Flow rate control method for an ice making assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11920845-B2
Application number	US-202017428328-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2020
Priority date	Oct 15, 2020
Publication date	Mar 5, 2024
Grant date	Mar 5, 2024

Abstract

An ice making assembly includes an ice mold and a pump assembly for urging an ice-building spray into the ice mold to form an ice billet. A controller operates the pump assembly to provide the ice-building spray at a first flow rate until the ice billet reaches a predetermined thickness and then operates the pump assembly to provide the ice-building spray at a second flow rate that is less than the first flow rate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ice making assembly comprising:
an ice mold defining a mold cavity;
a pump assembly comprising an adjustable spray nozzle positioned below the ice mold for urging an ice-building spray into the ice mold; and
a controller in operative communication with the pump assembly, the controller being configured to:
operate the pump assembly to provide the ice-building spray at a first flow rate to form an ice billet within the ice mold;
determine that the ice billet formed within the ice mold has exceeded a predetermined thickness;
operate the pump assembly to provide the ice-building spray at a second flow rate in response to determining that the ice billet has exceeded the predetermined thickness, wherein the second flow rate is different than the first flow rate; and
adjust a shape or pattern of the ice-building spray by adjusting the adjustable spray nozzle.

2. The ice making assembly of claim 1 , wherein determining that the ice billet formed within the ice mold has exceeded a predetermined thickness comprises:
starting a timer when formation of the ice billet commences; and
determining that the timer has reached a predetermined formation time.

3. The ice making assembly of claim 1 , wherein determining that the ice billet formed within the ice mold has exceeded a predetermined thickness comprises:
measuring a thickness of the ice billet using a measurement device.

4. The ice making assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pump assembly comprises:
a flow regulating valve, and wherein a flow rate of the ice-building spray is adjusted by regulating the flow regulating valve.

5. The ice making assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pump assembly comprises a circulation pump, and wherein a flow rate of the ice-building spray is adjusted by adjusting a voltage or a control signal supplied to the circulation pump.

6. The ice making assembly of claim 1 ,
wherein adjusting the shape or a pattern of the ice-building spray further comprises adjusting the flow rate of the ice-building spray through the adjustable spray nozzle.

7. The ice making assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flow rate of the ice-building spray is decreased in stages or progressively as a thickness of the ice billet increases.

8. The ice making assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ice mold defines a plurality of mold cavities and the pump assembly comprises a plurality of spray nozzles, each of the plurality of spray nozzles directing the ice-building spray toward one of the plurality of mold cavities.

9. The ice making assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pump assembly comprises:
a circulation pump for circulating water to generate the ice-building spray.

10. The ice making assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a refrigeration loop comprising a condenser and an evaporator in serial flow communication with each other, the evaporator being in thermal communication with the ice mold; and
a compressor operably coupled to the refrigeration loop and being configured for circulating a flow of refrigerant through the refrigerant loop to cool the evaporator.

11. The ice making assembly of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine that formation of the ice billet is complete;
warm the ice mold; and
operate the pump assembly to provide the ice-building spray at a third flow rate to remove at least a portion of the ice billet.

12. The ice making assembly of claim 11 , wherein determining that formation of the ice billet is complete comprises:
determining that a thickness of the ice billet exceeds a completion thickness.

13. A method of forming an ice billet using an ice making assembly, the ice making assembly comprising an ice mold and a pump assembly for urging an ice-building spray into the ice mold, the pump assembly comprising an adjustable spray nozzle, the method comprising:
operating the pump assembly to provide the ice-building spray at a first flow rate to form an ice billet within the ice mold;
determining that the ice billet formed within the ice mold has exceeded a predetermined thickness;
operating the pump assembly to provide the ice-building spray at a second flow rate in response to determining that the ice billet has exceeded the predetermined thickness, wherein the second flow rate is different than the first flow rate; and
adjusting a shape or pattern of the ice-building spray by adjusting the adjustable spray nozzle.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining that the ice billet formed within the ice mold has exceeded a predetermined thickness comprises:
starting a timer when formation of the ice billet commences; and
determining that the timer has reached a predetermined formation time.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining that the ice billet formed within the ice mold has exceeded a predetermined thickness comprises:
measuring a thickness of the ice billet using a measurement device.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the pump assembly comprises a flow regulating valve, the method further comprising:
adjusting a flow rate of the ice-building spray by regulating the flow regulating valve.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
determining that formation of the ice billet is complete;
warming the ice mold; and
operating the pump assembly to provide the ice-building spray at a third flow rate to remove at least a portion of the ice billet.

18. The ice making assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shape or pattern of the ice-building spray is adjusted while maintaining a constant flow rate of the ice-building spray.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the shape or pattern of the ice-building spray is adjusted while maintaining a constant flow rate of the ice-building spray.

Assignees

• Wu Jin
• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Schiller Andrew
• Pusateri Adam
• Brown Justin Tyler
• Junge Brent Alden
• Wu Jin
• Yan Bo
• Song Yayu
• Zhou Michael
• Teng Roy
• Zhou Eddy
• Jiang Jason

Classifications

• F25C1/045 Primary

  with the open end pointing downwards · CPC title

• F25C1/12

  by freezing water on cooled surfaces, e.g. to form slabs · CPC title

• F25C2400/14

  Water supply · CPC title

• F25C1/18 Primary

  of a particular transparency or translucency, e.g. by injecting air · CPC title

• F25C1/25

  Filling devices for moulds · CPC title