Hoshizaki Denki Kabushiki Kaisha

Hoshizaki Electric Co., Ltd.

Hideji Ohta

Kazuhiro Yoshida

Tadashi Sakai

Yuji Wakatsuki

Katsunobu Minari

Hiroki Yamaguchi

Yushi Yonekura

A method of operating an ice making machine efficiently provides clean ice blocks. A special water-discharge operation which is performed when an ice storage switch (TS) provided at an ice storage chamber () storing ice blocks (M) separated in a deicing operation detects that the ice storage chamber () is full of ice discharges the ice-making water from the ice-making water tank () via water discharge means () by releasing a water discharge valve (DV) provided at the water discharge means (). Then, the special water-discharge operation is terminated by closing the water discharge valve (DV) when a preset duration time (T) passes after a float switch (FS) provided at the ice-making water tank () detects an ice-making completion water level (LWL) of the ice-making water in the ice-making water tank () after discharge of the ice-making water to outside is started.

Method of operating ice making machine

A refrigeration system in an ice making machine has an evaporator coil connected at its inlet side to an outlet of a refrigeration compressor through a condensing coil and at its outlet side to an inlet of the compressor. An expansion valve is interposed between the condensing coil and the evaporator coil. A bypass line is connected in parallel with the condensing coil and the expansion valve. A solenoid valve is disposed within the bypass line to permit the flow of hot gas supplied therethrough from the compressor into the evaporator coil when it has been energized. The expansion valve is in the form of an expansion valve of the externally equalized type associated with an external equalizer pipe having an extremity connected to an intermediate portion of the evaporator coil between the inlet and outlet sides thereof. A thermostat bulb is located on a return line between the outlet side of the evaporator coil and the compressor. The thermostat bulb is filled with an amount of inert gas, which is determined to cause a maximum working pressure acting on the expansion valve, which is higher than the pressure of refrigerant at the intermediate portion of the evaporator coil during the freezing cycle and which is lower than the pressure of hot gas at the intermediate portion of the evaporator coil during the defrost cycle.

Refrigeration system in ice making machine

An automatic ice manufacturing apparatus comprises an ice making unit for manufacturing ice in an icing operation cycle, a water tank disposed below the ice making unit for storing water to undergo phase transformation into ice on the ice making unit, a first water spray tube disposed above the ice making unit for spraying the water onto the ice making unit, a water circulating conduit interconnecting the first water spray tube and the water tank, a circulating pump mounted in the circulating conduit for circulating the water between the water tank and the ice making unit, and an overflow pipe disposed within the water tank for controlling the highest water level within the water tank. A branch pipe branched from the circulating conduit on the discharge side of the circulating pump and having an open end portion positioned above and in the vicinity of the overflow pipe so that by lowering a discharge pressure of the circulating pump at the start of a deicing operation cycle, water remaining within the water tank at the end of the icing operation cycle is discharged from the open end of the branch pipe into the overflow pipe to be thereby drained from the apparatus. A valve for opening and closing the branch pipe can be provided. Impurity concentration of water for forming ice can be prevented from increasing. Improved ice making performance and high quality of manufactured ice can be ensured.

Automatic ice manufacturing apparatus

An ice making machine comprises an ice forming plate having an ice forming surface formed with a plurality of convex portions to define ice forming regions between adajcent ones of the convex portions, a water distributor having a plurality of orifices for spraying deicing water over the surface of the ice forming plate opposite the ice forming surface to remove ice produced on the ice forming regions, and a pair of supporting members connected to the ice forming plate at both lateral ends thereof. V-shaped gaps are present between the supporting members and the lateral ends of the ice forming plate, where unwanted ice grows. The water distributor is provided with, in addition to the deicing water spray orifices, auxiliary water spray orifices for directing the deicing water to the junctions between the supporting members and the ends of the ice forming plate and/or the V-shaped gaps themselves.

Growing community of inventors

Toyoake, Japan

Hideji Ohta