This ice making machine includes an ice making unit that includes an ice making surface and a cryogen flow channel through which a cryogen for cooling the ice making surface flows; a pump that pressurizes and discharges the cryogen cooled by a heat exchanger; and a control unit that controls a discharge amount of the pump. The cryogen is carbon dioxide, and the control unit controls the pump such that the cryogen is in a gas-liquid mixed state at an outlet of the cryogen flow channel.

An ice-tray for ice-making machines is formed by modular fabricated cups that can assembled together within a frame to create an ice-tray of arbitrary dimensions allowing a sharing of components among a variety of ice-tray sizes. Individual cups may include ice formation sensors or heaters or may be heated by an induction heating system.

The invention relates to an ice dispensing system comprising an ice hopper, an ice chute for transporting ice from the ice hopper to a dispensing outlet or a waste outlet, an ice dispensing element for dispensing ice from the hopper into the ice chute, an ice directing element having a first position for directing ice to the waste outlet and a second position for directing ice to the dispensing outlet, and a controller for controlling the ice dispensing element and the position of the ice directing element. Also provided is a beverage dispensing machine comprising the ice dispensing system of the invention and a method for dispensing ice from the ice dispensing system or beverage dispensing machine of the invention.

A system for producing clear ice uses sensor data on a freezing chamber condition to optimize production of clear ice. The sensor data provides information such as a clearness degree of ice, a freezing chamber temperature, and an ice maker temperature. The freezing chamber condition is predicated using the received sensor data. The freezing chamber condition is adjusted according to the received sensor data and the predicted freezing chamber condition.

An ice maker uses a compression-drive refrigeration system charged with flammable refrigerant to cool an ice formation device and a water system to supply water to the ice formation device. A control system operates the water system and the refrigeration system for cooling the ice formation device with the refrigeration system to form water supplied to the ice formation device by the water system into ice. A natural gas sensor detects natural gas and outputs a detection signal indicating detection of natural gas. A controller is connected to the natural gas sensor for receiving the detection signal. The controller outputs a response signal in response to receiving the detection signal. The response signal is operative to initiate a gas leak response action.

An ice maker includes, among other things, an ice cube mold, an ice cube remover and a force sensor comprising a piezo dielectric elastomer (PDE). The ice cube mold has at least one cavity for receiving liquid. The ice cube remover is configured to apply a removal force to either the mold or an ice cube. The force sensor is provided on either the mold or the remover and provides an output indicative of the removal force. Upon the removal of an ice cube from the cavity, the ice cube remover applies a removal force to the mold or the ice cube to effect the removal of the ice cube from the cavity and the force sensor outputs a signal indicative of the removal force.

An ice-making water purifier includes a water tank unit, an instantaneous heating device, an extraction member, an ice-maker, a supply pump, an ice-making water inlet passage, an ice-making water supply valve, a flow rate sensor, and a controller configured to control driving of the supply pump and the opening and closing of the ice-making water supply valve such that purified water corresponding to a predetermined supply amount of ice-making water is supplied to the ice-maker on the basis of a flow rate value measured by the flow rate sensor. The controller controls the opening and closing of the channel such that purified water is preferentially supplied to the instantaneous heating device among the instantaneous heating device and the ice-maker.

The valve device (1) comprises a bearing structure (2), stationary in operation, wherein there is defined a passage (3) intended to be coupled with an ice cube dispensing conduit in a refrigerator; an obturator (12) mounted rotatable in the bearing structure (2), between a closed position and an opened position, wherein it substantially shuts and, respectively, opens the passage (3), and an electrically-controlled motor means (W; 22, 28, 30), connected with the bearing structure (2) and coupled with the obturator (12) and adapted to cause a rotation of the obturator (12) between the closed position and the opened position.

The valve device comprises a wire (W) of a shape-memory material, capable of shrinking when an electric current flows therethrough, and having one end (25) anchored to the bearing structure (2) and the other end (21) coupled with the obturator (12) through a transmission mechanism (22, 29, 30, 10, 11), such that a flow of an electric current in said shape-memory wire (W) adapted to cause a shrinking thereof and a consequent rotation of the obturator (12) towards the opened position, and an interruption of such current allows the shape-memory wire (W) to re-expand and the obturator (12) to return towards its closed position.

An ice maker includes, among other things, an ice cube mold, an ice cube remover and a force sensor comprising a piezo dielectric elastomer (PDE). The ice cube mold has at least one cavity for receiving liquid. The ice cube remover is configured to apply a removal force to either the mold or an ice cube. The force sensor is provided on either the mold or the remover and provides an output indicative of the removal force. Upon the removal of an ice cube from the cavity, the ice cube remover applies a removal force to the mold or the ice cube to effect the removal of the ice cube from the cavity and the force sensor outputs a signal indicative of the removal force.

A method for operating an ice maker appliance includes a step of directing a fill of liquid water to compartments of an ice tray. The method also includes a step of operating a harvest mechanism to harvest ice pieces formed within the compartments of the ice tray. The method may further include a step of sensing, with a sensor assembly, conditions of an ice storage bin. The method may also include a step of determining, based on the sensed conditions of the ice storage bin, an amount of ice pieces harvested from the ice tray. The method may further include a step of detecting, based on the determined amount of ice pieces harvested, a failure mode of the ice tray.