Slush machine

• US 5,967,226 A
• Filed: 11/25/1997
• Issued: 10/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carrier Iq
• Original Assignee: LG Industrial Systems Co., Ltd (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choi, Sang Kyong
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Application Number:
  US08/977,803
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 62/342, 62/343, 165/61, 165/63, 165/64, 222/146.1
• US Class Current: 165/63
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/045 of slush-ice, e.g. semi-frozen beverage
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/281 at the discharge end of freezing chambers

Abstract

A slush machine which is capable of selectively providing a slush state or hot drink. The machine includes a main body casing, a refrigerating cycle apparatus including a compressor installed in the main body machine, a condenser connected with the compressor, a capillary tube connected with the condenser, and a cylindrical evaporator drum mounted above the main body casing, which evaporator drum is the equivalent of an evaporator, wherein one side of the evaporator drum being connected with the capillary tube and the other side of the same being connected with the compressor, a drink source container installed above the main body casing and in which the evaporator drum is installed, scrapers formed to contact with inner and outer circumferential surfaces of the evaporator drum and drivingly engaged with a rotary shaft, a driving member for rotating the rotary shaft to which the scrapers are engaged, a discharging member formed in a lateral side of the drink source container for discharging a drink therethrough, and a heating member mounted in the drink source container for heating the drink therein.

Claims

1. A slush machine, comprising:

a main body casing;

a refrigerating cycle apparatus including;

a compressor installed in the main body casing;

a condenser connected with the compressor;

a capillary tube connected with the condenser; and

a cylindrical evaporator drum mounted above the main body casing,

wherein one side of the evaporator drum is connected with the capillary tube and another side of the evaporator drum is connected with the compressor;

a drink source container installed above the main body casing and in which the evaporator drum is installed;

scrapers formed to contact with inner and outer circumferential surfaces of the evaporator drum and drivingly engaged with a rotary shaft;

a driving means for rotating the rotary shaft to which the scrapers are engaged;

a discharging means formed in a lateral side of the drink source container for discharging a drink therethrough; and

a heating means mounted in the drink source container for heating the drink therein, wherein said heating means includes;

a plurality of supporting ribs for supporting the evaporator drum;

an evaporator drum supporting surface, to which the supporting ribs are engaged, having at least two heater insertion holes formed in a lower portion thereof;

a sealing member inserted into each corresponding heater insertion hole of the evaporator drum supporting surface from each side of the heater insertion hole, thus forming a pulley shape when assembled;

a cylindrical supporting member inserted into each sealing member, the cylindrical supporting member having a head portion and a thread portion with a diameter smaller than the head portion; and

a heater having an end portion engaged with the cylindrical supporting member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said heater is composed of at least two cartridge type heaters.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said heater is coated with a Teflon for preventing the drink when in a slush state from attaching to the heater.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said sealing member is made of a synthetic resin which is capable of enduring a temperature of the heater.