CN105333661A

CN105333661A - Water distribution system for ice-making machine

Info

Publication number: CN105333661A
Application number: CN201510374320.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 林恩·H·罗克韦尔
Original assignee: Manitowoc Foodservice Companies Inc
Current assignee: Welbilt Foodservice Companies LLC
Priority date: 2014-06-30
Filing date: 2015-06-30
Publication date: 2016-02-17
Also published as: CN205351888U; US20150377538A1

Abstract

The assembly of the present disclosure includes a one-piece, molded or formed water distribution tube and an evaporator component or top. The tube connects to the evaporator component without the use of any additional fasteners such as metal screws. A protrusion or tab formed in the tube effects the connection to the evaporator component. Water is introduced to the tuba via an inlet, where the water flow is evened out partially with a divider within the tube. The water exits through drainage holes in the tube, and passes over an evaporator to be frozen into ice.

Description

For the water distribution system of ice machine

The cross reference of related application

This application claims the U.S. Provisional Patent Application sequence number No.62/019 submitted on June 30th, 2014, the priority of 092, the full content of this application is incorporated to herein by reference.

Technical field

Present disclosure relates to the water dispenser for ice machine.More specifically, present disclosure relates to and a kind ofly has two-part construction and do not need to use the water dispenser of any extra securing member.

Background technology

In the ice machine that some are current, there is the device of the jet of metastasis and extension water over a wide region.Moisture is made into and makes it can cross evaporimeter and manufacture ice.Current available system has multiple component system, and it may be manufacture complexity and manufacturing cost is high.In addition, these current distribution systems have by metal fastenings or the interconnective parts of buckle-like part.These securing members can fluff and are called undesirable defect by the user of machine during the operation of ice machine.

With reference to Fig. 1 a, show the water distribution assembly 100 of prior art.Assembly 100 has evaporimeter top 110 and two parts distributing pipe, that is: Part I 120 and Part II 130.Part I 120 is connected to Part II 130 by one or more securing member 122.Usually multiple securing member 122 is had, such as, four as shown.Water is introduced into the inlet jet 132 in Part II 130.As discussed in more detail below and illustrating, aqueous dispersion is in Part II 130 and dripped by the bottom outlet produced by the matching surface of Part I 120 and Part II 130.This water is crossed evaporimeter top 110 and is marched to vaporization chamber (not shown) downwards, and water freezes at this vaporization chamber place.

As mentioned above, this configuration of assembly 100 has some shortcomings.Be complicated and time-consuming by multi-part assembling components for user, and this multi-part assembly is difficult to maintenance together.Securing member 122 can shift out and enter refrigerator-freezer or employ other regions of machine of assembly 100.In addition, optimization is not had by jet pipe 132, the path of water of flowing out by Part II 130 and above top 110.This thereby produces the situation that water can not fill vaporization chamber equably.

Therefore, be necessary to solve these defects.

Summary of the invention

The water dispenser of present disclosure presents non-existent some advantages in current available system.The device of present disclosure has two component type structures, and this provides significant cost savings at manufacture view and is easier to maintenance and cleans.Two parts are interconnected and without the need to using any other securing member.In addition, as discussed in more detail below, the water dispenser of present disclosure provides the water flow path of improving water flow path used at present.The path of the improvement of present disclosure contributes to guaranteeing that water is more uniformly distributed in above evaporimeter, makes ice to freeze.

Thus, in one embodiment, this disclosure provides a kind of water distribution pipe for ice machine.This pipe comprises entrance, the passage limited by basal surface and multiple peripheral projection outer wall and the multiple osculums being positioned at passage completely.Water is fully introduced into pipe by entrance completely, complete admission passage, and is discharged by multiple hole completely.Pipe is the pipe that single-piece forms and is molded.

In another embodiment, this disclosure provides a kind of assembly for ice machine, this assembly comprises the water distribution pipe that single-piece forms and is molded.This pipe comprises: entrance, and wherein, water is introduced into pipe by entrance; Passage, passage is limited by basal surface and multiple peripheral projection outer wall; And be positioned at multiple osculums of passage completely.This assembly also comprises evaporimeter.Water is fully introduced into pipe by entrance completely, complete admission passage, and is discharged to completely on evaporimeter by multiple hole completely.Water distribution pipe is connected directly to evaporimeter and completely without the need to using any securing member.

