Refrigeration – Time or program actuator – Congelation product maker
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-21
2001-07-10
Buiz, Michael Powell (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Time or program actuator
Congelation product maker
C062S354000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257009
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ice dispenser and, more particularly, to operational control of an agitator in an ice storage compartment of an ice dispenser.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in this type of ice dispenser, an agitator is installed in an ice storage compartment and actuated periodically in order to prevent pieces of ice in the ice storage compartment from melting and sticking to each other to form a large chunk of ice so as to interfere with smooth dispensing of the ice, and to prevent deterioration of ice quality. This is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-27033.
In the case of Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-27033, when the ice storage compartment becomes full, the ice making operation is stopped and a timer simultaneously starts counting to rotate a fin (agitator) for agitating each time a set time passes. In this type of ice dispenser, the agitating fin is also actuated when ice is released. Further, in the control of the agitating fin in the conventional art described in the foregoing publication, the timer is not reset when the agitating fin is operated for the release of the ice. Therefore, immediately after the ice is released and the agitating fin is operated during a halt in the ice making operation, the timer count reaches a set count value, causing the agitating fin to operate again. However, where the interval for operating the agitating fin is shorter than necessary and the agitating fin is operated as in the above case, ice tends to melt due to the frictional heat of the agitating fin. Hence, conditions are created in which fusion of the ice will easily occur. Consequently, up until now fusion of ice could not be sufficiently prevented.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention has been made with a view toward solving the problems described above. It is an object of the invention to provide an ice dispenser adapted to minimize the operation of an agitator in an ice storage compartment in order to prevent pieces of ice from fusing and sticking to each other in the ice storage compartment to thereby ensure smooth release of the ice from the ice storage compartment, and also to maintain consistent quality of the ice to be dispensed.
To this end, according to the present invention, an ice dispenser is provided with: an ice maker, an ice storage compartment, an ice releasing port, an agitator for agitating ice in the ice storage compartment, and an operation controller that operates the agitator when releasing ice and making ice, and causes the agitator to operate for a predetermined second set time after allowing an interval of a predetermined first set time to pass by using a timer means when no ice is being made. The operation controller resets the timer means to start counting the first set time when an ice releasing operation or an ice making operation is stopped and the agitator is stopped.
With this arrangement, when the agitator has been operated for the ice releasing operation or ice making operation, counting of the first set time is started as soon as the operation of the agitator is stopped. Therefore, the agitator will not be operated again immediately after the agitator has been operated for releasing or making ice, and the agitator is automatically operated at predetermined time intervals, thus solving the problem of unnecessary operation of the agitator.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3651656 (1972-03-01), Esser et al.
patent: 4496087 (1985-01-01), Marks
patent: 4741173 (1988-05-01), Neumann
patent: 4787539 (1988-11-01), Uchida et al.
patent: 4846381 (1989-07-01), Kito et al.
patent: 4982573 (1991-01-01), Tatematsu et al.
patent: 5230448 (1993-07-01), Strohmeyer et al.
patent: 57-125975 (1956-01-01), None
patent: 61-66763 (1986-05-01), None
patent: 61-27033 (1986-08-01), None
patent: 63-143476 (1988-06-01), None
patent: 63-254367 (1988-10-01), None
patent: 5-210784 (1993-08-01), None
Ali Mohammad M.
Buiz Michael Powell
Hoshizaki Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
Wenderoth , Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
LandOfFree
Ice dispenser does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Ice dispenser, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Ice dispenser will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2546133