Patent Publication Number: US-7900470-B2

Title: Automatic icemaker

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure generally relates to an improved automatic icemaker for a refrigerator. 
     A conventional automatic icemaker assembly in a residential refrigerator has three major subsystems: an icemaker, a bucket with an auger and ice crusher, and a dispenser insert in the freezer door that allows the ice to be delivered from the bucket to a cup without opening the door. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a typical icemaker  10  located in a freezer compartment of the refrigerator includes a metal mold  12  that makes between six to ten ice cubes at a time. The mold is filled with water at one end and the water evenly fills a plurality of ice cube sections or compartments  20  through weirs  22  (shallow parts of dividers  24  between each cube section) that connect the sections. A fixed cover  26  is connected to the metal mold and is disposed over a front portion  28  of the mold. Opening a valve on a water supply line for a predetermined period of time usually controls the amount of water flowing into the metal mold  12 . The temperature in the freezer compartment is usually between about −10F and +10F The metal mold  12  is cooled by conduction with the freezer air, and the rate of cooling can be enhanced by convection of the freezer air, especially when an evaporator fan is operating. A temperature-sensing device in thermal contact with the metal mold  12  can generate temperature signals. A controller  30  monitoring the temperature signals indicates when the ice is ready to be removed from the mold. 
     When the ice cubes are ready for removal, a motor, which is generally housed within the controller, drives a rake  32  in an angular motion. The rake includes a plurality of spaced projections  34 , one projection for each cube section  20 . The rake rotates in a single direction (see  FIG. 2 ) and pushes against the cubes to force them out of a back uncovered portion  40  of the metal mold  12 . The rake continues to rotate until the rake projections pass through spaced openings  42  located on the fixed cover  26 . A heater  50  is typically provided on a bottom portion of the mold  12  to melt an interface between the ice and the mold. When the interface is sufficiently melted, the rake is able to push the cubes out of the mold. Because the rake pivots on a central axis, the cross-sectional shape of the mold typically is an arc of a circle to allow the ice to be pushed out. 
     As indicated above, the back portion  40  of the metal mold  12  is not covered, which can allow slosh in the mold. Further, because the projections of the rake rotate through the opening of the fixed cover, a clearance between the projections and opening is provided. This clearance can also allow sloshing of water in the mold. Further, if the icemaker is located in a fresh food compartment of the refrigerator, the icemaker can be exposed to air moisture thereby causing a buildup of frost on the metal mold  12 . Thus a need exists for an icemaker that prevents water slosh and frost buildup on the ice mold. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
     In accordance with one aspect, an icemaker comprises a body including an ice mode for receiving water and freezing water to ice. The ice mold has a first side surface, a second side surface and an arcuate bottom surface indisposed between the first side surface and the second side surface. An ice ejector including an ejector member is rotatably connected to the body. The ice ejector defines an axis of rotation. A drive mechanism is operably coupled to the ice ejector. The drive mechanism is configured to reversibly rotate the ice ejector between a first position and a second position. A first cover is fixedly connected to the body for at least partially covering a front portion of the ice mold. A second cover is connected to one of the ice ejector and the body. The second cover is configured to reversibly rotate with the ice ejector between the first position and a third position. The second cover at least partially covers a back portion of the ice mold at the first position. The first and second covers prevent water slosh, water evaporation and ice sublimation in the ice mold and buildup of frost on the ice mold surfaces. 
     In accordance with another aspect, an icemaker comprises an ice tray including an ice forming compartment for receiving water and freezing the water to ice. A first cover is fixedly connected to the ice tray and is at least partially disposed over a first portion of the ice forming compartment. An ice ejector including an injecting member is rotatable relative to the ice tray from a closed firs position to a second ice harvesting position and back to the closed position. A second cover is connected to one of the ice ejector and the ice tray and is configured to at least partially rotate with the ice ejector from the closed position to a third position and back to the closed position. Rotation of the ice ejector causes the ejector member to advance into the ice forming compartment whereby ice located in the compartment is urged in an ejection path movement out of the compartment. 
