Monitoring system for ice making machine

• US 5,586,446 A
• Filed: 10/10/1995
• Issued: 12/24/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hoshizaki Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Hoshizaki Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Torimitsu, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Application Number:
  US08/541,719
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 62/125, 62/126, 62/127, 62/129, 62/130, 62/137, 62/138, 62/175, 165/11 R, 165/22, 236/51, 236/94, 340/825.06, 340/825.07, 340/825.08, 340/825.16, 340/825.17, 340/825.22, 340/825.36, 340/825.37
• US Class Current: 62/126
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/005 of safety devices F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 1/12 by freezing water on cooled surfaces, e.g. to form slabs
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0227 Qualitative history assessment, whereby the type of data acted upon, e.g. waveforms, images or patterns, is not relevant, e.g. rule based assessment; if-then decisions

Abstract

A monitoring system for a plurality of ice making machines each of which includes an ice making mechanism, a detection device for detecting operating condition of the ice making mechanism and a control device for electrically controlling the ice making mechanism in accordance with the detected operating condition, wherein the ice making machines each are provided with an output circuit for issuing an electric signal indicative of the detected operating condition outwardly, and wherein the monitoring system includes a signal receiver for monitoring operation of the respective ice making machines based on the electric signals applied from the output circuits.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for a plurality of ice making machines each of which includes an ice making mechanism, a detection device for detecting operating condition of the ice making mechanism and control means for electrically controlling operation of the ice making mechanism in accordance with the detected operating condition,

wherein the ice making machines each are provided with output means for issuing electric signals respectively indicative of the detected operating condition and an identity number for identifying each type of the ice making machines outwardly, and

wherein the monitoring system comprises a signal receiver for monitoring each operation of the ice making machines on a basis of the electric signals applied thereto from said output means, said signal receiver including means responsive to the electric signals for determining each of the ice making machines as being operated in an abnormal condition if the detected operating condition becomes abnormal in comparison with a control data for the ice making machine identified by the identity number and alarm means for informing an operator of the abnormality in operation of the ice making machine identified by the identity number.

2. A monitoring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said signal receiver is comprised of a microcomputer backed up by a battery.

3. A monitoring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein a plurality of said signal receivers each are connected to an administrative computer to be administrated by the administrative computer.

4. A monitoring system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said signal receivers each are comprised of a microcomputer arranged to be applied with a control program from said administrative computer.

5. A monitoring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said signal receiver is provided with signal transmit-receive means for receiving the electric signal from said ice making machine through a telephone line and for transmitting the received signal to an external device therefrom through the telephone line.

6. A monitoring system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said signal receiver is comprised of a microcomputer arranged to be applied with a control program from said external device through said telephone line by means of said signal transmit-receive means.