Ice discharging apparatus for vertical spray-type ice machines

Abstract

An ice making machine having a refrigeration system and a water system, the water system having a water reservoir located below a freeze plate adapted to hold water, and a sprayer assembly located below the freeze plate for spraying water from the water reservoir toward the pockets. An inclined ice slide is positioned below the freeze plate and above the sprayer assembly directing fallen ice toward an opening. A divider assembly separating the water system from the ice storage bin includes a plurality of dividers, wherein the dividers may rotate outwardly away from the opening to allow formed ice to fall into the ice storage bin. Each divider is formed from a generally rectangular body having a front face with a triangular-shaped thickness and an extension flap extending away from the body opposite the front face.

Claims

1. An ice maker comprising: a refrigeration system comprising a compressor, a condenser, a hot gas valve, and a thermal expansion device; an evaporator assembly comprising a refrigerant tubing in fluid communication with the refrigeration system such that refrigerant may cycle through the refrigerant tubing and the refrigeration system, and a freeze plate thermally coupled to the refrigerant tubing, the freeze plate compromising a plurality of ice-forming pockets; a water system configured to supply water to the pockets of the freeze plate; an ice storage bin for retaining the formed ice; an inclined ice slide positioned below the freeze plate and above the sprayer assembly directing fallen ice toward an opening between the water system and the ice storage bin; a divider assembly within the opening, the divider assembly comprising a plurality of dividers, each divider comprising a divider body, each divider having a distal end portion, a proximal end portion and a length extending longitudinally from the distal end portion to the proximal end portion, each divider body having a first longitudinal edge margin, a second longitudinal edge margin, a front, a rear, a width extending laterally from the first longitudinal edge margin to the second longitudinal edge margin, and a thickness extending between the front and the rear, wherein the dividers are connected to the ice maker such that each divider is configured to rotate about a widthwise axis of rotation in a forward direction away from the opening to allow formed ice to fall into the ice storage bin and wherein the front of each divider is convex.

2. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein each divider body comprises a front cross-sectional portion having a generally triangular cross-sectional shape.

3. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein the front of each divider includes a cross-sectional apex.

4. The ice maker of claim 3, wherein the front of each divider has a first section that extends forward as it extends inward along the width from the first longitudinal edge margin of the divider body toward the apex and a second section that extends forward as it extends inward along the width from the second longitudinal edge margin of the divider body toward the apex.

5. The ice maker of claim 4, wherein each of the first section and the second section of the front face of each divider body is substantially planar.

6. The ice maker of claim 3, wherein the apex extends longitudinally along at least a portion of the length of each divider body.

7. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein the front of each divider is convex in widthwise cross-section.

8. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein each divider further comprises an extension flap extending rearward away from the proximal end portion of the divider body.

9. The ice maker of claim 8, wherein each divider is configured to rotate from a normally closed position to an open position allowing formed ice to reach the ice bin.

10. The ice maker of claim 9, wherein the distal end portion of each divider body and the end face of the ice slide define a gap therebetween when the divider is in the normally closed position.

11. The ice maker of claim 10, wherein the divider assembly further comprises an attachment bracket for securing the dividers to the ice maker, the attachment bracket comprises an inner horizontal surface and wherein each extension flap engages with the inner horizontal surface to maintain the gap between the distal end portion of the respective divider body and the end face of the ice slide.

12. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein the water system comprises a sprayer assembly located below the freeze plate and configured to spray water from the water reservoir upward toward the pockets.

13. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein each divider is configured to rotate from a normally closed position to an open position allowing formed ice to reach the ice bin.

14. The ice maker of claim 13, wherein the distal end portion of each divider body and the end face of the ice slide define a gap therebetween when the divider is in the normally closed position.

15. An ice discharging apparatus for an ice making machine having a freeze plate on which the ice making machine forms ice, the discharging apparatus comprising: an inclined ice slide positioned below the freeze plate, the slide configured to direct fallen ice toward an opening to the ice storage bin; a divider assembly within the opening, the divider assembly comprising a plurality of dividers, each divider comprising a divider body, each divider having a distal end portion, a proximal end portion and a length extending longitudinally from the distal end portion to the proximal end portion, each divider body having a first longitudinal edge margin, a second longitudinal edge margin, a front, a rear, a width extending laterally from the first longitudinal edge margin to the second longitudinal edge margin, and a thickness extending between the front and the rear, wherein the dividers are connected to the ice maker such that each divider is configured to rotate about a widthwise axis of rotation in a forward direction away from the opening to allow formed ice to fall into the ice storage bin and wherein the front of each divider is convex.

