Ice making appliance and apparatus
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorCharles Benjamin Miller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ice maker apparatus is provided that may include a casing, an extruder die, an auger, a heat exchange body, and a fin portion. The casing may define a chamber about a central axis and extend along the central axis between a top portion and a bottom portion. The extruder die may be mounted to the casing at the top portion of the casing. The auger may be disposed within the chamber. The heat exchange body may be disposed in thermal engagement with the chamber. The heat exchange body may include a base wall extending along a portion of the casing and a sidewall extending outward from the base wall. The heat exchange body may also define an air duct across the base wall and sidewall. The fin portion may include a fin extending outward from the base wall. The fin may define a plurality of subchannels.
Claims16
An ice maker apparatus comprising:
- a casing defining a chamber about a central axis, the casing extending along the central axis between a top portion and a bottom portion;
- an extruder die mounted to the casing at the top portion of the casing;
- an auger disposed within the chamber of the casing;
- a heat exchange body disposed in thermal engagement with the chamber, the heat exchange body including a base wall extending along a portion of the casing and a sidewall extending outward from the base wall, the heat exchange body defining an air duct across the base wall and sidewall;
- and
- a fin portion including a fin extending outward from the base wall, the fin defining a plurality of subchannels within the air duct,
- wherein the heat exchange body includes a first body member and a second body member attached in physical connection about the casing, wherein the air duct is a plurality of air ducts comprising a first air duct and a discrete second air duct, wherein the first air duct is defined by the first body member, and wherein the second air duct is defined by the second body member such that air within the second air duct is isolated from air within the first air duct.
A refrigeration appliance comprising:
- a housing defining a chilled chamber;
- and
- an ice maker disposed within the housing, the ice maker comprising
- a casing defining a chamber about a central axis, the casing extending along the central axis between a top portion and a bottom portion,
- an extruder die mounted to the casing at the top portion of the casing,
- an auger disposed within the chamber of the casing,
- a heat exchange body disposed in thermal engagement with the chamber, the heat exchange body including a base wall extending along a portion of the casing and a sidewall extending outward from the base wall, the heat exchange body defining an air duct across the base wall and sidewall, and
- a fin portion including a fin extending outward from the base wall, the fin defining a plurality of subchannels within the air duct,
- wherein the heat exchange body includes a first body member and a second body member attached in physical connection about the casing, wherein the air duct is a plurality of air ducts comprising a first air duct and a discrete second air duct, wherein the first air duct is defined by the first body member, and wherein the second air duct is defined by the second body member such that air within the second air duct is isolated from air within the first air duct.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.