Ice transporting assembly, ice making and transporting system and method for transporting ice

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6540067
  • Patent Number
    6,540,067
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, October 24, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, April 1, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
An ice transporting assembly transports ice and includes a sleeve and a tapered auger. The sleeve defines a frusto-conically shaped channel with an inlet having an inlet diameter and an outlet having an outlet diameter less than the inlet diameter. The tapered auger is mounted for rotation within the sleeve and is sized and adapted for positional agreement with the frusto-conically shaped channel. Ice at the inlet is transported through the frusto-conically shaped channel and out of the outlet by rotating the tapered auger about a rotational axis. Another embodiment of the ice transporting assembly includes a reducing sleeve having an upstream conduit section with an upstream conduit diameter, a downstream conduit section with a downstream conduit diameter less than the upstream conduit diameter and a tapered conduit interposing the upstream conduit section and the downstream conduit section. The tapered conduit defines a tapered channel that receives the tapered auger in positional agreement. Another embodiment includes an ice making and transporting system that incorporates the ice transporting assembly. A method for transporting ice from an ice source to an ice destination located remotely from the ice source is also described.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The inventions relate to transporting ice from an ice source to an ice destination located remotely from the ice source. In particular, the inventions are directed to transporting ice using a tapered auger.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




Many different types of ice makers are readily available in the marketplace. One type of ice maker uses an auger that is rotatably mounted within a cylindrical chamber of an evaporator. Water is supplied to the cylindrical chamber and the evaporator causes the water to form ice crystals on an inner cylindrical surface of the evaporator. As the auger rotates, the flight of the auger scrapes the ice crystals off the inner cylindrical surface of the evaporator and advances the scraped ice crystals toward an extruding head. As the ice crystals are forced through the extruding head, flaked ice chunks are formed.




An auger-typed ice maker can have the auger disposed within its evaporator in either a vertical orientation or a horizontal orientation. Examples of vertical auger-type ice makers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,184 to Utter et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,016 to Nelson and U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,708 to Whinery et al. For each of these examples, the ice scraped from the inner surface of the evaporator by the auger is transported to the top of the evaporator at the top end of the flight. From this point, the ice is typically discharged horizontally.




Examples of horizontal auger-type ice makers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,672 to Jacobsen et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,310 to Spinner. The auger used in Spinner has a helical flight that is defined in part by an imaginary cylindrical surface and in part by an imaginary frusto-conical surface. As the helical flight scrapes the ice off the evaporator, the ice is advanced along the imaginary cylindrical surface and through the imaginary frusto-conical surface while simultaneously being extruded. The extruded ice is then discharged horizontally.




In Jacobsen et al., a rotatable auger is disposed horizontally within an ice chest and directs ice through an opening into a tubular conduit. A flexible looped cable extends through the tubular conduit and plastic paddles are fixed to the cable at spaced intervals. The paddles contact the ice received within the conduit and advance the ice through the conduit to an overhead destination. Again, the ice is discharged from the auger horizontally. However, soon thereafter, a paddle device transports the ice overhead i.e. vertically.




U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,681 to Sakamoto et al. teaches an ice maker that uses a vertically-oriented evaporator and an auger vertically disposed therein. The ice produced by the ice maker of Sakamoto et al. is continuously transported from the evaporated vertically through a flexible pipe to an ice-storing chamber positioned above the evaporator. The ice is continuously transported as a result of the rotational movement of the auger.




Although auger-type ice makers are effective in producing ice, current auger-type ice makers have not been used to transport ice to destinations that are located remotely therefrom. However, there are ice transporting systems available in the marketplace that can be used in conjunction with any type of ice maker. Such ice transporting systems are described as examples in U.S. Pat. No. 3,877,241 to Wade and U.S. Pat. No. 4,104,889 to Hoenish.




Wade discloses an ice transporting system for an ice maker that transports ice to any one of a plurality of ice storage bins by means of a flowing body of fluid such as pressurized air. Hoenish teaches an ice transporting system that transports ice from a first location to one or more remote second locations that are connected to each other with a conduit system. A source of air causes the ice to move through the conduit system from one location to the other locations. Although these ice transporting systems are effective in transporting ice from an ice source to a remote ice destination, supplementing an auger-type ice maker with such a system requires significant capital equipment and expenditure.




OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




It is an object of the invention to provide an ice transporting assembly and ice making and transporting system that is particularly suitable for auger-type ice makers.




Another object of the invention is to provide an ice transporting assembly and ice making and transporting system that is capable of transporting ice either horizontally or vertically from an ice source to an ice destination located remotely from the ice source.




Yet another object of the invention is to provide an ice transporting assembly and an ice making and transporting system that can be retro-fitted onto existing auger-type ice makers.




A still further object of the invention is to provide an ice transporting assembly and an ice making transporting system using nominal equipment and expenditure.




Accordingly, an ice transporting assembly, an ice making and transporting system and a method for transporting ice of the invention are hereinafter described. One embodiment of the ice transporting assembly of the invention transports ice and includes a sleeve and a tapered auger. The sleeve defines a frusto-conically shaped channel with an inlet having an inlet diameter and an outlet have an outlet diameter less than the inlet diameter. The tapered auger is mounted for rotation within the sleeve and sized and adapted for positional agreement with the frusto-conically shaped channel. Ice at the inlet is transported through the frusto-conically shaped channel and out of the outlet by rotating the tapered auger about a rotational axis.




Another embodiment of the invention is an ice transporting assembly for transporting ice that includes a reducing sleeve and a tapered auger. The reducing sleeve includes an upstream conduit section having an upstream conduit diameter, a downstream conduit section having a downstream conduit diameter which is less than the upstream conduit diameter and a tapered conduit section interposing the upstream conduit section and the downstream conduit section. The tapered conduit section has an interior surface defining a tapered channel. The tapered auger is mounted for rotation within the tapered conduit section and is sized and adapted for positional agreement within the tapered channel. When the ice is advanced through the upstream conduit section and into the tapered conduit section, the ice is transported by the rotating tapered auger through the tapered conduit section and into the downstream conduit section.




Another exemplary embodiment of the invention is an ice making and transporting system that includes an ice making evaporator unit, an ice scraping auger, an extruding unit and an ice transporting assembly as described above. The ice making evaporator unit extends along and about a vertical axis and terminates at a top end. The ice scraping auger is mounted for rotation along and about the vertical axis within the ice making evaporator unit. The extruding unit is connected to the top end of the ice making evaporator unit and includes an immoveable extruding head. The ice scraping auger rotates and scrapes the ice off the ice making evaporator unit and transports the scraped ice into the extruder unit to extrude the scraped ice to form ice chunks. In turn, the ice chunks are transported into the ice transporting assembly where the tapered auger connected to and rotating with the ice scraping auger transports the ice chunks vertically through the tapered conduit section and the downstream conduit section.




Another embodiment of the invention is a method for transporting ice from an ice source to an ice destination that is located remotely from the ice source. One step includes providing a reducing sleeve as described above. Another step is positioning the reducing sleeve above the ice source and in a vertical orientation. Another step is transporting the ice sequentially from the ice source, through the upstream conduit section, the tapered section and the downstream conduit section into the remote ice destination.




Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. dr




BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of an ice transporting assembly of the invention.





FIG. 2

is a side elevational view partially in cross section of the ice transporting assembly in FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3

is a side elevational view partially in cross section of the ice transporting assembly of the invention with a tapered auger with a cutting edge cutting ice chunks.





FIG. 4

is a side elevational view partially in cross section of a second exemplary embodiment of an ice transporting assembly of the invention that includes an auger-type evaporator unit and the ice transporting assembly of the invention.





FIG. 5

is a diagrammatical view of the ice making and transporting system of the invention illustrating how ice made in an auger-type ice maker flows through the system into various vertical and horizontal ice destinations located remotely from the ice maker.





FIG. 6

is a side elevational view partially in cross section showing an ice transporting assembly with a detachable upstream conduit section.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS




A first exemplary embodiment of an ice transporting assembly


10


of the invention is introduced in

FIGS. 1 and 2

. The ice transporting assembly


10


of the invention is used for transporting ice


12


, particularly in a vertical direction as indicated by the double-dashed line arrows A shown in FIG.


2


. The ice transporting assembly


10


of the invention includes a sleeve


14


and tapered auger


16


. The sleeve


14


defines a frusto-conically shaped channel


18


. For illustration purposes only, the outer configuration of the sleeve


14


is a frustum although one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the outer configuration of the sleeve


14


is not imperative for practicing the invention. The frusto-conically shaped channel


18


extends between an inlet


20


and an outlet


22


. In

FIG. 2

, the inlet


20


has an inlet diameter d


i


and the outlet


22


has an outlet diameter d


o


that is less than the inlet diameter d


i


.




The tapered auger


16


is generally conically shaped and is mounted for rotation within the sleeve


14


. Further, as shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

, the tapered auger


16


is sized and adapted for positional agreement with the frusto-conically shaped channel


18


. By rotating the tapered auger


16


about its rotational axis R, the ice


12


at the inlet


20


is transported through the frusto-conically shaped channel


18


and out of the outlet


22


.




The tapered auger


16


includes a flight


24


that is connected to the tapered auger


16


and spirals thereabout. The flight


24


commences at the inlet


20


and terminates at the outlet


22


. The flight


24


includes a cutting edge


26


that is located at the inlet


20


. The cutting edge


26


is operative for cutting ice at the inlet


20


as shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

. Although not by way of limitation, the rotational axis. R is oriented vertically, i.e., parallel with the double-dashed line arrows A so that the ice


12


can be transported vertically from the inlet to the outlet


22


. Rotational movement of the tapered auger


16


about the rotational axis R is imparted by a drive shaft


28


that is connected to the tapered auger


16


, preferably at its broad flattened surface


30


at or near the inlet


20


and centrally about the rotational axis R.




In

FIG. 3

, a second exemplary embodiment of an ice transporting assembly


110


of the invention is depicted. The ice transporting assembly


110


of the invention is similar to the first exemplary embodiment described above except that the ice transporting assembly


110


of the invention includes a reducing sleeve


32


. The reducing sleeve


32


includes an upstream conduit section


34


, a downstream conduit section


36


and a tapered conduit section


38


. The upstream conduit section


34


has an upstream conduit diameter d


u


and the downstream conduit section


36


has a downstream conduit diameter d


d


. The downstream conduit diameter d


d


of the downstream conduit section


36


is less than the upstream conduit diameter d


u


of the downstream conduit section


36


. The tapered conduit section


38


interposes the upstream conduit section


34


and the downstream conduit section


36


. Also, the tapered conduit section


38


has an interior surface


40


that defines a tapered channel


42


.




The tapered auger


16


is mounted for rotation within the tapered conduit section


38


and is sized and adapted for positional agreement with the tapered channel


42


. The ice


12


is advanced through the upstream conduit section


34


and into the tapered conduit section


38


which is discussed in more detail below. Once the ice


12


is in the tapered conduit section


38


, the ice


12


is transported by the rotating tapered auger


16


through the tapered conduit section


38


and into the downstream conduit section


36


.




As shown in

FIG. 4

, the ice transporting assembly


110


of the invention also includes an extension conduit


44


. The extension conduit


44


has an end portion


46


that is adapted for releasable connection to the downstream conduit section


36


. Although not by way of limitation, the extension conduit


44


is preferably a flexible hose fabricated from any standard material such as pliable metal, rubber or plastic commonly used for hoses. For this second exemplary embodiment of the invention, the downstream conduit section


36


receives the end portion


46


of the extension conduit


44


. A conventional clamp


48


, such as a hose clamp, releasably connects the end portion


46


of the extension conduit


44


onto the downstream conduit section


36


. A rib


50


is connected to the downstream conduit section


36


and extends circumferentially about and projects outwardly from an outer surface of the downstream conduit section


36


. The rib


50


helps to secure the end portion


36


of the extension conduit


44


onto the downstream conduit section


36


while simultaneously provides sealing of the connection between the end portion


46


and the downstream conduit section


36


.




A third exemplary embodiment of the invention is an ice making and transporting system


210


introduced in FIG.


4


. The ice making and transporting system


210


of the invention includes a conventional ice making evaporator unit


52


, a conventional, generally cylindrically-shaped ice scraping auger


54


, a conventional extruding unit


56


and the ice transporting assembly


110


described above. The ice making evaporator unit


52


extends along and about a vertical axis V and the ice scraping auger


54


is mounted for rotation along and about the vertical axis V within the ice making evaporator unit


52


. The ice making evaporator unit


52


terminates at a top end


58


where an evaporator unit flange


60


projects horizontally from and extends circumferentially about the ice making evaporator unit


52


. The extruding unit


56


is connected to the top end


58


of the ice making evaporator unit


52


. The extruding unit


56


includes a conventional immoveable extruding head


62


. A skilled artist would appreciate that the combination of the ice making evaporator unit


52


, the ice scraping auger


54


and the extruding unit


56


comprise a conventional auger-type ice maker.




