ES2744948T3 - Device for the production and crushing of ice cubes in a refrigeration and / or freezing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for making and crushing ice cubes in a refrigerating and/or freezing appliance with a production unit (10) for producing ice cubes, as well as with a crushing unit (20) for crushing the produced ice cubes in the production unit (10), where the production unit (10) and the crushing unit (20) are arranged in a common assembly (100), where in the assembly (100) they are otherwise housed transport means that are made and arranged in such a way that the ice cubes are transported from the production unit (10) to the crushing unit (20), where the transport means comprise a conveyor screw or spiral (60 ) driven by means of a motor (50), characterized in that the grinding unit (20) has four blades (22), which are arranged at a distance of 3 mm to 5 mm, preferably at a distance of 4 mm, because the trans thread or spiral carrier (60) has a helix and because the distance of the first spiral of the grinding unit (20) is in the range of 10 to 40 mm, preferably in the range of 20 mm to 30 mm, and because the thread or conveyor scroll (60) has a helix, the pitch of which is in the range of 10 to 40 mm, preferably in the range of 20 to 30 mm.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Device for the production and crushing of ice cubes in a refrigeration and / or freezing apparatus The present invention relates to a device for the production of ice cubes and their crushing in a refrigeration and / or freezing apparatus.

The arrangement of a machine for making ice cubes, for example, on the walls or on the ceiling of a freezing apparatus, is known from the prior art. For the rest it is known how to provide for a so-called crush unit , that is, a crushing unit by means of which ice cubes can be crushed. In arrangements known to the state of the art, the ice-making machine is arranged in the space of the apparatus independently of the crushing unit, which entails the disadvantage that the arrangement as a whole requires a lot of space, due to which consequently much useful content is lost. Apart from this the constructive effort in these solutions known to the state of the art is comparatively high.

Documents US 2006/0065008 A1, EP 1701 118 A2, US 5056688 A and US 2007/119193 A1 show in this respect in each case a device that has all the features of the preamble of claim 1. The present invention is therefore based on in order to improve a device of the type mentioned at the beginning in the sense that it requires little space and can be mounted easily.

This objective is solved by a device with the characteristics of claim 1.

The construction group can be used with few or no adaptations in different devices. Due to its structure it does not necessarily have to be placed on the ceiling or on the walls of the internal space of the apparatus, rather it is possible, due to the integration of the production unit in the construction group to arrange this in a discretionary position in the internal space of apparatus.

Preferably it is provided that the device or the construction group can be arranged with the aid of a tool in a refrigeration and / or freezing apparatus. It is conceivable to realize the device in such a way that it can be mounted without screws.

Due to the compact structure of the construction group, little useful content is comparatively lost.

According to the invention, it is provided that the construction group has means of transport, which are made and arranged in such a way that the ice cubes are transported from the production unit to the crushing unit. Preferably, a container, in particular a bucket, is also provided for housing the ice cubes produced in the production unit. In this regard, the transport means are preferably arranged such that they transport the ice cubes located in the bucket, or in the container, to the crushing unit.

The construction group may otherwise have a safety switch, which is realized in such a way that it interrupts the power supply to the crushing unit in at least one switching position. In this configuration of the invention the ice-making machine, the safety switch and the crushing unit as well as, if necessary, the transport means are also located in a construction group.

The means of transport are a thread or spiral conveyor driven by means of a motor. According to the invention it is provided that the thread or spiral conveyor has a propeller and that the distance of the first propeller from the crushing unit is in the range between 10 to 40 mm, preferably in the range between 20 mm to 30 mm.

According to the invention, it is further provided that the thread or spiral conveyor has a propeller, whose pitch is in the range of 10 to 40 mm, preferably in the range of 20 mm to 30 mm.

A good crushing result is obtained according to the invention because the crushing unit contains four blades. In this case, the small flexible tray ice cubes can also be crushed.

It is preferable when the production unit is arranged above the crushing unit. If the production unit is arranged above the container and / or above the transport unit, the ice cubes produced may fall from the production unit to the container and from there by means of the said transport unit transported to the crushing unit.

