Ice making machine
AssigneeThe Manitowoc Company, Inc.
InventorsCharles E. Schlosser, Lee G. Mueller, Gregory McDougal
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automatic ice making machine is disclosed having a coolant/refrigerant system, a water/ice system, a cleaning/sterilizing system and a microprocessor operated control system interconnecting the above systems. Methods for automatically cleaning the ice makers water/ice systems and establishing safeguards and monitoring of system readiness and operation are also provided.
Claims27
An electrically monitored and controlled ice making machine comprising:
- a) a coolant/refrigerant system comprising at least one compressor, at least one condenser, at least one evaporator, at least one expansion device and interconnecting lines therefor;
- b) a water/ice system comprising at least one fresh water inlet, at least one water reservoir, at least one water circulation mechanism, at least one water distribution mechanism, at least one ice-forming evaporator plate, and interconnecting lines thereof;
- c) a cleaning system in communication with said water/ice system comprising at least one cleaning/sterilizing solution reservoir, at least one cleaning/sterilizing solution injection mechanism and interconnecting lines in communication with the solution reservoir, the injection mechanism, and the water/ice system;
- and
- d) an electronic controlling/monitoring system for monitoring and controlling the coolant/refrigerant system and the water/ice system.
A method of automatically cleaning/sterilizing the surfaces of ice making machine comprising a coolant/refrigerant system, a water/ice system, a cleaning/sterilizing system comprising a cleaning/sterilization solution reservoir and injection mechanism, and a controlling/monitoring system, which method comprises the steps of:
- a) turning off the coolant/refrigerant system;
- b) injecting cleaning/sterilizing solution from said solution reservoir into said water/ice system by using said injection mechanism and mixing said solution with water in said water/ice system to form a first wash water and initiating water circulation thereof;
- c) circulating the first wash water throughout the water/ice system for a predetermined period of time to clean surfaces in contact with the first wash water;
- d) stopping the circulation of the first wash water and draining the first wash water from the machine, and then;
- e) adding fresh water to the water/ice system, and circulating the fresh water for a period of at least 30 second, thereby forming a first rinse solution by rinsing the surfaces previously cleaned;
- f) draining the first rinse solution from the machine;
- and then
- g) recharging the water/ice system with fresh water and initiating a freeze cycle of the ice making machine.
A method of automatically cleaning the surfaces of an ice making machine comprising
- i) a coolant/refrigerant system having a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, an expansion device and a hot gas valve for directing hot gases from the compressor to the evaporator;
- ii) a water/ice system comprising a fresh water inlet, a water reservoir, a water circulation mechanism, and an ice forming evaporator plate;
- and
- iii) an electronic controlling/monitoring system comprising a microprocessor which controls the compressor, the water circulation mechanism and the hot gas valve;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- a) stopping the compressor;
- b) performing a wash cycle by
- i) starting the water circulation mechanism;
- ii) adding a cleaning/sterilizing solution to water in the water/ice system;
- and
- iii) circulating the water containing the cleaning/sterilizing solution through the water reservoir and over the ice forming evaporator plate for a period of time after step b) i), said period of time being controlled by the microprocessor;
- c) automatically stopping the circulation of water containing the cleaning/sterilizing solution over the ice forming evaporator plate after said period of time, and
- d) performing a rinse cycle in which the microprocessor controls the water/ice system to automatically operate through a series of multiple rinse operations in each of which fresh water is introduced through the fresh water inlet and water from the water reservoir is removed from the water/ice system, thereby ensuring a complete rinsing of the cleaning/sterilizing solution from the water/ice system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.