CA2564096A1 - Ice resurfacing machine - Google Patents
Ice resurfacing machine Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2564096A1 CA2564096A1 CA 2564096 CA2564096A CA2564096A1 CA 2564096 A1 CA2564096 A1 CA 2564096A1 CA 2564096 CA2564096 CA 2564096 CA 2564096 A CA2564096 A CA 2564096A CA 2564096 A1 CA2564096 A1 CA 2564096A1
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- Prior art keywords
- ice
- water
- bar assembly
- flood
- magnets
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Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
- E01H—STREET CLEANING; CLEANING OF PERMANENT WAYS; CLEANING BEACHES; DISPERSING OR PREVENTING FOG IN GENERAL CLEANING STREET OR RAILWAY FURNITURE OR TUNNEL WALLS
- E01H4/00—Working on surfaces of snow or ice in order to make them suitable for traffic or sporting purposes, e.g. by compacting snow
- E01H4/02—Working on surfaces of snow or ice in order to make them suitable for traffic or sporting purposes, e.g. by compacting snow for sporting purposes, e.g. preparation of ski trails; Construction of artificial surfacings for snow or ice sports ; Trails specially adapted for on-the-snow vehicles, e.g. devices adapted for ski-trails
- E01H4/023—Maintaining surfaces for ice sports, e.g. of skating rinks
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Water Treatment By Electricity Or Magnetism (AREA)
Abstract
The present invention provides an apparatus for resurfacing of an ice surface to provide for dense high quality ice. The apparatus comprises an ice resurfacing machine having a water storage tank connected by delivery pipe to a flood bar assembly to apply water from the water storage to a flood cloth. At least one of the delivery pipe and flood bar assembly are provided with one or more magnets to magnetically treat the water as the water flows through the delivery pipe and the flood bar assembly thereby producing a denser more high quality ice. The present invention also provides for a method of forming an ice surface on a chilled surface, the method comprising passing the water to be applied to the chilled surface through a magnetic field to produce denser, higher quality ice.
Description
Jj-12 7731CA
TITLE: ICE RFSURFAC.TiVG MACI~VE
~LI7 Oh THE INVENTTON
The present invention relates to khe field of ice making equipment and more particular, to an ice resurfaces for forming a layer of ice on a cool surface, such as may be found in hockey anal iCe skating axetta.S.
1.0 SACKGROLTND OF THE INVENT1~N
Arenas used for h.ackey arid ite skatizxg axe typically formed on concrete floors in.
which are embedded pipes carrying a clzilled solution. Th.e chilled solution Lowers fhe temperature of the concrete floor to as low as 10°F, well below the 32°F freezing temperature of water. The ch.i.lled floor is t1~.e~a. flooded. wi.kl, water which freezes to form an ice surface. Typically indoor ice skating rinks have a Iayer of ice of about 1 !/z inches in total. The ice is built up to this thickness by repeatedly flooding the surface with layers of water. 'The layers freeze one onto the next to form the Full layer of ice. In a typical application, after the first couple layers of i.ce are placed an.
the chilled surface, the ice is painted white to provide a good conkrast to the ice surface. A caupl.e mare layers of ice are placed over the painted layer for protectixtg the painted ice layer. At this point, additional graphics are painted an khe zee such as, for example, the red and blue lines, goal lines and the like fox hockey as well as any additional advertising gxaphics, such as corporate logos. A couple move layers of ice are then placed on top of these ice ~xrfaces to provide for the final layer of ice for hockey or ice skating.
In order to provide for the optimum surface for hockey and ice skatW g, it is dESiuCable that the ice be relatively dense. This is generally accom.pIished through the use of hot water as it freezes fo a more dense and harder ice surface then cooler water.
Generally, the water is heated to about 150°F for the making of ice in an az~ena.
During maintenance of the ice, after khe initial ice is foxmEd, an ice resurfaces such as a ~aznboxdrM or OlympiaTM is used to shave the ice to remove slush, snow and dirt from the surface of the iCe. The .resurfaces then floods the surface of the ice with fresh wafer. 'This is generally a.ccomplislxed by dragging a rag or cloth at the rear of the ice resurfaces onto which watex is sprEad td provide for a uniform, film of. watE~r 1J-lz ~~3-tcA
to be distributed ovex th.e i.ce suxfaCe. Th.e snow and shavings picked up by the xesuxfacer are stored in the snow tank which are then dumped after the resurfaeer is finished.
