Patent Application
20220380191
The present embodiments relate generally to systems and methods for improved dispensing of liquid, including but not limited to water, through a portion of an ice storage bin, and related cleaning and sanitizing processes.
Ice and water dispensers are commercially available for home and office use. Commercial ice and water dispensers utilize potable water, typically supplied from a water supply of a building.
Drinking water has an amount of naturally occurring mineral and biological contaminants. The biological contaminants will tend to create microscopic biofilms on the surfaces of which they are in contact. These microscopic biofilms require regular cleaning that is typically performed by mechanical scrubbing and/or chemical sanitizer introduction to inactivate or alleviate any such contaminants.
The mineral content, both particulate and dissolved ions, may include by way of example and without limitation, calcium, magnesium, chloride, carbonate, and bicarbonate. Such content tends to accumulate in ice makers, ice storage containers, and ice and water dispensing components either as precipitated sludge or plated scale. Precipitate sludges tend to build in areas where water flow is relatively stagnant. Scale plates on heat exchanging surfaces and on areas that regularly become wet and allowed to air dry where the water evaporates and leaves the minerals behind. These minerals require regular cleaning by flushing areas of stagnant water and descaling of scale plated surfaces with chemical cleaning agents. The chemical descaling, cleaning, and sanitizing can be performed in separate steps or combined into a single step.
A typical cleaning procedure focuses on the ice making and storage portion of an ice and water dispenser. Additional cleaning, descaling or sanitizing of the discharge chute and outlet that dispenses ice and liquid to a user is either out of scope of the manufacturer's cleaning and sanitizing procedures or it is accomplished by additional steps to clean, descale and sanitize the ice and liquid discharge regions.
Systems and methods are provided for dispensing ice and at least one liquid, and related cleaning processes. In one embodiment, the system comprises an ice bin for storing a quantity of ice particles, a dispensing tube for carrying at least a first liquid, and a discharge chute in communication with a discharge outlet, wherein the discharge chute is disposed upstream of the discharge outlet. An outlet end of the dispensing tube is positioned within a portion of the ice bin at a location aligned above the discharge outlet. The ice particles and the first liquid are dispensed through the discharge outlet separately or at the same time.
In another embodiment, the system comprises an ice bin for storing a quantity of ice particles, a dispensing tube for carrying at least a first liquid, and a discharge chute in communication with a discharge outlet, wherein the discharge chute is disposed upstream of the discharge outlet. The dispensing tube is operative to dispense the first liquid through the discharge outlet for drinking by a user in a first operative state. Further, the dispensing tube is operative to dispense the first liquid into the discharge chute in a second operative state during a cleaning operation, wherein the cleaning operation simultaneously cleans at least the discharge chute and the ice bin.
In one embodiment, a method for cleaning a system capable of dispensing ice and at least one liquid is provided, including introducing a cleaning or sanitizing solution into an ice bin through a first opening in the ice bin, and introducing a first liquid through a dispensing tube that is positioned at a second opening separate from the first opening in the ice bin. Upon introduction through the first opening, the cleaning or sanitizing solution flows into an ice bin storage area and also flows into a discharge chute that dispenses ice and liquid to a user. Further, upon introduction through the second opening, the first liquid flows into the discharge chute and also flows into the ice bin storage area, such that at least the discharge chute and the ice bin storage area are cleaned simultaneously.
Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be within the scope of the invention, and be encompassed by the following claims.
The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.
Referring to
The system 10 may be dimensioned to be used in any setting, including but not limited to a home or office environment. In one non-limiting example, the system 10 comprises a height of between about 16 and 20 inches, and may be placed on a countertop or other location in a suitable environment with user access to the front region 12 of the system.
The system 10 is capable of ice making and ice storage, in addition to dispensing one or more liquids, as will be explained in greater detail below. In some embodiments, the system 10 may produce about 4 to 5 pounds of ice per hour, and store about 7 to 8 pounds of ice in its internal storage bin. As will be appreciated, the dimensions of the system 10, and its ice making and storage capabilities, may be modified to accommodate different environments and user needs, while still being provided in accordance with the principles described further below.
