# US 7,610,773 B2 · Ice producing apparatus and method

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- Number: US 7,610,773 B2
- Document ID: US7610773B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/610,798
- Filed: 2006-12-14
- Published: 2008-06-19
- Granted: 2009-11-03
- Earliest claimed: 2006-12-14
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Alexander Pinkus Rafalovich; Sanjay Manohar Anikhindi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7610773B2

## CPC

- F25C 1/24: for refrigerators, e.g. freezing trays
- F25C 5/185: with freezing trays
- F25D 17/02: for circulating liquids, e.g. brine
- F25D 23/028: {Details}
- F25C 2400/10: Refrigerator units
- F25D 2400/06: Refrigerators with a vertical mullion
- F25C: PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B)

## Abstract

An ice producing apparatus for a refrigerator includes a storage tank configured to store a cooling medium. A first heat exchanger is disposed downstream of the storage tank and is configured to have the cooling medium flow therethrough to be cooled. An ice mold includes at least one cavity that is configured to retain water therein. A second heat exchanger is disposed downstream of the first heat exchanger and is configured to have the cooling medium flow therethrough to freeze the water in the ice mold to produce ice.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A refrigerator comprising:
a compartment cooling section configured to cool an interior compartment of the refrigerator, the compartment cooling section comprising a first heat exchanger configured to have a refrigerant flow therethrough to absorb heat; and
an ice producing apparatus configured to produce ice and to deliver the produced ice through an opening in a door of the refrigerator, the ice producing apparatus comprising:
a storage tank configured to store a cooling medium;
a second heat exchanger disposed downstream of the storage tank and configured to have the cooling medium flow therethrough to be cooled;
an ice mold comprising at least one cavity that is configured to retain water therein; and
a third heat exchanger disposed downstream of the second heat exchanger and configured to have the cooling medium flow therethrough to freeze the water in the ice mold to produce ice.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the ice producing apparatus further comprises:
a pump configured to flow the cooling medium through the second heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the ice producing apparatus further comprises:
an ice delivery system configured to deliver ice through the opening in the door of the refrigerator.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the ice producing apparatus further comprises:
an ice receptacle configured to receive ice from the ice mold.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the ice delivery system is disposed in a door of the interior compartment of the refrigerator.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the ice delivery system is disposed in a door of a fresh food compartment of the refrigerator, the fresh food compartment being configured to be cooled to a temperature above a freezing point temperature of water.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the interior compartment comprises a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment, the fresh food compartment being configured to be cooled by the compartment cooling system to a temperature above a freezing point temperature of water, the freezer compartment being configured to be cooled to a temperature equal to or less than the freezing point temperature of water, and the fresh food compartment being disposed at an elevation above the freezer compartment.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the ice producing apparatus further comprises:
a pump configured to flow the cooling medium through the second and third heat exchangers.