Ice maker heater assemblies

Abstract

An ice maker includes an ice mold having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface of the ice mold is configured to retain water for forming ice cubes in the ice mold. The ice mold includes a plurality of ice lobes each shaped to form a respective ice cube in the ice mold. A heater assembly is positioned on the outer surface of the ice mold. In some embodiments, each of a plurality of heating elements of the heater assembly is aligned with a corresponding lobe of the plurality of lobes for supplying heat to ice cubes formed in the lobes for releasing the ice cubes from the ice mold. In some embodiments, the heater assembly includes a heater having a ceramic substrate and one or more electrically resistive traces and electrically conductive traces thick film printed on the ceramic substrate.

1 . An ice maker, comprising:
 an ice mold having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface of the ice mold is configured to retain water for forming ice cubes in the ice mold, the ice mold includes a plurality of ice lobes each shaped to form a respective ice cube in the ice mold; and   a heater positioned on the ice mold, the heater includes a ceramic substrate having a plurality of electrically resistive traces and a plurality of electrically conductive traces, the heater is configured to generate heat when an electric current is supplied to the electrically resistive traces, the plurality of electrically resistive traces are spaced along a length of the ceramic substrate such that each of the plurality of electrically resistive traces is aligned with an individual corresponding ice lobe of the plurality of ice lobes for supplying heat to ice cubes formed in the ice lobes for releasing the ice cubes from the ice mold, the plurality of electrically conductive traces extend between respective pairs of the plurality of ice lobes and electrically connect the plurality of electrically resistive traces,   wherein the heater includes a first terminal positioned at a first end of the ceramic substrate along the length of the ceramic substrate and a second terminal positioned at a second end of the ceramic substrate along the length of the ceramic substrate, the first and second terminals providing electrical connections to the heater for electrically connecting the heater to a voltage source.   
     
     
         2 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the heater is positioned along an underside of the ice mold. 
     
     
         3 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrically resistive traces alternate with the plurality of electrically conductive traces in a single file arrangement along the length of the ceramic substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The ice maker of  claim 3 , wherein a width of at least a portion of each electrically conductive trace connecting a respective pair of electrically resistive traces is less than a width of the respective pair of electrically resistive traces. 
     
     
         5 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrically resistive traces and the plurality of electrically conductive traces are thick film printed on the ceramic substrate. 
     
     
         6 . An ice maker, comprising:
 an ice mold having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface of the ice mold is configured to retain water for forming ice cubes in the ice mold, the ice mold includes a plurality of ice lobes each shaped to form a respective ice cube in the ice mold; and   a heater positioned on the ice mold, the heater includes a ceramic substrate having a plurality of electrically resistive traces and a plurality of electrically conductive traces, the heater is configured to generate heat when an electric current is supplied to the electrically resistive traces, the plurality of electrically resistive traces are spaced along a length of the ceramic substrate such that each of the plurality of electrically resistive traces is aligned with an individual corresponding ice lobe of the plurality of ice lobes for supplying heat to ice cubes formed in the ice lobes for releasing the ice cubes from the ice mold, the plurality of electrically conductive traces extend between respective pairs of the plurality of ice lobes and electrically connect the plurality of electrically resistive traces,   wherein the plurality of electrically resistive traces alternate with the plurality of electrically conductive traces in a single file arrangement along the length of the ceramic substrate.   
     
     
         7 . The ice maker of  claim 6 , wherein the heater is positioned along an underside of the ice mold. 
     
     
         8 . The ice maker of  claim 6 , wherein a width of at least a portion of each electrically conductive trace connecting a respective pair of electrically resistive traces is less than a width of the respective pair of electrically resistive traces. 
     
     
         9 . The ice maker of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of electrically resistive traces and the plurality of electrically conductive traces are thick film printed on the ceramic substrate.