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  Ice making and dispensing method and apparatus with increased sanitationUSPTO Application #: 20070214809Title: Ice making and dispensing method and apparatus with increased sanitation Abstract: Disclosed is an ice making apparatus and method whereby the cleanliness of ice is improved through the use of ozone (O3). The invention utilizes a aspirating injector that is positioned within the water chamber of an ice maker The presence of the ozone within the water inhibits the growth of bacteria and other contaminates. The ozonated water is then used in the production of ice. The invention further discloses a method for retrofitting existing ice makers to benefit from the anti-bacterial uses of ozone. (end of abstract)
Agent: Holland & Knight LLP Attn: Stefan V. Stein/IPDept. - Tampa, FL, US Inventor: Thomas DiLorenzo USPTO Applicaton #: 20070214809 - Class: 062066000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Refrigeration, Processes, Congealing Flowable Material, E.g., Ice Making The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070214809. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATION DATA [0001] This application claims priority to co-pending provisional application Ser. No. 60/783,206 filed Mar. 16, 2006 entitled "Bubbler Ozonation Apparatus," the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] This invention relates to an ice making apparatus with increased sanitation. More particularly, the present invention relates to an ice making apparatus and method that inhibits the growth of harmful microorganisms via ozone. Further, this invention similarly relates to a method for increasing sanitation of existing ice makers by retrofitting existing ice makers to inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms via ozone. [0004] 2. Description of the Background Art [0005] The ice machine is one of the most common appliances in use today. These machines are commonly found in kitchens, restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals, nursing facilities, and convenience stores across the country. A widely employed construction situates the ice machine above an array of fountain drink dispensers. As is typical, this ice machine is coupled to an independent supply of water. This water is then routed over an evaporator. Due to the cooling effect of the evaporator, over time ice builds up upon the evaporator. This ice is then removed from the evaporator in cubes during a harvest cycle. The harvest cycle is generally accomplished by introducing a layer of warm air between the ice and evaporator, whereby the ice is melted a sufficient degree to allow it to slip off the evaporator. The collected ice is then stored within a bin and thereafter selectively removed so as to fill a cup or other such container. Typically, the ice is removed by pressing the container against a lever which actuates a bin opening. [0006] There are two classes of ice machine available in the industry: Cubers and Flakers. The difference between these two classes is in the type of ice they produce. [0007] Cuber-class ice makers (known as Cubers) produce a product known as hard ice. Hard ice is a solid, crystal-clear ice made by recirculating water over one or more evaporator plate(s) that are cooled via the operation of a gas compressor and condenser. [0008] There are two phases that comprise the ice-making process in cuber-type ice machines. The first phase--the ice-making cycle--involves the recirculation of water over refrigerated evaporator plate(s) via a water pump, resulting in ice forming on the plate(s). This cycle continues until the ice reaches a desired size/thickness that is determined by one of any number of control systems. Once the ice reaches an appropriate size/thickness, the ice machine then moves into the second phase of the ice-making process--the harvest cycle. During the harvest cycle, the evaporator plate(s) are heated (usually via hot gas from the compressor) which leads to the formed ice detaching from the plate(s) and falling into an appropriate receptacle. [0009] Flaker-class ice makers (known as Flakers) produce a product known as soft ice. Flaker ice contains trapped air and is therefore less dense than cuber ice. This soft ice can be prepared in several forms (described below): [0010] flake form (similar to snow cone ice) [0011] pellet form (produced by adding an extrusion and breaker assembly atop the auger) [0012] chunklet form (continuous column of ice is produced and snaps off into round chunks) [0013] Flaker ice is produced by water being drip-fed into a single cylindrical evaporator cooled by the operation of a gas compressor and condenser. As ice-making water drips into the cooled evaporator, it freezes and is scraped upward by a motor-driven auger. When the flake ice reaches the top of the evaporator it either a) exits in a flake form--or--b) moves through an extrusion plate and breaker assembly where the flakes are compressed into a pellet or chunklet form. The ice making and harvest cycles take place simultaneously in flaker-class ice machines. [0014] Recently, attention