Abstract
Device and method for making ice cubes, comprising a supplying device for supplying a liquid substance to at least one elongated mould (1) and a refrigerating device for freezing said liquid substance, which at least one mould defines a space for an ice column which is at least substantially closed at least while said liquid substance is being refrigerated. The at least one mould comprises two mould halves (1a, 1b) which are movable relative to each other, so that the mould halves can be moved apart once the ice column has been formed. Method for making ice cubes, comprising the steps of a) supplying a liquid substance to a mould, b) freezing the liquid substance in the mould, and c) removing the ice cubes thus formed from the mould, wherein the liquid substance is supplied in step a) to a mould comprising an at least substantially closed space. Metering device for ice cubes.
Claims
1. A device for making frozen blocks of a frozen liquid column made by freezing a supplied liquid, the device comprising: an elongated mold comprising a two-piece mold assembly comprising: a first mold side, and a second mold side, wherein a frozen column space is formed, by bringing the first mold side and the second mold side together, that contains the supplied liquid during ice making; and an elongated element that extends longitudinally through the frozen column space formed by bringing the first mold side and the second side together; wherein the first mold side is movable relative to the second mold side to enable releasing the frozen liquid column from the elongated mold, wherein the frozen column space comprises a linear series of interconnected spaces, wherein the frozen liquid column comprises a linear series of interconnected frozen blocks formed around the elongated element, wherein each individual one of the linear series of interconnected spaces corresponds to an individual one of the linear series of interconnected frozen blocks, and wherein the elongated element forms a cavity in each individual one of the linear series of interconnected frozen blocks of the frozen liquid column.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the elongated mold comprises a heater that supplies heat that aids in detaching the frozen liquid column from the elongated mold.
3. The device according to claim 1 further comprising an agitator that agitates the supplied liquid while the supplied liquid occupies the elongated mold.
4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the elongated element comprises a heater.
5. The device according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of ones of the elongated mold, with the plurality of ones of the elongated mold being oriented in a matrix of frozen liquid column spaces.
6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a conveyor that positions a container under the elongated mold.
7. The device according to claim 2 further comprising an agitator that agitates the supplied liquid while the supplied liquid is being refrigerated in the elongated mold.
8. The device according to claim 1 further comprising an agitator that agitates the supplied liquid while the supplied liquid is being refrigerated in the elongated mold.
9. The device of claim 3, wherein the agitator comprises a vibrator that vibrates the elongated mold during freezing.
10. The device of claim 3, wherein the agitator comprises a stirrer that moves within the frozen column space formed within the elongated mold.
11. A method for making frozen blocks of a frozen liquid column made by freezing a supplied liquid contained in, the method comprising: supplying the supplied liquid to an elongated mold comprising a two-piece mold assembly comprising: a first mold side, and a second mold side, wherein a frozen column space is formed, by bringing the first mold side and the second mold side together, that contains the supplied liquid during ice making freezing the supplied liquid contained within the elongated mold after the supplying the liquid substance, moving, after the freezing, the first mold side relative to the second mold side to enable a releasing of the frozen liquid column from the elongated mold; wherein the elongated mold comprises a series of interconnected spaces, wherein an elongated element extends longitudinally; through the frozen column space formed by bringing the first mold side and the second mold side together, wherein the frozen column comprises a linear series of interconnected spaces, wherein the frozen liquid column comprises a linear series of interconnected frozen blocks formed around the elongated element, wherein each individual one of the linear series of interconnected spaces corresponds to an individual one of the linear series of interconnected frozen blocks, and wherein the elongated element forms a cavity in the frozen liquid column; freezing the liquid substance in the elongated mold.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising agitating the supplied liquid during the freezing.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the agitating comprises vibrating the elongated mold during the freezing.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the agitating comprises moving, during the freezing, a stirrer within the frozen column space formed within the elongated mold.
Description
(1) The present invention will be explained in more detail hereinafter with reference to the following figures, which show embodiments of devices according to the present invention.
(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic, perspective view of a mould for an ice column according to the present invention in an open condition thereof;
(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the mould of FIG. 1 in closed position;
(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a matrix of moulds in open condition;
(5) FIG. 4 is a schematic, sectional side view of an ice dispenser according to the present invention; and
(6) FIG. 5 is a side view of a conveyor for ice cubes in a dispenser according to the present invention.
