GB2189016A - Ice-maker - Google Patents
Ice-maker Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2189016A GB2189016A GB08708027A GB8708027A GB2189016A GB 2189016 A GB2189016 A GB 2189016A GB 08708027 A GB08708027 A GB 08708027A GB 8708027 A GB8708027 A GB 8708027A GB 2189016 A GB2189016 A GB 2189016A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- freezing
- ice
- water
- cycle
- evaporator
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- F25C1/00—Producing ice
- F25C1/08—Producing ice by immersing freezing chambers, cylindrical bodies or plates into water
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- F25C1/00—Producing ice
- F25C1/18—Producing ice of a particular transparency or translucency, e.g. by injecting air
- F25C1/20—Producing ice of a particular transparency or translucency, e.g. by injecting air by agitation
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- F25C5/00—Working or handling ice
- F25C5/02—Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice
- F25C5/04—Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice without the use of saws
- F25C5/08—Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice without the use of saws by heating bodies in contact with the ice
- F25C5/10—Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice without the use of saws by heating bodies in contact with the ice using hot refrigerant; using fluid heated by refrigerant
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Thermal Sciences (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Production, Working, Storing, Or Distribution Of Ice (AREA)
Abstract
An ice maker produces high clarity individual ice pieces by forming ice on the fingers 7 of an evaporator 5 whilst a paddle (12) disturbs the surface of the body of water in which the fingers are immersed. The paddle blade (12) penetrates the water surface at a low rate of penetration typically of less than 10 penetrations per minute so as efficiently to remove entrained air and produce the desired high degree of ice clarity. A separate temperature sensing probe (not shown) senses temperature in the suction line 10 and is calibrated to actuate commutation means (not shown) to shift to a defrost cycle upon sensing a temperature (eg 20 DEG ) predetermined as indicative of adequate ice formation. A timer may alternatively be used to cause operation of the defrost cycle. The orientation of fingers 7 allows ice formations on release from fingers 7 to 9 elevate to the water surface as a result of their buoyancy. <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
Ice-maker
The invention relates to ice makers (ie apparatus for freezing water to form blocks of ice).
The invention is particularly but not exclusively concerned with ice makers in which production of ice formations of a desired size (indicating completion of a freezing cycle) is detected by indirect means rather than by obstruction to the movement of such means as a paddle in a body of water contained by the ice maker.
Ice is very commonly used in keeping food such as butter cool after serving and, more importantly, for cooling fish (such as on display at point of sale) and drinks (such as beverages) either by contact with a bottle or like container containing the drink or by addition of ice pieces to the drink itself. Apparatus for producing such ice in chunk or piece form are therefore in great demand both for domestic use and to a greater extent for use in service establishments such as restaurants, bars and hotels.
Ice can, of course, be produced by freezing relatively large bodies of water to form blocks of such size that disintegration by mechanical means such as hammering is practical to produce chunks or pieces of sizes suitable for the use intended (eg addition to a glass of beverage). This method is, however, inefficient and inconvenient. A large body of water tends to insulate itself so that internal regions remain unfrozen for considerable time giving rise to delay and excessive energy requirements. A large ice block is also difficult and labour-intensive to disintegrate manually and disintegration is messy and results in chunks undesirably varied in size and shape. Voltage cutting grids avoid these problems to some extent but still represents an inconvenient second stage in an overall inefficient procedure and, of course, adds to equipment and energy costs.
Ice is accordingly made primarily in apparatus which freezes water so as directly to form chunks or pieces of desired shape and size, both being generally uniform as between one piece and another.
