Patent · US Expired

Ice bank probe assembly for accommodating repair

US5502977A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
14References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 20, 1994
Grant dateApr 2, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 20, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF25D31/003
  • WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A removable ice bank probe assembly includes a guide tube mounted through an opening in the deck of a refrigeration unit and secured to an evaporator coil of the unit disposed within a water bath of a post-mix beverage dispenser. The removable assembly also includes an elongated rod for supporting an ice bank probe at a bottom end thereof and a transverse arm at the top end thereof which fits in a key slot in the top of the guide tube in order to accurately align the probe assembly within the refrigeration unit. The upper transverse arm may be gripped by the fingers of an operator to quickly remove the probe when repair or servicing is needed. The probe may then be easily reinserted into the guide tube and positioned via the transverse arm and slot in a proper alignment with respect to the evaporator coils which form the ice bank which it monitors. In addition, an ice bank probe protection bracket includes a wire form cage which surrounds the ice bank probe secured to the evaporator coils of a removable refrigeration unit in order to protect the ice bank probe during servicing of the refrigeration unit.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.