U.S. patent application number 13/691948 was filed with the patent office on 2014-06-05 for modular cooling and low energy ice.
This patent application is currently assigned to WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION. Invention is credited to PATRICK J. BOARMAN.
Application Number | 20140150468 13/691948 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50824084 |
Filed Date | 2014-06-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140150468 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
BOARMAN; PATRICK J. |
June 5, 2014 |
MODULAR COOLING AND LOW ENERGY ICE
Abstract
A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, an ice maker
disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, an ice mold in the ice
maker, and a thermoelectric device positioned below the ice mold
and configured to provide cooling liquid along a bottom side of the
ice mold during freezing of water to make ice. The ice maker is
further configured to warm the bottom side of the ice mold to
facilitate harvesting of the ice. The ice maker may be disposed
within a refrigeration compartment and may be configured to make
clear ice. The ice mold may be fixed in place during the harvesting
of the ice. The ice maker may be further configured to warm the
bottom side of the ice mold to facilitate harvesting of the ice by
providing warming liquid along the bottom side of the ice mold.
Inventors: |
BOARMAN; PATRICK J.;
(Evansville, IN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION |
Benton Harbor |
MI |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
Benton Harbor
MI
|
Family ID: |
50824084 |
Appl. No.: |
13/691948 |
Filed: |
December 3, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/3.63 ;
62/349 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25C 1/04 20130101; F25C
5/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/3.63 ;
62/349 |
International
Class: |
F25C 5/08 20060101
F25C005/08 |
Claims
1. A refrigerator comprising: a refrigerator cabinet; an ice maker
disposed within the refrigerator cabinet; an ice mold in the ice
maker; a thermoelectric device positioned below the ice mold and
configured to provide cooling liquid along a bottom side of the ice
mold during freezing of water to make ice; the ice maker further
configured to warm the bottom side of the ice mold to facilitate
harvesting of the ice.
2. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the ice maker is disposed
within a refrigeration compartment.
3. The refrigerator of claim 2 wherein the ice maker is configured
to make clear ice.
4. The refrigerator of claim 3 wherein the ice mold is fixed in
place during the harvesting of the ice.
5. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the ice maker is further
configured to warm the bottom side of the ice mold to facilitate
harvesting of the ice by providing warming liquid along the bottom
side of the ice mold.
6. The refrigerator of claim 4 wherein the ice mold is fixed in
place.
7. A refrigerator comprising: a refrigerator cabinet; a freezer
compartment disposed within the refrigerator compartment; a
refrigeration compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet;
an ice maker disposed within the refrigerator cabinet; an ice mold
in the ice maker having a bottom side; the ice maker configured to
receive cooling liquid along the bottom side of the ice mold during
freezing of water to make ice; the ice maker further configured to
warm the bottom side of the ice mold to facilitate harvesting of
the ice; and wherein the ice maker is disposed within the
refrigeration compartment of the refrigerator.
8. The refrigerator of claim 7 wherein the ice mold is fixed in
place during the harvesting of the ice.
9. The refrigerator of claim 7 wherein the refrigeration
compartment maintains a temperature of above freezing during the
freezing of water to make ice by the ice maker.
10. The refrigerator of claim 7 wherein the ice maker is configured
to make clear ice.
11. The refrigerator of claim 7 further comprising a thermoelectric
cooler (TEC) associated with the ice maker.
12. The refrigerator of claim 11 wherein the TEC is adapted to cool
the liquid along the bottom side of the ice mold during the
freezing of the water to make ice.
13. The refrigerator of claim 12 wherein the ice maker is further
configured to warm the bottom side of the ice mold to facilitate
harvesting of the ice using liquid warmed by the TEC.
14. The refrigerator of claim 11 wherein the ice maker is further
configured to warm the bottom side of the ice mold to facilitate
harvesting of the ice using the TEC.
