Ice maker leak response shutoff kit

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a kit for an ice maker, an assembly of the ice maker and kit components, and methods of installing the kit and operating the ice maker. The kit includes an overflow pan, a sensor, and an external water supply valve. In use, the overflow pan is positioned below the cabinet, and the sensor is positioned in the overflow pan for detecting water in the overflow pan. The sensor is communicatively connected to the ice maker's controller. The external water supply valve is fluidly connected to the water system upstream of the ice maker and communicatively connected to the controller. The controller actuates the external water supply valve to shut off water supply to the ice maker in response to the sensor detecting water in the overflow pan.

1 . An ice maker assembly, comprising:
 an ice maker including a cabinet, an ice formation device positioned in the cabinet, a water system positioned in the cabinet for delivering water to the ice formation device and draining water from the ice maker, a refrigeration system positioned in the cabinet for cooling the ice formation device, and a controller for controlling the refrigeration system and the water system to make ice using the ice formation device;   an overflow pan positioned below the cabinet;   a sensor positioned in the overflow pan for detecting water in the overflow pan, the sensor communicatively connected to the controller; and   an external water supply valve fluidly connected to the water system upstream of the ice maker and communicatively connected to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to actuate the external water supply valve to shut off water supply to the ice maker in response to the sensor detecting water in the overflow pan.   
     
     
         2 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a resistive sensor configured to detect water by measuring electrical resistance between sensor contacts. 
     
     
         3 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cabinet has a cabinet footprint and the overflow pan has a pan footprint corresponding to the cabinet footprint. 
     
     
         4 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the cabinet has a front-to-back cabinet span and the overflow pan has a pan span in an inclusive range of from 80% to 100% of the cabinet span. 
     
     
         5 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the cabinet has a cabinet width and the overflow pan has a pan width in an inclusive range of from 90% to 100% of the cabinet width. 
     
     
         6 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the cabinet width is 24 inches or less. 
     
     
         7 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the overflow pan is configured to catch water leaking from any water system interface inside the ice maker. 
     
     
         8 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the overflow pan comprises a pan bottom that slopes downward from front to back. 
     
     
         9 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the sensor is positioned at a rear end portion of the overflow pan at a low point of the pan bottom. 
     
     
         10 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the overflow pan has a pan height in an inclusive range of from 1 inch to 2 inches. 
     
     
         11 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the overflow pan comprises a plurality of foot cavities configured to receive support feet of the cabinet. 
     
     
         12 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the water system comprises an internal water inlet valve, the controller configured to shut off both the internal water inlet valve of the water system and the external water supply valve in response to the sensor detecting water in the overflow pan. 
     
     
         13 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to generate an alarm signal and cease ice making operations in response to the sensor detecting water in the overflow pan. 
     
     
         14 . A leak response shutoff kit for an ice maker, comprising:
 an overflow pan having a pan bottom with a peripheral wall extending upward therefrom;   a leak sensor configured to detect water in the overflow pan, the leak sensor including a sensor cable terminated by a cable connector configured to connect to a controller of the ice maker; and   an external water supply valve including a valve housing containing a valve mechanism, the external water supply valve including an inlet fitting, an outlet fitting, a valve actuator, and a control circuit, the external water supply valve further including a control cable with a cable connector configured to connect to the controller of the ice maker.   
     
     
         15 . The leak response shutoff kit of  claim 14 , wherein the leak sensor is a resistive sensor configured to detect water by measuring electrical resistance between sensor contacts. 
     
     
         16 . The leak response shutoff kit of  claim 14 , wherein the pan bottom slopes downward from a front portion to a rear portion, and the leak sensor is positioned at the rear portion of the pan bottom. 
     
     
         17 . The leak response shutoff kit of  claim 14 , wherein the overflow pan further comprises a plurality of foot cavities forming depressions in the pan bottom. 
     
     
         18 . The leak response shutoff kit of  claim 14 , wherein the external water supply valve further comprises an indicator panel including one or more LED indicators for indicating valve status and an input device for user input to initiate reset and test functions. 
     
     
         19 . A method of operating an ice maker, the method comprising:
 detecting water in an overflow pan positioned below the ice maker via a sensor positioned in the overflow pan;   transmitting a signal from the sensor to a controller of the ice maker;   issuing a control signal from the controller to an external water supply valve positioned upstream from the ice maker in response to receiving the signal from the sensor; and   actuating the external water supply valve to shut off water supply upstream of the ice maker such that no water is supplied to any portion of the ice maker.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising a step of shutting off an internal water inlet valve of the ice maker simultaneously with actuating the external water supply valve. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising a step of generating an alarm signal and ceasing ice making operations in response to detecting water in the overflow pan. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of detecting water comprises measuring electrical resistance between sensor contacts of a resistive sensor positioned at a rear portion of the overflow pan. 
     
     
         23 . A method of installing a leak response shutoff kit for an ice maker, the method comprising:
 positioning an overflow pan below a cabinet of the ice maker such that the overflow pan is configured to catch water leaking from the ice maker;   connecting a leak sensor positioned in the overflow pan to a controller of the ice maker via a cable connector;   installing an external water supply valve in a water supply line upstream from the ice maker at a location external to a cabinet of the ice maker containing an ice formation device, a water system, and a refrigeration system of the ice maker; and   connecting the external water supply valve to the controller of the ice maker via a control cable such that the controller can actuate the external water supply valve to shut off water supply to the ice maker.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the step of positioning the overflow pan comprises positioning the overflow pan such that a plurality of foot cavities formed in a pan bottom of the overflow pan receive support feet of the cabinet. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of connecting the leak sensor comprises connecting a resistive sensor configured to detect water by measuring electrical resistance between sensor contacts positioned at a rear portion of the overflow pan.