Typically, to resurface a sheet of axena ice, about 120 gallons of water is heated to 150°F. This xetluires a significant amount of energy to both. heat the water as well as create a. xe~rigcration load in the cooling solution of the chilled ~loar to properly freeze th.e suxface of the ice.
1 A There have been attempts in the past to provide for reduced energy consumption during ice making and maintenance. Ft~r example, US Patent 5,536,41.1.
describes a process whereby tr.e water used to food the ice rink is de-mineralized. by xevcrsc osmosis and carbon Filtered. In this way It is only necessary to heat the water to about 90'F. However, this still requires some ad.d itional energy to be used Fox the processing of the water.
US Patent ~4,953,36a describes the use of an additive in the water used to form the ice or ice layers. The additive comprises a surfactant a primary almh.o). axtd a.
silicone.
The siufactan.t acts to reduce the surface tension of the water while the silicone acts 2o as a. defoamex col.l.apsing az~y bubbles formed on the surface and also as a lubricant when pressure is applied on the ice such as an ice skate blade. ',Che a.lcoh.ol is believed to aid in providing a generally homogenous mixture when added to the water. Through the use of the additive this allows the wdaet to be only heated to about 45 - 55°F. I3owever, the savings in energy are offset somewhat by th.e cast of the additives.
US Patent 6,931,874 describes an ice maker which utilizes a source of de-gassed water which is de-gassed by being heated. A pump to pressurize the de-gassed. water is provided and the water is passed, to a sprayer hydraulically connected to th.e pump.
The sprayer has noy~les si.~.~ed and shaped to convert tl7e pressurized water into a fine de-gassing droplet spray directed at the cooled surface. The droplets are sized to substaxitialiy freeze on contact wvith the cooled surfaee.
There sH,la xerx~.a.ins a need for an. energy efficient means of. resurfacing an ice surface while providing fox dense high quality ice.
_2-JJ-12 773-1CA, ~~,TM1~~~RY OF THL INS' W a present invention provides an, apparatus for resu~ac~.rig of an ice surface to provide .for dense high quality ice. The apparatus comprises an ice resurfacing machine having a water storage taz~~C connected to a water delivery systezxi eompxi.sing a delivery pipe to a conditioning box and a flood bar assembly to apply water from the water storage to a flood cloth. One or more magnets are pxovided to magnetically treat the water as the water flows through the water delivery system thereby producing a denser mare high. quality ice.
to In. an aspect of the invention, one or more magnets are located along the delivery pipe.
ln, axiother aspect of the invention, one or more magnets ate .located on the delivery 15 pipe adjacent the flood box assembly.
In yet another aspect of the inventiox4 dne or more magnets ace located along the .fl.dod bar assembly.
TITLE: ICE RFSURFAC.TiVG MACI~VE
~LI7 Oh THE INVENTTON
The present invention relates to khe field of ice making equipment and more particular, to an ice resurfaces for forming a layer of ice on a cool surface, such as may be found in hockey anal iCe skating axetta.S.
1.0 SACKGROLTND OF THE INVENT1~N
Arenas used for h.ackey arid ite skatizxg axe typically formed on concrete floors in.
which are embedded pipes carrying a clzilled solution. Th.e chilled solution Lowers fhe temperature of the concrete floor to as low as 10°F, well below the 32°F freezing temperature of water. The ch.i.lled floor is t1~.e~a. flooded. wi.kl, water which freezes to form an ice surface. Typically indoor ice skating rinks have a Iayer of ice of about 1 !/z inches in total. The ice is built up to this thickness by repeatedly flooding the surface with layers of water. 'The layers freeze one onto the next to form the Full layer of ice. In a typical application, after the first couple layers of i.ce are placed an.
the chilled surface, the ice is painted white to provide a good conkrast to the ice surface. A caupl.e mare layers of ice are placed over the painted layer for protectixtg the painted ice layer. At this point, additional graphics are painted an khe zee such as, for example, the red and blue lines, goal lines and the like fox hockey as well as any additional advertising gxaphics, such as corporate logos. A couple move layers of ice are then placed on top of these ice ~xrfaces to provide for the final layer of ice for hockey or ice skating.
