US3643456A

US3643456A - Mechanical bin-level-sensing control for domestic ice maker

Info

Publication number: US3643456A
Application number: US46920A
Authority: US
Inventors: Duane C Nichols
Original assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Current assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Priority date: 1970-06-17
Filing date: 1970-06-17
Publication date: 1972-02-22
Anticipated expiration: 1989-02-22
Also published as: JPS4942105B1; CA942516A; DE7119264U

Abstract

An ice body maker having means permitting the drive motor to run continuously while interrupting the operation of the mechanism when collected ice bodies reach a preselected level. A sensing means is provided which includes means for cyclically ascertaining the quantity of ice bodies in a collecting bin and permitting a successive ice body forming cycle only in the event that the level is below the preselected level. The cycle of operation of the mechanism comprises a timed cycle under the control of the drive motor.

Description

limited Stnteo Wotent Nichols [54] MECHANHQAL BIlN-LEVlllL-SENSHNG CUN'HMNL FUR DQMEfiTlUC 11 C1 1 lMlAllklER [72] Inventor: Dunne C. Nichols, Evansville, 1nd.

[73] Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation [22] Filed: June 117, 19711 [21] Appl. No.: 46,920

[52] US. Cl ..62/137, 62/233, 192/114 [51] lint. Cl. ..1 25c 5/118 [58] Field oliSearch ..l92/1l4 X, 67 P; 222/56; 221/10, 13; 62/233, 234, 137

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,541,806 11/1970 Jacobs ..62/233 3,315,483 4/1967 Donahue, Jr. .....62/l37 3,446,923 5/1969 Voland et al ..62/233 X 3,382,682 5/1968 Frohbieter ..62/72 3,312,080 4/1967 Dahlgren .62/233 X 3,529,430 9/1970 Bauerlein ..62/137 Primary Examiner-Wil1iam E. Wayner AttorneyJames S. Nettleton, Thomas E. Turcotte, Burton H. Baker, Gene A. Heth, Franklin C. l-larter, Anthony Niewyk, Robert L. Judd and Hofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & Mc- Cord [S7] ABSTRAET An ice body maker having means permitting the drive motor to run continuously while interrupting the operation of the mechanism when collected ice bodies reach a preselected level. A sensing means is provided which includes means for cyclically ascertaining the quantity of ice bodies in a collecting bin and permitting a. successive ice body forming cycle only in the event that the level is below the preselected level. The cycle of operation of the mechanism comprises a timed cycle under the control of the drive motor.

112 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SHEET 1L UF 2 INVENTOR pl/A/VE 6. Ma /0.45

ATTORNEY MIME m: 22 I972 SHEET 2 UP 2 INVENT OR Bum/z" C Mc/ms ATTORNEY CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED PATENTS An exemplary apparatus providing a timed automatic ice body formation may be seen in U.S. Letters Pat. No. 3,382,682 issued to E. H. Forhbieter on May 14, 1968 for Method for Harvesting Ice Bodies and Apparatus for the Same. Said patent is owned by the assignee hereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to ice making apparatus and in par ticular to apparatus for automatically making ice bodies such as ice cubes.

2. Description of the Prior Art In refrigeration apparatuses such as freezer-refrigerator combinations, it is desirable to provide means for automatically making ice bodies such as ice cubes and collecting them in a suitable receptacle or collecting bin. Apparatuses provided for this purpose conventionally provide means for interrupting the ice-making operation when the level of ice bodies so collected reaches a preselected full level.

In such automatic refrigeration apparatuses it is further desirable to provide for defrosting the evaporator of the apparatus from time to time to maintain the efficiency of refrigeration. It is further conventional to provide automatic means for effecting the defrosting at preselected intervals such as once or twice a day.

Conventionally, separate time control means have been provided for effecting the desired defrosting cycle. The motor driving mechanisms for operating the automatic ice makers have heretofore not been utilized in connection with the defrost cycling as the drive motors thereof are conventionally stopped when the ice-making cycle is discontinued such as when the collecting bin is full.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprehends an improved ice maker apparatus wherein means are provided for mechanically disconnecting the ice maker harvesting mechanism from the ice maker drive motor to interrupt the ice-making operation such as when the collecting bin is full, thereby permitting the ice maker drive motor to run continuously and provide a continuous drive for use in conjunction with the defrost means of the apparatus. Thus, the present invention provides an improved, simplified and economical construction overcoming the disadvantages of the known refrigeration apparatuses discussed above in a novel and simple manner.

The illustrative means provided for effecting the mechanical disconnection of the ice maker mechanism is extremely simple. In the illustrated embodiment these means comprise latching means for preventing mechanical connection between driving portions of the mechanism as an incident of a sensed full condition of the collecting bin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an ice body maker embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section thereof taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation thereof with portions thereof removed to facilitate illustration of the control mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged front elevation of a portion ofthe mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary transverse section taken substantiully along the line 5-3 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevation of a modified form of level-sensing means.

DESCRIP'ITON OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the drawing, an ice maker generally designated llll is shown to comprise a mold Ill defining a plurality of cavities 12 adapted to receive water to be frozen into a plurality of ice bodies. Mold 111 is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis whereby the ice bodies may be formed with the mold cavities opening upwardly and may be discharged from the mold by turning the mold to an inverted position with the cavities opening downwardly therefrom subsequent to a suitable freeing of the ice bodies from the walls of the mold such as by twisting the mold. Rotation of the mold is effected by an elec tric drive motor 14 forming a part of a control mechanism generally designated 15 mounted in a suitable housing T6. The mold may be partially received within an enclosure wall 117 projecting forwardly from housing l6 as shown in FIG. I. A receptacle or collecting bin 13 is slidably carried on suitable brackets 19 to be disposed subjacent the mold to receive the discharged ice bodies in the harvesting operation. Mechanism 15 includes a sensing arm 26 adapted to sweep through the upper portion of the space 211 within collecting bin l6 thereby to sense the level of ice bodies collected in the bin. When the sensing arm senses a full condition, i.e., the condition where the level of the ice bodies is at least a preselected full level, it causes a discontinuation of the ice body forming cycle by suitable control of mechanism 15. The present invention comprehends an improved mechanism for effecting this discontinuation.

More specifically, motor 14 is provided with a gear reducer 22 driving an output shaft 23 carrying a pinion gear 24. Pinion gear 24 drives a pair of gears, main drive gear 25 and spur gear 26. Spur gear 26 is mounted for rotation on a stub shaft 27 received in a front wall 28. Main drive gear 25 is rotatably mounted on a tubular shaft 29. Shaft 29 includes a forward projection 30 connected to one end ofmold lll whereby rotation of tubular shaft 29 effects desired rotation of mold l l in the cyclical ice-making operation discussed above. The distal end of the mold may be rotatably mounted by means of a stub shaft 3i pivoted in a front portion 32 of the enclosure wall 17.

As best shown in FIG. 5, spur gear 26 includes a rearwardly opening recess 33 and drive gear 25 includes an opening 34 which becomes aligned with recess 33 at periodic intervals as a result of the different rates of rotation of

gears

23 and 26.

Carried on shaft 29 is a tubular housing 35 extending parallel to the axis of the shaft 29 and arranged to be aligned with opening 341 at one point in the relative rotation of the drive gear on shaft 29. A pin 36 is coaxially slidably mounted in housing 35 to have a nose portion 37 enter into opening 34 when the opening is so aligned. Pin 36 carries a rearward extension 38 received in an opening 33 in a rear wall 40 of mechanism 15. A coil spring 41 extending between pin 36 and rear wall 40 biases the pin forwardly against the drive gear.

