Abstract:
An ice distributing apparatus including an ice discharge tube, an activation mechanism and a door apparatus in releasable contact with the ice discharge tube. The door apparatus includes a routing pocket, a plurality of interference protrusions proximate to the routing pocket and a heating element at least partially disposed in the routing pocket and retained by at least one of the plurality of interference protrusions.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This is a non-provisional application based upon U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/547,096, entitled “HEATED ICE DOOR”, filed Feb. 24, 2004. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to an ice making apparatus, and, more particularly, to an ice door associated with an ice distributing apparatus.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Ice makers have for years provided convenient access to ice cubes and chips. Ice makers are found in freezer sections of home refrigerators and are accessible by way of a tray that holds the ice in the freezer compartment. Advance distribution systems of ice are incorporated in some refrigeration units, allowing the discharge of ice products upon the activation of a device holding a quantity of ice in the freezer compartment. A user can access the ice maker from outside of the refrigeration unit by placing a discharge tube in an appropriate receptacle and pressing a button, thereby causing the flow of ice to be initiated into the discharge tube. The ability to access ice from outside of a refrigeration unit leads to a necessity of reducing the heat flow to the interior of the refrigeration unit. An enclosable door can be utilized to reduce the heat loss of the unit.  
         [0006]     A problem with conventional ice makers is that condensation of moisture occurs on icemaker distribution systems and a potential freezing of the moisture condensate.  
         [0007]     What is needed in the art is an effective way of reducing and/or eliminating condensate on an ice distribution system door.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention provides a heated ice door and a method for making a heated ice door.  
         [0009]     The invention comprises, in one form thereof, an ice distributing apparatus including an ice discharge tube, an activation mechanism and a door apparatus in releasable contact with the ice discharge tube. The door apparatus includes a routing pocket, a plurality of interference protrusions proximate to the routing pocket and a heating element at least partially disposed in the routing pocket and retained by at least one of the plurality of interference protrusions.  
         [0010]     An advantage of the present invention is that the heating element can be easily routed and retained in the door apparatus.  
         [0011]     An advantage of the present invention is that the heating element can be retained without the utilization of any adhesive.  
         [0012]     Yet another advantage is that the heating element can be positioned without the need of any special tooling. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of an ice making apparatus including a door of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the door of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is an assembled view of the door of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is an assembled view of another embodiment of the door of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2 ; and  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a schematical representation of a temperature sensing unit contained in the door of  FIGS. 1-4 . 
     
    
       [0020]     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIGS. 1-4 , there is shown an embodiment of an ice making and distributing apparatus  10 , including discharge tube  12 , door apparatus  14  and activation mechanism  16 . Discharge tube  12  directs ice products from an auger mechanism (not shown) when door apparatus  14  is in an open position. The majority of the time no ice is being discharged and door apparatus  14  is closed against an open portion of discharge tube  12 . Upon initiation of activation mechanism  16 , door  14  is moved in direction  6  as it rotates about a rotational component as shown by arrow  8  to thereby allow the ice product, that is directed to discharge tube  12 , to escape therefrom and be routed by further assemblies, not shown, to a container positioned by an individual who has activated activation mechanism  16 .  
         [0022]     Interconnection features  18  are located on a bottom portion of door  14 , which allow the quick connection of activation mechanism  16  to door  14 . Interconnection features  18  allow for a snapping connection without the need for tools to connect activation mechanism  16  to door  14 .  
         [0023]     Door apparatus  14  includes a first assembly  20 , a second assembly  22 , a heating apparatus  24 , a foam seal  26  and an impact shield  28 . First assembly  20  is a formed by way of an injection molding process. First assembly  20  is a substrate  20  that includes a pocket  30 , a circuitous pocket  32  and interference protrusions  34 . Pocket  30  allows for the inclusion of a current control device that is dependent upon temperature. Linked to pocket  30  is circuitous pocket  32  that allows for the positioning of a heating element therein. Along a portion of circuitous pocket  30 , interference protrusions  34  are positioned to partially extend over a portion of circuitous pocket  32 . Interference protrusions  34  have ramped or curved surfaces to guide the placing of a heating element therebetween.  
