US3437244A - Ice dispenser having stages with different feed rates - Google Patents

Description

P 1969 R. J. ALVAREZ ETAL 3,437,244

ICE DISPENSER HAVING STA GES WITH DIFFERENT FEED RATES Filed Sept. 18. 1967 'Sheet of 3 I II 1/ ,1

INVENTORS ROBERT J. ALVAREZ 8 DMGHT w. IAcoBus THE\R ATTORNEY April 8, 1969 R. J. ALVAREZ ETAL 3,

ICE DVISPENSER HAVING STAGES WITH DiFFERENT FEED RATES Filed Sept. 18, 1967 Sheet 2 of 3 INVENTORS ROBERT J'- ALVAREZ SyGHT w. TACOBUS THE n2 ATTORNEY l-" 8, 1969- R. J. ALVAREZ ET AL 3,437,244

ICE DISPENSER HAVING STAGES WITH DIFFERENT FEED RATES Sheet Filed Sept. 18. 1967 s ZU V. 5 a 0 n T c N ELI 0 W w TM m E Bw H OD T & Y B

F'IG.7

United States Patent 3,437,244 ICE DISPENSER HAVING STAGES WITH DIFFERENT FEED RATES Robert J. Alvarez and Dwight W. Jacobus, Louisville, Ky.,

assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 18, 1967, Ser. No. 668,600 Int. Cl. Gtllf 11/20 U.S. Cl. 222240 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE -An ice piece dispenser comprising a storage receptacle and rotatable dispensing means within the receptacle including a metering section adapted, during each rotation of the dispensing means, to dispense a predetermined number of ice pieces and including means for scooping ice pieces from the receptacle and storing such ice pieces I at a rate in excess of that at which the ice pieces are dispensed.

Cross-reference to related applications The present invention relates particularly to improvements in the ice dispenser of the type disclosed and claimed in the copending application of Robert J. Alvarez, Ser. No. 668,364 filed concurrently herewith and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to an ice piece dispensing service for a conventional household refrigerator including metering means for accurately controlling the number of ice pieces periodically dispensed on demand by the dispensing means.

An ice storage and dispensing service particularly adapted for use in a small freezer or in the freezer compartment of a household refrigerator is described and claimed in the aforementioned Alvarez application. Briefly described it comprises a receptacle for receiving and collecting ice pieces and a dispensing means rotatably supported in a horizontal position within the receptacle so that, upon operation thereof under control of the user, ice pieces will be automatically dispensed through a discharge opening in the receptacle. The dispensing means generally comprises a feed section for feeding ice pieces to the discharge opening and a conveying section connected to the feed section and rotatable therewith for both conveying ice pieces from more remote portions of the receptacle to the feed section and circulating and agitating the stored ice pieces to break up clusters or clumps of stored ice pieces.

For maximum enjoyment of an ice dispenser in a home appliance, it is desirable that it be designed to discharge a small and controlled number of ice pieces during each operating cycle thereof so that it can be conveniently used to dispense only a few ice pieces, as for example, into an ordinary drinking glass.

The present invention is directed to and has as its principal object the provision of an improved feed or metering section for an ice dispensing service including a rotating horiozntally disposed dispensing means designed to dispense the same number of ice pieces during each cycle of operation thereof.

Summary of the invention The dispenser of the present invention comprises a receptacle for receiving and collecting the ice pieces and including a discharge opening through which ice pieces are periodically discharged under control of the user. The dispenser includes rotatable dispensing means hori- 3,437,244 Patented Apr. 8, 1969 zontally supported in the receptacle for conveying ice pieces to the discharge opening and including a feed or metering section having at least one longitudinal pasasge therein offset from the longitudinal axis of the metering section and designed to dispense a predetermined number of ice pieces during each operating cycle of the dispensing means. To this end, the passage includes an outlet stage periodically communicating with the discharge opening and so designed that each time the outlet stage is op n to the discharge opening, a specific number of ice pieces will pass through that opening. The metering section also includes an inlet stage for scooping or picking up ice pieces from the receptacle at an average rate at least equal to the rate at which the ice pieces are dispensed from the outlet stage and an intermediate stage between the inlet and outlet stages. This stage is designed both to advance ice pieces from the inlet stage to the outlet stage and to store ice pieces in single file arrangement and in an amount greater than the number dispensed during each dispensing operation of the outlet stage. Thus, the number of ice pieces available within the metering section for transfer to the outlet stage is at least equal to the predetermined number of ice pieces to be dispensed by the outlet stage during each operation.

