Method and apparatus for rapid ice production

An ice making apparatus adapted for installation in a freezer compartment of an refrigeration appliance, said ice making apparatus comprising:

• a mold,
• water supply means adapted to supply water to said mold, whereby said water freezes in said mold due to exposure to below freezing conditions in said freezer compartment,
• means for ejecting an ice body from the mold,
• control means for controlling the operation of said ice making apparatus,
• a fan assembly comprising:
• a fan,
• a fan motor in driving engagement with said fan, said fan motor being selectively operable to direct moving air across said mold when in response to said control means when said ice making apparatus is making ice,
• a user operable switch to selectively shut off or permit operation of said fan motor, said fan motor only operating when both said user operable switch is closed and said ice maker is operating, and
• switching means to terminate power to the fan motor during an ice harvest operation.

An ice making apparatus adapted for installation in a freezer compartment of an refrigeration appliance, said ice making apparatus comprising:

• a mold,
• water supply means adapted to supply water to said mold, whereby said water freezes in said mold due to exposure to below freezing conditions in said freezer compartment,
• means for ejecting an ice body from the mold,
• control means for controlling the operation of said ice making apparatus, a selectively and removably mountable fan assembly mountable adjacent to said ice making apparatus so as to be capable of field installation as an optional upgrade to improve ice production comprising:
• a fan,
• a fan motor in driving engagement with said fan, said fan motor being selectively operable to direct moving air across said mold when in response to said control means when said ice making apparatus is making ice,
• wherein said fan assembly is mounted to the forward side of said ice maker assembly such to enclose the front of said ice maker assembly.

An ice making apparatus adapted for installation in a freezer compartment of an refrigeration appliance, said ice making apparatus comprising:

• a mold,
• water supply means adapted to supply water to said mold, whereby said water freezes in said mold due to exposure to below freezing conditions in said freezer compartment,
• means for ejecting an ice body from the mold,
• control means for controlling the operation of said ice making apparatus, a fan assembly mounted to the forward side of said ice maker assembly such to enclose the front of said ice maker assembly comprising:
• a fan,
• a fan motor in driving engagement with said fan, said fan motor being selectively operable to direct moving air across said mold when in response to said control means when said ice making apparatus is making ice, and
• connector leads selectively engageable with preselected test leads on said forward side of said ice maker assembly such as to electrically interconnect said fan motor with said power supply when said ice maker is operating,
• wherein said connector leads are automatically engaged and interconnected with said test leads when said housing of said fan assembly is interconnected with said ice making assembly.

An ice making apparatus adapted for installation in a freezer compartment of an refrigeration appliance, said ice making apparatus comprising:

• a mold,
• water supply means adapted to supply water to said mold, whereby said water freezes in said mold due to exposure to below freezing conditions in said freezer compartment,
• means for ejecting an ice body from the mold,
• control means for controlling the operation of said ice making apparatus, a selectively and removably mountable fan assembly mountable adjacent to said ice making apparatus so as to be capable of field installation as an optional upgrade to improve ice production comprising:
• a fan,
• a fan motor in driving engagement with said fan, said fan motor being selectively operable to direct moving air across said mold when in response to said control means when said ice making apparatus is making ice,
• wherein said fan assembly is located rearwardly and is disposed such as to direct air generally horizontally forward towards and across the bottom of said mold.

A method of making ice comprising the steps of:

• chilling a compartment to a preselected temperature below the freezing temperature of water,
• disposing within said compartment an ice making apparatus having a mold,
• adding water to said mold,
• blowing air across said mold regardless of ambient conditions in said compartment, detecting when said water has frozen into an ice body in said mold,
• ejecting said ice body from said mold into an ice bin disposed within said ice making apparatus,
• detect whether there is a continuing demand for ice,
• returning to said step of adding water if there is a demand for ice, and
• stopping said step of blowing air and returning to said step of detecting if there is no demand for ice.

A method of making ice comprising the steps of:

• chilling a compartment to a preselected temperature below the freezing temperature of water,
• disposing within said compartment an ice making apparatus having a mold,
• adding water to said mold,
• blowing air across said mold regardless of ambient conditions in said compartment,
• detecting when said water has frozen into an ice body in said mold, ejecting said ice body from said mold into an ice bin disposed within said compartment,
• detecting when said water has frozen into an ice body in said mold, ejecting said ice body from said mold into an ice bin disposed within said ice making apparatus,
• detecting whether there is a continuing demand for ice,
• returning to said step of adding water if there is a demand for ice, and stopping said step of blowing air and returning to said step of detecting if there is no demand for ice,
• wherein said step of blowing air further comprises blowing air across said mold as long as there is a demand for ice except during said step of ejecting said ice body.

A selectively and removably mountable fan module for an ice making apparatus adapted for installation in a freezer compartment of an refrigeration appliance, said ice making apparatus having a mold, water supply means adapted to supply water to said mold, whereby said water freezes in said mold due to exposure to below freezing conditions in said freezer compartment, means for ejecting an ice body from the mold, a main power line supplying electrical power to said ice making apparatus, and ice maker control means for controlling the operation of said ice making apparatus and supplying power to said main power line when ice is demanded, said fan module being mountable to said ice making apparatus so as to be capable of field installation as an optional upgrade to improve ice production and comprising:

• a fan,
• a fan motor in driving engagement with said fan,
• mechanical connection means for connecting said fan module to said ice making apparatus such as to direct the output of said fan towards said mold, and
• electrical connection means selectively for interconnecting said fan motor in series with said main power line such that said fan module is selectively operable to direct moving air across said mold in response to said control means when detecting demand for ice.

A fan module for an ice making apparatus adapted for installation in a freezer compartment of an refrigeration appliance, said ice making apparatus having a mold, water supply means adapted to supply water to said mold, whereby said water freezes in said mold due to exposure to below freezing conditions in said freezer compartment, means for ejecting an ice body from the mold, a main power line supplying electrical power to said ice making apparatus, and ice maker control means for controlling the operation of said ice making apparatus and supplying power to said main power line when ice is demanded, said fan module comprising:

• a fan,
• a fan motor in driving engagement with said fan,
• mechanical connection means for connecting said fan module to said ice making apparatus such as to direct the output of said fan towards said mold,
• electrical connection means selectively for interconnecting said fan motor in series with said main power line such that said fan module is selectively operable to direct moving air across said mold in response to said control means when detecting demand for ice, and
• a user operable switch to selectively shut off or permit operation of said fan motor, said fan motor only operating when both said user operable switch is closed and said ice maker control detects demand for ice.

A fan module for an ice making apparatus adapted for installation in a freezer compartment of an refrigeration appliance, said ice making apparatus having a mold, water supply means adapted to supply water to said mold, whereby said water freezes in said mold due to exposure to below freezing conditions in said freezer compartment, means for ejecting an ice body from the mold, a main power line supplying electrical power to said ice making apparatus, and ice maker control means for controlling the operation of said ice making apparatus and supplying power to said main power line when ice is demanded, said fan module comprising:

• a fan,
• a fan motor in driving engagement with said fan,
• mechanical connection means for connecting said fan module to said ice making apparatus such as to direct the output of said fan towards said mold,
• electrical connection means selectively for interconnecting said fan motor in series with said main power line such that said fan module is selectively operable to direct moving air across said mold in response to said control means when detecting demand for ice, and
• switching means to terminate power to the fan motor during an ice harvest operation.