In another embodiment, this disclosure provides a kind of method of distributing and freezing water, the method comprises step water being introduced into distributing pipe and the step that water is just passed through on an evaporator.The water distribution pipe that pipe forms for single-piece and is molded, and pipe comprises: entrance, and wherein, water is introduced into pipe by entrance completely; Passage, passage is limited by basal surface and multiple peripheral projection outer wall; And be positioned at multiple osculums of passage completely.During passing through step, all water is fallen on evaporimeter completely by all osculums.

Accompanying drawing explanation

Fig. 1 a shows the exploded view of the water distribution assembly according to prior art.

Fig. 1 b illustrates the exploded view of the water distribution assembly according to present disclosure.

Fig. 2 a shows the sectional view of the water distribution assembly of Fig. 1 a.

Fig. 2 b shows the sectional view of the water distribution assembly of Fig. 1 b.

The water distribution assembly that Fig. 2 c shows Fig. 1 a is subject to capillary impact.

Fig. 3 a shows the upward view of the water distribution assembly of Fig. 1 a.

Fig. 3 b shows the upward view of the water distribution assembly of Fig. 1 b.

Fig. 4 a shows the top perspective view of parts in the parts of the water distribution system of Fig. 1 a.

Fig. 4 b shows the top perspective view of parts in the parts of the water distribution system of Fig. 1 b.

Detailed description of the invention

With reference to figure, in particular with reference to Fig. 1 b, show the allocation component 200 of present disclosure.Assembly 200 has two-part construction, makes single distributing pipe 220 can be connected directly to evaporimeter top 210 and without the need to using any extra securing member.This provide and to be easier to assemble and clean compared with current applicable components, the number of required parts to be minimized and the lower simpler structure of cost.Compared with the assembly 100 with seven parts, assembly 200 can have two parts or parts.Pipe 220 can be molded or be formed as integral type parts.This may be challenging due to the geometry of the complexity of pipe 220, but then, which strongly simplifies assembling and safeguard.

As discussed in more detail below, water enters assembly 200 by jet pipe or entrance 222, and this jet pipe or entrance 222 are molded integratedly with pipe 220 or are formed.Water advances to the inner passage 230 of pipe 220 from entrance 222.Passage 230 can have multiple concave wall 231, and described multiple concave wall 231 upwards to extend and around basal surface 233 (Fig. 2 b, Fig. 3 b, Fig. 4 b) from basal surface 233.Entrance 222 can be formed in a wall in wall 231.As described in greater detail below, the separator 232 in passage 230 makes the current dispersion of being come in by entrance 222, thus guarantees that hydraulic pressure is uniform along the length of pipe 220.Once passage 230 amount that is interior and wall 232 water below is long-pending to a certain extent, namely water can be crossed wall 232, flowed out by the outlet in pipe 220 or osculum and advanced on evaporimeter top 210.This considerably reduce the problem entering the uneven water flow distribution in vaporization chamber as found in current device.

Refer again to Fig. 1 b, pipe 220 has the first protuberance or end 224 and the second protuberance or end 226, and it can be connected to the mating groove in evaporimeter top 210.This connection can be clasped, frictional fit, location fit or pressure fitted.Importantly, as discussed above, do not need extra securing member that pipe 220 is fastened to evaporimeter top 210.End 224 and 226 can form with pipe 220 or be molded.Locating convex block 221 (Fig. 4 b)---forms or is molded as a part for pipe 220---and pipe 220 can be helped further to be fastened to evaporimeter top 210.Ice thickness detector (not shown) can through the guide hole 221a of locating convex block 221.This ice thickness detector is used for setting the thickness of the ice made by assembly 200, and this requires that the accurate location of pipe 220 keeps constant.

With reference to Fig. 2 a, show top 110, close-up view that prior art between Part I 120 with Part II 130 is connected.As previously discussed, water passing hole 136 is dripped, and this hole 136 is formed by the carinate formation in each in Part I 120 and Part II 130.Again, water is entered by jet pipe 132, disperses along Part II 130, and passing hole 136 vertically drops onto on evaporimeter top 110.This is disadvantageous, and reason is water when vertical landing through very short distance.Due to from capillary impact, therefore water may can not flow traverse evaporator top 110 equably, thus above the icehouse of evaporimeter, cause there is gap in the jet flow of drippage downwards.This effect is called as " soaking (wetout) ", and this effect has been shown in Fig. 2 c.Evaporimeter top 110 has dry gap 114, and this anti-sealing flows in vaporization chamber 116 equably.

