Twist harvest ice geometry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9500398-B2
Application number	US-201213713228-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2012
Priority date	Dec 13, 2012
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

An ice maker assembly includes an ice making apparatus for an appliance with an ice making tray having a water basin formed by a metallic ice forming plate and at least one perimeter sidewall extending upwardly from a top surface of the ice forming plate. The ice making tray also has a grid with at least one dividing wall. The at least one perimeter sidewall and the at least one dividing wall and the top surface of the ice forming plate form at least one ice compartment having an upper surface and a lower surface. An ice body is formed in the at least one ice compartment. Moreover, the at least one perimeter sidewall and the at least one dividing wall form a draft angle with the top surface of the ice forming plate, of about 17° to about 25° degrees.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ice making apparatus for an appliance comprising:
an ice making tray comprising:
a metallic ice forming plate with a top surface and a bottom surface, a perimeter sidewall extending upwardly from the top surface of the ice forming plate, wherein the ice forming plate and the perimeter sidewall form a water basin,
a bottomless grid with a perimeter edge wall and at least one dividing wall, wherein the bottomless grid is comprised of the perimeter edge wall and the at least one dividing wall which rests on the metallic ice forming plate; and
a containment wall extending substantially above the top of the bottomless grid and the top of the upwardly extending perimeter sidewall of the metallic ice forming plate, the containment wall having an elongated slot extending across a lower portion of the containment wall and receiving therein the upwardly extending perimeter sidewall of the metallic ice forming plate, and wherein the perimeter edge wall abuts a lower portion of the containment wall;
wherein the perimeter edge wall of the bottomless grid and the at least one dividing wall of the bottomless grid, the containment wall and the top surface of the ice forming plate form at least one ice compartment having an upper surface and a lower surface, and a height therebetween;
wherein an ice body is formed in the at least one ice compartment; and
wherein the perimeter edge wall of the bottomless grid and the at least one dividing wall of the bottomless grid form a draft angle with the top surface of the ice forming plate of about 17 degrees to about 25 degrees.

2. The ice making apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the draft angle is 20 degrees.

3. The ice making apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ice body is clear or substantially clear.

4. The ice making apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the upper surface has a length and the lower surface has a length, and the ratio of the length of the upper surface to the length of the lower surface is from about 1.4:1 to about 1.7:1.

5. The ice making apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the lower surface has a length, and the individual compartment has a height, and wherein the ratio of the length of the lower surface to the height is from about 1:1 to about 2:1.

6. The ice making apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the upper surface has a length and the ice compartment has a height, and wherein the ratio of the length of the upper surface to the height is from about 1.5:1 to 4:1.

7. The ice making apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lower surface of the ice compartment is generally square in shape, and has a length from about 12 mm to about 20 mm.

8. The ice making apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the upper surface of the ice compartment is generally square in shape, and has a length from about 18 mm to about 30 mm.

9. The ice making apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the upper surface of the ice compartment is generally rectangular in shape.

10. The ice making apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lower surface of the ice compartment is generally in a predetermined shape.

11. A method of forming ice, comprising the steps of:
forming at least one ice body within at least one ice compartment defined by a perimeter edge wall, at least one dividing wall, and a top surface of a metallic ice forming plate having a top surface and a bottom surface and a perimeter sidewall extending upwardly from the top surface of the metallic ice forming plate; the perimeter sidewall being received within a longitudinal slot located in a lower portion of a containment wall which extends substantially above the top of a bottomless grid and above the top of the perimeter edge wall, wherein the edge wall abuts a lower inside portion of the containment wall;
wherein the at least one ice compartment has two diagonal lengths which intersect each other at the center of the at least one ice compartment, and wherein the perimeter edge wall and the at least one dividing wall form a bottomless grid; wherein the bottomless grid is comprised of the perimeter edge wall and the at least one dividing wall, and wherein the bottomless grid has a draft angle with the top surface of the ice forming plate of from about 17 degrees to about 25 degrees; at least partially inverting the bottomless grid and the ice forming plate in a first rotation;
separating the bottomless grid from the ice forming plate;
rotating the grid a second rotation in the same direction as the first rotation, wherein the second rotation is separate from and distinct from the first rotation;
twisting the grid to separate sections of the ice body from the grid; wherein during the twisting of the grid to separate sections of the ice body from the grid, one diagonal length is lengthened and the other diagonal length is shortened, wherein the change in the diagonal lengths and the draft angle combine to result in a lift during the harvest which frees the at least one ice body; and
collecting at least one ice body in a storage container, where the at least one ice body is stored until being dispensed to a user.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first rotation is about 120 degrees.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second rotation is about 40 degrees.

14. The ice maker of claim 11 , wherein the at least one ice body is clear or substantially clear.

15. An ice maker comprising:
an ice making tray comprising a metallic ice forming plate with a top surface and a bottom surface, a perimeter sidewall extending upwardly from the top surface of the metallic ice forming plate wherein the metallic ice forming plate and the perimeter sidewall form a water basin, and a bottomless grid with a perimeter edge wall and at least one dividing wall; wherein the bottomless grid is comprised of the perimeter edge wall and the at least one dividing wall and rests on the top surface of the metallic ice forming plate within the water basin, and
a containment wall extending substantially above the top of the bottomless grid and the top of the upwardly extending perimeter sidewall of the metallic ice forming plate;
the containment wall having an elongated slot extending across a lower portion of the containment wall and receiving therein the upwardly extending perimeter sidewall of the metallic ice forming plate; and wherein the perimeter edge wall abuts a lower portion of the containment wall;
wherein the perimeter edge wall, the at least one dividing wall, the containment wall and the top surface of the ice forming plate form at least one ice compartment having an upper surface and a lower surface, and a height therebetween;
wherein an ice body is formed in the at least one ice compartment;
wherein the perimeter edge wall of the bottomless grid and the at least one dividing wall of the bottomless grid form a draft angle with the top surface of the ice forming plate of about 17 degrees to about 25 degrees; and
wherein the height of the at least one ice compartment is between about 9 mm to about 14 mm.

16. The ice maker of claim 15 , wherein the length of the upper surface is between about 18 mm to about 31 mm.

17. The ice maker of claim 15 , wherein the length of the lower surface is between about 12 mm to about 21 mm.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Boarman Patrick J
• Thomas Mark E
• Wohlgamuth Lindsey Ann

Classifications

• F25B21/02 Primary

  using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect · CPC title

• F25C1/10

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

• F25C2500/02

  Geometry problems · CPC title

• F25C1/18

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

• F25C5/06 Primary

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