Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
  • F25C1/00—Producing ice
  • F25C1/10—Producing ice by using rotating or otherwise moving moulds
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
  • F25C2305/00—Special arrangements or features for working or handling ice
  • F25C2305/022—Harvesting ice including rotating or tilting or pivoting of a mould or tray
  • F25C2305/0221—Harvesting ice including rotating or tilting or pivoting of a mould or tray rotating ice mould
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
  • F25C5/00—Working or handling ice
  • F25C5/02—Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice
  • F25C5/04—Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice without the use of saws
  • F25C5/08—Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice without the use of saws by heating bodies in contact with the ice
  • F25C5/10—Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice without the use of saws by heating bodies in contact with the ice using hot refrigerant; using fluid heated by refrigerant

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an automatic icemaker having a rack, and a tray pivotable in the rack about an axis, in which at least one compartment is formed, which can be filled with water to produce a piece of ice in shape predetermined by the compartment.
• a motor assembly is coupled to the pivot axis of the tray to pivot the tray from an upright position, in which water can freeze in the trays of the tray, to a dump position in which the openings of the trays face downward, thus that the pieces of ice could fall out.
• the problem here is, however, that the finished pieces of ice usually adhere quite firmly to the walls of their compartment, so that their weight alone is far from sufficient to let them fall out of the subjects.
• a powerful and correspondingly large and expensive engine is required for the proposed loosening by twisting the tray.
• the object of the invention is to provide an ice maker that combines a compact design with a high degree of reliability.
• a flexible conduit connecting the tray to the frame extends in an arc around the pivot axis of the tray.
• a pivoting movement of the tray leads in such a line at best to a low bending stress of the connection points of the line on the frame or on the tray;
• only the angle through which the conduit extends about the pivot axis changes, and the mean distance of the conduit from the pivot axis decreases with increasing angle and increases with decreasing angle.
• a forced by the pivotal movement of the tray deformation of the line is distributed very evenly over the length and therefore only leads to a low stress on the material of the line.
• the pivot axis is defined by a shaft about which the conduit extends.
• a hollow winding core is preferably mounted surrounding the shaft, around which the connecting line extends radially spaced. If, in the case of a very strong pivoting deflection, the connecting line snugly fits against the winding core, then the tightly tensioned connecting line prevents further pivoting.
• the winding core is arranged eccentrically with respect to the pivot axis in order to avoid contact between the line and the winding core, which could lead to fretting wear, as far as possible.
• a surrounding the connecting pipe drum is used essentially to protect the connecting line from damage by foreign bodies and the protection of a user from possibly voltage-carrying contacts of the connecting line.
• the drum is preferably mounted on the tray so that it pivots with it. This makes it possible to attach the winding core to the drum, preferably by latching.
• connection line extending continuously from the tray to the frame on the tray
• an intermediate piece of the connection line extending continuously from the tray to the frame is clamped between the tray and an arm projecting radially from the winding core.
• Such an arm may also serve as a shield which prevents contact between a moving part of the lead and a possibly sharp-edged terminal of the lead to the tray.
• a hollow contour for fixing the intermediate piece in the radial direction is provided on the arm.
• connection line is usually an electrical line; however, the invention is equally applicable to other types of conduits such as a water conduit for filling the compartments with fresh water.
• the electrical line can serve as a supply line for the electric heating device mounted on the tray; but it can also serve as a signal line for deriving a temperature signal from a sensor arranged on the tray or the like.
• the tray is from the upright position in which the upper edges of the intermediate walls between the compartments of the tray are horizontal, not only in the above-mentioned emptying position pivotable, but also in a tilted position in which the subjects (4) on the upper edges of the Communicate between partitions (3).
• the compartments of the icemaker tray are arranged in at least one row, and on one longitudinal side of each row of compartments and at least a part of their transverse sides is formed a wall projecting over the upper edge of the compartments of the row.
• This design of the icemaker tray allows water filled into the compartments in the tilted position to flood the dividing walls in an area adjacent to the projecting wall, so that an exactly equal water level can be achieved in all compartments. If this tray is pivoted to freeze in the upright position in which the partitions are substantially horizontal and no longer flooded, neatly separated pieces of ice with exactly uniform size can be made.
• the tray is coupled to a motor for driving the pivoting movement, preferably via an eccentric mechanism.
• This converts a rotational movement of the motor in the same direction into an oscillating pivotal movement of the tray of amplitude predetermined by the construction of the eccentric mechanism.
