System and method for ice manufacturing

Abstract

A system for manufacturing clear ice products is provided. The system includes a freezing module, a demolding module, and a converting station. The freezing module includes a frame comprising a plurality of levels, a plate freezer provided at each level, and at least one mold provided for placement on each plate freezer and suitable for receiving water. A control frame is provided associated with each plate freezer and is movable from an elevated position to fill position. In the fill position, the control frame is at least partially disposed within the mold. One or more circulation pumps are associated with each control frame for circulating water in the mold to release air bubbles as the water freezes. The demolding module removes the mold from the freezing module and removes formed ice from the mold. The converting station converts the formed ice into a clear ice product.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A freezing module for creating clear ice sheets, the freezing module comprising:
 a frame comprising a plurality of levels;   a plate freezer provided at each level;   at least one mold provided for placement on each plate freezer and suitable for receiving water to form an ice sheet, wherein the mold has a length, a width, and a depth, and wherein the depth is less than each of the length and the width;   a control frame provided associated with each plate freezer, wherein the control frame is movable from an elevated position to fill position, wherein in the fill position, the control frame is at least partially disposed within the mold;   one or more circulation pumps associated with each control frame, wherein the circulation pumps circulate water in the mold to release air bubbles and/or prevent formation of air bubbles as the water freezes.   
     
     
         2 . The freezing module of  claim 1 , further comprising a freeze frame for each mold, wherein the freeze frame has an open bottom and provides structural support to the mold. 
     
     
         3 . The freezing module of  claim 1 , wherein the control frame further comprises:
 a fill pump; and   a flowmeter, wherein the flowmeter monitors water fill level in the mold.   
     
     
         4 . The freezing module of  claim 1 , wherein the control frame further comprises one or more sensors for sending a height of ice forming in the mold. 
     
     
         5 . The freezing module of  claim 4 , wherein a pump rate of the circulation pumps decreases as the sensors sense the height of the ice increasing. 
     
     
         6 . The freezing module of  claim 1 , further comprising a water removal mechanism. 
     
     
         7 . A system for manufacturing clear ice products, the system comprising:
 a freezing module comprising:   a frame comprising a plurality of levels;   a plate freezer provided at each level;   at least one mold provided for placement on each plate freezer and suitable for receiving water to form an ice sheet, wherein the mold has a length, a width, and a depth, and wherein the depth is less than each of the length and the width;   a control frame provided associated with each plate freezer, wherein the control frame is movable from an elevated position to fill position, wherein in the fill position, the control frame is at least partially disposed within the mold;   one or more circulation pumps associated with each control frame, wherein the circulation pumps circulate water in the mold to release air bubbles and/or prevent formation of air bubbles as the water freezes;   a demolding module comprising:
 a shelf; 
 a lift, wherein the lift brings the shelf to a height to remove a mold from the a level of the freezing module; 
 a push/pull mechanism, wherein the push/pull mechanism is used to move the mold from the freezing module onto the shelf; and 
   a converting station for converting the ice to a clear ice product.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a material handling gantry, wherein the material handling gantry indexes ice removed from the freezing module and directs such ice within the system. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a storage module. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the converting station comprises a plurality of substations. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the substations uses a sacrificial ice base. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of substations comprise a trim module, a customization module, and a shaping module. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the shaping module comprises a crushing substation, a rod substation, a cube substation, or a sphere substation. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the sphere substation includes an upper plate and a lower plate, each comprising half spherical cups placed at intervals. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a heating and cooling chamber associated with at least one of the substations. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the demold module further comprises a demold mechanism for removing formed ice from the mold, wherein the demold module includes a plurality of grippers. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a packaging module. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the freezing module and the demolding module are automated. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the freezing module, the demolding module, and the converting station are automated. 
     
     
         20 . A system for manufacturing clear ice products, the system comprising:
 a freezing module comprising:
 a plate freezer; 
 at least one mold provided for placement on the freezer and suitable for receiving water to form an ice sheet, wherein the mold has a length, a width, and a depth, and wherein the depth is less than each of the length and the width; 
 one or more circulation pumps, wherein the circulation pumps circulate water in the mold to release air bubbles and/or prevent formation of air bubbles as the water freezes; and 
   a demolding module for removing formed ice from the mold.