Also, the ice transporting assembly


110


includes an ice transporting assembly flange


64


that is connected to and extends radially from upstream conduit section


34


. The ice transporting assembly


110


is connected to the ice making evaporator unit


52


by fastening the ice transporting assembly flange


64


to the evaporator unit flange


60


by conventional fasteners


66


such as bolts. However, a skilled artisan would appreciate that other conventional means can be used to connect the ice transporting assembly


110


to the ice making evaporator unit


52


. Note that the ice transporting assembly


110


extends vertically relative to the ice making evaporator unit


52


. The upstream conduit section


34


is sized to receive the immoveable extruding head


62


. Specifically, the immoveable extruding head


62


is bolted to the upstream conduit section


34


by the conventional fasteners


66


such as bolts.




As best shown in

FIG. 5

, the ice scraping auger


54


rotates within the ice making evaporator unit


52


by a motor


68


and scrapes the ice


12


off of the ice making evaporator unit


52


and transports the scraped ice


12


into the extruder unit


56


to extrude the scraped ice


12


to form ice chunks


12


′. Subsequently, the ice chunks


12


′ are transported into the ice transporting assembly


110


. Here, the tapered auger


16


which is connected to and rotates with the ice scraping auger


54


, transports the ice chunks


12


′ vertically through the tapered conduit section


38


and the downstream conduit section


36


.




In

FIG. 6

, the upstream conduit section


34


is shown releasably connected to the tapered conduit section


38


of the reducing sleeve


32


by facially opposing flanges


70


and


72


fastened together by conventional fastener


66


such as bolts. This manner of connecting the upstream conduit section


34


to the tapered conduit section


38


is shown by way of example only and other ways of connecting these components together are known in the art. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the sleeve


14


can be an integral construction as shown in

FIG. 4

or that the downstream conduit section


36


can be releasably connected to the tapered conduit section


38


regardless how the upstream conduit section


34


is connected to the tapered conduit section


38


. Also, as best shown in

FIG. 6

, the extruding head


62


includes a shaft receiving channel


74


that slidably receives the drive shaft


28


so that the tapered auger


16


and the ice scraping auger


54


(

FIG. 4

) are connected together for simultaneous rotation.




Again, with reference to

FIG. 5

, a method of the invention for transporting ice


12


and


12


′ from an ice source such as the ice making evaporator unit


52


in combination with the extruding unit


56


to ice destinations such as ice storage bins


76




a


-


76




c


which are located remotely from the ice source. One step is providing the reducing sleeve


32


. The reducing sleeve


32


extends along and about a straight central axis C.




Another step is causing the upstream conduit section


34


to be in communication with the ice source and the downstream conduit section


36


to be in communication with the ice destinations as indicated by the numbered solid lines


1


-


3


. Another step is positioning the tapered conduit section


38


above the ice source with the straight central axis C oriented vertically as indicated by the double-dashed line arrow A. The next step is transporting the ice


12


and


12


′ sequentially from the ice source, through the upstream conduit section, the tapered conduit section and the downstream conduit section and to the remotely located ice destinations.




A skilled artist would appreciate that the extension conduit


44


(

FIG. 4

) is represented by the numbered solid lines


1


-


3


to define ice flow paths and is used to deliver the ice to the remote locations. Along the ice flow path


1


, the ice storage bin


76




a


is located vertically above the ice source. For example, the ice storage bin


76




a


might be located one or two floors above the ice maker. Ice can also be transported along the ice flow path


2


to the ice storage bin


76




b


which is located below the ice source. For example, the ice storage bin


76




b


might be located one floor below the ice maker. Also, the ice can be transported along the ice path


3


to the ice storage bin


76




c


which can be located anywhere between the ice storage bins


76




a


and


76




b.


For example, the ice storage bin


76




c


might be located on the same floor as the ice maker but in a different room.