In a further configuration of the invention it is provided that with the construction group a support for the assembly of the construction group is attached to the internal container of a refrigeration and / or freezing apparatus. It is conceivable, for example, that the construction group rests on the side wall, on the back wall as well as on the support. This is convenient in the sense that forces are absorbed in the place where they are formed.

The construction group can be secured in the internal container, for example, by means of a simple lock that fixes the construction group on a side wall and / or on the rear wall of an apparatus.

In a preferred configuration it is provided that the support is detachably connected with the construction group.

It is conceivable to fix the support by means of an interlocking in the construction group. Furthermore, it may be provided that the construction group has fastening means for fixing a reception base arranged in the area next to the construction group. Through this structure the area next to the construction group can be used as a reception area.

It is also conceivable that the construction group has fastening means for fixing a reception base arranged in the construction group or that the upper side of the construction group is made as a reception area. In this case, the upper area or the upper side of the construction group can also be used as a reception area.

In a preferred configuration it is provided that the device is so housed in the internal space of the apparatus that it is in contact with the side wall and / or with the rear wall of the internal space or of the internal container and there preferably is secured.

If the construction group is connected to a support, it can be provided that the support extends below and / or above the construction group and rests on projections or notches in the internal space of the apparatus.

It is preferably provided that the support is in the front area of the construction group.

In a further configuration it is provided that the device is narrower than the width of the internal space of the apparatus and that a reception base extends in the area next to the device at least.

Otherwise, the space above the construction group can also be used. For example, it is conceivable that a reception area or a drawer is located there.

In a further preferred configuration it is provided that a delivery unit is located on the door of the apparatus which, when the door is closed, is connected to the device such that the ice cubes produced in the device and / or the ice cubes Crushed ice through the device can be delivered to the user. Naturally, the delivery unit does not have to be limited to the delivery of crushed or uncrushed ice cubes. For example, it is also conceivable to deliver water or other products or liquids through the delivery unit.

Additional details and advantages of the invention are explained by an embodiment shown in more detail in the drawing. They show:

Figure 1: a perspective view of the construction group in a sectioned representation,

Figure 2: a perspective representation of the construction group in the inserted state without cover plate,

Figure 3: a perspective representation of the collecting tray with a spiral conveyor and crushing unit in the sectioned state,

Figure 4: a perspective representation of the construction group in the inserted state with reception base located next to the construction group and

Figure 5: an arrangement according to Figure 4 with drawer provided above the construction group.

Figure 1 shows in a perspective representation the construction group 100 according to the present invention. The construction group 100 has a housing in whose upper area the ice cube maker is located, that is, the production unit 10. The ice cube maker is connected to a water supply not shown in detail.

Below the machine 10 for making ice cubes is the container 30 made as a collecting tray in which the conveyor spiral 60 is arranged. This is driven by the motor 50 which is also a component of the construction group.

As shown in FIG. 1, the conveyor spiral 60 is located in the area of the container 30 and during operation of the engine 50 transports the ice cubes that fall from the production unit 10 or located in the crushing unit 20 container 30. The crushing unit 20 is located in the front end area, that is to say, oriented towards the user of the construction group 100 and is formed by four blades 22. Below the crushing unit 20 an opening is located through from which crushed ice cubes fall.

A safety switch is designated with reference number 40, which ensures that the crushing unit is connected without power when the door or lid of the appliance is open.

Otherwise, a magnetic switch for crushed ice or ice cubes may be provided.

By means of the construction group represented in figure 1, the delivery of ice cubes or the delivery of crushed ice cubes can optionally be carried out according to the user's wishes.

As can be seen from Figure 1, the present embodiment refers to a construction group with integrated safety switch, with production unit and with integrated transport and crushing unit. The ice cube maker, the aforementioned safety switch, as well as the crushing transport unit are therefore located in a common module.

The unit shown in Figure 1 can be placed discretionary in terms of construction in the apparatus. It is conceivable that the construction group 100 depicted in Figure 1 is inserted into an internal series container and can be disposed there without additional foaming and clamping parts in the internal container. In a preferred configuration, the internal container therefore does not differentiate between devices in which the construction group is inserted, and devices that do not have such a construction group.

