Abstract: Methods and devices for planing ice are described that include at least receiving, at a planing apparatus, an elongate ice ingot, feeding the elongate ice ingot at a configurable rate through an opening in a cutterhead assembly of the planing apparatus, and planing, by the cutterhead assembly, a plurality of surfaces of the elongate ice ingot at a predefined depth as the elongate ice ingot is fed linearly through the opening of the cutterhead assembly. The planing may result in a planed ice ingot.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 19, 2021
Date of Patent:
December 10, 2024
Assignee:
Abstract Ice, Inc.
Inventors:
Ashok Kumar Notaney, Todd Stevenson, Andrew James Whalen, Bryce Edmund Peterson, Luke W. Clauson
Abstract: Described herein are methods for making clear ice. In one embodiment, a method for making clear ice includes providing a mold of any of the embodiments described herein, optionally inserting a skewer through the mold, the skewer being coupled to an item; circulating, using fluid inlet and outlet valves, a fluid in a mold cavity defined by the mold; varying overtime one or both of: a temperature of the cooling apparatus or a fluid flow rate, through the fluid inlet valve, as a percentage of max flow; and optionally retracting the skewer when the ice formation encases at least a portion of the item. In some embodiments, the method optionally includes a period of flow reversal, such that the fluid inlet valve becomes the fluid outlet valve and the fluid outlet valve becomes the fluid inlet valve. In some embodiments, the method optionally includes releasing the ice from the mold.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 5, 2020
Date of Patent:
August 27, 2024
Assignee:
Abstract Ice, Inc.
Inventors:
Todd Stevenson, Bryce Peterson, Michael Schaller, David Perez
Abstract: Methods and devices are described for shaping ingots of ice. Devices may include a support structure, a mold for shaping ice ingots, the mold being mounted to the support structure. The devices may also include a first upper platen assembly disposed above a first lower platen assembly, a first positioning means, and at least one liquid inlet valve for each of the first upper platen assembly and the first lower platen assembly.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 19, 2021
Date of Patent:
August 6, 2024
Assignee:
ABSTRACT ICE, INC.
Inventors:
Ashok Kumar Notaney, Todd Stevenson, Andrew James Whalen, Bryce Edmund Peterson, Luke W. Clauson, Matthew Byrnes Newell, Thomas Michael Rector
Abstract: A device for producing an elongate ingot of clear ice comprises a housing comprising at least one flume surface wall that defines at least one elongate trough; at least one fluid intake disposed to provide a flow of liquid into the at least one elongate trough; at least one drain disposed to drain liquid from at least one elongate trough; wherein the at least a portion of the at least one flume surface wall is in thermal communication with a cooling source; and wherein the at least one fluid intake and the at least one drain are adapted to provide a substantially constant flow of fluid to the at least one elongate trough during a freezing operation of the device. The cooling source can be an internal cooling cavity.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 18, 2021
Date of Patent:
August 9, 2022
Assignee:
Abstract Ice, Inc.
Inventors:
Ashok Kumar Notaney, Todd Stevenson, Andrew Whalen, Larry Allen Mercier, Jr., Nathan Ernst, Kristopher Schilling, James Anthony Coller, Jason Bazylewicz, Parth Patel, Bryce Edmund Peterson