EP1844275A1

EP1844275A1 - Ice preparation device

Info

Publication number: EP1844275A1
Application number: EP05813426A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Tom Stquentin; Craig Duncan Webster; Bernd Heger
Original assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2005-01-24
Filing date: 2005-12-02
Publication date: 2007-10-17
Also published as: US20090272141A1; WO2006076983A1; DE102005003240A1

Abstract

An ice preparation device comprises a frame (15) and a tray (1) that can be swiveled within the frame (15) about an axis. Said tray (1) comprises a plurality of compartments (4) that are disposed in a number of rows and separated from each other by partitions (3), and can be swiveled from an upright position, in which the upper edges of the partitions (3) run horizontally, a discharge position, in which the openings of the compartments (4) point downward, and a tilted position in which a defined amount of water filled into a row of the tray (1, 1', 1'') partially flows over the upper edges of the partitions (3) between the compartments (4) of the row while once the tray is swiveled back to the upright position, the partitions (3) separate the partial quantities of water distributed to the compartments from each other.

Description

Ice makers

The present invention relates to an ice maker comprising a frame and a tray pivotable in the frame about an axis and having a plurality of compartments arranged in a number of rows and separated by partitions. Such an icemaker is known, for example, from US Pat. No. 6,571,567 B2. This conventional ice maker is pivotal from an upright position, in which the upper edges of the intermediate walls between the compartments horizontally, in a discharge position in which the openings of the compartments facing down, so that finished pieces of ice may fall out of them.

To fill the compartments with water serves a stationary inlet pipe, which is arranged above the tray. Water from this inlet pipe first fills one of the compartments of the tray, and the other compartments of the tray fill only in turn with water when the respective compartments closer to the directly filled compartment begin to overflow. Inaccuracies in the metering of the amount of water therefore do not lead to evenly distributed variations in the size of all pieces of ice, but only affect the level of the furthest removed from the filling compartments, while the filling remains unchanged in the directly filled compartment and adjacent compartments. In order to ensure that all compartments furthest away from the filling point are completely filled, enough water must be poured in to flood the dividing walls between all compartments. However, this results in pieces of ice not being neatly separated from one another, but a contiguous block similar to a chocolate bar, which must be broken down into individual pieces before use.

To avoid this disadvantage, it would be desirable to be able to bring about a uniform distribution of water between the subjects can, without having to flood the partitions. In view of this, ice maker trays have already been proposed in which notches are formed in each of the upper edges of the intermediate walls, which facilitate the overflow of water from a full into an adjacent, yet receptive compartment. Again, there is the problem that a uniform distribution of water on the subjects is not achieved, as long as the water-filled cross section of the notches is so small that the surface tension affects the passage of water, and that when the cross section of the notches is increased in order to reduce the influence of the surface tension, contiguous pieces of ice are obtained.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an icemaker which makes it possible, by simple means, to produce individual, reliably separated pieces of ice of uniform dimensions or to produce pieces of ice of uniform dimensions, even if metered in every working cycle of the icemaker Quantity of water is not exactly adapted to the capacity of the ice maker tray.

The object is achieved by an ice maker with a frame and a tray pivotable in the frame about an axis, wherein the tray has a plurality of arranged in a number of rows, separated by intermediate walls compartments and between an upright position in which the upper edges the intermediate walls extend horizontally, and a discharge position in which the openings of the compartments facing downward, is pivotable, and in which the tray is further pivotable in a tilted position in which a predetermined amount of water in a number of trays of the tray filled in this Position inclined upper edges of the intermediate walls between the subjects of the series partially flooded and thus ensures an equal water level in all subjects, while after swinging back into the upright position, the intermediate walls separate the distributed to the compartments subsets of water.

The amount of water with which this effect can be achieved, is determined by the dimensions of the tray and its subjects and thus a characteristic of the tray.

The possibility described above of producing equal distribution of the water between the compartments is absent in the case of the aforementioned US Pat. No. 6,571,567 B2. Although here passes through the tray between its upright position and the emptying position an intermediate position in which, assuming a suitable profile of the longitudinal walls of the tray, it could lead to a partial flooding of partitions in a deeper of the two rows of the tray, but would in this Position simultaneously water from the higher of the two rows flow into the lower lying, so that between the subjects of the higher row no compensation is possible and instead there is a risk of overflow of the lower row.

The easiest way to create such a volume balance for all compartments of the ice maker tray is to form it with a single row of trays.

However, it is also possible to provide several rows of compartments side by side, in which case a partition wall between the rows, which is higher than the partitions between the cells of the row prevents overflow of water from a higher lying in the tilted position to a deeper level.

