Ice maker with thermoelectrically cooled mold for producing spherical clear ice
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F25B-021/02
F25C-001/18
F25C-001/22
F25D-011/00
출원번호
US-0713169
(2012-12-13)
등록번호
US-9200823
(2015-12-01)
발명자
/ 주소
Boarman, Patrick J.
Culley, Brian K.
출원인 / 주소
Whirlpool Corporation
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
15
초록▼
An ice maker has a mold with a first piece and a second piece. A cavity within the mold includes a first reservoir in the first piece and a second reservoir in the second piece that align to substantially enclose the cavity. A fluid intake aperture in the first piece extends to the cavity for inject
An ice maker has a mold with a first piece and a second piece. A cavity within the mold includes a first reservoir in the first piece and a second reservoir in the second piece that align to substantially enclose the cavity. A fluid intake aperture in the first piece extends to the cavity for injecting water therein. A thermoelectric device has a cold side thermally coupled to the exterior surface of the second piece. The thermoelectric device transfers heat from the cold side to a hot side to provide a first temperature to the mold. A removable cooling source is thermally coupled to the hot side of the thermoelectric device. The cooling source is configured to reduce the temperature of the hot side to allow the cold side to provide a second temperature that is cooler than the first temperature to freeze the water in the cavity.
대표청구항▼
1. An ice maker for making substantially clear ice pieces, the ice maker comprising: a mold that has a first piece and a second piece;at least one cavity within the mold having a first reservoir in the first piece and a second reservoir in the second piece, wherein the first and second reservoirs al
1. An ice maker for making substantially clear ice pieces, the ice maker comprising: a mold that has a first piece and a second piece;at least one cavity within the mold having a first reservoir in the first piece and a second reservoir in the second piece, wherein the first and second reservoirs align to substantially enclose the at least one cavity;a fluid intake aperture in the first piece that extends from an exterior surface of the first piece to the at least one cavity for injecting water;a thermoelectric device with a cold side thermally coupled to an exterior surface of the second piece, wherein the thermoelectric device transfers heat from the cold side to a hot side of the thermoelectric device to provide a first temperature to the mold;a removable cooling source thermally and detachably coupled to the hot side of the thermoelectric device, wherein the cooling source is configured to reduce the temperature of the hot side to allow the cold side to provide a second temperature that is cooler than the first temperature to freeze the water in the at least one cavity; wherein water in the at least one cavity at the second temperature forms an ice piece that substantially occupies a respective volume of the at least one cavity where said ice piece is formed; and water leaving the at least one cavity is collected between a water jacket portion of the first piece of the mold and an exterior portion of the first piece of the mold; andwherein the water jacket portion forms an interior surface of the first reservoir. 2. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein the cooling source is a select one of a cold water basin and a removable frozen cartridge. 3. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein the cooling source includes a phase change material and is configured to be removable by hand, such that the cooling source can be detachably removed and the phase change material cooled. 4. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein the cooling source is configured to absorb heat from the hot side of the thermoelectric device, and wherein the mold and the thermoelectric device are configured to make a substantially clear ice piece. 5. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein the first piece is pivotally coupled with the second piece, and wherein the first piece pivots away from the second piece to expose the at least one cavity to release an ice piece formed therein. 6. The ice maker of claim 1, further comprising: a water line coupled with the fluid intake aperture to inject water into the at least one cavity. 7. The ice maker of claim 1, further comprising: a water line having an outlet coupled with the fluid intake aperture to inject water into the at least one cavity and an intake coupled with the cooling source, wherein the cooling source includes a cold water basin. 8. An ice maker for making substantially clear ice pieces, the ice maker comprising: a mold that has a first piece and a second piece;at least one spherical cavity within the mold having a first reservoir in the first piece and a second reservoir in the second piece, wherein the first and second reservoirs align to substantially enclose the at least one spherical cavity;a fluid intake aperture in the first piece that extends from an exterior surface of the first piece to the at least one spherical cavity for injecting water;a thermoelectric device having a cold side thermally coupled to an exterior surface of the second piece to provide a first temperature to the mold and a hot side of the thermoelectric device that receives heat from the cold side; anda cooling cartridge thermally coupled to the hot side of the thermoelectric device, wherein the cooling cartridge is configured to reduce the temperature of the hot side to allow the cold side to provide a second temperature that is colder than the first temperature; and wherein the cooling cartridge is detachable and removable by hand; wherein water in the at least one spherical cavity at the second temperature forms an ice piece that substantially occupies a respective volume of the at least one spherical cavity where said ice piece is formed; and water leaving the at least one spherical cavity is collected between a water jacket portion of the first piece of the mold and an exterior portion of the first piece of the mold; andwherein the water jacket portion forms an interior surface of the first reservoir. 9. The ice maker of claim 8, wherein the water jacket portion is comprised of a polymeric material that couples with a metallic insert to form the interior surface of the first reservoir. 10. The ice maker of claim 8, wherein the cooling cartridge includes a phase change material, such that the cooling cartridge can be detachably removed and the phase change material cooled in an auxiliary freezer chamber. 11. The ice maker of claim 8, wherein the thermoelectric device is configured to draw less than 15 amps to create temperature difference of at least 15 degrees between the cold side and the first piece of the mold to create a substantially clear ice piece in the at least one spherical cavity. 12. The ice maker of claim 8, further comprising: a water line coupled with the fluid intake aperture to inject water into the at least one spherical cavity. 13. The ice maker of claim 8, further comprising: a water line having an outlet coupled with the fluid intake aperture to inject water into the at least one spherical cavity and an inlet coupled with the cooling source, wherein the cooling source includes a cold water basin. 14. A method of making substantially clear ice pieces, the method comprising: providing an ice mold that includes an insulated piece, a metallic piece, and at least one cavity within the mold having a first reservoir in the insulated piece and a second reservoir in the metallic piece, wherein the first and second reservoirs align to substantially enclose the at least one cavity;cooling the metallic piece of the mold with a thermoelectric device having a cold side thermally coupled to an exterior surface of the metallic piece to a first temperature;cooling a hot side of the thermoelectric device with a removable cold source thermally and detachably coupled to the hot side, wherein the cold source is configured to reduce the temperature of the hot side of the thermoelectric device to allow the cold side to provide a second temperature that is cooler than the first temperature;injecting water into the at least one cavity through an inlet aperture in the insulated piece that extends from an exterior surface of the insulated piece to the at least one cavity; andfreezing the water in the at least one cavity at the second temperature to form an ice piece substantially occupying a respective volume of the at least one cavity where said ice piece is formed; wherein water leaving the cavity is collected between a water jacket portion of the insulated piece of the mold and an exterior portion of the insulated piece of the mold; andwherein the water jacket portion forms an interior surface of the first reservoir. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: dispensing water that is injected into the at least one cavity through an outlet aperture in the insulated piece that extends from the exterior surface of the insulated piece to the at least one cavity, wherein water is simultaneously injected in and dispensed from the at least one cavity as the water is freezing in the at least one cavity. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the method is configured to form a substantially clear ice piece in the at least one cavity. 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the cold source includes a cartridge that is removable by hand without tools and has a phase change material. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: pre-cooling the cold source by detaching and removing the cartridge and inserting the cartridge in an auxiliary freezer chamber to cool the phase change material. 19. The method of claim 14, wherein the thermoelectric device is configured to draw less than 15 amps to create temperature difference of at least 15 degrees between the cold side and the insulated piece of the mold to create a substantially clear ice piece in the at least one cavity. 20. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of injecting water into the at least one cavity includes supplying water to the inlet aperture through a water line coupled with the fluid intake aperture.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (15)
Hara Yasuo (Toyoake JPX), Automatic ice making machine.
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