In accordance with one specific embodiment of the invention, the feed or metering section comprises a cylindrical or tubular member and a 360 double helix conveyor or anger coaxially arranged within the tubular member and having a blade pitch such that the blades in combination with the tubular member form spiraling longitudinally extending passages for the transfer of ice pieces in a single file through the feed section to the discharge opening; the discharge opening being arranged to provide a controlled discharge of ice pieces from the outlet end of the feed or metering section. By this construction, a sufiicient number of ice pieces are picked up and stored in the feed section so that there is always available therein at least the number of ice pieces to be discharge during each operating cycle.

In accordance with another illustrated embodiment of the invention, the discharge opening is below the outlet end of the metering or feed section and the metering section includes at least one passage extending generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the metering section and offset from that axis except for its minor or inlet end portion which curves in the direction of rotation of the metering section to provide means for scooping ice pieces from the receptacle into the passage. The straight or principal portion of the passage includes a sloping wall forming part of a storage stage for advancing ice pieces to the oultet end thereof when the passage is above the axis of rotation and a dam effective when the passage is below the axis of rotation for preventing ice pieces from intering the outlet stage.

Brief description of the drawings In the accompanying drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of an ice dispensing means of the present invention incorporated in the freezer compartment of a household refrigerator;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken generally along line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view similar to FIGURE 2 illustrating certain details of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view illustrating the operation of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken generally along line 5--5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view of a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 7 is a rear view of the feed or metering section of the dispenser shown in FIGURE 6, taken generally along line 7--7 thereof;

FIGURE 8 is a front view of the modification of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken generally along line 99 of FIGURE 6.

Description of the preferred embodiments With reference to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawing, there is illustrated a household refrigerator comprising a freezer compartment 1 having an access opening at the front thereof closed by a door 2. Within the upper portion of the freezer compartment 1, there is mounted an automatic ice maker 3 which may be any of the well known types presently provided in the household refrigerators or home ice service appliances for the automatic production of ice pieces generally referred to as ice cubes regardless of their particular shape.

Ice pieces produced by the ice maker 3 are discharged into a storage bin or receptacle 4 which serves not only to store the manufactured ice pieces at sub-freezing temperatures but also forms part of an ice dispenser designed to dispense the stored ice pieces.

The receptacle 4, which is removably supported on a supporting shelf 5 below the ice maker 3, is relatively wide and relatively shallow. It includes vertical front and rear walls 9 and 10 and an arcuate bottom wall 11 merging with slanting side walls 12. In this embodiment of the invention, the front wall of the receptacle includes a discharge opening 14 spaced upwardly from the lowest portion of the bottom wall 11.

The dispensing means 7 is designed to convey ice pieces stored in receptacle 4 to the discharge opening 14. It is horizontally mounted longitudinally of the receptacle 4 adjacent the lowermost portion of the bottom wall 11 and generally in alignment with the discharge opening 14. More specifically, it is pi-votally supported on the front and rear walls of the receptacle 4 for rotational movement about its longitudinal axis and includes a feed or metering section 16 at the front end thereof and a conveyor section 17 integrally connected to the feed section and forming the rear portion of the dispensing means.

The illustrated conveying section 17 for conveying ice pieces to the feed section comprises a helically coiled wire designed also to agitate and circulate the ice pieces within theireceptacle. It includes, as is shown more fully in FIGURE 3 of the drawing, a first portion 18 comprising one or more helical coils designed upon rotation of the dispensing means in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 4 to transport ice pieces from the rear of the bucket towards the feed section and a second portion 19 connecting the first portion to the shaft or longitudinal axis 20 of the feed section. The portion 19 is designed to space the portion 18 from the inlet end of the feed section a distance suflicient so that ice pieces conveyed to the feed section but not entering that section are recirculated around the feed section and again rearwardly towards the rear portion of the receptacle 4.

The rear end of the conveyor section 17 has secured thereto a sleeve 21 adapted to loosely fit over or inside of an inwardly extending annular flange 22 on the rear Wall 10 of the receptacle 4. The flange 22 defines an opening in the rear wall 10 for receiving the end of a shaft 23 forming part of a motor and speed reduction drive means 26. The shaft includes radially opposed drive pins 24 adapted to engage cooperating extensions 25 on the sleeve 21 for rotating the illustrated dispensing means in a counterclockwise direction.

The feed or metering section 16 is of a diameter such that with the front end of the dispensing means rotatably supported by the bearing 29 adjacent the discharge opening 14, the bottom of the feed section is preferably positioned in an arcuate depression 30 in the front portion of the bottom wall 11. This depression is of a depth such 4 that the inner surface of the collar or sleeve 28 forming the cylindrical outer surface of section 16 is substantially in the same plane or slightly below the adjacent bottom surface 32 to facilitate entrance of ice pieces into the feed section.

