The present subject matter relates generally to ice makers, and in particular to ice makers for forming barrel ice.
Certain refrigerator appliances include an ice maker. An ice maker may also be a stand-alone appliance designed for use in commercial and/or residential kitchens. To produce ice, liquid water is directed to the ice maker and frozen. A variety of ice types can be produced depending upon the particular ice maker used. For example, certain ice makers include a mold body for receiving liquid water. The shape of the ice produced in such ice makers will generally correspond to the shape of the mold body. For example, refrigerator ice makers and other residential ice makers commonly include a mold body which produces crescent-shaped ice.
Many consumers, however, prefer barrel ice, which may be generally cylindrical in shape, over crescent-shaped ice pieces. Past attempts at providing an ice maker which produces barrel-shaped ice have met with difficulty. For example, some ice makers include a mold body with cylindrical mold cavities, where ice is harvested from the mold cavities by pushing the ice up out of the cavities from below, such as with a piston that passes through the bottom of at least one of the mold cavities. Such ice makers include a seal at the location(s) where the piston passes through the bottom of the mold cavity to prevent liquid water escaping the mold body. The movement of the piston may cause such seals to wear out prematurely.
Accordingly, an ice maker with features for producing and reliably harvesting barrel-shaped ice would be useful.
The present subject matter provides an ice maker. The ice maker includes mold cavities shaped to form barrel-shaped ice pieces and features for ejecting the ice from the mold cavities. Such features may include a first arm and a second arm connected to opposite sides of an ejector pad and extending upward from the ejector pad. The ejector pad is movable via the first and second arms between a low position and a high position and can eject ice from the mold cavity when the ejector pad moves from the low position to the high position. A related refrigerator appliance is also provided. Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
In a first exemplary embodiment, an ice maker is provided. The ice maker defines a vertical direction. The ice maker includes a mold body including a mold cavity. The mold cavity extends between a floor and an opening along a longitudinal axis. The mold cavity is fully enclosed by at least one sidewall between the floor and the opening. The longitudinal axis of the mold cavity is oriented generally along the vertical direction. An ejector pad is disposed proximate to the floor of the mold cavity when the ejector pad is in a low position. A first arm is connected to a first side of the ejector pad and extends upward generally along the vertical direction from the first side of the ejector pad. A second arm is connected to a second side of the ejector pad. The second side of the ejector pad is opposite the first side of the ejector pad. The second arm extends upward generally along the vertical direction from the second side of the ejector pad. A motor is in operative communication with the first arm and the second arm. The motor can move the ejector pad upward generally along the vertical direction from the low position to a high position proximate the opening of the mold cavity. The ejector pad can eject ice from the mold cavity when the ejector pad moves from the low position to the high position.
In a second exemplary embodiment, a refrigerator appliance is provided. The refrigerator appliance defines a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction. The vertical, lateral, and transverse directions are mutually perpendicular. The refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet that defines a chilled chamber. An ice maker is disposed within the cabinet. The ice maker includes a mold body including a mold cavity. The mold cavity extends between a floor and an opening along a longitudinal axis. The mold cavity is fully enclosed by at least one sidewall between the floor and the opening. The longitudinal axis of the mold cavity is oriented generally along the vertical direction. An ejector pad is disposed proximate to the floor of the mold cavity when the ejector pad is in a low position. A first arm is connected to a first side of the ejector pad and extends upward generally along the vertical direction from the first side of the ejector pad. A second arm is connected to a second side of the ejector pad. The second side of the ejector pad is opposite the first side of the ejector pad. The second arm extends upward generally along the vertical direction from the second side of the ejector pad. A motor is in operative communication with the first arm and the second arm. The motor can move the ejector pad upward generally along the vertical direction from the low position to a high position proximate the opening of the mold cavity. The ejector pad can eject ice from the mold cavity when the ejector pad moves from the low position to the high position.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures.
Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Refrigerator doors 128 are rotatably hinged to an edge of housing 120 for selectively accessing fresh food chamber 122, e.g., at the left side 104 and the right side 106. In addition, a freezer door 130 is arranged below refrigerator doors 128 for selectively accessing freezer chamber 124. Freezer door 130 is coupled to a freezer drawer (not shown) mounted within freezer chamber 124 and slidable along the transverse direction T. Refrigerator doors 128 and freezer door 130 are shown in the closed configuration in
Refrigerator appliance 100 also includes a dispensing assembly 140 for dispensing liquid water and/or ice. Dispensing assembly 140 includes a dispenser 142 positioned on or mounted to an exterior portion of refrigerator appliance 100, e.g., on one of doors 128. Dispenser 142 includes a discharging outlet 144 for accessing ice and/or liquid water. An actuating mechanism 146, shown as a paddle, is mounted below discharging outlet 144 for operating dispenser 142. In alternative exemplary embodiments, any suitable actuating mechanism may be used to operate dispenser 142. For example, dispenser 142 can include a sensor (such as an ultrasonic sensor) or a button rather than the paddle. A user interface panel 148 is provided for controlling the mode of operation. For example, user interface panel 148 includes a plurality of user inputs (not labeled), such as a water dispensing button and an ice-dispensing button, for selecting a desired mode of operation such as crushed or non-crushed ice.
Discharging outlet 144 and actuating mechanism 146 are an external part of dispenser 142 and are mounted in a dispenser recess 150. Dispenser recess 150 is positioned at a predetermined elevation convenient for a user to access ice or water and enabling the user to access ice without the need to bend-over and without the need to open doors 128. In the exemplary embodiment, dispenser recess 150 is positioned at a level that approximates the chest level of a user.
An access door 166 is hinged to refrigerator door 128. Access door 166 permits selective access to sub-compartment 162. Any manner of suitable latch 168 is configured with sub-compartment 162 to maintain access door 166 in a closed position. As an example, latch 168 may be actuated by a consumer in order to open access door 166 for providing access into sub-compartment 162. Access door 166 can also assist with insulating sub-compartment 162, e.g., by thermally isolating or insulating sub-compartment 162 from fresh food chamber 122.
Ice maker 160 also includes a fan 176. Fan 176 is configured for directing a flow of chilled air towards mold body 170. As an example, fan 176 can direct chilled air from an evaporator of a sealed system through a duct to mold body 170. Thus, mold body 170 can be cooled with chilled air from fan 176 such that ice maker 160 is air cooled in order to form ice therein. Ice maker 160 also includes a heater 180, such as an electric resistance heating element, mounted to or otherwise in thermal communication with mold body 170. Heater 180 is configured for selectively heating mold body 170, e.g., to assist in ejecting ice from the mold body 170.
Operation of ice maker 160 is controlled by a processing device or controller 190, e.g., that may be operatively coupled to control panel 148 for user manipulation to select features and operations of ice maker 160. Controller 190 can operates various components of ice maker 160 to execute selected system cycles and features. For example, controller 190 is in operative communication with motor 174, fan 176 and heater 180. Thus, controller 190 can selectively activate and operate motor 174, fan 176 and heater 180.
Controller 190 may include a memory and microprocessor, such as a general or special purpose microprocessor operable to execute programming instructions or micro-control code associated with operation of ice maker 160. The memory may represent random access memory such as DRAM, or read only memory such as ROM or FLASH. In one embodiment, the processor executes programming instructions stored in memory. The memory may be a separate component from the processor or may be included onboard within the processor. Alternatively, controller 190 may be constructed without using a microprocessor, e.g., using a combination of discrete analog and/or digital logic circuitry (such as switches, amplifiers, integrators, comparators, flip-flops, AND gates, and the like) to perform control functionality instead of relying upon software. Motor 174, fan 176 and heater 180 may be in communication with controller 190 via one or more signal lines or shared communication busses.
