U.S. patent application number 11/592421 was filed with the patent office on 2008-05-08 for ice cube tray evaporator.
Invention is credited to Mark R. Hoehne, Mark W. Johnson.
Application Number | 20080104991 11/592421 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39358533 |
Filed Date | 2008-05-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080104991 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hoehne; Mark R. ; et
al. |
May 8, 2008 |
Ice cube tray evaporator
Abstract
An ice cube tray evaporator (10) includes a back plate (12) and
a grid (14) of rectangular-shaped ice cube forming compartments
(16) on the back plate (12). Each of the compartments (16) is
defined by a back wall (18), and four side walls (20,22,24,26),
with two of the side walls (20,22) being defined by parallel
microchannel tube legs (28) spaced opposite from each other and the
other two of the side walls (24,26) being defined by heat
conductive strips (30).
Inventors: |
Hoehne; Mark R.; (Lake
Villa, IL) ; Johnson; Mark W.; (South Milwaukee,
WI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MICHAEL BEST & FRIEDRICH LLP
100 E WISCONSIN AVENUE, Suite 3300
MILWAUKEE
WI
53202
US
|
Family ID: |
39358533 |
Appl. No.: |
11/592421 |
Filed: |
November 3, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/340 ;
29/890.07 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25C 2500/02 20130101;
F25C 1/22 20130101; Y10T 29/49396 20150115; F25C 1/12 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/340 ;
29/890.07 |
International
Class: |
F25C 1/22 20060101
F25C001/22; B21D 51/18 20060101 B21D051/18 |
Claims
1. An ice cube tray evaporator comprising a grid of ice cube
forming compartments, each compartment defined by a back wall and
four side walls, two of the side walls defined by microchannel tube
legs spaced opposite from each other.
2. The ice cube tray evaporator of claim 1 further comprising a
pair of parallel, spaced headers and a plurality of parallel,
spaced microchannel tubes extending between the headers with ends
of the tubes received in said headers for the transfer of
refrigerant between the tubes and the headers, each of the tubes
defining one of the microchannel tube legs.
3. The ice cube tray evaporator of claim 2 wherein each of the
headers extends along a longitudinal axis and comprises a plurality
of spaced, elongate tube receiving slots, each slot receiving an
end of the microchannel tubes, the slots formed at a
non-perpendicular angle with the longitudinal axis of the header,
said side walls sharing the non-perpendicular angle to allow for
gravity assisted ejection of the cubes from the compartments with
the longitudinal axis extending in a vertical direction.
4. The ice cube tray evaporator of claim 1 further comprising a
microchannel tube extending in a serpentine shape to define the
microchannel tube legs of the grid.
5. The ice cube tray evaporator of claim 4 further comprising an
inlet manifold connected to one end of the microchannel tube to
deliver refrigerant thereto, and an outlet manifold connected to
the other end of the microchannel tube to receive refrigerant
therefrom.
6. The ice cube tray of claim 1 wherein the other two side walls of
each compartment are defined by elongate strips of heat conductive
material.
7. The ice cube tray evaporator of claim 1 wherein the microchannel
tube legs and the back wall are made of aluminum material.
8. The ice cube tray evaporator of claim 7 wherein the microchannel
tube legs and the back wall are plated with nickel.
9. The ice cube tray evaporator of claim 8 wherein the microchannel
tube legs are brazed to the back wall.
10. The ice cube tray evaporator of claim 1 wherein the back wall
of each compartment is defined by a microchannel tube.
11. The ice cube tray evaporator of claim 1 wherein said grid is a
first grid of ice cube forming compartments, and further comprising
a second grid of ice cube forming compartments, the first and
second grids facing in opposite directions in a back-to-back
configuration.
12. An ice cube tray evaporator comprising: a back plate; and a
grid of ice cube forming compartments on the back plate, each
compartment defined by the back plate and four side walls, two of
the side walls defined by microchannel tube legs spaced opposite
from each other.
13. The ice cube tray evaporator of claim 12 wherein the back plate
is a microchannel tube.
14. The ice cube tray evaporator of claim 13 further comprising a
pair of parallel, spaced headers and a plurality of parallel,
spaced microchannel tubes extending between the headers with ends
of the tubes received in said headers for the transfer of
refrigerant between the tubes and the headers, each of the tubes
defining one of the microchannel tube legs.
