An ice machine includes: an ice maker including: an ultrasonic bin sensor mounted to a body; and a controller in electrical communication with the ultrasonic bin sensor and configured to control the ultrasonic bin sensor; and a storage bin coupled to the ice maker and sized to receive a mound of ice, a lens of the ultrasonic bin sensor facing a bottom of an interior cavity of the storage bin, the controller configured to process a return signal of the ultrasonic bin sensor to control a level of ice stored inside the storage bin, the controller further configured to apply a predetermined time delay to filter out a portion of the return signal that exceeds a threshold voltage but does not exceed the time delay.

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.

An ice maker includes an ice making unit comprising an evaporator connected to a refrigeration system, an ice holding bin, a sump, a pump, a drain valve, an ozonated water source, and a controller. The controller activates the ozonated water source supplying a first volume of ozonated water to the sump, thereafter activates the pump to circulate the first volume of ozonated water from the sump to the ice making unit, once a predetermined sterilization time has been reached, the controller turns off the pump and drains the first volume of ozonated water from the sump. The controller initiates an ice making mode, and activates the ozonated water source to supply a second volume of ozonated water to the sump, thereafter activates the pump to circulate the second volume of ozonated water from the sump to the ice making unit forming ozonated ice on the evaporator, and initiates an ice harvest mode to remove the ozonated ice from the evaporator and delivers it to the ice holding bin.

An icemaker appliance and a method for making clear ice are provided. The icemaking apparatus includes a cabinet forming an ice storage compartment. A reservoir is provided within the ice storage compartment. A liquid supply conduit is configured to supply liquid to the reservoir. An ice mold is configured to freeze liquid at the ice mold. A nozzle is configured to dispense the liquid from the reservoir to the ice mold. A controller is configured to execute instructions that perform operations. The operations include dispensing, from a body of liquid at the reservoir, a flow of liquid toward the ice mold; freezing, at the ice mold, a first portion of the flow of liquid received from dispensing the flow of liquid to the ice mold; providing, to the reservoir, a second portion of the flow of liquid dispensed toward the ice mold; and providing, from the liquid supply conduit to the reservoir, a supply of liquid after dispensing the flow of liquid toward the ice mold.

An icemaker appliance and a method for making clear ice are provided. The icemaking apparatus includes a cabinet forming an ice storage compartment. A reservoir is provided within the ice storage compartment. A liquid supply conduit is configured to supply liquid to the reservoir. An ice mold is configured to freeze liquid at the ice mold. A nozzle is configured to dispense the liquid from the reservoir to the ice mold. A controller is configured to execute instructions that perform operations. The operations include dispensing, from a body of liquid at the reservoir, a flow of liquid toward the ice mold; freezing, at the ice mold, a first portion of the flow of liquid received from dispensing the flow of liquid to the ice mold; providing, to the reservoir, a second portion of the flow of liquid dispensed toward the ice mold; and providing, from the liquid supply conduit to the reservoir, a supply of liquid after dispensing the flow of liquid toward the ice mold.

An ozone generator for producing ozone water for the sanitation and disinfection of an ice maker includes cathode plates and anode plates that are arranged alternatively in an electrolysis chamber. The cathode plates and the anode plates are connected to a cathode wire and an anode wire of a cable. A wiring chamber is provided with a temperature sensor extending into the electrolysis chamber and connected with a temperature sensor wire of the cable. The cable is connected to a control circuit. The ozone generator is submerged in the ice-making water of the ice-making water tank. The temperature sensor of the ozone generator submerged in the ice-making water is configured to sense temperature changes. When the ice maker is activated, the temperature of the ice-making water in the ice-making water tank will drop. When the temperature drops to the set temperature, the ozone generator is activated once to produce ozone gas. The ozone gas is dissolved in the ice-making water to generate ozone water. The ozone water is used to sanitize the ice-making loop process of the ice maker. The ozone generator has simple structure, low cost and good effect.

An aseptic ice making system includes an ice making system to receive water from a water supply. The ice making system includes an ice producing subsystem to produce ice and a positive air pressure subsystem to maintain a positive air pressure environment within the ice making system.

A refrigerator including a cabinet and a compartment formed inside the cabinet and having an open front portion. A compartment door is movably connected to the cabinet for closing at least partially the open front portion of the compartment. An ice maker assembly is arranged inside the compartment and includes an ice maker. The ice maker includes an ice maker casing, a water tank and a water filter. The ice maker assembly is accessible inside the compartment when the compartment door is in an open position. The ice maker assembly includes a support housing arranged below the ice maker casing to receive the water tank and the water filter such that the ice maker casing and the support housing are provided as respective modules.

An ice machine prevents micro-organism growth by utilizing a clean-in-place process. The ice making process of the ice making machine is turned OFF, and then ozonated water, from an ozonated water generation system, is pumped into a distribution system, within the ice making machine so that the ozonated water is sprayed onto surfaces of the ice making machine which are susceptible to micro-organism growth and/or scale. Exposing the surfaces to ozonated water kills the micro-organisms and rinses the dead micro-organisms out of the ice making machine.

An apparatus for melting ice comprising an ice bin structure containing ice. The ice bin structure comprising a housing with four walls, a floor, and optionally four supporting legs, a nozzle assembly structure comprising a pipe as well as a head structure, wherein the head structure is oriented at a downward angle; a drainage means situated at the floor of the housing structure; and a removable cover oriented to comprehensively fit the open top of the housing.