     In accordance with yet another aspect, an icemaker comprises an ice tray including a plurality of ice forming compartments for receiving water and freezing the water ice. A fixed cover is connected to the ice tray and is at least partially disposed over a front portion of the plurality of ice forming compartments. An ice ejector is movably connected to the ice tray and includes an axle and a plurality of spaced projections located in a common plane tangent to the axle. There is one projection for each ice forming compartment. A moving cover is connected to the ice ejector. A drive mechanism is operably coupled to the ice ejector and is configured to reversibly rotate the ice ejector between a closed position and an ice harvesting position. Rotation of the ice ejector causes the plurality of projections to advance into the plurality of ice forming compartments whereby ice located in the plurality of compartments is urged in an arcuate ejection path of movement out of the plurality of compartments. Movement of the ice causes the moving cover to rotate about the axle of the ice ejector. As the ice moves out of the plurality of compartments, the ice ejector engages the moving cover whereby the moving cover rotates with the ice ejector to a third position. At the third position, the ice ejector disengages the moving cover and continues to rotate to the ice harvesting position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a conventional automatic icemaker. 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the icemaker of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side perspective view of an automatic icemaker according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the icemaker of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the icemaker of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a partial top plan view of a first cover, a second cover and an ice ejector of the icemaker of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 7  is a side elevational view of the components of  FIG. 6  in a first closed position. 
         FIGS. 8-13  are side elevational views illustrating movement of the components of  FIG. 6  in a first direction. 
         FIG. 14  is a side elevational view of the components of  FIG. 6  in a third position. 
         FIG. 15  is a side elevational view of the components of  FIG. 6  in a second, ice harvesting position. 
         FIGS. 16-18  are side elevational views illustrating movement of the components of  FIG. 6  in a second direction. 
         FIG. 19  is a schematic of an alternative position of the second cover relative to the first cover in the third position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views,  FIGS. 3-5  illustrate an icemaker  100  for a refrigerator (not shown) according to the present disclosure. The icemaker  100  comprises a body or ice tray  102  including an ice mold or ice forming compartment  104  for receiving water and freezing the water to ice. As shown, the ice tray  102  includes seven substantially identical ice forming compartments; although, it should be appreciated that more or less than seven ice forming compartments can be provided. Each ice forming compartment  104  includes a first side surface  110 , a second side surface  112 , and an arcuate bottom surface  114  interposed between the first side surface and the second side surface. Partition walls  120  are disposed between each of the compartments, the partitions walls at least partially defining the first side surface and second side surface. The partition walls  120  extend transversely across the ice tray  102  to define the ice forming compartments  104  in which ice pieces  130  (see  FIG. 7 ) are formed. Each partition  120  wall includes a recessed upper edge portion  132  through which water flows successively through each ice forming compartment  104  to fill the ice tray  102  with water. Mounting brackets  140  are provided on the ice tray for mounting the icemaker  100  within a freezer compartment (not shown) of the refrigerator. It is within the scope of the disclosure for other mounting features to be present on the ice tray and for those mounting features to facilitate mounting of the icemaker into other structures within the refrigerator. A water filling operation of the ice tray may be based on a set time. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , a sheathed electrical resistance heating element or heater  150  is mounted to a lower portion  152  of the ice tray  102 . The heater can be press-fit, stacked, and/or clamped into the lower portion of the ice tray. The heater is configured to heat the ice mold when a harvest cycle is executed to slightly melt the ice  130  and release the ice from the ice forming compartments  104 . 
     An ice ejector or rake  170  is rotatably connected to the ice tray  102 . The ice ejector includes an axle or shaft  172  and a plurality of ejector members  174  located in a common plane tangent to the axle, one ejector member  174  for each ice forming compartment  104 . The axle is concentric about the longitudinal axis of rotation of the ice ejector. To rotatably mount the ice ejector to the ice tray, a first end section  176  of the ice ejector is positioned adjacent an opening  180  located a first end portion  182  of the ice tray. A second end section  184  of the ice ejector is positioned in an arcuate recess  186  located on a second end portion  188  of the ice tray. In the illustrated embodiment, the ejector members  174  are triangular shaped projections  190  and are configured to extend from the axle  172  into the ice forming compartments  104  when the ice ejector is rotated. It is within the scope of the present disclosure for the ejector members to be fingers, shafts or other structures extending radially beyond the outer walls of the axle. The ice ejector  170  is rotatably relative to the ice tray from a closed first position ( FIG. 7 ) to a second ice harvesting position ( FIG. 15 ) and back to the closed position. Rotation of the ice ejector causes the ejector members  174  to advance into the ice forming compartment  104  whereby ice  130  located in each ice forming compartment is urged in an ejection path of movement out of the ice forming compartment. 