Preferably, the tilted position and the emptying position are accessible from the upright position by pivoting in opposite directions. Such a construction results in a simple movement during the operation of the ice maker, since during an ice-making cycle the tray does not have to change its pivotal direction when moved from the tilted position in which the volume compensation is effected to the upright position in which the water enters the cells are frozen, and finally goes into the emptying position.

It is possible to let the tray from the emptying position continue to rotate while maintaining the direction of rotation until it reaches tilted position again and can be refilled in this. Such a sequence of movements can be realized with a particularly simple drive mechanism.

Preferred dimensions, however, the tray is driven oscillating, as this allows a realization of the movement in a smaller space.

In this case, the tilted position and / or the emptying position preferably represents a reversal point of the oscillating movement.

The use of a transmission that converts a drive movement in the same direction in an oscillating movement of the tablet, makes it possible as a drive unit for the - A -

Movement of the tablet to use a cheap and easy to control motor with a single direction of rotation.

The fact that preferably on one longitudinal side of each row of subjects, as well as at least a part of the transverse sides of such a row over the top of the partitions projecting wall is formed, the possibility is created by a tilting of the tray, the passage of water from a compartment in to allow another on a large, not significantly affected by surface tension effects cross-sectional area, so that equal water levels in each compartment arise, and then by righting the tray to separate the water body in the individual compartments of each other neatly, so that obtained on freezing disjoint pieces of ice become.

In order to achieve a slanted state sufficient cross section for the passage of water between the subjects, the wall should protrude at least 5 mm above the upper edge of the intermediate walls.

In order to facilitate demolding of the finished pieces of ice, the subjects in cross section preferably have the shape of a circle segment. From these subjects, a piece of ice can be removed from the mold in a particularly simple manner by sliding in the circumferential direction of the circle segment, without, as in a conventional cuboid ice piece of z. As in US 6,571,567 B2 considered type, during demolding between the bottom of the tray and the ice body forms a cavity that impedes demolding, unless a prevailing in the cavity vacuum is compensated.

An electric heater may be provided on the icemaker tray to accelerate and facilitate demolding by superficial roughening of finished pieces of ice.

In order to achieve an intensive heat exchange with the environment, the tray may be provided with protruding heat exchanger fins. These ribs can simultaneously serve to hold a rod-shaped heating device inserted between them. In order to make the ice maker compact, the center axis of an imaginary smallest cylinder surrounding the tray is preferably selected as the pivot axis.

The upper edges of the intermediate walls are in the upright and the tilted position preferably above the pivot axis. As a result, a large cross-sectional area of the compartments can be realized with simultaneously compact outer dimensions of the ice maker.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. Show it:

Fig. 1 is an exploded view of an automatic ice maker according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the ice maker of Figure 1 in the assembled state with Eisbereiter tray in tilted position.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the ice maker of Fig. 1 and 2 in the direction of

Pivot axis;

4 shows the view of Figure 3 with partially cut sensor housing.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 view with ice maker tray in an upright position.

FIG. 6 shows a view similar to FIG. 4 with the ice maker tray in an upright position; FIG.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view similar to Figures 2 and 5 with the

Ice maker tray in emptying position;

FIG. 8 is a view analogous to FIGS. 4 and 6; FIG.

9 is a perspective exploded bottom view of the

Ice-maker tray; 10 is a schematic section through an ice maker according to a second

Embodiment in an upright position;

11 shows a section through the ice maker of Figure 10 in the tilted position ..; and

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a modified tray for a

Icemaker.

Fig. 1 shows an automatic ice cube maker according to the present invention in an exploded perspective view. It comprises a tray 1 in the form of a channel with a semi-cylindrical bottom, which is closed at their end sides in each case by transverse walls 2 and divided by uniformly spaced intermediate walls 3 in a plurality of identically shaped compartments 4, here seven pieces, with semi-cylindrical bottom , While the intermediate walls 3 are flush with the longitudinal wall 5 facing away from the observer, the longitudinal wall 6 facing the observer is extended beyond the upper edges of the intermediate walls 3. While the intermediate walls 3 are exactly semicircular, the transverse walls 2 in each case corresponding to the projection of the front longitudinal wall 6 on a sector 7 extending beyond the semicircular shape.

The tray is shown 1 in a tilted position, in which the upper edges of the segments 7 are substantially horizontal, while the intermediate walls 3 to the longitudinal wall 6 are downhill.

The tray 1 may be a plastic molding, preferably, because of the good thermal conductivity, it is designed as a cast aluminum.

