Ice shaving machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12253292-B2
Application number	US-202418402644-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 2, 2024
Priority date	Jun 29, 2018
Publication date	Mar 18, 2025
Grant date	Mar 18, 2025

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for preparing shaved ice confections. A device for conditioning ice includes a base housing comprising at least one upstanding sidewall defining an interior space and an upper surface with respect to the at least one upstanding sidewall. The device includes a motor disposed within the interior space of the base housing. The devices includes a sidewall disposed within the upper surface of the base housing defining an opening for receiving a drive shaft therethrough, wherein the drive shaft is mechanically connected to the motor and a blade assembly. The device includes a venting channel disposed in the at least one upstanding sidewall of the base housing for releasing heat emitted by the motor. The device includes a control mechanism for activating and deactivating the motor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A modular device for conditioning ice, comprising:
a base housing comprising:
at least one upstanding sidewall defining an interior space,
an upper surface with respect to the at least one upstanding sidewall, and

a blade assembly platform;
a motor disposed within the interior space of the base housing;
a drive shaft;
a first ice conditioning housing and a second ice conditioning housing that is interchangeable with the first ice conditioning housing;
a blade assembly comprising:
a blade;

wherein the blade assembly platform comprises an opening for receiving a drive shaft therethrough, wherein the drive shaft is mechanically connected to the motor and the blade assembly; and
a first attachment mechanism located on the ice conditioning housing and a second attachment mechanism located on the base housing;
wherein the conditioning of the ice comprises shaving the ice.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising an ice shaping portion comprising a spout and an ice shaper, wherein the spout comprises a rounded shape with a diameter smaller than that of a hopper of the first ice conditioning housing or the second ice condition housing.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the ice shaper is connected to the spout such that conditioned ice moves from the hopper through the spout and into the ice shaper.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the ice shaping portion further comprises a shaping flap attached adjacent to the spout such that conditioned ice exits the spout in the direction of the shaping flap.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the shaping flap is flexible, and wherein a user uses the shaping flap to impart a shape onto the conditioned ice.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the ice conditioning housing is a block ice conditioning housing and comprises:
a conditioning housing for receiving a block of ice;
the blade assembly, comprising:
the blade;
a paddle wheel, wherein the paddle wheel is mechanically connected to the motor;

wherein the paddle wheel comprises a plurality of paddles;
wherein the blade is attached to the paddle wheel such that the blade rotates with the paddle wheel when the motor is activated; and
a spout assembly.

7. The device of claim 6 , further comprising an arm for pressing the block of ice onto the blade, wherein the blade is substantially normal with respect to the arm.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the ice conditioning housing is a cube ice conditioning housing and comprises:
a spout assembly;
a conditioning housing for receiving a plurality of ice cubes and feeding the plurality of ice cubes into the blade assembly;
the blade assembly, comprising:
the blade; and
a paddle wheel;
wherein the paddle wheel is mechanically connected to the motor for spinning the plurality of ice cubes and feeding the plurality of ice cubes through the blade, the paddle wheel comprising a groove for receiving the blade;
wherein the blade is disposed in the groove of the paddle wheel.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the blade is formed in a circular shape and comprises a plurality of notches for cutting the plurality of ice cubes, and wherein the diameter of the blade is smaller than the diameter of the paddle wheel.

10. The device of claim 8 , wherein the paddle wheel comprises a plurality of paddles pointing upward relative to the base housing, wherein the paddles spin within an interior space defined by the blade when the motor is activated, and wherein the paddles are constructed of polycarbonate and are sufficiently rigid to push the plurality of ice cubes through a plurality of notches of the blade.

11. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a lid, wherein the lid is hinged to the ice conditioning housing;
an ice receptacle magnet attached to the ice conditioning housing;
wherein a lid magnet and the ice receptacle magnet are configured to mate to close the lid on the ice conditioning housing.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the ice conditioning housing further comprises:
a plurality of first attachment mechanisms such that the ice conditioning housing is configured to mate with the base housing; and
a venting channel disposed in a wall of the base housing for releasing heat emitted by the motor.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the ice conditioning housing further comprises a control mechanism for activating and deactivating the motor, and a failsafe such that the motor is activated only when a lid of the ice conditioning housing is closed.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the blade assembly further comprises:
a paddle wheel comprising an opening formed therein for receiving the drive shaft of the motor;
a plurality of paddles secured to the paddle wheel;
a blade formed into a substantially circular orientation;
a groove disposed within an upper surface of the paddle wheel, the groove configured to receive the blade; and
wherein the blade is disposed within the groove of the paddle wheel;
wherein the motor causes the paddle wheel to spin while the blade remains stationary.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the blade assembly further comprises:
a plurality of ice collectors attached to the paddle wheel for pushing conditioned ice out through a spout assembly, wherein the plurality of ice collectors are substantially parallel relative to the plurality of paddles; and
a spout assembly channel, wherein the conditioned ice exits the paddle wheel through the spout assembly channel to be emitted from the device.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a paddle wheel, wherein the paddle wheel comprises an ice breaking mechanism for breaking ice into intended cube sizes to be conditioned by the blade assembly.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the ice breaking mechanism is attached to a substantially flat surface of the paddle wheel, and wherein an underside of the paddle wheel comprises an opening configured for receiving the drive shaft of the motor.

18. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a lid moveable between an open position and a closed position; and
a switch;
wherein the switch has an upward bias that resists the lid moving to the closed position.

19. The device of claim 1 , wherein the base housing further comprises a base channel forming a recess within an upper portion of the base housing that mirrors the spout.

20. The device of claim 1 , wherein the blade assembly platform is configured to receive the blade assembly when the base housing is joined with the ice conditioning housing.

Assignees

• Snowie LLC

Inventors

• Rupp Carl A

Classifications

• A23G9/045

  of slush-ice, e.g. semi-frozen beverage · CPC title

• F25C5/12 Primary

  Ice-shaving machines · CPC title

• A23G9/225 Primary

  Ice-cream freezing and storing cabinets · CPC title