15. A refrigerator comprising: a refrigerator cabinet; a freezer
compartment disposed within the refrigerator compartment; a
refrigeration compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet;
an ice maker disposed within the refrigerator cabinet; an ice mold
in the ice maker having a bottom side; a thermoelectric cooler
positioned below the ice mold; the ice maker configured to cool the
bottom side of the ice mold during freezing of water to make ice
using the thermoelectric cooler; the ice maker further configured
to warm the bottom side of the ice mold to facilitate harvesting of
the ice; and wherein the ice mold is fixed in place during the
harvesting of the ice.
16. The refrigerator of claim 15 wherein the ice maker is disposed
within the refrigeration compartment of the refrigerator.
17. The refrigerator of claim 16 wherein the thermoelectric cooler
is configured to provide heating used to warm the bottom side of
the ice mold to facilitate harvesting of the ice and configured to
provide cooling to cool the bottom side of the ice mold during
freezing of the water to make ice.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to refrigerators. More
particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to
a refrigerator which includes an ice maker with a fixed tray.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Refrigerators often include ice makers for making ice. The
making of ice can be an energy intensive function which can reduce
the energy efficiency of the refrigerator. In some refrigerators,
ice is made in an ice tray and then the ice removed from the ice
tray through a twisting motion applied to the ice tray. Using a
motor to provide this twisting motion to the ice tray can be a
significant expenditure of energy. One alternative is to use
heaters to heat the ice mold in order to release the ice. This is
another example of a method which uses high energy. What is needed
is improved ways of making ice and removing ice from an ice
mold.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Therefore, it is a primary object, feature, or advantage of
the present invention to improve over the state of the art.
[0004] It is a further object, feature, or advantage of the present
invention to provide for improved methods and apparatuses for
making and removing ice from an ice mold of a refrigerator.
[0005] It is a further object, feature, or advantage of the present
invention to provide for energy efficient removal of ice.
[0006] One or more of these and/or other objects, features, or
advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the
specification and claims that follow. No single embodiment need
meet or provide each and every object, feature, or advantage.
Different embodiments may have different objects, features, or
advantages. The present invention is not to be limited by or to
these objects, features, or advantages.
[0007] According to one aspect, a refrigerator is provided. The
refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, an ice maker disposed
within the refrigerator cabinet, an ice mold in the ice maker, and
a thermoelectric device positioned below the ice mold and
configured to provide cooling liquid along a bottom side of the ice
mold during freezing of water to make ice. The ice maker is further
configured to warm the bottom side of the ice mold to facilitate
harvesting of the ice. The ice maker may be disposed within a
refrigeration compartment and may be configured to make clear ice.
The ice mold may be fixed in place during the harvesting of the
ice. The ice maker may be further configured to warm the bottom
side of the ice mold to facilitate harvesting of the ice by
providing warming liquid along the bottom side of the ice mold.
[0008] According to another aspect, a refrigerator is provided. The
refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a freezer compartment
disposed within the refrigerator compartment, a refrigeration
compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, an ice maker
disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, and an ice mold in the
ice maker having a bottom side. The ice maker is configured to
receive cooling liquid along the bottom side of the ice mold during
freezing of water to make ice. The ice maker is further configured
to warm the bottom side of the ice mold to facilitate harvesting of
the ice. The ice maker is disposed within the refrigeration
compartment of the refrigerator. The ice mold may be fixed in place
during the harvesting of the ice. The refrigeration compartment may
maintain a temperature of above freezing during the freezing of
water to make ice by the ice maker. The ice maker may be configured
to make clear ice. The refrigerator may further include a
thermoelectric cooler (TEC) associated with the ice maker. The TEC
may be adapted to cool the liquid along the bottom side of the ice
mold during the freezing of the water to make ice. The ice maker
may be further configured to warm the bottom side of the ice mold
to facilitate harvesting of the ice using liquid warmed by the TEC
or otherwise configured to warm the bottom side of the ice mold to
facilitate harvesting of the ice using the TEC.
