Pump assembly for an ice making machine
First Claim
1. A pump assembly mounted within an ice machine having a base, the base having an opening and a collar surrounding the opening, the collar having an upper rim on an interior surface thereof and a sealing surface displaced away from the upper rim, the pump assembly comprising:
- (a) a pump housing attached to a pump motor and enclosing an impeller;
(b) a discharge tube;
(c) a first flange and a second flange extending from the pump assembly, the first flange having a larger diameter than the second flange and having a circumferential seat; and
(d) an O-ring residing within the circumferential seat, wherein the O-ring seals against the sealing surface of the collar, wherein the second flange is configured to fit against the upper rim on the interior surface of the collar, and wherein the collar exerts pressure on the second flange to hold the pump assembly in place.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ice making machine has a mechanical compartment and a water compartment that houses a water system, and a pump assembly. The pump assembly includes a motor and a pump housing connected to the motor. The pump assembly is mounted to a base between the machine compartment and the water compartment so that the pump motor is located in the mechanical compartment, but can still be removed through the water compartment. A mounting flange attached to the pump assembly extends radially beyond the circumference of the pump motor. In one embodiment, a pump opening in the base has a collar integrally formed with the base. The collar includes a sealing section and a latching section. When the pump is inserted through the pump opening, snap latches in the latching section engage the mounting flange to hold the pump in place and the sealing flange seals against an inner surface of the sealing section.
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Citations
57 Claims
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1. A pump assembly mounted within an ice machine having a base, the base having an opening and a collar surrounding the opening, the collar having an upper rim on an interior surface thereof and a sealing surface displaced away from the upper rim, the pump assembly comprising:
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(a) a pump housing attached to a pump motor and enclosing an impeller;
(b) a discharge tube;
(c) a first flange and a second flange extending from the pump assembly, the first flange having a larger diameter than the second flange and having a circumferential seat; and
(d) an O-ring residing within the circumferential seat, wherein the O-ring seals against the sealing surface of the collar, wherein the second flange is configured to fit against the upper rim on the interior surface of the collar, and wherein the collar exerts pressure on the second flange to hold the pump assembly in place. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An ice machine with a pump assembly mounted therein, the ice machine comprising:
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(a) a base having a pump opening in a floor thereof;
(b) a collar projecting above the floor and surrounding the pump opening;
(c) a first collar section having a first diameter and a segmented collar section having an upper rim and having a second diameter, wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter; and
(d) opposing collar segments in the segmented collar section, wherein each of the opposing collar segments has a beveled projection on an inner surface thereof;
and the pump assembly comprising;
(e) a pump housing attached to a pump motor and enclosing an impeller;
(f) a discharge tube; and
(g) a first flange and a second flange extending from the pump assembly, the first flange having a larger diameter than the second flange, wherein an upper perimeter portion of the second flange presses against the upper rim of the segmented collar section. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. In combination, a pump assembly and an ice machine mounting base comprising:
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(a) a mounting base having a floor and a pump opening in the floor;
(b) a pump motor;
(c) a pump housing attached to the pump motor, wherein the pump housing is positioned within the pump opening;
(d) a collar surrounding the pump opening and projecting above the floor, the collar having a sealing section and a latching section, wherein an interior diameter of the sealing section is greater than an interior diameter of the latching section;
(e) an upper lip in the latching section of the collar;
(f) opposed snap latches in the latching section each having an inner surface and a beveled projection extending from the inner surface; and
(g) a mounting flange extending from the pump assembly, the mounting flange having an upper surface and a lower surface and a peripheral portion, wherein the peripheral portion engages the opposed snap latches, such that the lower surface presses against the beveled projection of the opposed snap latches and the upper surface presses against the upper lip to hold the pump motor and pump housing in place. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A pump assembly comprising:
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(a) a pump housing attached to a pump motor and enclosing an impeller;
(b) a discharge tube down stream from the impeller;
(c) a first flange and a second flange extending from the pump assembly, the first flange having a larger diameter than the second flange and having a circumferential O-ring seat; and
(d) at least two braces positioned between and connected to the first flange and the second flange. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of mounting a pump assembly in an ice machine comprising:
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(a) providing a mounting base having a pump opening and a collar surrounding the pump opening, the collar having opposed snap latches;
(b) providing a pump motor and pump housing attached to the pump motor, the pump assembly having a mounting flange and a sealing flange, the sealing flange configured to seal against a sealing surface of the collar; and
(c) inserting the pump and pump housing into the pump opening until the snap latches engage the mounting flange and the sealing flange seals against the sealing surface, wherein the pump motor resides above the mounting base and at least a portion of the pump housing resides below the mounting base. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. An ice making unit comprising:
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a) a cabinet having a front panel covering a front panel opening;
b) a water compartment behind the front panel;
c) a divider between the mechanical compartment and the water compartment, the divider having an opening therein;
d) a collar surrounding the opening, the collar having snap latches therein; and
e) a pump assembly comprising a motor and a pump housing, the pump assembly having a mounting flange, wherein the pump assembly extends though the opening, such that the motor resides in the mechanical compartment and the pump housing resides in the water compartment, and wherein the snap latches engage the mounting flange to hold the pump motor and pump housing in place. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50)
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51. A pump assembly including a motor enclosed within a cowling and a pump housing attached to the pump motor, the pump assembly comprising:
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(a) a sleeve surrounding a shaft extending from the pump motor;
(b) an impeller housing enclosing an impeller attached to an end of the shaft;
(c) a discharge tube down stream from the impeller; and
(d) a flange surrounding the sleeve, the flange extending outwardly from the sleeve beyond an outer edge of the motor cowling. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54)
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55. An ice making unit having a cabinet including a front panel covering a front panel opening, a water compartment behind the front panel, a mechanical compartment, and a divider between the mechanical compartment and the water compartment, and a water system inside the cabinet including a pump which is part of a pump assembly, the pump assembly comprising:
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(a) a motor and a pump housing, the pump assembly extending through an opening in the divider such that the pump motor is in the mechanical compartment and the pump housing is in the water compartment; and
(b) a flange extending outwardly from the pump assembly beyond an outer edge of the motor, wherein the flange cooperates with attachment structures on the divider, such that the pump assembly can be removed through the front panel opening and replaced without the use of tools.
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56. In combination, a pump assembly and an ice machine mounting base comprising:
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(a) a mounting base having a floor and a pump opening in the floor;
(b) a pump motor;
(c) a pump housing attached to the pump motor, wherein the pump housing is positioned within the pump opening;
(d) a collar surrounding the pump opening and projecting above the floor, the collar having an upper lip and inwardly extending protrusions on an inner surface thereof; and
(e) a flange extending from the pump assembly, the flange having an upper surface and a lower surface and a peripheral portion, wherein the peripheral portion engages the collar, such that the lower surface rests on the protrusions and the upper surface presses against the upper lip to hold the pump motor and pump housing in place.
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57. A pump assembly comprising:
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(a) a pump housing attached to a pump motor and enclosing an impeller;
(b) a discharge tube down stream from the impeller;
(c) a first flange and a second flange extending from the pump assembly, the first flange having a larger diameter than the second flange; and
(d) at least two braces positioned between and connected to the first flange and the second flange.
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Specification