Ice maker
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorJi-Sick Hwang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ice maker including a cooling and heating apparatus to absorb heat on one side of the apparatus's structure, and then distribute the heat on the opposite side of the apparatus's structure, and at least one receptacle to receive water for freezing, wherein the receptacle is mechanically inverted in order to release the ice. The receptacle is located above the heat absorbing side of the apparatus when water is being frozen, and the receptacle is located below the heat distributing side when the ice is released.
Claims28
An ice maker comprising:
- a cooling and heating apparatus to absorb heat on one side of the apparatus's structure, and then distribute the heat on the opposite side of apparatus's structure, wherein the cooling and heating apparatus is in a stationary position;
- at least one receptacle to receive water for freezing, wherein the receptacle rotates relative to the cooling and heating apparatus;
- wherein the receptacle is located above the heat absorbing side of the apparatus when water is being frozen;
- and
- wherein the receptacle is located below the heat distributing side when the ice is released.
An ice maker comprising
- a cooling and heating apparatus having a Peltier element to absorb heat on one side of the apparatus's structure, and then distribute the heat on the opposite side of the apparatus's structure;
- at least one receptacle to receive water for freezing, wherein the receptacle is mechanically inverted to release ice;
- radiant pins which are provided on the heat absorbing side and the heat radiating side of the Peltier element so as to absorb and radiate the heat efficiently;
- wherein the receptacle is located above the heat absorbing side of the apparatus when water is being frozen;
- and
- wherein the receptacle is located below the heat distributing side when the ice is released.
An ice maker comprising:
- a cooling and heating apparatus to absorb heat on one side of the apparatus's structure, and then distribute the heat on the opposite side of the apparatus's structure;
- receptacles joined to one another to form a conveyor and to receive water for freezing, wherein the receptacles are mechanically inverted to release the ice, and the receptacles are located above the heating absorbing side of the apparatus when water is being frozen, and located below the heating distributing side when the ice is released;
- a driving device and at least one driving pulley, wherein the driving device is coupled to the at least one driving pulley to propel the conveyor;
- wherein the driving pulley and the receptacles are provided with portions to make interlocking connections with each other.
A method for making ice in an ice maker, the method comprising:
- placing at least one receptacle that receives water for freezing over a cooling and
- heating apparatus, the apparatus absorbing heat on one side of the apparatus's structure and then distributing the heat on the opposite side of the apparatus's structure, wherein the apparatus absorbs heat from the receptacle to assist in making the ice;
- and
- inverting and placing the receptacle under the apparatus, wherein the apparatus radiates heat to help remove the ice from the receptacle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.