U.S. patent application number 15/076074 was filed with the patent office on 2016-07-14 for clear ice making machine.
The applicant listed for this patent is William G. Nelson. Invention is credited to William G. Nelson.
Application Number | 20160201966 15/076074 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48570770 |
Filed Date | 2016-07-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160201966 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nelson; William G. |
July 14, 2016 |
CLEAR ICE MAKING MACHINE
Abstract
An ice making machine includes a heat pipe that extends between
a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment. The heat pipe
has a first end in the freezer compartment and a second end in the
refrigerator compartment. A heat exchanger is located in the
freezer compartment and is in contact with the first end of the
heat pipe. A heat block is located in the refrigerator compartment
and is in contact with the second end of the heat pipe. A removable
ice cube tray is mounted on the heat block with a surface in
contact with the heat block such that when the removable ice cube
tray is filled with water, ice forms from the surface of the
removable ice cube tray in contact with the block.
Inventors: |
Nelson; William G.; (South
Haven, MN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Nelson; William G. |
South Haven |
MN |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
48570770 |
Appl. No.: |
15/076074 |
Filed: |
March 21, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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13675476 |
Nov 13, 2012 |
9291381 |
|
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15076074 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
62/71 ;
29/890.035; 62/66 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25C 1/18 20130101; F25C
1/24 20130101; F25C 5/22 20180101; F28D 15/0275 20130101; F25D
23/00 20130101; Y10T 29/4935 20150115; F28F 3/02 20130101; F25C
1/00 20130101; F25D 11/02 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F25C 1/18 20060101
F25C001/18; F25D 23/00 20060101 F25D023/00; F25D 11/02 20060101
F25D011/02; F28F 3/02 20060101 F28F003/02; F28D 15/02 20060101
F28D015/02 |
Claims
1. A method of making ice, the method comprising: filling an ice
cube tray with water; exchanging heat between a heat exchanger and
a first end of a heat pipe located in a freezer compartment;
exchanging heat between a heat block and a second end of the heat
pipe located in a refrigerator compartment; and mounting the ice
cube tray on the heat block so that when the ice cube tray is
filled with water, ice forms from the surface of the ice cube tray
in contact with the heat block.
2. The method of making ice of claim 1, wherein the heat pipe
contains a refrigerant.
3. The method of making ice of claim 1, wherein the heat block
comprises a solid material with a thermal conductivity of at least
0.01 cal/s*cm*C.degree..
4. The method of making ice of claim 1, wherein the heat block is
insulated everywhere except for a surface which is in contact with
the ice cube tray.
5. The method of making ice of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger
comprises fins comprised of a solid material with a thermal
conductivity of at least 0.01 cal/s*cm*C.degree..
6. The method of making ice of claim 1, and further comprising
removing ice formed in the ice cube tray and breaking off or
melting away a piece of ice containing impurities formed in a
cavity of the ice cube tray by water that is last to freeze.
7. A method of assembling an ice making machine, the method
comprising: mounting a heat pipe in a refrigerator so that a first
end of the heat pipe is in a freezer compartment and a second end
of the heat pipe is in a refrigerator compartment; mounting a heat
exchanger on the first end of the heat pipe in the freezer
compartment; mounting a heat block on the second end of the heat
pipe in the refrigerator compartment; and mounting an ice cube tray
on the heat block, the ice cube tray and the heat block being
configured so that when the ice cube tray is filled with water, ice
forms from the surface of the ice cube tray in contact with the
heat block.
8. The method of assembling an ice making machine of claim 7,
wherein the heat pipe contains a refrigerant.
9. The method of assembling an ice making machine of claim 7,
wherein the heat block comprises a solid material with a thermal
conductivity of at least 0.01 cal/s*cm*C.degree..
10. The method of assembling an ice making machine of claim 7,
wherein the heat block is insulated everywhere except for a surface
which is in contact with the ice cube tray.
11. The method of assembling an ice making machine of claim 7,
wherein the heat exchanger comprises fins comprised of a solid
material with a thermal conductivity of at least 0.01
cal/s*cm*C.degree..
12. The method of assembling an ice making machine of claim 7,
wherein molds for ice cubes in the ice cube tray contain a cavity
in which water that freezes last forms a piece of ice such that the
piece can be broken off or melted from clear, pure ice formed in
the ice cube tray.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser.
No. 13/675,476 filed Nov. 13, 2012 for "Clear Ice Making Machine"
by William G. Nelson.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Traditionally, making ice cubes at home includes filling the
molds in an ice cube tray with water and placing the ice cube tray
in a freezer compartment of a refrigerator. The temperature of the
freezer compartment is typically much lower than 32 degrees
Fahrenheit. The temperature in the freezer compartment causes the
water in the molds to freeze. Initial freezing occurs at the outer
surfaces. As a result, air and other gases are trapped in the ice,
resulting in cloudy ice cubes. Any impurities in the water are also
trapped in the ice, adding to the cloudiness of the ice cubes.
[0003] Currently, there are clear ice making systems that allow
water to come in contact with a cold surface. The cold surface is
either the evaporator part of a refrigeration system or a surface
in thermal contact with the evaporator. Ice forms on the cold
surface and grows in a direction relatively perpendicular to the
surface. This method does not trap air and other gases and thus
results in clear ice formation. However, a heat source is necessary
to warm the cold surface in order to harvest the ice.
SUMMARY
[0004] In one embodiment, a clear ice making machine includes a
heat pipe that extends between a freezer compartment and a
refrigerator compartment. The heat pipe has a first end in the
freezer compartment and a second end in the refrigerator
compartment. A heat exchanger is located in the freezer compartment
and is in contact with the first end of the heat pipe. A heat block
is located in the refrigerator compartment and is in contact with
the second end of the heat pipe. A removable ice cube tray is
mounted on the heat block with a surface in contact with the heat
block such that when the removable ice cube tray is filled with
water, ice forms from the surface of the removable ice cube tray in
contact with the block.
[0005] In another embodiment, a method of making clear ice includes
filling an ice cube tray with water. Heat is exchanged between a
heat exchanger and a first end of a heat pipe located in a freezer
compartment. Heat is exchanged between a heat block and a second
end of the heat pipe located in a refrigerator compartment. An ice
cube tray is mounted on the heat block so that when the ice cube
tray is filled with water, ice forms from the surface of the ice
cube tray in contact with the heat block.
[0006] In another embodiment, a method of assembling a clear ice
making machine includes mounting a heat pipe in a refrigerator so
that a first end of the heat pipe is in a freezer compartment and a
second end of the heat pipe is in a refrigerator compartment. A
heat exchanger is mounted on the first end of the heat pipe in the
freezer compartment. A heat block is mounted on the second end of
the heat pipe in the refrigerator compartment. An ice cube tray is
mounted on the heat block. The ice cube tray and the heat block are
configured so that when the ice cube tray is filled with water, ice
forms from the surface of the ice cube tray in contact with the
heat block.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the clear ice making
machine.
[0008] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the clear ice making
machine.
[0009] FIG. 3 is an alternate perspective view of the clear ice
making machine in a side-by-side refrigerator.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the clear ice making machine
with a single heat pipe.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of one embodiment of the
ice cube tray of the clear ice making machine.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] The present invention provides a clear ice making machine, a
method of using the clear ice making machine, and a method of
assembling the clear ice making machine. In particular, the present
invention grows ice cubes in an ice cube tray from the surface of
the ice cube tray in contact with a block containing at least one
heat pipe, allowing air to be pushed out from the ice in the tray
as the ice forms, resulting in clear ice. The present invention
allows clear ice to be made in a conventional refrigerator and is
independent from the refrigeration system of a conventional
refrigerator. The present invention can be made with no moving
parts, or it can be fully automated. The present invention can be
installed in an existing refrigerator with a freezer compartment.
Alternatively, a refrigerator can be manufactured to include the
present invention.
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of clear ice making machine 10.
Clear ice making machine 10 includes heat exchanger 12 with heat
exchanger fins 14, freezer insulation 16 with freezer compartment
side 18 and refrigerator compartment side 20, heat pipe 22, heat
block 24, and ice cube tray 26 with ice cube molds 28.
[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of clear ice making machine 10.
Heat exchanger 12 of clear ice making machine 10 further includes
heat exchanger bores 30. Freezer insulation 16 further includes
freezer insulation bores 32. Heat block 24 further includes heat
block bores 34 and tray contact sides 36 and 38. Ice cube tray 26
further includes heat block contact sides 40 and 42.
[0015] Heat exchanger 12 of clear ice making machine 10 is located
in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator, on freezer
compartment side 18 of freezer insulation 16. Heat block 24 is
located in the refrigerator compartment of a refrigerator, on
refrigerator compartment side 20 of freezer insulation 16. Heat
pipe 22 passes through one of freezer insulation bores 32 in
freezer insulation 16, with one end on freezer compartment side 18
and another on refrigerator compartment side 20 of freezer
insulation 16. Heat pipe 22 fits into one of heat exchanger bores
30 such that heat pipe 22 is in contact with heat exchanger 12.
Heat pipe 22 also fits into one of heat block bores 34 such that
heat pipe 22 is in contact with heat block 24.
[0016] Ice is formed in ice cube tray 26 of clear ice making
machine 10. Ice cube tray 26 is removable from clear ice making
machine 10, which allows ice harvest without a source of heat to
detach the ice from the cooling device. Ice cube tray 26 can be
made of plastic molded parts or parts made of a thermally
conductive material. In alternative embodiments, ice cube tray can
be made of injection molded parts, vacuum molded parts, rotomolded
parts, or any other suitable alternative. Ice cube tray 26 is
filled with water and subsequently mounted to heat block 24. When
ice cube tray 26 is mounted on heat block 24, heat block contact
sides 40 and 42 of ice cube tray 26 and tray contact sides 36 and
38 of heat block 24 are in thermal contact.
[0017] Heat exchanger 12 cools heat pipe 22. Heat exchanger 12 may
be made of copper, aluminum, stainless steel, or any other suitable
material with a thermal conductivity of at least 0.01
cal/s*cm*C.degree.. In one embodiment, heat exchanger 12 includes
heat exchanger fins 14. In another embodiment, heat exchanger 12
may contain a pool of eutectic material such as a glycol mixture,
which allows for a higher rate of heat transfer between heat
exchanger 12 and heat pipe 22.
[0018] Heat pipe 22 may be made of any suitable material with a
thermal conductivity of at least 0.01 cal/s*cm*C.degree. and
contains a refrigerant, which can be a high pressure refrigerant
such as 134a refrigerant. Heat pipe 22 cools heat block 24 such
that heat is transferred between tray contact sides 36 and 38 of
heat block 24 and heat block contact sides 40 and 42 of ice cube
tray 26. Tray contact sides 36 and 38 of heat block 24 may be
dovetail shaped, optimizing thermal contact with heat block contact
sides 40 and 42 of ice cube tray 26. A dovetail shape also allows
ice cube tray 26 to be easily mounted onto heat block 24. Heat
block 24 may be made of copper, aluminum, stainless steel, or any
other suitable material with a thermal conductivity of at least
0.01 cal/s*cm*C.degree.. Heat block 24 may also be insulated on
non-contact surfaces to reduce heat transfer to those surfaces,
increasing overall heat transfer efficiency of clear ice making
machine 10.
[0019] When heat is transferred between heat block 24 and ice cube
tray 26, ice begins to form laterally in ice cube molds 28 from
heat block contact sides 40 and 42 of ice cube tray 26. This occurs
because significant heat transfer only occurs at heat block contact
sides 40 and 42 of ice cube tray 26. In a traditional ice cube tray
in a freezer section of a refrigerator, water in the molds of an
ice cube tray starts to freeze at the outer surfaces of each mold,
trapping any air and impurities in the water within, resulting in
cloudy ice cubes. Lateral ice formation in ice cube tray 26 allows
air to escape during ice formation, preventing cloudiness due to
trapped air. Additionally, lateral ice formation in ice cube tray
26 allows impurities to escape. As a result, only the last of the
water to freeze in molds 28 of ice cube tray 26 contains
impurities, thus only a small piece of each ice cube may be cloudy
and impure.
[0020] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of clear ice making machine 110
in a side-by-side refrigerator. Clear ice making machine 110
includes heat exchanger 112 with heat exchanger fins 114, freezer
insulation 116 with freezer compartment side 118 and refrigerator
compartment side 120, heat pipe 122, heat block, 124, ice cube tray
126, and heat pipe insulation 144. Heat pipe 122 passes through
freezer insulation 116, and insulation 144 prevents heat pipe 122
from losing thermal efficiency in a refrigerator compartment.
[0021] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of clear ice making machine
210. Clear ice making machine 210 includes heat exchanger 212 with
heat exchanger fins 214, freezer insulation 216 with freezer
compartment side 218 and refrigerator side 220, heat pipe 222, heat
block 224, and ice cube tray 226 with ice cube molds 228. Heat
block 224 further includes tray contact sides 236 and 238. Ice cube
tray 226 further includes heat block contact sides 240 and 242.
[0022] Clear ice making machine 210 requires only one heat pipe
222. Heat pipe 222 passes through a single bore in freezer
insulation 216, minimizing need for modification of freezer
insulation 216 in a refrigerator. One end of heat pipe 222 extends
along the length of heat exchanger 212 and the other end of heat
pipe 222 extends along the length of heat block 224. This allows
for heat transfer to efficiently occur between tray contact sides
236 and 238 of heat block 224 and heat block contact sides 240 and
242 of ice cube tray 226. Ice forms laterally in ice cube molds 228
from heat block contact sides 240 and 242 of ice cube tray 226,
resulting in formation of clear ice cubes in each of molds 228.
[0023] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of one embodiment of ice
cube tray 326. Ice cube tray 326 includes ice cube molds 328 and
heat block contact sides 340 and 342. Ice cube tray 326 also
includes cavity 350, water level 352, ice 354, and water 356. Ice
354 in ice cube molds 328 is formed laterally from heat block
contact sides 340 and 342 of ice cube tray 326.
[0024] Lateral formation of ice 354 in ice cube tray 326 allows air
to escape during ice formation, preventing cloudiness due to
trapped air. Additionally, lateral formation of ice 354 in ice cube
tray 326 allows impurities to escape. As a result, only the last of
water 356 to freeze in molds 328 of ice cube tray 326 contains
impurities. The last of water 356 to freeze in molds 328 of ice
cube tray 326 freezes in cavity 350, forming an ice chip containing
any impurities of water 356. Therefore, when an ice cube is removed
from molds 328, the impure and cloudy ice chip formed in cavity 350
can be easily broken off or melted from ice 354, resulting in a
completely clear and pure ice cube.
[0025] While the invention has been described with reference to an
exemplary embodiment(s), it will be understood by those skilled in
the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be
substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope
of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to
adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the
invention without departing from the essential scope thereof.
Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the
particular embodiment(s) disclosed, but that the invention will
include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended
claims.
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