LAYERING OF LOW THERMAL CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL ON METAL TRAY

摘要

An ice maker having a housing defining an interior volume, with an ice tray rotatably coupled with the housing and horizontally suspended across the interior volume thereof. The ice tray has ice wells, defined along the bottom by a bottom surface and the sides by an interior surface of at least one containment wall, wherein the containment wall has an upper portion, including a top surface of the containment wall and the interior surface adjacent the top surface. The upper portion of the containment wall has an insulating layer applied thereto. A tray for use in the ice maker and method of manufacturing the tray are also provided.

主权项

1. An ice maker comprising:
a housing defining an interior volume; a partially conductive and partially insulated ice tray rotatably coupled with the housing and horizontally suspended within the interior volume of the housing and comprising a conductive base layer defining ice wells where each ice well has a bottom surface, and at least two sides that extend upwardly from the bottom surface; wherein the conductive base layer is a heat conductive material and wherein each of the walls and sides comprise an interior surface which is facing the ice well and a top surface, which is generally opposite the bottom surface; wherein the conductive base layer further comprises an upper portion that is proximate a top end of the side walls and the interior surface of the side walls adjacent the top end; an insulating layer applied over the upper portion to form the partially conductive and partially insulated ice tray where the conductive base layer is exposed proximate the bottom surface and the insulating layer covers the upper portion; and a cold source thermally coupled to the bottom of the partially conductive and partially insulated ice tray and configured to freeze water retained within the ice wells from the bottom surface upward.