Easy-to-clean auger ice maker
AssigneeBLUENIX Co., Ltd.
InventorDoo Ha KIM
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An easy-to-clean auger ice maker includes an ice production unit including an ice making pipe, an auger, and a refrigerant pipe; an ice compression unit; a fluid storage tank, an overflow drain portion, an overflow valve, a branch pipe, and a drain valve. A first full water level of the fluid storage tank is equal to a height of the ice production unit, and a second full water level of the fluid storage tank is equal to a height of the ice compression unit. The overflow valve opens the overflow drain portion during ice making, and the overflow valve closes the overflow drain portion during washing so that the fluid is filled to the second full water level of the fluid storage tank and an upper end height of the ice compression unit.
Claims7
An easy-to-clean auger ice maker comprising:
- an ice production unit including an ice making pipe, an auger coaxially installed within the ice making pipe, and a refrigerant pipe spirally wound and fixed in close contact with an outer surface of the ice making pipe;
- an ice compression unit connected to an upper portion of the ice production unit and compressing ice produced in the ice production unit;
- a fluid storage tank connected to a lower portion of the ice production unit through a connection portion and having a storage space for storing fluid to be supplied to the ice production unit;
- an overflow drain portion having an upper end connected to the storage space of the fluid storage tank and allowing the fluid contained in the fluid storage tank to be discharged when exceeding a full water level;
- an overflow valve provided by a solenoid valve and installed on the overflow drain portion;
- a branch pipe connected to the connection portion;
- and
- a drain valve provided by a solenoid valve and installed on the branch pipe,
- wherein a first full water level of the fluid storage tank corresponds to a height of the ice production unit, and a second full water level of the fluid storage tank corresponds to a height of the ice compression unit, and
- the overflow valve opens the overflow drain portion during ice making, and the overflow valve closes the overflow drain portion during washing so that the fluid is filled to the second full water level of the fluid storage tank and the height of the ice compression unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.