Ice Metering Disk Assembly for Consistent Portion Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ice dispensers lack consistent portion control, which is crucial for ensuring quality and volume consistency in automated blended ice drinks, as existing systems do not effectively manage ice distribution and agitation within the dispensing process.
Innovation Solution
An ice dispensing system featuring a cylindrical hopper with a metering member that includes a plurality of cavities, a shelf, and an agitator, allowing for controlled rotation and agitation to fill and dispense ice uniformly, with a separating wall to manage ice flow and break up ice into predetermined volumes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional ice dispenser uses gravity flow through a dispensing chute with a solenoid door, then ice can be dispensed, but consistent portion control is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The metering member is divided into multiple discrete cavities, each capable of holding a predetermined volume of ice. This segmentation allows for precise portion control by dispensing a specific number of cavities worth of ice, rather than relying on gravity flow which cannot provide consistent volumetric measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The cavities are pre-filled with ice in a controlled manner before dispensing. The metering member rotates to position filled cavities under the hopper outlet, ensuring that the correct portion is ready for dispensing before the actual dispense action occurs.
2Ease of operation
If ice is dispensed directly from the hopper without agitation, then dispensing is simple, but ice cubes freeze together and cannot be properly distributed
Solution Approach 1:
An agitator member is incorporated into the metering mechanism that vibrates or rotates to physically separate ice cubes as they are being metered into the cavities. This mechanical action prevents ice cubes from freezing together and ensures they are properly distributed into individual cavities for consistent dispensing.
3Productivity
If the metering member rotates continuously to dispense ice, then dispensing speed increases, but ice may be dispensed before cavities are properly filled
Solution Approach 1:
A sensor system monitors the fill status of the cavities and provides feedback to the control system. The controller uses this information to determine when the cavities are properly filled before initiating rotation for dispensing, ensuring that productivity increases do not compromise fill accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The metering member rotates in periodic cycles: first filling the cavities while stationary under the hopper outlet, then rotating to the dispense position, dispensing, and returning to the fill position. This periodic action ensures that filling is complete before each dispense cycle begins, maintaining precision while achieving reasonable 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 system provides repeatable and consistent ice portion control by ensuring each cavity is filled and dispensed accurately, improving the consistency of ice in blended drinks by minimizing ice crushing and maximizing efficient ice delivery.
Implementation Method 1
the door permits the ice to move or flow under the force of gravity from the dispensing chute
Implementation Method 2
an agitator member mounted to the metering member, wherein rotation of the metering member rotates the agitator within the supply of ice to break apart the supply of ice
Data Source
AI summary
An ice dispensing assembly includes a hopper, a metering disk, a shelf member, and a separating wall. The hopper includes an outlet opening defined in a bottom end of the hopper, and an ice inlet defined in a top end of the hopper. The metering disk is positioned in the hopper and includes a plurality of cavities. The shelf member is arranged to at least partially shield the cavities from a supply of ice held in the hopper. The metering disk is rotatable relative to the hopper between a first position wherein at least one cavity is exposed to the supply of ice to be filled with ice, and a second position wherein the cavity is separated from the supply of ice by the separating wall and ice in the cavity is dispensed through the outlet opening.