ICE CONTAINER FOR AN ICE-STORAGE TYPE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM

Abstract: An ice container (30) for an ice-storage type air conditioning system includes a sealed plastic housing (31) containing water therein. The housing has a plurality of elongated slots (35) formed uniformly in the entire outer surface thereof. When the water in the housing is frozen, the bottom walls of the slots (35) expand to increase the capacity of the housing. The bottom walls of the slots are arranged and sized so that the slots can remain in the outer surface of the housing when the water is frozen. The housing has a groove (322) formed in one end and a tongue (321) projecting outward from the other end. The tongue (321) in one housing can be inserted into the groove (322) of another housing so that a plurality of the housings can be arranged in a row.

Description: ICE CONTAINER FOR AN ICE-STORAGE TYPE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a variable-capacity ice container for an ice-storage type air conditioning system, and more particularly to an ice container with a plurality of elongated slots formed in the outer surface thereof, which slots prevent substantial volumetric expansion of the ice container when the water in the ice container is frozen. 2. Description of the Related Art Referring to Fig. 1, a conventional ice container includes a spherical plastic outer housing (10) with a plurality of circular depressions (11) formed uniformly in the entire outer surface thereof. Referring to Fig. 2 , another conventional ice container includes an elongated plastic outer housing (12) having a bellows- like portion (13) . A plurality of the spherical ice containers or the elongated ice containers are placed in a large container through which the circulating coolant of the ice-storage air conditioning system flows to interact with the ice containers so as to perform heat exchange. When the air conditioning system is not in use, the ice containers are cooled to freeze the water in the ice containers. When the air conditioning system is in use, heat is transferred from the circulating coolant to the ice in the ice containers and melts the ice. When the water in the ice container of Fig. 1 is frozen, the ice pushes against the wall of the ice container at the circular depressions (11) to form protrusions on the outer surface of the outer housing (10) . When the water in the ice container of Fig. 2 is frozen, the small- diameter portions of the bellows-like portion (13) expand so that two ends of the outer housing (12) extend outward, thereby increasing the length of the ice container. As a result, the solidification of the water in the ice container causes substantial capacity increment and volumetric expansion of the ice container. Subsequently, when the ice in the ice container melts, the outer housing returns to the original shape, thereby reducing the capacity and volume of the ice container. Substantial volumetric periodic expansion and contraction of the ice containers cause difficulties in positioning the ice containers within the large container and result in frequent friction between the ice containers, thereby damaging or even breaking the ice containers. Because it is difficult to position the ice containers in an orderly manner in the large container, the circulating coolant cannot flow uniformly over all of the ice containers, the water in many of the ice containers might not be frozen, thus decreasing the heat transfer efficiency between the ic containers and the circulating coolant. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to provide an ic container which has an unchangeable volume and a goo heat exchange efficiency. Another object of this invention is to provide positioning device for ice containers which ca maintain the relative position of the ice containers i a large container for an ice-storage type ai conditioning system. According to this invention, an ice container fo an ice-storage type air conditioning system includes sealed plastic outer housing containing water therein The outer housing has a plurality of elongated slot formed uniformly in the entire outer surface thereof When the water in the outer housing is frozen, th bottom walls of the slots expand to increase th capacity of the outer housing. The bottom walls of th slots are arranged and sized so that the slots ca remain in the outer surface of the outer housing whe the water in the outer housing is frozen, thu preventing formation of projections on the oute surface of the outer housing. The formation of th projections causes substantial volumetric expansion o the outer housing. The outer housing has a groov formed in one end surface thereof, and a tongu projecting outward from the other end surface thereof The tongue of one outer housing can be inserted int the groove of another outer housing so that a pluralit of the outer housings can be arranged in a row. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other features and advantages of this inventio will become apparent in the following detaile description of the preferred embodiments of thi invention, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional ic container for an ice-storage type air conditionin system; Fig. 2 is a schematic view illustrating anothe conventional ice container for an ice-storage type ai conditioning system; Fig. 3 is an exploded view illustrating an ic container for an ice-storage type air conditionin system according to this invention; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along Line 4-4 i Fig. 3, illustrating the expansion of the botto walls of the slots according to this invention; Fig. 5 is a partially exploded view of another ic container for an ice-storage type air conditionin system according to this invention; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a alternative design of the heat conductor of the ic container according to this invention, which hea conductor is shaped in the form of a convoluted plate. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing anothe alternative design of the heat conductor of the ic container according to this invention, which hea conductor is shaped in the form of a cross-shape plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTSP Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, an ice container o this invention includes a sealed plastic outer housin (30), a coiled metal heat conductor (34) and plurality of slots (35) which are formed uniformly i the entire outer surface of the outer housing (30) . The outer housing (30) is generally cylindrica and has an internal chamber (31) in which water or an other suitable liquid is contained. A positionin device consists of a cylindrical tongue (321) projecting outward from one end surface of the oute housing (30) , and a circular groove (322) formed in th other end surface of the outer housing (30) i alignment with the tongue (321) . The tongue (321) o one outer housing (30) can be inserted into the groov (322) of another outer housing (30) so that said tw outer housings (30) can be arranged in a row. In thi way, several ice containers can be positioned in a ro so that a plurality of outer housings (30) can b arranged in order in a large container for an ice storage type air conditioning system, thereb maximizing the number of the ice containers in th large container. When the ice containers ar interconnected by means of the positioning devices, th circulating coolant can flow uniformly over all of th ice containers in the large container, thereb increasing the heat exchange efficiency of the ai conditioning system. As best shown in Fig. 4, the bottom walls (301) o the slots (35) have the same thickness as the wal (302) of the outer housing (30) and are expandable an contractible in response to the conversion of water t ice and vice-versa in the outer housing (30) in such manner that the depth of slots (35) in the oute surface of the outer housing (30) is reduced o increased. As illustrated, when the water in the oute housing (30) is frozen, the bottom walls (301) of th outer housing (30) expand to the position indicated b phantom lines in Fig. 4. The shape of the oute housing (30) may be modified into the form shown i Fig. 5, which is an oval shape (30'). Preferably, som metal powders (303) (see Fig. 1) are distribute uniformly in the plastic outer housing (30) so as t increase the heat transfer efficiency of the ic container. The coiled heat conductor (34) is compressed to b placed into the outer housing (30) . The heat conducto (34) thus presses against the inner wall of the oute housing (30). With the heat conductor (34) disposed i the outer housing (30) , the water in the outer housin (30) can be easily frozen into ice which is initiall formed on the heat conductor (34) . As a consequence the interengaging area between the heat conductor (34 and the inner wall of the outer housing (30) i increased, thereby providing a good heat transfe efficiency therebetween. Alternatively, the coiled heat conductor (34) ma be replaced with the heat conductor (34') shown in Fig 6, which is shaped in the form of a convoluted plate The heat conductor (34') is also made of metal an presses against the inner wall of the outer housin (30) by a spring restoration force. Referring to Fig. 7, another metal heat conducto (34") may also substitute for the coiled heat conducto (34) . As illustrated, the heat conductor (34") has cross-shaped plate body which consists of tw rectangular plates intersecting at the middle portion thereof. A plurality of metal sharp projections (341 protrude from the plates. The slots (35) are sized and arranged in the oute surface of the outer housing (30) according to th volumetric difference between the liquid and the soli states of water in the ice container so that the botto walls (301) of the slots (35) will not project from th outer surface of the outer housing (30) when the ice pushes the bottom walls (301) of the slots (35) radially outward, thereby preventing substantial volumetric expansion of the outer housing (30) . in other words, when the water in the outer housing (30) is frozen to become ice, the slots (35) remain in the outer surface of the outer housing (30) in such a manner that the depth of the slots (35) is reduced. The expansion of the bottom walls (301) of the slots (35) increases the capacity of the outer housing (30) or the volume of the chamber (31) . When the ice in the outer housing (30) melts, the bottom walls (301) of the slots (35) contract to their original positions. Because the volume of the outer housing (30) does not change during the water-ice phase change, the ice container will not move in the large container even when the tongue (321) of one ice container is not engaged within the groove (322) of another ice container. Accordingly, possible damage to the outer housing (30) caused by friction is minimized so that the life time of the ice container is increased. With this invention thus explained, it is apparent that numerous modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention. It is therefore intended that this invention be limited only as indicated in the appended claims.

