Systems and methods for harvesting ice from an icemaker tray
AssigneeEnvolve Engineering, LLC
InventorsGregory Gene Hortin, Kyle Carter Edmondson, Patrick J. Boarman, Michael Edward Stagg, Li Yi Situ
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system comprising a gear having at least one slot, wherein the gear is connected to an icetray and a motor so that when the motor rotates the gear, the icetray twists, and an optical sensor that detects when the gear has rotated the slot over the optical sensor. The icetray twists while the gear is rotated in a first direction away from a home position to a reverse twist position. The rotation of gear then reverses to twist the icetray to a harvest position in a second direction that is opposite of the first direction until ice in the icetray is dislodged.
Claims16
An icemaker apparatus comprising:
- a gear having at least one slot, wherein the gear is connected to an icetray so that when the gear rotates, the icetray twists;
- an optical sensor that detects when the gear has rotated the slot over the optical sensor;
- and
- a control circuit that:
- twists the icetray while the gear is rotated in a first direction away from a home position to a reverse twist position;
- reverses the rotation of gear to twist the icetray to a harvest position in a second direction that is opposite of the first direction until ice in the icetray is dislodged.
A method for harvesting ice from an icetray of an icemaker, comprising:
- providing:
- a gear having at least one slot, wherein the gear is connected to an icetray so that when the gear rotates, the icetray twists;
- and
- an optical sensor that detects when the gear has rotated the slot over the optical sensor;
- twisting the icetray while the gear is rotated in a first direction away from a home position to a reverse twist position;
- and
- reversing the rotation of gear twists the icetray to a harvest position in a second direction that is opposite of the first direction until ice in the icetray is dislodged.
An icemaker system comprising:
- a gear having at least one opening, wherein the gear is connected to an icetray and a motor so that when the motor rotates the gear, the icetray twists;
- and
- an optical sensor that detects when the gear has rotated the opening over the optical sensor,
- wherein the icetray twists while the gear is rotated in a first direction away from a home position to a reverse twist position based on a position of the at least one opening relative to the optical sensor, and
- wherein the rotation of the gear reverses to twist the icetray to a harvest position in a second direction that is opposite of the first direction to dislodge the ice in the icetray.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.