Water cooler

A water cooler for producing ice to cool water comprising:

• a container having a reservoir for storing water, means mounted on the container for removing water from the reservoir, a thermoelectric module having a first surface and a second surface, plate means of heat conductive material mounted on the container for transferring heat energy between the water in the reservoir and the first surface of the thermoelectric module, said plate means having a top surface in communication with the bottom of the reservoir and the water therein and a bottom surface located in engagement with the first surface of the thermoelectric module, a heat sink located adjacent the second surface of the thermoelectric module for transferring heat to the surrounding environment, control means connecting the thermoelectric module to a source of electric power having a first and second polarity whereby the thermoelectric module cools the plate means when connected to the source of electric power having the first polarity thereby causing a block of ice to form adjacent the surface of the plate means, means for sensing the temperature of the plate means and causing a signal when the plate means has attained a selected temperature for forming ice, timer means responsive to said signal for maintaining the supply of electric power having said first polarity to the thermoelectric module for a selected period of time whereby a block of ice is formed adjacent the plate means, said timer means being operable after the selected period of time to change the polarity of the electric power from the first polarity to the second polarity whereby heat energy is transferred from the thermoelectric module to the plate means causing a part of the block of ice to melt adjacent the plate means so that the remaining block of ice floats in the water in the reservoir, sensing means located above the plate means for detecting the presence of the block of the ice when the block of ice reaches a selected size, and control means for reversing the polarity of the electric power from the first polarity to the second polarity to the thermoelectric module prior to the end of the selected period of time of the timer means when the sensing means detects the presence of the selected size of the block of ice whereby heat energy is transferred to the plate means causing a part of said block of ice to melt adjacent the plate means thereby allowing the remaining block of ice to float in the water in said reservoir and cool the water.

A method of cooling water in a container having a reservoir for storing water with a thermoelectric module located adjacent a member for conducting heat energy between the water in the reservoir and the thermoelectric module comprising:

• storing water in the reservoir, cooling the member with the thermoelectric module by supplying electric power having a first polarity to the thermoelectric module, sensing the temperature of the member, maintaining the supply of electric power having the first polarity to the thermoelectric module to maintain the sensed temperature of the member at a temperature below the temperature at which water freezes for a selected period of time to form a block of ice adjacent the member from the water in the reservoir, sensing the size of the block of ice in the reservoir formed adjacent the member, reversing the polarity of the electric power supplied to the thermoelectric module to a second polarity when a selected size of the block of ice is sensed before the end of the selected period of time that the supply of electric power is maintained having the first polarity to the thermoelectric modular thereby causing the thermoelectric module to heat the member to a temperature that melts a portion of the block of ice adjacent the member so as to allow the remaining block of ice to float in the water in the reservoir, and changing the polarity of the electric power supplied to the thermoelectric module from the second polarity back to the first polarity when a block of ice is not sensed in the reservoir whereby the thermoelectric module operates to cool the member to form another block of ice.

A water cooler comprising:

• a container having a reservoir for storing water, heat conductor means mounted on the container having a first surface in contact with the water located in the reservoir and a second surface spaced from the first surface, a thermoelectric module engageable with the second surface for selectively cooling and heating the heat conductor means to form ice adjacent the first surface of the thermoelectric module and melt part of the ice adjacent the first surface of the thermoelectric to allow the remaining ice to float in the water in the reservoir, control means connecting the thermoelectric module to a source of electric power having a first and second polarity whereby the thermoelectric module cools the heat conductor means when the electric power has the first polarity, timer means for maintaining the supply of electric power having said first polarity to the thermoelectric module for a selected period of time whereby a block of ice is formed adjacent the first surface of the heat conductor means, said timer means being operable after the selected period of time to change the polarity of the electric power from the first polarity to the second polarity whereby heat energy is transferred from the thermoelectric module to the heat conductor means causing part of the block of ice to melt adjacent the first surface of the heat conductor means so that the remaining block of ice floats in the water in the reservoir, sensing means spaced from the conductor means for detecting the presence of the block of ice when the block of ice reaches a selected size, and control means for reversing the polarity of the electric power from the first polarity to the second polarity to the thermoelectric module prior to the end of the selected period of time of the timer means when the sensing means detects the presence of the selected size of the block of ice whereby heat energy is transferred to the heat conductor means causing a part of said block of ice to melt adjacent the heat conductor means thereby allowing the remaining block of ice to float in the water in said reservoir and cool the water.

A water cooler comprising:

• a container having a reservoir for storing water, heat conductor means mounted on the container having a first surface in contact with the water located in the reservoir and a second surface spaced from the first surface located outside of the resevoir, a thermoelectric module engageable with the heat conductor means for selectively cooling and heating the heat conductor means to selectively form ice adjacent the first surface of the thermoelectric module and melt part of the ice adjacent the first surface of the thermoelectric module to allow the remaining ice to float in the water in the reservoir, control means connecting the thermoelectric module to a source of electric power having a first and second polarity whereby the thermoelectric module cools the heat conductor means when the electric power has the first polarity, said control means being operable to reverse the polarity of the electric power from the first polarity to the second polarity and from the second polarity back to the first polarity, temperature sensing means mounted on the heat conductor means for providing a first signal indicating that the temperature of the first surface of the heat conducting means is below the freezing temperature of water, timer means actuated by the first signal for maintaining the supply of electric power having said first polarity to the thermoelectric module for a selected period of time whereby a block of ice is formed adjacent the first surface of the heat conductor means, said timer means being operably connected to the control means and temperature sensing means whereby the first signal from the temperature sensing means actuates the temperature sensing means and control means after the selected period of time to change the polarity of the electric power from the first polarity to the second polarity so that heat energy is transferred from the thermoelectric module to the heat conductor means causing part of the block of ice to melt adjacent the first surface of the heat conductor means so that the remaining block of ice floats in the water in the reservoir, sensing means spaced from the heat conductor means for detecting the presence of the block of ice in the reservoir when the block of ice reaches a selected size, said sensing means operative connected to the control means providing a second signal when there is no ice is detected to cause said control means to reset the electric power polarity from the second polarity back to the first polarity and the timer means.