WO2018041523A1

WO2018041523A1 - A cooling device comprising an ice dispensing mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO2018041523A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/069761
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mehmet Ercan KAYMAK; Burhan SAHIN; Kadir Ridvan Celik; Tanju Bayramli; Ibrahim Yilmaz Evren; Mehmet YASAR
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2016-09-01
Filing date: 2017-08-04
Publication date: 2018-03-08
Also published as: TR201612397A2

Abstract

The present invention is a cooling device having an ice dispensing mechanism characterized by at least one auxiliary helical mixing member (38) that is rotatably mounted to the storage container (10) with a distance to the helical mixing member (28) so as to extend into the storage container (10) and that is configured to be activated in synchronization with the helical mixing member (28).

Description

A COOLING DEVICE COMPRISING AN ICE DISPENSING MECHANISM

The present invention relates to cooling device having an automatic ice dispensing compartments, in particular to refrigerators comprising a storage container wherein the ice pieces are moved by means of a mixer.

In cooling devices, ice making compartments are provided in order to meet the ice requirements of the users. The ice making compartment comprises an ice machine that is mounted to the door or disposed in a chamber surrounded by the body of the cooling device and that has an ice tray, and a storage container wherein the formed ice pieces are collected. The ice cubes discharged from the ice machine into the storage container are kept in a cold and humid environment until they are served to the user. Therefore, the ice cubes stick to each other at the contact points and form an ice mass. A spiral rotating mixing member extending at the center of the container is provided such that the ice cubes are separately stored in the container and transferred to the service area.

The Patent No. US4084725 discloses an ice piece dispenser for automatically dispensing pieces of ice from a collecting bin associated with an automatic ice maker. The dispenser includes a delivery member for transferring the ice pieces from the collecting bin to a delivery position. The device may define an anti-jamming element at the transfer position for reducing the size of aggregated ice pieces and cause a delivery of independent ice pieces to the delivery member for sequential delivery therethrough to the delivery position.

The aim of the present invention is to provide the efficient use of the ice storage container in cooling devices having an ice dispensing mechanism.

The present invention realized in order to attain the said aim is a cooling device comprising a storage container for ice pieces, and an ice dispensing mechanism comprising a helical mixing member rotatably mounted to the storage container so as to extend into the storage container. The cooling device of the present invention comprises at least one auxiliary helical mixing member that is rotatably mounted to the storage container with a distance to the helical mixing member so as to extend into the storage container and that is configured to be activated in synchronization with the helical mixing member. In order to prevent the formation of pellets upon the delivery of ice pieces into the storage container, the helical mixing member is operated so as to rotate. The auxiliary mixing member rotating in synchronization enables the ice pieces to be moved in a larger area in the storage container.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the helical mixing member and the auxiliary helical mixing member are connected to each other so as to provide rotational transmission by means of a head extension and a corresponding auxiliary head extension that extend out of the storage container. Since the rotational movement is transmitted outside the storage container, loss of space in the storage container is prevented.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a main gear and an auxiliary gear that are configured to surround the head extension and the auxiliary head extension respectively outwards in the radial direction and that are adapted to operate in synchronization. By using the pair of gears for transmitting the rotational movement, it becomes possible to precisely transmit high torque from the helical mixing member to the auxiliary helical mixing member.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an intermediate pivoting member that is mounted so as to transmit the rotational movement between the helical mixing member and the auxiliary helical mixing member and that has a structure of teeth engaging with the main gear and the auxiliary gear. The intermediate pivoting means provides that the diameters of the gears can be kept at reasonable sizes and that both the helical mixing member and the auxiliary helical mixing member rotate in the same direction while being radially in contact with the intermediate pivoting means

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the helical mixing member and the auxiliary helical mixing member are borne parallel to each other at the rear wall of the storage container. Thus, the transfer of rotational movement between the helical mixing member and the auxiliary helical mixing member is facilitated. Moreover, the transfer of ice in the vertical direction through the gap between the helical mixing member and the auxiliary helical mixing member is facilitated.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the helical mixing member and the auxiliary helical mixing member are in the form of a spiral blade comprising a thrusting end and a thrusting edge respectively that are aligned with each other. By means of the alignment, the ice cube flow in the storage container can be performed with any jamming.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the auxiliary helical mixing member is aligned at the depth of the storage container while the helical mixing member is aligned at the upper part thereof. Thus, while falling downward from the upper part of the container by its own weight, the ice cube is agitated by the helical mixing member and the ice cubes are accelerated and any ice pellet formation that may occur at the depth is eliminated by means of the auxiliary helical mixing member.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the auxiliary helical mixing member is aligned close to the side wall of the storage container. Thus, ice pellets that may occur at the sides of the storage container are eliminated by the auxiliary helical mixing member.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a motor that is directly coupled with the helical mixing member. While the motor directly rotates the helical mixing member, the auxiliary helical mixing member in synchronization with the latter also moves. In a preferred embodiment, the torque received from the motor is transferred to the auxiliary helical mixing member through the helical mixing member.

A cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 is the schematic view of a side-by-side refrigerator having an ice dispensing mechanism mounted to the door.

Figure 2 - is the rear bottom perspective view of a representative embodiment of the ice dispensing mechanism of the present invention.

Figure 3 - is the rear sideways perspective view of the ice dispensing mechanism in Figure 2.

Figure 4 - is the perspective view of a representative embodiment of a pair of mixing members used in the ice dispensing mechanism of the present invention.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1 Cabin

2 Door

3 Refrigeration compartment

4 Dispenser unit

10 Storage container

12 Body

14 Cover

16 Base

17 Mounting recess

18 Outlet opening

20 Main pivoting member

22 Head extension

24 Main gear

26 Shaft

27 Headpiece

28 Helical mixing member

281 Following end

282 Main part

283 Thrusting end

29 Opposite bearing

30 Auxiliary pivoting member

32 Auxiliary head extension

34 Auxiliary gear

36 Auxiliary shaft

38 Auxiliary helical mixing member

381 Thrusting edge

383 Following edge

40 Intermediate pivoting member

42 Intermediate shaft

44 Intermediate gear

50 Bearing

52 Main shaft bearing

54 Intermediate shaft bearing

55 Rear wall

56 Top opening

60 Motor

Figure 1 shows the front view of a side-by-side refrigerator wherein a door thereof is removed and a door (2) hinged to the cabin (1) and having an ice dispenser thereon. When the door (2) is closed, a storage container (10) of the ice dispensing mechanism remains inside a refrigeration compartment (3) enclosed by the thermally-insulated cabin (1). The storage container (10) is in the form of a box with the width shorter than the length, extending along the inner lining of the door (2). A mounting recess (17) is provided at the lower part of the storage container (10). The mounting recess (17) detachably engages with a corresponding support portion (not shown in the figures) on the door (2). At the lower part of the storage container (10), a dispenser unit (4) having a dispensing portion (not shown in the figures) extending to the front part of the door (2) is provided. The storage container (10) and the dispenser unit (4) together form a column-like integrated structure.

Figure 2 shows the perspective view of the inside and the rear side of the storage container (10). A U-shaped plastic body (12) is disposed at the front part of the storage container (10) facing the refrigeration compartment (3). On the lower part of the body (12), a planar base (16) having an outlet opening (18) thereon is provided. A bearing (50) facing the inside of the storage container (10) is provided at the rear part of the base (16). A motor (60) is borne in the bearing (50) so as to be directly coupled with a main pivoting means (20). The main pivoting member (20) comprises a shaft (26) that has a head extension (22) in the form of a journal and that linearly extends in a main shaft bearing (52) passing through the bearing (50). A helical mixing member (28) that radially extends in the storage container (10) is rotatably mounted to the shaft (26). The main pivoting member (20) has a main gear (24) facing the outer part of the bearing (50). The main gear (24) is rotatably engaged with a gear set of an intermediate pivoting member (40). The intermediate pivoting member (40) is in the form of a circular gear with a smaller diameter than the main gear (24). The main pivoting member (40) is rotatably mounted to the bearing (50) from the center thereof. An auxiliary pivoting member (30) is rotatably mounted to the bearing (50) so as to be engaged with the intermediate pivoting member (40) in a manner to transmit rotational movement. In the bearing (50), an intermediate shaft bearing (54) is bored in a parallel and distanced manner with respect to the main shaft bearing (52). The intermediate pivoting member (30) has an auxiliary head extension (32) in the form of a journal extending outwards from the bearing (50) and an auxiliary shaft (36) that forms the continuation of the auxiliary head extension (32) and rotatably passes through the intermediate shaft bearing (54). The auxiliary shaft (36) longitudinally extends in the storage container (10) at the upper part of the base (16). The auxiliary helical mixing member (38) is rotatably mounted onto the auxiliary shaft (36) from the center thereof. The helical mixing member (28) is aligned with the central part of the base (16) in the vertical axis. The auxiliary helical mixing member (38) is close to the side of the storage container (10) in an upper position with respect to the helical mixing member (28).