16. The ice maker of claim 15, wherein each divider body comprises a front cross-sectional portion having a generally triangular cross-sectional shape.

17. The ice maker of claim 15, wherein the front of each divider includes a cross-sectional apex.

18. The ice maker of claim 17, wherein the front of each divider has a first section that extends forward as it extends inward along the width from the first longitudinal edge margin of the divider body toward the apex and a second section that extends forward as it extends inward along the width from the second longitudinal edge margin of the divider body toward the apex.

19. The ice maker of claim 18, wherein each of the first section and the second section of the front face of each divider body is substantially planar.

20. The ice maker of claim 15, wherein the front of each divider is convex in widthwise cross-section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) These and other features, aspects and advantages of the invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, wherein the drawings illustrate features in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the invention, and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ice maker;

(3) FIG. 2 is a front view of an ice maker with the door open and showing certain of the internal components;

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of the ice making assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of several components of the ice making assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(6) FIG. 5 is a side view of the ice slide and divider assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(7) FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of the divider assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(8) FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of the divider assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(9) FIG. 8 is a front view of a divider according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(10) FIG. 9 is a side view of a divider according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(11) FIG. 10 is a top view of a divider according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(12) FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a divider according to one embodiment of the present invention; and

(13) FIG. 12 is a rear perspective view of a divider according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(14) Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it will be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it will be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of including, comprising, or having and variations thereof is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. All numbers expressing measurements and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term about. It should also be noted that any references herein to front and back, right and left, top and bottom and upper and lower are intended for convenience of description, not to limit an invention disclosed herein or its components to any one positional or spatial orientation.

(15) FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrates a conventional ice maker 10 having an ice making assembly 14 disposed inside of a cabinet that may include a door 12. The ice making assembly 14, described in greater detail below, is at least partially hidden from view in FIG. 2 by the divider assembly 18. The ice making assembly 14 includes an opening separating the ice making assembly 14 and the ice storage bin 16, normally closed by the divider assembly 18, through which produced ice may pass to the ice storage bin 16. The opening is framed by the divider assembly 18. The ice maker 10 may include a control panel 20 having switches or buttons to switch the ice maker 10 on and off, to place the ice maker 10 in wash or clean mode, to turn on lights, and other controls as is known to those skilled in the art. The ice maker 10 may have other convention components not described herein without departing from the scope of the invention.

(16) FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrates certain principal components of one embodiment of an ice making assembly 14 having a water system and a refrigeration system. The water system may include a water reservoir 26, water pump 28 circulating water from the water reservoir 26 to a water distribution sprayer 30 for spraying water up toward an evaporator assembly 32. During operation of the ice making assembly 14, as water is pumped from water reservoir 26 by water pump 28 through a water line and out of distributor sprayer 30, the water impinges on the pockets 36 of freeze plate 34 in thermal contract with the evaporator assembly 32 and freezes into ice. The water reservoir 26 may be positioned below the evaporator assembly 32 to catch any unfrozen water coming off of assembly 32 such that the water may be recirculated by water pump 28.

(17) The water system may further include water supply line 38, water filter 40 and water inlet valve 42 disposed thereon for filling the water reservoir 26 with water from a water supply, wherein some or all of the supplied water may be frozen into ice. The water reservoir 26 may include some form of a water level sensor, such as a float or conductivity meter, as is known in the art. The water system may further include a water drain line 44, a pressure switch 45 coupled to the drain line 44, drain pump 46 and check valve 48 for draining water out of the water reservoir 26 as necessary.

(18) The refrigeration system may include a compressor 50, condenser 52 for condensing compressed refrigerant vapor discharged from the compressor 50, a condensing fan 54 positioned to blow a gaseous cooling medium across condenser 52, a drier 56, a heat exchanger 58, a form of thermal expansion device 60 for lowering the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant, a strainer 62, and hot gas bypass valve 64. As described more fully elsewhere herein, a form of refrigerant cycles through tubing fluidly connecting these components.

