U.S. patent application number 15/993032 was filed with the patent office on 2018-09-27 for on-door ice maker cooling.
The applicant listed for this patent is Whirlpool Corporation. Invention is credited to Patrick J. Boarman, Gregory Gene Hortin, Mark E. Thomas.
Application Number | 20180274828 15/993032 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49382309 |
Filed Date | 2018-09-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180274828 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Boarman; Patrick J. ; et
al. |
September 27, 2018 |
ON-DOOR ICE MAKER COOLING
Abstract
A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a refrigerator
compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, a
refrigerator compartment door for providing access to the
refrigerator compartment, an ice maker on the refrigerator
compartment door, a thermoelectric cooler associated with the ice
maker and operatively connected to the refrigerator compartment
door, the thermoelectric cooler having a first side and an opposite
second side, and a cooling loop operatively connected to the
refrigerator compartment door and configured for cooling the
thermoelectric cooler.
Inventors: |
Boarman; Patrick J.;
(Evansville, IN) ; Hortin; Gregory Gene;
(Henderson, KY) ; Thomas; Mark E.; (Corydon,
IN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Whirlpool Corporation |
Benton Harbor |
MI |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
49382309 |
Appl. No.: |
15/993032 |
Filed: |
May 30, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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14932339 |
Nov 4, 2015 |
10018384 |
|
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15993032 |
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|
13691878 |
Dec 3, 2012 |
9182157 |
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14932339 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25C 5/182 20130101;
F25D 17/02 20130101; F25B 21/02 20130101; F25D 23/04 20130101; F25C
2400/10 20130101; F25D 23/028 20130101; F25C 1/04 20130101; F25B
25/005 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F25B 21/02 20060101
F25B021/02; F25D 23/02 20060101 F25D023/02; F25C 1/04 20060101
F25C001/04; F25B 25/00 20060101 F25B025/00; F25D 17/02 20060101
F25D017/02 |
Claims
1. A refrigerator comprising: a refrigerator cabinet having a
refrigerator cabinet and a refrigerator compartment door; an ice
maker within the refrigerator compartment; a thermoelectric device
including a warm side and a cold side operably connected to the
refrigerator compartment door; the thermoelectric device thermally
associated with the ice maker; and a liquid cooling loop
operatively connected to the refrigerator compartment door and
having a plurality of channels; wherein the liquid cooling loop is
configured to cool the warm side of the thermoelectric device.
2. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the plurality of channels
are substantially parallel.
3. The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising liquid cooling
media within the cooling loop.
4. The refrigerator of claim 3 wherein the liquid cooling media
comprises at least one of glycol or water.
5. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the cooling loop further
provides for heating water to provide heated water.
6. The refrigerator of claim 5 further comprising a dispenser on
the refrigerator compartment door adapted to dispense the heated
water.
7. The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising an ice storage
bucket operatively connected to the refrigerator compartment door
and a pathway conveying ice from the ice maker to the ice storage
bucket.
8. The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising a fluid pump
operatively connected to the cooling loop for circulating cooling
media through the fluid loop.
9. The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising a fan at the
refrigerator compartment door for circulating air to and from the
refrigerator compartment in manner that alters temperature of the
air.
10. The refrigerator of claim 9 wherein the temperature is
reduced.
11. The refrigerator of claim 9 wherein the temperature is
increased.
12. The refrigerator of claim 11 further comprising a heat sink and
wherein the fan circulates the air by the heat sink to increase the
temperature of the air.
13. The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising a second
refrigerator compartment door and wherein the refrigerator
compartment door and the second refrigerator compartment door are
French doors.
14. The refrigerator of claim 13 further comprising a freezer
compartment disposed below the refrigerator compartment.
15. The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising a hinge
operatively connected between the refrigerator compartment door and
the refrigerator cabinet and wherein the cooling loop contains
cooling media, with no cooling media crossing the hinge.
