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The present invention relates to a cooling device comprising an ice dispenser which enables the users to take ice pieces in different sizes.
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Cooling devices used today are manufactured with various auxiliary functions to enhance their marketability. One of these functions is automatic ice making systems. The said systems are typically disposed in a compartment of the cooling device which has an internal temperature lower than the freezing point of water. The ice making systems comprise an ice tray which has a plurality of cells used for storing and freezing the water. The ice trays are positioned above a receptacle used for storing the ice pieces formed by the ice trays. In the receptacle, various means are used to transfer and move the ice pieces toward a discharge channel arranged between the ice making system and the dispenser used to deliver the ice pieces to the user. The user activates the dispenser by pressing a button or simply by placing a glass at a designated area. Such cooling devices comprise options and means which enable the user to change the size of the ice pieces. In some cases where the user intends to use ice to prepare cocktails, the cooling device provides crushed ice pieces. On the other hand, when the user typically needs larger ice pieces to cool a beverage, he/she receives whole ice pieces. However, in the state of the art, there is no cooling device which enables the user to receive ice pieces of a size between crushed and whole ice pieces.
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In the state of the art Japanese Patent Document No.
JP2015230112 , a cooling device is disclosed, comprising an ice crushing system.
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Therefore, in the state of the art, there is a need for a cooling device which enables the users to receive crushed and whole ice pieces as well as ice pieces of intermediate sizes.
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The aim of the present invention is the realization of a cooling device which enables the users to receive crushed and whole ice pieces as well as ice pieces of intermediate sizes.
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The cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises a body; at least one door which is connected to the body to move so as to permit or prevent access to the interior of the body; at least one ice maker which is disposed in the body and which is configured to convert water into ice; at least one storage box which is connected to the ice maker to store the ice pieces formed by the ice maker; at least one recess which is arranged on the surface of the door facing outward from the body; at least one ice dispenser which is disposed in the recess to deliver the ice pieces stored in the storage box to the user; at least one ice channel which extends substantially between the storage box and the ice dispenser to deliver the ice pieces from the storage box to the ice dispenser; the cooling device further comprising an ice crushing mechanism having at least one shaft which is configured to perform a rotational movement in the storage box; at least one actuation member which is configured to supply the power necessary for the rotation of the shaft; a plurality of fixed crushing members which are borne on the shaft so as not to rotate with the shaft and so as to convert large ice pieces formed by the ice maker and stored in the storage box into ice pieces of intermediate sizes as desired by the user, wherein the distance between the fixed crushing members is adjustable; a plurality of rotating crushing members which are borne on the shaft so as to rotate together with the shaft; and at least one fixed crushing member bearing which is configured to bear the fixed crushing members so as to prevent the same from rotating while enabling the same to make linear movement. By means of the ice crushing mechanism, the distance between the successive fixed crushing members and the rotating crushing members is adjusted depending on the operation of the actuation member such that the large ice pieces in the storage box are broken into ice pieces of intermediate sizes selected by the user, preferably via the ice dispenser, and the resulting ice pieces pass through the ice channel and are delivered to the user via the ice dispenser. By means of the delivery of the ice pieces to the users in sizes desired by the user, the user satisfaction is improved.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice crushing mechanism comprises at least one moving member which is configured to move between a first position and a second position depending on the power supplied by the actuation member, and at least one distance adjustment mechanism which is configured to change the distance between the fixed crushing members and the rotating crushing members depending on the movement of the moving member.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the distance adjustment mechanism comprises a moving body which extends between each fixed crushing member and each rotating crushing member, and at least one spring which is connected to the moving body so as to be compressed and expanded depending on the movement of the moving member between the first position and the second position and which enables the moving body to make a linear movement.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the distance adjustment mechanism comprises at least one step which is arranged on the moving body and which is configured to enable the spring to take a position between an expanded position where the spring may have a predetermined maximum length and a compressed position where the spring may have a predetermined minimum length and to prevent the spring from taking a position outside of the said positions.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the distance adjustment mechanism comprises a fixed gear which has teeth thereon and which bears one end of the shaft so as to rotate about its axis; and the moving member which has teeth adapted to engage with the teeth on the fixed gear, which receives the power supplied by the actuation member via a power transmission gear connected to the actuation member so as to perform rotational movement about its axis and to make linear movement between the first position and the second position over the fixed gear by means of the gear connection between the moving member and the fixed gear.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the moving member is configured in the form of a hollow cylinder, which has teeth, on the surface thereof surrounding the internal cavity, adapted to engage with the fixed gear, and teeth, on the outer surface thereof, adapted to engage with the power transmission gear.
