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An ice making assembly and method utilizes a housing having an upper fluid chamber, a plurality of distinct, substantially vertical fluid channels, and at least one drain aperture in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir. Ice forming members extend from an ice forming evaporator into respective fluid channels. During an ice making event, fluid continuously supplied to the upper fluid chamber flows into each of the fluid channels and out through at least one drain aperture into a fluid reservoir below. The ice forming members are cooled such that fluid flowing across the fluid channels freezes on the ice forming members over time, forming clear ice pieces. The ice pieces are subsequently released from the ice forming members and transferred for storage and/or dispensing.

Titel:	VERTICAL ICE MAKER PRODUCING CLEAR ICE PIECES
Autor/in / Beteiligte Person:	BORTOLETTO, ANDERSON ; CUR, NIHAT ; LECLEAR, DOUGLAS D. ; TENBARGE, ANDREW M. ; VOGLEWEDE, RONALD L.
Link:	View record in USPTO Patent Applications (Volltext)
Veröffentlichung:	2012
Medientyp:	Patent
Sonstiges:	Nachgewiesen in: USPTO Patent Applications Sprachen: English Document Number: 20120324915 Publication Date: December 27, 2012 Appl. No: 13/166085 Application Filed: June 22, 2011 Assignees: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION (BENTON HARBOR, MI, US) Claim: 1. A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet including a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment; a cooling system; and a clear ice making assembly comprising: a housing defining an upper fluid chamber; a fluid inlet adapted to supply fluid to the upper fluid chamber; a plurality of walls that define a plurality of spaced, substantially vertical fluid channels there between, with each of the plurality of fluid channels including a fluid inlet aperture in communication with the upper fluid chamber; a fluid reservoir; at least one drain aperture formed below the plurality of fluid channels and in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir; and a plurality of ice forming members configured to be cooled by the cooling system, wherein each of the plurality of ice forming members extends into a respective one of the plurality of fluid channels such that fluid flowing through the fluid inlet aperture of each of the plurality of fluid channels is directed over the plurality of ice forming members before draining into the fluid reservoir through the at least one drain aperture. Claim: 2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the fluid channels are constructed of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than a material of the plurality of ice forming members. Claim: 3. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the fluid reservoir is in fluid communication with the upper fluid chamber through a fluid recirculation line; and the clear ice making assembly further comprises at least one pump adapted to transfer fluid between the fluid reservoir and the upper fluid chamber. Claim: 4. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the clear ice making assembly further comprises a drain line adapted to drain fluid from the fluid reservoir. Claim: 5. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the clear ice making assembly includes first and second fluid channeling portions that fit together about the plurality of ice forming members to form the housing, and wherein the housing further defines the plurality of fluid channels, the fluid inlet apertures and the at least one drain aperture. Claim: 6. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the clear ice making assembly further comprises: an ice storage bucket located in the freezer compartment; and an ice transfer chute located beneath the plurality of fluid channels, wherein at least the plurality of fluid channels and the plurality of ice forming members are located in the fresh food compartment, and the ice transfer chute is adapted to transfer clear ice pieces dispensed from the ice making assembly from the fresh food compartment to the freezer compartment. Claim: 7. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the at least one drain aperture is formed in a front face portion which is sloped such that clear ice pieces released from each of the plurality of ice forming members are guided by the plurality of walls and the front face portion for storage within the refrigerator. Claim: 8. A clear ice making assembly comprising: an upper fluid chamber; a fluid inlet adapted to supply fluid to the upper fluid chamber; a plurality of walls that define a plurality of spaced, substantially vertical fluid channels there between, with each of the plurality of fluid channels including a fluid inlet aperture in communication with the upper fluid chamber; a fluid reservoir; at least one drain aperture located below the plurality of fluid channels and in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir; and a plurality of ice forming members configured to be cooled by a cooling system, wherein each of the plurality of ice forming members extends into a respective one of the plurality of fluid channels such that fluid flowing through the fluid inlet aperture of each of the plurality of fluid channels is directed over the plurality of ice forming members before draining into the fluid reservoir through the at least one drain aperture. Claim: 9. The clear ice making assembly of claim 8, wherein the fluid channels are constructed of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than a material of the ice forming members. Claim: 10. The clear ice making assembly of claim 8, wherein the fluid reservoir is in fluid communication with the upper fluid chamber through a fluid recirculation line; and the ice making assembly further comprises at least one pump controlling the transfer of fluid between the fluid reservoir and the upper fluid chamber. Claim: 11. The clear ice making assembly of claim 8, wherein the ice making assembly further comprises a drain line adapted to drain fluid from the fluid reservoir. Claim: 12. The clear ice making assembly of claim 8, further comprising first and second fluid channeling portions that fit together about the plurality of ice forming members to form a housing, wherein the housing defines the upper fluid chamber, the plurality of fluid channels, each fluid inlet aperture and the at least one drain aperture. Claim: 13. The clear ice making assembly of claim 8, further comprising: an ice transfer chute located beneath the plurality of fluid channels, and adapted to transfer clear ice pieces dispensed from the ice making assembly to an ice bucket. Claim: 14. The ice making assembly of claim 8, wherein the at least one drain aperture is located in front face portion which is sloped such that clear ice pieces released from each of the plurality of ice forming members are guided by the plurality of walls and the front face portion toward an ice transfer chute located below the plurality of fluid channels. Claim: 15. A method of forming ice with a clear ice making assembly including a housing having an upper fluid chamber, a plurality of walls that define a plurality of substantially vertical fluid channels there between, and at least one drain aperture in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir, the ice making assembly also including a plurality of ice forming members extending into a respective one of the plurality of fluid channels, the method comprising: continuously supplying fluid to the upper fluid chamber such that fluid flows from the upper fluid chamber, through a plurality of fluid inlet apertures, into respective ones of the plurality of fluid channels, across each of the plurality of ice forming members and out through at least one drain aperture of the housing; and cooling the plurality of ice forming members such that clear ice pieces form on the plurality of ice forming members over a period of time. Claim: 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of continuously supplying fluid to the upper fluid chamber includes pumping fluid from the fluid reservoir through a fluid recirculation line to the upper fluid chamber. Claim: 17. The method of claim 15, further comprising: draining fluid from the storage reservoir. Claim: 18. The method of claim 15, wherein the flow into the plurality of fluid channels is laminar. Claim: 19. The method of claim 15, further comprising: initiating an ice harvesting cycle to release the clear ice pieces from the plurality of ice forming members, wherein the ice harvesting cycle includes transferring the clear ice pieces released from the plurality of ice forming members to an ice storage bucket through an ice transfer chute. Claim: 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the housing and the plurality of ice forming members are located within a fresh food compartment of a refrigerator and the ice storage bucket is located in a freezer compartment of the refrigerator, and the ice transfer chute transfers the ice pieces released from the plurality of ice forming members through a wall separating the fresh food and freezer compartments to the ice storage bucket. Current U.S. Class: 62/66 Current International Class: 25; 25

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VERTICAL ICE MAKER PRODUCING CLEAR ICE PIECES