In one embodiment, the front region 12 of the system 10 comprises a placement zone 20, where a user can place a cup or other container that receives ice and/or liquid, as instructed by the user. The placement zone 20 may be recessed rearward relative to a remainder of the front region 12 of the system 10, and may occupy a space between the lower surface 14 of the system 10 and a discharge outlet 27, as depicted in
In some embodiments, a tray 21 may be disposed near the lower end of the system 10, e.g., slightly above the lower surface 14 as illustrated in
The system 10 may be configured to accommodate cups or other containers that are about 8 inches or more high, and therefore in some embodiments the distance between an upper surface of the tray 21 and a lower surface of the discharge outlet 27 is greater than 8 inches.
In accordance with one aspect, both ice and liquid are dispensed through the discharge outlet 27, thereby avoiding the need to have a first outlet for ice and a second outlet for liquid, where the first and second outlets are spaced apart. In this manner, the system 10 provides the user with an advantage of being able to locate the cup at a single placement zone 20 for both ice and liquid, without having to move the cup among locations if both are desired. Further, space savings may be achieved, particularly between the opposing side surfaces 16 and 17 of the system 10, by having a single placement location for ice and liquid, as opposed to two locations spaced apart, thereby allowing the system 10 to be placed in a greater range of environments.
Referring to
At least one electrical connection (not shown) in the form of a plug may be provided for connection to an electrical outlet for supplying power to the system 10. Vents 19 are depicted in the side surface 16 of the system 10 for accommodating the dissipation of heat generated by a refrigeration cycle that exists inside the housing 11, especially from a condenser unit contained therein.
Referring now to
The cylindrical jacket 52 for the evaporator 46 is comprised of a preferably plastic material, which is a component of a water reservoir 53. Features of a suitable water reservoir 53, which may be used in conjunction with the present system 10, are described in further detail in U.S. Pat. No. 8,756,950 (hereafter “the '950 patent”), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. At right and left ends of the evaporator 46, suitable sealing means are provided, such as O-rings (not shown), for sealing the refrigerant flowing in the canal provided by the helical flight, to prevent leakage of refrigerant fluid from the evaporator at right and left ends. A suitable fan 54 will preferably be provided, motor driven at location 55 from a suitable electrical source 56, for facilitating the dissipation of heat from the condenser 43.
An auger 60 is located inside the evaporator 46, being shaft mounted at location 61 on its right end as shown in
During rotation of the auger 60, water provided from the water reservoir 53, via an opening at the right end of the evaporator 46, as shown, enters the freezing zone 66, to form as ice on the wall 67 of the evaporator 46, to be scraped therefrom by the auger 60, and delivered leftward along the auger 60, to be compacted as an elongate cylinder of ice as ice leaves the left end 68 of the evaporator body in the direction of arrow 70 into an ice conduit 71 for delivery as individual ice particles 72 into an ice bin 73.
It should be noted that “ice particles” may encompass, by way of example and without limitation, nuggets, cubes or other types of ice pieces regardless of shape and size, their manner of formation, or their original location. The refrigeration cycle 40 is one example of a system that may produce ice particles of an exemplary size and shape, but other ice particles may be produced, provided, used or otherwise dispensed in accordance with the principles herein.
In the ice bin 73, a wire screw type auger 74 is disposed, at an acute angle, as illustrated in
Ice particles 72 that have accumulated at the lower end of the ice bin 73 are thus delivered via the wire auger 74 from a lower end of the bin, towards an upper end of the bin, where they may be metered via an ice particle baffle 78, to a location 80 from where they can be discharged through the discharge outlet 27, upon a user instructing the discharge of ice particles therethrough, such as by using a touch screen interface 23 operative to send a signal to the motor 75 to drive the auger 74.
At that time, discharged ice particles 81 may fall into a cup or other container 82 therebeneath, as explained further below. It will be understood that as the auger 74 advances ice particles towards and over a highest location 281 of an angled wall 280 of the ice bin 73, gravity can cause the ice to then drop through a discharge chute 25, for discharge of ice 81 through the discharge outlet 27, as will be explained in further detail below.