In order to provide for the optimum surface for hockey and ice skatW g, it is dESiuCable that the ice be relatively dense. This is generally accom.pIished through the use of hot water as it freezes fo a more dense and harder ice surface then cooler water.
Generally, the water is heated to about 150°F for the making of ice in an az~ena.
During maintenance of the ice, after khe initial ice is foxmEd, an ice resurfaces such as a ~aznboxdrM or OlympiaTM is used to shave the ice to remove slush, snow and dirt from the surface of the iCe. The .resurfaces then floods the surface of the ice with fresh wafer. 'This is generally a.ccomplislxed by dragging a rag or cloth at the rear of the ice resurfaces onto which watex is sprEad td provide for a uniform, film of. watE~r 1J-lz ~~3-tcA
to be distributed ovex th.e i.ce suxfaCe. Th.e snow and shavings picked up by the xesuxfacer are stored in the snow tank which are then dumped after the resurfaeer is finished.
Typically, to resurface a sheet of axena ice, about 120 gallons of water is heated to 150°F. This xetluires a significant amount of energy to both. heat the water as well as create a. xe~rigcration load in the cooling solution of the chilled ~loar to properly freeze th.e suxface of the ice.
1 A There have been attempts in the past to provide for reduced energy consumption during ice making and maintenance. Ft~r example, US Patent 5,536,41.1.
describes a process whereby tr.e water used to food the ice rink is de-mineralized. by xevcrsc osmosis and carbon Filtered. In this way It is only necessary to heat the water to about 90'F. However, this still requires some ad.d itional energy to be used Fox the processing of the water.
US Patent ~4,953,36a describes the use of an additive in the water used to form the ice or ice layers. The additive comprises a surfactant a primary almh.o). axtd a.
silicone.
The siufactan.t acts to reduce the surface tension of the water while the silicone acts 2o as a. defoamex col.l.apsing az~y bubbles formed on the surface and also as a lubricant when pressure is applied on the ice such as an ice skate blade. ',Che a.lcoh.ol is believed to aid in providing a generally homogenous mixture when added to the water. Through the use of the additive this allows the wdaet to be only heated to about 45 - 55°F. I3owever, the savings in energy are offset somewhat by th.e cast of the additives.
US Patent 6,931,874 describes an ice maker which utilizes a source of de-gassed water which is de-gassed by being heated. A pump to pressurize the de-gassed. water is provided and the water is passed, to a sprayer hydraulically connected to th.e pump.
The sprayer has noy~les si.~.~ed and shaped to convert tl7e pressurized water into a fine de-gassing droplet spray directed at the cooled surface. The droplets are sized to substaxitialiy freeze on contact wvith the cooled surfaee.
There sH,la xerx~.a.ins a need for an. energy efficient means of. resurfacing an ice surface while providing fox dense high quality ice.
_2-JJ-12 773-1CA, ~~,TM1~~~RY OF THL INS' W a present invention provides an, apparatus for resu~ac~.rig of an ice surface to provide .for dense high quality ice. The apparatus comprises an ice resurfacing machine having a water storage taz~~C connected to a water delivery systezxi eompxi.sing a delivery pipe to a conditioning box and a flood bar assembly to apply water from the water storage to a flood cloth. One or more magnets are pxovided to magnetically treat the water as the water flows through the water delivery system thereby producing a denser mare high. quality ice.
to In. an aspect of the invention, one or more magnets are located along the delivery pipe.
ln, axiother aspect of the invention, one or more magnets ate .located on the delivery 15 pipe adjacent the flood box assembly.
In yet another aspect of the inventiox4 dne or more magnets ace located along the .fl.dod bar assembly.
2~ zn another aspect of the xnverktiot~, the magnets az~e equally spaced along the flood box assembly.
In another aspect of the invention, one or more xixagnets are located at both of on the delivezy pipe and along the flood bar assembly.
The present inven.ti.on ~elsa provides for a nnefhod of forming an ire surface on a chilled surface, the method comprising passing the water to be applied to the chilled sttt'face through a magnetic field to produce denser, higher quality iCe.
