Abstract: A dishwasher comprises a main body having a washing tub. A box-like cover is mounted above the washing tub to be movable between a lower position to close the washing tub and an upper position to expose the tub. A supporting frame having a channel-like cross section for supporting the cover and guiding the movement thereof is mounted so as to extend from the washing tub into the interior of the cover. A pair of coil springs are provided to the inside of the channel-like supporting frame and have respective lower ends secured on the supporting frame at the inner side thereof and respective upper ends secured to a shield member which assumes a blocking position to substantially close an opening formed in a top wall of the cover when the latter is at the upper position while assuming a releasing position where the top opening of the cover is released from the blocked state. The shield member is swingable between the blocking position and the releasing position.

Abstract: A thermo-hygrostatic refrigerator has a cabinet defining a storage room for cooling and storing food materials therein, a refrigeration unit composed of a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator and other refrigeration systems, a brine tank storing brine therein and including the evaporator on the bottom thereof, an accumulator connected to the outlet side of the evaporator and having at least one portion immersed in the brine, a cooler mounted within the storage room and operatively connected to the outlet side of the evaporator and having at least one portion immersed in the brine, a cooler mounted within the storage room and operatively connected to the brine tank to circulate the brine therethrough to cool the interior of the storage room, and a sensing device mounted within the brine tank for monitoring presence of brine circulation.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ice making machine including an ice making water tank adapted to supply ice making water in circulation to an ice making section during the ice making cycle, a harvesting water tank adapted to supply harvesting water to the ice making section during the harvesting cycle, a compressor adapted to supply refrigerant gas to an evaporator tube of the ice making section, a float switch provided to the harvesting water tank and adapted to sense the upper water limit of the harvesting water, a water feed valve adapted to supply water to the harvesting water tank, and a control circuit having a relay for sensing that the machine is in the ice making cycle, the circuit being connected to the float switch and to the water feed valve for controlling the operation thereof. The water feed valve is open only when an AND output signal of the relay and the float switch is issued.

Abstract: An ice dispenser apparatus includes an ice making mechanism (1) and, an ice storage box (5) for storing ice pieces produced by the ice making mechanism. When the ice pieces are dispensed a discharge port shutter (9) normally closing a discharge port (5c) provided in the ice storage box (5) at a lower portion thereof is opened by a discharge port shutter actuator (11). A transient storage chamber (13) is provided in communication with the discharge port (5c), the chamber having a normally closed aperture for transiently storing a predetermined amount of ice pieces discharged from the ice storage box (5) through the discharge port (5c) when the discharge port shutter (9) is opened. A transient storage chamber shutter (10) is provided in association with the transient storage chamber (13) and is adapted to be actuated by a transient storage chamber shutter actuator (12) for selectively opening or closing the aperture.

Abstract: A refrigerating apparatus includes a compressor, a condenser, a capillary and an evaporator. A bypass conduit with a valve is arranged so that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor will bypass at least the condenser and the capillary so as to return to the inlet side of the compressor. The pressure or the temperature of the refrigerant in the apparatus is sensed by a sensor. When the sensed value is less than a prescribed value, the valve is opened to return the hot gas to the compressor. The compressor is driven for elevating its temperature.

Abstract: An auger type ice making mahine has a refrigerator, an ice making cylinder for forming a layer of ice in cooperation with the refrigerator, and a top ice storage chamber in communication with the ice making cylinder for storing ice discharged therefrom. A bottom ice storage chamber is disposed below the top ice storage chamber for receiving and storing ice transferred from the top ice storage chamber. The top ice storage chamber is equipped with a top ice storage level detector for detecting the amount of ice stored within the top chamber, an ice dispensing gate mechanism capable of dispensing ice pieces stored in the top ice storage chamber outwardly therefrom, and an ice transfer system capable of transferring ice pieces from the top ice storage chamber to the bottom ice storage chamber. The bottom ice storage chamber is provided with a bottom ice storage level detector for detecting the amount of ice stored within the bottom chamber.