Nose portion 37 of pin 36 is frustoconical and is urged outwardly from opening 34 by a coacting frustoconical portion 42 whenever the movement of the pin into the opening is limited by the engagement of nose portion 37 with the face of spur gear 26 and the resultant movement of rearward extension 33 of pin 36 is not sufficient to remove it from opening 39 in rear wall 40. Thus, under these conditions, no motion of shaft 29 is effected by the rotation of drive gear 25 as pin 36 merely moves in and out of opening 34.

However, when the condition occurs wherein spur gear recess 33 becomes aligned with opening 34, nose portion 37 on pin 36 may enter fully into opening 34 so that the frustoconical surface 42 thereof no longer is capable of camming the pin outwardly therefrom as gear 25 rotates. Concurrently the extension 33 on pin 36 is biased forwardly and outwardly from opening 39 thereby freeing the tubular housing 35 and shaft 29 for rotation with gear 25.

Nose portion 37 of pin 36 moves laterally outwardly from recess 33 which, as seen in FIG. 5, opens through the circumferential edge of the spur gear 26 permitting the pin to move in an annular path in locked association with gear 25 in opening 34 for one complete revolution of gear 25. On completion of the revolution nose portion 37 of pin 36 reenters the recess in spur gear 26 and is cammed outwardly thereby to restore extension 38 to the position of FIG. wherein it extends through opening 39 in rear wall 40 thereby once again locking shaft 29 against rotation with drive gear 25. A more detailed description of this functioning is presented in the above mentioned U.S. Letters Pat. No. 3,382,682 issued to E. H. Frohbieter on May 14, 1968 for Method for Harvesting Ice Bodies and Apparatus for the Same.

As discussed briefly above, it is desirable to prevent further operation of the ice-harvesting means when the level of ice bodies collected in bin 18 reaches a preselected full level. In the present structure a latching means is provided which comprises means for preventing rotation of shaft 29 notwithstanding a continued rotation of drive motor 14 and, thus, continued rotation of

gears

25 and 26. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the sensing arm 20 includes an upper portion 43 which cooperates with a suitable spring 44 to bias the sensing arm downwardly into the bin 18, or in a clockwise direction as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. As long as the level of ice bodies in the collecting bin is below a predetermined level, the upper end 45 of arm portion 43 bears against a cam portion 46 of shaft 29. Cam portion 46 includes a depressed portion 47 which permits spring 44 to bias the lower end of the sensing arm 20 downwardly into the bin with the remaining camming surface 48 being circular and arranged to urge the sensing arm portion 45 in a counterclockwise direction sufficiently to raise the sensing arm above the preselected full level during the remainder of the rotation of cam 46. Thus, once during each cycle of rotation of shaft 29 sensing arm 20 senses the level of ice bodies in the bin and, in the event that the level is below the preselected level, mechanism is arranged to continue the ice-making operation to form a further batch of ice bodies in mold 12. However, in the event that the level of ice bodies collected in bin 18 is at least a preselected full level, sensing arm causes a discontinuation of the ice-forming operation. To this end a latch 49 is pivotally mounted on cam portion 46 by means of a pivot post 50 and is biased in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 4, by a spring extension arm 51 engaging a stop 52 on cam portion 46. The latch includes a finger portion 53 which is biased by spring 51 into an annular notch 54 in pin 36 to lock the pin against axial movement in tubular housing 35.

When the level of ice bodies is below the preselected level in bin 18, sensing arm portion 45 is permitted to bear against latch portion 53 when cam 46 is disposed with the recess 47 aligned with sensing arm portion 45. Spring 44 is preselected to overcome spring 51 at this time and thereby remove latch finger portion 53 from annular notch 54 and thereby permit pin portion 37 to move freely into opening 34 and recess 33, as discussed above, to effect a 360 rotation of shaft 29, thus completing a full ice making cycle.

When, however, the level of ice bodies in the collecting bin is at the full level, spring 44 is prevented from biasing the sensing arm portion 45 sufficiently in a clockwise direction to retract latch finger 53 from notch 54 whereby pin 36 is held against movement into opening 34 and thereby drive gear is prevented from effecting rotation of shaft 29 notwithstanding an alignment of recess 33 with opening 34.