One apparatus of this kind comprises a vessel equipped with controlled water-supply means. The vessel has an open top through which an evaporator assembly connected to a refrigerant supply extends. The evaporator comprises a plurality of downwardly extending finger-like elongate members each supplied with refrigerant and extending in use into a body of water contained in the vessel. Water in contact with fingers freezes on finger surfaces forming a shell of ice with the finger forming a core of an otherwise holiow ice formation. A paddle sweeping through the water surface snags on the ice formations when they reach a predetermined size and thereby activates a microswitch causing motors to lower the vessel, so that the fingers are withdrawn from the water in the vessel, and displaces the vessel laterally.Hot gas is then supplied through the refrigerant supply system in a reverse refrigeration cycle so that the icefinger interfaces are broken allowing the ice formations to fall from the fingers into a receptacle. Thereafter, the evaporator and paddle is placedback into water in the vessel and the cycle repeated. In order to throw the microswitch, the paddle must come to an abrupt halt and for this purpose, it is rotated fairly quickly, typically at a speed of about 60rpm.
Apart from the requirements of ice makers already specified above and the need for production speed, it is highly desirable to be able to produce ice formations which have a high level of optical clarity since clear ice is considered desirable, particularly for use in cooling beverages such as alcoholic drinks. It has been found that formation of high clarity ice is assisted by ensuring that the body of water in which an evaporator operates is kept dynamic rather than still. A paddle such as in the ice making apparatus referred to above may enable ice clarity to be achieved. However, in that apparatus, the paddle is operative continuously and at a fast rate. The use of paddles for the above purpose thus is known but has not been used effectively in the context of fingertype evaporator ice makers.
According to the invention, apparatus for production of ice pieces comprises a reservoir for containing a body of water, an evaporator for effecting freezing of water, said evaporator including at least one freezing member (eg an elongate member in the form, for example, of a right circular cylindrical member) and being coupled to a refrigerant supply for performing a freezing cycle and a defrost medium supply for performing a defrost cycle, and means for agitating the body of water so that ice formed by the evaporator is clear, the freezing member(s) of the evaporator in operation of the apparatus forming an ice formation over its surface and being so oriented that the formation, on release from the member by the defrost cycle, separates from the member as a single piece and by its buoyancy elevates to the surface of the body of water for harvesting.
In a second aspect, the invention includes within its scope a method of producing ice which method comprises operating a freezing cycle with respect to apparatus as just defined above whilst disturbing or agitating the surface of the water, for example with a paddle conveniently operating at a speed of rotation such that a paddle blade penetrates the water surface at a rate of less than 15 times per minute (eg 10 times or less per minute).
Penetration will be by a small amount in general, eg less than 25 mm and more than 5mm (eg 15mm). The freezing cycle is followed by a reverse refrigeration cycle or other method of effecting removal and flotation of formed ice, during which the paddle mav be stopped.
The evaporation will conveniently comprise a plurality of freezing members, numbering for example four or more.
A plurality of members may be used. For example, several evaporators of eg five freezing members each, may be juxtaposed in the reservoir.
The elongate freezing members will generally take the form of vertical fingers but it is possible to provide members which deviate from verticality without preventing upward flotation of ice pieces to the water surface for harvesting.
Water agitation may be achieved by a variety of a means. Preferably, however, agitation is effected by means of a driven paddle disposed to penetrate the water surface by rotation of one or more blades thereof (usually a single blade) and in so doing also harvest the floating ice pices by conveying them to an extremity of the reservoir and into a receptacle. An electrically driven paddle is most convenient. The paddle will typically rotate at a slow speed of less than 15rpm, preferably not more than 10rpm.
For ease of manufacture, the evaporator (or evaporators) is disposed in the reservoir without penetrating its walls. A perforated wall vessel received in the reservoir has the evaporator freezing members received through its wall (eg base) and secured in place by means such as brazing or soldering in the case of an evaportor made of copper or copper alloy.
The vessel serves to confine floating ice pieces to a region where a paddle or other means of water agitation can operate without restriction by refrigerant supply/defrost medium lines feeding the evaporator. Whilst this can be avoided in the alternative by perforating the reservoir walls, this leads to greater manufacturing problems, particularly due to the need to provide reliable sealing of the reservoir at the points of penetration.
In a particular embodiment of the invention, an ice making apparatus comprises a first open-topped vessel for containing a body of water in water-tight fashion, a second opentopped vessel disposed within the first and communicating therewith so as to receive water therefrom in use, at least one evaporation disposed with upright elongate freezing members thereof received through a base of the second vessel, lines for supply of refrigerant and defrost medium (eg hot gas) to said freezing members, said lines coupling to the evaporator without penetration the open top of the second vessel, water supply means for supply of water to the first vessel of the apparatus and means for agitating the water surface within the open top of the second vessel and to sweep floating ice formations to and past an extremity of the second vessel.
The following is a specific description intended to illustrate an embodiment of the invention, by way of example only, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 shows the apparatus in perspective view;
Figure 2 is a different view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 showing components not shown in
Fig. 1 but with other components omitted in the interests of simplicity;
Figure 3 shows part of the apparatus of Fig.
1 in more detail and on a slightly enlarged scale; and
Figure 4 is a block diagram showing a refrigeration system incorporating the invention, one refrigerant circuit being shown in solid lines and an alternative form which the circuit may take being shown in dotted lines.
The ice making apparatus shown in the drawings comprises a copper, stainless steel or plastics water-tight vessel 1 having an open top 2. A second copper or stainless steel vessel 3 is disposed within vessel 1 and has an open top 4.
Four evaporators (one only shown) shown generally at 5 are disposed side-by-side in series within vessel 1. Each has a tubular base 6 coupling in series five upright fingers 7. The fingers 7 are received through the base of vessel 3, perforations (Fig. 2) being provided therein for this purpose. Spot brazing (not shown) secures the base 6 to the outer surface of the base of vessel 3. Copper supply lines 8 and 9 respectively provide for regrigerant and hot gas supply as shown in Fig.
4 also, to the fingers 7 in freezing and defrost cyles, respectively according to the state of a control switch serving for commutation, line 8 being a capiliary copper line whilst line 9 is copper line of 3.175mm inside diameter. Suction line 10 of 6.35mm inside diameter copper tubing couples to an opposed end of the series of fingers to the two supply lines 8 and 9 and connects its respective evaporator in series to the next a to a compressor (not shown). All three lines pass through the open top 2 of vessel 1 in the space between the wall of vessel 1 and that of vessel 3 whereby the water surface confined by the open top of vessel 3 is not interrupted.
A shallow ridge or similar member (not shown) may be provided on the underside of the base of vessel 3 so that it sits stably and horizontally having regard to the thickness of tubular base 6 disposed between the two vessels.
Paddle 11 has blade 12 and is driven in rotation on shaft 13 by electrical power means (not shown), blade 12 penetrating the water surface in use.
Ball vale 14 perforates the side wall of vessel 1 (Fig. 2) and comprises a float 15, a cantilever support arm 16 and an inlet orifice (not shown) for water entry.
In use, water supply enters vessel 1 via ball valve 14 and enters vessel 3 through the finger-receiving perforation previously referred to.
When adequate water is present, ball valve 14 ceases further supply. A refrigeration cycle is commenced by supply of refrigerant to evaporator 5 via line 8 from a remote compressor (not shown). At the same time, paddle 11 is operated so that its blades 12 agitate the water surface and upper regions of the body of water thus producing water flow also in the region of fingers 5. The rate of water penetration by blade 12 is slow, typically around 8 penetrations per minute, in order to remove air efficiently and enhance ice clarity. Ice formations form on each of the fingers 7 as shown in Fig. 3. After a time predetermined as adequate to produce ice formations of adequate size, the refrigeration cycle is reversed (ie hot gas defrost medium is supplied to fingers 7 via line 9).The increased surface temperature of fingers 7 releases the ice formations from the fingers, the released ice formations floating to the surface of the body of water by virtue of their own buoyancy. Blades 12 of paddle 11 convey the ice formations to the common edge of vessels 1 and 3 and, after a build-up of ice pieces, the ice pieces fall over the edge into a receptable (not shown). Upon separation of ice formations from fingers 7 (the duration of the defrost cycle being predetermined to achieve this), a further freezing cycle is commenced to produce further ice. The two cycles continue in alternation continuously or until a desired level of ice production is achieved.
