Refrigeration system, ice maker, and methods of forming ice

Abstract

A refrigeration system includes a freezer component defined by a top wall, a bottom wall positioned opposite the top wall, a pair of sidewalls extending between the top wall and the bottom wall, a rear wall positioned adjacent the pair of sidewalls, and a door positioned opposite the rear wall and hingedly connected to at least one of the pair of sidewalls. The refrigeration system also includes an ice maker system having a plurality of trays, a plurality of gears fixedly attached to the plurality of trays, a motor fixedly attached to at least one of the pair of sidewalls, and a shaft rotatably coupled to the motor, the shaft including a threaded surface for engaging at least one of the plurality of gears. The plurality of gears include at least a first gear engaged with at least a second gear, such that rotation of the first gear causes rotation of the second gear.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigeration system comprising:
 a freezer component defined by a top wall, a bottom wall positioned opposite the top wall, a pair of sidewalls extending between the top wall and the bottom wall, a rear wall positioned adjacent the pair of sidewalls, and a door positioned opposite the rear wall and hingedly connected to at least one of the pair of sidewalls; and   an ice maker system comprising:
 a plurality of trays; 
 a plurality of gears fixedly attached to the plurality of trays; 
 a motor including a shaft rotatably coupled to the motor, the shaft including a threaded surface for engaging at least one of the plurality of gears; 
   wherein the plurality of gears include at least a first gear engaged with at least a second gear, such that rotation of the first gear causes rotation of the second gear.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein the ice maker system further comprises a plurality of containers positioned beneath the plurality of trays. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein the ice maker system further comprises a plurality of mounting brackets for securing the plurality of trays to at least one of the pair of sidewalls, the top wall, or the rear wall of the freezer component. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigeration system of  claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of trays are rotatably coupled to the plurality of mounting brackets, such that the plurality of trays are configured to rotate relative the plurality of mounting brackets. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of trays further include a plurality of cavities. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigeration system of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of cavities in each of the plurality of trays have a different shape and/or size. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of gears has an equal radius, such that each of the plurality of gears rotates at the same rate of revolution. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of gears has a different radius, such that each of the plurality of gears rotate at different rates of revolution. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein the first gear includes a plurality of teeth that engage the threaded surface of the shaft. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein the first gear includes a plurality of perimeter teeth that directly engage a plurality of perimeter teeth formed on the second gear, such that rotation of the first gear in a first direction causes rotation of the second gear in a second direction opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , further including an intermediary gear disposed between the first gear and the second gear, such that the intermediary gear engages the plurality of perimeter teeth of both the first gear and the second gear. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigeration system of  claim 11 , wherein rotation of the first gear in a first direction causes rotation of the intermediary gear in a second direction opposite the first direction, and rotation of the intermediary gear in the second direction causes rotation of the second gear in the first direction. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor for determining a state of a liquid deposited within each of the plurality of trays. 
     
     
         14 . An ice maker system comprising:
 a plurality of trays;   a plurality of containers disposed beneath the plurality of trays;   a plurality of gears fixedly attached to the plurality of trays; and   a motor having a shaft rotatably coupled to the motor, the shaft including a threaded surface for engaging at least one of the plurality of gears;   wherein the plurality of gears include at least a first gear engaged with at least a second gear, such that rotation of the first gear causes rotation of the second gear.   
     
     
         15 . The ice maker system of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of gears has an equal radius, such that each of the plurality of gears rotates at the same rate of revolution. 
     
     
         16 . The ice maker system of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of gears has a different radius, such that each of the plurality of gears rotate at different rates of revolution. 
     
     
         17 . The ice maker system of  claim 14 , wherein the first gear includes a plurality of teeth that engage the threaded surface of the shaft. 
     
     
         18 . The ice maker system of  claim 14 , wherein the first gear includes a plurality of perimeter teeth that directly engage a plurality of perimeter teeth formed on the second gear, such that rotation of the first gear in a first direction causes rotation of the second gear in a second direction opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         19 . The ice maker system of  claim 14 , further including an intermediary gear disposed between the first gear and the second gear, such that the intermediary gear engages the perimeter teeth of both the first gear and the second gear, and wherein rotation of the first gear in a first direction causes rotation of the intermediary gear in a second direction opposite the first direction, and rotation of the intermediary gear in the second direction causes rotation of the second gear in the first direction. 
     
     
         20 . A method of forming ice, the method comprising:
 disposing a plurality of gears on a plurality of trays within a refrigeration system, the plurality of gears including at least a first gear associated with at least a first tray and at least a second gear associated with at least a second tray, the first gear being engaged with the second gear;   engaging a plurality of teeth formed on the first gear with a threaded surface of a shaft rotatably coupled to a motor;   filling each of the plurality of trays with a liquid;   sensing, using at least one sensor, a state of the liquid within each of the plurality of trays;   determining, using the at least one sensor, that the liquid within each of the plurality of trays is in a solid state; and   activating the motor, such that the first gear rotates in a first direction and the second gear rotates in a second direction opposite the first direction, thereby rotating the first tray in the first direction and the second tray in the second direction to dispose of solidified liquid within the first tray and the second tray into separate containers positioned beneath the first tray and the second tray.