Ice maker 160 also includes a temperature sensor 178. Temperature sensor 178 is configured for measuring a temperature of mold body 170 and/or liquids, such as liquid water, within mold body 170. Temperature sensor 178 can be any suitable device for measuring the temperature of mold body 170 and/or liquids therein. For example, temperature sensor 178 may be a thermistor or a thermocouple or a bimetal. Controller 190 can receive a signal, such as a voltage or a current, from temperature sensor 190 that corresponds to the temperature of the mold body 170 and/or liquids therein. In such a manner, the temperature of mold body 170 and/or liquids therein can be monitored and/or recorded with controller 190. Some embodiments can also include an electromechanical icemaker configured with a bimetal to complete an electrical circuit when a specific temperature is reached. By completion of the circuit, the heater 180 and ejector mechanism would be activated via electrical powering of the motor 174.
Turning now to
As may be seen in
As best seen in
The ice maker 160 may include at least one ejector pad 210, and, in various embodiments, an ejector pad 210 is provided in each mold cavity 200. In embodiments including multiple mold cavities 200 and multiple ejector pads 210, the ejector pads 210 in each adjacent mold cavity 200 may be connected together. The ejector pad 210 may be movable between a low position (
As may be seen in
In various embodiments, the motor 174 may be in operative communication with the first arm 212 and the second arm 214, such that the motor 174 is operable to move the ejector pad 210 generally along the vertical direction VI between the low position and the high position. For example, the ice maker 160 may include a gear 182 which is engaged by a drive gear 181 of the motor 174 such that activating the motor 174 causes the gear 182 to rotate. The gear 182 is illustrated schematically in
In some embodiments, a cam 188 may be formed on the gear 182 and thus the cam 188 may be connected to the rotatable shaft 184 via the gear 182. The ice maker 160 may also include a scotch yoke 192 having an slot 194 formed in the scotch yoke 192. The cam 188 may be received in the slot 194 of the scotch yoke 192, whereby rotation of the gear 182 is translated into reciprocating linear movement by the scotch yoke 192. The slot 194 may be arcuate, e.g., as illustrated in
In particular, the scotch yoke 192 may translate the rotation into upward linear movement along the vertical direction VI from the low position to the high position when the gear 184 rotates about one hundred eighty degrees (180°) and may translate the rotation into downward linear movement along the vertical direction VI from the high position to the low position when the gear 184 rotates an additional about one hundred eighty degrees (180°) to complete a revolution of the gear 184. Accordingly, the scotch yoke 192 may be connected to one of the first arm 212 and the second arm 214, whereby the linear movement along the vertical direction VI moves the ejector pad 210 between the low position and the high position. For example, as illustrated, the scotch yoke 192 may be connected to one of the first arm 212 and the second arm 214 by a vertical rod 196. The vertical rod 196 may be telescopic such that the rod 196 extends as the ejector pad 210 moves from the low position to the high position and contracts as the ejector pad 210 moves from the high position to the low position. Additionally, a second scotch yoke 192 may be provided at an opposite end of the rotatable shaft 184 in a similar fashion as described above and the second scotch yoke 192 may be connected to the other of the first arm 212 and the second arm 214. A notch 201 may be formed in the mold body 170 at opposite ends of the mold cavity 200 (or cavities, as in the illustrated example embodiments) where the first arm 212 and the second arm 214 can extend upward outside of the mold cavity 200 so as to avoid or minimize altering the shape of ice produced in the mold body 170 due to the presence of the first and second arms 212 and 214.
In some embodiments, for example as illustrated in
The rotatable shaft 184 may be held in position and structurally supported above the mold body 170 by a strut or wall 218. The wall 218 may extend vertically, e.g., generally along the vertical direction V and/or VI, between the mold body 170 and the rotatable shaft 184. A slot 220 may be formed in the wall 218 such that one of the first arm 212 and the second arm 214 may pass through the wall 218. The slot 220 may define a vertical dimension, e.g., a height, sufficient to allow the one of the first arm 212 and the second arm 214 to move from the low position to the high position without interference from the wall 218. Additionally, as shown in
As shown in
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20190170420 A1 | Jun 2019 | US |