Water distribution for an ice maker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9863682-B2
Application number	US-201414167089-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2014
Priority date	Jan 30, 2013
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

Abstract

A water distributor for an ice maker having a first reservoir comprising a bottom and an inlet passageway, a central wall comprising a first central wall portion and a second central wall portion, and a second reservoir separated from the first reservoir by the central wall, the second reservoir comprising a bottom. A population of teeth separated by a population of gaps are disposed along the central wall. Water flows from the first reservoir to the second reservoir through the population of gaps. A population of outlet passageways are disposed in the second central wall portion proximate the bottom of the second reservoir. Water exits the second reservoir substantially horizontally through the population of outlet passageways.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A water distributor for use in an ice maker comprising:
(i) a first reservoir comprising a bottom and an inlet passageway, the inlet passageway located in the bottom of the first reservoir adapted to permit water to enter the first reservoir through the bottom;
(ii) a central wall comprising a first central wall portion and a second central wall portion;
(iii) a channel disposed between the first wall portion and the second wall portion of the central wall, wherein the channel is adapted to accept a flange of a freeze plate of an ice maker;
(iv) a second reservoir separated from the first reservoir by the central wall, the second reservoir comprising a bottom,
(v) a population of teeth disposed along the central wall, wherein the population of teeth are separated by a population of gaps, and wherein water may flow from the first reservoir to the second reservoir through one or more of the population of gaps; and
(vi) a population of outlet passageways disposed in the second central wall portion proximate the bottom of the second reservoir, wherein water may exit the second reservoir through one or more of the population of outlet passageways with a horizontal velocity component.

2. The water distributor of claim 1 further comprising a water inlet area in fluid communication with the first reservoir and wherein the inlet passageway is disposed in the water inlet area.

3. The water distributor of claim 1 further comprising a cap disposed above the inlet passageway wherein the cap is adapted to prevent water from squirting upward from inlet passageway.

4. The water distributor of claim 3 wherein the water inlet has a first diameter, the cap has a second diameter, and wherein the first diameter is substantially equal to the second diameter.

5. The water distributor of claim 3 wherein the cap is affixed to the water distributor by a population of stanchions.

6. The water distributor of claim 1 wherein the population of teeth are uniformly distributed along the central wall.

7. The water distributor of claim 1 wherein the population of gaps have a uniform width and wherein the population of gaps are uniformly distributed along the central wall.

8. The water distributor of claim 1 further comprising a nipple extending downward from the inlet passageway.

9. The water distributor of claim 1 further comprising a left wall and a right wall and wherein a population of tabs extend downward from one or more of the left wall and the right wall.

10. An ice maker for forming ice, the ice maker comprising:
(i) a refrigeration system comprising a compressor, a condenser, a thermal expansion device, an evaporator assembly, a freeze plate thermally coupled to the evaporator assembly, and a hot gas valve;
(ii) a water system comprising a water pump, a water distributor, a water line in fluid communication with the water pump and the water distributor, and a sump located below the freeze plate adapted to hold water, wherein the water distributor comprises:
(a) a first reservoir comprising a bottom and an inlet passageway, the inlet passageway located in the bottom of the first reservoir adapted to permit water to enter the first reservoir through the bottom;
(b) a central wall comprising a first central wall portion and a second central wall portion;
(c) a second reservoir separated from the first reservoir by the central wall, the second reservoir comprising a bottom;
(d) a population of teeth disposed along the central wall, wherein the population of teeth are separated by a population of gaps, and wherein water may flow from the first reservoir to the second reservoir through one or more of the population of gaps;
(e) a population of outlet passageways disposed in the second central wall portion proximate the bottom of the second reservoir, wherein water may exit the second reservoir through one or more of the population of outlet passageways with a horizontal velocity component; and

wherein the freeze plate comprises a flange extending upwardly and wherein the water distributor further comprises a channel disposed between the first wall portion and the second wall portion of the central wall, wherein the channel is adapted to accept the flange of the freeze plate.

11. The ice maker of claim 10 wherein the water distributor further comprises a water inlet area in fluid communication with the first reservoir and wherein the inlet passageway is disposed in the water inlet area.

12. The ice maker of claim 10 wherein the water distributor further comprises a cap disposed above the inlet passageway wherein the cap is adapted to prevent water from squirting upward from inlet passageway.

13. The ice maker of claim 12 wherein the water inlet has a first diameter, the cap has a second diameter, and wherein the first diameter is substantially equal to the second diameter.

14. The ice maker of claim 12 wherein the cap is affixed to the water distributor by a population of stanchions.

15. The ice maker of claim 10 wherein the population of teeth are uniformly distributed along the central wall.

16. The ice maker of claim 10 wherein the population of gaps have a uniform width and wherein the population of gaps are uniformly distributed along the central wall.

17. The ice maker of claim 10 wherein the water distributor further comprises a nipple extending downward from the inlet passageway.

18. The ice maker of claim 10 wherein the water distributor further comprises a left wall and a right wall and wherein a population of tabs extend downward from one or more of the left wall and the right wall.

19. The ice maker of claim 10 further comprising:
a plurality of inner recesses disposed on an inner surface of the second central wall portion;
a plurality of outer recesses disposed on an outer surface of the second central wall portion; and
wherein the outlet passageways are formed by an overlap of the outer recess and the inner recess.

20. A water distributor for use in an ice maker comprising:
(i) a first reservoir comprising a bottom and an inlet passageway, the inlet passageway located in the bottom of the first reservoir adapted to permit water to enter the first reservoir through the bottom;
(ii) a central wall comprising a first central wall portion and a second central wall portion;
(iii) a plurality of inner recesses disposed on an inner surface of the second central wall portion;
(iv) a plurality of outer recesses disposed on an outer surface of the second central wall portion;
(v) a channel disposed between the first wall portion and the second wall portion of the central wall, wherein the channel is adapted to accept a flange of a freeze plate of an ice maker;
(vi) a second reservoir separated from the first reservoir by the central wall, the second reservoir comprising a bottom,
(vii) a population of teeth disposed along the central wall, wherein the population of teeth are separated by a population of gaps, and wherein water may flow from the first reservoir to the second reservoir through one or more of the population of gaps; and
(viii) a population of outlet passageways disposed in the second central wall portion proximate the bottom of the second reservoir, wherein water may exit the second reservoir through one or more of the population of outlet passageways with a horizontal velocity component,
wherein the outlet passageways are formed by an overlap of the outer recess and the inner recess.

21. The water distributor of claim 20 wherein the o

Assignees

• True Mfg Co Inc

Inventors

• Broadbent John Allen

Classifications

• F25C1/25 Primary

  Filling devices for moulds · CPC title

• F25C1/225 Primary

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic