Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6540067
-
Patent Number
6,540,067
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, October 24, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, April 1, 200321 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Valenza; Joseph E.
- Deuble; Mark A.
Agents
- Arent Fox Kintner Plotkin & Kahn, PLLC
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 062 354
- 062 320
- 198 661
- 198 676
- 198 657
-
International Classifications
-
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)