Removable Sliding Ice Bin Door for Easy Cleaning and Ice Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Commercial ice storage bins face issues with ice bridging, making it difficult to dispense ice, and existing access mechanisms, such as hinged doors, often require tools for removal and can fog up, hindering visibility into the bin.

Innovation Solution

A removable sliding access door system for ice storage bins, featuring tracks with keyed protrusions and recesses, allowing the door to slide and be easily removed without tools, facilitating easy cleaning and monitoring of ice levels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a hinged door is used for access to the ice storage bin, then the door provides secure closure, but the door requires tools for removal and is difficult to clean

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of door removalVSAvoiddoor mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The door assembly is segmented into the door panel and the track system, allowing the door to be independently removed from the tracks without tools. The keyed protrusions on the door align with keyed recesses in the tracks to enable tool-free attachment and detachment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The door transitions from a fixed hinged configuration to a dynamic sliding configuration along the tracks. The door can slide horizontally along the tracks and be easily removed by aligning the keyed protrusions with keyed recesses, providing adaptability between secured closure and easy removal states.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Loss of information

If a window is added to view ice levels, then visibility into the bin is improved, but the window fogs up making it difficult to see

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveice level visibilityVSAvoidwindow fogging

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The viewing function is extracted from a fixed window and integrated into the removable door panel. Users can remove the door to gain clear access and visibility into the bin, eliminating the fogging problem associated with permanent windows while maintaining the ability to monitor ice levels when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Quantity of substance

If ice is stored in large quantities in a commercial bin, then the bin meets commercial demand, but ice bridges form making dispensing difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveice storage capacityVSAvoidice dispensing ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The door system enables dynamic access to the ice storage bin, allowing users to easily remove the door to manually break up ice bridges or redistribute ice when needed. This maintains the large storage capacity while providing a simple mechanism to address bridging issues without requiring complex mechanical ice breaking systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS8087533B2Systems and methods for providing a removable sliding access door for an ice storage bin

Publication Date: 2012.01.03 HOSHIZAKI AMERICA INC

AI summary

Embodiments of the invention relate to systems and methods for providing a removable sliding access door for an ice storage bin. In one embodiment, an access door is provided for use with a storage bin. The access door can include protrusions that engage corresponding recesses on tracks located adjacent to an access opening of the storage bin. The sliding access door can permit a user to access or view the contents of storage bin, and can be easily removed from the storage bin without the use of tools.