The duration of the freezing and reverse refrigeration cycles referred to and commutation between them may be controlled by an electronic timer (not shown) calibrated for particular use conditions so as to produce ice formations of a predetermined size and to effect their removal into the body of water. Such control is, however, peferably effected on the basis of temperature sensing as illustrated in
Fig. 4. Thus, a variable resistance temperature sensitive probe of a kind well-known in the art (not shown) is conveniently disposed in the flow path of suction line 10 or attached to its outer surface (in either case at a location upstream from the compressor) for sensing the temperature of refrigerant in the line.The sensor probe may be calibrated so as to signal at 20"F to a solenoid control valve or switch to cease the freezing cycle and commence the defrost cycle, the control valve serving as the commutation means referred to earlier for commutation between freezing and defrost.
Such control valve and its operation are wellknown in the art. Calibration of the probe is conveniently such that the control valve is actuated to commence a fresh freeze cycle (and to cease the defrost cycle) at a threshold temperature of 40"F.
As will be appreciated from Fig. 4, the temperature sensor senses temperature in line 10 and at the upper threshold closes the solenoid value or switch. In this condition, pressurized refrigerant issuing from the compressor is directed to the condenser via line 9 to the evaporator 5. As ice forms on fingers 7, the temperature of refrigerant issuing to line 10 decreases (as less heat is absorbed from the body of water in the vessel 3), when the 20"F lower threshold temperature is reached, the sensor responds with an electrical signal causing the solenoid valve to open. This opens a path of smaller resistance than that via the condenser with the result that refrigerant in line 10 (or from the compressor) passes as hot gas via the open solenoid valve to the evaporator 5 rather than through the condenser.The heat contained in the hot gas is given up to the evaporator (rather than the condenser) to effect release of ice formations from the fingers 7. The signal from the sensor to open the valve may also stop a fan (not shown) normally operating to dissipate heat from the condenser. Further commutation to a freeze cycle takes place when the temperature in line 10 has increased to 40"F.
The apparatus shown was found to produce very clear ice speedily and efficiently. At working environment and supply water temperatures of 50 and 60"F, respectively, it was found the 1.51bs approximately of ice pieces could be produced per hour (measured on a slightly modified apparatus having only fifteen fingers). If the paddle was not operated or operated at a conventional speed of about 60 rpm during freezing cycles, there was serious loss of ice clarity.
The invention as described without reference to the drawings may include any one or more features of the invention as described with reference to the drawings.
Included within the scope of the invention is ice-making apparatus of any of the forms defined herein in combination with an electrical control system operative to switch the cycle of the refrigeration between freezing and release after a desired time (eg by temperature sensing). Refrigerant and defrost media are thus run through the evaporator from souces not forming part of the apparatus itself in alternation according to a pre-set pattern, refrigeration cycles commencing once the ice formations separate from the fingers (or other freezing members) preferably assisted by their buoyancy, in the body of water in which the fingers are immersed. It will thus be appreciated that in all its forms the invention does not necessarily rely on the prior art principle of physically detecting the presence of an ice formation of a certain threshold size by its obstruction of a mechanical movement of an apparatus component such as a driven paddle.
Rather, the invention, in its preferred embodiments at least, utilizes the paddle for ice clar ity achievement only (whereby it can be driven at optimum slow speed) and achieves cycle commutation by other means.
Claims (27)
1. An apparatus for the production of ice pieces which apparatus comprises a reservoir for containing a body of water, an evaporator for effecting freezing of water, said evaporator including at least one freezing member disposed for immersion in said body of water and the evaporator being arranged for supply of refrigerant thereto from a source thereof for performing a freezing cycle; agitation means for agitating the body of water so that ice formed by the evaporator is clear, termination means for terminating the freezing cycle when the freezing cycle is complete and a desired extent of ice formation has taken place and means for determining when the said desired extent of ice formation has taken place (eg- by detecting a parameter representative thereof, other than a dimension thereof).
2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 which includes commutation means for alternating between the freezing cycle and a defrost cycle in which a defrost medium is supplied to a freezing member to effect release of ice formation thereon.