For a more detailed description of the construction and operation of the components of the ice dispenser thus far described, reference is made to the aforementioned Alvarez application.

The present invention is directed to a specific improvement in the metering of feed section 16 whereby, during normal operation of the ice dispenser, ice pieces are picked up and stored in the feed section in a suflicient quantity so that a predetermined number of ice pieces are discharged by the dispensing means during each operating cycle thereof.

In the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGURES 1-5 of the drawing, a 360 double helix auger of conveyor 35 contained within and coextensive with the collar 28 provides means for picking up ice pieces at the inlet end 36 of the feed section, and storing a plurality of ice pieces within the feed section while advancing them towards the discharge openings 14. The diameter of the auger and the pitch of the two helical blades 37 are such that the blades cooperate with the inner surface of the collar 28 to form two spiral passages 38 of a crosssection such that ice pieces freely pass therethrough in single file arrangement. This construction also results in a feed section having sufficient length that a plurality of ice pieces, in excess of those dispensed during each operating cycle, will be stored within the feed section.

The advantages of these features will become more apparent from a consideration of the operation of the feed section. During rotation of the dispensing means, which in the illustrated embodiment is designed to rotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 4, ice pieces are conveyed towards the feed section 16 by the conveyor section 17 at a rate greater than they can enter the inlet end 36 of the feed section. The ice pieces which do not enter the feed section are recirculated to the rear of the receptacle as described more fully in the Alvarez application. Unless the feed section is full, one or more ice pieces are usually scooped into the feed section 16 during each rotation thereof by the inlet ends 40' of the blades 37. Due to the storage capacity of the passages 38, a number of ice pieces are always contained within the feed section 16 during advancement thereof towards the outlet end of the feed section adjacent the discharge opening 14. Thus the intermediate or mid portion of the feed section 16 constitutes a storage stage designed to assure an adequate supply of ice pieces for discharge of the selected number of ice pieces through the discharge opening 14 during each dispensing cycle of rotation regardless of the specific number of ice pieces entering the feed section during any one cycle.

As is described and claimed in the aforementioned Alvarez application, the specific number of ice pieces discharged through the discharge opening 14 during each 180 rotation of the dispensing means depends upon the position of the discharge opening 14, or more specifically the position of the edge 42 thereof, relative to the outlet end of the feed section. This edge forms the top of a dam 43 overlying the front or outlet end of the feed section and designed to prevent discharge of ice pieces until the forward or discharge edge 45 of a blade 37 has rotated upwardly from its position below the axis 19 a predetermined distance.

The dam 43 is illustrated as being adjustable so that the user can select the predetermined number of ice pieces to be discharged during each 180 rotation of the feed section. The illustrating adjusting arrangement permits the movable dam 43 to be rotated about the axis represented by the bearing 29 as shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawing; means such as a set screw 47, being provided to lock the dam in any desired position.

The dam 43 is illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawing as positioned to discharge two ice pieces during each 180 rotation of the dispensing means. In other words, during every 180 of rotation, the outlet edge 45 of one or the other blades 37 rotates to a position level or even with the edge 42 which permits the front or foremost ice piece 50 to slide downwardly along the sloping surface of the blade over the edge 42 and thus through the discharge opening 14. Because of the single file arrangement of the ice pieces within each of the channels or passages 38, no ice pieces can be discharged through the opening 14 until this front ice piece 50 clears the edge 42. At this point, this ice piece and the ice piece 51 which is immediately behind it and is also supported on the then downwardly sloping portion of the operating blade 37 or, in other words, has not been rotated or moved over top center position relative to the shaft or hub 29, will slide through the opening 14. However, the third ice piece, indicated by the numeral 52, will not be discharged since by the time the blade edge 45 has cleared edge 42, this ice piece will have been ro tated over top center and thus fallen back towards the intermediate portion of a channel 38 to be stored there until the feed section rotates through another 360. The ice piece 52 will then be the front or foremost ice piece and the first to be discharged through the opening 14.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the number of ice pieces discharged through opening 14 during each discharge cycle is the number present on the downwardly sloping portion of a blade at the time the forward edge 45 of that blade clears edge 42. To increase this number without changing the blade diameter or pitch, the portion 56 of each blade rearwardly adjacent edge 45 may be slanted to a more longitudinal shape, that is, given a greater pitch thereby increasing the total area of the outlet stage.