15. The ice cube tray evaporator of claim 14 wherein each of the
headers extends along a longitudinal axis and comprises a plurality
of spaced, elongate tube receiving slots, each slot receiving an
end of the microchannel tubes, the slots formed at a
non-perpendicular angle with the longitudinal axis of the header,
said side walls sharing the non-perpendicular angle to allow for
gravity assisted ejection of the cubes from the compartments with
the longitudinal axis extending in a vertical direction.
16. The ice cube tray evaporator of claim 14 further comprising a
microchannel tube extending in a serpentine shape to define the
microchannel tube legs of the grid.
17. The ice cube tray evaporator of claim 16 further comprising an
inlet manifold connected to one end of the microchannel tube to
deliver refrigerant thereto, and an outlet manifold connected to
the other end of the microchannel tube to receive refrigerant
therefrom.
18. The ice cube tray of claim 13 wherein the other two side walls
of each compartment are defined by elongate strips of heat
conductive material.
19. The ice cube tray evaporator of claim 13 wherein the
microchannel tube legs and the back wall are made of aluminum
material.
20. The ice cube tray evaporator of claim 19 wherein the
microchannel tube legs and the back wall are plated with
nickel.
21. The ice cube tray evaporator of claim 20 wherein the
microchannel tube legs are brazed to the back wall.
22. The ice cube tray evaporator of claim 13 wherein said grid is a
first grid of ice cube forming compartments, and further comprising
a second grid of ice cube forming compartments, the first and
second grids facing in opposite directions in a back-to-back
configuration.
23. A method of making an ice cube tray evaporator, the method
comprising the step of brazing a plurality of spaced, microchannel
tube legs to a back plate to form a grid of ice cube forming
compartments having the tube legs as side wall.
24. The method of claim 23 wherein the brazing step is an aluminum
brazing step.
25. The method of claim 23 wherein the brazing step includes
brazing a pair of elongate, parallel spaced headers to ends of each
of said tube legs.
26. The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of forming
an elongate microchannel tube into a serpentine configuration to
define the tube legs of the grid prior to the step of brazing.
27. The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of nickel
plating the tube legs and back plate after the step of brazing.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not Applicable.
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable.
MICROFICHE/COPYRIGHT REFERENCE
[0003] Not Applicable.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0004] This invention relates to evaporators that are utilized in
making ice cubes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Ice machines for ice cube producing are known to utilize ice
cube forming trays wherein a grid of ice cube forming compartments
is cooled by a back plate having an evaporator coil either attached
to the back plate or formed as an integral part of the back plate.
In some typical applications, a copper tube evaporator is brazed to
a copper back plate and then the entire tray is nickel-plated. The
tray is installed in a vertical orientation so that water flows
down the front in a waterfall effect with the water freezing in the
compartments as it flows through them. A defrost cycle releases the
frozen ice cubes from the compartments, which may have a slight
angle, such as 15.degree. from perpendicular to vertical, so that
the ice cubes slide out of the compartments under the force of
gravity. While such constructions may be suitable for their
intended purpose, there is always room for improvement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In accordance with one feature of the invention, an ice cube
tray evaporator includes a grid of ice cube forming compartments,
with each compartment defined by a back wall and four side walls,
and two of the side walls defined by microchannel tube legs spaced
opposite from each other.
[0007] As one feature, the back wall of each compartment is defined
by a microchannel tube.
[0008] In accordance with one feature of the invention, an ice cube
tray evaporator includes a back plate; and a grid of ice cube
forming compartments on the back plate. Each compartment is defined
by the back plate and four side walls, with two of the side walls
being defined by microchannel tube legs spaced opposite from each
other.
[0009] In one feature, the ice cube tray evaporator further
includes a pair of parallel, spaced headers and a plurality of
parallel, spaced microchannel tubes extending between the headers
with ends of the tubes received in the headers for the transfer of
refrigerant between the tubes and the headers. Each of the tubes
defines one of the microchannel tube legs. According to a further
feature, each of the headers extends along a longitudinal axis and
includes a plurality of spaced, elongate tube receiving slots, with
each slot receiving an end of the microchannel tubes. The slots are
formed at a non-perpendicular angle with the longitudinal axis of
the header, and the side walls share the non-perpendicular angle to
allow for gravity assisted ejection of the cubes from the
compartments with the longitudinal axis extending in a vertical
direction.
[0010] According to one feature, the ice cube tray evaporator
further includes a microchannel tube extending in a serpentine
shape to define the microchannel tube legs of the grid. As a
further feature, the ice cube tray evaporator further includes an
inlet manifold connected to one end of the microchannel tube to
deliver refrigerant thereto, and an outlet manifold connected to
the other end of the microchannel tube to receive refrigerant
therefrom.
[0011] In accordance with one feature, the other two side walls of
each compartment are defined by elongate strips of heat conductive
material.
[0012] As one feature, the microchannel tube legs and the back wall
are made of aluminum material. As a further feature, the
microchannel tube legs and the back wall are plated with
nickel.
[0013] In one feature, the microchannel tube legs are brazed to the
back wall.
[0014] According to one feature, the grid is a first grid of ice
cube forming compartments, and the ice cube tray evaporator further
includes a second grid of ice cube forming compartments, with the
first and second grids facing in opposite directions in a
back-to-back configuration.
[0015] In accordance with one feature, the back plate is a
microchannel tube.
[0016] As one feature, the microchannel tube legs are brazed to the
back wall.
[0017] In accordance with one feature of the invention, a method is
provided for making an ice cube tray evaporator. The method
includes the step of brazing a plurality of spaced, microchannel
tube legs to a back plate to form a grid of ice cube forming
compartments having the tube legs as side wall.
[0018] In one feature, the brazing step is an aluminum brazing
step.
[0019] According to one feature, the brazing step includes brazing
a pair of elongate, parallel spaced headers to ends of each of the
tube legs.
[0020] As one feature, the method further includes the step of
forming an elongate microchannel tube into a serpentine
configuration to define the tube legs of the grid prior to the step
of brazing.
[0021] In accordance with one feature, the method further includes
the step of nickel plating the tube legs and back plate after the
step of brazing.
[0022] Additional objects and/or features of the invention can best
be understood by a detailed reading of the entire specification,
including the appended claims and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ice cube tray evaporator
embodying the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the ice cube tray evaporator
of FIG. 1;
[0025] FIGS. 3-7 are perspective views showing alternate
embodiments of ice cube tray evaporators embodying the present
invention; and
[0026] FIG. 8 is a section view of a microchannel tube that can be
utilized in each of the embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0027] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, an ice cube tray evaporator
10 includes a back plate 12 and a grid 14 of rectangular-shaped ice
cube forming compartments 16 on the back plate 12. Each of the
compartments 16 is defined by a back wall 18 (the portion of the
back plate underlying the compartment 16), and four side walls 20,
22, 24 and 26, with two of the side walls 20 and 22 being defined
by parallel microchannel tube legs 28 spaced opposite from each
other and the other two of the side walls 24 and 26 being defined
by heat conductive strips 30. Each of the strips 30 has a plurality
of tube leg-receiving slots 31 that allow the strip to be assembled
onto the tube legs 28. In this regard, it is preferred that each of
the slots closely conform to the exterior shape of the
corresponding tube leg 28.
[0028] In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the ice cube tray
evaporator 10 includes a pair of parallel spaced headers 32 and 34,
and each of the microchannel tube legs 28 is defined by one of a
plurality of parallel spaced microchannel tubes 36 extending
between the headers 32 and 34, with ends 38 of the tubes 36 being
received in corresponding elongate tube slots 40 formed in the
headers 32 and 34 for the transfer of refrigerant between the tubes
36 and the headers 32 and 34. As best seen in FIG. 2, each of the
headers 32,34 extends along a longitudinal axis 42, and preferably
each of the elongate tube receiving slots 40 is formed at a
nonperpendicular angle (15.degree. from perpendicular in the
illustrated embodiment) with the longitudinal axis 40 of the
header, which positions each of the tubes 36 and corresponding side
walls 20 and 22 at the same nonperpendicular angle to allow for
gravity assisted ejection of the ice cubes from the compartments 16
when the longitudinal axis 42 extends in a vertical direction and
the tube legs 28 extend in a horizontal direction. The headers
32,34 include inlet or outlet ports 50 and 52 and end caps 54, all
of which can be of any suitable construction.
[0029] FIG. 3 shows an alternate embodiment of the ice cube tray
evaporator 10 that differs from the embodiment 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2
in that it is designed so that the tubes 36 and corresponding side
walls 20 and 22 and tube legs 28 extend vertically, rather than
horizontally. In this regard, it is preferred that the strips have
a nonperpendicular angle with the vertical axis (15.degree. from
perpendicular in the illustrated embodiment), rather than the tubes
36 and associated tube slots 40 in the headers which can be
perpendicular to the axis 42 in the embodiment of FIG. 3.
