Refrigerator with icemaker chilled by thermoelectric device cooled by fresh food compartment air

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10352596-B2
Application number	US-201715710393-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2017
Priority date	Dec 3, 2012
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

An icemaker is mounted remotely from a freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold. A thermoelectric device is provided and includes a warm side and an opposite cold side. A flow pathway is connected in communication between the cold side of the thermoelectric device and the icemaker. In one aspect, a fan is operatively positioned to move air from the fresh food compartment across the warm side of the thermoelectric device and a pump moves fluid from the cold side of the thermoelectric device to the icemaker. Cold air, such as from a refrigerator compartment, may be used to dissipate heat from the warm side of the thermoelectric device for providing cold fluid to and for cooling the ice mold of the icemaker.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment;
an icemaker mounted remotely from the freezer compartment, the icemaker further comprising an ice mold;
a thermoelectric device comprising a warm side and a cold side disposed remotely from the ice mold;
a first fluid pathway comprising:
a liquid supply line thermally connected to the cold side and the ice mold; and
a liquid return line thermally connecting a fluid sink of the thermoelectric device and the ice mold; and

a second fluid pathway thermally connected to an air sink on the warm side of the thermoelectric device, the second fluid pathway comprising:
an air supply line in fluid communication with a fan; and
an air return line in fluid communication with a controller.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the air sink comprises a plurality of fins.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the fan is disposed within the second fluid pathway and configured to urge air from the fresh food compartment through the second fluid pathway to the air sink.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 , further comprising a flow controller disposed downstream the air sink, and configured to direct air to any combination of the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment, and the ice mold.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a pump operably coupled with the first fluid pathway and configured to urge fluid through the first fluid pathway.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5 , further comprising an ice bucket disposed below the ice mold, wherein the first fluid pathway is in thermal connection to the ice bucket.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the liquid supply line is disposed in the direction of flow from the cold side to the ice mold, and the liquid return line is disposed in the direction of flow from the ice mold to the thermoelectric device.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7 , further comprising a water dispenser disposed in a door of the refrigerator, wherein the first fluid pathway is thermally connected to the water dispenser.

9. The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein the liquid return line is thermally connected to the water dispenser for providing warm water to the water dispenser.

10. The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein the controller is located in a wall of the fresh food compartment and configured to direct liquid to any combination of the ice mold, the water dispenser, and the ice bucket, and the fan is located at the back of the refrigerator proximate a mullion wall.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the controller is in communication with the fan and varies an air flowrate in the second fluid pathway from the fresh food compartment to the thermoelectric device.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11 , further comprising an intelligent control in operable communication with the controller and configured to control temperature.

13. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the icemaker is mounted on a door of the refrigerator.

14. An ice making system in a refrigerated appliance comprising:
a refrigerated compartment;
an icemaker mounted in the refrigerated compartment, the icemaker further comprising an ice mold;
a thermoelectric device comprising a warm side and a cold side disposed remotely from the ice mold;
a fluid pathway thermally connected to the cold side and the ice mold and defining a liquid flow direction;
an air pathway thermally connected to the warm side;
at least one fan located in the air pathway; and
at least one pump located in the fluid pathway.

15. The ice making system of claim 14 , wherein the fluid pathway further comprises a liquid supply line located in the liquid flow direction between the thermoelectric device and the ice mold, a liquid return line located in the liquid flow direction between the ice mold and the thermoelectric device, and an air sink disposed in the air pathway and thermally connected to the warm side.

16. The ice making system of claim 15 , wherein the liquid supply line thermally connects the cold side and the ice mold and the liquid return line thermally connects a fluid sink of the thermoelectric device and the ice mold.

17. The ice making system of claim 16 , further comprising an air supply line and an air return line in fluid communication with a controller and the at least one fan.

18. A refrigerator comprising:
a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment;
an icemaker mounted remotely from the freezer compartment, the icemaker further comprising an ice mold;
a thermoelectric device comprising a warm side and a cold side disposed remotely from the ice mold;
a fluid pathway defining a fluid flow direction, the fluid pathway thermally coupled with the thermoelectric device and the ice mold and comprising a fluid supply line located in the fluid flow direction between the thermoelectric device and the ice mold, and a fluid return line located in the fluid flow direction between the ice mold and the thermoelectric device;
an air pathway thermally connected to an air sink on the warm side of the thermoelectric device, the air pathway having an air supply line and an air return line that are in fluid communication with a fan;
at least one flow controller and at least one fan located in the air pathway; and
at least one pump located in the fluid pathway.

19. The refrigerator of claim 18 , wherein the fan is configured to urge air from the fresh food compartment through the air pathway to the air sink.

20. The refrigerator of claim 19 , wherein the at least one flow controller is disposed downstream of the air sink, and configured to direct air to any combination of the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment, and the ice mold.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Boarman Patrick J
• Culley Brian K
• Hortin Gregory G
• Thomas Mark E

Classifications

• F25C2400/10

  Refrigerator units · CPC title

• F25D17/065

  with compartments at different temperatures · CPC title

• F25B21/04 Primary

  reversible · CPC title

• F25C1/04 Primary

  by using stationary moulds · CPC title

• F25D23/126

  Water cooler · CPC title