WO2009033473A2

WO2009033473A2 - Device for producing ice cubes

Info

Publication number: WO2009033473A2
Application number: PCT/DE2008/001521
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas Konrad Fecke; Stefan Doering
Original assignee: Tomstar Union Gbr
Priority date: 2007-09-13
Filing date: 2008-09-12
Publication date: 2009-03-19
Also published as: DE112008003089A5; WO2009033473A3; DE202008001412U1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for producing ice cubes. Said device comprises a casing containing a cooling module for refrigerating water to give a plurality of pieces of ice and a connection for a water feed, a feed module being coupled to the cooling module in such a manner that the pieces of ice produced in the cooling module have a predetermined color and/or a predetermined flavor.

Description

Device for the production of ice cubes

The invention relates to a device for producing ice cubes with a housing containing a cooling module for freezing water to a plurality of ice pieces and a connection for an inlet of the water, and an adapter for this.

From DE 200 18 181 Ul a device for the production of ice cubes is known, which has a housing with a cooling module for freezing a quantity of water to a plurality of pieces of ice. The cooling module comprises a nebulization unit in which the colorless water provided via an inlet connection is nebulised. Furthermore, the cooling module has an evaporator unit, which is flowed through by a coolant flow and to which a plurality of ice-forming elements are assigned. At these ice forming elements the water mist freezes to pieces of ice. Furthermore, the cooling module has a control unit, by means of which the atomization unit and the evaporator unit are controlled. The colorless pieces of ice produced by the known device can be used, for example, as ice cubes for cooling food and drinks.

In addition to the actual cooling, the ice cubes are also used today to present food and drinks, because of the sparkling, melting colorless Ice cubes emanates a fascination. In this context, it has already been proposed according to DE 202 18 084 Ul to use colored pieces of ice in drinks, such as cocktails. To produce the colored pieces of ice cream, food coloring is introduced into the resulting piece of ice, so that food molecules can grow into the piece of ice during the growth process. The disadvantage of this is that the production cost is relatively large, since a separate food color injection nozzle must be provided for each ice-forming element.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to develop a device for producing colored and / or aromatized pieces of ice in such a way that a predetermined coloring and / or flavoring of ice pieces is ensured in a simple and effective manner, in particular existing machines for the production of colorless Ice cubes do not have to be changed or only to a small extent.

To solve this problem, the invention in connection with the preamble of claim 1, characterized in that an addition module is coupled to the cooling module, such that the ice pieces produced in the cooling module have a predetermined color and / or a predetermined flavor.

The particular advantage of the invention is that the addition module according to the invention can be connected in a simple manner to a conventional cooling module of an ice cube machine, so that the function of the ice cube machine can be extended to produce not only crystal clear, ice-neutral pieces of ice, but also colored and / or flavored ice cubes pieces of ice. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the addition module has at least one tank in which a colored and / or flavored liquid is stored. By means of a mixing unit, the colored and / or flavored liquid is added to the conventional colorless and acid-neutral water (drinking water), so that dyed and / or flavored water can be fed to the cooling module. Advantageously, a simple and safe coloring and / or flavoring can be achieved by mixing a fluid of the same phase.

According to a development of the invention, the addition module has an inlet connection for receiving the water and a drain connection for dispensing the colored and / or aromatized water, so that the addition module can be arranged upstream of the cooling module as a passage unit.

According to a development of the invention, the add-on module has at least one operating element, by means of which at least one valve of the mixing unit can be actuated. For example, a plurality of control buttons may be provided, wherein the control buttons are each assigned to a valve or a tank. In this way, the user can easily select the desired color and / or the desired aroma of the water, which is subsequently added to the water by opening the connection of the corresponding tank.

According to a development of the invention, a control unit of the add-on module can be designed in such a way that a plurality of tanks are actuated in succession, so that a predetermined amount of differently colored and / or flavored ice is automatically successively added. can be produced. Advantageously, a plurality of differently colored and / or flavored pieces of ice can thus be provided in a storage container.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the addition module is housed in a separate housing which is connected via a water pipe to the housing of the cooling module (ice cube machine). Advantageously, the addition module according to the invention can thus be combined in a simple manner with a conventional ice cube machine, wherein the addition module is integrated as an additional unit in the water inlet of the ice cube machine. There is thus no conversion of the known ice cube machine (device for producing crystal clear ice cubes).