Claims: I CLAIM : 1. An ice container for an ice-storage type ai conditioning system, comprising a sealed plastic oute housing adapted to contain water therein, said oute housing having a plurality of elongated slots forme uniformly in entire outer surface thereof, each of sai slots having a bottom wall which is expandable when th water in said outer housing is frozen to become ice and which is contractible when the ice in said oute housing is melted, the bottom walls of said slots bein arranged and sized so that said slots can remain i said outer surface of said outer housing when the wate in said outer housing is frozen, thus preventin formation of projections on said outer surface of sai outer housing, the formation of said projection causing substantial volumetric expansion of said oute housing. 2. An ice container as claimed in Claim 1, wherein metal heat conductor is accommodated within said oute housing so as to facilitate solidification of the wate in said outer housing. 3. An ice container as claimed in Claim 2, wherein sai outer housing is generally cylindrical, said hea conductor being coiled and pressing against an inne wall of said outer housing so as to increas interengaging area between said heat conductor and th inner wall of said outer housing. 4. An ice container as claimed in Claim 2, wherein sai outer housing is generally cylindrical, said hea conductor being shaped in the form of a convolute plate which presses against an inner wall of said oute housing so as to increase interengaging area betwee said heat conductor and the inner wall of said oute housing. 5. An ice container as claimed in Claim 2, wherein sai outer housing is generally cylindrical, said hea conductor having a cross-shaped plate body, and plurality of metal sharp projections protruding fro said cross-shaped plate body. 6. An ice container as claimed in Claim 2, wherein sai outer housing is shaped in the form of an oval, sai heat conductor being coiled and pressing against a inner wall of said outer housing so as to increas interengaging area between said heat conductor and th inner wall of said outer housing. 7. An ice container as claimed in Claim 2, wherein sai outer housing is shaped in the form of an oval, sai heat conductor being shaped in the form of a convolute plate which presses against an inner wall of said oute housing so as to increase interengaging area betwee said heat conductor and the inner wall of said oute housing. 8. An ice container as claimed in Claim 2, wherein sai outer housing is shaped in the form of an oval, sai heat conductor having a cross-shaped plate body, and plurality of metal sharp projections protruding fro said cross-shaped plate body. 9. An ice container as claimed in Claim 1, wherein sai outer housing has two end surfaces and includes groove formed in one of said two end surfaces, and tongue projecting outward from the other of said tw end surfaces, whereby, said tongue of one said oute housing can be engaged within said groove of anothe said outer housing so as to arrange a plurality of sai outer housings in a row. 10. An ice container as claimed in Claim 1, wherei said slots are arranged in a helical mode in order t provide a good heat exchange efficiency. 11. An ice container as claimed in Claim 1, wherei said outer housing includes some metal powder distributed uniformly therein so as to increase hea transfer efficiency of said outer housing.

Inventors: DUH SHI-CHIN, DUH, SHI-CHIN
Applicants: DUH SHI CHIN, IDEA INC, DUH, SHI-CHIN, IDEA, INC.
Application year: 1993
Main classification: F25D11
IPC codes: B65D21, F24F5, F25D3, F28D20