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By means of the present invention, a cooling device is realized, wherein the large ice pieces formed by the ice maker are converted into ice pieces of intermediate sizes between the dimensions predetermined by the manufacturer by means of the fixed crushing members and the rotating crushing members, with the distance therebetween being adjustable, in the ice crushing mechanism, thus improving the user satisfaction.
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The cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:
- Figure 1 - is the representative front view of the cooling device of the present invention.
- Figure 2 - is the cross-sectional view of detail A in Figure 1 when the first and second shutters are in the closed position in the cooling device of the present invention.
- Figure 3 - is the perspective view of the ice crushing mechanism in the cooling device of the present invention.
- Figure 4 - is the cross-sectional perspective view of the ice crushing mechanism in the cooling device of the present invention.
- Figure 5 - is the perspective view from another angle of the ice crushing mechanism in the cooling device of the present invention.
- Figure 6 - is the cross-sectional view of the ice crushing mechanism in a case where the fixed and rotating crushing members are close to each other in the ice crushing mechanism in the cooling device of the present invention.
- Figure 7 - is the cross-sectional view of the ice crushing mechanism in a case where the fixed and rotating crushing members are away from each other in the ice crushing mechanism in the cooling device of the present invention.
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The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:
- 1- Cooling device
- 2- Body
- 3- Door
- 4- Ice maker
- 5- Storage box
- 6- Recess
- 7- Ice dispenser
- 8- Ice channel
- 9- Shaft
- 10- Actuation member
- 11-Fixed crushing member
- 12- Rotating crushing member
- 13- Fixed crushing member bearing
- 14- Ice crushing mechanism
- 15- Moving member
- 16- Distance adjustment mechanism
- 17- Moving body
- 18- Spring
- 19- Step
- 20- Fixed gear
- 21- Power transmission gear
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The cooling device (1) comprises a body (2) wherein at least the foodstuffs to be stored for a long time by cooling are stored; at least one door (3) which can move between an open position providing access into the body (2) and a closed position preventing access into the body (2); at least one ice maker (4) which is disposed in the body (2) for making ice from water; at least one storage box (5) which is arranged in the body (2) to store the ice formed by the ice maker (4); at least one recess (6) which is arranged on the surface of the door (3) facing outward from the body (2); at least one ice dispenser (7) which is arranged in the recess (6) to deliver the ice stored in the storage box (5) to the user without requiring the user to open the door (3); and at least one ice channel (8) which extends substantially between the storage box (5) and the ice dispenser (7). The body (2) of the cooling device (1) preferably comprises a fresh food compartment which enables the foodstuffs to be kept fresh by cooling and a freezer compartment which enables the foodstuffs to be preserved for a long time by freezing, and the said ice maker (4) is typically disposed in the said freezer compartment. The ice maker (4) may be supplied with water manually by the user or may be supplied with water automatically, and transforms the supplied water into ice by means of the low ambient temperature. In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker (4) and the storage box (5) are arranged on the surface of the door (3) facing the interior of the body (2) so as to extend into the body (2). The ice formed by the ice maker (4) is preferably collected in a storage box (5) positioned immediately under the ice maker (4). When the user needs ice, a glass or a container is placed by the user into the recess (6), and the ice dispenser (7) is preferably activated by means of a trigger-like component. Thus, the ice pieces stored in the storage box (5) move through the ice channel (8) toward the ice dispenser (7), and the ice pieces fall into the glass or the container positioned in the recess (6).
