Patent ID: 7765814
Filing Date: 2010-08-03
Classification: A23G,F25C

Abstract:
1. An ice-making machine comprising: a housing having an inlet to receive a fluid from which ice is to be made and an outlet to permit the egress of ice from said housing; a heat exchanger having at least one heat exchange surface, a refrigerant inlet, a refrigerant outlet and at least one refrigerant passage interconnecting said refrigerant inlet and said refrigerant outlet to permit a flow of refrigerant through said heat exchanger to extract heat from fluid contacting said at least one heat exchange surface; at least one blade in contact with said at least one heat exchange surface and movable across said at least one heat exchange surface to remove cooled fluid therefrom; a drive moving said blade across said heat exchange surface; a sensor assembly sensing a change in sound produced by said ice-making machine thereby to detect ice crystal formation on said heat exchange surface; and a processing device communicating with said sensor assembly, said processing device conditioning said ice-making machine to operate in a manner to allow the formed ice crystals to be removed from said heat exchange surface upon detection of ice crystal formation on said heat exchange surface.