A method of producing ice cubes in a mold and pan in cool ambient air wherein the steps of removing the mold from the pan and removing the ice cubes from the mold are carried out without any heating or thawing to obtain individual ice cubes with a substantially dry outer surface. A method of producing a block of ice cubes in cool ambient air is also provided wherein the steps above are repeated so that the ice cubes drop row above row to produce a block of ice cubes. A method of packaging ice cubes is also provided comprising obtaining a plurality of ice cubes with a substantially dry outer surface and of a stackable shape. The ice cubes are arranged adjacently into a block, and the block is encapsulated in a suitable packaging material.

A method of manufacturing a refrigerator comprises preparing an inner case including an ice making chamber and an opening; preparing an outer case to be coupled to an outside of the inner case; preparing a refrigerant pipe assembly including a refrigerant pipe having at least a portion to be disposed in the ice making chamber to supply cooling energy, and a refrigerant pipe insulator to insulate the refrigerant pipe; inserting the refrigerant pipe assembly into the opening of the inner case in an inward direction from the outside of the inner case such that a portion of the refrigerant pipe insulator is disposed in the ice making chamber, and a remaining portion of the refrigerant pipe insulator is disposed between the inner case and the outer case; and foaming a body insulator between the inner case and the outer case, thereby supporting the refrigerant pipe insulator by the body insulator.

A method of operating an ice making appliance includes performing a plurality of ice making operations in the stand-alone ice making appliance, whereby ice is produced in the stand-alone ice making appliance. The method further includes monitoring a count of the plurality of ice making operations performed and illuminating an indicator light of a plurality of indicator lights on a user interface of the stand-alone ice making appliance upon reaching a predetermined count of the ice making operations performed. The indicator light indicates a suggested process.

Disclosed is an ice maker in which a pressing portion of an ice cover presses a heating wire cover that covers a heating wire seated in the ice tray such that the ice tray and the heating wire are brought into being close contact with each other. Accordingly, a heat transfer efficiency at which a heat amount from the heating wire is transferred to the ice tray is increased.

Each of an ice maker and a refrigerator includes a first cooling fin extending from a first-row inlet guide along a second direction intersecting a first direction in which inlet guides are arranged, so that the cooling fin extends along a direction in which cold air is introduced, thereby minimizing a cold air flow path resistance and improving cooling efficiency of an ice chamber.

A refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet, a door, an interior liner, an icemaker, a guide plate, and an electric heating element. The cabinet may define a chilled chamber. The door may be movably mounted to the cabinet. The interior liner may define an icebox within the chilled chamber. The icemaker may be mounted within the icebox. The guide plate may be horizontally offset from the icemaker within the icebox. The guide plate may define a convection channel extending generally along a vertical direction from a channel inlet to a channel outlet disposed above the channel inlet. The electric heating element may be disposed along the convection channel to heat air therein.

A method of operating an ice maker assembly for a refrigerator appliance includes detecting an ice-usage event. The method of operating an ice maker assembly for a refrigerator appliance also includes detecting a potential ice clumping state following detecting the ice-usage event. The method of operating an ice maker assembly for a refrigerator appliance further includes initiating an ice agitator cycle in response to detecting the potential ice clumping event.

Proposed is an ice maker disposed in a refrigerator to provide ice to an ice bucket. The ice maker may include a tray configured to be filled with water and positioned in the ice maker to freeze the water to make ice, the tray includes a high thermal conductive composite material configured to emit heat in response to an electric current supplied thereto; a tray cap connected to top of the tray to reduce an area of top of the tray so that the water filled in the tray is prevented from overflowing because of the inertia generated by the movement of the tray; a frame assembly connected to the tray; electrodes connected to both sides of the tray, respectively; and a motor connected to the tray to rotate the tray so that the ice is separated from the tray by gravity.

An ice maker includes an ice maker housing, an ice mold, an ice chute, and an ice stop. The ice mold is mounted to the ice maker to receive a fluid from which an ice piece is formed when the ice maker is used. The ice chute is mounted below the ice mold to receive the ice piece when the ice piece is formed. The ice chute slopes downward from a first edge to a second edge. The ice stop is formed of a sheet of material mounted to extend in a vertical direction. The ice stop is mounted a distance from the second edge of the ice chute such that, when the ice piece exits from the second edge of the ice chute, the ice piece strikes the ice stop.

An ice maker appliance includes a mold body, a pod receiver slot upstream of the mold body, and a mixing chamber downstream of the pod receiver slot and upstream of the mold body. The mixing chamber is configured to retain an amount of water and an additive, whereby the additive mixes with the amount of water in the mixing chamber upstream of the mold cavity to form a volume of liquid. Thus, the volume of liquid which comprises the additive and the amount of water may be received by a mold cavity in the mold body, and an ice piece may be formed in the mold cavity, the ice piece containing the amount of water and the additive.