Ice maker assembly and refrigerator appliance

Abstract

A refrigerator appliance and ice maker assembly are generally provided herein. The ice maker assembly may include a body and a harvester. The body may include an ice mold for receiving and freezing water. The ice mold may define a compartment within which water freezes. The compartment may be at least partially defined by a continuous arcuate bottom surface comprising a first segment defined about a first radius and a second segment defined about a second radius. The harvester may be rotatably disposed above at least a portion of the arcuate bottom surface to motivate ice from the compartment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ice maker assembly comprising:
 a body comprising an ice mold for receiving and freezing water, the ice mold defining a compartment within which water freezes, the compartment at least partially defined by a continuous arcuate bottom surface comprising a first segment defined about a first radius and a second segment defined about a second radius, the second radius being smaller than the first radius; and   a harvester rotatably disposed above at least a portion of the arcuate bottom surface to motivate ice from the compartment.   
     
     
         2 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the compartment is defined from a top portion of the ice mold to the continuous arcuate bottom surface, and wherein the harvester comprises a rotatable tine mounted within the compartment on a rotation axis, the rotation axis being defined below the top portion of the ice mold. 
     
     
         3 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the ice mold defines a fill line within the compartment above the continuous arcuate bottom surface, wherein a spill gap is defined between the fill line and the top portion of the ice mold, and wherein the spill gap is longer than the second radius. 
     
     
         4 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 2 , wherein an axis height is defined along a vertical direction between the continuous arcuate bottom surface and the rotation axis, and wherein the axis height is less than the first radius. 
     
     
         5 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the axis height is greater than the second radius. 
     
     
         6 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the harvester comprises a rotatable tine mounted within the compartment on a rotation axis, and wherein the rotatable tine defines a tine length greater than the second radius. 
     
     
         7 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the rotatable tine is a first rotatable tine, and wherein the harvester comprises a second rotatable tine mounted on the rotation axis, the second rotatable tine being angularly offset from the first rotatable tine. 
     
     
         8 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the harvester further comprises an arcuate rib extending about the rotation axis from the first rotatable tine to the second rotatable tine. 
     
     
         9 . The ice maker assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a heater mounted to the body in thermal communication with the continuous arcuate bottom surface to selectively direct heat thereto. 
     
     
         10 . A refrigerator appliance comprising:
 a cabinet defining a chilled chamber;   a door mounted to the cabinet; and   an ice maker assembly mounted to the door, the ice maker assembly comprising
 a body comprising an ice mold for receiving and freezing water, the ice mold defining a compartment within which water freezes, the compartment at least partially defined by a continuous arcuate bottom surface comprising a first segment defined about a first radius and a second segment defined about a second radius, the second radius being smaller than the first radius, and 
 a harvester rotatably disposed above at least a portion of the arcuate bottom surface to motivate ice from the compartment. 
   
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the compartment is defined from a top portion of the ice mold to the continuous arcuate bottom surface, and wherein the harvester comprises a rotatable tine mounted within the compartment on a rotation axis, the rotation axis being defined below the top portion of the ice mold. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the ice mold defines a fill line within the compartment above the continuous arcuate bottom surface, wherein a spill gap is defined between the fill line and the top portion of the ice mold, and wherein the spill gap is longer than the second radius. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein an axis height is defined along a vertical direction between the continuous arcuate bottom surface and the rotation axis, and wherein the axis height is less than the first radius. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the axis height is greater than the second radius. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the harvester comprises a rotatable tine mounted within the compartment on a rotation axis, and wherein the rotatable tine defines a tine length greater than the second radius. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the rotatable tine is a first rotatable tine, and wherein the harvester comprises a second rotatable tine mounted on the rotation axis, the second rotatable tine being angularly offset from the first rotatable tine. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the harvester further comprises an arcuate rib extending about the rotation axis from the first rotatable tine to the second rotatable tine. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , further comprising a heater mounted to the body in thermal communication with the continuous arcuate bottom surface to selectively direct heat thereto.