Heater-less ice maker assembly with a twistable tray

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9513045-B2
Application number	US-201313782746-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2013
Priority date	May 3, 2012
Publication date	Dec 6, 2016
Grant date	Dec 6, 2016

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. An ice maker assembly, comprising:
an ice maker with a heaterless tray having recesses with ice-phobic surfaces for direct contact with ice pieces formed in the recesses, a first flange and a second flange;
a frame body that is coupled to the tray and comprises a first stopper and a second stopper; and
a driving body that is rotatably coupled to the tray,
wherein the tray is formed from a metal material,
wherein the driving body is adapted to rotate the tray in a cycle with clockwise and counter-clockwise motions such that the first and second flange alternate pressing against the respective first and second stopper in a manner that flexes the tray to dislodge ice pieces formed in the recesses, and
further wherein the ice-phobic surfaces comprise the metal material, are formed from the tray, and have a surface roughness (Ra) from 0.02 to 2 microns.

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

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

4. An ice maker assembly, comprising:
an ice maker with a heaterless tray having recesses with ice-phobic surfaces for direct contact with ice pieces formed in the recesses, a first flange and a second flange;
a frame body that is coupled to the tray and comprises a first stopper and a second stopper; and
a driving body that is rotatably coupled to the tray,
wherein the tray is formed from a metal material exhibiting a fatigue limit greater than about 150 MPa at 10 5 fatigue test cycles,
wherein the driving body is adapted to rotate the tray in a tray rotation cycle with clockwise and counter-clockwise motions such that the first and second flange alternate pressing against the respective first and second stopper in a manner that flexes the tray to dislodge ice pieces formed in the recesses, and
further wherein the ice-phobic surfaces comprise the metal material, are formed from the tray, and have a roughness (Ra) from 0.02 to 2 microns.

5. The ice maker assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the metal material possesses a thermal conductivity of at least 7 W/m*K.

6. The ice maker assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the metal material is a stainless steel.

7. The ice maker assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the driving body is further adapted to rotate the tray a maximum of 15 degrees from horizontal such that the tray presses against the frame body in a manner that flexes the tray to dislodge the ice pieces formed in the recesses.

8. The ice maker assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the tray is formed with a high velocity fabrication process to impart sufficient fatigue resistance to the tray allowing it to withstand at least 10 5 tray rotation cycles.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Cox Kevin J
• Hortin Gregory Gene
• Lin Yen-Hsi
• Maas Clayton A
• Shan Xi
• Soto Cristian
• Tenbarge Andrew M

Classifications

• F25C1/24 Primary

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

• F25C1/10

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

• F25C5/06 Primary

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

• F25C2305/022

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

• F25C2305/0221

  rotating ice mould · CPC title