If desired, the flow of ice via line 71 into the bin 73 may be interrupted in the event that the bin 73 becomes full of ice, by having a suitable ice fill controller 84 disposed in the line 71, which can be electrically connected via line 120 to compressor 41 to shut down the compressor 41, and at location 89 to the gearmotor 62 to discontinue operation of the gearmotor 62 that drives the ice scraping auger 60, until some of the ice particles 72 are emptied from the bin 73, in which case, the controller 84 can re-open the line 71 and re-actuate the gearmotor 62 and compressor 41, to resume filling the bin 73 with ice particles. The controller 84 can, if desired, operate to sense axial strain in the conduit 71 as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,469,548, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
In the event that ice particles in the bin 73 begin to melt, and melt water is present at the lower end of the bin 73, such melt water can drain by entering a water drain line 86, to pass into the water reservoir 53 via the drain line 86, by means of gravity flow thereto, in the direction of arrow 87.
A vent line 88 may be provided between the ice storage bin 73 and the water reservoir 53, as shown in
Referring still to
Inlet water is also thereby delivered via line 97 to the water reservoir 53, via a valve 98 that is controlled by means of a float 100 operated in accordance with the water level within the water reservoir 53, to allow more water to enter the reservoir 53 via control device 101 that opens and closes the valve 98, as explained further in the '950 patent.
Referring now to
In one embodiment, at least one of the forward region 203 and the side surface 206 of the lid 202 may comprise a cutout 208, which allows receipt of at least one dispensing tube 220, as depicted in
The lid 202 may rest upon a portion of a ledge 210, as best seen in
As shown in
The dispensing tube 220 may comprise a curved segment 221, which as depicted in
In accordance with one aspect, the dispensing tube 220 comprises an outlet end 222, best seen in
In one embodiment, the outlet end 222 of the dispensing tube 220 is positioned at a vertical location above a highest location 281 of the angled wall 280 of the ice bin 73 upon which the auger 74 is aligned, as shown in
Advantageously, by positioning the outlet end 222 of the dispensing tube 220 at a relatively high vertical location, the dispensing tube 220 is “out of the way” of the location at which ice falls, and therefore ice 81 is much less likely to catch on an impediment or such as the dispensing tube. In contrast, in prior systems, liquid dispensing tubes placed in communication with the discharge chute 25 or discharge attachment 26, below the point at which ice falls over wall location 281, may create an internal ledge, wall recess, or other non-smooth structure upon which falling ice may catch or clog the system.
As a further advantage, by positioning the outlet end 222 of the dispensing tube 220 at a relatively high vertical location to point vertically downward relative to the discharge chute 25, leak points of the system 10 may be reduced compared to systems in which the dispensing tube arrives at a location immediately adjacent to the discharge outlet 27.
The system has a first length L1 extending between the upper surface of the ice bin 73 to the discharge outlet 27, as measured in
The ice bin 73 comprises a length L3 in an location 80 between the outlet end 222 of the dispensing tube 220 and the discharge chute 25, as shown in
The discharge chute 25 has a length L4 between upper and lower ends 25a and 25b of the discharge chute 25, as depicted in
In some embodiments, an optional discharge attachment 26 having a length L5 may be secured to the discharge chute 25, for example, using a threaded engagement or snap-fit connection between the lower end 25b of the discharge chute 25 and an upper end 26a of the discharge attachment 26. In such scenario, the discharge outlet 27 of the system 21 is moved from the lower end 25b of the discharge chute 25 to the lower end 26b of the discharge attachment 26. In this embodiment, the length Li may be measured as between the upper surface of the ice bin 73 to the discharge outlet 27 when the discharge outlet 27 is at the lower end 26b of the discharge attachment 26 (whereas, without the discharge attachment 26, the length L1 may be measured between the upper surface of the ice bin 73 to the lower end 25b of the discharge chute 25).