Thus, motor 14 may continue to operate drive gears 25 and I 26 without effecting further operation of the ice maker mechanism until such time as the level of ice bodies in bin 18 is lowered below the preselected full level. Upon such lowering, mechanism 15 is again arranged to carry out the normal ice maker operation whereby shaft 29 is rotated periodically as a result of the aligned relationship of recess 33 and opening 34 as discussed above.

As a result of the continuous operation of motor 14, it is available for use in driving other mechanisms of the refrigeration apparatus, such as a defrost control mechanism or the like. While the invention has been illustrated in connection with a sensing arm means for detecting the level of ice bodies in the collecting bin, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art, other suitable controls may be employed. Illustratively, spring devices responsive to weight may be employed. As shown in FIG. 6, such a device 55 may include a coil spring 56 engaging the underside of a lip 57 of the collecting bin 18 and held in position by a suitable spring retainer 58 whereby the arm portion 20 senses the level of the top lip 57 of the storage bin. In this embodiment the level of lip 57 is dependent on the weight of ice collected and predetermined low level of the lip 57 indicates a full bin. Thus the sensing arm is inclined to the left in this embodiment so that a counterclockwise pivoting of portion 20 will cause sensing arm portion 45 to move free of latch portion 55. In addition, the sensing arm is biased oppositely to that of the embodiment of FIGS. l-5, the spring 56 being selected to be more powerful than the sensing arm biasing spring so as to overcome the bias when the bin is not full.

The means for controlling the movement of pin 36 to provide the selective discontinuation of operation of mechanism 15 is extremely simple while yet providing the highly desirable advantages discussed above.

The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is illustrative of the broad inventive concepts comprehended by the invention.

Having described the invention, the embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In an ice body maker having a mold for forming ice bodies, a receptacle for collecting formed ice bodies transferred thereto in a harvesting operation, and means requiring a timed operation differing from that of the ice body forming and harvesting operations, mechanism for controlling the transfer of ice bodies from the mold to the receptacle compris-. ing: ice-harvesting means for causing transfer of ice bodies from the mold to the receptacle; drive means; control means operated by said drive means for cyclically causing formation of ice bodies in said mold; means cyclically connecting the drive means to said harvesting means for transferring formed ice bodies from said mold to said receptacle; latching means for preventing connection between said drive means and said ice-harvesting means as an incident of the level of ice bodies collected in said receptacle reaching a preselected level and permitting reconnection of said drive means to said ice-harvesting means upon the level being reduced to below said preselected level; and means connecting the drive means to said means requiring a timed operation differing from that of the ice body forming and harvesting operations for operating the same permitting the effecting of said third operation independently of the connection or disconnection of said drive means to said forming and harvesting operations.

2. The ice body maker of claim 1 wherein said mechanism includes a first connector for receiving a driving force from said drive means, said connecting means includes a second connector selectively engageable with said first connector, and said connection preventing means comprises means preventing engagement of said second connector with said first connector as an incident of the level of ice bodies collected in said receptacle reaching a preselected full level and permitting engagement of said second connector with said first connector upon the level being reduced to below said preselected level.

3. The ice body maker of claim 1 including means for biasing said connecting means to a condition wherein the drive means is connected to said ice-harvesting means and said latching means comprises means for locking the connecting means against the action of said biasing means to preclude the connection thereby of said drive means to said ice-harvesting means.

4. The ice body maker of claim 1 wherein said connecting means comprises a connector movably carried for movement with said drive means and shoulder means in said ice-harvesting means disposed for selective abutment by said connector.

5. The ice body maker of claim 4 wherein said connector comprises a pin.

6. Apparatus for controlling an ice body maker having a collecting bin for collecting ice bodies formed by said ice body maker, said apparatus comprising: a drive gear; drive means for continuously rotating the drive gear; a cam connected to the ice body maker for effecting mechanical operation thereof 5 in an ice body forming and harvesting cycle; means for connecting the drive gear to the cam for rotation of the cam therewith as an incident of said drive gear having been rotated a preselected number of times; and latching means for preventing operation of said connecting means to connect said gear to said cam in the event the level of ice bodies in said collecting bin is at a preselected high level.

