ICE Machine with Enhanced Directional Freezing Capability

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/655,570, titled “Clear Ice Machine,” filed Jun. 3, 2024, the contents of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Additionally, this application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/753,864, titled “CLEAR ICE MACHINE,” filed Feb. 4, 2025, the contents of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

The present disclosure relates to ice machines, and in particular, to methods and devices capable of producing directionally-frozen ice segments.

Directional freezing is a technique used to produce clear ice by controlling the direction in which water freezes. Directional freezing ensures that ice forms gradually in a single direction. As the freezing front moves downward, it pushes dissolved gases and impurities toward the bottom, concentrating them in the remaining liquid water. Directionally-frozen ice segments are preferred for their clarity and their ability to remain solid for longer periods before melting.

Access to large quantities of clear ice remains a logistical and financial challenge, primarily due to the limitations imposed by commercial supply chains. Purchasing clear ice from large-scale distributors typically requires obtaining additional storage space and incurring high per-unit costs. In many cases, the ice purchased from these mass producers is produced in large blocks and subsequently cut into smaller cubes for distribution, a process relied upon for its consistency and uniformity.

While in-house, industrial-scale clear ice machines offer a cost-effective alternative to purchasing clear ice from mass distributors, they often lack integrated storage solutions capable of accommodating multiple production cycles. Additionally, the industrial-scale ice machines are unable to produce individual segments and instead produce ice blocks that require manual intervention to obtain individual ice segments. A further limitation of these machines is their physical footprint. Their dimensions are generally not optimized for space-constrained environments, making them unsuitable for installation in areas such as beneath bar counters or within compact commercial kitchen layouts.

Even further, while compact, consumer-grade clear ice makers are available, they generally lack the production capacity and technological sophistication required to meet higher-volume demand. For instance, some models may produce four clear ice cubes every 12 hours, sufficient only for low-demand, personal use. Additionally, these clear ice machines lack full vertical integration and require manual input at various stages of the ice making process. For these and other reasons, the present disclosure is presented to greatly advance the technical field of producing directionally-frozen, clear ice.

Various embodiments described herein relate to the production and storage of directionally-frozen ice segments. Some directionally-frozen ice machines are limited by size constraints, posing challenges to practical deployment and cost-efficiency. In an advance, the disclosed ice machine provides a compact solution capable of producing and storing ice through directional freezing, without compromising performance or increasing system complexity.

In some embodiments, an ice machine includes an upper section and a lower section. In an embodiment, the upper section includes a basin having four sidewalls and a bottom. The bottom of the basin includes an aperture, further being exposed and enclosed by a gate valve positioned on the aperture. A grid mold is inset to the basin and includes insulated exterior sidewalls and insulated interior sidewalls which form cavities to house ice segments. The insulated sidewalls of the grid mold are embedded with heat wires. A funnel is positioned beneath the grid mold and extends to the bottom of the basin to hover above the aperture. The ice machine may include a control system that facilitates the preparation, freezing, and transfer of ice segments. The control system may include a microcontroller in communication with sensors, motors, servos, pumps, or other optional control system components. The lower section may include various components, for example, a storage container with temperature controls.

In operation, the ice machine may complete various steps to prepare, freeze, and transfer directionally-frozen ice segments. In some embodiments, a liquid line connected to the basin deposits a liquid, for example, water or juice, into the basin while the aperture is enclosed by the gate valve. For example, the control system may cause a pump to move liquid from a reservoir into a liquid line to fill the basin with liquid. The liquid line continues depositing the liquid until the basin is filled to the top of the grid mold. Next, the control system causes the pump to stop transferring the liquid via the liquid line into the basin, and alerts the machine to begin the directional freezing. The control system powers on the built-in condenser and fans, and the liquid in the cavities of the grid mold is directionally frozen through the depth of the grid mold. After freezing the liquid in the grid mold, the control system causes the pump to drain the excess liquid from the basin into the liquid line. The pump may move the liquid via the liquid line into a reservoir for recycled use. Next, the control system causes a gate valve motor to drive the gate valve to an open position and expose the aperture of the basin. The control system activates the embedded heat wires to partially melt the directionally-frozen ice segments. By heating the exterior of the ice segments, the embedded heat wires activate the movement of the ice segments. The ice segments then depart the grid mold with the support of slanted guides. Once departing the grid mold, the funnel guides the ice segments through the aperture of the basin and into the storage container. The storage container maintains the ice segments for ready use by the consumer.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. It may be understood that this Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Recognizing the challenges inherent in the production of directionally-frozen ice segments, particularly referring to the size constraints of existing technology, the present disclosure introduces a compact ice machine designed to streamline the processes of preparing, freezing, and transferring directionally-frozen ice segments. The disclosed apparatus offers an integrated approach with a reduced form factor, facilitating efficient and reliable production and storage of directionally-frozen ice. This production and storage of directionally-frozen ice segments may be achieved with the aid of various ice machine processes administered by a control system.

