APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ICECUBES

Abstract: The invention relates to an icecube machine, wherein cooled fingers (2) extend in a vessel (9) of water. By sufficient cooling of said fingers (2), the water round the fingers freezes. The freezing process is ended after a pre-determined period has been elapsed since the reach of a pre-determined temperature of the water or of the fingers. This makes the result inde­ pendent of the supplied temperature of the water. By varying the pre-determined period, the size of the icecubes can be varied without fundamental changes in the machine. When the freezing process is ended, the fingers (2) are heated, so that the icecubes leave the fingers. Subsequently, the vessel (9) of water is removed, so that the separated icecubes drop into a recepticle.

Description: The present invention relates to an apparatus for preparing icecubes, comprising: a freezing element, provided with fingers extending downwardly therefrom and being adapted to function as cores, around which icecubes can be formed; a cooling apparatus connected with the freezing element; a removable vessel located under the cooling element, which vessel can be filled with water to such a level, that the fingers extend into the water, and the fingers can be subjected to a cooling process; removing means for removing icecubes from the fingers after completion of the freezing process. Such an apparatus is known from DE-A-3.216.597. In this known apparatus the freezing process is terminated, when a sensing element for the sensing of the size of the icecubes has determined that said icecubes have reached a certain size. According to said specification, this sensing element takes the shape of a stirring element, driven by a motor, which stirring element has been provided in the vincinity of at least one of said fingers, so that, when the icecubes have reached a certain size, the movement of the stirring element is disturbed and the motor driving the stirring element will be subjected to a movement of the stirring element. The flexible suspension of said motor is such, that, when said motor is moved, a switch is tripped, so that the freezing process is terminated. This apparatus comprises a flexible suspension of the motor, which may lead to frequent defects, possibly also as a consequence of the resulting temperature changes and the condensation resulting therefrom. Further, such a flexible suspension of a motor is not very reliable. The aim of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for preparing icecubes in a reliable way, which apparatus will not suffer to frequent defects. This aim is reached by such an apparatus, comprising: a temperature sensing element for measuring the temperature of the water surrounding the fingers; controlling means connected with the cooling means with the temperature sensing element and with the removing means for controlling the freezing process such, that after the water surrounding the fingers has reached a predetermined temperature, the freezing process will continue during a predetermined period, after which the removing means are initiated. This method does not require a flexible suspended motor and a switch acting on the movements of said motor is eliminated. Only a measuring member for the measuring of the temperature of the water or of the freezing element is being used, after which the determination of the period of the freezing process takes place fully independently. Consequently, any elements, which are subjected to mechanical wear and which may lead to effects, are eliminated. Besides, US-A-4344295 discloses a refrigerator including an ice-making mechanism located in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator. In this apparatus also the icecube-making cycle is synchronized with the defrosting cycle of the refrigerator to allow the icecubes being made under the most favourable conditions; i.e. when the temperature in the freezing compartment is low. To obtain this synchronisation the icecube-making cycles, taking place during a predetermined period, starts after the evaporation has reached a predetermined temperature level. Subsequently, the present invention will be described with the help of the accompanying drawings, wherein: fig. 1: is a perspective view, partly broken away, of an apparatus according to the present invention; fig. 2: a perspective view, slanting from underneath of a freezing element according to the present invention during the removal of the icecubes; fig. 3: a schematic cross-section of a freezing element according to the present invention with a vessel located thereunder; and fig. 4: a schematic section of a freezing element, composed of two separate elements according to the present invention, with the vessel located underneath. In the present invention, use is made of a block-shaped freezing element 1, comprising conical fingers 2 extending downwardly therefrom. The freezing element 1 comprises a spiral-shaped tube 3. This tube 3 has been connected with a cooling apparatus 4 in a way known in this art. For the fixation of the freezing element 1, this freezing element comprises ears 5, into which holes 6 have been provided. By means of the ears 5 and the holes 6 located therein, the freezing element 1 can be attached to the frame 8 of a icecube apparatus not depicted in the drawing. A vessel 9 has been provided such under the freezing element 1, that the fingers 2 extend into said vessel. A temperature sensing element 10 has been provided in the vessel, which has been coupled with a controlling member 12, by means of a lead 11. Also a water level sensor 13 has been provided in the vessel, which sensor is also connected with the controlling member 12 through a wire 14. The controlling member 12 has been connected with the cooling apparatus 4 by means of a lead 15. At the upper side of the freezing element 1, a layer of insulating material 16 has been provided. Fig. 2 shows the fixation of the vessel 9. Two arms 17 have been provided at the vessel 9, of which the ends comprise holes 18. An axel 19, located firmly in the frame of the icecube machine, extend through these holes, so that the vessel 9 can be tilted around the axel 19. Subsequently the working of the apparatus described before will be explained. As is shown in fig. 3, initially the vessel 9 is filled with water by means of a water supply tube 20. The supply of water is measured by a level sensor 13, wherein the signal supplied by the level sensor is led to the control unit 12 by means of the lead 14. This control unit 12 actuates an electric valve 21, provided in the water supply tube 20 such that, when a pre-determined water level has been reached in the vessel, the supply of water is cut off. With the water level thus obtained, the fingers 2 are dipped in the water for a considerable part. Further the control unit 12 initiates the freezing process, which implies that coolant is lead through the tube 3, which coolant will vaporate mainly in the freezing element, which initiates the freezing process. During this freezing process, the temperature of the water being present in the vessel, respectively of the freezing element is being measured. When the water and so the freezing element have reached a pre-determined temperature, the control unit 12 controls the freezing process such that this, after the reach of the pre-determined temperature is being maintained during a pre-determined period. The basis therefore is that one does not want to have the control of the freezing process dependent on mechanic switching gear, but instead one controls the freezing process with the help of a timing switch, which is of course less prone to defects inherent than mechanical switching apparatus. One has to take into account that the water, being supplied by the water supply chip 12, has not a constant reproducible temperature. To solve this problem, the freezing process is initiated with the freezing process and the timing switch starts working at the moment, that a certain water temperature has been reached. This will allow a reproducible size of the icecubes. Further this control offers the possibility to prepare icecubes with different sizes. Thereto a selecting switch 21 is connected with the control unit 12, so that by the actuating of the selecting switch 21, the period of the freezing process taking place after the reaching of a pre-determined water temperature can be varied, so that the size of the icecubes can easily be varied. When the freezing process has been completed, the control unit 12 makes the connection of the tube 3 with the cooling apparatus 4 such that warm gasses are lead through the freezing element 1. As a consequence thereof the fingers 2 become warm, so that the icecubes will melt from the fingers. Further the vessel 9 has been tilted away by means of the action of the control unit 12 for which action a tilted mechanism, not depicted in the drawing, but known in this art is provided, so that the icecubes melted apart fall down and fall into a recepticle, not depicted in the drawings, where they can be taken out for use. This process has been depicted in fig. 2. As has been depicted in fig. 4, with the help of the ears 5, different freezing elements 1 can be composed to one big freezing element. This has the advantage, that with a freezing element 1 of standard sizes, icecube machines with different capacities can be manufactured. Consequentlythe cost of production is decreased. Of course, the tube 3, through which the coolant flows, have to be connected in series or parallel. Also the capacity of the cooling machine 4 has to be adapted and a bigger receptacle 9 has to be used. Fig. 4 also shows the temperature sensor 10 for the sensing of the temperature has not been provided in the vessel, but instead on one of the freezing elements. This has the advantages that the temperature sensor is not dipped into water repeatedly, but instead keeps dry, which stretches its life time. As the thermal resistance of the fingers 2 and the freezing element is constant, it is also possible to measure the temperature of the water on the freezing element. The selection switch enables to control the size of the icecubes to be produced. To this end, the selection switch 21 has been provided on the control panel of the icecube machine, so that the user can easily select the size of the icecubes. Further the remark is made, that with the apparatus and the method according to DE-A-3.216.597, it is indeed possible to vary the size of the icecubes to be produced, but the stirring element has to replaced thereto, which of course, can not be executed on every moment, as the icecube machine has to be opened. Such labours will generally only be taken by a engineer. Consequently, the present invention allows to vary the size of the icecubes to be produced in an easy way.

Claims: Apparatus for preparing icecubes, comprising: a freezing element (1), provided with fingers (2) extending downwardly therefrom and being adapted to function as cores, around which icecubes can be formed; a cooling apparatus (4) connected with the freezing element (1); a removable vessel (9) located under the cooling element (1), which vessel (9) can be filled with water to such a level, that the fingers (2) extend into the water, and the fingers can be subjected to a cooling process; removing means for removing icecubes from the fingers (2) after completion of the freezing process, characterized by: a temperature sensing (10) element for measuring the temperature of the water surrounding the fingers; controlling means (12) connected with the cooling means, with the temperature sensing element (10) and with the removing means for controlling the freezing process such, that after the water surrounding the fingers (2) has reached a predetermined temperature, the freezing process will continue during a predetermined period, after which the removing means are initiated. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined period is adjustable. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the temperature sensor (10) is located in the vessel (9). Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the temperature sensor is located on the freezing element (1). Apparatus according to one of the claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the freezing element is a substantial spiral-shaped tube (3), which is surrounded by a body (1), being monolithic with the fingers (2). Apparatus according to one of claims 1-4, characterized in that the freezing element is a substantial zig-zag tube (3), being surrounded by a body (1), being monolithic with the fingers (2). Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the body (1) has been provided with a layer of insulating material (16) at its upper side. Apparatus according to one of the claims 5, 6 or 7, characterized in that the freezing element (1) comprises coupling means (5) for coupling with other freezing elements (1) to obtain a multiple freezing element with a bigger size. Apparatus according to one of the claims, characterized in that the fingers (2) are substantially conical.

Inventors: VAN GILS, ANTONIUS CORNELIUS MARIA
Applicants: IE PE GE B.V.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: F25C1
IPC codes: F25C1