Note that the ice is transported from the ice source through the upstream conduit section into the taper conduit section by the ice scraping auger


54


which is considered a first ice transporting device. The ice is then transported through the taper conduit section and the downstream conduit section to the ice destination by the tapered auger


16


considered to be a second ice transporting device. Preferably, the first and second ice transporting devices are rotatably connected to each other such that rotating either the first or second ice transporting device causes a remaining one of the first and second transporting devices to rotate.




A skilled artist would appreciate that the inventions are particularly suitable for auger-type ice makers regardless of the auger being oriented vertically or horizontally. Also, the inventions are capable for transporting ice either horizontally or vertically to remotely located ice destinations. Further, it is appreciated that the inventions can be retro-fitted onto existing auger-type ice makers. Also, the inventions can be realized using nominal equipment and nominal capital expenditure.




It will be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art that changes may be made to the above-described exemplary embodiments of the invention without departing from inventive concepts thereof. It is understood, therefore, that the inventions are not limited to the particular exemplary embodiments disclosed but are intended to encompass any modifications within the scope and spirit of the inventions.



Claims
  • 1. An ice transporting assembly for transporting ice, comprising:a sleeve defining a frusto-conically shaped channel with an inlet having an inlet diameter and an outlet having an outlet diameter less than the inlet diameter; and a tapered auger mounted for rotation within the sleeve and sized and adapted for positional agreement with the frusto-conically shaped channel so that the ice at the inlet is transported through the frusto-conically shaped channel and out of the outlet by rotating the tapered auger about a rotational axis, wherein the tapered auger includes a flight connected thereto and spiraling thereabout, the flight commencing at the inlet and terminating at the outlet, wherein a rotational axis of the tapered auger is oriented vertically, and wherein the flight includes a cutting edge located at the inlet and operative for cutting the ice.
  • 2. An ice transporting assembly for transporting ice, comprising:a reducing sleeve including an upstream conduit section having an upstream conduit diameter, a downstream conduit section having a downstream conduit diameter less than the upstream conduit diameter and a tapered conduit section interposing the upstream conduit section and the downstream conduit section, the tapered conduit section having an interior surface defining a tapered channel; a tapered auger mounted for rotation within the tapered conduit section and sized and adapted for positional agreement with the tapered channel so that, when the ice is advanced through the upstream conduit section and into the tapered conduit section, the ice is transported by the rotating tapered auger through the tapered conduit section and into the downstream conduit section; and an extension conduit having an open end portion adapted for releasable connection to the downstream conduit section, wherein the tapered auger includes a flight connected thereto and spiraling thereabout, the flight commencing at an inlet and terminating at an outlet, and wherein a rotational axis of the tapered auger is oriented vertically.
  • 3. An ice transporting assembly according to claim 2, wherein the tapered auger includes a drive shaft connected to the tapered auger and operative for imparting rotational movement to the tapered auger.
  • 4. An ice transporting assembly according to claim 2, wherein the extension conduit is a flexible hose.
  • 5. An ice transporting assembly according to claim 2, further comprising a clamp for releasably connecting the end portion of the extension conduit onto the downstream conduit section.
  • 6. An ice transporting assembly according to claim 2, wherein the downstream conduit section includes a rib projecting outwardly from the downstream conduit section and extending circumferentially thereabout.
US Referenced Citations (20)
Number Name Date Kind
1077810 Craggs Nov 1913 A
3220574 Sefcheck Nov 1965 A
3256710 Dedricks et al. Jun 1966 A
3610482 Van Steenburgh, Jr. Oct 1971 A
3702543 Lyman Nov 1972 A
3869875 Verlinden et al. Mar 1975 A
3877241 Wade Apr 1975 A
3910060 Beusch Oct 1975 A
4104889 Hoenisch Aug 1978 A
4250718 Brantley Feb 1981 A
4328681 Sakamoto et al. May 1982 A
4497184 Utter et al. Feb 1985 A
4533310 Spinner Aug 1985 A
4569209 Strauss Feb 1986 A
4574593 Nelson Mar 1986 A
4576016 Nelson Mar 1986 A
4850202 Kito et al. Jul 1989 A
5267672 Jacobsen et al. Dec 1993 A
5394708 Whinery et al. Mar 1995 A
5542573 Frantz Aug 1996 A