Since the position of the edge 42 forming the bottom wall of the discharge opening 14 determines the point at which the first ice piece can pass through the opening 14, its elevation position relative to axis 19 determines the number of ice pieces which will be metered through the discharge opening 14 in any one particular batch. For example, if the edge 14 is adjusted to a lower position as indicated by the dotted line 53 in FIGURE 4 of the drawing, the position of each of the blades 37 at the time that it clears the edge 42 will be such that three ice pieces will still remain on the downwardly sloping adjacent portion of the blade 37 so that all three of these ice pieces will be dispensed. Conversely raising of the edge 42 above its solid line position will result in the second ice piece such as the ice piece 51 also moving over top center before the foremost or first ice piece 50 is discharged through the opening with the result that only one ice piece will be discharged during such dispensing cycle.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URES 6-9 of the drawing, the receptacle 4 is provided with a discharge opening 60 in the bottom wall thereof and immediately below the front portion of the feed section which is generally indicated in these figures by the numeral 61.

The feed section 61 includes a cylindrical or tubular outer wall or collar 62 having a generally cylindrical insert therein formed to define with the collar 62 two diametrically opposed passages 63 of substantially the same shape and configuration. The front end of the section 61 extends into a sleeve 64 on the front wall 9 above the discharge opening 60. Each of the passages 63 differ from the passages 38 in the first embodiment of the invention in that the storage and outlet stages thereof forms a substantially straight portion of the passage 63 or in other words extends longitudinally of the feed section. The inlet stage, on the other hand has a shape similar to the inlet stage of the first embodiment.

More specifically, each of the passages 63, as is shown in FIGURE 9 of the drawing, includes an outlet stage 65 having an outlet opening 66 through the adjacent portion of the collar 62, an intermediate storage stage 67 in longitudinal alignment with the stage 65 and an inlet stage 68. That portion of the passages 63 defining the inlet stage 68 is curved as illustrated in FIGURE 9 of the drawing so that at least the trailing side wall 69 of this portion of the passage has approximately the same shape as that formed by the auger blades 37. Thus, during rotation of the dispensing means in the direction indicated by the arrows in FIGURES 7 and 8, this wall 69 will scoop cubes from the receptacle into the passage 63.

Further details of the construction of the passage 63 will become more apparent from a consideration of the operation of a feed section designed to dispense ice pieces one at a time. This operation will be described with reference to FIGURE 6 considering, for purposes of description, the illustrated upper and lower passage 63 as representing the same passage in two different diametrically opposed operating positions.

The feed section 61 rotates counterclockwise as viewed in FIGURE 8 of the drawing, that is, as viewed from the front of the receptacle 4. As the extending edge 70 of the wall 69 moves downwardly into the batch of ice pieces stored in receptacle 4 and during travel thereof through its bottom half revolution, it picks up an average of one ice piece. Two may enter if there is no piece already in the intermediate stage 67. Then as the passage which has received such an ice piece indicated by the numeral 72 in FIGURE 6 of the drawing moves to its uppermost position, this same ice piece, there indicated by the numeral 72', slides down the sloping bottom wall portion 73 of the intermediate stage 67. If the outlet stage 65 is empty, the ice piece 75 moves beneath a barrier or partition 74 to the outlet stage 65 where it is designated by the numeral 75'.

Normally the ice piece 72 will remain in the inlet stage during at least rotation of the feed section due to the presence in the intermediate stage of the previously admitted ice piece 75 held there by barrier 74 as illustrated in the lower passage 63 of FIGURE 6. The ice piece 75 which enters the outlet stage during the time the passage 63 containing that ice piece is at the top of its rotation, remains in that stage until the dispensing means rotates to its bottom point where the outlet opening 66 is in communication with the discharge opening 60 provided in the bottom of the receptacle 4. The ice piece pre viously held in the stage 63 by sleeve 64 is then discharged through the opening 60. However, at this point the dam 74 as illustrated in the lower half of the feed section 61 in FIGURE 6 of the drawing prevents any ice pieces in the intermediate stage 67 from advancing to the outlet stage and hence being discharged through the opening 60 at this point.

While the feed or metering section 62 illustrated in FIGURES 6-9 is designed to dispense one ice piece through the opening 60 during each 180 rotation, it will be obvious, of course, that a longer feed section providing space for additional ice pieces in each of the three stages, as for example two in each stage, can be employed. Because there is normally an excess of cubes at the entrance end of the feed section 62 ready to be scooped into the passages, ice pieces which have entered the inlet end of the passages 63 tend to be pushed forward by following ice pieces so that the intermediate stage 67 always contains a supply of ice pieces for transfer to the outlet stage 65.