(19) Thermal expansion device 60 may include, but is not limited to, a capillary tube (as illustrated in FIG. 3), a thermostatic expansion valve or an electronic expansion valve. In certain embodiments, where thermal expansion device 60 is a thermostatic expansion valve or an electronic expansion valve, the water system may also include a temperature sensing bulb placed at the outlet of the evaporator assembly 32 to control thermal expansion device 60. In other embodiments, where thermal expansion device 60 is an electronic expansion valve, the water system may also include a pressure sensor (not shown) placed at the outlet of the evaporator assembly 32 to control thermal expansion device 60 as is known in the art. The outlet of the evaporator assembly 32 may also include an accumulator 66 designed to hold liquid refrigerant during the freeze cycle to prevent the liquid refrigerant from surging back to the compressor 50.

(20) The refrigeration system, as well as the water system, may be controlled by a controller for the startup, freezing, and harvesting cycles through a series of relays. The controller may include a processor along with processor-readable medium storing code representing instructions to cause processor to perform a process. The processor may be, for example, a commercially available microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a combination of ASICs, which are designed to achieve one or more specific functions, or enable one or more specific devices or applications. In yet another embodiment, the controller may be an analog or digital circuit, or a combination of multiple circuits. The controller may also include one or more memory components (not shown) for storing data in a form retrievable by the controller. The controller can store data in or retrieve data from the one or more memory components. The controller may also include a timer for measuring elapsed time. The timer may be implemented via hardware and/or software on or in the controller and/or in the processor in any manner known in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

(21) Having described each of the individual components of one embodiment of the refrigeration and water systems, the manner in which the components interact and operate in various embodiments may now be described in reference again to FIGS. 3 and 4. Initially, the refrigeration system is charged with a refrigerant. During operation, the compressor 50 receives low-pressure, substantially gaseous refrigerant from evaporator assembly 32 through output line 68. The compressor 50 pressurizes the refrigerant, and discharges high-pressure, substantially gaseous refrigerant to condenser 52. The difference in pressure between suction side of the compressor 50 and the discharge side of the compressor 50 may be determined using two pressure sensors located on the suction and discharge lines, Ps and Pd. In condenser 52, heat is removed from the refrigerant, causing the substantially gaseous refrigerant to condense into a substantially liquid refrigerant.

(22) After exiting condenser 52, the high-pressure, substantially liquid refrigerant is routed through the drier 56 to remove moisture and, if the drier 56 includes a form of filter such as a mesh screen, to remove certain particulates in the liquid refrigerant. The refrigerant then passes through a heat exchanger 58, which uses the warm liquid refrigerant leaving the condenser 52 to heat the cold refrigerant vapor leaving the evaporator assembly 32, and into the thermal expansion device 60, which reduces the pressure of the substantially liquid refrigerant for introduction into evaporator assembly 32. As the low-pressure expanded refrigerant is passed through the tubing of evaporator assembly 32, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the tubes contained within evaporator assembly 32 and vaporizes as the refrigerant passes through the tubes, thus cooling evaporator 32 and its horizontal freeze plate 34. Low-pressure, substantially gaseous refrigerant is discharged from the outlet of evaporator assembly 32 through line 68, and is reintroduced into the inlet of the compressor 50.

(23) To initiate the harvest, traditional ice making machines monitor the level of falling water and signal the controller, for example through means of a float, when the desired batch weight has been reached. Another method, explained in U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,583, describes using a single parameter, such as measuring the ambient temperature, and referencing a tabulated chart stored in the controller's memory to determine the proper timing of the system. A similar method, explained in U.S. Pat. No. 7,281,386, monitors the liquid line temperature exiting the condenser to adjust the timing sequence of the machine. Both of these methods simplify and reduce the number of components needed to precisely control the ice machine.

