Barrel ice maker
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorsJohn Keith Besore, Brent Alden Junge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ice maker includes a mold cavity. The mold cavity extends between a floor and an opening along a longitudinal axis. A first arm and a second arm are connected to opposite sides of an ejector pad and extend upward from the ejector pad. The ejector pad is movable via the first and second arms between a low position and a high position and can eject ice from the mold cavity when the ejector pad moves from the low position to the high position. A related refrigerator appliance is also provided.
Claims20
An ice maker defining a vertical direction, the ice maker comprising:
- a mold body comprising a mold cavity, the mold cavity extending between a floor and an opening along a longitudinal axis, the mold cavity fully enclosed by at least one sidewall between the floor and the opening, the longitudinal axis of the mold cavity oriented generally along the vertical direction;
- an ejector pad disposed proximate to the floor of the mold cavity when the ejector pad is in a low position;
- a first arm connected to a first side of the ejector pad and extending upward generally along the vertical direction from the first side of the ejector pad;
- a second arm connected to a second side of the ejector pad, the second side of the ejector pad opposite the first side of the ejector pad, the second arm extending upward generally along the vertical direction from the second side of the ejector pad;
- and
- a motor in operative communication with the first arm and the second arm, the motor operable to move the ejector pad upward generally along the vertical direction from the low position to a high position proximate the opening of the mold cavity, wherein the ejector pad is operable to eject ice from the mold cavity when the ejector pad moves from the low position to the high position.
A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the refrigerator appliance comprising:
- a cabinet defining a chilled chamber;
- an ice maker disposed within the cabinet, the ice maker comprising:
- a mold body comprising a mold cavity, the mold cavity extending between a floor and an opening along a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis of the mold cavity oriented generally along the vertical direction;
- an ejector pad disposed proximate to the floor of the mold cavity when the ejector pad is in a low position;
- a first arm connected to a first side of the ejector pad and extending upward generally along the vertical direction from the first side of the ejector pad;
- a second arm connected to a second side of the ejector pad, the second side of the ejector pad opposite the first side of the ejector pad, the second arm extending upward generally along the vertical direction from the second side of the ejector pad;
- and
- a motor in operative communication with the first arm and the second arm, the motor operable to move the ejector pad upward generally along the vertical direction from the low position to a high position proximate the opening of the mold cavity, wherein the ejector pad is operable to eject ice from the mold cavity when the ejector pad moves from the low position to the high position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.