BRIEF D1;SCRI1'TION O~ "l~Ilv DRA4I~fNGS
Preferred embodiments of the ,present.invenkion are illustrated in, tl~e attached drawings itt. which:
Figuxe 7. .is a side eIevatiori view in crass section of an ice resUrfa~.ng machine accordi.n.g td the present invert lion;
In another aspect of the invention, one or more xixagnets are located at both of on the delivezy pipe and along the flood bar assembly.
The present inven.ti.on ~elsa provides for a nnefhod of forming an ire surface on a chilled surface, the method comprising passing the water to be applied to the chilled sttt'face through a magnetic field to produce denser, higher quality iCe.
BRIEF D1;SCRI1'TION O~ "l~Ilv DRA4I~fNGS
Preferred embodiments of the ,present.invenkion are illustrated in, tl~e attached drawings itt. which:
Figuxe 7. .is a side eIevatiori view in crass section of an ice resUrfa~.ng machine accordi.n.g td the present invert lion;
n-12 77~-1CA
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the piping and flue flood bar of the ice xesurfacing machine of Figure 1;
figure 3 is a side elevation view of the piping and flood bar of Pigure 2; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of an alterx,ative arrangement of the present invention.
~?~T.A.1LED DL~SCR1PT20N OF TI~3E INV>~N"1'lON
An ice resurfacing machine 10 according to the present invention is illustTat~ed in Figure 1. The ice xesurfacer 10 includes tt tank assembly x2, wheels 19., an operator position 16 and an ice resurfacing unit 9.8.
The ice resurfacing unit includes a. scra.pcr bar 20 contained wifihin a conditioning box 2I to shave the ioe surface and prep~ze .fox receiving the watex for xesurfacing the ice. The skravings from the scraper bar 20 are fed by means of a conveyor unit 22 to ttte snow holding tank 24contained ~nuthix,. the top portion of the tarok assembly 12.
~.e bottom portion of tl~e tank assembly 72 holds a water tank Z6 which contains the 2Q water for application to the surface of the i.ce. ,A, water delivery system including a piping assembly 28 distributes the water from the water tanlt 26 onto the flood ba..r assembly 30 to thereby be applied to the flood cloth 32 to form the ice surface.
l~s illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, in one embodiment of the invention, one vr, more magnets 34 are provided at one or more locations along the water delivery system preferably alrnng the piping assembly 28 and flood bar assembly 30. The magnets 34 are attached to the exterior suxface of the piping assembly 28 or flood 'bar a~embly such klaat the water flowing in the pipes are subject to floe magnetic fief d generated by tkte magnets. 'tkue magnets are arranged on the pipes such that the north pole are 30 or, Tented outwardly and th.e aouth pale of the tl3.agnet is oriented inwardly to the pipe.
There are a number of diffemnt locations at which the magnets ~aao be placed to provide for the desired effect rnt the water flowring through th.e pipe. The magnets 34 may be placed on the piping assembly to surrouz~.d the piping assembly 28 such that the water is treated by the magnetic field prior to its distributto~n. through the flood bar assembly 30. Altentatively, one or more magnets may be placed along the :flood bar assembly 30 such that the watex is subjected to the magnetic held just prior to its ,a-r;-iz ors-icn exitix,,g the flood. bar assembly 30 through the openings 36 provided along the length of the flood bar assembly 30. Preferably, for a maximum eFFect, it has beett found that a txumber of magnets placed arouyad. the piping assembly 28 as well as magnets placed along the length of the flood bar assennbly 30 are most effect for the desi~~ed kreatment.