It will be understood that, in the operation of either the above-described embodiments, any suitable switch means may be provided for controlling the operation of the drive means and hence rotation of the dispensing means. By the use of suitable gear reduction drive means, a relatively slow rotation of the dispensing means can be obtained and satisfactory control provided by a simple pushbutton switch whereby the user can depress the switch button to dispense a desired number of ice pieces and de-energize the drive means before the dispensing means rotates to the point where any additional ice pieces are discharged.

While the invention has been described with reference to the particular embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that it is not limited thereto and it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An ice dispenser for dispensing ice pieces comprismg:

a receptacle for receiving and collecting ice pieces, said receptacle having a discharge opening therein;

dispensing means for dispensing ice pieces from said receptacle comprising a metering section including at least one longitudinal passage therein;

means for substantially horizontally supporting said dispensing means in said receptacle for rotation thereof about the longitudinal axis of said metering section; said passage including an outlet stage for periodically dispensing a predetermined number of ice pieces during each rotation of said dispensing means, an inlet stage for scooping ice pieces from said receptacle into said passage at an average rate at least equal to the rate at which ice pieces dispensed from said outlet stage, and an intermediate stage for advancing ice pieces from said inlet stage to said outlet stage and storing ice pieces in an amount greater than said predetermined number whereby at last said predetermined number of ice pieces are available Within said metering section for transfer to said outlet stage during each rotation of said metering section. 2. The dispenser of claim 1 in which said metering section comprises a cylindrical collar and a screw auger within said collar, the pitch of said auger being such that a passage formed by said auger and said collar effects single file passage of ice pieces through said metering section. 3. The dispenser of claim 2 in which said auger is a double spiral screw auger forming two diametrical opposed spiral passages within said collar.

4. The dispenser of claim 3 including a dam at the outlet end of said metering means overlying the low portion of said end.

5. The dispenser of claim 1 in which: said intermediate and outlet stages of said passage are in longitudinal alignment in said metering section;

said intermediate stage includes a sloping wall adapted, when said passage is at the top of its rotation, to cause ice pieces in said stage to pass into said outlet stage;

said outlet stage including a discharge opening in the longitudinal outer wall of said metering section for the discharge of ice pieces contained in said outlet stage when said passage is at the bottom of its rotation;

and a gate means between said intermediate and outlet stages for preventing the passage of ice pieces from said intermediate stage to said outlet stage when said passage is at the bottom of its rotation.

6. An ice dispenser for dispensing ice pieces comprising:

a receptacle including a bottom wall for receiving and collecting ice pieces, said receptacle having a discharge opening adjacent one end thereof;

dispensing means comprising, in axial alignment, a

metering section having an inlet end and an outlet end and a conveying section for conveying ice pieces to said inlet end;

said metering section comprising a cylindrical member having at least two spaced, longitudinal passages therein offset from the longitudinal axis of said metering section;

means for horizontally supporting said dispensing means in said receptacle for rotation thereof about the longitudinal axis of said metering section with the outlet end of said metering section adjacent said discharge opening;

said passage including an outlet stage for periodically metering a predetermined number of ice pieces to said discharge opening during each rotation of said dispensing means, an inlet stage for scooping ice pieces from said receptacle into said passage at an average rate at least equal to the rate at which ice pieces are metered to said discharge opening, and an intermediate stage for advancing ice pieces from said inlet stage to said outlet stage and storing ice pieces in an amount greater than said predetermined number whereby at least said predetermined number of ice pieces are available for transfer to said outlet stage during each rotation of said metering section.

7. The dispenser of claim 6 in which said metering section comprises a cylindrical collar and a double blade screw auger within said collar, the pitch of said blades being such that a passage formed by said blades and said collar effects single file travel of ice pieces through said metering section.

8. The dispenser of claim 7 including a dam at the outlet end of said metering means overlying the low portion of said end.

9. The dispenser of claim 6 in which:

said intermediate and outlet stages of said passage extend in longitudinal alignment in said metering section;

said intermediate stage includes a sloping wall adapted,

when said passage is at the top of its rotation, to cause ice pieces in said stage to pass into said outlet stage;

said outlet stage including a discharge opening in the longitudinal outer wall of said metering section for the discharge of ice pieces in said outlet stage when said passage is at the bottom of its rotation;

and a gate means between said intermediate and outlet stages for preventing the passage of ice pieces to said outlet stage when said passage is at the bottom of its rotation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner.

Images