• a directional control of the motor is thereby unnecessary, and overstretching or upsetting the line can be reliably excluded.
• the eccentric mechanism comprises a linearly displaceable oscillating body which carries a rack which meshes with a gear connected to the tray.
• a linearly displaceable oscillating body which carries a rack which meshes with a gear connected to the tray.
• An eccentric member is preferably engaged with a rail extending on the vibrating body transverse to the direction of movement thereof to translate the revolving motion of the eccentric member into a reciprocating motion of the vibrating body.
• the compartments are preferably in the form of a rotating body segment. From these subjects, a piece of ice can be removed from the mold in a particularly simple manner by sliding in the circumferential direction of the body of revolution, without, as in a conventional cuboid ice piece of z.
• US 6,571,567 B2 considered type, during demolding between the bottom of the tray and the ice body forms a cavity that impedes demolding, unless a prevailing in the cavity vacuum is compensated.
• Fig. 1 is an exploded view of an automatic ice maker according to a preferred embodiment of the invention
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of the ice maker of Figure 1 in the assembled state with Eisrer tray in tilted position.
• Fig. 3 is a front view of the ice maker of Fig. 1 and 2 in the direction of
• FIG 4 shows the view of Figure 3 with partially cut sensor housing.
• Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 view with ice maker tray in an upright position.
• Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the ice maker tray in upright
• Fig. 7 is a perspective view similar to Figures 2 and 5 with the
• FIG. 8 is a view analogous to FIGS. 4 and 6;
• FIG. 9 is a perspective exploded bottom view of the
• Fig. 10 is a front view of the cable drum.
• Figure 11 is a plan view of the tray with cable drum and supply cable.
• Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a winding core for the supply cable.
• Fig. 1 shows an automatic ice cube maker according to the present invention in an exploded perspective view. It comprises a tray 1 in the form of a channel, which is closed at its end sides in each case by transverse walls 2 and divided by evenly spaced intermediate walls 3 into a plurality of identically shaped compartments 4, here seven, with a semi-cylindrical bottom. While the intermediate walls 3 are flush with the longitudinal wall 5 facing away from the observer, the longitudinal wall 6 facing the observer is extended beyond the upper edges of the intermediate walls 3. While the intermediate walls 3 are exactly semicircular, the transverse walls 2 in each case corresponding to the projection of the front longitudinal wall 6 on a sector 7 extending beyond the semicircular shape.
• the tray is shown 1 in a tilted position, in which the upper edges of the segments 7 are substantially horizontal, while the intermediate walls 3 to the longitudinal wall 6 are downhill.
• the tray 1 may be a plastic molding; Preferably, due to the good thermal conductivity, it is designed as a cast aluminum.
• a cable drum 11 On one of the transverse walls 2 of the tray 1, a cable drum 11 is mounted; it serves for the sheltered accommodation of a coiled supply cable 12 which serves for the power supply of a heating device 13 (see FIG. 9) which is not visible in the figure and is mounted on the underside of the tray 1.
• the tray 1 is completely within an imaginary hollow cylinder defined by the lateral surface of the cable drum 11, which simultaneously represents the smallest possible cylinder into which the tray 1 fits.
• a journalled from the transverse wall 2 facing the viewer extends on the longitudinal center axis of the cable drum 11.
• a corresponding, extending from the second transverse wall through the cable drum 11 journals is not visible in the Fig.
• a plastic core hub 50 is provided to be mounted in an entangled manner with the umbilical 12 in the cable drum 11.
• a molded plastic frame is designated 15. It has an upwardly and downwardly open cavity 16 which is provided to mount the tray 1 therein. On the end walls 17, 18 of the cavity 16 bearing bushes 19, 20 are formed for the pivotable mounting of the tray 1.
• a longitudinal wall of the cavity 16 is formed by a box 21 which is provided to receive a drive motor 22 as well as various electronic components for controlling the operation of the icemaker.
• a pinion 23 is mounted, which can be seen better in Figures 3, 4, 6 and 8 respectively as in Figure 2.
• the gear 25 carries a projecting in the axial direction pin 26 which is provided to engage in a vertical slot 27 of a vibrating body 28.
• the vibrating body 28 is guided horizontally displaceable by means of the front wall 17 in the cavity 24 projecting pin 29 which engage in a horizontal elongated hole 30 of the vibrating body.
• a toothing 31 formed on a lower edge of the oscillating body 28 meshes with a toothed wheel 32, which is provided so as to be non-rotatably mounted on the stub axle 14 of the tray 1.
• a to be screwed on the open side of the end wall 17 cover plate 33 closes the cavity 24.
• a mounting flange 34 with laterally beyond the end wall 17 protruding tabs 35 is used for mounting the icemaker in a refrigerator.
• a bottom plate 36 closes from below the box 21st
• Fig. 2 shows, seen from the side of the end wall 18 and the box 21 ago, in a perspective view of the ice maker with the tray 1 in a tilted position.
• the upper edges of the sectors 7 on the transverse walls 2 of the tray 1 are horizontal.
• Fig. 3 shows a frontal view of the ice maker from the side of the end wall 17 ago, with cover plate 33 and mounting flange 34 are omitted to give the view into the cavity 24 of the end wall 17 free.
• the configuration shown here is the one where the icemaker is assembled.
• Various markings indicate a correct positioning of individual parts relative to each other.