On the contrary, as shown in figure 2b, pipe 220 have be positioned on pipe 220 with multiple osculums 234 of entrance 222 homonymy.Therefore, water is entered in pipe 220 by entrance 222, and in admission passage 230.On the first side that water accumulates in passage 230 or subchannel 236, and remained there by separator 232, until water arrives certain altitude.Once water arrives the height expected, it is namely through the second side or the subchannel 238 of separator 232 admission passage 230.Here, in the second side 238, water can be flowed out by osculum 234, the rear wall 212 at impact evaporimeter top 210, and spills on evaporimeter.Separator 232 can have one or more recess 233, and one or more recess 233 described can control water and advance to height the second side 238 from the first side 236.First subchannel 236 and the second subchannel 238 also can be called " front " subchannel and " afterwards " subchannel, because water is entered by the entrance 222 on " afterwards " side at evaporimeter top 210, advance in the first subchannel or " front " subchannel, and return back across separator 232 and enter the second subchannel or " afterwards " subchannel.Osculum 234 can be formed in a wall 231 in basal surface 233 or in wall 231.Osculum 234 also can partly be formed in each of basal surface 233 and a wall 231, is positioned at its intersection, as shown.

Thus, the mode that water is advanced along passage in assembly 200 is the significant improvement to current available apparatus.To advance in the first side 236 of passage 230 by making water and hold it in there, the many scrambling equalization in current can be made.When water is passed through separator 232 and flowed out by the osculum 234 in the second side 238, it has the travel path longer than current available apparatus.By knocking the rear wall 212 at evaporimeter top 210, current are broken up.This contributes to making any flow irregularities equalization or eliminating surface tension effect further, all " soaking " effects as described above.

Evaporimeter top 210 also can have the leading edge 214 than round at present design or more " nose circle ".This prevent water spill from the edge at evaporimeter top and do not advance to the problem vaporization chamber.The additional anti-sealing of surface tension provided by edge 214 spills away from vaporization chamber.

With reference to Fig. 3 a and Fig. 3 b, illustrate and solve another weak point of prior art design.As shown in fig. 3 a, in the assembly 100 of prior art, Part I 120 and Part II 130 must be interconnected so that it can be aimed at completely.This is due to hole 128, and---water drops onto on evaporimeter top 110 through described hole 128---is formed when described two parts 120 are connected with 130.If by assembly error or cause any non-aligned due to the tolerance in parts 120 and 130, then the some holes 128 in hole 128 can than other Kong Geng great, and thus current can be uneven.As illustrated in fig 3b and discussed above, the hole 234 of pipe 220 is formed in the wall portion of pipe 220, makes to there is not the error be associated with non-aligned or tolerance.In addition, osculum 234 can than the Kong Geng great in the current applicable components in the hole 128 of such as assembly 100 and so on.This is the in check current/momentum of the design of assembly due to present disclosure.The benefit in hole 234 comprise evenly water distribution, and reduce the possibility of obstruction because increasing or caused by deposit/fouling.

With reference to Fig. 4 a and Fig. 4 b, show another advantage of the assembly 200 of present disclosure.As shown in fig .4, for assembly 100, Part I 120 has the slype 121 being difficult to clean usually.By contrast, the passage 230 of pipe 220 is wider, and is thus easier to cleaning.Such as, the first side 236 and the second side 238 separately all can be enough wide so that the finger of Service Technician or other facilities can be suitable within it.

Material for assembly 200 can be checked and approved by NSF and the applicable any material contacted with drinkable water.Such as, described material can be the plastics of such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) (ABS) or polypropylene and so on.Have been found that ABS is particularly suitable, because the lower and intensity of its cost is enough to bear the geometry of molded complexity and the stress of method of attachment described above.

Although present disclosure is described with reference to one or more specific embodiment, but skilled person will appreciate that, various change can be made to present disclosure when not deviating from the scope of present disclosure, and can carry out its element various equivalent alternative.In addition, many amendments can be made when not deviating from the scope of present disclosure specific situation or material to be adapted to the teaching to present disclosure.Therefore, be intended to present disclosure is not limited to as imagining the optimal mode and disclosed specific (respectively) embodiment that are used for performing present disclosure.