     With reference again to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , and with additional reference to  FIG. 6 , the icemaker  100  includes a first cover  200  and a second cover  202 . The covers are configured to prevent sloshing of water, water evaporation and ice sublimation and the buildup of frost within the ice tray  102 . The first cover is fixedly secured to the ice tray  102  and includes a generally rectilinear top surface  206  which is disposed at least partially longitudinally over a front portion  210  of the ice forming compartments  104 . The first cover  200  can be secured to the ice tray  102  in any suitable manner, such as by screws. 
     The second cover  202  is moveably connected to the ice ejector  170  for rotation therewith. As will be described in greater detail below, the second cover is configured to reversibly rotate with the ice ejector between the first closed position and a third position ( FIG. 12 ). As shown in  FIG. 3 , the second cover  202  at least partially covers a back portion  220  of the ice tray  102  at the first position. To rotatably mount the second cover to the ice ejector, the second cover includes a circular flange  230  and an arcuate tab  232 . The circular flange extends from a first end section  240  of the second cover and includes an opening  242  dimensioned to receive a cam  250 . The cam is inserted through the opening  180  of the ice tray, and is releasably secured to the first end section  176  of the ice ejector by any suitable manner, such as the illustrated screw  244 . The cam releasably attaches the second cover to the ice ejector. The arcuate tab  232  extends from a second end section  246  of the second cover and is dimensioned to engage the axle  172 . It should be appreciated that alternative manners for rotatably connecting the second cover to the ice ejector are contemplated. As will be discussed in greater detail below, as the ice ejector  170  reversibly rotates between the first position and the second position, the cam  250  mounted to the ice ejector for rotation therewith is configured to engage the second cover  202  during rotation of the ice ejector  170  to the second position and disengage the second cover as the second cover approaches the third position and/or reaches the third position. 
     Cyclical operation of the heater  150  and the ice ejector  170  are effected by a controller  260  disposed on the second end portion  188  of the ice tray  102 . With reference to  FIG. 5 , the controller can includes sensors (not shown) for detecting the temperature of the ice tray and for detecting a rotational position of the ice ejector and a timer (not shown) to control a drive mechanism  262  and the ice tray heater  150 . A cover  264  and a support  266  of the controller together define a housing for housing the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism is operably coupled to the ice ejector  170  and is configured to reversibly rotate the ice ejector between the closed position and the ice harvesting position. The drive mechanism includes a reversible motor  272  and a coupler  274  operably engaged with the reversible motor. The motor can be a stepper motor. The coupler includes an opening (not shown) for receiving a shaft  280  which extends outwardly from the axle  172  of the ice ejector. A longitudinally axis of the shaft  280  is generally concentric with the axis of rotation defined by the axle. The controller  260  is configured to control the rotational movement of the motor  272  by starting, stopping and reversing the direction of the motor. The controller controls the motor  272  to rotate the ice ejector  170  from the closed position to the ice harvesting position and the second cover  202  from the closed position to the third position. The controller also automatically provides for refilling the ice tray  102  with water for ice formation after ice is harvested through actuation of a water valve (not shown) connected to a water source (not shown) and delivering water to the ice tray through an inlet structure (not shown). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 7 , in the closed first position, the ejector members  174  extend from the ice ejector  170  in a first direction and are at least partially disposed beneath the first cover  200  and are generally opposed to the second cover  202 . The second moving cover  202  extends from the ice ejector in a second opposite direction, and is at least partially disposed over the back portion  220  of the ice tray  102 . Once ice  130  is formed in each ice forming compartment  104 , the controller actuates the heater  150  to heat the ice tray  102  to expand the ice tray and melt a small amount of the ice adjacent the walls of each ice forming compartment. The melting of a portion of the ice provides a lubrication layer between the ice  130  and the walls of the ice forming compartments  104 . The lubrication layer and the expansion reduces a torque which the ejector members  174  must exert on the ice to induce the ice to move along the ejection path of movement and be ejected from the ice tray  102 . 