On one of the transverse walls 2 of the tray 1, a hollow cylinder 11 is mounted; it serves for the sheltered accommodation of a coiled supply cable 12 which serves for the power supply of a heating device 13 (see FIG. 9) which is not visible in the figure and is attached to the underside of the tray 1. The tray 1 lies completely within an imaginary extension of the lateral surface of the hollow cylinder 11, which also represents the smallest possible cylinder into which the tray fits. One of the viewer facing transverse wall 2 projecting axle journal 14 extends on the longitudinal center axis of the hollow cylinder eleventh

A molded plastic frame is designated 15. It has an upwardly and downwardly open cavity 16 which is provided to mount the tray 1 therein. On the end walls 17, 18 of the cavity 16 bearing bushes 19, 20 are formed for the pivotable mounting of the tray 1. A longitudinal wall of the cavity 16 is formed by a box 21 which is provided to receive a drive motor 22 as well as various electronic components for controlling the operation of the icemaker. On the shaft of the drive motor 22, a pinion 23 is mounted, which can be seen better in Figures 3, 4, 6 and 8 respectively as in Figure 2. When fully assembled icemaker 23 finds the pinion space in a cavity 24 of the end wall 17th It forms there with a gear 25, a reduction gear.

The gear 25 carries a projecting in the axial direction pin 26 which is provided to engage in a vertical slot 27 of a vibrating body 28. Of the

Oscillating body 28 is guided horizontally displaceable by means of from the end wall 17 into the cavity 24 projecting pin 29 which engage in a horizontal elongated hole 30 of the vibrating body. One at a lower edge of the oscillating body

28 formed toothing 31 meshes with a gear 32 which is provided to be rotationally fixed to the journal 14 of the tray 1 to be plugged.

A to be screwed on the open side of the end wall 17 cover plate 33 closes the cavity 24. A mounting flange 34 with laterally beyond the end wall 17 protruding tabs 35 is used for mounting the icemaker in a refrigerator. A bottom plate 36 closes from below the box 21st

Fig. 2 shows, seen from the side of the end wall 18 and the box 21 ago, in a perspective view of the ice maker with the tray 1 in a tilted position. The upper edges of the sectors 7 on the transverse walls 2 of the tray 1 are horizontal.

Fig. 3 shows a frontal view of the ice maker from the side of the end wall 17 ago, with cover plate 33 and mounting flange 34 are omitted to give the view into the cavity 24 of the end wall 17 free. The configuration shown here is the one in which the icemaker is assembled. Various markings indicate a correct positioning of individual parts relative to each other. A first pair of markings 37, 38 is located on the end wall 17 itself, or on the gear 26 carrying the pin 26. If these markings 37, 38, as shown in the figure, are exactly aligned with each other, the pin 26 is located in a three o'clock position, that is, on the right-most point of his path, which he can reach. The mounted on the pin 26 and the stationary pin 29 vibrating body 28 is located at the right turning point of its path.

Aligned markings 39, 40 on a protruding over the sprocket flange 41 of the gear 32 and on the end wall 17 show a correct orientation of the gear 32 and consequently also with his

Achszapfen 14 in a cross-sectionally T-shaped recess of the gear 32 engaging trays 1 on. An inherently redundant pair of markers 42, 43 on the teeth 31 of the pivot body 28 and the gear 32 indicates the correct positioning of the gear 32 and the oscillating body 31 with respect to each other.

A sensor 44 for detecting the rotational position of the gear 32 is mounted adjacent thereto. It cooperates with a rib 45 projecting from the edge of the flange 41 on a part of its circumference in the axial direction, so that it can dive into a slot at the rear of the sensor housing. In the tilted position of FIG. 3, the rib 45 is largely hidden by the sensor 44 and the vibrating body 28. FIG. 4 differs from FIG. 3 in that the housing of the sensor 44 is shown partially cut away, so that two light barriers 46, 47 bridging the slot can be seen in its interior. The rib 45 is located just above the two light barriers 46, 47 so that an unillustrated control electronics can recognize from the fact that both light barriers are open, that the tray 1 is in the tilted position and the drive motor 22 can stop to To hold the tray 1 in the tilted position and be able to attack.

After a predetermined amount of water has been metered into the tray 1 under the control of the control circuit, the drive motor 22 is set in motion by the control unit to bring the tray 1 in the upright position in which the amounts of water in the compartments 4 of the tray. 1 neatly separated from each other. This position is in Fig. 5 in a perspective view corresponding to Fig. 2 and in Fig. 6 in a front view corresponding to Fig. 4 shown. The gear 25 is further rotated with respect to the position of Fig. 4 in the clockwise direction, but the same position of the tray 1 could also be achieved by a rotation of the gear 25 in the counterclockwise direction. The achievement of the upright position is recognized by the fact that the rib 45 begins to obstruct the lower light barrier 47.

