Ice maker with self-regulating ice mold & method of operating same

An ice maker of a domestic refrigerator, the ice maker comprising:

• an ice mold including (i) an electrically-conductive polymeric body having a bottom surface, and (ii) a plurality of cavities defined in the polymeric body, each cavity being sized to receive a quantity of fluid corresponding to a single ice cube,
• a first copper electrode coupled to the bottom surface of the polymeric body, the first copper electrode including a first plurality of plates shaped to conform to the bottom surface, and
• a second copper electrode coupled to the bottom surface of the polymeric body, the second copper electrode including a second plurality of plates shaped to conform to the bottom surface,
• wherein (i) the first copper electrode, the second copper electrode, and the polymeric body define an electrical circuit such that electrical current flows through the polymeric body when power is supplied to the electrical circuit to heat the polymeric body and release ice cubes formed therein, (ii) the polymeric body has a first electrical conductivity at a first operating temperature, and (iii) the polymeric body has a second electrical conductivity that is less than the first electrical conductivity at a second operating temperature, the second operating temperature being greater than the first operating temperature.

A method of operating an ice maker for a domestic refrigerator, comprising:

• supplying fluid to an electrically-conductive polymeric body such that fluid is received in at least one cavity defined in the polymeric body,
• increasing an operating temperature of the polymeric body after at least one ice cube is formed in the at least one cavity to release the at least one ice cube from the polymeric body, increasing the operating temperature including supplying electrical current to the polymeric body such that electrical current passes through the polymeric body from a first electrode secured to a first surface of the polymeric body to a second electrode secured to the first surface of the polymeric body,
• extracting at least one ice cube from the at least one cavity of the polymeric body,
• wherein (i) the polymeric body has a first electrical conductivity at a first operating temperature, and (ii) the polymeric body has a second electrical conductivity that is less than the first electrical conductivity at a second operating temperature, the second operating temperature being greater than the first operating temperature.