Abstract: An evaporator includes a refrigerant conduit; and front and rear plates sandwiching the refrigerant conduit, each of the front and rear plates including: a plurality of ice forming columns; a set of first protrusions and a set of second protrusions defined therein, each first protrusion on the front plate and a corresponding first protrusion on the rear plate defining a respective active cavity and each second protrusion on the front plate and a corresponding second protrusion on the rear plate defining a respective passive cavity, the refrigerant conduit extending through each of the active cavities but not any of the passive cavities; and inner flat portions of the front plate and the rear plate facing each other to define respective spaced portions, wherein the active cavities and passive cavities are interspersed and separated by respective inner flat portions so as to define a plurality of ice forming sites.

Abstract: An evaporator includes a refrigerant conduit; and front and rear plates sandwiching the refrigerant conduit, each of the front and rear plates including: a plurality of ice forming columns; a set of first protrusions and a set of second protrusions defined therein, each first protrusion on the front plate and a corresponding first protrusion on the rear plate defining a respective active cavity and each second protrusion on the front plate and a corresponding second protrusion on the rear plate defining a respective passive cavity, the refrigerant conduit extending through each of the active cavities but not any of the passive cavities; and inner flat portions of the front plate and the rear plate facing each other to define respective spaced portions, wherein the active cavities and passive cavities are interspersed and separated by respective inner flat portions so as to define a plurality of ice forming sites.

Abstract: An evaporator includes a refrigerant conduit sandwiched between front and rear plates. The front plate has inner flat portions, each of which is spaced from a respective inner flat portion of the rear plate to define a respective spaced portion. The front and rear plates further include a set of first protrusions and a set of second protrusions. Each first protrusion on the front plate faces a respective first protrusion on the rear plate to define a respective active cavity. Each second protrusion on the front plate faces a respective second protrusion on the rear plate to define a respective passive cavity. The refrigerant conduit extends through each of the active cavities but does not extend through any of the passive cavities. The location of the active and passive cavities are interspersed and separated by respective inner flat portions so as to define a plurality of ice forming sites.

Abstract: An evaporator includes a refrigerant conduit sandwiched between front a rear plates. The front and rear plates have inner flat portions, each inner flat portion of the front plate faces, but is spaced from, a respective inner flat portion of the rear plate to define a respective spaced portion. The front and rear plates further include a set of first protrusions. Each first protrusion on the front plate faces a respective first protrusion on the rear plate to define a respective active cavity. The refrigerant conduit extends through each of the active cavities. The front and rear plates also include a set of second protrusions. Each second protrusion on the front plate faces a respective second protrusion on the rear plate to define a respective passive cavity. The refrigerant conduit does not extend through any of the passive cavities. The location of the active and passive cavities are interspersed and separated by respective inner flat portions so as to define a plurality of ice forming sites.

Abstract: A control device for an auger type ice making machine according to the present invention includes a driver circuit that drives a geared motor for rotating an auger; a voltage detector that detects an input voltage applied to the geared motor; a current detector that detects a motor current flowing in the geared motor; and a control circuit in which a plurality of current threshold values that differ according to the input voltage are set in advance, the control circuit controlling the driver circuit so as to stop the geared motor when a value of the motor current detected by the current detector exceeds a current threshold value that corresponds to the value of the input voltage detected by the voltage detector.

Abstract: A control device for an auger type ice making machine according to the present invention includes a driver circuit that drives a geared motor for rotating an auger; a voltage detector that detects an input voltage applied to the geared motor; a current detector that detects a motor current flowing in the geared motor; and a control circuit in which a plurality of current threshold values that differ according to the input voltage are set in advance, the control circuit controlling the driver circuit so as to stop the geared motor when a value of the motor current detected by the current detector exceeds a current threshold value that corresponds to the value of the input voltage detected by the voltage detector.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automatic ice maker which surely removes ice cubes from an ice-making unit and improves an ice-making efficiency. When the automatic ice maker starts a deicing operation, a hot gas is supplied to an evaporator and deicing water is supplied to the ice-making unit from a deicing water sprinkler to turn the frozen state at the frozen surfaces between the ice-making unit and ice cubes to a liquefaction state. When the deicing operation makes some progression and a temperature detecting unit detects that the temperature of the evaporator has reached a set temperature, a circulation pump is driven after elapse of the first set temperature to supply ice-making water to the ice-making unit from an ice-making sprinkler, promoting further separation of the ice cubes.

Abstract: An auger type ice-making machine of the present invention comprises an ice-making cylinder which accommodates an auger rotatably in the interior thereof, an ice compression head which supports the upper end portion of the auger rotatably, and which is disposed in the upper portion of the ice-making cylinder, and a cast-in heater which is attached to the outer peripheral surface of an accommodating portion for the ice compression head of the ice-making cylinder. According to the present invention, the use of a cast-in heater enables heat to be reliably transmitted to the ice compression head, whereby the compressed ice can be melted and ice can be discharged smoothly.

Abstract: Three solid round bars are prepared as auger members, respectively as a main body member, an upper shaft member, and a lower shaft member. End surfaces of the members are coaxially joined together by friction welding. Turning machining is then performed by using a lathe, forming a helical blade, a spline, and the like. In addition, burnishing is performed on a corner portion that includes an outer circumferential edge of a joining surface where friction welding is performed, and another corner portion that includes an outer circumferential edge of another joining surface where friction welding is performed. The burnishing is performed by pressing a roller, which is freely rotatable about a roller support shaft center of a Superoll, toward the corner portions of the rotating auger. Roller burnishing may also be performed two times on the same location, with a predetermined time interval therebetween.

Abstract: An auger type ice-making machine of the present invention comprises an ice-making cylinder which accommodates an auger rotatably in the interior thereof, an ice compression head which supports the upper end portion of the auger rotatably, and which is disposed in the upper portion of the ice-making cylinder, and a cast-in heater which is attached to the outer peripheral surface of an accommodating portion for the ice compression head of the ice-making cylinder. According to the present invention, the use of a cast-in heater enables heat to be reliably transmitted to the ice compression head, whereby the compressed ice can be melted and ice can be discharged smoothly.

Abstract: A bypass passage is provided between a discharge pipe and a suction pipe of a compressor being a component of an auger type refrigeration circuit, for allowing a hot gas on the high-pressure side of the circuit to recirculate back to the low-pressure side. An electromagnetic valve is disposed on the bypass passage, and an ammeter is provided to a geared motor that drives an auger, which detects an overcurrent value indicative of an overload acting on the geared motor. In response to detection of an overcurrent value by the ammeter, the electromagnetic valve operates to allow a hot gas on the high-pressure side to be supplied to the low-pressure side through the bypass passage.

Abstract: A bypass passage is provided between a discharge pipe and a suction pipe of a compressor being a component of an auger type refrigeration circuit, for allowing a hot gas on the high-pressure side of the circuit to recirculate back to the low-pressure side. An electromagnetic valve is disposed on the bypass passage, and an ammeter is provided to a geared motor that drives an auger, which detects an overcurrent value indicative of an overload acting on the geared motor. In response to detection of an overcurrent value by the ammeter, the electromagnetic valve operates to allow a hot gas on the high-pressure side to be supplied to the low-pressure side through the bypass passage.