Method and device for stirring water during icemaking

• US 20060016207A1
• Filed: 07/21/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: DuHack, Michael, Slocum, Laurence S., Tremblay, Dennis D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,032,391 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/342
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 1/04 by using stationary moulds
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 1/20 by agitation
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2305/024 Rotating rake
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2400/10 Refrigerator units
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/02 Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice

Abstract

An icemaker assembly includes an ice tray has at least one ice forming compartment and an ice ejector having at least one ejector member. The ice ejector is operable to (i) stir water located within the at least one ice forming compartment with the at least one ejector member during a first mode, and (ii) urge ice out of the at least one ice forming compartment with the at least one ejector member during a second mode. A method of making ice comprises an operating an ice ejector of an icemaker in a first mode of operation step and an operating an ice ejector of an icemaker in a second mode of operation step. During the first mode of operation step, a plurality of ejector members of the ice ejector are respectively advanced through water located within a plurality of compartments of an ice tray of the ice maker during cooling of the water in the ice tray. In the second mode of operation step, the plurality of ejector members are respectively advanced into contact with ice formed within the plurality of ice forming compartments so that the ice is urged out of the plurality of ice forming compartments.

Claims

1. A method of making ice, comprising the steps of:

advancing water into at least one ice forming compartment of an ice tray;

reducing temperature of said water within said at least one ice forming compartment;

stirring said water within said at least one ice forming compartment with a ejector member during said reducing step;

moving said ejector member to a stop position after said stirring step at which said ejector member is spaced apart from said water located in said at least one ice forming compartment; and

advancing said ejector member into contact with ice formed in said at least one ice forming compartment after said moving step so that said ice is urged out of said at least one ice forming compartment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of maintaining said ejector member at said stop position for a period of time after said ejector member moving step and before said ejector member advancing step.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

said stirring step includes the step of rotating a shaft having said ejector member secured thereto about an axis of rotation, and

said maintaining step includes the step of maintaining said shaft at a stationary position for said period of time after said ejector member moving step and before said ejector member advancing step.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

sensing temperature of said water in said at least one ice forming compartment during said temperature reducing step, and generating a control signal when said temperature reaches a predetermined value, and

terminating said stirring step in response to generation of said control signal.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of initiating said moving step in response to generation of said control signal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

identifying a knee point of said water in said at least one ice forming compartment, and

adjusting said predetermined value based on said knee point identified in said identifying step.

7. An icemaker assembly, comprising:

an ice tray having at least one ice forming compartment; and

an ice ejector having at least one ejector member, said ice ejector being operable to (i) stir water located within said at least one ice forming compartment with said at least one ejector member during a first mode, and (ii) urge ice out of said at least one ice forming compartment with said at least one ejector member during a second mode.

8. The icemaker assembly of claim 7, wherein:

said icemaker assembly has a plurality of ice forming compartments that includes said at least one ice forming compartment and additional ice forming compartments,

said ice ejector has a plurality of ejector members that include said at least one ejector members and additional ejector members; and

said ice ejector is operable to (i) stir water located within said plurality of ice forming compartments with said plurality of ejector members during said first mode, and (ii) urge ice out of said plurality of ice forming compartments with said plurality of ejector members during said second mode.

9. The icemaker assembly of claim 8, wherein:

said ice tray includes an end wall and a plurality of partitions, and

at least one of said plurality of ice forming compartments defines an ice forming space between said end wall and one of said plurality of partitions.

10. The icemaker assembly of claim 8, wherein:

said ice tray includes a plurality of partitions, and

at least one of said plurality of ice forming compartments defines an ice forming space between a first one of said plurality of partitions and a second one of said plurality of partitions.

11. The ice maker assembly of claim 7, wherein said ice ejector further has (i) a central shaft to which said at least one ejector member is secured, and (ii) a motor having an output shaft coupled to said ejector shaft.

12. The ice maker assembly of claim 7, further comprising a sensor positioned to sense temperature of water in said at least one ice forming compartment, wherein:

said sensor is operable to generate a control signal when said temperature in said at least one ice forming compartment reaches a predetermined value, and

said ice ejector is operable to terminate operation in said first mode in response to generation of said control signal.

13. The icemaker assembly of claim 12, wherein said ice ejector is further operable to initiate operation in said second mode in response to generation of said control signal.

14. The icemaker assembly of claim 7, wherein said ice ejector is operable to (i) identify a knee point of said water in said at least one ice forming compartment, and (ii) adjust said predetermined value based on said knee point.

15. A method of making ice, comprising the steps of:

operating an ice ejector of an ice maker in a first mode of operation in which a plurality of ejector members of said ice ejector are respectively advanced through water located within a plurality of compartments of an ice tray of said ice maker during cooling of said water in said ice tray; and

operating said ice ejector in a second mode of operation in which said plurality of ejector members are respectively advanced into contact with ice formed within said plurality of ice forming compartments so that said ice is urged out of said plurality of ice forming compartments.

16. The method of making ice of claim 15, further comprising the step of operating said ice ejector in a third mode of operation in which said plurality of ejector members are maintained in at a stationary position, wherein said third mode operating step is performed after said first mode operating step and before said second mode operating step.

17. The method of making ice of claim 16, wherein:

said first mode operating step includes the step of rotating a shaft having said plurality of ejector members secured thereto about an axis of rotation, and

said third mode operating step includes the step of maintaining said shaft at a stationary position for a period of time after said first mode operating step is performed and before said second mode operating step is performed.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

sensing temperature of said water in at least one of said plurality of ice forming compartment during said first mode operating step, and generating a control signal when said temperature reaches a predetermined value, and

terminating said first mode operating step in response to generation of said control signal.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of initiating said second mode operating step in response to generation of said control signal.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

identifying a knee point of said water in at least one of said plurality of ice forming compartments, and

adjusting said predetermined values based on said knee point identified in said identifying step.