Ice making system with sanitizing features

Abstract

An ice making system includes an ice maker configured to form ice pieces therein with a top reservoir upstream of the ice maker and an ice bucket in communication with the ice maker. The ice making system also includes a recirculation tank and a recirculation pump. An oxidizing agent generator is configured to generate one or more oxidizing agents and provide the one or more oxidizing agents to form treated water within the ice making system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ice making system, comprising:
 an ice maker configured to form ice pieces within the ice maker;   a top reservoir upstream of the ice maker whereby the ice maker is configured to receive a flow of water from the top reservoir and to form the ice pieces from the received water from the top reservoir;   an ice bucket defining a storage volume, the ice bucket in communication with the ice maker whereby the ice bucket is configured to receive the ice pieces into the storage volume;   a recirculation tank in fluid communication with the ice bucket whereby the recirculation tank is configured to receive melt water from the storage volume of the ice bucket;   a recirculation pump in fluid communication with the recirculation tank and the top reservoir, the recirculation pump configured to pump the melt water from the recirculation tank to the top reservoir; and   an oxidizing agent generator configured to generate one or more oxidizing agents and provide the one or more oxidizing agents to form treated water within the ice making system.   
     
     
         2 . The ice making system of  claim 1 , further comprising an oxidizing agent injector coupled to the oxidizing agent generator, wherein the oxidizing agent injector is configured to inject the one or more oxidizing agents into the treated water. 
     
     
         3 . The ice making system of  claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing agent generator is immediately upstream of the top reservoir. 
     
     
         4 . The ice making system of  claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing agent generator is immediately upstream of the recirculation tank. 
     
     
         5 . The ice making assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising an oxidizing agent reduction filter configured to reduce a concentration of the one or more oxidizing agents in water flowing through the oxidizing agent reduction filter. 
     
     
         6 . The ice making assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the oxidizing agent reduction filter is between the top reservoir and the ice maker, whereby the oxidizing agent reduction filter is configured to reduce the concentration of the one or more oxidizing agents in the flow of water from the top reservoir. 
     
     
         7 . The ice making assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the oxidizing agent generator is immediately upstream of the recirculation tank. 
     
     
         8 . The ice making assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the oxidizing agent generator is immediately upstream of the top reservoir. 
     
     
         9 . The ice making system of  claim 1 , further comprising an ion exchange filter, wherein the oxidizing agent generator is downstream of the ion exchange filter. 
     
     
         10 . A refrigerator appliance comprising:
 a housing defining a chilled chamber;   an ice making system disposed within the housing, the ice making system comprising:
 an ice maker configured to form ice pieces within the ice maker; 
 a top reservoir upstream of the ice maker whereby the ice maker is configured to receive a flow of water from the top reservoir and to form the ice pieces from the received water from the top reservoir; 
 an ice bucket defining a storage volume, the ice bucket in communication with the ice maker to receive the ice pieces into the storage volume; 
 a recirculation tank in fluid communication with the ice bucket whereby the recirculation tank is configured to receive melt water from the storage volume of the ice bucket; 
 a recirculation pump in fluid communication with the recirculation tank and the top reservoir, the recirculation pump configured to pump the melt water from the recirculation tank to the top reservoir; and 
 an oxidizing agent generator configured to generate one or more oxidizing agents and provide the one or more oxidizing agents to form treated water within the ice making system. 
   
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , further comprising an oxidizing agent injector coupled to the oxidizing agent generator, wherein the oxidizing agent injector is configured to inject the one or more oxidizing agents into the treated water. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the oxidizing agent generator is immediately upstream of the top reservoir. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the oxidizing agent generator is immediately upstream of the recirculation tank. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , further comprising an oxidizing agent reduction filter configured to reduce a concentration of the one or more oxidizing agents in water flowing through the oxidizing agent reduction filter. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the oxidizing agent reduction filter is between the top reservoir and the ice maker, whereby the oxidizing agent reduction filter is configured to reduce the concentration of the one or more oxidizing agents in the flow of water from the top reservoir. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the oxidizing agent generator is immediately upstream of the recirculation tank. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the oxidizing agent generator is immediately upstream of the top reservoir. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , further comprising an ion exchange filter, wherein the oxidizing agent generator is downstream of the ion exchange filter.