An altezxiative arrangement .for the magnet Fox treating the water in the presexrt invention is illustrated in Figure 4. F~CI.t o~ the alternative arrangements described bel.ommay be utilized on their own or ixw combination with. other arrangernen.ts as l0 described. The ice for resurfacing machine 7.0 is typically prav;.ded with a conditi.otting box 22 immediately in front of the .fl.ood bar assembly 30. The purpose o~ the conditioni,.tg box 21 is to apply waiter to the surface of th.e ice so that any .nuts present in the ice will be filed in with a wet slush of the combination of the water and the sztow on the surface of the ice. In the altezxtative arrangement illu.skxaked in t5 Figure 4, the outer surFa.ce o~ the conditioning box 2I and/or the supply pipe 40 supplying the water to th.e conditioning box 2I are pz~avided with one or arose magnets 34 ox~icnt~ed as described above. In addition, an exkension bar!12 may be provided above the flood cloth 34 to ptorrxde a magnetic field to th.e water in the flood Cloth or immediately after the Flood cloth to mnd.iti.an the water as it is applied.
20 to the ice surface.
~'o resurface the .ice utilizing the apparatus of the present invention, the operator operates the ice resurfaces in. khe r<ozxxtal manner scraping the ice and flooding the ice with the thin. layer of water applied to the ice through the flood cloth. In operati.rnt 25 th.e water from the water tank 26 i.s dispensed along the pipizzg assembly to the cond;tionirg box as well as to the flood. box assembly 30 where it exits the flood bar assembly 30 through. fine openings 3b. Tlte Tnraher then falls on the .fl.aod cloth 32 from whi.eh it is dispensed on to the surface of the ice.
30 It has been Found that utilizing th,e magnets to interact with the water utilized xn ice resurfacing axe accordance with the presezek invention provides riumErous benefits to a.n npere.tor of the ice resurFacin.g machine. Firstly, the ice prepared utilizing the apparatus of the present inven.iion has been found to be very dense and l7i.gh. quality such that ruts formed in. the surface of the ice as a. result of the skaters movement of 35 the skate blades are not as deep as those formed in ice utilizing a standard. ice resurfaces of the prior ark. In addition anal. nn.oze importantly, is has been Found. that this ice may be formed, utilizing much lower temperature water than has previously commonly been used in ice resurfacing machines. While typically the water in a ice _g_ fJ-12 773..7LCA
resurfacing machine i.s heafied to about 250'F fox the making of ice in an, axeria, witlx I:he apparatus of. the present invention, it has been found that water of 90°F or perhaps even less may be utilized to farm the dense high quality ice. 'X'11e ice forb:aed with the apparatus of the present invention has been also found to be much clearly perhaps as a result of less dissolved gases within the water. The denser, ice also allows for betker oonduclivity of the chi.lliztg effect of the chilled, floor la the surface of the ice. It has also been .fou~id chat ice formed witk~ the ice resvrfacer of the present invention is a faster ice where skater's movement is quicker as well as for hockey games the puck has been .found to move faster on such ice.
as In addition. to using the magnets to treat the water applied to an ice surface with an ice resurfacing machine, the water utilized to build up the original ice layers may also be rnagneti.cal~y treai~d. This ma.y be accomplished. by providing on.e or more magnets on the hose used to flood. the Ch.i.l.led surface to produce the ice layer. The xxtagnets are preferably provided in a collar either attached to khe hose or through which the hose passes. In this way, the original ice layers a.re dense and of h.igli.
quality, making the .resurfacing of the ice much easier.
While it;.s x~ot exactly know haw the magnets increase the density and quality of the ice, it is postulated that it may be in pant due to the magnetic field acting on the water molecules to reduce the bond angles and allow for denser packing of the water molecules in the ice as i.t is forming.
While preferred embolirnen.ts of the present .inventian have been described laerei.n in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that varialaans may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended. claims.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the piping and flue flood bar of the ice xesurfacing machine of Figure 1;
figure 3 is a side elevation view of the piping and flood bar of Pigure 2; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of an alterx,ative arrangement of the present invention.
~?~T.A.1LED DL~SCR1PT20N OF TI~3E INV>~N"1'lON
An ice resurfacing machine 10 according to the present invention is illustTat~ed in Figure 1. The ice xesurfacer 10 includes tt tank assembly x2, wheels 19., an operator position 16 and an ice resurfacing unit 9.8.
The ice resurfacing unit includes a. scra.pcr bar 20 contained wifihin a conditioning box 2I to shave the ioe surface and prep~ze .fox receiving the watex for xesurfacing the ice. The skravings from the scraper bar 20 are fed by means of a conveyor unit 22 to ttte snow holding tank 24contained ~nuthix,. the top portion of the tarok assembly 12.
~.e bottom portion of tl~e tank assembly 72 holds a water tank Z6 which contains the 2Q water for application to the surface of the i.ce. ,A, water delivery system including a piping assembly 28 distributes the water from the water tanlt 26 onto the flood ba..r assembly 30 to thereby be applied to the flood cloth 32 to form the ice surface.
l~s illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, in one embodiment of the invention, one vr, more magnets 34 are provided at one or more locations along the water delivery system preferably alrnng the piping assembly 28 and flood bar assembly 30. The magnets 34 are attached to the exterior suxface of the piping assembly 28 or flood 'bar a~embly such klaat the water flowing in the pipes are subject to floe magnetic fief d generated by tkte magnets. 'tkue magnets are arranged on the pipes such that the north pole are 30 or, Tented outwardly and th.e aouth pale of the tl3.agnet is oriented inwardly to the pipe.
There are a number of diffemnt locations at which the magnets ~aao be placed to provide for the desired effect rnt the water flowring through th.e pipe. The magnets 34 may be placed on the piping assembly to surrouz~.d the piping assembly 28 such that the water is treated by the magnetic field prior to its distributto~n. through the flood bar assembly 30. Altentatively, one or more magnets may be placed along the :flood bar assembly 30 such that the watex is subjected to the magnetic held just prior to its ,a-r;-iz ors-icn exitix,,g the flood. bar assembly 30 through the openings 36 provided along the length of the flood bar assembly 30. Preferably, for a maximum eFFect, it has beett found that a txumber of magnets placed arouyad. the piping assembly 28 as well as magnets placed along the length of the flood bar assennbly 30 are most effect for the desi~~ed kreatment.
An altezxiative arrangement .for the magnet Fox treating the water in the presexrt invention is illustrated in Figure 4. F~CI.t o~ the alternative arrangements described bel.ommay be utilized on their own or ixw combination with. other arrangernen.ts as l0 described. The ice for resurfacing machine 7.0 is typically prav;.ded with a conditi.otting box 22 immediately in front of the .fl.ood bar assembly 30. The purpose o~ the conditioni,.tg box 21 is to apply waiter to the surface of th.e ice so that any .nuts present in the ice will be filed in with a wet slush of the combination of the water and the sztow on the surface of the ice. In the altezxtative arrangement illu.skxaked in t5 Figure 4, the outer surFa.ce o~ the conditioning box 2I and/or the supply pipe 40 supplying the water to th.e conditioning box 2I are pz~avided with one or arose magnets 34 ox~icnt~ed as described above. In addition, an exkension bar!12 may be provided above the flood cloth 34 to ptorrxde a magnetic field to th.e water in the flood Cloth or immediately after the Flood cloth to mnd.iti.an the water as it is applied.
20 to the ice surface.
~'o resurface the .ice utilizing the apparatus of the present invention, the operator operates the ice resurfaces in. khe r<ozxxtal manner scraping the ice and flooding the ice with the thin. layer of water applied to the ice through the flood cloth. In operati.rnt 25 th.e water from the water tank 26 i.s dispensed along the pipizzg assembly to the cond;tionirg box as well as to the flood. box assembly 30 where it exits the flood bar assembly 30 through. fine openings 3b. Tlte Tnraher then falls on the .fl.aod cloth 32 from whi.eh it is dispensed on to the surface of the ice.
30 It has been Found that utilizing th,e magnets to interact with the water utilized xn ice resurfacing axe accordance with the presezek invention provides riumErous benefits to a.n npere.tor of the ice resurFacin.g machine. Firstly, the ice prepared utilizing the apparatus of the present inven.iion has been found to be very dense and l7i.gh. quality such that ruts formed in. the surface of the ice as a. result of the skaters movement of 35 the skate blades are not as deep as those formed in ice utilizing a standard. ice resurfaces of the prior ark. In addition anal. nn.oze importantly, is has been Found. that this ice may be formed, utilizing much lower temperature water than has previously commonly been used in ice resurfacing machines. While typically the water in a ice _g_ fJ-12 773..7LCA
resurfacing machine i.s heafied to about 250'F fox the making of ice in an, axeria, witlx I:he apparatus of. the present invention, it has been found that water of 90°F or perhaps even less may be utilized to farm the dense high quality ice. 'X'11e ice forb:aed with the apparatus of the present invention has been also found to be much clearly perhaps as a result of less dissolved gases within the water. The denser, ice also allows for betker oonduclivity of the chi.lliztg effect of the chilled, floor la the surface of the ice. It has also been .fou~id chat ice formed witk~ the ice resvrfacer of the present invention is a faster ice where skater's movement is quicker as well as for hockey games the puck has been .found to move faster on such ice.
