Abstract: An ice maker assembly includes an ice forming plate and a cooling source thermally engaged to a bottom surface of the ice forming plate. The cooling source is configured to freeze water coming into contact with a top surface of the ice forming plate. A containment wall surrounds the top surface of the ice forming plate to define an ice tray that is configured to retain water. An electrical drive body is rotatably coupled to the ice tray and is configured to oscillate the ice-forming plate in a rocking cycle about a transverse axis of the ice tray. A median wall divides the ice tray along the transverse axis into a first reservoir and a second reservoir. The rocking cycle causes water to repeatedly move over the median wall to form layers of an ice piece within each reservoir of the ice tray.

Abstract: An ice maker assembly includes an ice making apparatus for an appliance with an ice making tray having a water basin formed by a metallic ice forming plate and at least one perimeter sidewall extending upwardly from a top surface of the ice forming plate. The ice making tray also has a grid with at least one dividing wall. The at least one perimeter sidewall and the at least one dividing wall and the top surface of the ice forming plate form at least one ice compartment having an upper surface and a lower surface. An ice body is formed in the at least one ice compartment. Moreover, the at least one perimeter sidewall and the at least one dividing wall form a draft angle with the top surface of the ice forming plate, of about 17° to about 25° degrees.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a refrigerator compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, a refrigerator compartment door for providing access to the refrigerator compartment, an ice maker on the refrigerator compartment door, a thermoelectric cooler associated with the ice maker and operatively connected to the refrigerator compartment door, the thermoelectric cooler having a first side and an opposite second side, and a cooling loop operatively connected to the refrigerator compartment door and configured for cooling the thermoelectric cooler.

Abstract: A method of configuring an ice maker within a refrigerator includes providing the refrigerator, the refrigerator having a refrigerator cabinet, a fresh food compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, a freezer compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, the ice maker having a fluid line extending to a fluid supply within the refrigerator, and a door providing access to within the refrigerator cabinet. The method further includes configuring the refrigerator for relocation by positioning the ice maker in a first position within the refrigerator cabinet without disconnecting the fluid line from the ice maker; relocating the refrigerator. The method further includes installing the refrigerator by moving the ice maker from the first position within the refrigerator cabinet to a second position within the refrigerator cabinet without disconnecting or connecting the fluid line to the ice maker.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a fresh food compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, a freezer compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet below the fresh food compartment, and first and second French doors operatively connected to the refrigerator cabinet to provide access to the fresh food compartment. There is also a mullion between the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment, an air inlet and an air outlet proximate a bottom of the first French door, and an air outlet and an air inlet on a front face of the mullion. When the first French door is in a closed position, the air inlet proximate the bottom of the first French door aligns with the air outlet on the front face of the mullion and the air outlet proximate the bottom of the first French door aligns with the air inlet on the front face of the mullion.

Abstract: An icemaker is mounted remotely from a freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold. A thermoelectric device is provided and includes a warm side and an opposite cold side. A flow pathway is connected in communication between the cold side of the thermoelectric device and the icemaker. In one aspect, a fan is operatively positioned to move air from the fresh food compartment across the warm side of the thermoelectric device and a pump moves fluid from the cold side of the thermoelectric device to the icemaker. Cold air, such as from a refrigerator compartment, may be used to dissipate heat from the warm side of the thermoelectric device for providing cold fluid to and for cooling the ice mold of the icemaker.

Abstract: An apparatus that has a housing with an icemaker disposed within the housing is disclosed. The icemaker includes an ice mold. A thermoelectric device is provided having a warm side and an opposite cold side. The cold side is thermally coupled to the icemaker. A flow pathway is configured in communication with the warm side of the thermoelectric device. A heat carrier is communicated through the flow pathway. The heat carrier transfers heat from the warm side of the thermoelectric device to support operations of the apparatus. The apparatus may be configured as a refrigerator wherein the refrigerator is configured to transfer the heat carrier from the warm side of the thermoelectric device to a compartment of the refrigerator.

Abstract: An icemaker is mounted remotely from a freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold. A thermoelectric device is provided and includes a warm side and an opposite cold side. A flow pathway is connected in communication between the cold side of the thermoelectric device and the icemaker. In one aspect, a fan is operatively positioned to move air from the fresh food compartment across the warm side of the thermoelectric device and a pump moves fluid from the cold side of the thermoelectric device to the icemaker. Cold air, such as from a refrigerator compartment, may be used to dissipate heat from the warm side of the thermoelectric device for providing cold fluid to and for cooling the ice mold of the icemaker.

Abstract: A refrigerator that has a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment, and a door that provides access to the fresh food compartment is disclosed. An icemaker is mounted remotely from the freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold. A thermoelectric device is provided and includes a warm side and an opposite cold side. The icemaker is thermally influenced by the cold side of the thermoelectric device. Air or fluid may be moved from the fresh food compartment across the warm side of the thermoelectric device. Cold air or fluid, such as from the refrigerator compartment, is used to dissipate heat from the warm side of the thermoelectric device for cooling the ice mold of the icemaker.

Abstract: A refrigerator may include a refrigerator cabinet and at least one compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, an ice maker for making wet ice disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, a bucket for storing the ice, the bucket positioned to receive the wet ice from the ice maker, and a drain in the bucket for draining water from the bucket. A method of making ice in a refrigerator includes making ice using an ice maker of the refrigerator, conveying the ice from the ice maker to a bucket having a drain, maintaining the ice in the bucket at a temperature above freezing to allow the ice to melt to water, and draining the water from the bucket.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and system configured to produce and provide on-demand, immediate sequential dispensing of varying levels of carbonated water, such as carbonated water having a level of carbonation selected by an end-user, is disclosed. In one aspect, immediate sequential dispensing of varying levels of carbonated water is provided by varying the rate of agitation during a fixed agitation interval. The carbonating unit has a volume with an inlet in communication with a source of carbonating gas and noncarbonated water. An agitator is housed within the volume of the carbonating unit and is operated by a variable speed actuator.

Abstract: Mass transfer equipment comprises a base (3) having at least one riser (1) with inwardly elongated sloping sides and a moveable valve cap (2) positioned above the riser (1), having outwardly and downwardly elongated sloping sides. Legs (5) extend downwardly from the valve cap (2) and posses stops which limit the movement of the valve cap (2) to such an extent that the lower edge of the sloping side of the valve cap (2) is never above the upper edge of the sloping side of the riser (1). Dimples (4) may be provided on the riser (1) to prevent sticking when the valve is closed.