16. A method of making ice on a door of a refrigerator, the method
comprising: cooling a surface of an ice maker disposed on a
refrigerator door by using a cool side of a thermoelectric cooler
that is thermally connected to the ice maker and is disposed on the
refrigerator door; circulating liquid cooling media through a
liquid cooling loop thermally associated with the thermoelectric
cooler, the liquid cooling loop having plurality of channels to
cool a warm side of the thermoelectric cooler.
17. The method of claim 16 further comprising cooling water by
circulating the liquid cooling media through the liquid cooling
loop.
18. The method of claim 16 further comprising heating water or ice
by circulating the liquid cooling media through the liquid cooling
loop.
19. The method of claim 16 wherein the refrigerator further
comprises a fan associated with the refrigerator compartment door
and further comprising altering temperature in the refrigerator
compartment door using the fan.
20. A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet having a door and a
refrigerator compartment; an ice maker on door; a liquid cooled
thermoelectric cooler with a warm side and a cool side and
thermally associated with the ice maker and operatively connected
to the refrigerator compartment door; and a heat transfer plate
having a plurality of fins configured to transfer heat from the
warm side of the liquid cooled thermoelectric cooler to liquid
passing between the plurality of fins.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to and is a continuation of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/932,339, filed on Nov. 4, 2015,
entitled "ON-DOOR ICE MAKER COOLING". U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 14/932,339 is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 13/691,878, filed on Dec. 3, 2012, entitled "ON-DOOR ICE MAKER
COOLING," now U.S. Pat. No. 9,182,157, the disclosures of which are
hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to ice makers. More
particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to
cooling an ice maker on a door of a refrigerator.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Refrigerators have long provided for making ice. Some
refrigerators include ice makers on a door of the fresh food
compartment. Yet, problems remain with cooling the ice makers and
or ice storage bins. What is needed is a refrigerator which
provides for on the door ice maker cooling.
SUMMARY
[0004] Therefore, it is a primary object, feature, or advantage of
the present invention to improve over the state of the art.
[0005] It is a further object, feature, or advantage of the present
invention to provide a refrigerator which provides for on the door
cooling.
[0006] Yet another object, feature, or advantage of the present
invention is to provide a refrigerator which may make clear
ice.
[0007] 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.
[0008] According to one aspect, a refrigerator is provided. The
refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a refrigerator
compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, a
refrigerator compartment door for providing access to the
refrigerator compartment, an ice maker on the refrigerator
compartment door, a thermoelectric device associated with the ice
maker and operatively connected to the refrigerator compartment
door, the thermoelectric device having a warm side and a cool side,
and a cooling loop operatively connected to the refrigerator
compartment door and configured for cooling the thermoelectric
cooler. The refrigerator may further include a heat sink thermally
coupled with one of the first side and the opposite second side.
There may be cooling media within the cooling loop such as glycol
and/or water. The cooling loop may further provide for heating
water to provide heated water. The refrigerator may further include
a dispenser on the refrigerator compartment door and adapted to
dispense the heated water.
[0009] According to another aspect, a method of making ice on a
door of a refrigerator is provided. The method includes providing a
refrigerator, the refrigerator having a refrigerator cabinet, a
refrigerator compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet,
a refrigerator compartment door for providing access to the
refrigerator compartment, an ice maker on the refrigerator
compartment door, a thermoelectric cooler associated with the ice
maker and operatively connected to the refrigerator compartment
door, the thermoelectric cooler having a warm side and a cool side,
and a cooling loop operatively connected to the refrigerator
compartment door. The method further provides for cooling a surface
associated with the ice maker using the cool side of the
thermoelectric cooler. The method further provides for circulating
cooling media through the cooling loop to cool the warm side of the
thermoelectric cooler. The method may further include cooling water
by circulating the cooling media through the cooling loop. The
method may further include heating water or ice by circulating the
cooling media through the cooling loop. The refrigerator may
further include a fan associated with the refrigerator compartment
door and further comprising altering temperature in the
refrigerator compartment door using the fan.
[0010] According to another aspect, a refrigerator is provided. The
refrigerator may include a refrigerator cabinet, a refrigerator
compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, a
refrigerator compartment door for providing access to the
refrigerator compartment, an ice maker on the refrigerator
compartment door, and a fluid cooled thermoelectric cooler
associated with the ice maker and operatively connected to the
refrigerator compartment door.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one example of a
refrigerator of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the refrigerator of FIG. 1
with the French doors in an open position.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one example of an ice maker
of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 4 is an end view of the ice maker of FIG. 3.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a side view of the ice maker of FIG. 3.
[0016] FIG. 6 is an end view of the ice maker showing an inlet and
outlet for the fluid loop.
[0017] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the ice maker.
[0018] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating one example of a fluid
loop.
[0019] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating another example of a fluid
loop.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] 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, 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.
[0021] 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.
[0022] 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. The fluid line 48 comprises a
plurality of channels 51 at least partially separated by a
plurality of fins 53. 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. The
heat may be provided through the thermoelectric cooler or through
warm fluid through the fluid line 48.
[0023] FIG. 6 is an end view of the ice maker 32. The ice maker 32
has a fluid inlet 60 and a fluid outlet 62 for the fluid loop.
[0024] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the ice maker 32. The ice
maker 32 has a flex grid 70 which sits inside a molded tray wall
72. A tray cold plate 40 is also shown along with a gasket 74 with
openings for thermoelectric devices 46. A transfer plate 76 is also
provided as is a transfer cover 78 and a seal 80 for sealing the
transfer cover 78 to the transfer plate 76. A harvest assembly 82
is shown which may be used for harvesting ice from the ice maker
32.
[0025] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating one example of a fluid loop
88 through the ice maker 32 with thermo electric coolers 46. Fluid
is received through the fluid inlet 60 for cooling the thermo
electric coolers 46. As a result of the cooling process the
temperature of the fluid increases so that fluid leaving the ice
maker 32 at the fluid outlet 62 may be warm. A pump 90 may be
placed within the fluid loop 88 to pump the fluid through the fluid
loop 88. A heat exchanger 92 is provided which provides for
removing heat from the fluid in the fluid loop 88. Heat may be
removed in any number of ways. For example, a fan may be used to
drive cooling air from any number of sources to cool fluid within
the fluid loop 88, although any number of types and configurations
of heat exchangers may be used.
[0026] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating another example of a fluid
loop 88 through the ice maker 32 with thermo electric coolers 46.
Fluid such as water is received through the fluid inlet 60 for
cooling the thermo electric coolers 46. As a result of the cooling
process the temperature of the fluid increases so that fluid
leaving the ice maker 32 at the fluid outlet 62 may be warm. A
valve 94 is shown which allows for the warm fluid to be released to
a water dispenser or otherwise. It is to be understood that the
warm fluid is not necessarily hot but may be, for example, room
temperature. Thus, room temperature water may be dispensed for
drinking or other purposes without needing to provide additional
heating or else the warm water may be further heated using only a
limited amount of additional energy to provide an even higher
temperature. Thus, energy savings can be achieved in this way as
well. The valve 94 which may be electronically controlled allows a
portion of the warm water to be directed to the water dispenser or
otherwise and a remaining portion of the water to be circulated to
the heat exchanger 92. Because water may be removed from the fluid
loop 88 at the valve 94, another valve 96 is provided which allows
for additional fluid to be added to the system. The valve 96 as
shown is positioned after the heat exchanger 92, although depending
upon temperature of fluid being added, fluid could be added
elsewhere in the loop 88.
[0027] Thus, the present invention provides for using a
thermoelectric cooler to be used in making ice. The ice maker may
reside in the refrigerator compartment at above freezing
temperature, particularly where clear ice is desired.
Alternatively, the ice maker may reside in the freezer
compartment.
[0028] Therefore, a refrigerator which provides for on the door
cooling has been provided. The present invention contemplates
numerous variations including the number and placement of
thermoelectric coolers where used, the manner in which fluid
cooling is used, the type of cooling fluid, 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.
* * * * *