Ice maker with push notification to indicate when maintenance is required

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016334157-A1
Application number	US-201615152300-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 11, 2016
Priority date	May 11, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An ice maker for forming ice having a refrigeration system, a water system, and a control system. The refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator. The water system includes a water filter and a sump to hold water to be made into ice. The control system includes a controller adapted to determine a baseline freeze time, a baseline harvest time, and/or a baseline fill time after an initial set of ice making cycles and is further adapted to compare subsequent harvest times, freeze times, and/or fill times to the baseline freeze, harvest, and/or fill times to determine whether the ice maker needs maintenance. If controller determines that ice maker needs maintenance, controller can push a notification to a portable electronic device connected to the ice maker.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . An ice maker for forming ice, the ice maker comprising:
a refrigeration system comprising a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator, wherein the compressor, condenser and evaporator are in fluid communication by one or more refrigerant lines; a water system comprising a water filter and a sump to hold water to be made into ice; and a control system comprising a controller configured to determine a baseline freeze time, a baseline harvest time, and/or a baseline fill time after an initial set of ice making cycles and is further adapted to compare subsequent harvest times, freeze times, and/or fill times to the baseline freeze, harvest, and/or fill times to determine whether the ice maker needs maintenance.

2 . The ice maker as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to push a notification to a portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is connected to the controller, wherein the notification includes at least one of a notification to clean the condenser, a notification to descale the ice maker, and a notification to clean or replace the water filter.

3 . The ice maker as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controller is adapted to push a notification to a portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is connected to the controller and the controller determines the subsequent freeze time exceeds the baseline freeze time by more than a predetermined tolerance, wherein the notification includes a notification to clean the condenser.

4 . The ice maker as recited in claim 3 , wherein the controller is adapted to push the notification to clean the condenser to the portable electronic device when the subsequent freeze time is from about 1.25 to about 2.0 times the baseline freeze time.

5 . The ice maker as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controller is adapted to push a notification to a portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is connected to the controller and the controller determines the subsequent harvest time exceeds the baseline harvest time by more than a predetermined tolerance, wherein the notification includes a notification to descale the ice maker.

6 . The ice maker as recited in claim 5 , wherein the controller is adapted to push the notification to descale the ice maker to the portable electronic device when the subsequent harvest time is from about 1.25 to about 2.0 times the baseline harvest time.

7 . The ice maker as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controller is adapted to push a notification to a portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is connected to the controller and the controller determines the subsequent fill time exceeds the baseline fill time by more than a predetermined tolerance, wherein the notification includes a notification to replace the water filter.

8 . The ice maker as recited in claim 7 , wherein the controller is adapted to push the notification to replace the water filter to the portable electronic device when the subsequent fill time is from about 1.5 to about 3.0 times the baseline fill time.

9 . The ice maker as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the baseline freeze time, the baseline harvest time, and the baseline fill time after the initial set of ice making cycles and is further configured to compare current harvest times, freeze times, and fill times to the corresponding baseline freeze, harvest, and fill times to determine whether the ice maker needs maintenance, the controller being configured to push a notification to a portable electronic device when it determines the ice maker needs maintenance.

10 . A method of pushing a notification to a portable electronic device to indicate maintenance of an ice maker is required, the method comprising:
measuring at least one of a baseline freeze time, a baseline harvest time, and a baseline fill time of an ice maker after an initial set of ice making cycles, the ice maker comprising:
a refrigeration system comprising a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator, wherein the compressor, condenser and evaporator are in fluid communication by one or more refrigerant lines;
a water system comprising a water filter and a sump to hold water to be made into ice; and
a control system comprising a controller, wherein the controller measures the at least one of the baseline freeze time, the baseline harvest time, and the baseline fill time;
measuring, with the controller, at least one of a current freeze time, a current harvest time, and a current fill time of the ice maker; and pushing a notification to the portable electronic device if the at least one of the current freeze time, the current harvest time, and the current fill time exceeds the corresponding baseline freeze time, baseline harvest time, or baseline fill time by more than a predetermined tolerance, the notification comprising a notification that maintenance of the ice maker is required.

11 . The method as recited in claim 10 , comprising measuring the baseline freeze time, measuring the current freeze time, and pushing a notification to the portable electronic device if the current freeze time is from about 1.25 to about 2.0 times the baseline freeze time, the notification comprising at least one of a notification to clean the condenser and a notification to clean an air filter.

12 . The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the baseline freeze time is measured when a water level in the sump begins to drop.

13 . The method as recited in claim 12 , further comprising measuring the baseline harvest time, measuring the current harvest time, and pushing a notification to the portable electronic device if the current harvest time is from about 1.25 to about 2.0 times the baseline harvest time, the notification comprising a notification to descale the ice maker.

14 . The method as recited in claim 13 , further comprising measuring the baseline fill time, measuring the current fill time, and pushing a notification to the portable electronic device if the current fill time is from about 1.5 to about 3.0 times the baseline fill time, the notification comprising at least one of a notification to clean the water filter and a notification to replace the water filter.

15 . The method as recited in claim 10 , comprising measuring the baseline harvest time, measuring the current harvest time, and pushing a notification to the portable electronic device if the current harvest time is from about 1.25 to about 2.0 times the baseline harvest time, the notification comprising a notification to descale the ice maker.

16 . The method as recited in claim 10 , comprising measuring the baseline fill time, measuring the current fill time, and pushing a notification to the portable electronic device if the current fill time is from about 1.5 to about 3.0 times the baseline fill time, the notification comprising at least one of a notification to clean the water filter and a notification to replace the water filter.

17 . A method of determining if maintenance of an ice maker is required, the method comprising:
measuring at least one of a baseline freeze time, a baseline harvest time, and a baseline fill time of an ice maker after an initial set of ice making cycles, the ice maker comprising:
a refrigeration system comprising a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator, wherein the compressor, condenser and evaporator are in fluid communication by one or more refrigerant lines;
a water system comprising a water filter and a sump to hold water to be made into ice; and
a control syste

Assignees

• True Mfg Co Inc

Inventors

• Broadbent John Allen
• MORRO Paolo

Classifications

• F25C2400/12

  Means for sanitation · CPC title

• F25C5/10 Primary

  using hot refrigerant; using fluid heated by refrigerant · CPC title

• F25C5/20

  Distributing ice · CPC title

• F25C2600/02

  Timing · CPC title

• F25C2400/14

  Water supply · CPC title