Patent Application
20100034047
This application relates generally to dough mixers and more particularly to a dough mixer including a mixing bowl with refrigerated cold bar.
Bread dough is often mixed at controlled temperatures (e.g., about 78° F. to about 80° F.). During mixing, friction and viscous shear causes temperature to rise in the dough, which can cause the dough to become sticky and difficult to process.
Mixers are known that utilize cooled mixing components to control temperature of the dough during a mixing process. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,568 discloses a mixing bowl for a mixer that includes flow passages in a sheet panel through which a cooling fluid passes.
In an aspect, a dough mixer includes a bowl configured to be supported within a cabinet of the dough mixer. The bowl includes a bowl body defining an opening through which dough is inserted into the bowl for a mixing operation. The bowl body includes a front, a back, a first side extending from the front to the back and a second side opposite the first side extending from the front to the back. Each first and second side includes an opening therethrough. An agitator is mounted for rotation within the bowl. A cold bar assembly includes a tubular rod mounted to the first side of the bowl body at a first end and mounted to the second side of the bowl body at a second end opposite the first end. The tubular rod defines a coolant passageway extending therethrough. A sleeve has a bore extending therethrough. An outer open end of the sleeve is mounted about the opening of the first side of the bowl body such that the bore communicates with the opening of the first side of the bowl body and an inner open end of the sleeve receives the first end of the tubular rod within the bore such that coolant can be passed through the opening of the first side of the bowl body and into the coolant passageway.
In another aspect, a method of installing a refrigerated component in a mixing bowl of a mixer including an agitator rotatably mounted within the mixing bowl is provided. The method includes mounting a sleeve having a bore extending therethrough to a first side of a bowl body of the mixing bowl. The sleeve includes an outer open end mounted about a first opening in the first side of the bowl body such that the bore communicates with the first opening. A first end of a tubular rod is mounted to the first side of the bowl body of the mixing bowl by locating the first end of the tubular rod within an inner open end of the sleeve. A second end of the tubular rod is mounted to a second side of the bowl body of the mixing bowl opposite the first side. The tubular rod defines a coolant passageway extending therethrough such that coolant can be passed through the first opening and into the coolant passageway.
The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
Referring to
Referring also to
A sleeve 54 is mounted (e.g., bolted using fasteners 56) to the side panel 46 such that an outer open end 57 of the sleeve extends about an opening 58 formed in the side panel 46 with a bore 60 of the sleeve in communication with the opening 58. An inner open end 62 of the sleeve 54 receives the end 50 of the tubular rod 30 within the bore 60.
The inner open end 62 of the sleeve 54 extends about a periphery 64 of the tubular rod 30 thereby defining an interface 66 between the sleeve and the periphery of the tubular rod. A weld 68 extends along this interface 66 and about the periphery 64 of the tubular rod 30 forming a fluid tight seal at the interface 66. The end 50 of the tubular rod 30 extends along an inner surface 70 of the sleeve 54 thereby defining an interface 72 between the outer open end 50 and the inner surface of the sleeve. A weld 74 extends along this interface 72 and along the inner surface 70 of the sleeve 54 forming a fluid tight seal at the interface 72.
A tube 76 extends through the tubular rod 30. The tube 76 has capped ends 78 to prevent passage of coolant through the tube and to fill volume within the tubular rod 30. The tube 76 has an outer diameter that is less than an inner diameter of the tubular rod 30 so that the coolant passageway is formed between the tube 76 and the tubular rod 30. Spacers 80 may be used to locate the tube 76 substantially coaxially with the tubular rod 30.
A conduit connecting plate 82 is provided at the outer open end 50 of the tubular rod 30. The conduit connecting plate 82 includes a port 84 to which a conduit (e.g., a hose) directing coolant can be connected. The conduit connecting plate 82 is welded to the tubular rod 30 by a weld 85 extending along an interface 86 between an inner surface 88 of the tubular rod and a periphery of the conduit connecting plate. The weld 85 forms a fluid tight seal between the conduit connecting plate 82 and the tubular rod 30.
Referring back to
Referring now to
The refrigeration jacket 90 extends from the front 40 of the bowl body 36 to the rear 44 of the bowl body. Side channel members 94 are also provided on each of the side panels 46 and 48 so that coolant can also flow along the sides of the bowl body 36. A coolant passage assembly 96 connects the refrigeration jacket 90 to a coolant source (see inlet 100) and also provides an outlet 102 for the coolant exiting the refrigeration jacket. The coolant passage assembly 96 also connects the side channel members 94 to the coolant source. Additional details of the refrigeration jacket 90 can be found in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ [attorney docket number 074743-00005], filed on the same day as the instant application, entitled “Dough Mixer and Mixing Bowl with Refrigeration Jacket”, the details of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
The coolant passage assembly 96 is also used to deliver coolant to the tubular member 30. In some embodiments, the coolant passage assembly 96 is connected directly to the tubular member 30 by connecting the coolant passage assembly to the port 84 formed in the conduit connecting plate 82. In another embodiment, the coolant may be routed first through the refrigeration jacket 90 and then to the tubular member 30.
The above-described tubular member assembly provides a number of advantages. The tubular member 30 can be attached or installed on site, for example, after the mixer 10 is delivered. The tubular member 30 can replace a breaker bar with no refrigeration with a refrigerated bar. Any suitable material(s) can be used to form the tubular member assembly, such as stainless steel.
It is to be clearly understood that the above description is intended by way of illustration and example only and is not intended to be taken by way of limitation, and that changes and modifications are possible. Accordingly, other embodiments are contemplated and modifications and changes could be made without departing from the scope of this application.
