Helical Movement Device Scraper for Cooling Element Ice Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machines for dispensing refrigerated fluid or pasty products face issues with ice and frozen product accumulation on the cooling element, which hinders thermal exchange and can damage the movement device due to excessive thickness.
Innovation Solution
A movement device with a helical element and scraper means that maintain the cooling element's surface free from ice and frozen product accumulation, ensuring efficient product flow and thermal exchange by using scraper edges and frontal blades to remove residues and enhance product pushing towards the dispensing faucet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the cooling element operates continuously to cool the product, then the cooling efficiency is maintained, but ice and frozen product accumulate on the external surface of the cooling element, limiting thermal exchange and potentially damaging the movement device
Solution Approach 1:
The scraper means are activated periodically to remove ice and frozen product accumulations from the cooling element surface before they can reach a thickness that would interfere with the movement device or transmission members. This preliminary cleaning action prevents the harmful effects of excessive accumulation while maintaining continuous cooling operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The movement device incorporates scraper means that automatically clean the cooling element surface during operation. The system serves itself by removing the harmful accumulations without requiring external intervention, thus preventing damage to the movement device while maintaining cooling efficiency.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If ice and frozen product accumulate on the cooling element surface, then the cooling element continues to function, but thermal exchange between the cooling element and product is strongly limited
Solution Approach 1:
The scraper means operate periodically during the continuous operation of the cooling element to remove ice and frozen product accumulations. This ensures that the thermal exchange surface remains clean and efficient throughout the operating cycle, preventing energy loss while maintaining continuous cooling function.
Solution Approach 2:
The scraper means are activated at periodic intervals to remove accumulations from the cooling element surface. This periodic cleaning action restores thermal exchange efficiency without requiring continuous interruption of the cooling operation, thus minimizing energy loss while maintaining continuous function.
3Productivity
If the helical element rotates to push the product towards the faucet, then the product flow is maintained, but excessive ice accumulation can interfere with the movement device and damage transmission members
Solution Approach 1:
The scraper means extract and remove the harmful ice and frozen product accumulations from the cooling element surface before they can interfere with the helical element's rotation or damage the transmission members. This separation of the harmful accumulation from the functional components protects the movement device while maintaining product dispensing productivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution maintains efficient thermal exchange and product flow, preventing damage to the movement device by continuously removing ice and frozen product, ensuring consistent and abundant dispensing of refrigerated products.
Implementation Method 1
a helical element (2), arranged with helical development around a longitudinal axis (x), which is predisposed to rotate concentrically externally of the cooling element (100)
Implementation Method 2
The cooling element, normally consisting of an evaporator, is contained in a cylindrical casing
Implementation Method 3
scraper means (5, 7, 8, 9) which are predisposed to drag contactingly the external surface of the cooling element (100) so as to remove accumulations and/or residues of material from said external surface
Data Source
AI summary
A movement device, in particular for fluid or pasty products, including: a helical element (2), arranged with a helical development about a longitudinal axis (x) thereof and being predisposed to rotate concentrically externally of a cooling element (100) in such a way as to push a fluid product in advancement along the longitudinal axis (x); a first connecting element (3), predisposed to reciprocally connect and maintain the turns of the helical element (2) distant from one another; a hub (4), predisposed to enable connecting the helical element (2) to a rotating element (110) predisposed to activate the helical element (2) in rotation about the longitudinal axis (x) thereof; at least one scraper element (5, 7, 8, 9) predisposed to drag contactingly on an external surface of the cooling element (100) such as to remove accumulations and/or residues of material from the external surface.