Ice-making appliances and methods for dispensing ice above a sink

Abstract

An ice-making appliance, as provided herein, may include a sink, an upper dispenser, a lower tank, and a heat exchanger. The upper dispenser may be disposed above the sink. The lower tank may be disposed below the upper dispenser to hold an initial volume of liquid water. The heat exchanger may include a mold finger may be disposed within the lower tank and to freeze a portion of the initial volume of liquid water as an ice nugget. The lower tank may define a vertical passage permitting the ice nugget to float therethrough with a remaining volume of liquid water. The upper dispenser may include an ice door. The ice door may be movable between a closed position and an open position. The open position may permit the ice nugget from the upper dispenser to the sink. Methods of operating the ice-making appliance are also provided herein.

1 . An ice-making assembly comprising:
 a sink;   an upper dispenser disposed above the sink, the upper dispenser defining an ice outlet and an internal passage extending to the ice outlet;   a lower tank disposed below the upper dispenser to hold an initial volume of liquid water upstream from the upper dispenser; and   a heat exchanger comprising a mold finger disposed within the lower tank and to freeze a portion of the initial volume of liquid water as an ice nugget,   wherein the lower tank defines a vertical passage upstream from the internal passage thereby permitting the ice nugget to float through the vertical passage and internal passage within a remaining volume of liquid water, and   wherein the upper dispenser comprises an ice door, the ice door being movable between a closed position and an open position, the open position permitting the ice nugget from the upper dispenser to the sink through the ice outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The ice-making assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pump disposed within the lower tank to selectively circulate the remaining volume of liquid water.   
     
     
         3 . The ice-making assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller in operative communication with the heat exchanger, the controller being configured to initiate an ice-making cycle, the ice-making cycle comprising
 releasing the ice nugget from the mold finger, releasing comprising directing a heated gas through the heat exchanger. 
   
     
     
         4 . The ice-making assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an electric heating element in conductive thermal communication with the mold finger; and   a controller in operative communication with the heat exchanger and the electric heating element, the controller being configured to initiate an ice-making cycle, the ice-making cycle comprising
 releasing the ice nugget from the mold finger, releasing comprising activating the electric heating element to heat the mold finger. 
   
     
     
         5 . The ice-making assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a Peltier cell in conductive thermal communication with the mold finger, and wherein the ice-making assembly further comprises:
 a controller in operative communication with the heat exchanger and the Peltier cell, the controller being configured to initiate an ice-making cycle, the ice-making cycle comprising
 releasing the ice nugget from the mold finger, releasing comprising activating the Peltier cell to heat the mold finger. 
   
     
     
         6 . The ice-making assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a Peltier cell in conductive thermal communication with the mold finger, and wherein the ice-making assembly further comprises:
 a controller in operative communication with the heat exchanger and the Peltier cell, the controller being configured to initiate an ice-making cycle, the ice-making cycle comprising
 freezing the ice nugget on the mold finger, the freezing comprising activating the Peltier cell to conduct heat away from the mold finger. 
   
     
     
         7 . The ice-making assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sealed refrigeration loop in fluid isolation from the lower tank to circulate a refrigerant through the sealed refrigeration loop, the heat exchanger being disposed along the sealed refrigeration loop; and   a compressor disposed on the sealed refrigeration loop in fluid communication with the heat exchanger to motivate the refrigerant thereto.   
     
     
         8 . The ice-making assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the upper dispenser defines a water outlet spaced apart from the ice door, the water outlet being in downstream fluid communication with the lower tank to direct a chilled-water flow from the remaining volume of liquid water. 
     
     
         9 . The ice-making assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a water supply valve in upstream fluid communication with the lower tank; and   a controller in operative communication with the heat exchanger and the water supply valve, the controller being configured to initiate an ice-making cycle, the ice-making cycle comprising
 supplying the initial volume of liquid water to the lower tank through the water supply valve, 
 freezing the portion of the initial volume of liquid water as the ice nugget on the mold finger within the remaining volume of liquid water, 
 releasing the ice nugget from the mold finger, and 
 permitting the ice nugget to float upward from the mold finger to the upper dispenser. 
   
     
     
         10 . A method of dispensing ice from a lower tank through an upper dispenser defining an ice outlet and an internal passage extending to the ice outlet, the lower tank defining a vertical passage and enclosing a mold finger of a heat exchanger below the upper dispenser, the method comprising:
 supplying an initial volume of liquid water to the lower tank;   freezing a portion of the initial volume of liquid water as an ice nugget on the mold finger within a remaining volume of the initial volume of liquid water;   releasing the ice nugget from the mold finger; and   permitting the ice nugget to float upward from the mold finger through the vertical passage and the internal passage to the ice outlet.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising circulating the remaining volume of water through a pump in fluid communication with the lower tank during freezing. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein releasing the ice nugget comprises heating the mold finger. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein heating the mold finger comprises directing a heated gas through the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein heating the mold finger comprises activating an electric heating element in conductive thermal communication with the mold finger. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein heating the mold finger comprises activating a Peltier cell in conductive thermal communication with the mold finger. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , freezing wherein freezing comprises activating a Peltier cell in conductive thermal communication with the mold finger. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein freezing comprises activating a compressor of a sealed refrigeration system to motivate refrigerant through the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , further directing a chilled-water flow through a water outlet on the upper dispenser from the remaining volume of liquid water within the lower tank. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 opening an ice door at a top end of the upper dispenser; and   permitting the ice nugget from the upper dispenser through the opened ice door.   
     
     
         20 . An ice-making assembly comprising:
 a sink;   an upper dispenser disposed above the sink, the upper dispenser defining an ice outlet, a water outlet in fluid parallel to the ice outlet, and an internal passage extending to the ice outlet and the water outlet, the upper dispenser comprising an ice door selectively covering the ice outlet;   a lower tank disposed below the upper dispenser to hold an initial volume of liquid water upstream from the upper dispenser, the lower tank defining a vertical passage upstream from the internal passage;   a heat exchanger comprising a mold finger disposed within the lower tank and to freeze a portion of the initial volume of liquid water as an ice nugget;   a water supply valve in upstream fluid communication with the lower tank; and   a controller in operative communication with the heat exchanger and the water supply valve, the controller being configured to initiate an ice-making cycle, the ice-making cycle comprising
 supplying the initial volume of liquid water to the lower tank through the water supply valve, the initial volume of liquid water filling the vertical passage and the internal passage, 
 freezing the portion of the initial volume of liquid water as the ice nugget on the mold finger within a remaining volume of liquid water, 
 releasing the ice nugget from the mold finger, and 
 permitting the ice nugget to float from the mold finger within the remaining volume of liquid water through the vertical passage and the internal passage to the ice outlet via buoyancy.