Ice cube evaporator plate assembly
AssigneeHoshizaki America, Inc.
InventorsMilaim Hoti, Tim Perry, Jim Kuo, Kevin Knatt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An evaporator plate made of a metal plate having a plurality of shaped dimples thereon, the dimples each being defined by a pair of opposing pyramid shaped end faces and a pair of trapezoidal shaped left and right side faces adjoining the pair of pyramid shaped end faces. An evaporator assembly comprising first and second evaporator plates and tubing arranged in a serpentine path sandwiched therebetween, each plate including a plurality of parallel fins extending from a first surface, a pair of end flanges parallel to the fins, and a plurality of the shaped dimples. A tool for making the plate and a method of making the assembly are disclosed.
Claims20
An evaporator plate assembly comprising:
- a plate having opposing front and rear surfaces, the plate defining a plurality of dimples, each of the plurality of dimples projecting outwardly from the rear surface and disposed on the front surface in an array comprising a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, each of the plurality of rows extending in a horizontal direction and each of the plurality of columns extending in a vertical direction, the plate comprising a plurality of fins projecting outwardly from the front surface of the plate, each fin extending in the vertical direction and disposed between adjacent columns of dimples;
- the plurality of rows of dimples comprising a first row of dimples, a second row of dimples disposed immediately adjacent to the first row of dimples in the vertical direction, a third row of dimples disposed immediately adjacent the second row of dimples in the vertical direction, and a fourth row of dimples disposed immediately adjacent to the third row of dimples in the vertical direction;
- and
- a serpentine tubing coil comprising straight portions of tubing extending horizontally and connected serially at their ends by connecting portions, the straight portions of the tubing coil comprising a first straight portion and a second straight portion connected to the first straight portion and being immediately adjacent to the first straight portion in the vertical direction, the second straight portion connected to the first straight portion by a first connecting portion of the connecting portions, the tubing coil being in contact with the rear surface of the plate, the first straight portion of the tubing coil disposed between the first row of dimples and the second row of dimples, and the second straight portion disposed between the third row of dimples and the fourth row of dimples.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.