US2012047918A1PendingUtilityA1

Piezoelectric harvest ice maker

38
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Aug 25, 2010Filed: Aug 25, 2010Published: Mar 1, 2012
Est. expiryAug 25, 2030(~4.1 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Carlos A. HerreraRichard DevosJoel Erik HitzelbergerAlan Joseph MitchellAndrew Veenstra
F25C 5/04
38
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

An apparatus includes a mold body with at least one cavity configured and dimensioned to receive water to be frozen into ice. The mold body has a plurality of natural frequencies of vibration. Also included is an ice discharge mechanism configured to cause the ice to be removed from the at least one cavity. Also included is a vibration source mounted to the mold body at a location which is located near a region of high deflection at one of the first five natural frequency of vibration of the mold body; the location is also not a node at that natural frequency of vibration of the mold body. A refrigerator using the apparatus, a method of using the apparatus, and a method of designing the apparatus are also disclosed.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a mold body with at least one cavity configured and dimensioned to receive water to be frozen into ice, said mold body having a plurality of natural frequencies of vibration;   an ice discharge mechanism configured to cause said ice to be removed from said at least one cavity; and   a vibration source mounted to said mold body at a location which is located near a region of high deflection at one of the first five natural frequencies of vibration of said mold body, said location not being a node at said one of the first five natural frequencies of vibration of said mold body.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to cause said ice discharge mechanism to cause said ice to be removed from said at least one cavity and to cause said vibration source to vibrate near said one of said first five natural frequencies of vibration of said mold body. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said mold body has a plurality of cavities configured and dimensioned to receive said water to be frozen into said ice. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein:
 said ice discharge mechanism comprises an actuation arrangement, mounted to said body of said refrigerator, which causes said mold body to transition between:
 a first position wherein said water can be introduced into said at least one cavity; and 
 a second position wherein said ice can be discharged from said at least one cavity; and 
   said controller is configured to cause said actuation arrangement to transition said mold body between said first and second positions.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said controller is further configured to cause said vibration source to vibrate near said one of the first five natural frequencies of vibration at least one of:
 a time when said mold body is in said second position; and   a time just prior to when said mold body is in said second position.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said controller is further configured to cause said vibration source to vibrate near said one of the first five natural frequencies of vibration while said water is freezing into said ice. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said vibration source comprises a piezoelectric transducer. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a release coating on said at least one cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein:
 said ice discharge mechanism comprises a rake arrangement configured to rake said ice out of said at least one cavity.   
     
     
         10 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a body defining at least one cooled compartment;   a mold body with at least one cavity configured and dimensioned to receive water to be frozen into ice, said mold body having a plurality of natural frequencies of vibration, said mold body being in thermal communication with said at least one cooled compartment;   an ice discharge mechanism, mounted to said body of said refrigerator, and configured to cause said ice to be removed from said at least one cavity;   a vibration source mounted to said mold body at a location which is located near a region of high deflection at one of the first five natural frequencies of vibration of said mold body, said location not being a node at said one of the first five natural frequencies of said mold body.   
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , further comprising a controller configured to cause said ice discharge mechanism to cause said ice to be removed from said at least one cavity and to cause said vibration source to vibrate near said one of said first five natural frequencies of vibration of said mold body. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein said mold body has a plurality of cavities configured and dimensioned to receive said water to be frozen into said ice. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein:
 said ice discharge mechanism comprises an actuation arrangement, mounted to said body of said refrigerator, which causes said mold body to transition between:
 a first position wherein said water can be introduced into said at least one cavity; and 
 a second position wherein said ice can be discharged from said at least one cavity; and 
   said controller is configured to cause said actuation arrangement to transition said mold body between said first and second positions.   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein said controller is further configured to cause said vibration source to vibrate near said one of the first five natural frequencies at least one of:
 a time when said mold body is in said second position; and   a time just prior to when said mold body is in said second position.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein said controller is further configured to cause said vibration source to vibrate near said one of the first five natural frequencies while said water is freezing into said ice. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein said vibration source comprises a piezoelectric transducer. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , further comprising a release coating on said at least one cavity. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein:
 said ice discharge mechanism comprises a rake arrangement configured to rake said ice out of said at least one cavity.   
     
     
         19 . An apparatus comprising:
 a mold body with at least one cavity configured and dimensioned to receive water to be frozen into ice;   an ice discharge mechanism configured to cause said ice to be removed from said at least one cavity;   a piezoelectric transducer mounted to said mold body; and   a controller configured to cause said ice discharge mechanism to cause said ice to be removed from said at least one cavity and to cause said piezoelectric transducer to vibrate said mold body.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising a release coating on said at least one cavity. 
     
     
         21 . A method comprising the steps of:
 filling at least one cavity of a mold body with water to be frozen into ice, said mold body having a plurality of natural frequencies of vibration;   allowing said water to freeze into said ice;   activating an ice discharge mechanism configured to cause said ice to be removed from said at least one cavity; and   vibrating said mold body by applying a vibration source at a location which is located on said mold body near a region of high deflection at one of the first five natural frequencies of vibration of said mold body, said location not being a node at said one of the first five natural frequencies of vibration of said mold body, said vibration source vibrating near said one of the first five natural frequencies of vibration of said mold body, said vibration being carried out to assist in said removal of said ice from said at least one cavity.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein:
 in said activating step, said ice discharge mechanism comprises an actuation arrangement which causes said mold body to transition between:
 a first position wherein said water can be introduced into said at least one cavity; and 
 a second position wherein said ice can be discharged from said at least one cavity; and 
   said vibrating step is carried out at least one of:
 a time when said mold body is in said second position; and 
 a time just prior to when said mold body is in said second position. 
   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said vibrating step is further carried out while said water is freezing into said ice. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said vibration source in said vibrating step comprises a piezoelectric transducer. 
     
     
         25 . A method comprising the steps of:
 carrying out at least one of modal analysis and prototype testing to determine at least one mode shape and at least one corresponding natural frequency of vibration of an ice mold body having at least one cavity for receiving water to be frozen into ice;   specifying said at least one corresponding natural frequency as a target operating frequency for a vibration source; and   specifying a location of said vibration source on said mold body near a region of high deflection at said at least one corresponding natural frequency of said mold body, said location not being a node at said natural frequency of vibration of said mold body, said location being determined from said at least one of modal analysis and prototype testing.

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