In an embodiment, an ice machine includes a control system capable of conducting an ice machine cycle. First, the control system causes the gate valve motor to close the gate valve. Once the gate valve is closed, the aperture of the basin is fully enclosed with a fluid-tight seal. The control system then causes the pump to move liquid from a reservoir into a liquid line, which further deposits liquid into the basin of the ice machine. The liquid line deposits liquid into the basin until the grid mold inset to the basin is filled with liquid. The liquid level is measured using a liquid level sensor or sensors communicatively coupled to the control system. The control system subsequently causes the pump to stop moving the liquid from the reservoir, via the liquid line, into the basin. Next, the control system instructs the condenser and overhead fans to power on. Once powered on, with the aid of grid mold sidewall insulation and basin insulation, the condenser and overhead fans directionally freeze the liquid contained in the cavities of the grid mold in one direction, for example top to bottom. This forces out the impurities of the soon-to-be ice segments through the base of the grid mold. Once the ice segments contained within the grid mold are frozen to the desired depth, the control system powers off the condenser and fans.

Next, the control system instructs the pump to move excess liquid from the basin into the liquid line. The pump therefore drains any excess liquid from the basin, via the liquid line, out of the basin. The excess liquid may be stored in a liquid chamber either integrated into or externally connected to the ice machine. The liquid chamber may support the recycling of the excess liquid to result in zero liquid waste, or near zero liquid waste. Once the liquid line transfers the excess liquid from the basin, the control system instructs the gate valve motor to drive the gate valve to an open position. Once the gate valve is completely open, the aperture of the basin is fully exposed. Further, the control system activates the heat wires embedded into the sidewalls of the grid mold. With the aid of the embedded heat wires and slanted guides, the ice segments are accelerated to drop from the bottom of the grid mold into the funnel. The funnel guides the ice segments from the grid mold to the aperture at the bottom of the basin. The ice segments fall through the aperture of the basin and into the storage container located below the aperture. Once all ice segments are in the storage container, the transfer is complete. With the information received by the level and temperature sensors located in the storage container, the control system maintains the ice segments. This may include tempering the ice segments. The control system may allow a predetermined amount of time prior to proceeding with the subsequent ice machine cycle, to ensure all ice segments have successfully moved from the grid mold to the storage container. The ice machine cycle may repeat according to a coding loop stored within the control system.

Optionally, the ice machine may incorporate various forms of transfer technology to expedite the transfer process of the ice segments. For example, the ice machine may utilize heat wires embedded into the sidewalls of the grid mold. Following the conclusion of transforming the liquid in the grid mold into ice segments, the control system activates the embedded heat wires which heat the exterior of the ice segments through the interior and exterior sidewalls of the grid mold. The interior and exterior sidewalls of the grid mold are also referred to herein as the insulated interior sidewalls and the insulated exterior sidewalls of the grid mold. The heat wires are activated to counteract the expansion that occurred within the ice segments during freezing. By heating the exterior of the ice segments, the ice segments partially melt to depart the grip of the grid mold.

Additionally, the grid mold may include slanted interior and exterior sidewalls. For example, the thickness of the sidewalls may gradually taper to include a greater length and width at the bottom of the grid mold compared to the top of the grid mold. In other words, the slant results in a gradual taper of the insulated interior and exterior sidewalls of the grid mold from the top of the grid mold to the bottom of the grid mold. The slanted sidewalls of the grid mold, also referred to herein as slanted guides, prevent the ice segments in the grid mold from getting stuck. This expedites the transfer process of the ice segments from the grid mold to the storage container.

In some embodiments, the ice machine includes a gate valve motor, also referred to herein as the motor, that drives the gate valve. The motor may be located directly beneath the gate valve on the underside of the basin. The control system causes the motor to open or close the gate valve. The instruction to open the gate valve results in full exposure of the aperture of the basin. Full exposure of the aperture of the basin allows the ice segments to pass through the basin and into the storage container. The instruction to close the gate valve results in full enclosure of the aperture of the basin. Full enclosure of the aperture of the basin prevents leakage of liquid from the basin.

In some embodiments, the ice machine includes insulated sidewalls of the grid mold which form rectangular or semi-rectangular cavities. The rectangular cavities result in ice segments of a rectangular shape, for example a cube. Optionally, the rectangular ice segments are frozen to a depth of 2 inches prior to the conclusion of freezing. The control system may cause the condensers and fans to shut off once the liquid housed in the grid mold is frozen to a depth of 2 inches. For example, the resulting ice segment may be a 2-inch cube. The desired depth of ice segments in the grid mold may be registered by a microcontroller of the control system based on an achieved temperature or time value. For example, a microcontroller may be instructed by its software instructions to power off the condenser and fans once both a given temperature is reached, and a certain amount of time has passed from the condenser and fans being powered on.

In some embodiments, the ice machine includes insulated sidewalls of the grid mold which form approximately spherical cavities. The insulated sidewalls of the grid mold include both the insulated exterior sidewalls and the insulated interior sidewalls of the grid mold. The approximate spherical cavities result in ice segments of an approximate spherical shape.

In some embodiments, the ice machine includes a storage container which comprises storage to hold six cycles of ice segments prior to reaching capacity. Six cycles of ice segments include six rounds of the ice machine cycle. For example, one ice machine cycle may create fifty 2-inch cubical ice segments, meaning that the storage container can store and maintain three-hundred 2-inch cubical ice segments before reaching capacity.