[0009] According to another aspect, a refrigerator includes a
refrigerator cabinet, a freezer compartment disposed within the
refrigerator compartment, a refrigeration compartment disposed
within the refrigerator cabinet, an ice maker disposed within the
refrigerator cabinet, an ice mold in the ice maker having a bottom
side, and a thermoelectric cooler positioned below the ice mold.
The ice maker is configured to cool the bottom side of the ice mold
during freezing of water to make ice using the thermoelectric
cooler. The ice maker may be further configured to warm the bottom
side of the ice mold to facilitate harvesting of the ice. The ice
mold may be fixed in place during the harvesting of the ice. The
ice maker may be disposed within the refrigeration compartment of
the refrigerator. The thermoelectric cooler may be configured to
provide heating used to warm the bottom side of the ice mold to
facilitate harvesting of the ice and configured to provide cooling
to cool the bottom side of the ice mold during freezing of the
water to make ice.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one example of a
refrigerator of the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the refrigerator of FIG. 1
with the French doors in an open position.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one example of an ice maker
of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 4 is an end view of the ice maker of FIG. 3.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a side view of the ice maker of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0015] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a refrigerator of the
present invention. In FIG. 1 a refrigerator 10 has a bottom mount
freezer with French doors. It is should be understood that the
present invention may be used in other configurations including
side-by-side refrigerator configurations and other types of
configurations, especially where an ice maker and/or ice storage is
on a door providing access to a fresh food compartment. The
refrigerator 10 has a refrigerator cabinet 12. One or more
compartments are disposed within the refrigerator cabinet 12. As
shown in FIG. 1, an example of a refrigerator 10 has a fresh food
compartment 14 is shown with French doors 16, 18 providing access
to the fresh food compartment 14. Mounted on the door 16 is a water
and ice dispenser 20. Below the fresh food compartment 14 is a
freezer compartment 22 which may be accessed by pulling drawer 24
outwardly.
[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates the refrigerator 10 of FIG. 1 with French
doors 16, 18 in an open position. Mounted on the French door 16 is
an ice making compartment 30 in which an ice maker 32 and an ice
storage bucket 34 may be disposed. Note the ice making compartment
as shown in FIG. 2 is within the refrigeration or fresh food
compartment 14.
[0017] FIG. 3 illustrates one example of an ice maker 32 where a
liquid cooled system is used for freezing water into ice. An ice
mold 40 is positioned above a thermoelectric cooler (TEC). The ice
mold 40 is preferably fixed in place during harvesting of the ice.
FIG. 4 illustrates an end view of the ice maker showing the
thermoelectric cooler 46 with electrical inputs 42, 44 shown. Fluid
is shown in fluid line 48 which is in contact with a bottom side 50
of the thermoelectric cooler 46. Thus, in operation fluid within
the fluid line 48 can remove heat from the thermoelectric cooler
46. FIG. 5 provides another illustration where one or more thermo
electric coolers 46 are used to remove heat from an ice maker using
liquid cooling. During harvest, heat may be provided to the ice
mold 40. The heat may be provided through the thermoelectric cooler
46 or through warm fluid through the fluid line 48.
[0018] Thus, the present invention provides for liquid cooling to
be used in making ice. Cooling may be performed by the
thermoelectric cooler and fluid on a bottom side of an ice mold.
Harvest may be accomplished by warm fluid across the bottom of the
ice mold and/or heat from the thermoelectric cooler. The ice maker
may reside in the refrigeration compartment at an above freezing
temperature, particularly where clear ice is desired.
Alternatively, the ice maker may reside in the freezer compartment
for normal ice. Note that because the ice mold may be fixed in
place during the harvesting of the ice, less energy is needed then
in configurations of ice makers where twisting motions are applied
to the ice mold during harvesting.
[0019] Therefore, a refrigerator which provides for modular cooling
and low energy ice in a refrigerator is provided. The present
invention contemplates numerous variations including the number and
placement of thermoelectric coolers where used, the manner in which
the bottom of a mold of an ice maker is cooled, the placement of
the ice maker, and other options, variations, and alternatives. In
general, the present invention is only intended to be limited by
the scope of the following claims.
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