Ice-making system, which controls ice hardness

Abstract

An ice-making system that can produce ice pellets and can control the hardness of the ice pellets. For example, the ice-making system can include a housing defining an ice-making chamber. The housing can receive liquid. The ice-making system can further include a heat exchange system that can freeze the liquid in the housing to produce ice. The ice-making system can also include an extrusion head coupled with the housing. The extrusion head can include a plurality of openings that can receive the ice. Additionally, the ice-making system can include an auger positioned in a center of the housing. The auger can move the ice toward the extrusion head. The ice-making system can further include a heating element positioned proximate and external the extrusion head. A temperature of the heating element can be based on a preselected ice hardness level.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ice-making system for a household appliance, comprising:
 a housing defining an ice-making chamber to receive liquid;   an extrusion head coupled with the housing, the extrusion head comprising a plurality of openings configured to receive ice; and   a heating element positioned proximate and external to the extrusion head to heat the extrusion head at a temperature that is based on a preselected ice hardness level.   
     
     
         2 . The ice-making system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a heat exchange system configured to produce the ice from the liquid in the ice-making chamber; and   an auger positioned in the housing and configured to move the ice toward the extrusion head.   
     
     
         3 . The ice-making system of  claim 2 , further comprising a motor and gear box assembly configured to rotate the auger, wherein a component of the motor and gear box traverses the extrusion head and is coupled with the auger. 
     
     
         4 . The ice-making system of  claim 3 , wherein the temperature is a first temperature and wherein the ice-making system further comprises a controller configured to, based on the preselected ice hardness level, transmit a first signal to a motor of the motor and gear box assembly to control a rotations per minute (RPM) of the auger, transmit a second signal to a liquid fill assembly to control a volume of liquid received by the housing, transmit a third signal to the heating element to control the first temperature at which the heating element heats the extrusion head, and transmit a fourth signal to the heat exchange system to control a second temperature of the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The ice-making system of  claim 1 , further comprising an ice breaker coupled with a protrusion of the extrusion head, wherein the protrusion comprises a screw thread, and wherein the ice breaker is rotatable about the screw thread to adjust a position of the ice breaker relative to a surface of the extrusion head. 
     
     
         6 . The ice-making system of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is a first housing, and wherein the ice-making system further comprises a second housing, wherein the first housing and the extrusion head are positioned within the second housing. 
     
     
         7 . The ice-making system of  claim 1 , further comprising a tank and an inlet line, wherein the inlet line is coupled with an outlet of the tank and an inlet of the housing, and wherein the inlet line is configured to transfer the liquid from the tank to the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The ice-making system of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element is a first heating element and the temperature is a first temperature, and wherein the system further comprises a second heating element configured to prevent a system failure associated with the ice-making system and to heat the housing at a second temperature that is based on the preselected ice hardness level. 
     
     
         9 . A household appliance comprising:
 an ice storage compartment;   an ice-making system, the ice-making system comprising:
 a housing defining an ice-making chamber to receive liquid; 
 an extrusion head coupled with the housing, the extrusion head comprising a plurality of openings configured to receive ice; and 
 a heating element configured to prevent a system failure associated with the ice-making system and to heat the housing at a temperature that is based on a preselected ice hardness level. 
   
     
     
         10 . The household appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the ice-making system further comprises:
 a heat exchange system configured to produce the ice from the liquid in the ice-making chamber; and   an auger positioned in the housing and configured to move the ice toward the extrusion head.   
     
     
         11 . The household appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the ice-making system further comprises a motor and gear box assembly configured to rotate the auger, wherein a component of the motor and gear box traverses the extrusion head and is coupled with the auger. 
     
     
         12 . The household appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the temperature is a first temperature, and wherein the ice-making system further comprises a controller configured to, based on the preselected ice hardness level, transmit a first signal to a motor of the motor and gear box assembly to control a rotations per minute (RPM) of the auger, transmit a second signal to a liquid fill assembly to control a volume of the liquid received by the housing, transmit a third signal to the heating element to control the first temperature at which the heating element heats the extrusion head, and transmit a fourth signal to a heat exchange system to control a second temperature of the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The household appliance of  claim 9 , wherein heating element is a first heating element and the temperature is a first temperature, and wherein the ice-making system further comprises a second heating element positioned proximate and external to the extrusion head to heat the extrusion head at a second temperature that is based on the preselected ice hardness level. 
     
     
         14 . The household appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the ice-making system further comprises an ice breaker coupled with a protrusion of the extrusion head, wherein the protrusion comprises a screw thread, and wherein the ice breaker is rotatable about the screw thread to adjust a position of the ice breaker relative to a surface of the extrusion head. 
     
     
         15 . The household appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the housing is a first housing, and wherein the ice-making system further comprises a second housing, wherein the first housing and the extrusion head are positioned within the second housing. 
     
     
         16 . The household appliance of  claim 9 , further comprising a tank and an inlet line, wherein the inlet line is coupled with an outlet of the tank and an inlet of the housing, and wherein the inlet line is configured to transfer the liquid from the tank to the housing. 
     
     
         17 . The household appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the household appliance is a refrigerator. 
     
     
         18 . A method for producing ice pellets based on a preselected ice hardness level, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a housing defining an ice-making chamber, liquid;   producing ice from the liquid in the housing using a heat exchange system associated with the housing;   heating an extrusion head coupled with the housing using a heating element positioned proximate and external to the extrusion head, wherein a temperature to which the extrusion head is heated by the heating element is based on the preselected ice hardness level;   receiving the ice at a plurality of openings of the extrusion head, wherein the ice is moved to the plurality of openings by an auger positioned in the housing; and   forming the ice pellets by movement of the ice through the plurality of openings of the heated extrusion head.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 rotating the auger using a component of a motor and gear box assembly configured to rotate the auger, wherein the component of the motor and gear box traverses the extrusion head and is coupled with the auger.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the temperature is a first temperature, and wherein the method further comprises:
 transmitting, by a controller and based on the preselected ice hardness level, a first signal to a motor of the motor and gear box assembly to control a rotations per minute (RPM) of the auger, a second signal to a liquid fill assembly to control a volume of the liquid received by the housing, a third signal to the heating element to control the first temperature at which the heating element heats the extrusion head, and a fourth signal to a heat exchange system to control a second temperature of the housing.