Patent Application
20230371754
The present disclosure relates to a mixing tool and, more particularly, to a mixing tool for mixing ingredients into processed foods, such as ice cream.
Consumers increasingly enjoy making home-made ice cream. During the ice cream making process, users often prefer to add in additional ingredients such as fruit, chocolate chips, and cookie pieces. In some cases, the user adds the ingredients while the ice cream is still churning. However, in other case, the user mixes in the ingredients just before the ice cream is finished. The user generally uses a spatula or spoon to gently fold the ingredients into the ice cream, which is especially important when handling delicate ingredients like fresh berries.
This disclosure describes, in some embodiments, a mix-in tool for use with processed food, such as ice cream, which may include two wing members defining a helical profile coupled to a central shaft attached to a handle. A user can insert the wing members into the ice cream and rotate the handle to create a central cavity in the ice cream for gently mixing in ingredients before additional processing. Advantageously, the wing members also may include spatula-like, flat-edged sides for cleaning out the ice cream from the processing vessel. The mix-in tool thus may allow for minimal ice cream waste and simplifies the user's overall interactions with the ice cream by reducing interaction time and effort.
Embodiments of the mix-in tool of this disclosure may include one or more of the following, in any suitable combination.
In some embodiments, a mix-in tool for use with processed food includes a handle and a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween. The proximal end is coupled to the handle. A first wing member has a first end coupled to a first side of the shaft. The first end of the first wing member extends between the proximal and distal ends of the shaft. A second wing member has a first end coupled to a second side of the shaft opposite the first side. The first end of the second wing member extends between the proximal and distal ends of the shaft.
In further embodiments, the handle includes a first concave surface and a second concave surface. The first and second concave surfaces define a cavity between ends of the first and second concave surfaces configured to hold ingredients. In embodiments, the first wing member defines a first concave surface extending between the first end and a second end of the first wing member. In embodiments, the second wing member defines a second concave surface extending between the first end and a second end of the second wing member. In embodiments, the first concave surface and the second concave surface define a helical profile of the first and second wing members extending between the second end of the first wing member and the second end of the second wing member on opposite sides of the shaft. In embodiments, the helical profile is configured to displace processed food and form a cavity in the processed food when the user inserts the shaft into the processed food and rotates the handle. In embodiments, the second ends of the first and second wing members are configured for scraping the processed food from a surface. In embodiments, the surface is an interior surface of a vessel. In embodiments, the processed food is ice cream. In embodiments, the handle is contoured to fit within a closed grasp of a user's hand.
In embodiments, a method of creating a cavity in processed food of this disclosure includes inserting a shaft of a mix-in tool into the processed food. The mix-in tool further includes a handle. The shaft has a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween. The proximal end couples to the handle. A first wing member has a first end coupled to a first side of the shaft. The first end of the first wing member extends between the proximal and distal ends of the shaft. A second wing member has a first end coupled to a second side of the shaft opposite the first side. The first end of the second wing member extends between the proximal and distal ends of the shaft. The method also includes rotating the handle, whereby a helical profile formed by the first and second wing members forms the cavity by displacing the processed food.
In further embodiments, a respective second end of the first and second wing members is configured for scraping the processed food from an interior surface of a vessel. In embodiments, the first wing member defines a first concave surface extending between the first end and the second end of the first wing member. In embodiments, the second wing member defines a second concave surface extending between the first end and the second end of the second wing member. In embodiments, the first concave surface and the second concave surface define the helical profile formed by the first and second wing members extending between the second end of the first wing member and the second end of the second wing member on opposite sides of the shaft. In embodiments, the processed food is ice cream. In embodiments, the handle includes a first concave surface and a second concave surface. The first and second concave surfaces define a cavity between ends of the first and second concave surfaces configured to hold ingredients. In embodiments, the handle is contoured to fit within a closed grasp of a user's hand.
A reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings will make apparent the advantages of these and other features. Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description serve as an explanation only and do not restrict aspects of the disclosure as claimed.
Reference to the detailed description, combined with the following figures, will make the disclosure more fully understood, wherein:
The following disclosure provides a simple and easy-to-use tool which gives the user the ability to repeatably create a central cavity in partially processed ice cream to gently mix in ingredients before additional processing.
In the following description, like components have the same reference numerals, regardless of different illustrated embodiments. To illustrate embodiments clearly and concisely, the drawings may not necessarily reflect appropriate scale and may have certain features shown in somewhat schematic form. The disclosure may describe and/or illustrate features in one embodiment, and in the same way or in a similar way in one or more other embodiments, and/or combined with or instead of the features of the other embodiments.
In the specification and claims, for the purposes of describing and defining the invention, the terms “about” and “substantially” represent the inherent degree of uncertainty attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation. The terms “about” and “substantially” moreover represent the degree by which a quantitative representation may vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter at issue. Open-ended terms, such as “comprise,” “include,” and/or plural forms of each, include the listed parts and can include additional parts not listed, while terms such as “and/or” include one or more of the listed parts and combinations of the listed parts.
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While the disclosure particularly shows and describes preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and details may exist without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application as defined by the appended claims. The scope of this present application intends to cover such variations. As such, the foregoing description of embodiments of the present application does not intend to limit the full scope conveyed by the appended claims.