Abstract: An ice making compartment in an ice maker comprises a vertical ice making plate where cooling pipes are fixed to the rear surface of the ice making plate, and a plurality of longitudinal and transversal partition plates fixed to the front surface of the ice making plate and defining the cells in cooperation with the ice making plate. Both partition plates comprise plates having different heights from the front surface of the ice making plate so as to separate certainly the adjoining ice cubes during the defrosting cycle. It is desirable that at least one of the transversal partition plates end tip is sharper than the others thereof.

Abstract: A thermally insulated bin structure comprises an inner casing having an open top and a closed bottom for storing articles, an outer casing disposed outside of the inner casing and a connecting portion for interconnecting the inner and outer casings at respective lower end portions thereof, the inner casing, the outer casing and the connecting portion being formed as an integral unit by a one-piece molding method. A front frame having an opening is fitted on the front portion of the unit, and a door is pivotably mounted on the front frame so as to open and close the opening. The cabinet accommodating therein an ice making unit is fitted into the outer casing and the front frame.

Abstract: An ice making machine includes a freezing plate having one surface placed in contact with an evaporator and the other surface serving as a freezing surface, and a water distributor for spraying water over the freezing surface. The water distributor comprises a pipe having a number of spaced orifices formed along the longitudinal direction of the pipe. Water is sprayed over the freezing surface. A dry zone or zone on which no water is sprayed is formed on the freezing surface at a location corresponding in position to the region of the one surface provided with the evaporator. Formation of ice starts from the boundary defining the dry zone, as the dry zone is inherently colder than the area on which water is sprayed, and a solid ice nucleus for propagating ice is formed therein, and proceeds to an ice slab over the whole freezing surface except the dry zone.

Abstract: A modular water spraying device for an ice making machine including a vertically extending freezing plate having an evaporator of the freezing system on its one surface and a plurality of hollow, vertically extending, spaced guide ribs on its other surface, and a water distributor disposed above the top of the freezing plate and provided with a plurality of water distributing apertures is disclosed. The modular water spraying device comprises a spray water guide member adapted to be removably mounted to the top of said freezing plate.

Abstract: An ice product storage detector which instantaneously detects when the ice products have filled the reservoir to its full capacity or when the amount of ice product in storage has decreased. The ice product storage detector includes a proximity switch provided on a barrier plate of a non-magnetizable material, the barrier plate being provided on the lower part of a base portion of the main body of the auger type ice making device, an ice storage detector plate rotatably mounted about a shaft in the ice product reservoir in positional registration with the proximity switch and which is formed of a low heat capacity and low thermo-conductive material, a pair of inclined plate sections provided on an ice product receiving portion of the ice product storage detector plate, and an auxiliary detector plate formed of a magnetizable material and provided on the ice product storage detector plate so as to be normally parallel to the detective surface of the proximity switch.

Abstract: An auger type ice making apparatus adapted for effectively flushing and removing deepended water and precipitates in the water supply pipe and the freezing cylinder during ice making.

Abstract: A control circuit for an auger type ice maker using a relay which is responsive to a predetermined level of an ice making water in a tank and to of a predetermined level of stored ice, and a timer circuit responsive to the commencement of the ice making cycle which corresponds to the detection of the water level and the completion of the ice making cycle which corresponds to the detection of the ice level, both by the relay. This timer circuit is arranged so that during the starting operation it starts to drive the auger motor at the beginning of the ice making cycle and then after a first predetermined time starts to drive the compressor, and during the stopping operation, it stops the compressor after a second predetermined time after the detection of the completion of the ice making cycle and then after a third predetermined time stops the auger motor. Should a short interruption of the supply of water occur, the timer circuit can ignore it because of its delay time.