(24) In certain embodiments, at the start of the cooling cycle, water inlet valve 42 may be turned on to supply water to reservoir 26. After the desired level of water is supplied to reservoir 26, the water inlet valve 42 may be closed. Water pump 28 circulates the water from reservoir 26 into the sprayer assembly 30 in order to spray water up into the pockets 36 of the freeze plate 34. The water that is supplied by water pump 28 then, during the sensible cooling cycle, begins to cool as it contacts freeze plate 34, returns to water reservoir 26 below freeze plate 34 and is recirculated by water pump 28 to the sprayer assembly 30. Once the cooling cycle enters the latent cooling cycle, water sprayed into the pockets 36 starts forming ice cubes. As the volume of ice increases on the freeze plate 30, simultaneously the volume of water in the reservoir 26 decreases. The controller may monitor either the amount of ice forming as measured by an ice thickness sensor, the decrease in the water in the reservoir 26 as measured by the water level sensor, or some other refrigeration system parameter to determine the desirable batch weight. Thus, the controller can monitor the water level in reservoir 26 and can control the various components accordingly.

(25) At that point, the harvesting portion of the cycle begins. To initiate the harvest, traditional ice making machines monitor the level of falling water and signal the controller, for example through means of a float, when the desired batch weight has been reached. Another method, explained in U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,583, describes using a single parameter, such as measuring the ambient temperature, and referencing a tabulated chart stored in the controller's memory to determine the proper timing of the system. A similar method, explained in U.S. Pat. No. 7,281,386, monitors the liquid line temperature exiting the condenser to adjust the timing sequence of the machine. Both of these methods simplify and reduce the number of components needed to precisely control the ice machine. The controller opens the purge valve 48 to remove the remaining water and impurities from the reservoir 26. The water system and the refrigeration system are disabled. After the ice cubes are formed, hot gas valve 64 is opened allowing warm, high-pressure gas from compressor 50 to flow through a hot gas bypass line, through strainer 62 capable of removing particulates from the gas, to enter the tubing of the evaporator assembly 32, thereby harvesting the ice by warming freeze plate 34 to melt the formed ice to a degree such that the ice may be released from the pockets 36 of the freeze plate 34 and fall downward. As the ice falls, the ice lands on an inclined ice slide 70, pushing at least portions of the divider assembly 18 at least partially open such that the ice falls into the ice storage bin 16 where the ice can be temporarily stored and later retrieved. The hot gas valve 64 is then closed and the cooling cycle can repeat.

(26) FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate certain details of the ice slide 70 and its relationship with the divider assembly 18. The ice slide 70 is inclined downward to the opening of the ice making assembly to direct fallen ice into the ice storage bin 16. The opening separates the ice making components from the ice storage bin 16. Inclined ice slide 70 is preferably designed to permit water sprayed upward by the sprayer assembly 30 to pass through the slide 70 to reach the pockets 36 of the freeze plate 34 of the evaporator assembly 32. Thus, the ice slide 70 may include a plurality of holes or slots 72 there through. The holes or slots 72 are dimensioned permit the sprayed water to pass through the ice slide 70 while preferably not allowing finished ice cubes to pass through. The ice slide 70 also includes an end face 74 formed downwardly away from the freeze plate 34 and in a direction toward the water reservoir 26. During the ice making process, water yet to be formed into ice may fall from the pockets 36, trail down the ice slide 70 over the end face 74 and through a series of drain holes 76 located downstream of the end face 74 to direct water back into the water reservoir 26. The divider assembly 18 preferably prevents water from escaping the ice making assembly 14 through the opening and into the storage bin 16 or elsewhere during the ice making process.

(27) FIGS. 6-12 illustrate certain preferred features of the divider assembly 18, which divides the ice making assembly 14 from the ice storage bin 16 and other areas of the ice maker 10. Preferably, the divider assembly 18 includes a number of individual dividers 80, for example, eight dividers, rotatably hung from a hanging rod 82 such that the dividers 80 span the width of the opening of the ice making assembly and hover over the adjacent ice slide 70 as illustrated in FIG. 5. Each divider is a generally rectangular, generally flat member made out of a form of plastic or other suitable material. The dividers 80 may be attached to the rod 82 by sliding the rod 82 through a channel 90 in the upper portion, or proximal end, of each divider 80. Preferably, the dividers 80 may be placed on the rod 82 to limit the amount of space between dividers 80. Thus, the dividers 80 are preferably flat on their sides to permit the dividers to rest snuggly against one another. The rod 82 is connected to an attachment bracket 84 such that the entire divider assembly 18 may be attached to the upper housing of the ice making machine 10.