(7) With reference to FIG. 1, there is shown a mould 1 for making ice cubes. The mould 1 comprises two mould halves 1a, 1b, which are movable relative to each other in the directions indicated by the arrow P, and a tube 2 with a suspension system 3. The mould halves 1a, 1b each comprise a plate 4 and a series of mould elements 5 arranged one above another.
(8) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an assembly 8 of three moulds 6a, 8b, 6c according to the principle of FIG. 1, which are made up of U-shaped sections 7 and H-shaped sections 8, through which tubes 9 extend.
(9) FIG. 3 shows a matrix mould 10 comprising nine moulds according to the principle of FIG. 1, which are made up of section elements 11, 12, through which tubes 13 extend.
(10) FIG. 4 is a schematic side view in longitudinal section of an ice dispenser 30 comprising a cabinet 31, in which a storage space 32 for ice cubes 38 comprising a conveyor 33 is present. The conveyor 33 extends up to an ejection opening 34, which opens above a platform 35.
(11) FIG. 5 is a detail view of ice cubes 38 stored in the storage space 32 of FIG. 4, above a conveyor 33 comprising a chain 37 provided with fingers 38, which is passed over sprocket wheels 39, one of which sprocket wheels can be rotatably driven for driving the chain 37 in turn.
(12) Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a mould 1 for making ice cubes. The mould 1 comprises two mould halves 1a, 1b, which are movable towards and away from each other in the directions indicated by the arrow P. In FIG. 1 the mould halves 1a, 1b are shown in a condition in which they are maximally apart. The mould halves 1a, 1b each comprise a plate 4, which is provided with mould elements 5 arranged one above another. In this example the mould elements 5 are rectangular in shape, provided with a semicircular recess so as to create space for the tube 2. In the position in which the mould halves 1a, 1b have been moved together (see FIG. 2), two opposing mould elements 5 form a space for an ice cube. The mould elements may be provided in such a manner as to be exchangeable, making it possible to use mould elements of varying shapes in the device according to the present invention. A tube 2, which is suspended from a suspension system 3, extends vertically between the two mould halves 1a, 1b.
(13) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an assembly 6 of such moulds 6a, 6b, 6c according to the principle as explained with reference to FIG. 1. In FIG. 2 the moulds 8a, 8b, 6c are substantially closed, i.e. the mould halves have been moved together, thus forming one substantially closed space around respective tubes 9. In FIG. 2 the mould halves are made up of U-shaped sections 7 on the outer side and H-shaped sections 8 in the centre of the assembly 8. In this embodiment, the middle tube 9 remains stationary. The H-sections 8 can be moved aside, away from the middle lube 9, and the outer tubes 9 can in turn be moved in outward direction, further away from the H-sections 8. The U-sections 7 can be moved even further outwards with respect to the outer tubes 9. In this way sufficient space is created around all the tubes 9 for removing ice columns formed in the moulds 6a, 6b, 6c.
(14) FIG. 3 shows a matrix mould 10 comprising moulds according to the principle of FIG. 1, with section elements 11 on the outer sides and section elements 12 in the centre of the matrix mould. The operating principle of the matrix mould 10 corresponds to that shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 3 the section elements 11, 12 are shown in spaced-apart relationship, as in FIG. 1. As the figure shows, the spacing between the tubes is larger than in FIG. 2.
(15) To produce ice columns by means of a matrix mould as shown in FIG. 3, the moulds are substantially closed by moving the section elements 11 and 12 together, i.e. the section elements to the left of the middle column of tubes 13 are moved to the right as much as possible and the section elements 11, 12 to the right of the middle column of tubes are moved to the left as much as possible. The tubes 9 remain oriented approximately centrally between the section elements. Subsequently, water having a temperature near the freezing point is introduced into the moulds from the upper side of each mould. The moulds are closed at the bottom side, so that the moulds will fill with water. Once sufficient water has been introduced into the moulds, the section elements 11, 12 are refrigerated in a manner which is known per se, causing the water present in the moulds to freeze. When ice columns have thus been formed in the moulds, the section elements 11, 12 are briefly heated, as a result of which the ice columns will melt at their circumference, where they make contact with the section elements 11, 12, and the section elements 11, 12 can be returned to the position shown in FIG. 3. The ice columns will remain in place, because they are frozen on to the tubes 13. Subsequently the tubes 13 are heated, so that the ice columns will melt at their inner circumference and become detached from the tubes 13. A container for the ice columns may be disposed under the moulds, so that the ice columns will fall directly into said container to be packaged for storage and transport. The section elements 11, 12 can then be moved together again and a next production cycle can start. In this way a relatively large amount of ice cubes is produced in a very efficient and relatively quick manner.
