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Ice resurfacing machineRelated Patent Categories: Excavating, Snow Or Ice Removing Or Grooming By Portable Device, Snow Or Ice Surface GroomerIce resurfacing machine description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070084087, Ice resurfacing machine. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to the field of ice making equipment and more particular, to an ice resurfacer for forming a layer of ice on a cool surface, such as may be found in hockey and ice skating arenas. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Arenas used for hockey and ice skating are typically formed on concrete floors in which are embedded pipes carrying a chilled solution. The chilled solution lowers the temperature of the concrete floor to as low as 10.degree. F., well below the 32.degree. F. freezing temperature of water. The chilled floor is then flooded with water which freezes to form an ice surface. Typically indoor ice skating rinks have a layer of ice of about 11/2 inches in total. The ice is built up to this thickness by repeatedly flooding the surface with layers of water. The layers freeze one onto the next to form the full layer of ice. In a typical application, after the first couple layers of ice are placed on the chilled surface, the ice is painted white to provide a good contrast to the ice surface. A couple more layers of ice are placed over the painted layer for protecting the painted ice layer. At this point, additional graphics are painted on the ice such as, for example, the red and blue lines, goal lines and the like for hockey as well as any additional advertising graphics, such as corporate logos. A couple more layers of ice are then placed on top of these ice surfaces to provide for the final layer of ice for hockey or ice skating. [0003] In order to provide for the optimum surface for hockey and ice skating, it is desirable that the ice be relatively dense. This is generally accomplished through the use of hot water as it freezes to a more dense and harder ice surface then cooler water. Generally, the water is heated to about 150.degree. F. for the making of ice in an arena. [0004] During maintenance of the ice, after the initial ice is formed, an ice resurfacer such as a Zamboni.TM. or Olympia.TM. is used to shave the ice to remove slush, snow and dirt from the surface of the ice. The resurfacer then floods the surface of the ice with fresh water. This is generally accomplished by dragging a rag or cloth at the rear of the ice resurfacer onto which water is spread to provide for a uniform film of water to be distributed over the ice surface. The snow and shavings picked up by the resurfacer are stored in the snow tank which are then dumped after the resurfacer is finished. [0005] Typically, to resurface a sheet of arena ice, about 120 gallons of water is heated to 150.degree. F. This requires a significant amount of energy to both heat the water as well as create a refrigeration load in the cooling solution of the chilled floor to properly freeze the surface of the ice. [0006] There have been attempts in the past to provide for reduced energy consumption during ice making and maintenance. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,411 describes a process whereby the water used to flood the ice rink is de-mineralized by reverse osmosis and carbon filtered. In this way it is only necessary to heat the water to about 90.degree. F. However, this still requires some additional energy to be used for the processing of the water. [0007] U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,360 describes the use of an additive in the water used to form the ice or ice layers. The additive comprises a surfactant, a primary alcohol and a silicone. The surfactant acts to reduce the surface tension of the water while the silicone acts as a defoamer collapsing any bubbles formed on the surface and also as a lubricant when pressure is applied on the ice such as an ice skate blade. The alcohol is believed to aid in providing a generally homogenous mixture when added to the water. Through the use of the additive this allows the water to be only heated to about 45-55.degree. F. However, the savings in energy are offset somewhat by the cost of the additives. [0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,931,874 describes an ice maker which utilizes a source of de-gassed water which is de-gassed by being heated. A pump to pressurize the de-gassed water is provided and the water is passed to a sprayer hydraulically connected to the pump. The sprayer has nozzles sized and shaped to convert the pressurized water into a fine de-gassing droplet spray directed at the cooled surface. The droplets are sized to substantially freeze on contact with the cooled surface. [0009] There still remains a need for an energy efficient means of resurfacing an ice surface while providing for dense high quality ice. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] The present invention provides an apparatus for resurfacing of an ice surface to provide for dense high quality ice. The apparatus comprises an ice resurfacing machine having a water storage tank connected to a water delivery system comprising a delivery pipe to a conditioning box and a flood bar assembly to apply water from the water storage to a flood cloth. One or more magnets are provided to magnetically treat the water as the water flows through the water delivery system thereby producing a denser more high quality ice. [0011] In an aspect of the invention, one or more magnets are located along the delivery pipe. [0012] In another aspect of the invention, one or more magnets are located on the delivery pipe adjacent the flood bar assembly. [0013] In yet another aspect of the invention, one or more magnets are located along the flood bar assembly. [0014] In another aspect of the invention, the magnets are equally spaced along the flood bar assembly. [0015] In another aspect of the invention, one or more magnets are located at both of on the delivery pipe and along the flood bar assembly. [0016] The present invention also provides for a method of forming an ice surface on a chilled surface, the method comprising passing the water to be applied to the chilled surface through a magnetic field to produce denser, higher quality ice. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0017] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the attached drawings in which: [0018] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view in cross section of an ice resurfacing machine according to the present invention; [0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the piping and the flood bar of the ice resurfacing machine of FIG. 1; [0020] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the piping and flood bar of FIG. 2; and Continue reading about Ice resurfacing machine... Full patent description for Ice resurfacing machine Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Ice resurfacing machine 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. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Ice resurfacing machine or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Ice resurfacing machine Next Patent Application: Mounting assembly for coupling snowplow or the like to a vehicle Industry Class: Excavating ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Ice resurfacing machine patent info. 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