(28) Each divider 80 is designed to hang from the rod 82 by gravity, to prevent contact between the divider 80 and the end face 74 of the ice slide 70, to rotate into an open position when sufficiently engaged by fallen ice, yet not stick to the flat surface 22 of the outer-upper housing of ice maker 10. Thus, each divider 80 preferably includes an angled flap 88, which is angled downwardly from the rod 82 away from the front face 94 of the divider 80. The angled flap 88 may be angled downwardly off the horizontal plane at an angle of about 17.5 degrees. The angled flap 88 has a weight and length with respect to the remaining portion of the divider 80 such that the divider 80 remains in a vertical orientation during the ice making phase to prevent water from escaping the ice making assembly 14, yet rotate into an open position as ice is discharged from the freeze plate 34, falls downward, and slides down the ice slide 70 and into the ice storage bin 16. For example, in one embodiment, the flap may be about one inch in length as the divider 80 is about 4 to about 4.5 inches in length. The angled flap 88 assists in preventing the divider 80 from sticking to the end face 74 of the ice slide 70 via surface tension as any unfrozen water returns to the reservoir 26 by being of a size and shape to help pivot the divider 80 away from the end face 74. Thus, when the dividers 80 are in the normally closed position (i.e., hanging straight down due to gravity), the angled flap 88 prevents the divider 80 from contacting the end face 74 of the ice slide 70 by contacting the inner horizontal surface 98 of the attachment bracket 84. The preferred range of the angle of the flap 88 downwardly off the horizontal plane is related to the width of the gap 92 defined between the distal end of the dividers 80 and the end face 74 of the ice slide 70. Preferably, the angle (about 17.5 degrees, with a tolerance of +/0.5 degrees) of the flap 88 is such that in the event the divider 80 rotates inwardly, the flap 88 will contact the inner horizontal surface 98 of the attachment bracket before the distal end of the divider 80 comes into contact with the end face 74 of the ice slide 70. Preventing contact between the distal end of the divider 80 and the end face 74 allows unfrozen water to flow through the gap, to the drain holes, and back into the water reservoir 26. Additionally, preventing contact between the distal end of the divider 80 and the end face 74 avoids the problem in the prior art of the divider 80 failing to rotate open to allow formed ice to flow through to the ice bin 16 due to surface tension.

(29) As shown in FIG. 5, the dividers 80 have a length such that the dividers 80 fall in front of, but do not touch, the end face 74 of the ice slide 70, leaving a gap 92 to permit unfrozen water to flow back into the water reservoir 26. In one embodiment, the length of the dividers may be about 4.0 to 4.5 inches. As shown in FIG. 5, preferably each divider 80 has a length permitting the divider 80 to extend down to about the bottom of the end face 74 of the ice slide 70 adjacent the drain holes 76.

(30) The front face 94 of each divider 80 may have features to assist in performing the function of the divider assembly 18. The front face 94 of each divider 80 includes a triangular-shaped thickness 96 to prevent contact with the flat surface 22 of the outer-upper housing. The thickness 96 further provides an added moment of inertia needed to prevent the divider from opening due to sprayed water. The thickness 96 may extend the entire length, or only a portion, of the divider 80. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the thickness may extend over the lower approximately three-quarters of the front face 94 of the divider 80. As shown in FIG. 12, the triangular-shaped thickness 96 may increase in thickness on the edge of the divider 80 (as identified by 96a) to its thickest point in the horizontal middle of the divider (as identified by 96b). Preferably, the dimension 96b is about twice that of 96a (200%), but may range from about 125% to about 300%). For example, in certain embodiments, dimension 96a may be about 0.050 inches and dimension 96b may be about 0.110 inches, each with a tolerance of about 0.015 inches. The width of each divider 80 may be about 1.4 inches, and each divider 80 may weigh about 10.5 grams. The thickness 96 adds weight to the divider 80 to enable faster closing speeds after ice is discharged through the opening and increases the moment of inertia on the front face 94 providing a tighter close.

(31) Thus, there has been shown and described novel components of a vertical spray-type ice making machines having a unique divider assembly for separating the ice-making zone from the ice storage bin. It will be apparent, however, to those familiar in the art, that many changes, variations, modifications, and other uses and applications for the subject devices and methods are possible. All such changes, variations, modifications, and other uses and applications that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.