Patent Application
20250044012
The present subject matter relates generally to ice making appliances, and more particularly to ice making appliances that produce nugget ice.
Ice makers generally produce ice for use by consumers, such as in beverages, for cooling food items, etc. Certain refrigerator appliances include ice makers for producing ice. The ice maker can be positioned within the appliance's freezer chamber and direct ice into an ice bucket where the ice is stored within the freezer chamber. Such refrigerator appliances can also include a dispensing system for assisting a user with accessing ice produced by the refrigerator appliance's ice maker. However, the incorporation of ice makers into refrigerator appliances can have drawbacks, such as limits on the amount of ice that can be produced and the reliance on the refrigeration system of the refrigerator appliance to form the ice.
Recently, stand-alone ice makers have been developed. These ice makers are separate from refrigerator appliances and provide independent ice supplies. Generally, liquid water is added to the stand-alone ice makers, and the ice makers operate to freeze the liquid water and form ice. Users frequently add tap water to the stand-alone ice makers. Tap water may include various impurities, such as minerals, e.g., calcium or magnesium, which may also be referred to as hard water. Tap water containing high concentrations of such minerals, e.g., hard tap water, may negatively affect the appearance and/or taste of ice cubes formed from the tap water or may negatively affect the operation of the ice maker appliance, such as due to mineral deposits, scale, or other accumulations in or on components of the ice maker appliance.
Accordingly, improved stand-alone ice makers are desired in the art. In particular, cost-effective stand-alone ice makers that address several of the above issues would be advantageous.
Aspects and advantages of the present disclosure 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 one exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, a stand-alone ice making appliance is provided. The stand-alone ice making appliance includes a casing. A water tank, an ice maker, and a pump are disposed within the casing. The pump is operable to circulate water from the water tank to the ice maker. The stand-alone ice making appliance also includes an auxiliary water reservoir. A reservoir volume of the auxiliary water reservoir is in fluid communication with the water tank such that water within the reservoir volume is flowable to the water tank. The stand-alone ice making appliance further includes a water softening media disposed downstream of the reservoir volume and upstream of the ice maker.
In another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, a stand-alone ice making appliance is provided. The stand-alone ice making appliance includes a casing. A water tank, an ice maker, and a pump are disposed within the casing. The pump is operable to circulate water from the water tank to the ice maker. The stand-alone ice making appliance also includes a water softening media disposed upstream of the ice maker.
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.
As used herein, the terms “includes” and “including” are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.” Similarly, the term “or” is generally intended to be inclusive (i.e., “A or B” is intended to mean “A or B or both”). Approximating language, as used herein throughout the specification and claims, is applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related. Accordingly, a value modified by a term or terms, such as “about,” “approximately,” “generally,” and “substantially,” are not to be limited to the precise value specified. In at least some instances, the approximating language may correspond to the precision of an instrument for measuring the value. For example, the approximating language may refer to being within a ten percent (10%) margin.
Referring now to
A container 14 of appliance 10 is also illustrated. Container 14 defines a first storage volume 16 for the receipt and storage of ice 18 therein. A user of the appliance 10 may access ice 18 within the container 14 for consumption or other uses, as described in more detail below. Container 14 may include multiple walls, including one or more sidewalls 20 and a base wall 22, which may together define the first storage volume 16. In exemplary embodiments, at least one sidewall 20 may be formed in part from a clear, see-through (i.e., transparent or translucent) material, such as a clear glass or plastic, such that a user can see into the first storage volume 16 and thus view ice 18 therein. For instance, at least one sidewall 20 may include a separate external panel and internal panel formed from a clear, see-through (i.e., transparent or translucent) material, such as a clear glass or plastic. Further, in exemplary embodiments, container 14 may be removable, such as from the outer casing 12, by a user. This facilitates advantageous easy access by the user to ice within the container 14, as discussed below.
Appliances 10 in accordance with the present disclosure are advantageously stand-alone appliances, and thus are not connected to refrigerators or other appliances. Additionally, in exemplary embodiments, such appliances are not connected to plumbing or another water source that is external to the appliance 10, such as a refrigerator water source. Rather, in exemplary embodiments, water is initially supplied to the appliance 10 manually by a user, such as by pouring water into water tank 24 and/or an auxiliary reservoir 100. Optionally, in exemplary embodiments, water tank 24 may be removable, such as from the outer casing 12, by a user. This facilitates advantageous easy access by the user to water tank 24 (e.g., in order to easily fill water tank 24), as discussed below.
Notably, appliances 10 as discussed herein include various features which allow the appliances 10 to be affordable and desirable to typical consumers. For example, the stand-alone feature reduces the cost associated with the appliance 10 and allows the consumer to position the appliance 10 at any suitable desired location, with the only requirement in some embodiments being access to an electrical source. In exemplary embodiments, such as those shown in
As discussed herein, appliance 10 is configured to make nugget ice, which is becoming increasingly popular with consumers. Ice 18 may be nugget ice. Generally, nugget ice is ice that that is maintained or stored (i.e., in first storage volume 16 of container 14) at a temperature greater than the melting point of water or greater than about thirty-two degrees fahrenheit. Accordingly, the ambient temperature of the environment surrounding the container 14 may be at a temperature greater than the melting point of water or greater than about thirty-two degrees fahrenheit. In some embodiments, such temperature may be greater than forty degrees fahrenheit, greater than fifty degrees fahrenheit, or greater than sixty degrees fahrenheit.
Still referring to
As discussed, in exemplary embodiments, water is provided to the water tank 24 for use in forming ice. Accordingly, appliance 10 may further include a pump 32. Pump 32 may be in fluid communication with the second storage volume 26. For example, water may be flowable from the second storage volume 26 through a fluid outlet 31 defined in the water tank 24, such as in a sidewall 28 thereof, and may flow through a conduit to and through pump 32. Pump 32 may, when activated, actively flow water from the second storage volume 26 therethrough and from the pump 32.
Water actively flowed from the pump 32 may be flowed (e.g., through a suitable conduit) to a reservoir 34. For example, reservoir 34 may define a third storage volume 36. In some embodiments, third storage volume 36 is defined by one or more sidewalls 38 and a base wall 40. Third storage volume 36 may, for example, be in fluid communication with the pump 32 and may thus receive water that is actively flowed from the water tank 24, such as through the pump 32. During operation, water may be flowed into the third storage volume 36 through an opening 44 defined in the reservoir 34.
Reservoir 34 and third storage volume 36 thereof may receive and contain water to be provided to an ice maker 50 for the production of ice. Accordingly, third storage volume 36 may be in fluid communication with ice maker 50. For example, water may be flowed, such as through an opening 42 and through suitable conduits, from third storage volume 36 to ice maker 50.
Ice maker 50 generally receives water, such as from reservoir 34, and freezes the water to form ice 18. In exemplary embodiments, ice maker 50 is a nugget ice maker, and in particular is an auger-style ice maker, although other suitable styles of ice makers and/or appliances are within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. As shown, ice maker 50 may include a casing 52 into which water from third storage volume 36 is flowed. Casing 52 is thus in fluid communication with third storage volume 36. For example, casing 52 may include one or more sidewalls 54 which may define an interior volume 56, and an opening may be defined in a sidewall 54. Water may be flowed from third storage volume 36 through the opening (such as via a suitable conduit) into the interior volume 56.
As illustrated, an auger 60 may be disposed at least partially within the casing 52. During operation, the auger 60 may rotate. Water within the casing 52 may at least partially freeze due to heat exchange, such as with a refrigeration system as discussed herein. The at least partially frozen water may be lifted by the auger 60 from casing 52. Further, in exemplary embodiments, the at least partially frozen water may be directed by auger 60 to and through an extruder 62. The extruder 62 may extrude the at least partially frozen water to form ice, such as nuggets of ice 18.
Formed ice 18 may be provided by the ice maker 50 to container 14, and may be received in the first storage volume 16 thereof. For example, ice 18 formed by auger 60 and/or extruder 62 may be provided to the container 14. In exemplary embodiments, appliance 10 may include a chute 70 for directing ice 18 produced by the ice maker 50 towards the first storage volume 16. For example, as shown, chute 70 is generally positioned above container 14 along the vertical direction V. Thus, ice can slide off of chute 70 and drop into storage volume 16 of container 14. Chute 70 may, as shown, extend between ice maker 50 and container 14, and may include a body 72, which defines a passage 74 therethrough. Ice 18 may be directed from the ice maker 50 (such as from the auger 60 and/or extruder 62) through the passage 74 to the container 14. In some embodiments, for example, a sweep 64, which may be connected to and rotate with the auger, may contact the ice emerging through the extruder 62 from the auger 60 and direct the ice 18 through the passage 74 to the container 14.
