US3659128A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Icemaker drive with overload release
Assignee: Autotrol Corp
•
Filing: 1969-11-17
•
Granted: 1972-04-25
•
Expires: 1989-11-17
Abstract
Abstract A turntable type ice cube maker in which a series of pivoted dumping cups having water-fill, freeze, and dump stations is revolved by a gearmotor drive affording overload protection. This protection can be called into play in the instance, for example, when the turntable rotary mechanism jams on a piece of stray ice. No excessive torque will be encountered if and as the mechanism thereupon stalls out, because of overload protection provided by a permanent-magnet clutch, interposed in the drive line from the motor of the gearmotor to the gearing thereof being protected. A most important factor is that the clutch, which continually slips while stalled out, is consistently exerting maximum rated stall torque in the drive direction for immediate restart of the mechanism as soon as the impediment causing jamming is dislodged, and a further factor is that the clutch while so slipping is in actuality exerting cycles which pulse, tending to release and even to dislodge the impediment in some cases.
Inventors
- 👤 August J Danek
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 18:49
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02K; H02K7/00; H02K7/10; H02K7/11
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
167 words
For use with an icemaker assembly in which a series of cups having water-fill, freeze, and dump stations is revolved turntable-style by a motor through a drive line containing a train of speed reducing gearing with an output: the combination, in said train, of motor driven input gear means, at least a plurality of which are enmeshed, and among which coaxial first and second power transmission gears in the input are disposed with the hubs supported for relative rotation and with a space between the planes of the gears; and a permanent magnet coupling in said space, an operating clutching element of which is an inertia element fast to the first gear and another element of which is fast to the second gear, and mutually effectively slipping upon stalling out and interrupting power transmission so as precisely to uniformly sustain an average output torque rating for re-starting and effectively recoupling the drive elastically therefrom thence through the reducing gearing to the gearing output in the drive line.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
167 words
For use with an icemaker assembly in which a series of cups having water-fill, freeze, and dump stations is revolved turntable-style by a motor through a drive line containing a train of speed reducing gearing with an output: the combination, in said train, of motor driven input gear means, at least a plurality of which are enmeshed, and among which coaxial first and second power transmission gears in the input are disposed with the hubs supported for relative rotation and with a space between the planes of the gears; and a permanent magnet coupling in said space, an operating clutching element of which is an inertia element fast to the first gear and another element of which is fast to the second gear, and mutually effectively slipping upon stalling out and interrupting power transmission so as precisely to uniformly sustain an average output torque rating for re-starting and effectively recoupling the drive elastically therefrom thence through the reducing gearing to the gearing output in the drive line.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
77 words
The invention of claim 1, the respective operating clutching element and other element of said coupling characterized by: bar magnet means in rotational balance with the first gear, and pole pieces in rotational balance with the second gear and coacting with the bar magnet means to maintain a closed path for magnetic force lines when coupling under normal load, there being an opening of said path under overload causing breakage of the magnetic lines of force aforesaid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
The invention of claim 2, in further combination with support means whereby the hubs of the first and second gears are supported in the described way, the gears of said combination each being relatively less-than-ferromagnetic and the rest of the combination being relatively ferromagnetic to at least the extent of each of the pole pieces and bar magnet means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
109 words
The invention of claim 2, characterized by: first and second gears which have a size difference to provide a gear ratio between input and output, and the large one of which constitutes the second gear, the other coupling element comprising a mutilated cup of which the remaining portions of the cup side walls form the pole pieces aforesaid, the bar magnet means of the operating clutching element being nonrotatable to the small gear and arranged as a core member fitting in, and relatively rotatable to, the mutilated cup, and further arranged with the magnetic poles thereof each corresponding to a pole piece formed by the cup side wall portions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
149 words
For use with an icemaker assembly in which a series of pivoted dumping cups having water-fill, freeze, and dump stations is unidirectionally revolved turntable-style by an electric motor through a drive line containing a speed reducing train of gearing: the combination of meshing, motor driven input gears in said train; run-detector sprag means having first means of connection to the input gears and effective as a rebounding sprag brake to cause abrupt stop of the motor from an unwanted run direction undertaken at random and a restart thereof in the single direction desired; and an inertia member in said train with the gears having second means of connection thereto and effective to couple the drive elastically therefrom to the drive line; the elasticity provided in the coupling characterized by a rotatable linking field in space free from causing direct physical contact in the connection and created by permanent magnetism.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
149 words
For use with an icemaker assembly in which a series of pivoted dumping cups having water-fill, freeze, and dump stations is unidirectionally revolved turntable-style by an electric motor through a drive line containing a speed reducing train of gearing: the combination of meshing, motor driven input gears in said train; run-detector sprag means having first means of connection to the input gears and effective as a rebounding sprag brake to cause abrupt stop of the motor from an unwanted run direction undertaken at random and a restart thereof in the single direction desired; and an inertia member in said train with the gears having second means of connection thereto and effective to couple the drive elastically therefrom to the drive line; the elasticity provided in the coupling characterized by a rotatable linking field in space free from causing direct physical contact in the connection and created by permanent magnetism.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention of claim 5, the inertia member characterized by: a rotatably mounted permanent magnet magnetically establishing the non-contact space field connection aforesaid with a pole piece driven by said gearing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The invention of claim 5, the first means of connection characterized by: a spring clutch; the spring clutch and magnetic space field of the first and second means of connection being proportioned and arranged to constitute respectively low coupling torque and high coupling torque drive iNput elements.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
The invention of claim 7, the clutch characterized by a weak spring.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-04-25 | 1975-10-25 | 1976-04-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-04-25 | 1979-10-25 | 1980-04-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-04-25 | 1983-10-25 | 1984-04-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |