General Electric Company

Emerson Electric Company

Nidec Motor Corporation

Dennis Dane Tremblay

Ronald E Cole

Laurence S Slocum

David Anthony Schneider

Richard E Hornung

Michael R DuHack

An icemaker assembly includes an ice tray having at least one ice forming compartment. The ice forming compartment includes (i) a first planar lateral side surface, (ii) a second planar lateral side surface, and (iii) an arcuate bottom surface between the first lateral side surface and the second lateral side surface. The first planar surface and the second planar surface are positioned relative to each other so that (i) the first planar lateral side surface is spaced apart from the second planar lateral side surface at a downstream end of the ice forming compartment by a distance Drelative to the ejection path of movement, (ii) the first planar lateral side surface is spaced apart from the second planar lateral side surface at an upstream end of the ice forming compartment by a distance Drelative to the ejection path of movement, and (iii) Dis greater than D

Method and device for producing ice having a harvest-facilitating shape

An icemaker assembly includes an ice tray has at least one ice forming compartment and an ice ejector having at least one ejector member. The ice ejector is operable to (i) stir water located within the at least one ice forming compartment with the at least one ejector member during a first mode, and (ii) urge ice out of the at least one ice forming compartment with the at least one ejector member during a second mode. A method of making ice comprises an operating an ice ejector of an icemaker in a first mode of operation step and an operating an ice ejector of an icemaker in a second mode of operation step. During the first mode of operation step, a plurality of ejector members of the ice ejector are respectively advanced through water located within a plurality of compartments of an ice tray of the ice maker during cooling of the water in the ice tray. In the second mode of operation step, the plurality of ejector members are respectively advanced into contact with ice formed within the plurality of ice forming compartments so that the ice is urged out of the plurality of ice forming compartments.

Method and device for stirring water during icemaking

A method and device for making ice is disclosed. The icemaker assembly comprises an ice tray and an ice ejector. The ice tray has at least (i) a first ice forming compartment defining a first space, and (ii) a second ice forming compartment defining a second space. The ice ejector is positionable at a first position and a second position. The ice ejector has at least (i) a first ejector member, and (ii) a second ejector member. When the ice ejector is positioned at the first position, (i) the first ejector member is positioned in the first space and in contact with a first quantity of water, (ii) the second ejector member is positioned in the second space and in contact with a second quantity of water, and (iii) the first quantity of water is positioned in fluid communication with the second quantity of water. When the ice ejector is positioned at the second position, (i) the first ejector member is spaced apart from both the first space and the first quantity of water, (ii) the second ejector member is spaced apart from both the second space and the second quantity of water, and (iii) the first quantity of water is isolated from fluid communication with the second quantity of water.

Method and device for eliminating connecting webs between ice cubes

An automatic temperature control system which limits the total number of valve cycles for the cold and hot water valves to, for example, a total of ten cycles yet also provides the desired temperature control of water supplied to the wash tub is described. To limit the number of valve cycles, and in one embodiment, the automatic temperature control (ATC) system includes a microprocessor which integrates the temperature of the water provided to the wash tub over time to predict the length of the time period required for the next water valve cycle. The integration balances the energy input on the &ldquo;OFF&rdquo; cycle with the energy input during the &ldquo;ON&rdquo; cycle. Such balancing limits the number of valve cycles thereby reducing the possibility for premature valve failure and facilitating reduced noise. The ATC control system also provides a pre-treater function. When the pre-treater function is selected, e.g., by depressing a momentary switch mounted on the control panel, and provided that the lid is open, the control system energizes the cold water valve for 7 seconds. As a result, cold water flows into the wash tub. The system provides temperature control yet limits the number of valve cycles during a fill even with extreme water temperatures. Even with such cycle limitations, the control provides the desired temperature control.

Automatic temperature control for clothes washer

A motorized damper and a control circuit for controlling the damper motor are described. More specifically, and in one embodiment, the control circuit includes a fresh food compartment cold control (FFCC) thermostatic switch, sometimes referred to herein as the FFCC thermostat. The temperature in the refrigerator fresh food compartment is measured by the FFCC thermostat, and when the FFCC thermostat determines that the temperature in the fresh food compartment is too warm, the FFCC thermostat closes providing a signal which energizes the damper motor. When the damper motor is energized, the motor rotates a cam which moves the damper door from a closed position to an open position. When the FFCC thermostat senses that the temperature in the fresh food compartment is acceptable, the FFCC thermostat opens which causes the motor to rotate the cam to close the damper door.

Growing community of inventors

Geneva, IL, United States of America

Dennis Dane Tremblay