An ice maker includes an evaporator configured to freeze water into ice as it flows vertically down a freeze plate. A distributor distributes the water along the top of the freeze plate to form ice across the width of the freeze plate as the water flows downward along the freeze plate. The distributor can be integrated into the evaporator. For example, the distributor and evaporator can have a part in common. The distributor can be formed from two pieces that come together to form the freeze plate. The distributor can have various features that aid in providing a desirable distribution of water along the width of the freeze plate. The freeze plate can be mounted in an ice maker enclosure in thermal communication with the evaporator and to slant forward.

A refrigerator has an ice bin that can break ice piece agglomerates therein. The ice bin includes a breaking unit rotatably installed in a discharge port of the ice bin, the breaking unit including a stationary blade and rotatable blade. The ice bin further includes a separation bar unit rotatably installed parallel to the breaking unit to strike and separate the ice piece agglomerates during rotation.

An ergonomic cooler providing quick and easy access to ice through a side ice access. The exposure of the ice to debris is reduced. The interior compartments have modular configurations. Ice is accessed with a scoop or utensil with minimal wrist movement.

An inline vending machine for ice and water vending installed within a store wall allowing a user to purchase ice and water without entering the store. A shipping frame for shipping and installation of the insulated wall into the store wall is also disclosed.

A motor assembly includes a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor; a gear box in which the BLDC motor is installed; and a power transmission part having a plurality of gears installed in the gear box so as to transmit power generated by the BLDC motor to an ice bin. The BLDC motor comprises: a stator and a rotor rotating with respect to the stator, wherein the rotor may be connected to the power transmission part by a shaft and the stator may be coupled to the gear box in a separable manner.

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.

An ice making assembly and method utilizes a housing having an upper fluid chamber, a plurality of distinct, substantially vertical fluid channels, and at least one drain aperture in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir. Ice forming members extend from an ice forming evaporator into respective fluid channels. During an ice making event, fluid continuously supplied to the upper fluid chamber flows into each of the fluid channels and out through at least one drain aperture into a fluid reservoir below. The ice forming members are cooled such that fluid flowing across the fluid channels freezes on the ice forming members over time, forming clear ice pieces. The ice pieces are subsequently released from the ice forming members and transferred for storage and/or dispensing.

An ice dispensing system is provided. The system includes multiple sidewalls forming an ice bin cavity configured to store ice. The system further includes an auger drive assembly. The auger drive assembly includes a drive assembly that is coupled to one of the multiple sidewalls and has a motor configured to rotate a drive gear. The auger drive assembly further includes an auger assembly positioned within the ice bin cavity. The auger assembly includes a helical auger coupled to an auger gear. The drive gear is configured to mate with the auger gear to drive rotation of the helical auger and cause ice to be dispensed through an ice chute. The drive assembly is additionally configured to move relative to the auger assembly between a closed position and an opened position. The opened position permits removal of the auger assembly from the ice bin cavity.

An ice-making device for a refrigerator capable of detecting ice fullness in the ice storing unit and suspending ice production accordingly. The ice-making device includes a sensing unit configured to measure the amount of ice in the ice-storing unit based on detected positional information of the ice-storing unit. An accommodation unit is configured to accommodate the ice-making unit and the ice-storing unit. The sensing unit can sense relative movement of the ice storage unit with respect to the accommodation unit.

The present application provides an ice dispenser for dispensing a volume of ice. The ice dispenser may include an ice bin and an ice deflector positioned about a top of the ice bin. The ice deflector may include a reverse funnel configuration such that an entrance to the ice deflector is narrower that an exit to the ice deflector so as to prevent the volume of ice from bridging therein in whole or in part.