The construction group is closed in front by the cover plate 90.

As shown in Figure 1, in the upper front third of the construction group 100 the support 110 placed as a crossbar is placed by means of which the construction group 100 is suspended.

This state can be seen from figure 2. In figure 2 with the reference number 200 the internal container of a freezer cabinet is represented, for example, 60 cm wide. As marked by the arrows provided below, the construction group 100 in this exemplary embodiment is positioned such that it rests on the back wall 204, as well as on the side wall 202 of the inner container 200. Otherwise the group constructive 100 is arranged in the support 110 that runs transversely which in its end areas in turn is supported on projections 206 of the inner container. These projections 206 may be protruding ribs on which reception bases are usually placed.

In figure 2 the cover plate shown in figure 1 with the reference number 90 has been removed to clarify the arrangement of the components, that is to say the ice cube maker arranged above as the production unit and the unit of crushing arranged below.

It is conceivable to secure the construction group represented in Figure 2 when an interlocking is carried out on both sides or at least on one side, as represented by the diagonal arrow in Figure 2. The support 110 can be interlocked before assembling the group construction 100 in the internal container 200 with the construction group 100.

Preferably, the support 110 is detachably disposed in the construction group 100. This allows that by using a longer or shorter support, which is preferably made as a continuous casting part, the construction group can be used without variations also in apparatus With another internal width. Therefore, low investment costs arise in device variants.

The construction group 100 is preferably composed mainly of injection molded parts. Figure 3 shows again in enlarged representation the container 30 with the conveyor spiral 60 disposed therein which is made as a propeller. In the exemplary embodiment represented in this case the pitch of the propeller amounts to approximately 23 mm and the distance between the beginning of the propeller and the first spiral indicated by the two vertical lines in Figure 3 amounts to approximately 27 mm.

From FIG. 3, the crushing unit shown on the right can also be distinguished in which four fixed blades 22 are used which have an optimum blade distance of approximately 4 mm.

Figure 4 shows the construction group 100 inserted in the internal container of a freezer cabinet. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, in the area next to the construction group 100, a reception base 120 is located. It rests, on the one hand, on a rib of the inner container, and on the other hand, on a projection. or in a slot of the construction group 100.

Figure 5 shows the arrangement according to Figure 4 with a drawer 300 additionally disposed above the construction group 100.

Little useful content of the apparatus is lost through the compact structure of the construction group. The integration of the ice cube making machine into the construction group allows the construction group to be largely inserted in a discretionary place in the apparatus.

Preferably the construction group is made in such a way that it can be mounted on other devices with slight adaptations, or none.

By integrating the two construction pieces mentioned production unit and crushing unit and, if necessary, additional construction elements in the construction group, the assembly effort is correspondingly reduced.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the modularly expanded construction group can produce, store, transport and crush ice cubes.

Claims (3)

1. Device for manufacturing and crushing ice cubes in a refrigeration and / or freezing apparatus with a production unit (10) to produce ice cubes, as well as with a crushing unit (20) for crushing the ice cubes produced in the production unit (10), wherein the production unit (10) and the crushing unit (20) are arranged in a construction group (100 ) common, where in the construction group (100) otherwise, transport means are housed that are made and arranged in such a way that the ice cubes are transported from the production unit (10) to the unit (20) of crushing, wherein the means of transport comprise a thread or spiral conveyor (60) driven by means of a motor (50), characterized because The crushing unit (20) has four blades (22), which are arranged in a distance of 3 mm to 5 mm, preferably in a distance of 4 mm, because the thread or spiral conveyor (60) has a propeller and because the distance of the first spiral of the crushing unit (20) is in the range of 10 to 40 mm, preferably in the range of 20 mm to 30 mm, and because the thread or spiral conveyor (60) has a propeller, whose pitch is in the range of 10 to 40 mm, preferably in the range of 20 mm to 30 mm. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport means are arranged such that they transport the ice cubes from a container (30) to the crushing unit (20). 3. Device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the production unit (10) is arranged above the transport unit.