An ice maker includes a casing that defines a chamber. The casing extends between a top portion and a bottom portion. An extruder die is mounted to the casing at the top portion of the casing. An auger is disposed within the chamber of the casing. A radial sleeve bearing engages the auger at the bottom portion of the casing. A radial and thrust bearing engages the auger at the extruder die. A related refrigerator appliance is also provided.

The present invention relates to a powdered ice maker comprising: an ice-making part provided in a cylinder shape of which the inside is empty; a rotary shaft rotating around the central axis of the ice-making part; a water spraying part provided at the rotary shaft so as to spray water at an inner wall of the ice-making part while rotating; a cutter part provided at the rotary shaft so as to cut the ice formed on the inner wall of the ice-making part while rotating; a water tray rotating at the same angular velocity as that of the rotary shaft, and provided at a lower side of the water spraying part; and an ice tray provided at a lower side of the cutter part.

A stand-alone ice making appliance and method of operation is provided. The stand-alone ice making appliance may include a container defining a first storage volume for receipt of ice, a water storage volume in fluid communication with the container to receive water from the container, an ice maker, a pump, and an ultraviolet light source. The ice maker may include an auger at least partially surrounded by a casing. The casing may be in fluid communication with the water storage volume to receive water from the water storage volume. The ice maker may further include a sealed refrigeration system in thermal communication with the casing. The pump may be in fluid communication with water storage volume for actively flowing water from the water storage volume to the ice maker. The ultraviolet light source may face the water storage volume to selectively direct ultraviolet light into the water storage volume.

Stand-alone ice making appliances are provided. An appliance includes a container defining a first storage volume for receipt of ice, a water tank defining a second storage volume for receipt of water, and a pump in fluid communication with the second storage volume. The appliance further includes an ice maker which is in fluid communication with the pump for receiving water from the pump. The appliance further includes a filter, the filter including a filter medium operable to remove contaminants from water flowing through the filter medium, the filter positioned upstream of the ice maker in a flow direction of water from the second storage volume to the ice maker.

A hail producing machine includes at least one diffuser for mixing water and carbon dioxide. At least one heat exchanger is in flow communication with the diffuser for receiving the mixture. A refrigeration unit freezes the mixture to form an ice rod in the heat exchanger. The ice rod is ejected from the heat exchanger and is converted into hail stones by a molding station downstream from the heat exchanger.

An ice making system for producing on-demand nugget ice in a refrigerator includes an auger type icemaker having a double thin-walled cylindrical flooded, evaporator and a chilled water reservoir connecting to refrigerated rater. When ice is demanded, the evaporator is then connected to the refrigeration circuit through a dedicated refrigerant control device to achieve 40 F. rapid cooling. With near 32 F. chilled water, a layer of ice can form on the evaporator surface within 1 minute. Meanwhile a rotating auger scrapes ice layer into flake ice and compresses it through an extrusion and delivery tubing to form cylindrical ice. Then it breaks into nugget ice in the tubing and drops in an ice container.

A water switch assembly for a nugget ice making assembly is provided. The ice making assembly includes a hollow auger rotatably mounted within a reservoir and configured for extruding ice. The water switch assembly includes a water supply pipe that extends vertically through the center of the ice making auger and reservoir. The water switch assembly is in fluid communication with a water inlet and includes a capacitance probe for measuring the water level in the reservoir. In this manner, the water switch assembly is configured to control the flow of water to the reservoir in response to the water level measured by the capacitance probe.

A water switch assembly for a nugget ice making assembly is provided. The ice making assembly includes a hollow auger rotatably mounted within a reservoir and configured for extruding ice. The water switch assembly extends vertically through the center of the ice making auger and reservoir. The water switch assembly is in fluid communication with a water inlet and includes a float for measuring the water level. In this manner, the water switch assembly is configured to control the level of water within the reservoir.

An ice-making freezer having a freezer assembly; a fluid reservoir coupled to the freezer assembly by a hose and configured to contain a fluid; and a mounting assembly configured to adjust the fluid reservoir to be in a first position during an ice-making mode and in a second position during a cleaning mode, wherein when the fluid reservoir is in the second position the fluid submerges at least a portion of the freezer assembly.

Stand-alone ice making appliances and methods of controlling stand-alone ice making appliances are provided. An appliance includes a container defining a first storage volume for receipt of ice, a water tank defining a second storage volume for receipt of water, and a pump in fluid communication with the second storage volume. The appliance further includes an ice maker which is in fluid communication with the pump for receiving water from the pump. The appliance further includes an off-time detector configured to provide a signal indicative of whether the ice maker has been unpowered for a time period sufficient to begin ice production without overheating.