Claims

1., for a water distribution pipe for ice machine, described water distribution pipe comprises:

Entrance;

Passage, described passage is limited by basal surface and multiple peripheral projection outer wall; And

Be positioned at multiple osculums of described passage,

Wherein, water is introduced into described pipe by described entrance, enters described passage, and is discharged by described multiple hole, and

Wherein, described pipe is the pipe that single-piece forms and is molded.

2. pipe according to claim 1, wherein, described entrance is formed in the first peripheral wall in described peripheral wall.

3. pipe according to claim 1, wherein, has separator in described passage, and wherein, described separator projects upwards from described basal surface, makes described passage be separated into the first subchannel and the second subchannel.

4. pipe according to claim 3, wherein, between first outer wall of described separator in described outer wall and the second outer wall, make described first subchannel between described first outer wall and described separator, and described second subchannel is between described separator and described second outer wall.

5. pipe according to claim 4, wherein, described entrance to be integral in described first outer wall and to be communicated with described second subchannel direct flow, makes water pass described entrance, accumulate in described second subchannel, and cross described separator and enter described first subchannel.

6. pipe according to claim 5, wherein, described osculum is arranged in described first subchannel, makes water pass described entrance, accumulates in described second subchannel, crosses described separator and enters described first subchannel, and flowed out by described osculum.

7. pipe according to claim 6, wherein, described osculum is arranged in the combination of described basal surface, described first outer wall or described basal surface and described first outer wall.

8. pipe according to claim 3, wherein, has vertical recess in described separator.

9., for an assembly for ice machine, described assembly comprises:

The water distribution pipe that single-piece forms and is molded, described pipe comprises:

Entrance; Wherein, water is introduced into described pipe by described entrance;

Be positioned at multiple osculums of described passage; And

Evaporimeter,

Wherein, water is introduced into described pipe by described entrance, enters described passage, and is discharged on described evaporimeter by described multiple hole, and

Wherein, described water distribution pipe is connected directly to described evaporimeter and without the need to using any securing member.

10. assembly according to claim 9, wherein, described pipe is connected to described evaporimeter by the protuberance be formed in described pipe.

11. assemblies according to claim 9, wherein, described pipe by being clasped, pressure fitted or frictional fit be connected to described evaporimeter.

12. assemblies according to claim 9, wherein, described evaporimeter has circular edge, and water crosses described circular edge.

13. assemblies according to claim 9, wherein, have separator in described passage, and wherein, described separator projects upwards from described basal surface, make described passage be separated into the first subchannel and the second subchannel.

14. assemblies according to claim 13, wherein, between first outer wall of described separator in described outer wall and the second outer wall, make described first subchannel between described first outer wall and described separator, and described second subchannel is between described separator and described second outer wall.

15. assemblies according to claim 14, wherein, described entrance to be integral in described first outer wall and to be communicated with described second subchannel direct flow, water is made to pass described entrance, accumulate in described second subchannel, and cross described separator and enter in described first subchannel.

16. 1 kinds of methods of distributing and freezing water, described method comprises the steps:

Water is introduced into distributing pipe; And

Water is just passed through on an evaporator,

Wherein, described pipe is the water distribution pipe that single-piece forms and is molded, and described pipe comprises:

Entrance, wherein, described water is introduced into described pipe by described entrance;

Be positioned at multiple osculums of described passage, make described by step during, described water is fallen on described evaporimeter by described osculum.

17. methods according to claim 16, wherein, have separator in described passage, and wherein, described separator projects upwards from described basal surface, make described passage be separated into the first subchannel and the second subchannel.

18. methods according to claim 17, wherein, between first outer wall of described separator in described outer wall and the second outer wall, make described first subchannel between described first outer wall and described separator, and described second subchannel is between described separator and described second outer wall.

19. methods according to claim 18, wherein, described entrance to be integral in described first outer wall and to be communicated with described second subchannel direct flow, and described method also comprises between described introducing step and described by the following step between step:

Make described water through described entrance, described water is accumulated in described second subchannel, and cross described separator and enter in described first subchannel.

20. methods according to claim 16, wherein, described water distribution pipe is connected directly to described evaporimeter and without the need to using any securing member.