Thin mold ice harvesting
US9170042B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 15, 2013 |
| Grant date | Oct 27, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 6, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25C5/06
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An ice maker includes an ice tray which is moveably mounted to a housing and operable between ice forming and ice harvesting positions. The ice tray comprises a generally planar body portion having a plurality of ice forming cavities disposed thereon. A harvesting mechanism, including retractable or fixed contacting members, is adapted to engage and deform the ice tray when the ice tray is in the ice harvesting position for facilitating release of formed ice structures during an ice harvesting process. The ice tray is a thin mold ice tray which is flexibly resilient, such that the ice tray is adapted to return to an at-rest position from a deformed position when the ice tray is no longer being urged to the deformed position by the harvesting mechanism.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.