US-12624879-B2 - Infused ice maker appliance with manual harvesting

US12624879B2US 12624879 B2US12624879 B2US 12624879B2US-12624879-B2

Abstract

An ice maker appliance includes a mold body comprising a mold cavity. The mold cavity is configured for receiving a volume of liquid water therein and retaining the volume of liquid water to form an ice piece in the mold cavity. The ice maker appliance also includes a pod receiver upstream of the mold cavity along a flow path of the volume of liquid water. The pod receiver is configured to hold a pod containing an additive. The additive mixes with the volume of liquid water upstream of the mold cavity and the formed ice piece comprises water and the additive.

Inventors

Vineeth Vijayan
Stephanos Kyriacou

Assignees

HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20231206

Claims (17)

1 . An ice maker appliance, comprising: a mold body comprising a mold cavity, the mold cavity configured for receiving a volume of liquid water therein and retaining the volume of liquid water to form an ice piece in the mold cavity; a pod receiver upstream of the mold cavity along a flow path of the volume of liquid water, the pod receiver configured to hold a pod containing an additive, whereby the ice maker is configured such that the additive mixes with the volume of liquid water upstream of the mold cavity and the formed ice piece comprises the water and the additive; a door rotatably mounted to the pod receiver, the door movable between a closed position wherein a pod receiver slot is enclosed within the pod receiver and an open position which permits access to the pod receiver slot in the pod receiver; a hollow needle on an internal surface of the door; and a water inlet port on an external surface of the door, wherein the hollow needle punctures the pod when the door moves from the open position to the closed position, and wherein the flow path of the volume of liquid water extends from the water inlet port to the hollow needle and into and through the pod, whereby the ice maker is configured such that the additive mixes with the volume of liquid water in the pod upstream of the mold cavity.
2 . The ice maker appliance of claim 1 , wherein the mold body is removable from the ice maker appliance.
3 . The ice maker appliance of claim 1 , wherein the pod receiver is integrally joined to the mold body.
4 . The ice maker appliance of claim 1 , wherein the pod receiver is removable from the mold body.
5 . The ice maker appliance of claim 1 , wherein the pod receiver and the mold body are removable from the ice maker appliance.
6 . The ice maker appliance of claim 1 , wherein the pod receiver and the mold body do not include any electrical components.
7 . The ice maker appliance of claim 1 , wherein the mold body comprises a twist tray, the twist tray configured to release the ice piece when the twist tray is twisted.
8 . The ice maker appliance of claim 1 , wherein the mold body comprises a silicone material, the mold body configured to release the ice piece when the silicone material is flexed.
9 . The ice maker appliance of claim 1 , wherein the pod receiver is in direct fluid communication with a water supply line, whereby the pod receiver is configured to receive a pressurized flow of water from the water supply line.
10 . The ice maker appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a pod receiver slot in the pod receiver, the pod receiver configured to hold the pod containing the additive in the pod receiver slot, further comprising a manifold upstream of the pod receiver slot along the flow path of the volume of liquid water, whereby the ice maker is configured such that liquid water flows from the manifold to the pod receiver slot by gravity.
11 . A method of operating an ice maker appliance, the ice maker appliance comprising a mold body comprising a mold cavity, the mold cavity configured for receiving a volume of liquid water therein and retaining the volume of liquid water to form an ice piece in the mold cavity, and a pod receiver upstream of the mold cavity along a flow path of the volume of liquid water, the pod receiver configured to hold a pod containing an additive, the method comprising: moving a door rotatably mounted to the pod receiver from a closed position to an open position, whereby a hollow needle on an internal surface of the door punctures the pod; flowing the volume of liquid water through the pod in the pod receiver, whereby the additive mixes with the volume of liquid water, wherein flowing the volume of liquid water through the pod comprises flowing the volume of liquid water into the pod through the hollow needle; flowing the additive and the volume of liquid water into the mold cavity; and retaining the additive and the volume of liquid water in the mold cavity to form an ice piece from the additive and the volume of liquid water.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising removing the mold body from the ice maker appliance.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the mold body comprises a twist tray, further comprising, after removing the mold body from the ice maker appliance, twisting the mold body to release the ice piece from the mold body.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the mold body comprises a silicone material, further comprising, after removing the mold body from the ice maker appliance, flexing the mold body to release the ice piece from the mold body.
15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising removing the mold body and the pod receiver from the ice maker appliance, wherein removing the mold body and the pod receiver does not include disconnecting any electrical components.
16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the pod receiver is in direct fluid communication with a water supply line, wherein flowing the volume of liquid water through the pod in the pod receiver whereby the additive mixes with the volume of liquid water comprises flowing a pressurized flow of water from the water supply line to the pod receiver.
17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the ice maker appliance further comprises a pod receiver slot in the pod receiver, the pod receiver configured to hold the pod containing the additive in the pod receiver slot, and a manifold upstream of the pod receiver slot along the flow path of the volume of liquid water, wherein flowing the volume of liquid water through the pod in the pod receiver whereby the additive mixes with the volume of liquid water comprises flowing the volume of water by gravity from the manifold to the pod receiver slot.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present subject matter relates generally to ice maker appliances, and in particular to ice maker appliances configured to produce infused ice from water and an additive such as a flavorant, e.g., ice that is infused with one or more additives. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Certain refrigerator appliances include an ice maker. An ice maker appliance may also be a stand-alone appliance designed for use in commercial and/or residential settings. To produce ice, liquid water is directed to the ice maker and frozen. For example, certain ice makers include a mold body for receiving liquid water. In some systems, a working fluid is used to directly cool the mold body, e.g., by conductive heat transfer. In other systems, the air around the mold body may be cooled such that the mold body is indirectly cooled via the air. When the mold body is cooled, directly and/or indirectly, ice may be formed from the liquid water therein. After ice is formed in the mold body, it may be harvested from the mold body and stored within an ice bin or bucket within the refrigerator appliance. Conventional ice maker appliances are configured for producing ice pieces solely from water, e.g., tap water or other similar water sources. Thus, the resulting ice from such ice maker appliances may be perceived as bland and generally provides little to no flavor or nutrients. Accordingly, an ice maker with features for producing enhanced ice from water and an additive, such as a flavorant, electrolytes, vitamins, and/or other similar additives, would be desirable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention. According to an exemplary embodiment, an ice maker appliance is provided. The ice maker appliance includes a mold body comprising a mold cavity. The mold cavity is configured for receiving a volume of liquid water therein and retaining the volume of liquid water to form an ice piece in the mold cavity. The ice maker appliance also includes a pod receiver upstream of the mold cavity along a flow path of the volume of liquid water. The pod receiver is configured to hold a pod containing an additive. With the pod in the pod receiver, the additive mixes with the volume of liquid water upstream of the mold cavity and the formed ice piece comprises the water and the additive. According to another exemplary embodiment, a method of operating an ice maker appliance is provided. The ice maker appliance includes a mold body comprising a mold cavity, the mold cavity configured for receiving a volume of liquid water therein and retaining the volume of liquid water to form an ice piece in the mold cavity, and a pod receiver upstream of the mold cavity along a flow path of the volume of liquid water, the pod receiver configured to hold a pod containing an additive. The method includes flowing the volume of liquid water through the pod in the pod receiver, whereby the additive mixes with the volume of liquid water. The method also includes flowing the additive and the volume of liquid water into the mold cavity. The method further includes retaining the additive and the volume of liquid water in the mold cavity to form an ice piece from the additive and the volume of liquid water. These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures. FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of a refrigerator appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter. FIG. 2 provides a perspective view of the exemplary refrigerator appliance of FIG. 1, with the doors of the fresh food chamber shown in an open position. FIG. 3 provides an interior perspective view of a dispenser door of the exemplary refrigerator appliance of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 provides an interior elevation view of the door of FIG. 3 with an access door of the door shown in an open position. FIG. 5 provides a perspective view of an exemplary ice maker disposed in an icebox in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 provides a schematic illustration of an exemplary ice maker in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 provides a schematic illustration of an exemplary removable ice maker in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure