US 2026/0227104 A1Published application

Ice machine evaporator with localized expansion of tubing

AssigneeHoshizaki America, Inc.

InventorsMilaim Hoti, David A. Sellers

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Abstract

An evaporator plate assembly for an ice maker, the evaporator plate assembly including a first plate and a second plate, each of the first plate and the second plate defining a plurality of protrusions defining a dome shape, each of the plurality of protrusions extending from an outer surface of each plate, and a plurality of ribs; and tubing positioned between the first plate and the second plate and configured to transport refrigerant.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An evaporator plate assembly for an ice maker, the evaporator plate assembly comprising:

a first plate defining:
an outer surface facing in a first direction;
an inner surface facing in a second direction, the second direction being opposite from the first direction;
a plurality of protrusions extending in the first direction from a surrounding portion of the outer surface, each of the plurality of protrusions defining, at least in part, an ice forming site of the first plate, each of the plurality of protrusions defining a dome shape;
and
a plurality of ribs, an ice forming column of the first plate defined between adjacent ribs of the plurality of ribs;
and
a second plate defining:
an outer surface facing in a first direction of the second plate, the first direction of the second plate being opposite from the first direction of the first plate;
an inner surface facing in a second direction of the second plate, the second direction of the second plate being opposite from the first direction of the second plate;
a plurality of protrusions extending in the first direction of the second plate from a surrounding portion of the outer surface of the second plate, each of the plurality of protrusions of the second plate defining, at least in part, an ice forming site of the second plate, each of the plurality of protrusions of the second plate defining a dome shape;
and
a plurality of ribs, an ice forming column of the second plate defined between adjacent ribs of the plurality of ribs of the second plate;
and
tubing positioned between the first plate and the second plate and configured to transport refrigerant, the tubing:
received at least partly within and contacting a horizontal row of protrusions of the plurality of protrusions defined in the first plate, a portion of the tubing received within the horizontal row of protrusions of the plurality of protrusions defined in the first plate;
and
received at least partly within and contacting a horizontal row of protrusions of the plurality of protrusions defined in the second plate, the portion of tubing received within the horizontal row of protrusions of the plurality of protrusions defined in the second plate.

15 more elements

An ice maker comprising:

a refrigeration circuit comprising an evaporator plate assembly comprising:
a first plate defining:
an outer surface facing in a first direction;
an inner surface facing in a second direction, the second direction being opposite from the first direction;
a plurality of protrusions extending in the first direction from a surrounding portion of the outer surface, each of the plurality of protrusions defining, at least in part, an ice forming site of the first plate, each of the plurality of protrusions defining a dome shape;
and
a plurality of ribs, an ice forming column of the first plate defined between adjacent ribs of the plurality of ribs;
a second plate defining:
an outer surface facing in a first direction of the second plate, the first direction of the second plate being opposite from the first direction of the first plate;
an inner surface facing in a second direction of the second plate, the second direction of the second plate being opposite from the first direction of the second plate;
a plurality of protrusions extending in the first direction of the second plate from a surrounding portion of the outer surface of the second plate, each of the plurality of protrusions of the second plate defining, at least in part, an ice forming site of the second plate, each of the plurality of protrusions of the second plate defining a dome shape;
and
a plurality of ribs, an ice forming column of the second plate defined between adjacent ribs of the plurality of ribs of the second plate;
tubing positioned between the first plate and the second plate and configured to transport refrigerant, the tubing:
received at least partly within a horizontal row of protrusions of the plurality of protrusions defined in the first plate, a portion of tubing received within the horizontal row of protrusions of the plurality of protrusions defined in the first plate;
and
received at least partly within a horizontal row of protrusions of the plurality of protrusions defined in the second plate, the portion of tubing received within the horizontal row of protrusions of the plurality of protrusions defined in the second plate;
and
a water circuit, the water circuit configured to supply water to a top end of the evaporator plate assembly for production of ice.

16 more elements

A method of making ice with an ice maker, the method comprising:

causing water to flow across a surface of an evaporator plate assembly, the evaporator plate assembly comprising:
a first plate defining:
an outer surface facing in a first direction;
an inner surface facing in a second direction, the second direction being opposite from the first direction;
a plurality of protrusions extending in the first direction from a surrounding portion of the outer surface, each of the plurality of protrusions defining, at least in part, an ice forming site of the first plate, each of the plurality of protrusions defining a dome shape;
and
a plurality of ribs, an ice forming column of the first plate defined between adjacent ribs of the plurality of ribs;
and
a second plate defining:
an outer surface facing in a first direction of the second plate, the first direction of the second plate being opposite from the first direction of the first plate;
an inner surface facing in a second direction of the second plate, the second direction of the second plate being opposite from the first direction of the second plate;
a plurality of protrusions extending in the first direction of the second plate from a surrounding portion of the outer surface of the second plate, each of the plurality of protrusions of the second plate defining, at least in part, an ice forming site of the second plate, each of the plurality of protrusions of the second plate defining a dome shape;
and
a plurality of ribs, an ice forming column of the second plate defined between adjacent ribs of the plurality of ribs of the second plate;
and
tubing positioned between the first plate and the second plate and configured to transport refrigerant, the tubing:
received at least partly within a horizontal row of protrusions of the plurality of protrusions defined in the first plate, a portion of tubing received within the horizontal row of protrusions of the plurality of protrusions defined in the first plate;
and
received at least partly within a horizontal row of protrusions of the plurality of protrusions defined in the second plate, the portion of tubing received within the horizontal row of protrusions;
and
forming a plurality of ice cubes on each of the outer surface of the first plate and the outer surface of the second plate, each of the plurality of ice cubes defining an indentation in a rear surface of the ice cube.

18 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

An evaporator plate assembly for an ice maker, the evaporator plate assembly comprising:

a first plate defining:
an outer surface facing in a first direction;
an inner surface facing in a second direction, the second direction being opposite from the first direction;
a plurality of protrusions extending in the first direction from a surrounding portion of the outer surface, each of the plurality of protrusions defining, at least in part, an ice forming site of the first plate, each of the plurality of protrusions defining a dome shape;
and
a plurality of ribs, an ice forming column of the first plate defined between adjacent ribs of the plurality of ribs;
and
a second plate defining:
an outer surface facing in a first direction of the second plate, the first direction of the second plate being opposite from the first direction of the first plate;
an inner surface facing in a second direction of the second plate, the second direction of the second plate being opposite from the first direction of the second plate;
a plurality of protrusions extending in the first direction of the second plate from a surrounding portion of the outer surface of the second plate, each of the plurality of protrusions of the second plate defining, at least in part, an ice forming site of the second plate, each of the plurality of protrusions of the second plate defining a dome shape;
and
a plurality of ribs, an ice forming column of the second plate defined between adjacent ribs of the plurality of ribs of the second plate;
and
tubing positioned between the first plate and the second plate and configured to transport refrigerant, the tubing:
received at least partly within and contacting a horizontal row of protrusions of the plurality of protrusions defined in the first plate, a portion of the tubing received within the horizontal row of protrusions of the plurality of protrusions defined in the first plate;
and
received at least partly within and contacting a horizontal row of protrusions of the plurality of protrusions defined in the second plate, the portion of tubing received within the horizontal row of protrusions of the plurality of protrusions defined in the second plate.

15 more elements