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(11) | EP 0 259 999 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Apparatus for making ice shavings |
| (57) Apparatus for making ice shavings comprises a shaver casing (3) having a horizontal
annular table (3) around its top and a shaving blade (6) mounted in a slot (5) in
its wall. Rotary blades (8) are fixed to a rotary shaft (7) which passes through a
central hole in the bottom of the casing (4) and extends upwards beyond the central
hole. A drive mechanism (12, 13) disposed under the casing (4) rotates the rotary
shaft (7). An ice cube reservoir (20) comprising a drum (21) is detachably mounted
to the able (3) and has a top end, on which an openable lid (24) is detachably mounted,
and an inner lower funnel-like wall (22). Ice cubes (30) in the reservoir (20) fall
successively into the casing (4) where they are moved by the blades (8) over the shaving
blade (6) by which they are converted into ice shavings which issue from a chute (11).
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[0001] This invention relates to an ice shaver which is an apparatus for slicing or shaving ice cubes to make ice shavings.
[0002] Such an ice shaver is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,055,099 and this known example of an ice shaver is mainly as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings. Referring to Fig. 1, struts 2 standing uprightly at four corners of an apparatus bed 1 support at their upper ends a table 3 and an inverted conical shaver casing 4 is supported by the table 3. In the circumferential surface of the casing 4, a slit 5 is formed in which a shaving blade 6 is exposed. A rotary shaft 7 protrudes from the lower center of the shaver casing 4 and rotary blades 8 rotatable substantially in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the shaver casing 4 are fixed to the rotary shaft 7. Upper ends of the rotary blades 8 are connected together by a connecting ring 9 on which a frusto-conical hopper 10 is mounted. The shaver also has a shaved ice discharge chute 11, a motor 12 for driving the rotary shaft 7, and a belt 13 applied between the output shaft of the motor 12 and a pulley secured to the rotary shaft 7. A water-proof cover 14 surrounds the outer circumferential periphery of the hopper 10 and the entire top is covered with a cover 15 on which a lid 16 is openably mounted.
[0003] Incidentally, where a great amount of shaved ice must be made at one time so as to be served for many consumers, the conventional ice shaver of the above construction has difficulties in quickly meeting the demand.
[0004] A countermeasure to solve this problem has been proposed and is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 56-20786. According to this countermeasure the ice shaver shown in Fig.1 has a case 18 juxtaposed laterally of the main unit of the ice shaver, whereby shaved ice pieces delivered through the chute 11 are stocked in the case 18 and as necessary are spooned out of the case 18 for service. This ice shaver can solve the aforementioned problem and supply quickly shaved ice to many consumers but disadvantageously, it requires a large horizontally extending space which is occupied by the case 18. In order to eliminate the necessity of the large horizontal space, the case 18 has to be reduced in size. This raises an unsolved problem that a great amount of shaved ice cannot be stored in the case 18. Further, the shaved ice becomes slightly melted during storage and this raises another problem that a great amount of shaved ice is fused into a block within a short period of time.
[0005] In another ice shaver disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 56-53253, ice cubes made by an icing mechanism provided in the shaver are stored in a reservoir and are then transported through a transport pipe from the resevoir to an ice shaving mechanism so as to be shaved thereby. This ice shaver can reduce the degree of fusion of ice as compared with the former proposed ice shaver but the whole size of the shaver is increased so that the shaver has to be installed stationarily for operation at a given site, thus raising a problem that movement of the ice shaver is in fact impossible.
[0006] Accordingly, an object of this invention is to solve the problems encountered in the prior art ice shavers and provide a compact and easy-to-move ice shave which can supply a great amount of shaved ice as necessary and can prevent the loss of ice due to its fusion.
[0007] To this end, according to this invention, apparatus for making ice shavings which comprises an upper horizontal annular table extending around a casing which has an inverted conical all disposed beneath the table, the wall being formed with a slit in which a shaving blade is mounted with the tip of the shaving blade protruding beyond the slit into the casing;
rotary blades fixed to a rotary shaft which passes through a central hole in the bottom of the casing and extends upwards beyond the central hole, the blades having upper ends on which a hopper is mounted; and
a drive mechanism, disposed under the casing for rotating the rotary shaft;
is characterized by an ice cube reservoir comprising a drum which is detachably mounted on the table, the drum having a top end on which an openable lid is detachably mounted and an inner lower funnel-like wall leading to the hopper.
[0008] In this apparatus, many ice cubes can be stored in the reservoir and the the rotary blades are driven to shave the cubes. During this procedure, the ice cubes stored in the reservoir slide successively on the funnel-like wall surface and drop into the shaver casing spontaenously and sequentially and the cubes present within the shaver casing are rotated by means of the rotary blades against the knife and are converted to shavings.
[0009] This motion is successively transmitted to the ice cubes present within the reservoir to permit individual ice cubes not to fuse with each other but to move independently. Since the individual ice cubes in motion are supported on the funnel-like wall surface, the spontaneous and sequential dropping of the individual ice cubes can be effected very smoothly in accordance with a decrease in the number of ice cubes present within the shaver casing. This decrease is due to shaving of the ice cubes and discharge of ice shavings.
[0010] In this manner, a great amount of ice shavings can be made at one time and even when a great amount of ice shavings is needed at one time, this demand can be met quickly.
[0011] Further, cube ice stocked in the reservoir takes the form of a block or lump which is relatively large in size and therefore, the loss of the cube ice due to fusion can be lessened considerably. The cube ice reservoir to be placed above the shaver casing does not occupy a large lateral space and movement of the ice shaver can be done without difficulties.
[0012] Another object of this invention is to provide an ice shaver by which the user can readily know an approximate quantity of cube ice which has not been shaved yet and remains in the cube ice reservoir.
[0013] This object can be accomplished by an embodiment of the invention wherein the drum of the cube ice reservoir is made of a transparent material. Thanks to the transparency of the drum, cube ice stored in the reservoir can always be watched externally through the drum and when the quantity of cube ice present within the reservoir decreases as the ice shaving operation proceeds, fresh cube ice can be supplemented by opening the openable lid.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] In the accompanying drawings :
Figure 1 is a front view, partly exploded, showing a prior art ice shaver ; and
Figure 2 is a front view, partly exploded, showing an ice shaver according to an embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0015] Referring now to Fig.2, there is illustrated an ice shaver embodying the invention which is identical to the prior art ice shaver of Fig.1 for the most part. Members identical to those of Fig.1 are designated by identical reference numerals and will not be described herein. The following description will principally be given of different members which are not seen in Fig.1.
[0016] A cube ice reservoir generally designated by 20 is comprised of a cylindrical drum 21. The drum 21 has an upper opening portion 23 to which an openable lid 24 is detachably mounted, and a funnel-like wall 22 having an opening which opposes the hopper 10 extends from an inner lower portion of the drum 21. The drum 21 of the above construction is detachably mounted on the table 3. The reservoir 20 may be made of any materials but preferably the drum 21 may be transparent and the whole of the reservoir may be made of a synthetic resin.
[0017] When making shaved ice with this ice shaver, the lid 24 is dismounted and many cube ice blocks 30 are charged into the reservoir 20. The lid 24 is then remounted. As in the case of the prior art ice shaver, the motor 12 is operated by turning on a switch, not shown, and cube ice blocks 30 are rotated within the shaver casing 4 by means of the rotary blades 8 so as to be shaved or sliced by the shaving blade 6. Shaved ice made in this way is discharged through the chute 11 to the outside of the ice shaver.
[0018] Because of many cube ice blocks precedently stocked in the reservoir 20, a great amount of shaved ice can be made at a time. During this procedure, cube ice blocks 30 present within the shaver casing 4 are rotated by the rotary blades 8 on a horizontal plane within to casing 4. This motion is successively transmitted to the overlying stack of cube ice 30, and cube ice blocks 30 present within the reservoir 20 are gradually brought into the motion. Since the ice blocks 30 are supported on the surface of the funnel-like wall 22, individual ice blocks 30 will not mate with each other but will descent one by one toward the center of the funnel-like wall 22 gradually and automatically, eventually smoothly dropping into the shaver casing 4 through the hopper 10 in accordance with a decrease in the number of ice blocks present within the shaver casing, which decrease is due to shaving of ice blocks by the shaving blade 6 and discharge of shaved ice pieces. When the number of ice blocks 30 stocked in the reservoir decreases as the shaving proceeds, fresh cube ice can be supplemented properly because the progressive decrease can always be watched externally through the transparent drum 21.
1. Apparatus for making ice shavings comprising:
an upper horizontal annular table (3) extending around a casing (4) which has an inverted conical wall disposed beneath the table (3), the wall being formed with a slit (5) in which a shaving blade (6) is mounted with the tip of the shaving blade (6) protruding beyond the slit into the casing;
rotary blades (8) fixed to a rotary shaft (7) which passes through a central hole in the bottom of the casing (4) and extends upwards beyond the central hole, the blades (8) having upper ends on which a hopper (10) is mounted; and
a drive mechanism (12, 13), disposed under the casing (4) for rotating the rotary shaft (7);
characterised by an ice cube reservoir (20) comprising a drum (21) which is detachably mounted on the table (3) the drum having a top end on which an openable lid (24) is detachably mounted and an inner lower funnel-like wall (22) leading to the hopper(10).
an upper horizontal annular table (3) extending around a casing (4) which has an inverted conical wall disposed beneath the table (3), the wall being formed with a slit (5) in which a shaving blade (6) is mounted with the tip of the shaving blade (6) protruding beyond the slit into the casing;
rotary blades (8) fixed to a rotary shaft (7) which passes through a central hole in the bottom of the casing (4) and extends upwards beyond the central hole, the blades (8) having upper ends on which a hopper (10) is mounted; and
a drive mechanism (12, 13), disposed under the casing (4) for rotating the rotary shaft (7);
characterised by an ice cube reservoir (20) comprising a drum (21) which is detachably mounted on the table (3) the drum having a top end on which an openable lid (24) is detachably mounted and an inner lower funnel-like wall (22) leading to the hopper(10).
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the drum (21) of the reservoir (20) is
made of a transparent material.