To achieve the object, the invention in conjunction with the preamble of claim 17 is characterized in that an adapter provides means for simple, fast and non-destructive releasable connection of at least one tank with a cooling module.

The particular advantage of the invention is that the adapter can be easily connected to a tank and the housing of a cooling module. The installation effort is thereby reduced again. At the same time, empty tanks can be replaced within a very short time.

According to a preferred embodiment, the adapter has at least one means of operation and at least one valve for mixing the water with the colored and / or flavoring agent provided in the at least one tank. th liquid. By providing the controls and the valve in the adapter, a quick replacement of the add-on module is possible. Since the adapter has a shut-off valve, colored and / or flavored liquid can not escape from the tank even if the adapter is removed with the tank and the tank is not completely emptied at the time of change.

According to a development of the invention, the adapter has means for identifying original tanks and / or cooling modules. By providing these identification means it can be ensured that only original attachments are used which meet the hygienic, taste and / or qualitative requirements of the manufacturer.

Further advantages of the invention will become apparent from the further subclaims.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to drawings.

Show it:

1 shows a block diagram of a device according to the invention according to a first embodiment,

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the device according to the invention according to a second embodiment,

Figure 3 is a block diagram of the device according to the invention according to a third embodiment and Figure 4 is a block diagram of the device according to the invention according to a fourth embodiment.

An apparatus 1 according to the invention for producing ice cubes according to a first embodiment according to FIG. 1 consists essentially of a housing 2 containing a cooling module 3 and a housing 4 containing an addition module 5, wherein the housings 2 and 4 are remote from each other and connected to each other via a water conduit 6 are connected. The housing 4 of the add-on module 5 has an inlet connection 7, from which it is connected via a water line 6 'to a drinking water connection 8. Within the housing 4 of the addition module 5 extends a passage 9, which leads to a drain port 10 to which the water pipe 6 is connected.

The addition module 5 has a plurality of tanks 11, 11 ', H ", which are each filled with liquids of different colors and / or different aroma. The colored liquids consist of tasteless or flavored and / or odoriferous food coloring. For example, the first tank 11 has a yellow liquid, the second tank 11 'has a red liquid, and the third tank 11 "has a blue liquid. The tanks 11, 11 ', H' 'are coupled via a mixing unit 12 with the passage 9. The mixing unit 12 consists of a plurality of respectively the tanks 11, 11 ', H' 'associated directional control valves (mixing valves 15, 15', 15 ''), by means of which the colored liquids of the tanks 11, 11 ', 11' 'in the water pipe 6 'supplied with colorless water are added.

In a lower region of the housing 4, an operating unit 13 with a plurality of operating elements 14, 14 ', 14''is arranged, which are designed as operating buttons. The operating elements 14, 14 ', 14 "are connected to a control unit, not shown, of the addition module 5, so that when the first operating element 14 is actuated, for example, the mixing valve 15 assigned to the first tank 11 is actuated, so that yellow liquid is added to the water becomes. The now colored water is passed over the further course of the passage 9 to the drain port 10 and from there via the water line 6 to the cooling module 3. By pressing the operating button 14 again, the yellowing of the water can be switched off.

The control buttons 14, 14 ', 14' 'are each arranged in the vertical direction below the visible by means of a window 16 of the housing 4 tanks 11, 11', H '', so that a simple assignment of the control buttons 14, 14 ', 14 '' is given to the color of the water to be colored. In addition, the formation of the housing 4 with a plurality of windows 11 assigned to the respective tanks 11, 11 ', H' 'makes it possible for the user to check the fill level of the tanks 11, 11', H ''. The windows 16 are formed for example by a transparent plastic plate.

The mixing unit 12 has in the present embodiment, three mixing valves 15, 15 ', 15' ', wherein the mixing valves 15, 15', 15 '' are each associated with a tank 11, 11 ', 11' '.

By simultaneously pressing, for example, two control buttons, namely the control button 14 to control the yellow tank 11 and the control button 14 '' to control the blue tank 11 ', the water can be dyed green due to the color mixture, so that in the cooling module green pieces of ice are produced can. The operating unit 13 further has an automatic key 17, by means of which the integrated in the addition module 5 control unit receives a signal, so that successively the mixing valves 15, 15 ', 15''are moved to an open position, in successively yellow colored liquid, red dyed liquid and blue colored liquid are added to the water in the passage 9. By this sequential activation of the tanks 11, 11 ', 11 "or the mixing valves 15, 15', 15", yellow ice pieces 18, red ice pieces 19 and blue ice pieces 20 can be successively produced in the cooling module 3. The mixing time or the opening time of the individual mixing valves 15, 15 ', 15 "is adapted to the production time of the pieces of ice 18, 19, 20 in the cooling module 3, so that monochrome ice pieces 18, 19, 20 can always be produced.

In addition, the operating unit 13 has a control button 17 ', by means of which the mixing valves 15, 15', 15 "can be brought into a position in which all the tanks 11, 11 ', 11" are blocked, that is, the inflow of colored liquids from the tanks 11, 11 ', 11' 'to the passage 9 is blocked. As a result, there is no coloring of the water passed through, so that crystal-clear pieces of ice can be produced in the cooling module 3.

The cooling module 3 has, on the one hand, a nebulization unit 23 which is arranged in a lower region of the housing 2. The nebulization unit 23 causes a decaying of the inked and / or colorless water supplied via the water line 6. Furthermore, the cooling module 3 has an evaporator unit 24 arranged in an upper region of the housing 2 and provided with a plurality of ice-forming elements 25. The evaporator unit 24 has a line which is connected to cooling or heating telstrom can be acted upon. At the ice-forming elements 25 of the water mist freezes to the ice pieces 18, 19, 20, which then fall through a funnel-shaped outlet 26 into a reservoir 27.

The cooling module 3 further has a control unit 28, by means of which the nebulization unit 23 and the evaporator unit 24 are activated. As soon as the predetermined size of the ice pieces 18, 19, 20 is reached, the control unit 28 causes the nebulization unit 23 to be switched off and a heat medium stream to be passed through the evaporator unit 24 so that the ice lumps 18, 19, 20 automatically move away from the ice due to a thawing process forming elements 24 fall off and are directed into the reservoir 27.

The present colored pieces of ice 18, 19, 20 may have any geometric shape. The ice pieces 18, 19, 20 may be formed, for example, cube-shaped, fragmentary, conical or the like.

According to an alternative embodiment of the device according to the invention according to FIG. 2, an addition module 5 'has been modified in comparison to the addition module 5 according to FIG. 1 such that the addition module 5' has only one connection 33. Via this connection 33, the addition module 5 'is connected via a food coloring and / or aroma-carrying line 34 to a mixing valve 35, in which the food color and / or aroma substances are mixed with the water transported in the water line 6, when the operating unit 13 of the addition module 5 'has been actuated accordingly. The thus colored and / or flavored water can then - as described above - the cooling module 3 are fed. For installation of the add-on module 5 ', only one additional Royal mixing valve 35 required. In contrast to the first embodiment, there is a structural separation between the provision or mixture of food colors and / or flavorings or odors on the one hand and the admixture of the food color in the drinking water. On the other hand, the introduction of the food coloring into the drinking water stream according to the first embodiment is integrated into the addition module 5.

In a third embodiment according to FIG. 3, the device 1 "according to the invention for producing ice cubes has a housing 2 'in which a cooling module 3' and an adding module 5" are provided. The housing 2 'is connected via the water line 6 to the drinking water connection 8. Within the housing 2 'is further provided a Wasserzuführeinheit 36 for supplying drinking water via an internal line 37 in a trained as a tub 38 water leading and unlocked upwards element, for example, designed as an intermediate floor fastener 39 for attachment of the add-on module 5', a mixing unit 12 'with valves (shut-off valves 40, 40', 40 '', 40 '' ') and an operating unit 13'. Furthermore, the housing 2 'has a shut-off device designed as a flap 41 with hinges 42 in the present embodiment.

As in the first embodiment, the addition module 5 "has a plurality of tanks 11, 11 ', 11", 11'", while the tanks 11, 11 ', 11" have the known, tasteless, yellow, red and blue liquid For example, the tank 11 "'has a colorless liquid with a vanilla flavor." The tanks 11, 11', 11 ", 11 '" are connected to the mixing unit 12' and the valves provided therein (shut-off valves 40, 40 ', 40 \ 'ri 40''). About the shut-off valves 40, 40 ', 40' 40 ''', the yellow, red or blue liquid and the colorless, a vanilla flavored liquid in metered form, for example, droplet-shaped, can be admixed with the water 43 provided in the tub 38.

