The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 30, 2014
Filed:
Jun. 22, 2011
Anderson Bortoletto, Waunakee, WI (US);
Nihat Cur, Saint Joseph, MI (US);
Douglas D. Leclear, Benton Harbor, MI (US);
Andrew M. Tenbarge, Saint Joseph, MI (US);
Ronald L. Voglewede, Saint Joseph, MI (US);
Anderson Bortoletto, Waunakee, WI (US);
Nihat Cur, Saint Joseph, MI (US);
Douglas D. Leclear, Benton Harbor, MI (US);
Andrew M. Tenbarge, Saint Joseph, MI (US);
Ronald L. Voglewede, Saint Joseph, MI (US);
Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US);
Abstract
A clear ice making assembly and method utilizes a housing having an upper fluid chamber, a plurality of distinct, substantially vertical fluid channels, and at least one fluid outlet aperture in fluid communication with a bottom fluid chamber. During an ice making event, portions of an ice forming evaporator extending through the housing are exposed to water flowing into the fluid channels from the upper fluid chamber. The ice forming evaporator is formed with microchannels through which refrigerant flows such that water flowing across the fluid channels freezes on the exposed portions of the ice forming evaporator over time, forming clear ice pieces. In a harvesting operation, the ice pieces are released from the ice forming evaporator and transferred for storage and/or dispensing.