In accordance with another aspect, the outlet end 222 of the dispensing tube 220 is positioned to at least partially coaxially overlap with a pathway of the discharge chute 25. In one embodiment, the discharge chute 25 comprises an interior perimeter 225 having an inner dimension W, as labeled in
In one embodiment, the outlet end 222 of the dispensing tube 220 is positioned within the inner dimension W of the interior perimeter 225 of the discharge chute 25, such that liquid exiting through the outlet end 222 will be released in a vertically downward direction into the interior perimeter 225 of the discharge chute 25, as seen in
Advantageously, by having the outlet end 222 of the dispensing tube 220 at least partially coaxially overlap with a pathway of the discharge chute 25, improved pouring of liquid from the dispensing tube 220 may be achieved as liquid may flow from the outlet end 222 substantially directly downward into a user's cup when placed under the discharge outlet 27. Further, fewer leaks may occur since flow occurs in a generally straight pathway without being redirected at angles relative to the discharge chute 25 or the user's cup.
As yet another advantage, space savings may be achieved with the alignment of the outlet end 222 of the dispensing tube 220 as shown, because a dispensing tube is not required to be connected to a side surface of the discharge chute 25 or the discharge attachment 26, which would add bulk to the system 10 adjacent to those regions.
Further, the outlet end 222 of the dispensing tube 220 may be positioned within the interior perimeter 225 of the discharge chute 25 at a location offset, in a cross-sectional direction, from the midpoint of the inner dimension W, as seen in
Advantageously, with this positioning, the outlet end 222 of the dispensing tube 220 may avoid crossing paths with a top portion 274 of the auger 74, as best seen in
Advantageously, using the system 10, the user is provided with a common location to place his or her cup or other container, and to fill the container with ice and liquid. The user has the option to fill the cup or other container with ice and liquid at the same time, or independently, depending on instructions provided to the touch screen interface 23 or another suitable actuator (such as one or more buttons). As explained above, such actuator may be coupled to drive the auger 74 to dispense ice, while a valve 29 (see
In one embodiment, multiple streams of liquid can converge at the dispensing tube 220 with separate valves for control. For example, referring to
The first and second liquids may be selected from a group comprising, by way of example and without limitation, drinking water, heated water (originated from a hot water tank), sparkling water, juices, and other beverages). As will be appreciated, equipment and reservoirs may be located within or coupled to the housing 11 of the system 10 to produce or store such liquids, with the storage reservoirs being selectively placed in communication with the connector 229 by appropriate tubing and actuators, as explained above.
In an alternative embodiment, multiple sources of liquid may be produced or stored in the housing 11 of the system 10, but the connector 229 may be omitted, such that multiple different dispensing tubes 220 may enter into the opening 211 above the discharge outlet 27 (where each tube carries a different liquid). In this example, the multiple dispensing tubes 220 may be organized closely adjacent to one another within the same opening 211 of the housing. Alternatively, multiple different openings 211 may be provided, and one dispensing tube 220 may enter into a particular opening 211, subject to space constraints of the system.
In an alternative embodiment, the dispensing tube 220 may not extend through a top of the lid 202 or the ledge 210 per se, but rather may extend through an opening that is disposed relatively high in a sidewall of the ice bin 73. One non-limiting example of a placement area is location 207 as shown in
With regard to cleaning of the system 10, the placement of the dispensing tube 220 above and at least partially coaxially aligned with the discharge outlet 27 provides increased ease of cleaning and sanitizing operations.
The method of cleaning requires the entire vessel, including the ice storage bin, ice maker water reservoir, ice making evaporator, ice maker head, interconnecting tubes, vent lines, ice transport tube, etc., to be flooded with cleaning, descaling and/or sanitizing solutions and allowed to soak for an amount of time (for brevity and ease of reference, such cleaning, descaling and/or sanitizing solutions may generally be referred to herein as simply “cleaning solutions” or “cleaning or sanitizing solutions”). This chemical solution can be a single solution to perform all functions or separate successive solutions specific to cleaning, descaling, and/or sanitizing. This process can then be followed by one or more rinsing operations where the system is partially or completely flooded with potable water to rinse the residual chemical cleaner/descaler/sanitizer from the interior surfaces of the system.
Referring back to
Notably, when cleaning and/or sanitizing solution is introduced into the system 10 via the opening 128, such solution may initially directly engage the angled wall 280 of the ice bin 73 and be inclined to flow downward. However, once the ice bin 73 begins to fill up with the solution, flow may be redirected over the wall location 281 and into the discharge chute 25 and discharge attachment 26.
