Systems and methods are provided for dispensing ice and at least one liquid, and related cleaning processes. In one embodiment, the system comprises an ice bin for storing a quantity of ice particles, a dispensing tube for carrying at least a first liquid, and a discharge chute in communication with a discharge outlet, wherein the discharge chute is disposed upstream of the discharge outlet. An outlet end of the dispensing tube is positioned within a portion of the ice bin at a location aligned above the discharge outlet. The ice particles and the first liquid are dispensed through the discharge outlet separately or at the same time.

A system and method for controlling ice-making and ice-separating of an ice maker is proposed. In the ice maker that is configured to change an ice-separating time so that ice is cleanly separated in accordance with a changed required icing when the required icing time is changed, the system and method count a consumed ice-making time when ice-making is performed, set a target ice-separating time longer than a predetermined reference ice-separating time when the consumed ice-making time is out of a reference time range, and control the ice maker to perform ice-separating for the set target ice-separating time by means of the controller.

A system and method for controlling ice-making and ice-separating of an ice maker is proposed. In the ice maker that is configured to change an ice-separating time so that ice is cleanly separated in accordance with a changed required icing when the required icing time is changed, the system and method count a consumed ice-making time when ice-making is performed, set a target ice-separating time longer than a predetermined reference ice-separating time when the consumed ice-making time is out of a reference time range, and control the ice maker to perform ice-separating for the set target ice-separating time by means of the controller.

An article storage and dispensing apparatus and method in which articles made by series production are distributed from an article supplier into a storage compartment of predetermined dimensions for storage of articles in front and rear rows of article storage positions. An article distributor in the storage compartment has a carriage, a carriage drive which is configured to drive the carriage in a reversible horizontal carriage drive direction across at least part of the width of the storage compartment, and an article support mounted on the carriage and configured to receive articles from the article supplier above the support when the carriage is in a start position. An article dispenser is associated with the article support to dispense articles selectively in opposite horizontal dispensing directions transverse to the carriage drive direction off the front and rear ends of the support to drop into front and rear article rows.

An article storage and dispensing apparatus and method in which articles made by series production are distributed from an article supplier into a storage compartment of predetermined dimensions for storage of articles in front and rear rows of article storage positions. An article distributor in the storage compartment has a carriage, a carriage drive which is configured to drive the carriage in a reversible horizontal carriage drive direction across at least part of the width of the storage compartment, and an article support mounted on the carriage and configured to receive articles from the article supplier above the support when the carriage is in a start position. An article dispenser is associated with the article support to dispense articles selectively in opposite horizontal dispensing directions transverse to the carriage drive direction off the front and rear ends of the support to drop into front and rear article rows.

A refrigeration appliance includes a fresh food compartment for storing food items in a refrigerated environment having a target temperature above 0° C., a freezer compartment for storing food items in a sub-freezing environment having a target temperature below 0° C., a system evaporator for providing a cooling effect to at least one of the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment, and an ice maker disposed within the fresh food compartment for freezing water into ice pieces. The ice maker includes an ice mold with an upper surface comprising a plurality of cavities formed therein for the ice pieces, a heater disposed on the ice mold and an ice maker refrigerant tube abutting at least one lateral side surface of the ice mold and cooling the ice mold to a temperature below 0° C. via thermal conduction.

An ice making appliance includes an ice maker for producing ice, an ice bin defining a bottom trough that extends between a rear end and a dispensing chute, wherein the ice is supplied at the rear end and is collected in the ice bin, an auger rotatably mounted within the bottom trough of the ice bin, and a motor assembly mechanically coupled to the auger for selectively rotating the auger. A controller is configured to rotate the auger in an advancing direction to urge the ice toward the dispensing chute and periodically rotate the auger in a reverse direction to redistribute the ice proximate the rear end of the ice bin.

An ice cube producing unit comprising an ice cube tray having at least two ice cube compartments, a lid which is suitable for being mounted on the tray to seal water or other liquid inside said at least two ice cube compartments. Said ice cube producing unit further comprises a displacing arrangement connecting the tray and the lid and having two positions: a first position where the lid is held in a position where it abuts the ice cube tray to seal the contents of the at least two ice cube compartment inside the compartment and a second position where the lid is held in a position where it is separated from the tray so that ice cubes formed in the tray can leave the tray.

An ice cube producing unit comprising an ice cube tray having at least two ice cube compartments, a lid which is suitable for being mounted on the tray to seal water or other liquid inside said at least two ice cube compartments. Said ice cube producing unit further comprises a displacing arrangement connecting the tray and the lid and having two positions: a first position where the lid is held in a position where it abuts the ice cube tray to seal the contents of the at least two ice cube compartment inside the compartment and a second position where the lid is held in a position where it is separated from the tray so that ice cubes formed in the tray can leave the tray.

A refrigerator and method utilize a pair of tandem evaporators to provide cooling for both a compartment and an ice making system of a refrigerator. An upstream evaporator in the pair of tandem evaporators provides cooling for a compartment such as a freezer, fresh food, flexible cooling, or quick cooling compartment, while a downstream evaporator is in fluid communication with the upstream evaporator to receive a portion of the air cooled by the upstream evaporator and further cool the received portion for use in cooling one or more components of the ice making system.