US-12624880-B2 - Infused ice maker appliance

Abstract

An ice maker appliance includes an additive dispensing assembly and a mold body. The additive dispensing assembly includes an additive cup configured to receive a volume of liquid additive and a dispensing tube. The ice maker appliance also includes a fill tube. The dispensing tube is aligned with the fill tube whereby the liquid additive from the dispensing tube mixes with a flow of liquid water from the fill tube. The mold body includes a mold cavity. The mold body is positioned downstream of the dispensing tube and the fill tube and is configured for receiving the mixed flow of liquid water and liquid additive whereby a mixture of liquid water and liquid additive is formed in the mold cavity. The mold cavity is further configured for retaining the mixture of liquid water and liquid additive to form an ice piece from the mixture in the mold cavity.

Inventors

• Alan Joseph Mitchell
• Vineeth Vijayan

Assignees

• HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20231211

Claims (18)

1. 1 . A refrigerator appliance, comprising: a cabinet; a chilled chamber defined within the cabinet; and an ice making assembly, the ice making assembly comprising: an additive dispensing assembly comprising an additive cup configured to receive a volume of liquid additive and a dispensing tube downstream of the additive cup; a mold body comprising a mold cavity; and a fill tube in fluid communication with a water supply, the fill tube oriented at an oblique angle, whereby a flow of liquid water from the fill tube defines an arcuate path from an outlet of the fill tube, an outlet of the dispensing tube aligned along a tangent to the arcuate path, whereby a flow of the liquid additive from the dispensing tube intersects the flow of liquid water from the fill tube above the mold body and mixes with the flow of liquid water from the fill tube to form a mixed flow of liquid water and liquid additive, wherein the mold body is positioned downstream of the dispensing tube and the fill tube, the mold cavity configured for receiving the mixed flow of liquid water and liquid additive whereby a mixture of liquid water and liquid additive is formed in the mold cavity, the mold cavity further configured for retaining the mixture of liquid water and liquid additive to form an ice piece from the mixture in the mold cavity.
2. 2 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the additive dispensing assembly of the ice making assembly further comprises a dosing pump coupled to the additive cup between the additive cup and the outlet of the dispensing tube.
3. 3 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 2 , wherein the dosing pump is a peristaltic pump.
4. 4 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 3 , wherein the peristaltic pump is actuated by a stepper motor.
5. 5 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the outlet of the dispensing tube is positioned above the outlet of the fill tube.
6. 6 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the outlet of the dispensing tube is oriented generally along a vertical direction.
7. 7 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the outlet of the dispensing tube is offset from the outlet of the fill tube generally along a horizontal direction.
8. 8 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the ice making assembly consists of four or fewer mold cavities.
9. 9 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the ice making assembly is mounted on an internal surface of a door of the refrigerator appliance.
10. 10 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the ice making assembly is an auxiliary ice making assembly, further comprising a primary ice making assembly separate from the ice making assembly.
11. 11 . An ice maker appliance, comprising: an additive dispensing assembly comprising an additive cup configured to receive a volume of liquid additive and a dispensing tube downstream of the additive cup; a mold body comprising a mold cavity; and a fill tube in fluid communication with a water supply, the fill tube oriented at an oblique angle, whereby a flow of liquid water from the fill tube defines an arcuate path from an outlet of the fill tube, an outlet of the dispensing tube aligned along a tangent to the arcuate path, whereby a flow of the liquid additive from the dispensing tube intersects the flow of liquid water from the fill tube above the mold body and mixes with the flow of liquid water from the fill tube to form a mixed flow of liquid water and liquid additive, wherein the mold body is positioned downstream of the dispensing tube and the fill tube, the mold cavity configured for receiving the mixed flow of liquid water and liquid additive whereby a mixture of liquid water and liquid additive is formed in the mold cavity, the mold cavity further configured for retaining the mixture of liquid water and liquid additive to form an ice piece from the mixture in the mold cavity.
12. 12 . The ice maker appliance of claim 11 , wherein the additive dispensing assembly further comprises a dosing pump coupled to the additive cup between the additive cup and the dispensing tube.
13. 13 . The ice maker appliance of claim 12 , wherein the dosing pump is a peristaltic pump.
14. 14 . The ice maker appliance of claim 13 , wherein the peristaltic pump is actuated by a stepper motor.
15. 15 . The ice maker appliance of claim 11 , wherein the outlet of the dispensing tube is positioned above the outlet of the fill tube.
16. 16 . The ice maker appliance of claim 11 , wherein the outlet of the dispensing tube is oriented generally along a vertical direction.
17. 17 . The ice maker appliance of claim 11 , wherein the outlet of the dispensing tube is offset from the outlet of the fill tube generally along a horizontal direction.
18. 18 . The ice maker appliance of claim 11 , wherein the mold body consists of four or fewer mold cavities.

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 water from other similar 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 infused 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, a refrigerator appliance is provided. The refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet with a chilled chamber defined within the cabinet. The refrigerator appliance further includes an ice making assembly. The ice making assembly includes an additive dispensing assembly comprising an additive cup configured to receive a volume of liquid additive and a dispensing tube downstream of the additive cup. The ice making assembly also includes a fill tube in fluid communication with a water supply. An outlet of the dispensing tube is aligned with an outlet of the fill tube whereby a flow of the liquid additive from the dispensing tube mixes with a flow of liquid water from the fill tube to form a mixed flow of liquid water and liquid additive. The ice making assembly further includes a mold body comprising a mold cavity. The mold body is positioned downstream of the dispensing tube and the fill tube. The mold cavity is configured for receiving the mixed flow of liquid water and liquid additive whereby a mixture of liquid water and liquid additive is formed in the mold cavity. The mold cavity is further configured for retaining the mixture of liquid water and liquid additive to form an ice piece from the mixture in the mold cavity. According to another exemplary embodiment, an ice maker appliance is provided. The ice maker appliance includes an additive dispensing assembly comprising an additive cup configured to receive a volume of liquid additive and a dispensing tube downstream of the additive cup. The ice making assembly also includes a fill tube in fluid communication with a water supply. An outlet of the dispensing tube is aligned with an outlet of the fill tube whereby a flow of the liquid additive from the dispensing tube mixes with a flow of liquid water from the fill tube to form a mixed flow of liquid water and liquid additive. The ice making assembly further includes a mold body comprising a mold cavity. The mold body is positioned downstream of the dispensing tube and the fill tube. The mold cavity is configured for receiving the mixed flow of liquid water and liquid additive whereby a mixture of liquid water and liquid additive is formed in the mold cavity. The mold cavity is further configured for retaining the mixture of liquid water and liquid additive to form an ice piece from the mixture in the mold cavity. 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 persp