Method and device for eliminating connecting webs between ice cubes

• US 7,013,654 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2004
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Slocum, Laurence S., Cole, Ronald E., Tremblay, Dennis D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E
• Application Number:
  US10/895,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20060016205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 62/68, 62/71, 62/73, 623/47, 623/51, 623/53
• US Class Current: 62/73
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 1/04 by using stationary moulds
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2305/024 Rotating rake
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2400/10 Refrigerator units
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2700/04 Level of water
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2700/06 Rotation angle of the ejector ejecting ice from a stationary mould
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/08 by heating bodies in contact with the ice

Abstract

A method and device for making ice is disclosed. The icemaker assembly comprises an ice tray and an ice ejector. The ice tray has at least (i) a first ice forming compartment defining a first space, and (ii) a second ice forming compartment defining a second space. The ice ejector is positionable at a first position and a second position. The ice ejector has at least (i) a first ejector member, and (ii) a second ejector member. When the ice ejector is positioned at the first position, (i) the first ejector member is positioned in the first space and in contact with a first quantity of water, (ii) the second ejector member is positioned in the second space and in contact with a second quantity of water, and (iii) the first quantity of water is positioned in fluid communication with the second quantity of water. When the ice ejector is positioned at the second position, (i) the first ejector member is spaced apart from both the first space and the first quantity of water, (ii) the second ejector member is spaced apart from both the second space and the second quantity of water, and (iii) the first quantity of water is isolated from fluid communication with the second quantity of water.

Claims

1. A method of making ice, comprising:

advancing water into an ice tray of an icemaker assembly and positioning displacement members within a plurality of ice forming compartments of said ice tray while said water advances into the plurality of ice forming compartments so that for a period of time both said water filling said plurality of ice forming compartments and said displacement members are simultaneously located within said plurality of ice forming compartments so a portion of said water advancing into said plurality of ice forming compartments is displaced;

moving said displacement members out of said plurality of ice forming compartments after said period of time so that said water in said plurality of ice forming compartments drops to a level lower than a level at which the water was when the displacement members were located in said plurality of ice forming compartments as water advanced into the compartments;

reducing the temperature of said water within said ice tray so as to cause said water at said lower level located within said plurality of ice forming compartments to become a plurality of discrete ice cubes while said displacement members are located out of said plurality of ice forming compartments; and

moving said displacement members into contact with said plurality of discrete ice cubes so that said plurality of ice cubes are urged out of said plurality of ice forming compartments.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said advancement of said water into said ice tray commences before said displacement members are positioned within said plurality of ice forming compartments as said water advances into said ice forming compartments.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said advancement of said water into said ice tray commences after said displacement members are positioned within said plurality of ice forming compartments so said water advances into said ice forming compartments into which said displacement members have been positioned.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said displacement members are positioned to a stopped position within said plurality of ice forming compartments while said water is being advanced into said ice tray.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of positioning displacement members within a plurality of ice forming compartments of said ice tray includes the step of rotating a shaft having said displacement members secured thereto about an axis of rotation until said displacement members are within said plurality of ice forming compartments during the period of time in which water is advancing into the plurality of compartments.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of moving said displacement members out of said plurality of ice forming compartments after said period of time includes the step of further rotating said shaft about said axis of rotation in order to lower the level of water in the ice forming compartments after said water stops advancing.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of moving said displacement members into contact with said plurality of discrete ice cubes includes the step of additionally rotating said shaft about said axis of rotation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said ice tray includes a number of spaced apart partition members that define said plurality of ice forming compartments, each of said partition members has defined therein a fluid passage, and water is advanced through each said fluid passage while said displacement members are positioned within said plurality of ice forming compartments of said ice tray.

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

advancing a quantity of water to an ice tray so that said quantity of water is unevenly distributed among a plurality of ice forming compartments of said ice tray;

positioning displacement members within said plurality of ice forming compartments so that a part of said quantity of water is caused to advance from a first number of said plurality of ice forming compartments to a second number of said plurality of ice forming compartments;

moving said displacement members out of said plurality of ice forming compartments after a period of time;

reducing the temperature of said water within said ice tray so as to cause said water located within said plurality of ice forming compartments to become a plurality of discrete ice cubes while said displacement members are located out of said plurality of ice forming compartments; and

moving said displacement members into contact with said plurality of discrete ice cubes so that said plurality of ice cubes are urged out of said plurality of ice forming compartments.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of positioning displacement members within a plurality of ice forming compartments of said ice tray includes the step of rotating a shaft having said displacement member secured thereto about an axis of rotation.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of moving said displacement members out of said plurality of ice forming compartments after said period of time includes the step of further rotating said shaft about said axis of rotation.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of moving said displacement members into contact with said plurality of discrete ice cubes includes the step of additionally rotating said shaft about said axis of rotation.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein:

said ice tray includes a number of spaced apart partition members that define said plurality of ice forming compartments, each of said partition members has defined therein a fluid passage, and water is advanced through each said fluid passage in response to said positioning step.

14. A method of filling an ice tray with a quantity of water, comprising the steps of:

advancing a quantity of water to an ice tray so that said quantity of water is unevenly distributed among a plurality of ice forming compartments of said ice tray; and

positioning displacement members within said plurality of ice forming compartments so that a part of said quantity of water is caused to advance from a first number of said plurality of ice forming compartments to a second number of said plurality of ice forming compartments.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of moving said displacement members out of said plurality of ice forming compartments after said positioning step.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said positioning step includes the step of rotating a shaft having said displacement member secured thereto about an axis of rotation.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said moving step includes the step of further rotating said shaft about said axis of rotation.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein:

said ice tray includes a number of spaced apart partition members that define said plurality of ice forming compartments, each of said partition members has defined therein a fluid passage, and water is advanced through each said fluid passage in response to said positioning step.

19. A method of filling an ice tray with a quantity of water, said ice tray having at least (i) a first ice forming compartment defining a first space, (ii) a second ice forming compartment defining a second space, and (iii) a partition member interposed between said first space and said second space, comprising the steps of:

positioning a first displacement member in said first space, and a second displacement member in said second space; and

advancing said quantity of water within said ice tray, wherein a water level of said quantity of water located within said ice tray is vertically above at least a part of a top edge of said partition when (i) said first displacement member is positioned in said first space, and (ii) said second displacement member is positioned in said second space, and

wherein said water level of said quantity of water located in said ice tray is vertically below the entire top edge of said partition when (i) said first displacement member is spaced apart from said first space, and (ii) said second displacement member is spaced apart from said second space.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said positioning step is performed before said advancing step.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said positioning step is performed after said advancing step.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said positioning step and said advancing step are performed concurrently.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein said partition member has defined therein a fluid passage located at said top edge of said partition, further comprising the step of:

advancing water through said fluid passage in response to said positioning step.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein said positioning step includes the step of rotating a shaft having said first displacement member and said second displacement member each secured thereto about an axis of rotation.

25. An icemaker assembly, comprising:

an ice tray having at least (i) a first ice forming compartment defining a first space, and (ii) a second ice forming compartment defining a second space; and

an ice ejector positionable at a first position and a second position, said ice ejector having at least (i) a first ejector member, and (ii) a second ejector member, wherein, when said ice ejector is positioned at said first position, (i) said first ejector member is positioned in said first space and in contact with a first quantity of water, (ii) said second ejector member is positioned in said second space and in contact with a second quantity of water, and (iii) said first quantity of water is positioned in fluid communication with said second quantity of water, and

wherein, when said ice ejector is positioned at said second position, (i) said first ejector member is spaced apart from both said first space and said first quantity of water, (ii) said second ejector member is spaced apart from both said second space and said second quantity of water, and (iii) said first quantity of water is isolated from fluid communication with said second quantity of water.

26. The icemaker assembly of claim 25, wherein:

said ice tray includes a first partition member interposed between said first quantity of water and said second quantity of water, and

said first partition member has defined therein a first fluid passage.

27. The icemaker assembly of claim 26, wherein:

said ice tray further includes a second partition member spaced apart from said first partition member so as to define said first space, and

said second partition member has defined therein a second fluid passage.

28. The icemaker assembly of claim 26, wherein:

said ice tray further includes an end wall spaced apart from said first partition member so as to define said second space,

said end wall has a bearing surface defined therein, and

a shaft of said ice ejector is positioned in contact with said bearing surface.

29. The icemaker assembly of claim 25, wherein

said ice ejector further includes a shaft, and

said first ejector member and said second ejector member are each secured to said shaft.

30. The icemaker assembly of claim 25, wherein:

said icemaker assembly has a plurality of ice forming compartments that includes said first ice forming compartment, said second ice forming compartment, and additional ice forming compartments, and

said additional ice forming compartments each possesses the same physical configuration as said first ice forming compartment and said second ice forming compartments.

31. The icemaker assembly of claim 30, wherein said plurality of ice forming compartments includes seven ice forming compartments.

32. The icemaker assembly of claim 31, wherein

said ice ejector has a plurality of ejector members that includes said first ejector member and said second ejector member, and additional ejector members, and

said additional ejector members each possesses the same physical configuration as said first ejector member and said second ejector member.

33. The icemaker assembly of claim 25 and further comprising a first set of guides disposed on opposite sides of the first ice forming compartment and a second set of guides disposed on opposite sides of the second ice forming compartment, the guides being configured to permit the first and second ejector members to pass therebetween during rotation of the ice ejector and to guide ice cubes formed in the first and second ice forming compartments during ejection induced by the ice ejector.