Pump assembly for an ice making machine

• US 7,284,391 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pentair Flow Services AG (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Original Assignee: Manitowoc Foodservice Companies Incorporated (The Manitowoc Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Richard T., Schlosser, Charles E., Funk, Howard G., Lafond, Marty J., Hollen, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai; William E.
• Application Number:
  US10/746,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20040226312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: 417/423.1, 417/423.14, 417/423.15, 417/424.1, 623/47
• US Class Current: 62/347
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/22 Refrigeration systems for supermarkets
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 5/02 arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 1/12 by freezing water on cooled surfaces, e.g. to form slabs
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/10 using hot refrigerant; using fluid heated by refrigerant

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.

Claims

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.

2. The pump assembly of claim 1 further comprising an impeller shaft enclosed within the pump housing and extending from the pump motor and coupled to the impeller, wherein the distance between a center axis of the impeller shaft and a center axis of the discharge tube is about 3.375 inches.

3. The pump assembly of claim 2 wherein the base includes a second opening, and wherein the discharge tube inserts into the second opening.

4. The pump assembly of claim 3 wherein the discharge tube has an outside diameter of about 1.055 inches.

5. The pump assembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second flanges each have upper and lower surfaces, and wherein the distance between the upper surface and the lower surface of each flange defines a flange thickness.

6. The pump assembly of claim 5 wherein the lower surface of the second flange is about 1.143 inches from the upper surface of the first flange.

7. The pump assembly of claim 5 wherein the flange thickness of the second flange is about 0.118 inches and the flange thickness of the first flange is about 0.25 inches.

8. The pump assembly of claim 1 wherein the first flange has a diameter of about 4.2 inches and the second flange has a diameter of about 3.95 inches.

9. The pump assembly of claim 1 wherein the collar comprises a segmented ring including two opposed ring segments.

10. The pump assembly of claim 9 wherein an inner surface of the two opposed ring segments comprises a beveled projection extending from the interior surface of the collar.

11. The pump assembly of claim 10 wherein, upon insertion of the motor and pump housing into the opening of the base, the opposed ring segments are configured to bend outwardly when the second flange presses against the beveled projection and to return to an unbent position after a lower surface of the second flange passes an apex of the beveled projection.

12. An ice machine with a pump assembly mounted therein, the ice machine comprising:

(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.

13. The pump assembly of claim 12 further comprising:

(a) a interior sealing surface in the first collar section;

(b) a circumferential O-ring seat in the first flange; and

(c) an O-ring residing within the circumferential seat,

wherein the O-ring seals against the sealing surface of the first collar section.

14. The ice machine of claim 12 wherein the base includes a second opening, and wherein the discharge tube inserts into the second opening.

15. The ice machine of claim 14 further comprising an impeller shaft enclosed within the pump housing and extending from the pump motor and coupled to the impeller, wherein the distance between a center axis of the impeller shaft and a center axis of the discharge tube is about 3.375 inches.

16. The ice machine of claim 15 wherein the discharge tube has an outside diameter of about 1.055 inches.

17. The ice machine of claim 15 wherein the pump housing further comprises at least two braces extending in a direction parallel to the center axis of the impeller shaft and connected to the first and second flanges.

18. The ice machine of claim 12 wherein the first flange has a diameter of about 4.20 inches and the second flange has a diameter of about 3.95 inches.

19. In combination, a pump assembly and an ice machine mounting base comprising:

(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.

20. The combination of claim 19 wherein the snap latches comprise flexible tabs in the latching section.

21. The combination of claim 19 further comprising a sealing flange extending from the pump housing, the sealing flange having a circumferential O-ring seat and an O-ring positioned within the circumferential seat, wherein the O-ring seals against an interior surface of the sealing section.

22. The combination of claim 21 further comprising at least two braces extending along an outer surface of the pump assembly and connecting the mounting flange and the sealing flange.

23. The combination of claim 21 wherein the sealing flange has an upper and a lower surface, wherein the distance between the upper surface and the lower surface of the mounting flange defines a mounting flange thickness and the distance between the upper surface and the lower surface of the sealing flange defines a sealing flange thickness, and wherein the mounting flange thickness is about 0.118 inches and sealing flange thickness is about 0.25 inches.

24. The combination of claim 21 wherein the lower surface of the mounting flange is about 1.143 inches from the upper surface of the sealing flange.

25. The combination of claim 21 wherein the sealing flange has a diameter of about 4.2 inches and the mounting flange has a diameter of about 3.95 inches.

26. The combination of claim 19 wherein the snap latches engage the mounting flange, such that the pump motor and pump housing can be removed through the pump opening and replaced without the use of tools.

27. The combination of claim 19 wherein the pump housing further comprises:

an impeller housing opposite the pump motor;

a discharge tube displaced away from the impeller housing; and

a channel in the pump housing connecting the impeller housing with the discharge tube.

28. The combination of claim 27 wherein the mounting base includes a second opening, and wherein the discharge tube inserts into the second opening.

29. The combination of claim 27 wherein the discharge tube has an outside diameter of about 1.055 inches.

30. The combination of claim 19 wherein the beveled projection further comprises a sloped surface that presses against the lower edge of the mounting flange.

31. A pump assembly comprising:

(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.

32. The pump assembly of claim 31 wherein the first and second flanges each have upper and lower surfaces, and wherein the distance between the upper surface and the lower surface of each flange defines a flange thickness.

33. The pump assembly of claim 32 wherein the flange thickness of the second flange is about 0.118 inches and the flange thickness of the first flange is about 0.25 inches.

34. The pump assembly of claim 32 wherein the lower surface of the second flange is about 1.143 inches from the upper surface of the first flange.

35. The pump assembly of claim 31 wherein the first flange has a diameter of about 4.2 inches and the second flange has a diameter of about 3.95 inches.

36. The pump assembly of claim 31 further comprising an impeller enclosed within the pump housing and having a center axis wherein the distance between the center axis of the impeller shaft and a center axis of the discharge tube is about 3.375 inches.

37. The pump assembly of claim 31 further comprising an impeller housing surrounding the impeller and a channel in the pump housing connecting the impeller housing and the discharge tube.

38. The pump assembly of claim 31 wherein the discharge tube has an outside diameter of about 1.055 inches.

39. A method of mounting a pump assembly in an ice machine comprising:

(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.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein inserting the pump housing comprises pressing a peripheral portion of the mounting flange against the snap latches, such that the snap latches first deflect away from the mounting flange, then reflect against the peripheral portion and capture the peripheral portion between an upper lip of the collar and a sloped interior surface of the snap latches.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein inserting the pump housing further comprises pressing an O-ring located in circumferential seat in the sealing flange against the sealing surface of the collar.

42. The method of claim 39 wherein providing a collar further comprises providing a collar having a latching section and a sealing section, wherein the sealing section has a diameter and the latching section has a diameter, and wherein the diameter of the sealing section is greater than the diameter of the latching section.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein providing a collar having opposed snap latches comprises providing a segmented latching section, and wherein the snap latches comprises segments formed in an upper edge of the latching section.

44. The method of claim 39 wherein providing a pump housing comprises providing a pump housing having an impeller housing at an opposite end of the pump housing from the pump motor, and wherein inserting the pump and pump housing into the pump opening comprises positioning the impeller housing below the base.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein providing a pump housing comprises providing a pump housing having a discharge tube connected thereto, and wherein inserting the pump and pump housing into the pump opening comprises inserting the discharge tube into a second opening in the base.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein inserting the pump and pump housing into the pump opening until the snap latches engage the mounting flange and inserting the discharge tube into the second opening comprises manual manipulation of the pump and pump housing without the use of tools.

47. An ice making unit comprising:

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.

48. The ice making unit of claim 47 wherein the snap latches comprise opposing segments in the collar, and wherein each of the opposing collar segments has a beveled projection on an inner surface thereof.

49. The ice making unit of claim 48 wherein the collar further comprises an upper rim, and wherein the mounting flange is configured to fit against the upper rim, and wherein the beveled projections exert pressure on the mounting flange to hold the pump assembly in place.

50. The ice making unit of claim 48 wherein the pump assembly further comprises a sealing flange, the sealing flange having a circumferential O-ring seat and an O-ring positioned within the circumferential seat, wherein the O-ring seals against an interior surface of the opening.

51. A pump assembly including a motor enclosed within a cowling and a pump housing attached to the pump motor, the pump assembly comprising:

(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,

wherein the flange is configured to cooperate with attachment structures associated with a pump opening in an ice machine, such that the pump assembly can be inserted into and removed from and held within the pump opening without the use of tools.

52. The pump assembly of claim 51 wherein the attachment structures comprise a collar surrounding the opening and at least two projections protruding from an inner surface of the collar, such that the flange rests on the at least two projections and supports the pump assembly.

53. The pump assembly of claim 51 wherein the flange includes a plate extending laterally therefrom and having a hole therein, which cooperates with the attachment structures, wherein the attachment structures comprise a hand operable attachment device inserted through the hole to secure the pump assembly in the opening.

54. 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:

(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.

55. In combination, a pump assembly and an ice machine mounting base comprising:

(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.