(16) FIG. 4 is a schematic, sectional side view of a dispenser 30 for ice cubes 36. The ice dispenser 30 comprises a cabinet 31 for positioning the storage space 32 with the conveyor 33 at a height sufficient for having ice cubes 38 fall into a glass or the like placed on the platform 35 via an ejection opening 34. Located at the front side of the cabinet 31, i.e. the side at which the ejection opening 34 and the platform 35 are present, is a control panel (not shown) for an operator who can control the conveyor 33 via said panel for moving a desired number of ice cubes 36 to the ejection opening 34. The storage space 32 is preferably insulated and refrigerated so as to prevent ice cubes 38 melting in the storage cabinet.
(17) The interior of the storage space 32 of FIG. 4 is shown in more detail in FIG. 5. As the figure shows, a chain 37 passed over sprocket wheels 39 is disposed under the columns of ice cubes 35. At least one of the two sprocket wheels 39 can be driven by an operator via the aforesaid control panel for delivering a desired number of ice cubes 38 via the ejection opening 34. The chain 37 has fingers 38, which are provided on the chain 37 with substantially the same spacing between them as the spacing between the central axes of the ice cubes 36. If the ice cubes 38 have for example been formed by means of a mould provided with a tube (2, 9, 30) as shown in FIGS. 1-3, the columns of ice cubes 36 will be hollow. On account of their profile, the ice cubes 38 within a column have melted together over a very limited surface area. In the example of FIG. 5, the ice cubes 36 have melted together in horizontal direction as well, forming bridge connections 40, so that one block of ice has been formed, as it were, with substantially vertical interspaces. Within the storage space 32, said block of see is held at a specific vertical distance above the fingers 38 on the upper side of the chain 37. When the storage space 32 is filled (again), the ice cubes 36 at the bottom side of the respective columns will be oriented in a horizontal plane above the fingers 38. Then the ice dispenser 30 is activated and the block of ice cubes 36 is lowered one step. As a result, the hollow spaces of the respective ice cubes 38 will slip over the fingers 38 on the upper side of the chain 37. Subsequently the chain is driven in the direction indicated by the arrows A towards the ejection opening 34, as a result of which the lowermost row of ice cubes will move to the right and an ice cube 36 will fall from a respective finger 38 on the right-hand side each time a finger 38 is moved from a vertically upward position to a vertical downward position via the sprocket wheel 39. Via the ejection opening 34, the ice cube 36 will fall info a glass (not shown) that has been placed on the platform 35. Once all the lowermost ice cubes (9 in this case) have been removed from the bottom side of the ice block by the chain 37 provided with fingers 38, the entire ice block will be lowered one step again, so that a new row of ice cubes 36 will slip over the fingers 38. The chain 37 may also be driven in such a manner that it is moved by a distance of two or more ice columns, as a result of which two or more ice cubes will be deposited into a glass via the ejection opening 34. According to another possibility, two or more ice cubes and two or more conveyors are disposed one behind another in the dispenser, so that the conveyors can be driven in parallel, for example, and two or more ice cubes can be delivered more quickly via the ejection opening 34.
(18) Only a few embodiments of devices according to the present invention have been shown and described in the foregoing. It will be apparent, however, that neither the description nor the figures have a limitative effect on the scope of the present invention, which is defined by the appended claims. Thus it is possible, for example, to freeze another liquid or liquid substance in the mould instead of water. Think in this connection of a non-alcoholic or alcoholic beverage. In the latter case the freezing temperature will be lower than in the case of water or lemonade, but it is possible to make a drink with a shot of a well-metered amount of an alcoholic beverage by means of ice cubes. Furthermore, other substances such as puree, boiled and finely cut vegetables, to which a binding agent may or may not be added for liquefying the same, can be produced by using a device or the method according to the first two aspects of the invention.
(19) In the case of the third aspect of the invention, a different orientation of the engaging means or of the ice cubes may be used, for example a horizontal orientation, or different means may be provided for separating the individual ice cubes. Furthermore, in order to make it possible to crush ice cubes, the discharge opening may be provided with a grate onto which the ice cubes fall and with knives that cut through the ice cubes on the grate and move them through the openings in the grate. Sufficiently crushed ice will subsequently fall through the grate.
(20) The above description might give the impression that the invention is limited to cubic ice cubes, but also other shapes, for example cylindrical or oval shapes, are quite possible.
