# US 2014/0196479 A1 · Ice maker for a refrigerator appliance and a method for operating the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196479 A1 - Document ID: US20140196479A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/740,541 - Filed: 2013-01-14 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-14 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Charles Benjamin Miller - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196479A1 ## CPC - F25C 5/06: by deforming bodies with which the ice is in contact, e.g. using inflatable members - F25C 2305/0221: rotating ice mould - F25C 2700/06: Rotation angle of the ejector ejecting ice from a stationary mould - F25C: PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE ## Abstract An ice maker for a refrigerator appliance and a method for operating the same are provided. The ice maker includes a mold body that is rotatable relative to an ejector. The ejector is configured for selective receipt within the mold body to assist with removal of ice from the mold body. The ice maker also includes at least two sensors for monitoring rotational motion of the mold body. Utilizing the at least two sensors, the ice maker can monitor ice removal from the mold body. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for operating an ice maker of a refrigerator appliance, the ice maker having a mold body rotatable relative to an ejector, the ice maker also having at least two sensors for monitoring rotation of the mold body, the method comprising: determining that the mold body of the ice maker is in a fill position based upon a signal received from a first sensor of the at least two sensors; filling the mold body of the ice maker with liquid water when the mold body is in the fill position; turning the mold body of the ice maker in a first rotational direction from the fill position towards a twist position; and revolving the mold body of the ice maker in a second rotational direction from the twist position towards a harvest position, the second rotational direction being opposite to the first rotational direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring a second sensor of the at least two sensors in order to determine if the mold body of the ice maker is in the harvest position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said step of monitoring further comprises monitoring the second sensor for a predetermined period of time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined period of time is more than about ten seconds. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising rotating the mold body of the ice maker in the first rotational direction to the twist position if the second sensor does not signal that the mold body of the ice maker is in the harvest position after the predetermined period of time has elapsed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, repeating said steps of revolving, monitoring, and rotating until the mold body of the ice maker is in the harvest position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein no ice cubes remain within the mold body of the ice maker immediately after said steps of revolving, monitoring, and rotating. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the ejector of the ice maker is at least partially received within the mold body of the ice maker in the harvest position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the ejector of the ice maker is positioned outside of the mold body of the ice maker in the fill position. ### Claim 10 An ice maker for a refrigerator appliance, the ice maker defining an axial direction and a circumferential direction, the ice maker comprising: a mold body defining a plurality of cavities for receipt of liquid water for freezing; a motor in mechanical communication with said mold body, said motor configured for selectively rotating said mold body about an axis of rotation that is parallel to the axial direction; an ejector positioned adjacent said mold body, said ejector having a plurality of harvesters, each harvester of the plurality of harvesters configured for selective receipt within a respective cavity of the plurality of cavities of said mold body; and at least two sensors positioned proximate said mold body, said at least two sensors spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction, each sensor of said at least two sensors configured for determining that said mold body is in a particular rotational position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The ice maker of claim 9, further comprising a controller in operative communication with said motor and said at least two sensors, said controller configured for: determining that said mold body is in a fill position based upon a signal received from a first sensor of said at least two sensors; activating said motor to move said mold body and release ice from the plurality of cavities of said mold body; and driving said motor to revolve said mold body towards a harvest position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The ice maker of claim 10, wherein said controller is further configured for monitoring a second sensor of said at least two sensors in order to determine if said mold body is in the harvest position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The ice maker of claim 11, wherein the second sensor of said at least two sensors is monitored for a predetermined period of time during said step of monitoring. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The ice maker of claim 12, wherein said controller is further configured for running said motor to rotate said mold body back in the first rotational direction towards the fill position if the second sensor of said at least two sensors does not signal that said mold body is in the harvest position after the predetermined period of time has elapsed. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The ice maker of claim 9, wherein said at least two sensors comprises a first sensor and a second sensor, the first and second sensors spaced apart from each other by about one-hundred and eighty degrees along the circumferential direction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The ice maker of claim 9, wherein said mold body is rotatable by said motor between a fill position, a twist position, and a harvest position, said at least two sensors comprising at least three sensors, each sensor of said at least three sensors configured for establishing that said mold body is in a respective one of the fill position, the twist position, and the harvest position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The ice maker of claim 15, wherein said mold body extends between a first end portion and a second end portion along the axial direction, the first end portion of said mold body rotatable in a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction in the harvest position, the second end portion of said mold body rotatable in the second rotational direction and hindered from rotating in the first rotational direction in the harvest position, the first and second rotational directions being opposite to each other. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The ice maker of claim 15, wherein the ice maker defines a vertical direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction, said ejector positioned above said mold body along the vertical direction when said mold body is in the fill position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The ice maker of claim 15, wherein the harvesters of said ejector are at least partially received within the cavities of said mold body when said mold body is in the harvest position. ### Claim 20 A method for operating an ice maker of a refrigerator appliance, the ice maker having a mold body rotatable relative to an ejector, the ice maker also having at least two sensors for monitoring rotation of the mold body, the method comprising: determining that the mold body of the ice maker is in a fill position based upon a signal received from a first sensor of the at least two sensors; filling the mold body of the ice maker with liquid water when the mold body is in the fill position; revolving the mold body of the ice maker towards a harvest position; and monitoring a second sensor of the at least two sensors in order to determine if the mold body of the ice maker is in the harvest position.