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The cooling device (1) of the present invention comprises an ice crushing mechanism (14) having at least one shaft (9) which is configured to perform a rotational movement in the storage box (5); at least one actuation member (10) which is configured to supply the power necessary for the rotation of the shaft (9); a plurality of fixed crushing members (11) which are positioned sequentially and are borne on the shaft (9) to bring the large-sized ice pieces formed by the ice maker (4) to different sizes, wherein the distance between the fixed crushing members (9) is adjustable; a plurality of rotating crushing members (12) which make rotational movement together with the shaft (9) depending on the rotational movement of the shaft (9); and at least one fixed crushing member bearing (13) which is configured to bear the fixed crushing members (11) on the shaft (9) so as to make linear movement but not to make rotational movement. In the cooling device (1) of the present invention, when the user activates the ice dispenser (7) to receive an ice piece of intermediate size instead of a crushed or whole ice piece, the shaft (9) begins to rotate about its axis by means of the power supplied by the actuation member (10). While the shaft (9) performs the rotational movement, the fixed crushing members (11) and the rotating crushing members (12), which are preferably in the form of state of the art ice crushing blades, move almost linearly along the axis of the shaft (9) so as to adjust the distance therebetween to the distance required for breaking the large-sized ice pieces, which are formed by the ice maker (4) and stored in the storage box (5), into the size desired by the user. When the said distance is achieved, the ice pieces, broken between the rotating crushing members (12) rotating with the shaft (9) and the fixed crushing members (11) into the size desired by the user, leave the storage box (5) to pass through the ice channel (8) in order to be delivered to the user by means of the ice dispenser (7). In the cooling device (1) of the present invention, by means of the adjustable nature of the distance between the fixed crushing members (11) and the rotating crushing members (12), ice pieces in the size desired by the user can be delivered to him/her, which in turn leads to an improvement of user satisfaction.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice crushing mechanism (14) comprises at least one moving member (15) which is configured to move between a first position and a second position depending on the power supplied by the actuation member (10), and at least one distance adjustment mechanism (16) which is configured to change the distance between the fixed crushing members (11) and the rotating crushing members (12) depending on the movement of the moving member (15) between the first position and the second position. In this embodiment, depending on the direction of movement of the moving member (15) between the first and second positions, the distance adjustment mechanism (16) is triggered, and accordingly, the distance between the fixed crushing members (11) and the rotating crushing members (12) is brought to a value by means of the distance adjustment mechanism (16) which allows the large ice pieces to be broken into the size desired by the user.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the distance adjustment mechanism (16) comprises a moving body (17) which extends between each fixed crushing member (11) and each rotating crushing member (12), and at least one spring (18) which is arranged in the moving body (17) so as to be compressed and expanded depending on the movement of the moving member (15) between the first position and the second position and which enables the length of the moving body (17) to be changed. In this embodiment, depending on the movement of the moving member (15) between the first position and the second position, the tension on the spring (18) changes and with the change in the tension, the spring (18) expands and contracts. The spring (18), which is connected to the moving body (17), expands and contracts so as to enable the moving body (17) to move back and forth and to change the distance between the rotating crushing members (12) and the fixed crushing members (11).
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the distance adjustment mechanism (16) comprises at least one step (19) which is arranged on the moving body (17) and which is configured to enable the spring (18) to take a position between an expanded position where the spring (18) may have a predetermined maximum length and a compressed position where the spring (18) may have a predetermined minimum length and to prevent the spring (18) from taking a position outside of the said positions. By means of the step (19), the forward and backward movement of the spring (18), and hence of the moving body (17), is limited, thus enabling the user to bring the ice pieces into sizes within the range predetermined by the manufacturer.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the distance adjustment mechanism (16) comprises a fixed gear (20) which has teeth thereon and which bears one end of the shaft (9) so as to rotate about the axis of the shaft (9); and the moving member (15) which has teeth adapted to engage with the teeth on the fixed gear (20), which receives the power supplied by the actuation member (10) via a power transmission gear (21) connected to the actuation member (10) so as to perform rotational movement about its axis and to make linear movement between the first position and the second position over the fixed gear (20) by means of the gear connection between the moving member (15) and the fixed gear (20). The transmission of the drive in the form of rotational movement provided by the actuation member (10) to the moving member (15) as linear movement by means of the power transmission gear (21) and the fixed gear (20) offers advantages in terms of structural simplicity and reduced cost. Moreover, the use of simple gears in the said movement and drive transmission structure ensures reliability and long-term, error-free operation.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the moving member (15) is configured in the form of a hollow cylinder, which has teeth, on the surface thereof surrounding the internal cavity, adapted to engage with the fixed gear (20), and teeth, on the outer surface thereof, adapted to engage with the power transmission gear (21). In this embodiment, the power transmission gear (21) makes rotational movement depending on the drive provided by the actuation member (10), and the said rotational movement is transmitted to the moving member (15) via the teeth located on the outer surface of the moving member (15), and the moving member (15), in turn, receives the said rotational movement and makes a forward or backward linear movement along the extension axis thereof and of the fixed gear (20), depending on the rotation direction of the power transmission gear (21), by means of the teeth on the inner surface thereof which engage with the teeth of the fixed gear (20).
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By means of the present invention, a cooling device (1) is realized, wherein the large ice pieces formed by the ice maker (4) are converted into smaller ice pieces between the dimensions predetermined by the manufacturer by means of the fixed crushing members (11) and the rotating crushing members (12), with the distance therebetween being adjustable, thus improving the user satisfaction.