Stand-alone ice making appliance with water softener

Abstract

A stand-alone ice making appliance includes a casing. A water tank, an ice maker, and a pump are disposed within the casing. The pump is operable to circulate water from the water tank to the ice maker. The stand-alone ice making appliance also includes a water softening media disposed upstream of the ice maker.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A stand-alone ice making appliance, comprising:
 a casing;   a water tank disposed within the casing;   an ice maker disposed within the casing;   a pump disposed within the casing, the pump in fluid communication with the water tank and the ice maker, the pump operable to flow water from the water tank to the ice maker;   an auxiliary water reservoir, a reservoir volume of the auxiliary water reservoir in fluid communication with the water tank such that water within the reservoir volume is flowable to the water tank; and   a water softening media disposed downstream of the reservoir volume and upstream of the ice maker.   
     
     
         2 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary water reservoir is disposed outside of the casing. 
     
     
         3 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary water reservoir is integrally formed with the casing. 
     
     
         4 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary water reservoir comprises a base and a container, the base attached to the casing, the container removably mounted to the base. 
     
     
         5 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the water softening media is disposed within the base of the auxiliary water reservoir. 
     
     
         6 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the water softening media is upstream of the water tank. 
     
     
         7 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the pump is a centrifugal pump. 
     
     
         8 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of  claim 1 , wherein a height of the auxiliary water reservoir is about equal to a height of the casing. 
     
     
         9 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the water softening media is positioned and configured such that water in the reservoir volume is gravity fed through the water softening media from the reservoir volume. 
     
     
         10 . A stand-alone ice making appliance, comprising:
 a casing;   a water tank disposed within the casing;   an ice maker disposed within the casing;   a pump disposed within the casing, the pump in fluid communication with the water tank and the ice maker, the pump operable to circulate water from the water tank to the ice maker; and   a water softening media disposed upstream of the ice maker.   
     
     
         11 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of  claim 10 , further comprising an auxiliary water reservoir, a reservoir volume of the auxiliary water reservoir the auxiliary water reservoir in fluid communication with the water tank such that water within the reservoir volume is flowable to the water tank, wherein the water softening media is disposed downstream of the reservoir volume. 
     
     
         12 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the auxiliary water reservoir is disposed outside of the casing. 
     
     
         13 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the auxiliary water reservoir is integrally formed with the casing. 
     
     
         14 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the auxiliary water reservoir comprises a base and a container, the base attached to the casing, the container removably mounted to the base. 
     
     
         15 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the water softening media is disposed within the base of the auxiliary water reservoir. 
     
     
         16 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the water softening media is upstream of the water tank. 
     
     
         17 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the pump is a centrifugal pump. 
     
     
         18 . The stand-alone appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the water softening media is positioned and configured such that water is gravity fed through the water softening media to the ice maker.