Direct cooling ice maker
AssigneeElectrolux Consumer Products, Inc.
InventorsZhuochen Shi, Thomas W. McCollough
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ice maker apparatus includes an ice mold having first and second ends spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the ice mold via opposite, first and second lateral sides. A first recess is formed in the first lateral side of the ice mold. A first thermally insulative cover has a first depression formed therein and is removably attached to the ice mold and disposed adjacent to the first lateral side thereof. The first recess and the first depression collectively define a first passage therebetween. An ice maker evaporator is provided and has a first leg. The first leg is disposed within the first passage.
Claims18
An ice maker apparatus comprising:
- a monolithic ice mold having first and second ends spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the monolithic ice mold via opposite, first and second lateral sides;
- an ice maker evaporator having first and second legs extending along the first and second lateral sides, respectively;
- and
- first and second thermally conductive covers removably attached to the first and second lateral sides of the monolithic ice mold and covering the first and second legs, respectively,
- wherein the first leg physically contacts both the first lateral side of the monolithic ice mold and the first thermally conductive cover, and wherein the second leg physically contacts both the second lateral side of the monolithic ice mold and the second thermally conductive cover, and
- wherein the first leg includes upper and lower portions, wherein said upper portion conveys a refrigerant in a first direction along the first lateral side, and wherein said lower portion conveys the refrigerant in an opposite, second direction along the first lateral side.
An ice maker apparatus comprising:
- a monolithic ice mold having first and second ends spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the monolithic ice mold via opposite, first and second lateral sides;
- an ice maker evaporator having first and second legs extending along the first and second lateral sides, respectively;
- and
- first and second thermally conductive covers removably attached to the first and second lateral sides of the monolithic ice mold and covering the first and second legs, respectively,
- wherein the first leg physically contacts both the first lateral side of the monolithic ice mold and the first thermally conductive cover, and wherein the second leg physically contacts both the second lateral side of the monolithic ice mold and the second thermally conductive cover,
- wherein the first and second thermally conductive covers have first and second depressions formed respectively therein, wherein the first and second lateral sides of the monolithic ice mold have first and second recesses formed respectively therein, wherein the first depression and the first recess collectively circumscribe an outer surface of the first leg in cross-section, and wherein the second depression and the second recess collectively circumscribe an outer surface of the second leg in cross-section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.