As discussed, water within the casing 52 may at least partially freeze due to heat exchange, such as with a refrigeration system. In exemplary embodiments, ice maker 50 may include a sealed refrigeration system 80. The sealed refrigeration system 80 may be in thermal communication with the casing 52 to remove heat from the casing 52 and interior volume 56 thereof, thus facilitating freezing of water therein to form ice. Sealed refrigeration system 80 may, for example, include a compressor 82, a condenser 84, a throttling device 86, and an evaporator 88. Evaporator 88 may, for example, be in thermal communication with the casing 52 in order to remove heat from the interior volume 56 and water therein during operation of sealed system 80. For example, evaporator 88 may at least partially surround the casing 52. In particular, evaporator 88 may be a conduit coiled around and in contact with casing 52, such as the sidewall(s) 54 thereof.
It should additionally be noted that, in exemplary embodiments, a controller 200 may be in operative communication with the sealed system 80, such as with the compressor 82 thereof, and may activate the sealed system 80 as desired or required for ice making purposes.
In exemplary embodiments, controller 200 is in operative communication with the pump 32. Such operative communication may be via a wired or wireless connection, and may facilitate the transmittal and/or receipt of signals by the controller 200 and pump 32. Controller 200 may be configured to activate the pump 32 to actively flow water. For example, controller 200 may activate the pump 32 to actively flow water therethrough when, for example, reservoir 34 requires water. A suitable sensor(s), for example, may be provided in the third storage volume 36. The sensor(s) may be in operative communication with the controller 200 and may be configured to transmit signals to the controller 200, which indicate whether or not additional water is desired in the reservoir 34. When controller 200 receives a signal that water is desired, controller 200 may send a signal to pump 32 to activate pump 32.
As shown in
Auxiliary water reservoir 100 may be disposed outside of casing 12, e.g., as illustrated in
In certain example embodiments, auxiliary water reservoir 100 may include a base 110 and a container 120. Base 110 may be attached to casing 12, e.g., at the side of casing 12 adjacent the bottom of casing 12. For instance, base 110 may be removably attached to the casing 12, such as clipped, fastened, etc. to casing 12, or the base 110 may be integrally attached to the casing 12, e.g., as illustrated in
Auxiliary water reservoir 100 may be in fluid communication with a water tank within casing 12 such that water within auxiliary water reservoir 100 is flowable to the water tank. For example, a supply line 102 may extend from auxiliary water reservoir 100 to water tank 24, and water from within auxiliary water reservoir 100 may flow from auxiliary water reservoir 100 into second storage volume 26 via supply line 102. It will be understood that appliance 10 may be plumbed in any other suitable manner to deliver water from auxiliary water reservoir 100 into casing 12 for use with ice maker 50 in alternative example embodiments.
As discussed in greater detail below, auxiliary water reservoir 100 includes features for treating, e.g., softening, water prior to the water entering casing 12. By softening water in auxiliary water reservoir 100, impurities, e.g., minerals such as calcium or magnesium, that negatively affect the appearance and/or taste of ice formed by ice maker 50 or that otherwise have a deleterious impact on the appliance 10 may be removed from the water. Thus, the performance of the ice making appliance, such as the quality of ice produced, operability of the appliance without cleaning, and length of time between cleanings, may be improved.
As shown in
As may be seen, e.g., in
In some embodiments, e.g., where the container 120 is removable from the base 110, a check valve (not shown) may be provided in the port 140 to permit the container 120 to hold water when removed from the base 110, and the check valve may be opened when the container 120 is inserted into the base 110 to permit water to flow, e.g., by gravity as described above, to the water softening media 130. The structure and function of check valves are understood by those of ordinary skill in the art and, as such, the check valve is not specifically illustrated or described further herein for the sake of brevity and clarity.
By positioning water softening media 130 within auxiliary water reservoir 100, pump 32 may be a centrifugal pump that is more reliable and less expensive than diaphragm pumps. For instance, water within auxiliary water reservoir 100 may be gravity fed through water softening media 130 in auxiliary water reservoir 100 into a water tank within casing 12, such as water tank 24. Thus, no pump may be required to force water through water softening media 130. Also, positioning the water softening media 130 within auxiliary water reservoir 100 may protect most of the stand-alone ice making appliance from scale build up, reducing the need for descaling, such as reducing the frequency or scope of descaling required. For example, only the container 120 may need to be descaled, and thus convenience of descaling may be enhanced by limiting the number of parts to descale, in particular in embodiments where the container 120 is removable from the base 110, e.g., where the container 120 may be removed for descaling at any convenient location. Thus, positioning the water softening media 130 in the auxiliary water reservoir 100 such that the water softening media 130 is upstream of other components, such as the pump 32, water tank 24, and ice maker 50, of the appliance 10 promotes ease of maintenance of the appliance 10 and may prolong the life of the appliance 10.
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.