         [0024]     Second assembly  22  is a cover portion  22  that covers first assembly  20  and includes a pattern of depressions  36  and sidewalls  38 . Sidewalls  38  allow for the positioning of foam seal  26  thereon. Depressions  36  are laid out in a pattern, such as a grid shown in  FIG. 2 . The grid reduces the heat conduction of second assembly  22  by thereby forming air pockets upon the mounting of foam seal  26 . Second assembly  22  may be overmolded upon first assembly  20  after the inclusion of heating apparatus  24 . Alternatively, second assembly  22  may be connected mechanically to first assembly  20  by way of connection feature and/or adhesive. Sidewalls  38  may extend beyond foam pad  26  and shield  28  as shown in  FIG. 3 , or sidewalls  38  may be shorter relative to foam pad  26  and shield  28  as shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0025]     Now, additionally referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , there is shown heating apparatus  24 , including incoming conductors  40 , a heating element  42 , a resistor  44  and a temperature sensitive current controller  46 . Incoming conductors  40  supply electrical energy to heating element  42 . Heating element  42  includes a resistive conductor  50  surrounded by a compressible layer  48 . Compressible layer  48  is resistant to thermal breakdown and provides electrical insulation of restive conductor  50 . Alternatively, compressible layer  48  may be completely omitted. Resistor  44  is in electrical series with temperature sensitive current controller  46 . Resistor  44  and temperature sensitive current controller  46  are placed in proximity to each other in pocket  30 . The value of resistor  44  is selected to dissipate sufficient heat to be quickly sensed by temperature sensitive current controller  46  to thereby alter the current flow through conductor  50  and control the temperature of heating element  42  in first assembly  20 .  
         [0026]     Foam seal  26  is placed upon pattern  36  of second assembly  22 , thereby providing an insulative and compressible layer to door apparatus  14 . When door apparatus  14  is in contact with discharge tube  12 , foam seal  26  compresses to accommodate the pressure against discharge tube  12  by way of the contact of door apparatus  14  against discharge tube  12 . On another side of foam seal  26  is impact shield  28 , which is resilient in nature so as to absorb the impact of ice cubes against impact shield  28 . Impact shield  28  and foam seal  26  coact to absorb the kinetic energy of ice impacting against the assembly.  
         [0027]     In assembling door apparatus  14 , first assembly  20  is formed having circuitous pocket  32  formed therein with interference protrusions  34  protruding somewhat over circuitous pocket  32 . Heating apparatus  24  is positioned into first assembly  20  by placing resistor  44  and temperature sensitive current controller  46  in pocket  30 . Connected to pocket  30  is circuitous pocket  32  through which heating element  42  is routed. When heating element  42  contacts interference protrusions  34 , the diameter of heating element  42  exceeds the distance between interference protrusions  34 . At the point of interference, heating element  42  is forced between interference protrusions  34 , thereby causing heating element  42  to be retained in circuitous pocket  32 . This allows the easy insertion of heating element  42  along a significant portion of circuitous pocket  32 . Placement of interference protrusions  34  are such that they preclude the need of utilizing adhesive or other retaining mechanisms in the routing of heating element  42  to thereby prepare first assembly  20  for assembly with second assembly  22 . Protrusions  34  are preferably along less than 20% of circuitous pocket  32  and more preferably less than 10%, thereby allowing the easy insertion of heating element  42  over a long linear path. Interference protrusions  34  are primarily placed at places where heating element  42  may have a tendency to leave circuitous pocket  32 . Advantageously, heating element  42  may be routed through circuitous pocket  32  without requiring special tooling and can be easily removed and/or rerouted if a problem in heating element  42  is detected by the installer. Compressible layer  48  of heating element  42  coacts with interference protrusions  34  to retain heating element  42  in pocket  32 . Protrusions  34  and/or compressible layer  48  compress allowing the passing of heating element  42  between protrusions  34  without damage to compressible layer  48 , protrusions  34  or resistive conductor  50 . Alternatively, compressible layer  48  may be omitted and resistive conductor  50  interacts with protrusions  34  to retain heating element  42  in circuitous pocket  32 .  
         [0028]     Electrical energy is supplied to heating apparatus  24 , and temperature sensitive current controller  46  allows a flow of power through resistor  44  and through heating element  42 . The flow of electrical current through resistor  44  and heating element  42  is reduced as the temperature of current controller  46  increases. Correspondingly, as the temperature of current controller  46  decreases the current through controller  46 , resistor  44  and heating element  42  increases. This advantageously has a controlling effect on the temperature of first assembly  20 . Alternatively, resistor  44  and temperature sensitive current controller  46  may be omitted leaving heating element  42  to be either controlled by some other mechanism exterior to the present invention or for the resistivity of heating element  42  to be of a predetermined value for constantly having heat supplied thereto.  
         [0029]     The present invention advantageously supplies sufficient heat to first assembly  20  to prevent the forming of condensate thereon. Additionally, the depressions of pattern  36  coact with foam seal  26  to reduce the heat flow therethrough, thereby increasing the efficiency of ice making apparatus  10  and the melting of ice therein.  
         [0030]     While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.