Rotating icemaker assembly

Abstract

An icemaker assembly disposed within a refrigerator is configured for continuous freezing of water and continuous harvesting of ice. The icemaker assembly includes a rotating ice mold having a plurality of ice forming compartments. A water distributor is operably disposed above the ice mold for supplying water individually to each of the plurality of ice forming compartments. The water distributor supplies the water at a flow rate which is dependent on a rotational speed of the ice mold. The rotating ice mold is rotatable such that each ice forming compartment is movable to a first position for receiving water from the water distributor and movable to a second position for harvesting ice. At the first position, each ice forming compartment is at a first temperature for rapidly freezing the water received from the water distributor. At the second position, each ice forming compartment is at a second, higher temperature for releasing the ice therein.

1 . An icemaker assembly disposed within a refrigerator and configured for continuous freezing of water and continuous harvesting of ice, the icemaker assembly comprising:
 a rotating ice mold, the ice mold having a plurality of ice forming compartments;   a water distributor operably disposed above the ice mold for supplying water individually to each of the plurality of ice forming compartments, the water distributor supplying the water at a flow rate dependent on a rotational speed of the ice mold;   wherein the rotating ice mold is rotatable such that each ice forming compartment is movable to a first position for receiving water from the water distributor and moveable to a second position for harvesting ice,   wherein at the first position, each ice forming compartment is at a first temperature for rapidly freezing the water received from the water distributor,   wherein at the second position, each ice forming compartment is at a second, higher temperature for releasing the ice therein.   
   
   
       2 . The icemaker assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising an ice ready detector for detecting that the ice to be harvested from each ice forming compartment is completely frozen, wherein rotation of the ice mold is stopped when the ice is not completely frozen. 
   
   
       3 . The icemaker assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising a drive mechanism operably connected to the ice mold, wherein the drive mechanism is one of a motor assembly and a slip clutch. 
   
   
       4 . The icemaker assembly of  claim 3 , further comprising a controller electrically coupled to the water distributor and the ice ready sensor and the drive mechanism. 
   
   
       5 . The icemaker assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising an ice storage bin located beneath the ice mold for receiving ice, and a fullness detector for detecting a level of ice in the ice storage bin, wherein the fullness detector includes a plurality of projections extending outwardly from the ice mold, each projection extending at least partially into the ice storage bin, wherein contact of one of the projections with ice in the ice storage bin stops rotation of the ice mold. 
   
   
       6 . The icemaker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the ice mold is generally cylindrical. 
   
   
       7 . The icemaker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the water distributor includes a nozzle for providing an intermittent drip supply of water directly into each ice forming compartment and a heater for heating the nozzle to prevent freezing of the intermittent drip supply of water. 
   
   
       8 . The icemaker assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a second ice mold coupled to the ice mold for rotation therewith, the second ice mold including a plurality of ice forming compartments, each ice forming compartment being aligned with one of the plurality of ice forming compartments of the ice mold. 
   
   
       9 . The icemaker assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising a second water distributor for supplying water individually to each of the plurality of ice forming compartments of the second ice mold. 
   
   
       10 . The icemaker assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a stationary heater configured to separately heat each ice forming compartment to the second temperature thereby allowing the heater to operate at a low wattage. 
   
   
       11 . The icemaker assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the heater is at least partially housed within the ice mold. 
   
   
       12 . The icemaker assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising an ice removal device for engaging ice located in each ice forming compartment, the ice removal device configured to rotate at approximately the same speed as the rotational speed of the ice mold. 
   
   
       13 . The icemaker assembly of  claim 1 , in combination with the refrigerator having a fresh food compartment and a bottom mount freezer compartment, wherein the icemaker assembly is disposed within the fresh food compartment, wherein the refrigerator includes an air duct for directing cold air from the freezer compartment to the ice mold, the cold air cooling each ice forming compartment of the ice mold from the second temperature to the first temperature prior to the rotation of each ice forming compartment to the first position. 
   
   
       14 . An icemaker assembly for a refrigerator, the refrigerator including a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment, the icemaker assembly being disposed within one of the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment of the refrigerator, the icemaker assembly comprising:
 a housing;   an ice mold rotatably disposed within the housing, the ice mold including a plurality of compartments in which ice is formed, the ice forming compartments being disposed about an outer periphery of the ice mold;   a water distributor connected to the housing and disposed above the ice mold for providing a supply of water separately to each ice forming compartment;   a cooling mechanism thermally connected to one of the housing and the ice mold for cooling each ice forming compartment prior to water being received therein and flash freezing the water received in each ice forming compartment from the water distributor; and   a stationary heater thermally connected to the ice mold for separately melting an interface between the ice and each ice forming compartment,   wherein the icemaker assembly is configured for continuous freezing of water and continuous harvesting of ice.   
   
   
       15 . The icemaker assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the stationary heater is configured to one of mate with each ice forming compartment and engage one of each ice forming compartment and the ice located therein. 
   
   
       16 . The icemaker assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising an ice storage bin located beneath the ice mold for receiving ice, wherein rotation of the ice mold is dependent on the level of ice in the ice storage bin. 
   
   
       17 . The icemaker assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising a fullness detector for detecting a level of ice in the ice storage bin, the fullness detector stopping rotation of the ice mold when the level of ice within the ice storage bin is at a predetermined level. 
   
   
       18 . A method of continuous freezing of water and continuous harvesting of ice for a refrigerator, the method comprising:
 rotating an ice mold, the ice mold including a plurality of compartments in which ice is formed, wherein each ice forming compartment is rotated through a first position and a second position;   supplying water separately to each compartment at the first position;   flash freezing the water received in each compartment at the first position; and   heating each compartment at the second position to release the ice therein.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the water supplying step further comprises:
 producing an intermittent drip supply of water, and   controlling the flow rate of the water so that the flow rate is dependent on a rotational speed of the ice mold.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 collecting the ice harvested from each compartment, and   controlling the rotation of the ice mold so that the rotation is dependent on a level of ice collected.