The operating unit 13 'provided in the housing 2' has a plurality of operating elements 14, 14 ', 14' ', 14' '' which, as in the first embodiment, can be designed as operating buttons. The control elements 14, 14 ', 14' ', 14' '' are connected to a control unit, not shown, such that upon actuation, for example, of the first control element 14, the first tank 11 associated shut-off valve 40 is actuated, so that the liquid mixed with yellow liquid becomes. By repeated actuation of the control button 14, the yellowing of the water can be switched off. The identification of the affiliation of the operating elements 14, 14 ', 14 ", 14"' to the tanks 11, 11 ', 11 ", 11'" can be determined, for example, via one of the colors of the contents of the tanks 11, 11 ', 11 ". corresponding coloration of the keys 14, 14 ', 14' 'or via a to the contents of the tank 11' '' corresponding inscription "vanilla flavor" of the control button 14 '' 'can be achieved. The function of the control buttons 17 and 17 'is analogous to the comments on the first embodiment.

By simultaneous actuation of shut-off valves 40, 40 ', 40' ', 40' "two control buttons 11, 11 '", the water contained in the tub 38 43 can be colored yellow and interspersed with a vanilla flavor. Below are yellow ice cubes with vanilla flavor.

The user receives information about the fill level of the tanks 11, 11 ', 11 ", 11''' via light-emitting diodes (not shown) assigned to the operating elements 14, 14 ', 14", 14 "'. 11 ', 11 ", 11'" decreases to or below a critical level, this is determined by the tanks 11, 11 ', 11'',11'"assigned, not shown level sensors and by a lighting of the respective tank 11, 11 ', H'',H''' associated LED is displayed.

The cooling module 3 'has a Wasserzuführeinheit 36 which supplies the tub 38 drinking water via the internal line 37. Furthermore, the cooling module 3 'has a vaporizer unit 24' arranged above the trough 38 with evaporator tubes 44 and ice-forming elements 25 and paddles designed as helical wheels 45.

The cooling module 3 'further comprises a control unit 28', by means of which the Wasserzuführeinheit 36, the helical gears 45 and the evaporator unit 24 'are driven. Advantageously, only a single control unit can be provided which, on the one hand, activates the addition module 5 "and, on the other hand, the cooling module 3 '. To form ice cubes 46, a coolant flow is passed through the evaporator tubes 44. As a result, the colored and / or aromatized water freezes on the ice-forming elements 25 '.

The paddle wheels 45 rotate in parallel with the ice forming process. The rotation of the paddle wheels 45 causes a movement of water in the tub 38. Air bubbles and other inclusions affecting the optics of the piece in the ice cubes 46 are avoided in this way. Ice pieces 46 are formed which, apart from the added color and / or aroma, are clear and contain no inclusion.

As soon as the ice cubes 46 have reached the intended size, they impede the rotation of the paddle wheels 45. The obstruction of the rotation is detected by the control unit 28 '. The tub 38 is then folded around a pivot axis, not shown. Thereafter, the evaporator tubes are subjected to a flow of heat, so that the ice cubes 45 antauen and solve the ice-forming elements 25 '. The ice cubes 46 are then passed in a reservoir, not shown, and made available.

According to an alternative fourth embodiment of the invention according to FIG. 4, the device 1 '' 'consists of a plurality of addition modules 5' '', a housing 2 '' and a cooling module 3 'located in the housing 2' '. The cooling module 3 'in this case corresponds to that of the third embodiment according to FIG. 3. The addition module 5' '' has a tank 11. The tank 11 contains a colored and / or flavored liquid, for example a strawberry-flavored red food coloring. The tank 11 is associated with an adapter 47 having an operating element 14 and a valve (check valve 40). As in Embodiments 1 and 3 of Figs. 1 and 3, the operating member 14 serves to supply the liquid held in the tank 11 to the water. Upon actuation of the operating element 14, which is designed as a control key, the red food color with strawberry flavor is atomized in the valve 40 and fed to the cooling module 3 'in the form of a spray.

The adapter 47 serves as a link between the tank 11 and the housing 2 ''. It has (mechanical) means for connecting the adding module 5 '''to the housing 2''. Furthermore, it has (mechanical) means for simple, safe and non-destructive attachment of tanks 11. The tank 11, 11 ', H'',H''', for example, rigid and flexible made of a plastic material and / or optionally self-supporting on the top of the cooling module 3 'be placed.