In the upright position, the tray 1 remains standing for a while until the water in the compartments 4 is frozen. The standing time in the upright position can be fixed; Alternatively, the control circuit may also be connected to a temperature sensor to determine a sufficient time at the measured temperature for freezing the water on the basis of a measured temperature in the environment of the tray 1 and a characteristic curve stored in the control circuit.

After elapse of this period, the drive motor 22 is restarted to rotate the gear 25 in the position shown in Fig. 8, with the pin 26 in the 9 o'clock position. The control circuit detects that this position is reached when both light barriers 46, 47 are open again. The rib 45 is now clearly visible in the figure over much of its length.

In this position, the compartments 4 of the tray 1 are open at the bottom, so that the pieces of ice contained therein can fall out. In order to facilitate the dissolution of the ice pieces, the already mentioned electric heater 13 is provided. As can be seen in FIG. 9, this heating device 13 is a looped electric heating rod which extends in close contact with the tray 1 between heat exchanger ribs 49 projecting from its underside and partly in one at the bottom of the tray 1 formed groove 48 is received.

By briefly heating the tray 1 by means of the heater 13, the pieces of ice in the subjects 4 are superficially thawed. The between the tray 1 and the

Ice pieces thus produced water layer acts like a sliding film on which the pieces of ice are movable with very little friction. Due to the cylinder segment cross-sectional shape the fan 4 slide the pieces of ice easily out of the compartments 4 and fall into a not shown, arranged under the icemaker receptacle.

After draining the compartments 4, the drive motor is restarted, and the gear 25 is further rotated clockwise until it reaches the position shown in Fig. 2 to 4 again and begins a new cycle of operation of the icemaker.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show schematic sections through a second embodiment of the ice maker, with a cutting plane oriented perpendicular to the pivot axis of the tray 1 '. The tray 1 'is here in a conventional manner with - in the upright position shown in Fig. 10 - everywhere the same high upper edges of the intermediate walls 3 is formed. A longitudinal wall 6 'of the tray 1' is close to a stationary wall piece 8 at.

In the tilted position of FIG. 11, water 10 flooded not only in part the upper edges of the intermediate walls 3 between the individual compartments of the tray 1 ', so that the water level between the subjects compensates, but also the upper edge of the longitudinal wall 6'. Due to the close to the longitudinal wall 6 'adjacent wall piece 8, it is prevented from flowing.

FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of a tray 1 "with two rows of compartments 4. The row facing away from the viewer has a longitudinal wall which is raised above the intermediate walls 3, as already described for the exemplary embodiment of FIG.

Correspondingly inflated here is also a longitudinal partition wall 9 between the rows, which prevents in a tilted position of the tray 1 "overflow of water from one row to the other.

Claims

claims

An ice maker having a rack (15) and a tray (1, 1 ', 1 ") pivotable about an axis in the rack (15), the tray (1, 1', 1") having a plurality of in number arranged in rows, by intermediate walls (3) separated from each other compartments (4) and between an upright position, in which the

Upper edges of the intermediate walls (3) extend horizontally, and a discharge position in which the openings of the compartments (4) facing down, is pivotable, characterized in that the tray (1, 1 ', 1 ") further in a tilted position pivotable is in which a predetermined in a row of the tray (1, 1 ', 1 ") filled amount of water flooded the upper edges of the intermediate walls (3) between the subjects (4) of the series in part, while after pivoting back into the upright position Partitions (3) separating the partitions of the amount of water distributed on the compartments (4).

2. Ice maker according to claim 4, characterized in that the number of rows is one.

3. Ice maker according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tilted position and the emptying position from the upright position by pivoting in opposite directions can be achieved.

4. Ice maker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tray (1, 1 ', 1 ") is driven to oscillate

5. Ice maker according to claim 3, characterized in that the tilted position and / or the emptying position is a reversal point of the oscillating movement.

6. ice maker according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the tray (1) is associated with a transmission for converting a same direction drive movement in an oscillating movement of the tray (1). 7. Ice maker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on one longitudinal side of each row of compartments (4) and at least a part of their transverse sides over the upper edge of the intermediate walls (3) projecting wall (6,

7) is formed.

8. Ice maker according to claim 7, characterized in that the wall (6) projects at least 5 mm beyond the upper edges of the intermediate walls (3).

9. ice maker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the subjects (4) in cross section have the shape of a circle segment.

10. Ice maker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by an electric heater (13).

11. Ice maker according to claim 10, characterized in that the electric heating device (13) projects between an opening of the tray

Heat exchanger ribs (49) inserted heating element is.

12. Ice maker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pivot axis of the tray (1) is the central axis of a smallest surrounding the tray cylinder.

13. Ice maker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper edges of the intermediate walls (3) lie in the upright and the tilted position on the pivot axis.