This case can be seen in Figure 3 at the centers of rotation of the main pivoting member (20) and the neighboring auxiliary pivoting member (30). The main pivoting member (20) transmits the torque received from the motor (60), that directly transmits the rotational movement to the helical mixing member (28), to the auxiliary helical mixing member (38) over the auxiliary pivoting member (30) by means of the intermediate pivoting member (40). To this end, a geared connection is provided between the auxiliary gear (34) and the main gear (24) that extends in the radial direction towards the outside of the storage container (10) from over the main shaft bearing (52) disposed at the central part of the bearing (50) that is adapted in the form of a grill from the bottom part of the rear wall (55) of the motor (60). The auxiliary pivoting member (40) rotates in the opposite direction of the main gear (24) and thus enables the auxiliary gear (34) to rotate in the same direction as the main gear (24). Thus, while rotating the helical mixing member (28) by means of the shaft (26), the motor (60) rotates the main gear (24) from the rear side thereof and thus the auxiliary gear (34) is also rotated and in turn rotates the auxiliary helical mixing member (38) in synchronization with the helical mixing member (28). In this case, the ice pieces falling into the storage container (10) through an upper opening (56) by an ice making mechanism (not shown in the figures) are agitated by the first helical mixing member (28) at the center of the storage container (10), thus preventing the formation of pellets while the ice cubes falling towards the sides are mixed by the auxiliary helical mixing member (38) positioned closed to the side and collected on the base (16). When the ice cubes are to be taken by the dispenser unit (4), the ice cubes are transferred to the dispenser unit (4) through the outlet opening (18).

Figure 4 shows the perspective view of the helical mixing member (28) and the auxiliary helical mixing member (38) on the main pivoting member (20) and the auxiliary pivoting member (30) whereon the helical mixing member (28) and the auxiliary helical mixing member (38) are connected respectively. The main pivoting member (20) is in the form of a solid plastic circular gear. The auxiliary pivoting member (30) is in the form of a gear with the same diameter and form as the main pivoting member (20). The diameter of the intermediate pivoting member (40) is smaller than the diameter of the main pivoting member (20). The helical mixing member (28) is produced from plastic and mounted to the far end of the shaft (26). At the rear side of the helical mixing member (28), a circular opposite bearing (29) produced from plastic is provided. The opposite bearing (29) contacts the inner surface of the storage container (10) from the rear side thereof and rotatably supports the helical mixing member (28). The helical mixing member (28) comprises a rounded flat thrusting end (283), a corkscrew-shaped main part (282) following the latter and a cornered following end (281). Thus, when the main pivoting member (20) is started to be rotated by the motor (60) counterclockwise, the ice cubes moving in the storage container (10) hit the thrusting end (283) and are moved in the axial direction along the following end (282) and advance towards the free end in the direction of the length of the shaft (26), thus enabled to move in the horizontal direction in addition to the falling direction. The ice cubes falling towards the sides in the storage container (10) are moved from a thrusting edge (381) of the auxiliary helical mixing member (38) in an identical form towards a following edge (383). The helical mixing member (28) is produced as a single piece by plastic injection and fitted over the free end of the shaft (26) through a hollow cylindrical headpiece (27) thereof.

The torque between the helical mixing member (28) and the auxiliary helical mixing member (38) are precisely transmitted through the main gear (24), the intermediate gear (44) engaged therewith and the auxiliary gear (34). Thus, the helical mixing member (28) and the auxiliary helical mixing member (38) are enabled to be rotated in synchronization. Since the main gear (24), the intermediate gear (44) and the auxiliary gear (34) are articulated on the single-piece bearing (50), vibrations that may occur during the mixing process do not disrupt the rigidness and does not adversely affect the transmission of the rotational movement.

Claims

A cooling device having an ice dispensing mechanism comprising a storage container (10) for ice pieces, and a helical mixing member (28) rotatably mounted to the storage container (10) so as to extend into the storage container (10), characterized by at least one auxiliary helical mixing member (38) that is rotatably mounted to the storage container (10) with a distance to the helical mixing member (28) so as to extend into the storage container (10) and that is configured to be activated in synchronization with the helical mixing member (28).
A cooling device as in Claim 1, wherein the helical mixing member (28) and the auxiliary helical mixing member (38) are connected to each other so as to provide rotational transmission by means of a head extension (22) and a corresponding auxiliary head extension (32) that extend out of the storage container (10).
A cooling device as in Claim 2, comprising a main gear (24) and an auxiliary gear (34) that are configured to surround the head extension (22) and the auxiliary head extension (32) respectively outwards in the radial direction and that are adapted to operate in synchronization.
A cooling device as in Claim 2-3, comprising an intermediate pivoting member (40) that is mounted so as to transmit the rotational movement between the helical mixing member (28) and the auxiliary helical mixing member (38) and that has a structure of teeth engaging with the main gear (24) and the auxiliary gear (34).
A cooling device as in any one of the above claims, wherein the helical mixing member (28) and the auxiliary helical mixing member (38) are borne parallel to each other at the rear wall (55) of the storage container (10).
A cooling device as in any one of the above claims, wherein the helical mixing member (28) and the auxiliary helical mixing member (38) are in the form of a spiral blade comprising a thrusting end (283) and a thrusting edge (383) respectively that are aligned with each other.
A cooling device as in any one of the above claims, wherein the auxiliary helical mixing member (38) is aligned at the depth of the storage container (10) while the helical mixing member (28) is aligned at the upper part thereof.
A cooling device as in Claim 7, wherein the auxiliary helical mixing member (28) is aligned close to the side wall of the storage container (10).
A cooling device as in any one of the above claims, comprising a motor (60) that is directly coupled with the helical mixing member (28).