has been drawn to the unsanitary condition of many commercial ice machines. Ice makers and their components are all too frequently host to E. coli, flagella, legionella and other toxins. In fact, Applicant is aware of ice machines infested with legionella and other bacteria within hospitals and nursing homes, that are supposed to maintain the highest sanitary conditions. Ice machines contain drains, pumps, hoses, evaporators and bins, all of which must be periodically cleaned and disinfected. All too often, however, ice machines are forgotten about and are never cleaned or otherwise maintained. As a result, the internal components become contaminated with bacteria, mold, or other undesirable contaminates. These contaminates are then ingested by unwary individuals consuming the ice. [0015] Manual cleaning of the above equipment with detergents and sterilizing chemicals can be effective; however, cleaning schedules are not, as a practical matter, always adhered to. In addition, the job may not be done satisfactorily in terms of a thorough cleaning and rinsing of the food content areas, and drain elements or tubes. Even when a meticulous cleaning and sanitation process is correctly performed, if the equipment is located in an area where contaminated air or water can be reintroduced into the machine, the cleaning/sanitation process is negated. By placing the ice maker atop the beverage/ice dispenser, the ability to manually clean the beverage/ice dispenser is severely curtailed; leading to possible elevated microorganism levels. [0016] As a result of the foregoing, numerous attempts have been made over the years to improve the sanitation within ice making machines. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,506,428 to Berge et al et al. discloses an ozone cleaning and sanitation method and apparatus for ice and ice conveyance systems. The apparatus includes an ozone generator. Ozone-rich air exiting the ozone generator is drawn through a conduit to a venturi where through aspiration it is incorporated into water circulating through a conduit. Water is circulated through the conduit via a circulation pump that is located downstream from the venturi. [0017] Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 6,334,328 to Brill discloses a sanitary ice making and dispensing apparatus. The device includes an ozone generator and an associated air pump for feeding ozone enriched air to the air inlet of a venturi. The venturi is used to entrain ozone into water that is pumped through the venturi by an upstream pump. [0018] Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,287,515 to Koosman et al. discloses a cleaning and sanitizing assembly for clean in place food and beverage automatic dispensing machines. The assembly includes an ozone generator which introduces ozone into a water supply line. [0019] U.S. Pat. No. 7,029,587 to Andrews similarly discloses a method for water purification using ozone. The method utilizes an ozone generator to supply ozone to a number of injection points within a reservoir. [0020] Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 7,127,900 to Yoshimura et al. discloses a method for producing ice containing ozone by injecting ozonated water into a cylindical-shaped container. Once the ozonated water is injected in the container, the container is pressurized to increase the ozone solubility and generate finer ozone bubbles within the water. [0021] Although each of the above referenced inventions achieves its individual objective, they all suffer from a common problem. Namely, none of the above referenced devices can be easily retrofitted upon an existing ice machine. Nor do the above referenced devices operate with Flaker-type ice machines. Finally, the above referenced inventions do not disclose using a rheostat as a means of regulating the amount of ozone being entrained within the ice thereby giving operators the ability to control how ozonated the generated ice will be, which is important as ice machines that are subject to more contaminants will require a higher volume of ozone to effectively combat the bacteria and other contaminants within the ice machine. The present invention is aimed at overcoming the aforementioned deficiencies in the background art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0022] It is therefore one of the objectives of this invention to provide an apparatus and method for inhibiting the growth of microorganisms in ice making machines. [0023] It is also an object of this invention to provide ozonated water for Flaker ice machines. [0024] Still another object of this invention is to provide a cost-effective method for retrofitting existing ice makers without the need to replace the vital components of the existing ice makers with ozonation systems. Continue reading... Full patent description for Ice making and dispensing method and apparatus with increased sanitation Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Ice making and dispensing method and apparatus with increased sanitation patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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