as In addition. to using the magnets to treat the water applied to an ice surface with an ice resurfacing machine, the water utilized to build up the original ice layers may also be rnagneti.cal~y treai~d. This ma.y be accomplished. by providing on.e or more magnets on the hose used to flood. the Ch.i.l.led surface to produce the ice layer. The xxtagnets are preferably provided in a collar either attached to khe hose or through which the hose passes. In this way, the original ice layers a.re dense and of h.igli.
quality, making the .resurfacing of the ice much easier.
While it;.s x~ot exactly know haw the magnets increase the density and quality of the ice, it is postulated that it may be in pant due to the magnetic field acting on the water molecules to reduce the bond angles and allow for denser packing of the water molecules in the ice as i.t is forming.
While preferred embolirnen.ts of the present .inventian have been described laerei.n in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that varialaans may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended. claims.
Claims (10)
1. An ice resurfacing machine to provide dense high quality ice, the machine comprising a water storage tank connected to a water delivery system comprising a delivery pipe to a conditioning box and a flood bar assembly to apply water from the water storage tank to a flood cloth, the water delivery system being provided with one or more magnets to magnetically treat the water as the water flows through the water delivery system thereby producing a denser more high quality ice.
2. An ice resurfacing machine to provide dense high quality ice, the machine comprising a water storage tank connected by a delivery pipe to a flood bar assembly having a flood cloth to apply the water to an ice surface, at least one of the delivery pipe and flood bar assembly being provided with one or more magnets to magnetically treat the water as it flows through the delivery pipe and the flood bar assembly.
3. An ice resurfacing machine according to claim 2 wherein one or more magnets are located along the delivery pipe.
4. An ice resurfacing machine according to claim 3 wherein one or more magnets are located on the delivery pipe adjacent the flood bar assembly.
5. An ice resurfacing machine according to claim 2 wherein one or more magnets are located at both of on the delivery pipe adjacent the distributor pipe and along the flood bar assembly.
6. An ice resurfacing machine according to claim 5 wherein said magnets are equally spaced along the flood bar assembly.
7. An ice resurfacing machine according to claim 2 wherein one or more magnets are located along the flood bar assembly.
8. An ice resurfacing machine according to claim 7 wherein said magnet are equally spaced along the flood bar assembly.
9. A method of forming an ice surface on a chilled surface, the method comprising passing water to be applied to the chilled surface through a magnetic field to produce denser, higher quality ice.
10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the water is applied to the chilled surface using an ice resurfacing machine having a water storage tank connected by a delivery pipe to a flood bar assembly to apply water from the water storage to a flood cloth dragged along the chilled surface, at least one of the delivery pipe and flood bar assembly being provided with one or more magnets to magnetically treat the water as the water flows through the delivery pipe and the flood bar assembly thereby producing a denser more high quality ice.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2564096 CA2564096A1 (en) | 2005-10-14 | 2006-10-16 | Ice resurfacing machine |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002523509A CA2523509A1 (en) | 2005-10-14 | 2005-10-14 | Ice resurfacing machine |
| CA2,523,509 | 2005-10-14 | ||
| CA 2564096 CA2564096A1 (en) | 2005-10-14 | 2006-10-16 | Ice resurfacing machine |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2564096A1 true CA2564096A1 (en) | 2007-04-14 |
Family
ID=37913505
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2564096 Abandoned CA2564096A1 (en) | 2005-10-14 | 2006-10-16 | Ice resurfacing machine |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2564096A1 (en) |
-
2006
- 2006-10-16 CA CA 2564096 patent/CA2564096A1/en not_active Abandoned
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
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| FZDE | Dead |