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A method of operating an ice maker including accepting a desired ice layer thickness setting, opening a water supply inlet valve to admit water from a water supply inlet, cooling an ice forming surface below freezing, directing the admitted water into a water collecting device, sensing an admitted v

A method of operating an ice maker including accepting a desired ice layer thickness setting, opening a water supply inlet valve to admit water from a water supply inlet, cooling an ice forming surface below freezing, directing the admitted water into a water collecting device, sensing an admitted volume of water, closing the water supply inlet valve based upon the sensed volume of admitted water and the set desired ice layer thickness, pumping water from the water collecting device to the ice forming surface via a recirculating pump, directing unfrozen water from the ice forming surface back to the water collecting device, determining a level of water in the water collecting device with a level sensor, initiating an ice harvesting routine based on input from the level sensor, operating a drain flow control device to selectively discharge water from the water collecting device to a drain outlet.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of operating an ice maker comprising the following steps: accepting a setting of a desired ice layer thickness on a user interface of a control,opening a water supply inlet valve to admit water from a water supply inlet,cooling an ice forming surface below the freezing temperature of wat

1. A method of operating an ice maker comprising the following steps: accepting a setting of a desired ice layer thickness on a user interface of a control,opening a water supply inlet valve to admit water from a water supply inlet,cooling an ice forming surface below the freezing temperature of water,directing the admitted water into a water collecting device which is connected to receive a supply of water from the water supply inlet directly through the water supply inlet valve and without the water first contacting the ice forming surface and also arranged to separately receive a flow of water from the ice forming surface,sensing a volume of water being admitted through the water supply inlet,closing the water supply inlet valve based upon the sensed volume of water admitted through the water supply inlet and the set desired ice layer thickness,pumping water from the water collecting device through a recirculating passage to the ice forming surface via a recirculating pump,directing unfrozen water from the ice forming surface back to the water collecting device,determining a level of water in the water collecting device with a level sensor,initiating an ice harvesting routine based on input from the level sensor in the water collecting device which indicates that the water level has been reduced to a predetermined level,operating a drain flow control device to selectively discharge water from the water collecting device through the drain flow control device to a drain outlet formed in the water collecting device and a drain conduit leading away from the drain flow control device. 2. The method according to claim 1, including the further step of: pumping water from the water collecting device via a discharge pump to the drain outlet based upon input from the level sensor. 3. The method according to claim 2, including the further step of: terminating operation of the discharge pump based upon an input from the level sensor. 4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of pumping via the recirculating pump and the step of pumping via the discharge pump utilize the same pump. 5. The method according to claim 4, including the steps of: operating the pump in a first direction to pump water to the ice forming surface, andoperating the pump in a second, opposite direction to pump water to the drain outlet. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of accepting a setting of a desired ice layer thickness comprises accepting a selection comprising one of a thin layer, a thick layer and an intermediate thickness layer. 7. The method according to claim 1, further including the steps of: measuring a time within ice freezing routines, anddisplaying a warning signal when a measured time falls outside of a predetermined range. 8. A method of operating an ice maker comprising the following steps: accepting a setting of a desired ice layer thickness on a user interface of a control,opening a water supply inlet valve to admit water from a water supply inlet,cooling an ice forming surface below the freezing temperature of water,directing the admitted water into a water collecting device which is connected to receive a supply of water directly from the water supply inlet and without the water first contacting the ice forming surface and arranged to separately receive a flow of water from the ice forming surface,sensing a volume of water being admitted through the water supply inlet,closing the water supply inlet valve based upon the sensed volume of water admitted through the water supply inlet and the set desired ice layer thickness,pumping water from the water collecting device through a recirculating passage to the ice forming surface via a recirculating pump,directing unfrozen water from the ice forming surface back to the water collecting device,determining a level of water in the water collecting device with a level sensor, andoperating a valve on a downstream side of the pump to selectively direct water from the pump to the ice forming surface when the level sensor indicates that a level of water in the water collecting device has been increased to a level conforming with a volume corresponding to the set desired ice layer thickness or to a drain when the level sensor indicates that a level of water in the water collecting device has been reduced to a predetermined value. 9. The method according to claim 8, including the step of initiating an ice harvesting routine based on input from the level sensor when the level sensor indicates that the level of water in the water collecting device has been reduced to a predetermined value. 10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of pumping water from the water collection device to the ice forming surface occurs when the level sensor indicates that the level of water in the water collection device has been increased to a level conforming with the thickness selected by the user. 11. A method of operating an ice maker comprising the following steps: opening a water supply inlet valve to admit water from a water supply inlet,cooling an ice forming surface below the freezing temperature of water,directing the admitted water into a water collecting device which is connected to receive a supply of water directly from the water supply inlet and without the water first contacting the ice forming surface and arranged to separately receive a flow of water from the ice forming surface,pumping water from the water collecting device through a recirculating passage to the ice forming surface via a recirculating pump,directing unfrozen water from the ice forming surface back to the water collecting device,determining a level of water in the water collecting device with a level sensor,selectively operating a discharge pump based upon input from the level sensor when the level sensor indicates that the level of water in the water collecting device has been reduced to a predetermined value to pump water from the water collecting device towards a drain, andcounting a time within ice freezing routines which is outside of a predetermined time range. 12. The method according to claim 11, including the step of generating an error signal upon detection of a predetermined number of instances that the time within ice freezing routines is outside of a predetermined time range. 13. A method of operating an ice maker comprising the following steps: setting a desired ice layer thickness on a user interface of a control,opening a water supply inlet valve to admit water from a water supply inlet,cooling an ice forming surface below the freezing temperature of water,directing the admitted water into a water collecting device which is connected to receive a supply of water from the water supply inlet directly through the water supply inlet valve and without the water first contacting the ice forming surface and arranged to separately receive a flow of water from the ice forming surface,sensing a volume of water being admitted through the water supply inlet,closing the water supply inlet valve based upon the sensed volume of water admitted through the water supply inlet and the set desired ice layer thickness,pumping water from the water collecting device through a recirculating passage to the ice forming surface via a recirculating pump,directing unfrozen water from the ice forming surface back to the water collecting device,determining a level of water in the water collecting device with a level sensor, andselectively discharging water from the water collecting device through a drain flow control device when the level sensor indicates that the level of water in the water collecting device has been reduced to a predetermined value. 14. The method according to claim 13, including the step of beginning the pumping of water from the water collecting device to the ice forming surface when the level sensor indicates that the level of water in the water collecting device has been increased to a value corresponding to the set desired ice layer thickness. 15. The method according to claim 13, including the step of initiating an ice harvesting routine based on input from the level sensor when the level sensor indicates that the level of water in the water collecting device has been reduced to a predetermined value. 16. The method according to claim 13, including the step of counting a time within ice freezing routines which is outside of a predetermined time range. 17. The method according to claim 16, including the step of generating an error signal upon detection of a predetermined number of instances that the time within ice freezing routines is outside of a predetermined time range.