ICE MAKER ASSEMBLY FOR A REFRIGERATOR APPLIANCE AND A METHOD FOR OPERATING THE SAME

• US 20150096310A1
• Filed: 10/09/2013
• Published: 04/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Wait, Keith Wesley, Mitchell, Alan Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 9,879,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/66
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 1/142 from the outer walls of cooled bodies
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 1/147 by using augers
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2400/10 Refrigerator units
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2600/04 Control means
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2700/12 Temperature of ice trays
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2700/14 Temperature of water

Abstract

An ice maker assembly and a method for operating an ice maker are provided. The method includes measuring a temperature of the ice maker and determining a first derivative of the temperature of the ice maker with respect to time. An operating state of the ice maker is established based at least in part on the temperature of the ice maker and the first derivative of the temperature of the ice maker with respect to time. Knowledge of the operating state of the ice maker can assist with preventing damage to a motor of the ice maker and with detecting super-cooled liquid water in a mold body of the ice maker.

Claims

1. A method for operating an ice maker, comprising:

measuring a temperature of the ice maker;

determining a first derivative of the temperature of the ice maker with respect to time; and

establishing an operating state of the ice maker based at least in part on the temperature of the ice maker and the first derivative of the temperature of the ice maker with respect to time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of establishing comprises selecting the operating state from a plurality of operating states, the plurality of operating states comprising an ice making state, a freezing over state, a nucleating state, an insufficient cooling state, a cooling to freezing state and a super-cooling state.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising operating a motor of the ice maker, a fan of the ice maker and a heater of the ice maker according to an operational profile associated with the operating state of the ice maker established at said step of establishing.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a making ice operational profile of the ice maker comprises activating the motor and the fan of the ice maker and deactivating the heater of the ice maker, wherein a recovering operational profile of the ice maker comprises deactivating the motor and the fan of the ice maker and activating the heater of the ice maker.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the freezing over state is associated with the recovering operational state, wherein the ice making state, the nucleating state, the insufficient cooling state and the super-cooling state are associated with the making ice operational profile.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising ascertaining a second derivative of the temperature of the ice maker with respect to time, wherein said step of establishing comprises establishing the operating state of the ice maker based at least in part on the temperature of the ice maker, the first derivative of the temperature of the ice maker with respect to time and the second derivative of the temperature of the ice maker with respect to time.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising ascertaining whether an ice bucket of the ice maker is full.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising deactivating the ice maker if the ice bucket of the ice maker is full at said step of ascertaining, wherein said step of establishing comprises establishing the operating state of the ice maker based at least in part on the temperature of the ice maker and the first derivative of the temperature of the ice maker with respect to time if the ice bucket of the ice maker is not full at said step of ascertaining.

9. An ice maker assembly for a refrigerator appliance, comprising:

a casing;

an auger rotatably mounted within the casing;

a motor mounted to the casing and configured for selectively rotating the auger;

a fan configured for directing a flow of chilled air towards the casing;

a heater mounted to the casing and configured for selectively heating the casing;

a temperature sensor configured for measuring a temperature of the casing;

an ice bucket configured for receiving ice from the casing; and

a controller in operative communication with the motor, the fan, the heater and the temperature sensor, the controller configured for

measuring the temperature of the casing with the temperature sensor;

determining a first derivative of the temperature of the casing with respect to time; and

establishing an operating state of the ice maker assembly based at least in part on the temperature of the casing and the first derivative of the temperature of the casing with respect to time.

10. The ice maker assembly of claim 9, wherein said step of establishing comprises selecting the operating state from a plurality of operating states, the plurality of operating states comprising an ice making state, a freezing over state, a nucleating state, an insufficient cooling state, a cooling to freezing state and a super-cooling state.

11. The ice maker assembly of claim 9, wherein said step of establishing comprises:

changing the operating state of the ice maker assembly from a drifting state to a freezing over state if the temperature of the casing is less than about zero degrees Celsius at said step of measuring;

adjusting the operating state of the ice maker assembly from the drifting state to an ice making state if the temperature of the casing is about equal to zero degrees Celsius at said step of measuring; and

shifting the operating state of the ice maker assembly from the drifting state to a cooling to freezing state if the temperature of the casing is greater than about zero degrees Celsius at said step of measuring.

12. The ice maker assembly of claim 11, wherein said step of adjusting comprises adjusting the operating state of the ice maker assembly from the drifting state to the ice making state if the temperature of the casing is about equal to zero degrees Celsius at said step of measuring and the first derivative of the temperature of the casing with respect to time is about equal to zero degrees Celsius per second at said step of determining, wherein said step of shifting comprises shifting the operating state of the ice maker assembly from the drifting state to the cooling to freezing state if the temperature of the casing is greater than about zero degrees Celsius at said step of measuring and the first derivative of the temperature of the casing with respect to time is less than about zero degrees Celsius per second at said step of determining.

13. The ice maker assembly of claim 12, wherein said controller is further configured for:

operating the fan and the motor when the operating state of the ice maker assembly is the drifting state, the ice making state or the cooling to freezing state, the heater being deactivated during said step of operating; and

working the heater when the operating state of the ice maker assembly is the freezing over state, the fan and the motor being deactivated during said step of working.

14. The ice maker assembly of claim 9, wherein said step of establishing comprises changing the operating state of the ice maker assembly from a cooling to freezing state to a super-cooling state if the temperature of the casing is less than about zero degrees Celsius at said step of measuring and the first derivative of the temperature of the casing with respect to time is less than about zero degrees Celsius per second at said step of determining.

15. The ice maker assembly of claim 14, wherein said controller is further configured for operating the fan and the motor when the operating state of the ice maker assembly is the cooling to freezing state or the super-cooling state, the heater being deactivated during said step of operating.

16. The ice maker assembly of claim 9, wherein said controller is further configured for ascertaining a second derivative of the temperature of the ice maker with respect to time, wherein said step of establishing comprises changing the operating state of the ice maker assembly from a super-cooling state to an ice making state if the first derivative of the temperature of the casing with respect to time is about zero degrees Celsius per second at said step of determining and the second derivative of the temperature of the casing with respect to time is about zero degrees Celsius per second squared at said step of ascertaining.

17. The ice maker assembly of claim 9, wherein said step of establishing comprises:

changing the operating state of the ice maker assembly from an ice making state to an insufficient cooling state if the temperature of the casing is greater than about zero degrees Celsius at said step of measuring and the first derivative of the temperature of the casing with respect to time is greater than about zero degrees Celsius per second at said step of determining; and

adjusting the operating state of the ice maker assembly from the ice making state to a freezing over state if the temperature of the casing is less than about zero degrees Celsius at said step of measuring and the first derivative of the temperature of the casing with respect to time is less than about zero degrees Celsius per second at said step of determining.

18. A method for operating an ice maker, comprising:

measuring a temperature of the ice maker;

determining a first derivative of the temperature of the ice maker with respect to time; and

step for detecting super-cooled liquid within the ice maker based at least in part on the temperature of the ice maker and the first derivative of the temperature of the ice maker with respect to time.