Advantageously, the system 10 allows cleaning, descaling and/or sanitizing of the liquid discharge areas 25 and 26 simultaneously with the cleaning, descaling and/or sanitizing of the ice storage bin, ice making system, and all additional components in the same cleaning procedure. In contrast, in prior systems, a first cleaning or sanitizing operation may have been required to be performed for the ice bin, and a separate cleaning or sanitizing operation may have been performed for the liquid discharge chute and outlet areas. Therefore, use of the present system 10 provides time savings and efficiency compared to prior systems during cleaning and sanitizing operations.
If desired, during the cleaning operation, the motor 62 may be used to drive the auger 60 inside the evaporator, and/or the motor 75 may drive the auger 74 in the ice storage bin 73, to provide some agitation of the cleaning or sanitizing solution within the system.
After a pre-determined cleaning time, the valve in the discharge line 49 from the water reservoir 53 can be opened, and the cleaning solution can be discharged into a drain or container, as may be desired.
As yet a further advantage of the system 10, the dispensing tube 220 that is mounted inside of the ice storage hopper can be utilized to either add water to dilute the cleaning/descaling/sanitizing chemicals and/or flood the system with potable water from the water main's inlet. This not only simplifies the cleaning procedure, it improves the procedure by cleaning/descaling/santizing and rinsing the water dispense point outlet at the same time. This process may be controlled through the use of the touch screen user interface 23, which may be used to guide through the cleaning/descaling/sanitizing process steps.
Accordingly, positioning of the dispensing tube 220 eliminates the need to bring water from a secondary source (outside of the ice and water dispenser) for the rinsing of the ice storage bin, ice making water reservoir, and ice making evaporator. In contrast, in prior systems, a secondary water source (not shown) would need to be hooked up to the system 10, requiring additional time, equipment, and water source valving/equipment. In the present embodiments, water from a single source and dispensing tube 220 can be used for drinking water and, without additional equipment, for cleaning operations of the entire system as explained.
Thereafter, the cap 127 can be removed from its position closing off the discharge outlet 27, and returned to close the opening 128 in the bin cover, and various water inlets to the system can be resumed, once the sanitizing, cleaning and/or any desired rinsing of the system has been completed, with the valve 59 thereafter being closed, and operation of the ice and water dispensing system can resume.
Additionally, in one embodiment, the system 10 may comprise at least one antimicrobial treatment device 290, which is depicted in one exemplary placement in
Advantageously, in this manner, the antimicrobial treatment device 290 can provide sanitization of at least the aforementioned surfaces of the system 10, thereby providing ongoing sanitization of surfaces without user intervention. As a further advantage, placement of the antimicrobial treatment device 290 may provide a degree of treatment to the water stream and ice itself.
In one embodiment, the antimicrobial treatment device 290 may comprise one or more antimicrobial lights or other electromagnetic radiation emitter(s). By way of example, and without limitation, such antimicrobial lights or other electromagnetic radiation emitter(s) may include a continuous antimicrobial light embodying aspects of the VS3255 model manufactured by Vyv, Inc. of Troy, N.J., albeit on a reduced scale for use in the system 10, e.g., by providing such antimicrobial light as a single LED on a board secured to the interior region of the ledge 210.
In alternative embodiments, two or more antimicrobial treatment devices 290 may be provided. In either the embodiment with one or multiple antimicrobial treatment devices 290, the placement of devices may be varied to be mounted at other interior regions within or around the discharge chute 25, so long as they are oriented in a direction to sanitize or otherwise treat the aforementioned surfaces of the system 10 (or other desired surfaces).
While various embodiments of the invention have been described, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents. Moreover, the advantages described herein are not necessarily the only advantages of the invention and it is not necessarily expected that every embodiment of the invention will achieve all of the advantages described.
This invention claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/193,696, entitled “Systems and Methods for Dispensing Liquid Through a Portion of an Ice Storage Bin and Related Cleaning Processes,” filed May 27, 2021, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63193696 | May 2021 | US |