     Once the ice  130  is ready for ejection, the controller actuates the drive mechanism  262 . Rotation of an output shaft (not shown) of the motor  272  is transferred through a drive train (not shown) and the coupler  274  to induce rotation of the ice ejector  170  about its longitudinal axis in the direction of the arrow shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . A front face  290  of each ejector member  174  contacts the ice formed in its associated ice forming compartment  104 . The front face of each ejector member exerts a force driving an end  292  of the ice  130  downwardly along the arcuate bottom surface  114  of the ice forming compartment  104  as shown in  FIG. 4 . As the ice is driven downwardly along the arcuate bottom surface, an opposing end  294  of the ice moves upwardly along the arcuate bottom surface on the inside of the ice tray  102 . As shown in  FIGS. 8-11 , the ice engages the second moving cover  202  to rotate the second cover along with the ice ejector  170 . As the ice ejector continues to rotate through the ice tray, the ice continues to move the second cover along the axis of rotation defined by the axle of the ice ejector. 
     As the ice leaves the ice tray  102 , the cam  250  engages the second cover  202  which in turn causes the second cover to rotate with the ice ejector  170  to the third position. Particularly, as shown in  FIGS. 9-11 , the cam  250  includes an engagement member  300  and the circular flange  230  of the second cover includes spaced apart tabs  302 ,  304 ,  306  which extend inwardly from a surface  310  of the opening  242 . In the closed first position, the cam engagement member  300  is located between two of the tabs. As the ice ejector  170  rotates to about 90° ( FIG. 10 ), the engagement member contacts one of the tabs. The cam continues to engage the circular flange until rotation of the ice ejector to about a 120° rotational position ( FIG. 11 ). At this rotational position, the cam can disengage the circular flange and the second cover moves into the third position onto the first cover  200 . Although, it should be appreciated that the cam  250  can disengage the second cover  202  at the third position. As shown in  FIG. 12 , in the third position, an edge of the second cover can abut the top surface  206  of the fixed first cover  200  thereby defining an acute angle between the first and second covers. In this third position, the second cover  202  acts as an ice slide for the ice  130  being ejected from the icemaker  100 . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 19 , a bottom surface  320  of the second cover  202 ′ contacts the top surface  206 ′ of the first cover  200 ′ such that an edge of the second covers extends past the first cover and the first cover is disposed beneath the second cover. 
     The second cover  202  is in the third position after an approximate 180° rotation ( FIGS. 12-14 ). Because the cam  250  is configured to disengage the second cover at or near the third position, the ice ejector  170  is allowed to continue its rotation to the second ice harvesting position. As shown in  FIG. 15 , at about a 270° rotational position of the ice ejector  170 , the ice ejector is in the second, ice harvesting position and the ice  130  begins to slide off the second cover  202  downwardly into an ice bin (not shown) located below the ice tray  102 . Although, it should be appreciated that the ice can slide off the second cover before the ice ejector reaches the second position. Continued rotation of the ice ejector  170  in the first direction (indicated by arrows shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 ) is stopped at the ice harvesting position wherein the ejector members  174  are generally perpendicular the first and second covers. 
     After the ice  130  is ejected, the controller  260  actuates the drive mechanism  262  to induce rotation of the ice ejector  170  about its longitudinal axis in the reverse direction indicated by the arrow shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17 . As shown in  FIG. 17 , as the ice ejector  170  rotates to about the 180° rotational position, the cam  250  again engages the second cover  202  to move the second cover with the ice ejector. At about a 30° rotational position, the cam  250  can release the second cover such that the second cover freely moves to the closed position. Although, it should be appreciated that the cam can be configured to release the second cover at the closed position. The ice ejector  170  continues to rotate to the closed position. Again, at the closed position ( FIG. 18 ), the ejector members  174  of the ice ejector are disposed beneath the first cover  200  and the second cover  202  is at least partially disposed over the back portion  220  of the ice forming compartments  104 . As the ice ejector is reversibly rotated back to the closed position, the ice forming compartments  104  are being filled with water. However, and as indicated above, the positioning of the first cover  200  and the second cover  202  over the respective front and back portions of the ice forming compartments prevent sloshing of the water as the ice ejector moves therethrough. 
     It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.