Icemaker with reversible thermosiphon
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a mold body with at least one cavity configured and dimensioned to receive water to be frozen into ice;
a hollow tube comprising;
an evaporator portion proximate an open end of said hollow tube, said evaporator portion being in thermal communication with said mold body; and
an offset condenser portion proximate a closed distal end of said hollow tube opposite said open end;
a two-phase heat transfer fluid contained within said hollow tube; and
an actuation arrangement which causes said mold body and said tube to transition between;
a first position wherein said water can be introduced into said at least one cavity and wherein said offset condenser portion is above said evaporator portion; and
a second position wherein said ice can be discharged from said at least one cavity and wherein said offset condenser portion is below said evaporator portion.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus includes a mold body with at least one cavity configured and dimensioned to receive water to be frozen into ice; a hollow sealed tube having an evaporator portion in thermal communication with the mold body and an offset condenser portion opposite the evaporator portion; a two-phase heat transfer fluid contained within the hollow sealed tube; and an actuation arrangement which causes the mold body and the tube to transition between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the water can be introduced into the at least one cavity and the offset condenser portion is above the evaporator portion. In the second position, the ice can be discharged from the at least one cavity and the offset condenser portion is below the evaporator portion. A refrigerator using the apparatus is also disclosed.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a mold body with at least one cavity configured and dimensioned to receive water to be frozen into ice; a hollow tube comprising; an evaporator portion proximate an open end of said hollow tube, said evaporator portion being in thermal communication with said mold body; and an offset condenser portion proximate a closed distal end of said hollow tube opposite said open end; a two-phase heat transfer fluid contained within said hollow tube; and an actuation arrangement which causes said mold body and said tube to transition between; a first position wherein said water can be introduced into said at least one cavity and wherein said offset condenser portion is above said evaporator portion; and a second position wherein said ice can be discharged from said at least one cavity and wherein said offset condenser portion is below said evaporator portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 26, 27)
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14. A refrigerator comprising:
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a body defining at least one cooled compartment; a mold body with at least one cavity configured and dimensioned to receive water to be frozen into ice; a hollow tube comprising; an evaporator portion proximate an open end of said hollow tube, said evaporator portion being in thermal communication with said mold body and an offset condenser portion, exposed to said at least one cooled compartment, proximate a closed distal end of said hollow tube opposite said open end; a two-phase heat transfer fluid contained within said hollow tube; and an actuation arrangement, mounted to said body, which causes said mold body and said tube to transition between; a first position wherein said water can be introduced into said at least one cavity and wherein said offset condenser portion is above said evaporator portion; and a second position wherein said ice can be discharged from said at least one cavity and made accessible to a user of said refrigerator, and wherein said offset condenser portion is below said evaporator portion. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification