Clear ice maker

摘要

An ice making tray has a water basin with a thermally conductive floor and a flexible grid positioned therein to define a plurality of ice making compartments. A motor is coupled to the basin to rotate the basin and grid to an inverted position, and a link is coupled between the motor and drive such that the grid is rotatable out of the basin and is flexed to release ice cubes formed therein.

主权项

1. An ice maker comprising:
a water basin with a thermally conductive floor and an upstanding perimeter edge wall; a flexible grid positioned in the water basin to define a plurality of ice making compartments; a thermoelectric plate positioned in thermal contact with the floor of the basin to freeze water in the ice making compartments; a containment wall extending upwardly around and above the upstanding perimeter edge wall of the thermally conductive floor of the basin; wherein the flexible grid is located in a bottom portion of the containment wall; a motor drive coupled to the basin for rotating the basin and grid to an inverted position, wherein the motor drive includes a motor having a drive shaft; a link coupled between the motor drive and the grid such that the grid is rotated at least partially out of the containment wall, and to be twisted, thereby flexing the grid to release ice cubes formed therein, wherein the link includes an arm with a linearly extending slot which extends radially outwardly from the drive shaft of the motor; and a torsion spring coupled between the link and the water basin for holding the grid in the basin until the motor drive shaft rotates the basin through a predetermined arc.