Claims

Claims:

1. An apparatus for producing ice cubes with a housing comprising a cooling module for freezing water to a plurality of ice pieces and a connection for an inlet of the water, characterized in that an addition module (5) with the cooling module (3) is coupled in such a way that the pieces of ice (18, 19, 20) produced in the cooling module (3) have a predetermined color and / or a predetermined flavor.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the addition module (5) is designed as a separate building unit, such that the addition module (5) of the cooling module (3) independently maintained and / or repaired and / or replaced and / or can be retrofitted.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the addition module (5) at least one tank (11, 11 ', H' ') for receiving a colored and / or flavored liquid, a water pipe (9) for transporting the water and at least one mixing unit (12), such that the predetermined colored and / or flavored liquid is mixed into the water to form a colored and / or flavored water.

4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the addition module (5) has an inlet connection (7) for receiving the water and a discharge connection (10) for discharging the colored and / or flavored water to the downstream cooling module (3). having.

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the addition module (5) at least one operating element (14, 14 ', 14' ', 14' ''), such that a valve (15, 15 ' , 15 '') of the mixing unit (12) is operable to mix the water with the colored and or flavored liquid provided by the respective tank (11, 11 ', H' ').

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the addition module (5) has a plurality of tanks (11, 11 ', H' '), each having a different color and a different flavor colored and / or aromatized liquid are filled, and that the addition module (5) has a plurality of operating elements (14, 14 ', 14' '), by means of which a respective tank (11, 11', H '' ) associated valve (15, 15 ', 15 ") of the mixing unit (12) is operable.

7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the addition module (5) has a control unit, such that automatically one after the other at least one mixing valve (15, 15 ', 15' ') for admixing at least one colored and / or flavored liquid to the water for a fixed or arbitrary time interval is actuated, such that successively in the cooling module (3) pieces of ice (18, 19, 20) of different color and / or different flavor can be produced.

8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the addition module (5) in a ge the housing (4) is arranged, wherein the outlet connection (10) of the adding module (5) is connected via a water pipe (6) to a water connection of the housing (2) accommodating the cooling module (3).

9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the addition module (5) is arranged together with the cooling module (3) integrated in a common housing, wherein the inlet connection (7) of the add-on module (5) with the Water connection of the housing is coupled.

10. Device according to one of claims 1 or 2 or 5 to 7, characterized in that the addition module

(5) Valves (15, 15 ', 15 "), such that colored and / or flavored liquid is added to the water droplet-shaped or spray-shaped.

11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the addition module (5 '') with the cooling module (3 ') in a common housing (2' ') is integrated, wherein the addition module (5' ') above a water leading and upwardly unsealed elements of the cooling module (3 ') is arranged.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the water leading and upwardly unlocked element as a trough (38) is formed.

13. The device according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the addition module (5 '') is designed as a structurally separate unit and laterally or on top of the cooling module (3 ') can be attached, wherein for attachment of the addition module (5 '') at least a part of the housing (2 ') of the cooling module (3') is recessed.

14. Device according to one of claims 1 to 13, character- ized in that the cooling module

a misting unit (23) for atomizing dyed and / or colorless and / or aromatized water,

- An evaporator unit (24) having a plurality of ice-forming elements (25) and

- A control unit (28) for controlling the nebulizing unit (23) and the evaporator unit (24).

15. Device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the cooling module (3 ')

a tub (38),

- an evaporator unit (24 ') with evaporator tubes (44) and with a plurality of ice forming EIe- elements (25'),

- A plurality of the ice-forming elements (25 ') associated with paddle wheels (45) and

- A control unit (28 ') for controlling a Wasserzuführeinheit (38), the evaporator unit (24') and the paddle wheels (45).

16. Device according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the colored liquid is formed as a tasteless or flavored food coloring.

17. An adapter, in particular for a device according to one of claims 1 or 2 or 5 to 16, characterized in that means for releasable connection wenigs- least one tank (11) with a cooling module (3, 3 ') are provided.

18. An adapter according to claim 17, characterized in that at least one means for operation (14) and at least one valve (40) for mixing drinking water with the in the at least one tank (11) provided colored and / or flavored liquid are provided.

19. An adapter according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that means for the identification of original tanks (11) and / or cooling modules (3, 3 ') are provided.