'7. The apparatus of claim 6 including a sensing arm and means for cyclically moving said sensing arm relative to said collecting bin for sensing the level of ice bodies collected in said collecting bin, said sensing arm being adapted to over come said latching means when the level of ice bodies in said collecting bin is below said predetermined level.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said connecting means comprises a pin carried by said cam, an aperture in said drive gear, means biasing said pin toward said drive gear, and means permitting the biased pin to move into said aperture to lock said cam and drive gear for coaxial rotation as an incident of said drive gear having been rotated a preselected number of times with the level of the collected ice bodies in said collecting bin being below said preselected high level.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said ice body maker includes an arm, means for cyclically moving said arm into said collecting bin to sense the level ofice bodies collected therein, control means for preventing movement of said pin toward said drive gear by said biasing means, and means associated with said arm for overcoming said control means to permit movement of said pin into said drive gear aperture when the level of collected ice bodies is below said preselected level.

lltl. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said control means comprises spring means biased to lock said pin against movement.

ill. The apparatus of claim lld further including means for biasing said arm to cause said means associated therewith to overcome said spring-biased control means when the level of collected ice bodies is below said preselected level.

12. The apparatus of claim ll wherein said timed operation comprises a defrosting cycle operation.

Claims

1. In an ice body maker having a mold for forming ice bodies, a receptacle for collecting formed ice bodies transferred thereto in a harvesting operation, and means requiring a timed operation differing from that of the ice body forming and harvesting operations, mechanism for controlling the transfer of ice bodies from the mold to the receptacle comprising: ice-harvesting means for causing transfer of ice bodies from the mold to the receptacle; drive means; control means operated by said drive means for cyclically causing formation of ice bodies in said mold; means cyclically connecting the drive means to said harvesting means for transferring formed ice bodies from said mold to said receptacle; latching means for preventing connection between said drive means and said ice-harvesting means as an incident of the level of ice bodies collected in said receptacle reaching a preselected level and permitting reconnection of saiD drive means to said ice-harvesting means upon the level being reduced to below said preselected level; and means connecting the drive means to said means requiring a timed operation differing from that of the ice body forming and harvesting operations for operating the same permitting the effecting of said third operation independently of the connection or disconnection of said drive means to said forming and harvesting operations.

5. The ice body maker of claim 4 wherein said connector comprises a pin.

6. Apparatus for controlling an ice body maker having a collecting bin for collecting ice bodies formed by said ice body maker, said apparatus comprising: a drive gear; drive means for continuously rotating the drive gear; a cam connected to the ice body maker for effecting mechanical operation thereof in an ice body forming and harvesting cycle; means for connecting the drive gear to the cam for rotation of the cam therewith as an incident of said drive gear having been rotated a preselected number of times; and latching means for preventing operation of said connecting means to connect said gear to said cam in the event the level of ice bodies in said collecting bin is at a preselected high level.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 including a sensing arm and means for cyclically moving said sensing arm relative to said collecting bin for sensing the level of ice bodies collected in said collecting bin, said sensing arm being adapted to overcome said latching means when the level of ice bodies in said collecting bin is below said predetermined level.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said ice body maker includes an arm, means for cyclically moving said arm into said collecting bin to sense the level of ice bodies collected therein, control means for preventing movement of said pin toward said drive gear by said biasing means, and means associated with said arm for overcoming said control means to permit movement of said pin into said drive gear aperture when the level of collected ice bodies is below said preselected level.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said control means comprises spring means biased to lock said pin against movement.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further including means for biasing said arm to cause said means associated therewith to overcome said spring-biased cOntrol means when the level of collected ice bodies is below said preselected level.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said timed operation comprises a defrosting cycle operation.