Twistable tray for heater-less ice maker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017045281-A1
Application number	US-201615339301-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 31, 2016
Priority date	May 3, 2012
Publication date	Feb 16, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An ice maker is provided that includes a tray having recesses that can include ice-phobic surfaces. The ice-phobic surfaces may include ice-phobic coatings, textured metal surfaces, hydrophobic coatings or other surfaces configured to repel water and ice. The tray can be formed from metal material and may exhibit a fatigue limit greater than about 150 Megapascals (MPa) at 10 5 cycles. The ice maker further includes a frame body coupled to the tray, and a driving body that is rotatably coupled to the tray. The driving body is further adapted to rotate the tray in a clockwise and/or counter-clockwise cycle such that the tray presses against the frame body in a manner that flexes the tray to dislodge ice pieces formed in the recesses of the tray.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A twistable, heater-less ice tray for an ice maker assembly, the ice tray comprising:
a metal material; a plurality of recesses, wherein a geometric center of one or more of the recesses is substantially at a distance from a longitudinal center line of the ice tray; and a plurality of weirs in fluid connection with one or more of the recesses, wherein each recess comprises an ice-phobic surface for direct contact with an ice piece, the ice-phobic surface comprises the metal material and is formed from the tray.

2 . The tray according to claim 1 , wherein the metal material possesses a thermal conductivity of at least 7 W/m*K.

3 . The tray according to claim 1 , wherein the metal material is a stainless steel.

4 . The tray according to claim 1 , wherein the ice-phobic surface is roughened at a microscopic level.

5 . The tray according to claim 1 , wherein the ice-phobic surface has a surface roughness (Ra) from 0.02 to 2 microns.

6 . The tray according to claim 1 , wherein a center line of one or more of the weirs is disposed substantially angled with respect to the longitudinal center line of the tray.

7 . The tray according to claim 1 , wherein the center line of the weirs is disposed substantially at a distance from the longitudinal center line of the ice tray.

8 . A twistable, heater-less ice tray for an ice maker assembly, the ice tray comprising:
a metal material; a plurality of recesses, wherein a major axis of one or more of the recesses is substantially angled with respect to a line normal to the longitudinal center line of the tray; and a plurality of weirs in fluid connection with one or more of the recesses, wherein each recess comprises an ice-phobic surface for direct contact with an ice piece, the ice-phobic surface comprises the metal material and is formed from the tray.

9 . The tray according to claim 8 , wherein the metal material possesses a thermal conductivity of at least 7 W/m*K.

10 . The tray according to claim 8 , wherein the metal material is a stainless steel.

11 . The tray according to claim 8 , wherein the ice-phobic surface is roughened at a microscopic level.

12 . The tray according to claim 8 , wherein the ice-phobic surface has a surface roughness (Ra) from 0.02 to 2 microns.

13 . The tray according to claim 8 , wherein a center line of one or more of the weirs is disposed substantially at a distance from the longitudinal center line of the ice tray.

14 . The tray according to claim 8 , wherein a center line of the weirs is disposed substantially angled with respect to the longitudinal center line of the tray.

15 . A twistable, heater-less ice tray for an ice maker assembly, the ice tray comprising:
a metal material; a plurality of recesses of a substantially oval-shaped top cross section, wherein a geometric center of one or more of the recesses is substantially at a distance from a longitudinal center line of the ice tray and wherein a major axis of one or more of the recesses is substantially angled with respect to the longitudinal center line of the ice tray; and a plurality of weirs in fluid connection with one or more of the recesses, wherein each recess comprises an ice-phobic surface for direct contact with an ice piece, the ice-phobic surface comprises the metal material and is formed from the tray.

16 . The tray according to claim 15 , wherein the metal material possesses a thermal conductivity of at least 7 W/m*K.

17 . The tray according to claim 15 , wherein the metal material is a stainless steel.

18 . The tray according to claim 15 , wherein the ice-phobic surface is roughened at a microscopic level.

19 . The tray according to claim 15 , wherein the ice-phobic surface has a surface roughness (Ra) from 0.02 to 2 microns.

20 . The tray according to claim 15 , wherein a center line of one or more of the weirs is disposed substantially at a distance from the longitudinal center line of the ice tray.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Bauman Michael J
• Guarino James C
• Kuehl Steven J
• Lin Yen-Hsi

Classifications

• F25C1/24 Primary

  for refrigerators, e.g. freezing trays · CPC title

• F25C2305/022

  Harvesting ice including rotating or tilting or pivoting of a mould or tray · CPC title

• F25C5/06 Primary

  by deforming bodies with which the ice is in contact, e.g. using inflatable members · CPC title

• F25C2305/0221

  rotating ice mould · CPC title

• F25C1/10

  by using rotating or otherwise moving moulds (F25C1/08 takes precedence) · CPC title