Cooler with multi-parameter cube ice maker control

Abstract

A cooling unit with a refrigeration assembly including an evaporator and an insulated cabinet including an ice maker chamber that is cooled by the evaporator. The cooling unit includes an ice maker mechanism disposed in the ice maker chamber, the ice maker mechanism including an ice mold with cavities, an ice mold heater, ejector blades, and strippers. The ice maker mechanism can produce ice and eject the ice into an ice bin within the cabinet during a plurality of ice ejection cycles. The ice is ejected by energizing the mold heater and rotating the plurality of ejector blades through the plurality of cavities. A controller tracks an elapsed time since a previous ice ejection cycle and prohibits a next ice ejection cycle when the elapsed time is below a prescribed time period. A next ice ejection cycle is also prohibited when an ice mold thermistor is below a threshold temperature.

1 . A cooling unit, comprising:
 a refrigeration assembly including an evaporator;   an insulated cabinet including an ice maker chamber that is cooled by the evaporator;   an ice maker mechanism disposed in the ice maker chamber, the ice maker mechanism including an ice mold forming a plurality of cavities, an ice mold heater in thermal conductivity with the ice mold, a motor, a plurality of ejector blades configured to be driven by the motor to eject ice from the plurality of cavities, and a plurality of strippers attached to the ice mold to aid in the ejection of ice, the ice maker mechanism being capable of producing ice and ejecting the ice into an ice bin within the insulated cabinet during a plurality of ice ejection cycles by energizing the mold heater and rotating the plurality of ejector blades through the plurality of cavities; and   a controller configured to track an elapsed time since a previous ice ejection cycle and prohibit a next ice ejection cycle when the elapsed time is below a prescribed time period.   
   
   
       2 . The cooling unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermistor positioned in thermal contact with the ice mold, the thermistor sensing a mold temperature, wherein the controller monitors the mold temperature and prevents the next ice ejection cycle when the mold temperature is above a threshold temperature. 
   
   
       3 . The cooling unit of  claim 2 , wherein ice maker mechanism is configured to fill the ice mold with water during each of the plurality of ice ejection cycles after the ice has been ejected. 
   
   
       4 . The cooling unit of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to provide power to the ice making assembly only if first and second conditions are met, wherein in the first condition the mold temperature is essentially below the threshold temperature and in the second condition the elapsed time period is greater than the prescribed time period. 
   
   
       5 . The cooling unit of  claim 4 , further comprising a start ejection cycle line and a complete ejection cycle line, wherein the controller is configured to provide power to the start ejection cycle line for a start line period and the complete ejection cycle line for a complete line period. 
   
   
       6 . The cooling unit of  claim 5 , wherein the ice maker assembly is configured so that only the start ejection cycle line provides energy to the motor and heater during a first portion of one ejection cycle and only the complete ejection cycle line provides energy to the motor and heater during a second portion of one ejection cycle. 
   
   
       7 . The cooling unit of  claim 6 , wherein the ice maker assembly includes a cam configured to rotate when the ejector blades rotate, a bin switch positioned adjacent the cam, a hold switch positioned adjacent the cam, and a water valve switch positioned adjacent the cam, wherein the cam includes indents configured to throw the hold switch and the water valve switch. 
   
   
       8 . The cooling unit of  claim 7 , wherein the hold switch is a double pole single throw switch. 
   
   
       9 . A cooling unit, comprising:
 a refrigeration assembly including an evaporator;   an insulated cabinet including an ice maker chamber that is cooled by the evaporator;   an ice maker mechanism disposed in the ice maker chamber, the ice maker mechanism including an ice mold forming a plurality of cavities, an ice mold heater in thermal conductivity with the ice mold, a motor, an ejector blade shaft configured to be driven by the motor, a plurality of ejector blades extending from the ejector blade shaft, a plurality of strippers attached to the ice mold, a cam configured to be driven by the motor, a hold switch positioned adjacent the cam, a water valve switch positioned adjacent the cam, an ice level arm configured to sense a level of ice in the ice bin, and an ice bin switch configured to be thrown by the ice level arm, the ice maker mechanism being capable of producing ice and ejecting the ice into an ice bin within the insulated cabinet during a plurality of ice ejection cycles by energizing the mold heater and rotating the plurality of ejector blades through the plurality of cavities;   a start ejection cycle line connected to the ice bin switch;   a complete ejection cycle line connected to the hold switch;   an ice mold thermistor positioned in thermal contact with the ice mold, the ice mold thermistor sensing a mold temperature; and   a controller configured to track an elapsed time since a previous ice making cycle, monitor the ice bin temperature and provide power to the start ejection cycle line and the complete ejection cycle line when the elapsed time since a previous ice ejection cycle is greater than a predetermined time period and the ice mold temperature is above a threshold temperature.   
   
   
       10 . The cooling unit of  claim 9 , wherein the controller provides power to the start ejection cycle line for a start line period of time and to the complete ejection cycle line for a complete line period of time; wherein the start line period of time is less than the complete line period of time. 
   
   
       11 . The cooling unit of  claim 10 , wherein the ice making cycles each include a first portion and a second portion, the motor receiving power from the start ejection cycle line during the first portion and from the complete ejection cycle line during the second portion. 
   
   
       12 . The cooling unit of  claim 11 , wherein the ice is ejected during the second portion. 
   
   
       13 . The cooling unit of  claim 12 , wherein the hold switch is thrown by the cam to switch between the first portion and the second portion. 
   
   
       14 . The cooling unit of  claim 10 , further comprising a user input, wherein one of the predetermined time period and the threshold temperature can be set by the user input. 
   
   
       15 . The cooling unit of  claim 10 , wherein the water valve switch is thrown by the cam during the second portion thereby causing the cavities to fill with water. 
   
   
       16 . A method for controlling a cooling unit with a refrigeration assembly including an evaporator, an insulated cabinet including an ice maker chamber that is cooled by the evaporator, and an ice maker mechanism disposed in the ice maker chamber, the ice maker mechanism including an ice mold forming a plurality of cavities, an ice mold heater in thermal conductivity with the ice mold, a motor, a plurality of ejector blades configured to be driven by the motor, and a plurality of strippers connected to the ice mold and configured to aid in the ejection of ice, the ice maker mechanism being capable of producing ice and ejecting the ice into an ice bin within the insulated cabinet during a plurality of ice ejection cycles by energizing the mold heater and rotating the plurality of ejector blades through the plurality of cavities, the method comprising:
 tracking an elapsed time since a previous ice ejection cycle; and   prohibiting a next ice ejection cycle when the elapsed time is below a prescribed time period.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising sensing an ice mold temperature of the ice mold and prohibiting the next ice ejection cycle when the ice mold temperature is above a threshold temperature. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising starting the next ice ejection cycle by providing power concurrently on a start ejection cycle line and on a complete ejection cycle line. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein power is provided on the start ejection cycle line for a start line period of time and on the complete ejection cycle line for a complete ejection period of time. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the start line period of time is thirty seconds and the complete ejection period of time is ten minutes.