3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or
Claim 2 wherein the agitation means comprises a paddle which operates to disturb the surface of the body of water.
4. An apparatus as claimed in any on of
Claims 1 to 3 wherein the means for determining ice formation of a predetermined desired extent comprises timer means calibrated to actuate said termination means after a time lapse predetermined as representive of the predetermined desired extent of ice formation.
5. An apparatus as claimed in any one of
Claims 1 to 3 wherein the means for determining when the said desired extent of ice formation has taken place comprises temperature sensing means preferably sensing the temperature of the refrigerant.
6. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the temperature sensing means is disposed to sense the temperature of the refrigerant in a refrigerant line for flow of refrigerant from said evaporator.
7. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the refrigerant line is a suction line defining a downstream-directed flow path from a freezing member to a compressor.
8. An apparatus as claimed in any one of
Claims 5 to 7 wherein the temperature sensing means is calibrated to actuate means to cease the freezing cycle at a threshold temperature of from 15 to 30 (eg 15 to 25 ).
9. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the threshold temperature is about 20"F.
10. An apparatus as claimed in any one of
Claims 5 to 9 wherein the temperature sensing means acts to actuate commutation means for commutating from the freezing cycle to a defrost cycle.
11. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein means are provided to perform a defrost cycle comprising supplying a defrost medium comprising refrigerant material whose temperature is more than 0 C to said freezing members.
12. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein means are provided to perform a defrost cycle which comprises supplying a hot gas defrost medium to said freezing members.
13. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein temperature sensing means of the apparatus acts on commutation means to commutate from a defrost cycle to a freezing cycle.
14. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 13 wherein the temperature sensing means is disposed to sense refrigerant temperature and is calibrated to actuate said commutation means at a threshold temperature of from 35"F to 50"F (eg 35"F to 45"F).
15. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 14 wherein the threshold temperature is about 40"F.
16. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 13 wherein the temperature sensing means is disposed to sense defrost medium temperature and is calibrated to actuate said commutation means at a threshold temperature predetermined as representative of a condition in which the defrost cycle has caused release of ice formations from the evaporator.
17. An apparatus for the production of ice pieces which apparatus comprises a reservoir for containing a body of water, an evaporator for effecting freezing of water, said evaporator including at least one freezing member and being arranged for supply of refrigerant thereto for performing a freezing cycle and agitation means for agitating the body of water so that ice formed by the evaporator is clear, the apparatus forming an ice formation over the freezing member surfaces and the evaporator being so oriented that the formations, on release from the freezing member(s), separatefrom the member each as a single piece by its buoyancy and elevates to the surfaces of the body of water for harvesting.
18. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 17 which includes freezing cycle termination means and determination means as defined in
Claim 1.
19. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 18 wherein commutation means is provided for alternating between the freezing cycle and a defrost cycle in which a defrost medium is supplied to a freezing member to effect release of ice formation thereon.
20. An apparatus as claimed in any one of
Claims 13 to 15 wherein the determination means comprises timer means as defined in
Claim 4 or temperature sensing means as defined in any one of Claims 5 to 10.
21. An apparatus as claimed in any one df
Claims 17 to 20 wherein means as claimed in any one of Claims 11 to 16 are provided for performing a defrost cycle.
22. An apparatus for the production of ice pieces, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.
23. A method of producing high clarity ice pieces which method comprises disposing one or more freezing members in a body of water, performing a freezing cycle in relation to the freezing members to form ice formations thereon, terminating the freezing cycle when a desired level of ice formation is achieved, effecting removal of and harvesting said ice formations from said freezing members, characterized in that the body of water is rendered dynamic during at least part of said freezing cycle by paddle agitation means including one or more blades and operated such that a blade disturbs the surface of a the water by penetration it at a rate of less than 15 penetrations per minute (eg 3 to 10 per minute), said desired level of ice formation preferably being detected by detection of a threshold value for a parameter predetermined as representative of said desired level.
24. A method as claimed in Claim 23 wherein the freezing cycle alternates with a defrost cycle which releases interfacial bonding of the ice formations to the freezing members.
