Apparatus and method for producing ice container using ice powders

Abstract

Disclosed are an apparatus and method for producing an ice container, in which a freezer is provided with an ice grinding unit and an ice container forming unit for compressing ice powders to form the ice container, so that deformation of the forming the ice container by compressing the ice powders, thereby allowing mass production of the ice container and reducing a manufacturing cost of the ice container. The apparatus includes an ice grinding unit for grinding an ice mass into ice powders; a freezer positioned at one side of the ice grinding unit for maintaining the ice grinding unit in a proper temperature to prevent the ice powders from being molten, an ice the ice powders to form the ice container, a guide coupled to the ice container forming unit for guiding movement of the ice container forming unit by a given distance, a turntable rotatably installed in the freezer, the ice container compressed by the ice container forming unit moved by the guide being laid thereon, and a plurality of cold air distributors installed at an outside of the turntable for blasting cold air onto a surface of the ice container to freeze the surface of the ice container.

1 . An apparatus for producing an ice container using ice powders, comprising: 
 an ice grinding unit for grinding an ice mass into ice powders;    a freezer positioned at one side of the ice grinding unit for maintaining the ice grinding unit in a proper temperature to prevent the ice powders from being molten;    an ice container forming unit installed in the freezer for receiving and compressing the ice powders to form the ice containers;    a guide coupled to the ice container forming unit for guiding movement of the ice container forming unit by a given distance;    a turntable rotatably installed in the freezer, the ice container compressed by the ice container forming unit moved by the guide being laid thereon; and    a plurality of cold air distributors installed at an outside of the turntable for blasting cold air onto a surface of the ice container to freeze the surface of the ice container.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the ice grinding unit includes a plurality of molds for forming an exterior surface of the ice container, the molds being reciprocatingly moved in such a manner that one side of the one mold is contacted and detached from one side of an opposing mold, and having a groove of a shape corresponding to the exterior surface of the ice container; 
 an upper mold disposed over the plurality of forming molds for compressing the ice powders introduced into an opening formed by the plurality of forming molds, the upper mold being reciprocatingly moved into the opening; and    a lower mold for blocking a bottom of the opening formed by the plurality of forming molds contacted to each other, the lower mold being reciprocatingly moved toward the bottom of the opening.    
   
   
       3 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein means is provided for supplying steam heat to a desired temperature to and discharged from the plurality of forming molds, the upper and lower molds, and the turntable, respectively.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the opposing forming molds is provided with a plurality of water discharge openings.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the freezer includes a plurality of solution injectors for injecting a solution onto a surface of the compressed ice container rotated by the turntable.  
   
   
       6 . A method for producing an ice container using ice powders, comprising the steps of: 
 grinding an ice mass into the ice powders;    reciprocatingly moving into contact exterior forming molds having a groove for accommodating the ice powders introduced from an ice grinding unit;    reciprocatingly blocking a bottom of an opening formed by the grooves of the contacted exterior forming molds.    Introducing the ice powders ground by the ice grinding unit into said opening;    reciprocatingly moving an upper mold to compress the ice powders, thereby forming the ice container;    if the ice container is formed, detaching the upper and lower molds from the ice container;    guiding the exterior forming molds, in which the ice container is disposed, along a guide, laying the exterior forming molds on an upper surface of the turntable, and detaching the ice container from the exterior forming molds; and    supplying a cold blast generated from a cold air distributor onto a surface of the ice container rotated on the turntable.    
   
   
       7 . The method as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising the step of injecting a solution from a solution injector onto a surface of the ice containers.