Clear ice maker
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsPatrick J. Boarman, Mark E. Thomas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ice maker includes an ice making tray having an array of individual ice cube compartments. The ice making tray having a transverse axis and at least one pivot axle aligned with the transverse axis. The tray defines a median wall extending parallel with the transverse axis and having a uniform height along the length of the wall. A mechanical oscillating mechanism is coupled to the ice making tray. The oscillating mechanism rotates the tray from a horizontal plane along the longitudinal axis at an angle ϕ of about 20° to about 40° such that water in the tray cascades over the median wall.
Claims20
An ice maker comprising:
- an ice making tray having an array of individual ice cube compartments, the ice making tray having a transverse axis and at least one pivot axle aligned with the transverse axis, wherein the tray defines a median wall extending parallel with the transverse axis and having a uniform height along an entirety of the wall;
- and
- a mechanical oscillating motor coupled to the ice making tray, wherein the oscillating motor rotates the tray from a horizontal plane along the transverse axis at an angle ϕ of about 20° to about 40° such that water in the tray cascades over the median wall.
An ice maker, comprising:
- a source of water;
- an ice making tray having a removable grid defining an array of individual ice cube compartments separated by a median wall having a uniform height;
- a valve coupling the source of water to the ice making tray;
- a mechanical oscillating motor coupled to the ice making tray, wherein the oscillating motor oscillates the tray at an angle ϕ of from about 20° to about 40°, such that water cascades over the median wall, and wherein an oscillation frequency (ω) is harmonically related to a frequency of movement of water in the tray;
- and
- a source of freezing temperature coupled to the ice making tray to freeze water in the tray.
A method of making clear ice in a compartmentalized ice cube tray comprising the steps of:
- filling the ice cube tray with water;
- rotating the ice cube tray while exposing the tray to below freezing temperatures, the rotation step rotating the tray to allow unfrozen water to move from one tray compartment to at least an adjacent compartment such that a horizontal top portion of frozen ice formed at a substantially uniform height on the bottom of the tray compartment is exposed;
- and
- continuing the rotation until the water is frozen solid in the ice cube tray.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.