25. A method as claimed in Claim 24 wherein the defrost cycle is performed with the freezing members so disposed that on release of the ice formations said members and said formations are immersed in the body of water and said released formations elevate to the water surface under their own buoyancy.
26. A method of producing high clarity ice pieces, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.
27. Ice in piece form whenever obtained by a method as claimed in any one of Claims 23 to 26.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB868608269A GB8608269D0 (en) | 1986-04-04 | 1986-04-04 | Ice-maker |
GB868608951A GB8608951D0 (en) | 1986-04-12 | 1986-04-12 | Ice-maker |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
GB8708027D0 GB8708027D0 (en) | 1987-05-07 |
GB2189016A true GB2189016A (en) | 1987-10-14 |
GB2189016B GB2189016B (en) | 1991-03-27 |
Family
ID=26290586
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GB8708027A Expired - Lifetime GB2189016B (en) | 1986-04-04 | 1987-04-03 | Ice-maker |
GB9002027A Withdrawn GB2226874A (en) | 1986-04-04 | 1990-01-29 | Ice-maker |
Family Applications After (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GB9002027A Withdrawn GB2226874A (en) | 1986-04-04 | 1990-01-29 | Ice-maker |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
GB (2) | GB2189016B (en) |
Cited By (13)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0315284A1 (en) * | 1987-11-03 | 1989-05-10 | Ie Pe Ge B.V. | Apparatus for producing icecubes |
EP0453809A2 (en) * | 1990-04-14 | 1991-10-30 | Gaggenau-Werke Haus- und Lufttechnik GmbH | Device for producing clear ice lumps |
WO1998035192A1 (en) * | 1997-02-10 | 1998-08-13 | Gaggenau Hausgeräte Gmbh | Method and device for controlling the density of small pieces of ice |
FR2789160A1 (en) * | 1999-02-01 | 2000-08-04 | Sorema Srl | System for recovering ice/frost from water cooling system for bakery includes warming of evaporator's sides to detach ice, push it upwards using Archimedes' thrust where recovered at surface of water |
NL1030074C2 (en) * | 2005-10-01 | 2007-04-04 | Arie Dirk Cornelis Pronk | Forming objects such as sculptures or caves made from ice, comprises introducing pipes into volume of water and circulating coolant through the pipes |
US8695359B2 (en) | 2011-06-22 | 2014-04-15 | Whirlpool Corporation | Water circulation and drainage system for an icemaker |
US8756951B2 (en) | 2011-06-22 | 2014-06-24 | Whirlpool Corporation | Vertical ice maker producing clear ice pieces |
US8844314B2 (en) | 2011-06-22 | 2014-09-30 | Whirlpool Corporation | Clear ice making system and method |
US8919145B2 (en) | 2011-06-22 | 2014-12-30 | Whirlpool Corporation | Vertical ice maker with microchannel evaporator |
US8950197B2 (en) | 2011-06-22 | 2015-02-10 | Whirlpool Corporation | Icemaker with swing tray |
US9127871B2 (en) | 2011-06-22 | 2015-09-08 | Whirlpool Corporation | Ice making, transferring, storing and dispensing system for a refrigerator |
US9217596B2 (en) | 2010-04-28 | 2015-12-22 | Electrolux Home Products, Inc. | Mechanism for ice creation |
US10006688B2 (en) | 2006-10-31 | 2018-06-26 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Device and method for automatically producing clear ice, and refrigerator featuring such a device |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
BRPI0700975A (en) * | 2007-02-05 | 2008-09-23 | Whirlpool Sa | ice maker |
Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB1191381A (en) * | 1968-04-05 | 1970-05-13 | Ice Master Proprietary Ltd | Improvements in Automatic Ice-Making Machines. |
EP0000233A1 (en) * | 1977-06-27 | 1979-01-10 | Simkens, Alfons Paul Maria Livina | Apparatus for making ice blocks |
