Ice maker

Abstract

An ice maker includes a plurality of thermal insulation covers that contain a top mold and a bottom mold in a stacked arrangement for making ice. A fluid path is formed from a top thermal insulation cover through the top mold and into the bottom mold. The top mold includes a water inlet that extends through a top thermal insulation cover. The top mold also includes openings formed at its top and bottom that allow remaining liquid to flow into the bottom mold. During use, the ice maker forms decorative ice shapes in the top mold, where the ice is substantially transparent. Ice cubes can be formed in the bottom mold.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ice maker, comprising:
 a top thermal insulation cover comprising through holes formed through the top thermal insulation cover;   a replaceable silicone forming mold comprising a top silicone mold and a bottom silicone mold, wherein the top silicone mold comprises a first hollow forming portion and a first hollow portion in fluid communication with the first hollow forming portion, and the bottom silicone mold comprises a second hollow forming portion and a second hollow portion in fluid communication with the second hollow forming portion, wherein the first hollow portion is allowed to pass through the through hole to allow water injection through an open end of the first hollow portion, an inner cavity of the first hollow forming portion and an inner cavity of the second hollow forming portion form an ice forming space;   a middle thermal insulation cover, wherein the middle thermal insulation cover is configured to support the bottom silicone mold from below during use, while the top thermal insulation cover is configured to hold the top silicone mold from above, so as to hold the silicone forming mold between the top thermal insulation cover and the middle thermal insulation cover, and the middle thermal insulation cover comprises a through hole formed through the middle thermal insulation cover, wherein the second hollow portion is allowed to pass through the through hole of the middle thermal insulation cover;   a tray assembly comprising an ice block tray cover and an ice block tray, wherein the ice block tray cover is configured to cover an open end of the ice block tray during use; and   a bottom thermal insulation cover, wherein a cavity is provided in an upper surface of the bottom thermal insulation cover, and the bottom thermal insulation cover is configured to be snugly engaged with the middle thermal insulation cover during use to hold the tray assembly in the cavity; wherein   during use, the ice forming space of the silicone mold are in fluid communication with a cavity formed by the ice block tray cover and the ice block tray; and wherein   a plurality of first holes are formed on a part of the first hollow forming portion and is in fluid communication with the first hollow portion, and a plurality of second holes are formed on apart of the second hollow forming portion and is in fluid communication with the second hollow portions.   
     
     
         2 . The ice maker according to  claim 1 , wherein the ice forming space is allowed to have a plurality of shapes. 
     
     
         3 . The ice maker according to  claim 2 , wherein the ice forming space has a shape of sports equipment. 
     
     
         4 . The ice maker according to  claim 3 , wherein the shape of the sports equipment is a shape of an American football, a basketball, a soccer ball, a softball, a cricket ball, a golf ball, a tennis ball, or a rugby ball. 
     
     
         5 . The ice maker according to  claim 2 , wherein the ice forming space is allowed to have a classical shape. 
     
     
         6 . The ice maker according to  claim 5 , wherein the classical shape is a shape of a rose, a diamond, a heart, a cube, or a ball. 
     
     
         7 . The ice maker according to  claim 2 , wherein the ice forming space is allowed to have a shape of a film element. 
     
     
         8 . The ice maker according to  claim 7 , wherein the shape of the film element is a shape of a baby, a skull, a 38special bullet, a character, or a space station. 
     
     
         9 . The ice maker according to  claim 2 , wherein the ice forming space is allowed to have a decorative shape. 
     
     
         10 . The ice maker according to  claim 9 , wherein the decorative shape is a shape of a light bulb, an animal, or a tetrapod. 
     
     
         11 . The ice maker according to  claim 1 , wherein the top thermal insulation cover, the silicone forming mold, and the middle thermal insulation cover form an ice ball forming assembly, and the ice maker is allowed to comprise two or more ice ball forming assemblies, wherein during use, the two or more ice ball forming assemblies are stacked one on top of the other in a vertical direction. 
     
     
         12 . The ice maker according to  claim 1 , wherein the first holes and the second holes are circular. 
     
     
         13 . The ice maker according to  claim 12 , wherein diameters of the first holes and the second holes are in a range from 2 mm to 10 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The ice maker according to  claim 12 , wherein a distance between holes of the plurality of first holes is greater than 1 mm, and a distance between holes of the plurality of second holes is greater than 1 mm. 
     
     
         15 . The ice maker according to  claim 1 , wherein the first hollow forming portion and the second hollow forming portion are hemispherical. 
     
     
         16 . The ice maker according to  claim 1 , wherein the first hollow portion and the second hollow portion are cylindrical.