[0030] FIG. 4 shows yet another embodiment of the ice cube tray
evaporator 10 similar to the embodiment of FIG. 3, except the
microchannel tube legs 28 are defined by a continuous microchannel
tube 54 that has been shaped into a serpentine pattern, rather than
individual tubes 36 as in FIG. 3, and the headers 50 and 52 are
replaced by manifolds 56 and 58 provided at each end of the tube 54
to direct refrigerant to and from the tube 54. In the illustrated
embodiment, the tube legs 28 are intended to extend in the vertical
direction with the strips 30 having the nonperpendicular angle
(15.degree. from perpendicular in the illustrated embodiment) with
the vertical direction in the same fashion as the embodiment of
FIG. 3.
[0031] FIG. 5 shows yet another embodiment of the ice cube tray
evaporator 10 that is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 3, except
that the back plate 12 is provided in the form of one large
microchannel tube 60 that is supplied refrigerant by a pair of
spaced elongate headers 62 and 64 having inlet and outlet ports 66
and 68 similar to the ports 50 and 52.
[0032] FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the ice cube tray
evaporator 10 that is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 4 except
for the provision of another grid 70 of ice cube forming
compartments 16 that is provided on an opposite side of the back
plate 12 from the grid 14 so that the grids 14 and 70 face opposite
directions in a back-to-back configuration. The grid 70 is formed
using another one of the serpentine tubes 54, with the additional
tube 54 being fed by the manifolds 56 and 58.
[0033] FIG. 7 shows an embodiment having an additional grid 72
similar to the embodiment of FIG. 6, but formed of the parallel
tube-type construction of FIG. 3.
[0034] It should be understood that in each of the embodiments of
FIGS. 1, 4, 6 and 7, the back plate 12 could be provided in the
form of a large microchannel tube similar to the embodiment of FIG.
5.
[0035] As another option for the embodiments of FIGS. 1-3, 5 and 7,
one or more baffles can be inserted into the headers 32 and 34 to
provide multi-passing of the refrigerant through banks of the tubes
36.
[0036] FIG. 8 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of a cross section of
a microchannel tube 73, as could be used for the tube legs 28 or
the back plate 12, and illustrates that the tube has an essentially
flat cross section with a plurality of microchannels or ports 74
extending in the longitudinal direction. It should be understood
that are a number of possible configurations for the ports 74 and
that the particular configuration shown will be highly dependent
upon the requirements of each application. It should also be
understood that in embodiments that incorporate a microchannel tube
in the back plate 12, the ports 74 in the back plate 12 may be of a
different configuration than the ports 74 of the microchannel tube
legs 28. Furthermore, it may be desirable in some applications to
vary the port configurations from microchannel tube leg 28 to
microchannel tube leg 28, or even potentially within a microchannel
tube leg 28.
[0037] While any suitable materials can be used for the components
of the above-described ice cube tray evaporators 10, aluminum is a
preferred material, with all of the joints being braze joints that
are formed in a single oven braze operation. In this regard, it may
be desirable for some or all of the components, such as the
headers, tube legs, or strips, to be formed of an aluminum braze
clad material to assist in the brazing. It is preferred that the
microchannel tube legs 28 be brazed to the back plate 12, and the
same holds true for the strips 30. After brazing, the ice cube tray
evaporator 10 can be nickel-plated to meet FDA regulations for
pottable water and ice making.
[0038] It should be appreciated that the disclosed ice cube tray
evaporators 10 can provide a construction that is relatively easy
to manufacture, and when made from aluminum, a construction that
can easily have a lower cost than current technology ice cube tray
evaporators made from copper. Additionally, it should also be
appreciated that the use of microchannel tubes can allow for the
ice cube tray evaporator 10 to be used with higher pressure systems
such as CO.sub.2 systems, as well as with more conventional lower
pressure systems, thereby allowing the ice cube tray evaporators 10
to be used with a larger variety of refrigerants in comparison to
conventional constructions. It should also be appreciated that the
use of microchannel tubes can also reduce the internal volume of
the ice cube tray evaporators 10 in comparison to current
technology ice cube tray evaporators, thereby reducing the cost of
refrigerant to fill the system and some potential risk associated
with flammable refrigerants. Also, the use of microchannel tubes
can provide quicker cycle times, which include freezing of water in
a shortened defrost cycle to remove the ice cubes, in comparison to
conventional ice cube tray evaporators.
* * * * *