GB2013857A (en) * | 1978-02-02 | 1979-08-15 | Frimont Spa | Apparatus for the production of pieces of ice |
US4199956A (en) * | 1978-10-04 | 1980-04-29 | Lunde Howard L | Ice cube making machine |
GB1599296A (en) * | 1977-07-06 | 1981-09-30 | Brewster D L | Ice making machine |
-
1987
- 1987-04-03 GB GB8708027A patent/GB2189016B/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1990
- 1990-01-29 GB GB9002027A patent/GB2226874A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB1191381A (en) * | 1968-04-05 | 1970-05-13 | Ice Master Proprietary Ltd | Improvements in Automatic Ice-Making Machines. |
EP0000233A1 (en) * | 1977-06-27 | 1979-01-10 | Simkens, Alfons Paul Maria Livina | Apparatus for making ice blocks |
GB1599296A (en) * | 1977-07-06 | 1981-09-30 | Brewster D L | Ice making machine |
GB2013857A (en) * | 1978-02-02 | 1979-08-15 | Frimont Spa | Apparatus for the production of pieces of ice |
US4199956A (en) * | 1978-10-04 | 1980-04-29 | Lunde Howard L | Ice cube making machine |
Cited By (16)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0315284A1 (en) * | 1987-11-03 | 1989-05-10 | Ie Pe Ge B.V. | Apparatus for producing icecubes |
EP0453809A2 (en) * | 1990-04-14 | 1991-10-30 | Gaggenau-Werke Haus- und Lufttechnik GmbH | Device for producing clear ice lumps |
EP0453809A3 (en) * | 1990-04-14 | 1992-05-06 | Gaggenau-Werke Haus- Und Lufttechnik Gmbh. | Device for producing clear ice lumps and control circuit therefor |
WO1998035192A1 (en) * | 1997-02-10 | 1998-08-13 | Gaggenau Hausgeräte Gmbh | Method and device for controlling the density of small pieces of ice |
FR2789160A1 (en) * | 1999-02-01 | 2000-08-04 | Sorema Srl | System for recovering ice/frost from water cooling system for bakery includes warming of evaporator's sides to detach ice, push it upwards using Archimedes' thrust where recovered at surface of water |
NL1030074C2 (en) * | 2005-10-01 | 2007-04-04 | Arie Dirk Cornelis Pronk | Forming objects such as sculptures or caves made from ice, comprises introducing pipes into volume of water and circulating coolant through the pipes |
US10006688B2 (en) | 2006-10-31 | 2018-06-26 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Device and method for automatically producing clear ice, and refrigerator featuring such a device |
US9217596B2 (en) | 2010-04-28 | 2015-12-22 | Electrolux Home Products, Inc. | Mechanism for ice creation |
US8844314B2 (en) | 2011-06-22 | 2014-09-30 | Whirlpool Corporation | Clear ice making system and method |
US8919145B2 (en) | 2011-06-22 | 2014-12-30 | Whirlpool Corporation | Vertical ice maker with microchannel evaporator |
US8950197B2 (en) | 2011-06-22 | 2015-02-10 | Whirlpool Corporation | Icemaker with swing tray |
US9127871B2 (en) | 2011-06-22 | 2015-09-08 | Whirlpool Corporation | Ice making, transferring, storing and dispensing system for a refrigerator |
US8756951B2 (en) | 2011-06-22 | 2014-06-24 | Whirlpool Corporation | Vertical ice maker producing clear ice pieces |
US9273890B2 (en) | 2011-06-22 | 2016-03-01 | Whirlpool Corporation | Vertical ice maker producing clear ice pieces |
US9719711B2 (en) | 2011-06-22 | 2017-08-01 | Whirlpool Corporation | Vertical ice maker producing clear ice pieces |
US8695359B2 (en) | 2011-06-22 | 2014-04-15 | Whirlpool Corporation | Water circulation and drainage system for an icemaker |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB2226874A (en) | 1990-07-11 |
GB9002027D0 (en) | 1990-03-28 |
GB8708027D0 (en) | 1987-05-07 |
GB2189016B (en) | 1991-03-27 |
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PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |