Rotating icemaker assembly

Abstract

An icemaker assembly disposed within a refrigerator is configured for continuous freezing of water and continuous harvesting of ice. The icemaker assembly includes a rotating ice mold having a plurality of ice forming compartments. A water distributor is operably disposed above the ice mold for supplying water individually to each of the plurality of ice forming compartments. The water distributor supplies the water at a flow rate which is dependent on a rotational speed of the ice mold. The rotating ice mold is rotatable such that each ice forming compartment is movable to a first position for receiving water from the water distributor and movable to a second position for harvesting ice. At the first position, each ice forming compartment is at a first temperature for rapidly freezing the water received from the water distributor. At the second position, each ice forming compartment is at a second, higher temperature for releasing the ice therein.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]The present disclosure generally relates to an automatic icemaker assembly for a refrigerator. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an automatic icemaker assembly for rapidly harvesting ice.[0002]A conventional automatic icemaker assembly disposed in a residential refrigerator typically has three major subsystems: an icemaker; a bucket with an auger and ice crusher; and a dispenser insert in a freezer door that allows the ice to be delivered from the bucket to a cup without opening the door. The designs of most conventional icemaker systems use substantial portions of the freezer volume, typically 25%-30%.[0003]The icemaker includes a metal mold that makes batch ice (i.e., between six to ten ice cubes at a time). The mold is filled with water at one end and the water evenly fills ice cube sections through weirs (shallow parts of the dividers between each cube section) that connect the sections. Opening a valve on a water supply line for a predetermine...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

If the arm cannot reach its predetermined low travel set point, it is assumed that the ice bucket is full and the icemaker will not harvest until more ice has been removed from the bucket.

The conventional icemaker assembly is costly due to the controls necessary for making batch ice from a single ice mold.

There is undesirable noise associated with the conventional icemaker.

There is also a delay in the forming and harvesting of batch ice.

This temperature cycling causes a time delay in harvesting ice.

Further, because the entire ice mold has to be heated, the conventional icemaker requires additional energy.

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