The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 25, 1997
Filed:
Apr. 08, 1996
Susumu Tatematsu, Nagoya, JP;
Hiroyuki Sugie, Nishikamo-gun, JP;
Naoya Uchida, Nagoya, JP;
Yasumitsu Tsukiyama, Toyoake, JP;
Hideyuki Ikari, Kariya, JP;
Hoshizaki Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, Aichi-ken, JP;
Abstract
A bearing structure for an auger-type ice making machine 10 includes an auger 17 having a helical blade 17a which rotates within a cylindrical refrigeration casing 11 so as to scrape off ice generated on the inner surface of the refrigeration casing 11 and push it up and out of the casing. A slide bearing 27 for supports an upper shaft section 17b of the auger 17 and a press head 25 is provided inside the upper end portion of the refrigeration casing 11 and which supports the slide bearing 27. Even if the upper shaft section 17b of the auger 17 and the press head 25 axially relatively move as a result of the scraping oil and feeding-out of the ice, substantially closed first and second foreign matter trapp spaces A and B are formed in close proximity to the lower and upper ends of the slide bearing. Further, a high-hardness metal layer 17f having a thickness, for example, of approximately 0.5 mm is formed on the surface of the upper shaft section 17b of the auger 17. Any exfoliated portion of the bearing section is trapped in the foreign matter trap spaces, and a satisfactory slideface is formed between the slide bearing and the high-hardness metal layer to achieve a substantial improvement in wear resistance properties.