• a first pair of markings 37, 38 is located on the end wall 17 itself, or on the gear 26 carrying the pin 26.
• the pin 26 is located in a three o'clock position, that is, on the right-most point of his path, which he can reach.
• the mounted on the pin 26 and the stationary pin 29 vibrating body 28 is located at the right turning point of its path.
• Aligned markings 39, 40 on a protruding beyond the sprocket flange 41 of the gear 32 and on the end wall 17 show a correct orientation of the gear 32 and consequently also with its journal 14 in a cross-sectionally T-shaped recess of the gear 32nd engaging tray 1 on.
• An inherently redundant pair of markers 42, 43 on the teeth 31 of the pivot body 28 and the gear 32 indicates the correct positioning of the gear 32 and the oscillating body 31 with respect to each other.
• a sensor 44 for detecting the rotational position of the gear 32 is mounted adjacent thereto. It cooperates with a rib 45 projecting from the edge of the flange 41 on a part of its circumference in the axial direction, so that it can dive into a slot at the rear of the sensor housing. In the tilted position of FIG. 3, the rib 45 is largely hidden by the sensor 44 and the vibrating body 28.
• FIG. 4 differs from FIG. 3 in that the housing of the sensor 44 is shown partially cut away, so that two light barriers 46, 47 bridging the slot can be seen in its interior.
• the rib 45 is located just above the two light barriers 46, 47 so that an unillustrated control electronics can recognize from the fact that both light barriers are open, that the tray 1 is in the tilted position and the drive motor 22 can stop to hold the tray 1 in the tilted position and can fill.
• the drive motor 22 is set in motion by the control unit to bring the tray 1 in the upright position in which the amounts of water in the compartments 4 of the tray. 1 neatly separated from each other.
• This position is shown in FIG. 5 in a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 2 and in FIG. 6 in a front view corresponding to FIG. 4.
• the gear 25 is further rotated with respect to the position of Fig. 4 in the clockwise direction, but the same position of the tray 1 could also be achieved by a rotation of the gear 25 in the counterclockwise direction.
• the achievement of the upright position is recognized by the fact that the rib 45 begins to obstruct the lower light barrier 47.
• the tray 1 In the upright position, the tray 1 remains standing for a while until the water in the compartments 4 is frozen.
• the standing time in the upright position can be fixed;
• the control circuit may also be connected to a temperature sensor to determine a sufficient time at the measured temperature for freezing the water on the basis of a measured temperature in the environment of the tray 1 and a characteristic curve stored in the control circuit.
• this heating device 13 is a looped electric heating rod which extends in close contact with the tray 1 between heat exchanger ribs 49 projecting from its underside and partly in one at the bottom of the tray 1 formed groove 48 is received.
• the drive motor is restarted, and the gear 25 is further rotated clockwise until it reaches the position shown in Fig. 2 to 4 again and begins a new cycle of operation of the icemaker.
• the swinging back and forth of the tray entails that the supply cable 12 shown in Fig. 1 is continuously deformed, which is fixed with one end at the level of the transverse wall 2 by two solder lugs 51 to contact pins 52 of the heater 13 and the other end through a notch 53 is guided in the wall of the control electronics receiving box 22.
• the hollow-cylindrical winding core 50 shown in a perspective view in FIG. 12 is provided. About one and a half turns of the supply cable 12, as seen in Fig. 10, loosely wrapped around the winding core 50 in the cable drum 11.
• the winding core 50 has an eccentric cylindrical bore which is non-rotatably mounted on a journal 14 of the tray.
• the center of the winding core 50 is displaced from the pivot axis to the clamped in the notch 53 end of the supply cable.
• the deformable windings terminate at one of the winding core 50 radially projecting arm 54, which extends below the immersed cable 12 against the behind transverse wall 2 of the tablet keeps pressed.
• a notch 55 is formed on the underside of the arm 54, which receives the cable 12 and fixed in the radial direction.
• the contact pins 52 of the heater 13 are concealed under a second arm 56 radially projecting from the winding core 50, so that the movable windings of the supply cable 12 can not rub against them during operation.
• Elastic locking fingers 57 on the outer edge of the arm 56 serve to anchor in a complementary shaped recess in the interior of the cable drum eleventh

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Production, Working, Storing, Or Distribution Of Ice (AREA)
• Confectionery (AREA)
• Refrigerator Housings (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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ID=36096454

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Families Citing this family (6)

Family Cites Families (33)

• 2005
  • 2005-01-24 DE DE102005003242A patent/DE102005003242A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2005-12-01 US US11/795,592 patent/US8601829B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2005-12-01 ES ES05850425T patent/ES2331373T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2005-12-01 DE DE502005008121T patent/DE502005008121D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2005-12-01 WO PCT/EP2005/056375 patent/WO2006076981A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2005-12-01 EP EP05850425A patent/EP1844273B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2005-12-01 AT AT05850425T patent/ATE442559T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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