Abstract: A liquid level control apparatus which detects a liquid level in a tank employed, for example, in ice making equipment, to thereby trigger a control operation. The level control apparatus comprises a tank containing a body of liquid, a float movable in response to the vertical movement of the surface of liquid within the tank, a hollow case having a closed top and an open bottom, and a guide member disposed within the case for guiding the vertical movement of the float. The hollow case is arranged so that the open bottom thereof is closed by the rising liquid to thereby from a hermetically closed chamber within the case. An upstanding tubular member extends into the hollow case such that the lower end of the tube defines a level of liquid at which the hermetically closed chamber is formed. The chamber thus formed is effective for preventing the guide member from being immersed in the liquid to assure smooth movement of the float.

Abstract: An ice detector for an ice making machine which includes an ice storage switch main body mounted to an inner ceiling wall of an ice reservoir and including a detecting switch, an ice product detecting lever pivotally mounted to a supporting shaft of main body and a stopper provided in reservoir for contacting with one end of the ice product detecting lever. The ice product detecting lever is held in a non-vertical position by the stopper. In the preferred embodiments, the stopper is integrally formed with the main body of the ice storage switch.

Abstract: An automatic ice making machine or apparatus of the type in which ice-making water is directed in jets upwards towards a freezing grid or chamber having a large number of freezing cells. The apparatus has an ice-cutting frame having second partitioning plates at a preset spacing from and in opposition to the lower ends of the first partitioning plates of said freezing cells, and a heating means provided to the cutting frame. The second partitioning plates are heated by a hot gas pipe for melting and cutting the ice formed in the freezing cells the end of the ice formation state and the end of harvesting state being detected by a temperature sensor provided on the ice cutting frame.

Abstract: A unit for sensing the complete freezing and depletion of water, associated with an ice product making machine or apparatus which is comprised of a freezing plate formed of a lower heat conducting material and arranged vertically with a plurality of vertically extending and being transversely spaced apart partitions on its front surface and with surface portions between the adjoining partitions defining freezing sections, and a freezing system including a compressor adapted for supplying the cooling medium in circulation through a cooling coil placed on the back surface of the freezing plate. The sensing unit has a thermostatic temperature sensor mounted in direct contact with the foremost part of at least one of the partitions. The thermostat contact and the cooling system are so constructed and arranged that termination of ice making, is sensed by the thermostat temperature sensor sensing the temperature of the ice-making water approaching 0.degree. C.

Abstract: A water supply unit for an ice-making machine provided with a pair of freezing plates each presenting number of vertically extending partitions on their front sides, the freezing plates being mounted in an upright position with their rear sides facing to each other, and with a cooling coil mounted between the rear sides of the freezing plates. The water supply unit is placed on the top of the freezing plates and has an ice-making water conduit section connecting to the front surfaces of the freezing plates via water supply plates and a flushing water conduit section connecting to the rear sides of the freezing plates. The flushing water conduit section of the supply unit is received into and fitted between the upper ends of the freezing plates for securely positioning the water supply unit with respect to the freezing plates.

Abstract: An apparatus for making ice product has a vertically arranged refrigerating plate having a freezing surface and a refrigerant pipe on the side of the plate opposite to said freezing surface, and a flushing water spray pipe arranged on the upper portion of the aforementioned side of the refrigerating plate, with the ice-making water flowing down along the freezing surface for formation of ice products. The freezing plate is a strip of sheet metal of lower heat conductivity and comprised of alternate elongated recesses and projections extending in the flowing down direction of the ice making water, with the recesses essentially forming the freezing surface. The freezing surface has a plurality of horizontal formations on the forward sides of the recesses and vertically intermediate the adjoining straight portions of the refrigerant pipe, with the formations extending normal to the flowing down direction of the ice-making water.

Abstract: A freezing unit has one or more vertically arranged freezing plates having a plurality of rib-like partitions extending in the downflow direction of the ice-making water, and a meandering cooling coil contacted with the reverse side or sides of said freezing plate or plates and composed of a plurality of straight sections connected together by bends. The straight sections are flattened on lateral side portions, while at least the terminal portions of the bends contiguous to the straight sections are flattened on lateral side portions to a thickness approximately equal to the thickness of the flattened lateral side portions of the straight sections. The flattened lateral side portions of both the straight sections and the bends are contacted with the back side or sides of the freezing plate or plates.