Ice delivery device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An ice delivery device comprising:
- a) a bin for storing ice to be delivered to an outlet, the bin having at least one wall;
b) a mechanism for conveying ice from the bin to the outlet, andc) a rotatable agitator wheel having an axis of rotation and multiple flexible arms extending in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation;
the agitator wheel being mounted for rotation such that the arms of the agitator wheel extend proximate to the mechanism for conveying ice, and the mechanism for conveying ice engages the agitator wheel to rotate the agitator wheel.
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Abstract
An ice delivery device includes a bin for storing ice, a rotatable helical auger for delivering ice, and a rotatable agitator wheel with multiple flexible arms to help break up agglomerations of ice. The agitator wheel is mounted such that as the auger is rotated the auger successively engages arms of the agitator wheel to rotate the agitator wheel. If the agitator wheel encounters an obstruction, such as a mass of agglomerated ice, the auger displaces the flexible arm out of the plane of the agitator wheel thus permitting the auger to continue rotate to deliver ice. The agitator wheel is mounted on a pair of flexible liners, which are displaceable by agglomerated ice.
29 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An ice delivery device comprising:
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a) a bin for storing ice to be delivered to an outlet, the bin having at least one wall; b) a mechanism for conveying ice from the bin to the outlet, and c) a rotatable agitator wheel having an axis of rotation and multiple flexible arms extending in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation;
the agitator wheel being mounted for rotation such that the arms of the agitator wheel extend proximate to the mechanism for conveying ice, and the mechanism for conveying ice engages the agitator wheel to rotate the agitator wheel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 22)
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13. An ice delivery device comprising:
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a) a bin for storing ice to be delivered to an outlet, the bin having at least one wall; b) a rotatable helical auger for conveying ice from the bin to the outlet, the auger having an helix axis; c) a rotatable agitator wheel having an axis of rotation and multiple flexible arms extending in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation;
the agitator wheel being mounted for rotation such that as the auger is rotated about the helix axis the auger engages a first arm of the agitator wheel at a first position, the auger rotating the agitator wheel about the axis of rotation of the agitator wheel, the auger disengaging the first arm of the agitator wheel at a second position, the agitator wheel rotating from the first position to the second position so as to position a second arm of the agitator wheel for engagement with the auger when the auger has disengaged from the first arm;d) the auger displacing an arm of the agitator wheel out of the plane of the agitator wheel as the auger continues to rotate when rotation of the agitator wheel is impaired by an obstruction in the bin; and e) at least one flexible liner mounted in the bin generally parallel and spaced from the at least one wall, the flexible liner being mounted such that the liner deflects outwardly away from the auger when the auger encounters an obstruction in the bin lodged between the auger and the flexible liner. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An ice delivery device comprising:
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a) a bin for storing ice to be delivered to an outlet, the bin having at least one wall; b) a rotatable helical auger for conveying ice from the bin to the outlet, the auger having an helix axis; and c) at least one flexible liner mounted in the bin generally parallel and spaced from the at least one wall, the flexible liner being mounted such that the liner deflects outwardly away from the auger when the auger encounters an obstruction in the bin lodged between the auger and the flexible liner.
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23. An ice delivery device comprising:
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a) a bin for storing ice to be delivered to an outlet, the bin having at least one wall; b) a mechanism for conveying ice from the bin to the outlet, and c) a rotatable agitator wheel having an axis of rotation and multiple flexible arms extending in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation;
the agitator wheel being mounted for rotation such that the arms of the agitator wheel extend proximate to the mechanism for conveying ice, and the mechanism for conveying ice engages the agitator wheel to rotate the agitator wheel;wherein the mechanism for conveying ice is a rotatable helical auger, the auger having an helix axis, the agitator wheel being mounted for rotation such that as the auger is rotated about the helix axis the auger engages a first arm of the agitator wheel at a first position, the auger rotating the agitator wheel about the axis of rotation of the agitator wheel, the auger disengaging the first arm of the agitator wheel at a second position, the agitator wheel rotating from the first position to the second position so as to position a second arm of the agitator wheel for engagement with the auger when the auger has disengaged from the first arm; the agitator wheel including a hub from which hub extend the arms of the agitator wheel, each arm of the agitator wheel including a weakened portion proximate the hub such that the arm separates from the hub at the weakened portion when the force experienced by the arm exceeds a predetermined threshold.
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Specification