Cable operated ice dispensing door

• US 5,129,547 A
• Filed: 09/05/1990
• Issued: 07/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pentair Flow Services AG (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Original Assignee: Servend International, Inc. (The Manitowoc Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Landers, Jerry L., Fisher, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin P.
• Application Number:
  US07/577,580
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 222/146.1, 222/146.6, 222/108-110, 222/504, 222/1, 222/517, 222/556, 62/344
• US Class Current: 222/1
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0857 Cooling arrangements cooling systems per se F25B
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/20 Distributing ice

Abstract

An ice dispensing apparatus having a storage bin with a paddle wheel which moves the ice from a storage bin to a delivery chute. A straight door is utilized to selectively open and close the delivery chute. A drip pan is provided on the outside of the chute to collect the melt water from the ice, which is in the delivery chute.

Claims

1. Ice dispensing apparatus, comprising ice storage means for storing ice, a sloped delivery chute along which ice slides connected to the ice storage means, means for moving ice from the storage means to the delivery chute and a door connected to the delivery chute for moving through ice and stopping and holding ice in the delivery chute and for controlling the flow of ice out of the delivery chute, wherein the door is operated by a solenoid mounted above the delivery chute, the solenoid having a movable armature, a first cable extending upward away from the armature and connecting a first pulley to the movable armature, a second pulley which is joined to the first pulley, a second cable extending downward from the second pulley toward the delivery chute, a door mounting plate having proximal and distal ends, pivot means for connecting the proximal end of the door mounting plate, a lug connected to the door mounting plate near the distal end to which the second cable connects for moving the door mounting plate with the first and second pulleys, first cable and armature, said door being connected to the distal end of the door mounting plate and extending therefrom into a blocking arrangement with respect to the chute and being movable with the plate from a chute blocking condition to a chute opening condition.

2. The ice dispensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second pulley is larger than the first pulley.

3. The ice dispensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the solenoid is positioned essentially below the circumference of the first pulley.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the door has a curvature centered on the pivot means, whereby a curved surface of the door moves within a circular arc about the pivot means in response to movements of the armature.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the door moves in an arc perpendicular to the chute and the chute lies in a radial direction with respect to the arc of the door movement.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lug extends beyond the door mounting plate.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the solenoid is positioned directly below the first pulley'"'"'s circumference, so that only a vertical movement of the solenoid moves the door mounting plate open and closed.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a frame mounted on the ice storage means adjacent the chute, the frame extending vertically above and below the chute and having a lower end and an upper end.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the pivot means is connected to a medial portion of the frame.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the solenoid is connected to an upper portion of the frame.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising drip collection means connected to the lower end of the frame, whereby melt water from ice held in the chute by the door is collected by the drip collection means.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the drip collection means comprises a collection pan mounted beneath the chute, whereby the chute drips water from melting ice held behind the door and the collection pan collects water dripping from the chute.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a ledge connected to a bottom of the chute external of the door and lower than the door, whereby the ledge drips water from melting ice held behind the door and the collection pan collects water dripping from the ledge.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising conduit means connected to the pan and to a drain for draining water from the pan.

15. Ice dispensing apparatus, comprising ice storage means for storing ice, a sloped delivery chute along which ice slides connected to the ice storage means, means for moving ice from the storage means to the delivery chute and a door connected to the delivery chute for moving through ice and stopping and holding ice in the delivery chute and for controlling the flow of ice out of the delivery chute, wherein the door is operated by a solenoid mounted above the delivery chute, the solenoid having a movable armature, a second pulley which is joined to the first pulley, a second cable extending downward from the second pulley toward the delivery chute, a door mounting plate having proximal and distal ends, pivot means for connecting the proximal end of the door mounting plate, a lug connected to the door mounting plate at the distal end of the door mounting plate and extending beyond the door mounting plate to which the second cable connects for moving the door mounting plate with the first and second pulleys, first cable and armature, said door being connected to the distal end of the door mounting plate and extending therefrom into a blocking arrangement with respect to the chute and being movable with the plate from a chute blocking condition to a chute opening condition.

16. The ice dispensing apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second pulley is larger than the first pulley.

17. The ice dispensing apparatus of claim 15, wherein the solenoid is positioned essentially below the circumference of the first pulley.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the door has a straight surface which abuts against the delivery chute when in the chute blocking condition, whereby the straight surface of the door moves within a circular arc about the pivot means in response to movements of the armature.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the door moves in an arc perpendicular to the chute and the chute lies in a radial direction with respect to the arc of the door movement.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the pivot means and the solenoid are connected to the ice storage means in a position adjacent to one another.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising drip collection means connected to the ice storage means at a position below the chute, whereby melt water from ice held in the chute by the door is collected by the drip collection means.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the drip collection means comprises a collection pan mounted beneath the chute, whereby the chute drips water from melting ice held behind the door and the collection pan collects water dripping from the chute.

23. Ice dispenser discharge control apparatus, comprising a chute having a receiving end and a discharge end, and having a downward sloping lower surface for gravitationally moving ice on the lower surface from the receiving end to the discharge end, and a door movable with respect to the chute between an open position remote from the sloped lower surface of the chute to a closed position in proximity to the sloped lower surface of the chute at the discharge end of the chute for blocking ice in the chute, and on the sloped lower surface of the chute when the door is in the closed position, further comprising door operating means connected to the door, the door operating means having door supporting means with proximal and distal ends, the door being connected to the door supporting means at a distal end thereof, and pivot means connected to a proximal end of the door supporting means for pivoting the door supporting means and moving means connected to the door supporting means for moving the door supporting means about the pivoting means, wherein the moving means is connected to the door supporting means at a position spaced a relatively short distance form the distal end, and a relatively large distance from the proximal end, for moving the door at a relatively high speed and over a relatively great distance with respect to movement of the moving means, wherein the moving means is connected to a lug, the lug being connected at a distal end of the door supporting means.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the door comprises a curved plate which is curved on a radius centered approximately at an upper portion of the receiving end of the chute.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the pivot means is connected just above the chute and the moving means is connected in a position adjacent the pivot means.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a drip collection pan connected just below the chute and extending outward therefrom beneath a lower end of the sloping lower surface of the chute for collecting drips of melt water form ice held in the chute by the door.

27. The method of controlling the dispensing of ice, comprising storing ice, delivering stored ice to the receiving end of a stationary chute, opening a door at a discharge end of a chute and flowing ice out of the discharge end of the chute, closing the door at the discharge end of the chute, and trapping ice in the chute, further comprising collecting water melted from ice held within the chute by the door and conducting the melt water to a drip collection pan, further comprising opening the door upward and closing the door downward by supporting a door on an outward end of a door support, and pivoting the door support on an inward end near an upper portion of the receiving end of the chute, linking the door support to an actuator near the pivoted end, and lifting and lowering the actuator for raising and closing the door.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the opening and closing of the door comprises moving the door in a single arcuate path.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising opening the door upward and closing the door downward by supporting a door on an outward end of a door support and pivoting the door support on an inward end near an upper portion of the receiving end of the chute, linking the door support to a first pulley above the door support, joining the first pulley to a second pulley, linking the second pulley to an actuator directly below the second pulley and lowering and lifting the actuator for raising and closing the door.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the opening and closing of the door comprises moving the door in a single arcuate path.