F25C1/04

Ice maker and refrigerator
11555641 · 2023-01-17 · ·

Provided is an ice-maker including an upper tray made of an elastic material, and having a plurality of upper chambers defined therein, a lower tray made of an elastic material, and having a plurality of lower chambers defined therein in contact with the plurality of upper chambers to define a plurality of spherical ice chambers, respectively, each ejector-receiving opening defined in the upper tray and opened to each of the plurality of upper chambers, an upper ejector disposed above the upper tray, wherein the upper ejector is configured to pass through the ejector-receiving opening and remove each ice from each ice chamber, a water supply for supplying water for ice-making through the ejector-receiving opening, and a driver for pivoting the lower tray, wherein a side wall extending upward along a perimeter of the plurality of lower chambers is formed on top portions of the plurality of lower chambers, wherein a chamber wall extending downward along a perimeter of the plurality of upper chambers is formed on bottom portions of the plurality of upper chambers, wherein the chamber wall is inserted into an internal space of the side wall when the lower tray is closed, and wherein a groove is defined in an outer face of the chamber wall to maintain pieces of ice frozen along a perimeter of the chamber wall in an attached state.

REFRIGERATOR

A refrigerator including a water supplier; an ice-making housing in a storage compartment; a first tray in the ice-making housing and including a first ice-making cell, and a first sealing portion formed along an edge of the first ice-making cell; and a second tray including a second ice-making cell, and a second sealing portion formed along an edge of the second ice-making cell, wherein the second tray is movable horizontally to engage with the first tray and couple the first and second ice-making cell, and while the second tray is engaged with the first tray, the second sealing portion overlaps the first sealing portion to prevent leakage from the first and second ice-making cells, the first ice-making cell forms a first portion of ice with water from the water supplier, and the second ice-making cell forms a second portion of the ice with water from the water supplier.

REFRIGERATOR

A refrigerator including a water supplier; an ice-making housing in a storage compartment; a first tray in the ice-making housing and including a first ice-making cell, and a first sealing portion formed along an edge of the first ice-making cell; and a second tray including a second ice-making cell, and a second sealing portion formed along an edge of the second ice-making cell, wherein the second tray is movable horizontally to engage with the first tray and couple the first and second ice-making cell, and while the second tray is engaged with the first tray, the second sealing portion overlaps the first sealing portion to prevent leakage from the first and second ice-making cells, the first ice-making cell forms a first portion of ice with water from the water supplier, and the second ice-making cell forms a second portion of the ice with water from the water supplier.

ICE MAKER AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ICE MAKER
20230213258 · 2023-07-06 ·

An ice maker includes: an upper tray defining an upper chamber that is a portion of an ice chamber, where an upper opening is provided in an upper side of the upper tray; a lower tray defining a lower chamber that is another portion of the ice chamber; a lower support supporting the lower tray and provided with a lower heater; and a control unit configured to operate the lower heater in an ice making process. The control unit variably controls an output of the lower heater so that bubbles included in water in the ice chamber are gathered in a lowermost section in the ice making process.

ICE MAKER AND REFRIGERATOR
20230213259 · 2023-07-06 ·

An ice maker includes: an upper tray defining an upper chamber that is a portion of an ice chamber; a lower tray defining a lower chamber that is another portion of the ice chamber, wherein the lower tray is relatively rotatable relative to the upper tray; and an upper heater disposed around the upper tray, for providing heat to the upper chamber, wherein the upper tray is made of a non-metal material and a flexible material, the upper heater is a DC heater receiving DC power, at least a portion of the upper tray is thicker than the lower tray, an accommodation part for accommodating the upper heater is formed on the upper tray, and at least a portion of the upper heater is disposed to vertically overlap the ice chamber in a state that the upper heater is accommodated in the accommodation part.

ICE MAKER AND REFRIGERATOR
20230213259 · 2023-07-06 ·

An ice maker includes: an upper tray defining an upper chamber that is a portion of an ice chamber; a lower tray defining a lower chamber that is another portion of the ice chamber, wherein the lower tray is relatively rotatable relative to the upper tray; and an upper heater disposed around the upper tray, for providing heat to the upper chamber, wherein the upper tray is made of a non-metal material and a flexible material, the upper heater is a DC heater receiving DC power, at least a portion of the upper tray is thicker than the lower tray, an accommodation part for accommodating the upper heater is formed on the upper tray, and at least a portion of the upper heater is disposed to vertically overlap the ice chamber in a state that the upper heater is accommodated in the accommodation part.

ICE MAKING ASSEMBLY FOR A REFRIGERATOR APPLIANCE
20230213257 · 2023-07-06 ·

An ice making assembly for a refrigerator appliance includes a resilient mold defining a mold cavity and a heat exchanger in thermal communication with the resilient mold to freeze water and form one or more ice cubes therein. The ice making assembly also includes a lifter mechanism positioned below the resilient mold for selectively deforming the mold and raising the ice cubes formed therein. A resilient seal is sealingly engaged with the lifter mechanism and the heat exchanger, whereby an air-tight seal is formed between the lifter mechanism and the resilient seal and between the heat exchanger and the resilient seal.

Ice maker heater assemblies

An ice maker includes an ice mold having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface of the ice mold is configured to retain water for forming ice cubes in the ice mold. The ice mold includes a plurality of ice lobes each shaped to form a respective ice cube in the ice mold. A heater assembly is positioned on the outer surface of the ice mold. In some embodiments, each of a plurality of heating elements of the heater assembly is aligned with a corresponding lobe of the plurality of lobes for supplying heat to ice cubes formed in the lobes for releasing the ice cubes from the ice mold. In some embodiments, the heater assembly includes a heater having a ceramic substrate and one or more electrically resistive traces and electrically conductive traces thick film printed on the ceramic substrate.

System and method for ice manufacturing
11692753 · 2023-07-04 · ·

A system for manufacturing clear ice products is provided. The system includes a freezing module, a demolding module, and a converting station. The freezing module includes a frame comprising a plurality of levels, a plate freezer provided at each level, and at least one mold provided for placement on each plate freezer and suitable for receiving water. A control frame is provided associated with each plate freezer and is movable from an elevated position to fill position. In the fill position, the control frame is at least partially disposed within the mold. One or more circulation pumps are associated with each control frame for circulating water in the mold to release air bubbles as the water freezes. The demolding module removes the mold from the freezing module and removes formed ice from the mold. The converting station converts the formed ice into a clear ice product.

Ice maker with reversing condenser fan motor to maintain clean condenser

An ice maker for forming ice having a refrigeration system, a water system, and a control system. The refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, an ice formation device, and a condenser fan comprising a fan blade and a condenser fan motor for driving the fan blade. The water system supplies water to the ice formation device. The control system includes a controller adapted to operate the condenser fan motor at a first speed in a forward direction when the ice maker is making ice and adapted to operate the condenser fan motor at a second speed in a reverse direction when the ice maker is not making ice. Operating the condenser fan motor at the second speed in the reverse direction is sufficient to reduce the amount of dirt, lint, grease, dust, and/or other contaminants on or in the condenser.