Control system for an ice maker

Abstract

A system for ice making includes a controller, a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, a water sump, a curtain disposed adjacent to the evaporator, a water distributor in communication with the water sump to draw water from the water sump and distribute the water over the evaporator during an ice making cycle, a water level sensor disposed in the water sump. The water sensor detects a high water level and signals the controller to initiate an ice making cycle, the sensor further detects a low water level in the sump and signals the controller to terminate the ice making cycle and initiates a harvest cycle. The system further includes a curtain sensor disposed about the curtain that detects when a harvest cycle has ended and sends a signal to a controller to fill the sump with water.

1 . A system for ice making comprising:
 a controller;   a compressor;   a condenser;   an evaporator;   a water sump;   a curtain disposed adjacent to said evaporator;   a water distributor in communication with said water sump to draw water from said water sump and distribute said water over said evaporator during an ice making cycle;   at least one water level sensor disposed in said water sump, said water sensor detects a high water level and signals said controller to initiate an ice making cycle, said sensor further detects a low water level in said sump and signals said controller to terminate said ice making cycle and initiates a harvest cycle; and   a curtain sensor disposed about said curtain that detects when a harvest cycle has ended and sends a signal to a controller to fill said sump with water.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said water level sensor has a first water level position and a second water level position, wherein said first water level position detects said high water level and signals said controller to initiate an ice making cycle, and wherein said second water level position detects said low water level and signals said controller to terminate said ice making cycle and initiates a harvest cycle. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said curtain sensor detects when said harvest cycle has ended by detecting a cessation of ice impacting said curtain. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said curtain sensor is reed switch that detects if said curtain is open when said ice impacts said curtain or closed when ice does not impact said curtain thereby allowing said curtain to remain in a closed position. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said water level sensor is a magnetic float ball. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said magnetic float ball comprises a reed switch. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said water sump is filled with water and drained from water and filled with water again, prior to said freeze cycle. 
     
     
         8 . A method for ice making comprising:
 filling a water sump with water, said water having a water level, said filling moves a water level indicator toward a first position according to said water level;   draining the water from the water sump after said water level indicator achieves said first position, said draining moves said water level indicator to a second position according to said water level;   filling said water sump with said water, said filling continues until said water level indicator achieves said first position;   freezing said water thereby creating ice; and   harvesting said ice by dropping said ice from an evaporator into a container, said container has a curtain sensor that is activated by ice impact when said ice drops from said evaporator into said container.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 terminating said harvesting due to activation of said curtain sensor.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 terminating said harvesting when said container is full.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said water level indicator has at least one sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said water level indicator is a magnetic float ball. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said magnetic float ball comprises a reed switch that detects said water level. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said water level indicator has at least one sensor that detects said first position and said second position. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said water level indicator has a first sensor that detects said first position and a second water sensor that detects said second position.