Patent · US Active

Low pressure control for signaling a time delay for ice making cycle start up

US9217597B2 · kind B2 · utility

16Cited by
12References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 1, 2011
Grant dateDec 22, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 1, 2034

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF25C2700/02
  • WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method of making ice in an ice making machine comprising: (a) compressing vaporized refrigerant, cooling the compressed refrigerant to condense it into a liquid, feeding the condensed refrigerant through an expansion device and vaporizing the refrigerant in an evaporator to create freezing temperatures in an ice-forming mold to freeze water into ice in the shape of mold cavities during an ice making mode; (b) heating the ice making mold to release the ice therefrom in a harvest mode by separating vaporous and liquid refrigerant within a receiver interconnected between the condenser and the expansion device and feeding vapor from the receiver to the evaporator, wherein the ice-forming mold, evaporator and receiver are disposed in an ice machine unit, and the compressor and condenser are disposed in a condensing unit; (c) determining if the ice making machine is on and if an ice bin switch is closed: if the ice machine is on and the bin switch is closed, then check a low pressure switch: if the low pressure switch is not closed, then return to step (i) above; or if the low pressure switch is closed, then set a time delay for a predetermined time delay; and (d) determining if the pr…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.