on the rear back 16 of the handle 12.

In this manner, the ice cream maker may adjust, at will and depending on the hardness of the ice cream, the amount of heat that the tub 11 emits, and therefore the level of superficial melting of the ice cream, according to their liking and the hardness of the ice cream.

In the event that the scoop 10 is equipped, in the tub 11, with a movable half-spoon connected to a manual activation mechanism, suitable to detach the ice cream scooped from the internal surface of the tub 11, said movable half-spoon with also be equipped with a heating elements system 14 so as to be heated.

Now addressing the first embodiment of the support 20, it has the sole purpose of keeping the scoop in an easy-to-grasp position and recharging its internal battery.

The support 20 is therefore equipped with a wider lower portion 21, which acts as a support base. The upper surface 22 is equipped with an opening 23 suitably dimensioned to allow the insertion of the base 17 of handle 12.

Said support 20 is connected to the power mains through a common plug 24 and, on the opening 23, it is equipped with any type of battery charging system for the scoop 10. Preferably, but not limitedly, the recharging system is an induction system and therefore does not include any cable or connector.

Possibly and preferably, to facilitate and expedite the work of the ice cream maker, who is often rushed, a system of magnets can be provided between the support 17 of the scoop 10 and the opening 23 of the support 20 in order to guide the correct introduction of the scoop 10 into the support 20 thereof.

In the second embodiment of the support 30, as represented in FIG. 2, it consists of a sort of “box”, into which the scoop 10 is inserted in an upside-down configuration, facilitating the outflow of water and the drying of the object. Said support 30 consists of an upper element 31, equipped with any coupling system 33 suitable to be connected stably but reversibly with the base 17 of the handle 12 of the scoop 10. Also provided at the coupling system 33, is also an electrical recharging system of the internal battery of the scoop 10.

Parallel to the upper element 31, there is a lower element 32 and perpendicular to these two, a pair of lateral pieces 35-35’ close the box.

Possibly, the support 30 can also be C-shaped, with only one lateral element 35.

In addition to the recharging function, this second type of support 30 is equipped with one or more hot air insufflation nozzles 34, which, from the moment the scoop 10 is coupled to the upper element 31, begin to emit hot air in at least the direction of the tub 11 of the scoop 10, for a time interval comprised between 30 seconds and 3 minutes, sufficient to dry all the drops of water remaining on the scoop 10.

Also present can be nozzles 36 of a second type suitable to spray a predetermined amount of water towards the tub 11 before activating the insufflation nozzles 36. In this case, the action of the ice cream maker of rinsing the scoop between scooping one flavor and the other and one ice cream and the other.

Furthermore, in order to meet the increasing hygiene requirements, the support 30 in its most complex version is equipped with at least one nozzle suitable to spray a sanitizing liquid at the handle 12 of the scoop 10.

Lastly, it is clear that the invention described up to now may be subjected to modifications, additions or variants, obviously being done by a skilled technician, without departing from the scope of protection outlined by the attached claims.