Patent ID: 11867550
Assignee: MANITOWOC FOODSERVICE COMPANIES, LLC
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC F  G | IPC G

Claim 0:
1. An ice maker for forming ice, the ice maker comprising:
an evaporator;
a water pump for supplying water to a surface of the evaporator, so that water on the surface of the evaporator forms ice;
a sump below the freeze plate to hold water that passes over the evaporator surface;
an air fitting in the sump, the air fitting defining a chamber, wherein air is in the chamber, wherein the air fitting comprises one or more openings through which water in the sump is in fluid communication with the air in the chamber;
a pneumatic tube having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the air inside the distal end is in fluid communication with the chamber of the air fitting; and
a controller comprising a processor and an air pressure sensor, wherein the air inside the proximal end of the pneumatic tube is in fluid communication with the air pressure sensor,
wherein the air pressure sensor is configured to measure an air pressure from the air chamber of the air fitting, and the air pressure has a noise level of data associated therewith,
wherein the air pressure corresponds to a water level in the sump,
wherein when the water level is below the air fitting, the noise level of the data associated with the air pressure is lower than the noise level of data associated with the air pressure when the water level is at or higher than the bottom of the air fitting, and
wherein the controller is configured to initiate a harvest cycle when the water level drops below the bottom of the air fitting as indicated by the noise level of data associated with the air pressure, wherein during the harvest cycle the ice is removed from the surface of the evaporator.