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AssigneeVita-Mix Corporation
InventorsJonathan M. Katz, Richard D. Boozer, Stephen P. Rukavina, Jim Lachendro, Robert M. Ulanski
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A safety shield (10) is adapted to be used in a machine having a blade assembly such as an ice shaving and dispensing machine (11). The machine (11) has an ice bin (13) carried by a pedestal (12). An ice shelf (31) has an opening (32) and is positioned in the bin (13). The opening (32) provides access to the blade assembly which includes a shaver wheel (35) which directs ice to a blade (40). The shield (10) has a ring-shaped sidewall (50) which is carried by the bin (13) and which can extend upwardly out of the bin (13) to increase the capacity thereof. The shield (10) also includes a disk-shaped hub (51) which is connected to the side wall (50) by a plurality of arms (52). The hub (51) is larger than the opening (32) and is positioned over the opening (32) to prevent direct human access thereto. But ice may still pass through openings (53) between the arms (52) and through the opening (32) in the shelf (31) to be received by the blade assembly.
An ice shaving device comprising a bin to receive a supply of ice, a blade assembly near the bottom of said bin, there being an access opening to said blade assembly, said access opening being positioned generally centrally relative to the bottom of said bin, a safety shield adapted to be positioned in said bin so as to deny direct human access to said access opening and yet allow ice to pass through said access opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.