Patent · US Expired

Surface treated cooling disk for flake ice machine

US5918477A · kind A · utility

12Cited by
14References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 23, 1997
Grant dateJul 6, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 23, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF25C1/142
  • WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A flake ice machine (10) for producing flakes of frozen material. The machine includes a rotatable cooling disk (12) defining an external cooling surface (24) and an internal refrigerant flow passage (20). Refrigerant is supplied to the internal refrigerant flow passage to cool the disk. A motor drives rotation of the cooling disk, while a liquid material, such as fresh water, is supplied to the external cooling surface of the disk. An ice removal blade (30) is positioned adjacent the external cooling surface of the disk to remove flakes of frozen material. A low-wetting coating (90) is applied to the external cooling surface of the disk to enhance removal of large flakes of frozen material. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the low-wetting coating comprises a fluoropolymer.

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