In some embodiments, the ice machine includes a storage container which tempers the ice segments to maintain their clarity and frozen state. Tempering the directionally-frozen ice segments may result in reduced cracking, improved quality, or slower melting after being removed from the storage container. The control system may manipulate the temperature in the storage container at varied intervals to temper the ice segments.

In some embodiments, the ice machine includes a liquid line that is connected to the basin. Optionally, the liquid line may connect to a sidewall of the basin, the top of the basin, or the bottom of the basin. The liquid line deposits a liquid, for example water, soda, or juice, into the basin. For example, the control system may cause a pump to move liquid from a reservoir into a liquid line to deposit the liquid into the basin. Further, the pump moves any excess liquid via the liquid line out of the basin following freezing in preparation for the transfer of the ice segments. The liquid may be stored in the same reservoir used to fill the basin, or an alternate reservoir either integrated into or externally connected to the ice machine.

In some embodiments, the ice machine includes a directional freezing process that freezes the liquid vertically from top to bottom. In an implementation, this may include freezing the liquid from the top of the grid mold to the bottom of the grid mold. The directional-freezing process may result in the impurities and air bubbles being pushed from the top of the cavity of the grid mold out through the base of the cavity of the grid mold. The ice machine may implement directional freezing by insulating the interior and exterior sidewalls of the grid mold, together referred to herein as the sidewalls of the grid mold, and strategically placing the fans above the grid mold to initiate freezing at the top of the grid mold.

In some embodiments, the control system of the ice machine may include temperature sensors, level sensors, ultrasonic sensors, a microcontroller, or any other electrical components required by the ice machine. The control system facilitates the power of the condenser and overhead fans, the movement of the gate valve via the motor, the timing of the machine processes, the maintenance of the ice machine and ice segments stored within, and any other electrical process required by the ice machine.

The ice machine disclosed herein provides an avenue for individual entities to maintain autonomy with the preparation, freezing, and transfer of directionally-frozen ice segments. The technical and practical advantages associated with the ice machine disclosed herein are well understood by those skilled in the relevant art.

illustrates an exemplary isometric diagram of ice machinewhich produces directionally-frozen ice segments according to some embodiments. Ice machineincludes upper sectionand lower section. Upper sectionof ice machineincludes various components to support the ice machine processes included in the ice machine cycle. Lower sectionincludes various components such as a storage containerto house and maintain the directionally-frozen ice segments. While specific elements of ice machineare shown for case of description, ice machinemay include more or fewer of each described component as well as other components not described for simplicity.

Storage containerwithin lower sectionis located beneath upper section. Storage containerserves as the holding location of the ice segments following the completion of freezing. Optionally, storage containerwithin lower sectionmay hold six cycles of ice segments before reaching capacity. Six cycles of ice segments refer to six rounds of the ice machine cycle. For example, one ice machine cycle may create fifty 2-inch cubical ice segments. Therefore, storage containermay store and maintain three-hundred 2-inch cubical ice segments prior to reaching capacity. In another implementation, storage containermay hold an alternate quantity of ice segments of a different shape, for example, spherical or diamond shaped ice segments. Lower sectionmay include an ultrasonic sensor, also referred to herein as a level sensor, which monitors the storage level of storage container. The level sensor ensures subsequent batches of ice segments will have storage space once freezing is complete. Once storage containerhas reached its capacity according to the ultrasonic sensor or sensors, the control system will pause freezing until storage containeris emptied.

Lower sectionmay further include temperature sensors and temperature controls communicatively coupled to the control system to maintain the ice segments while being stored. Maintaining the ice segments may include tempering the ice segments in storage containerto ensure consistent, high quality ice segments once the ice segments are removed from storage container. Tempering the ice segments in storage containermay include varying the air temperature in storage containerto improve the performance and appearance of the ice segments during use. In the current embodiment, storage containerof lower sectionmay be made of plastic, and in other embodiments, storage containerof lower sectionmay be made of a variety of materials such as bioplastics, composites, silicone, and other materials of the like.

additionally illustrates a shelved unit in which upper sectionand lower sectionare housed. The shelved unit is an example of a support frame for upper sectionand lower section. In some embodiments, upper sectionand lower sectionare housed in an alternate shell. For example, while the overall dimensions of ice machinemay be 2′×2′×3′, alternate dimensions of ice machinemay be implemented.

illustrates an exemplary isometric diagram of upper sectionof ice machinefor producing directionally-frozen ice segments according to some embodiments. Upper sectionmay be representative of the upper section of an ice machine in an alternative configuration compared to ice machineof. For example, upper sectionmay be more directly coupled to storage sectionin an alternative configuration. Upper sectionof ice machineincludes grid mold, slanted guides, embedded heat wires, basin, grid mold sidewall insulation, basin insulation, gate valve, gate valve motor, and funnel. While specific elements of upper sectionare shown for case of description, upper sectionmay include more or fewer of each described component as well as other components not described for simplicity.

Grid moldis inset to the top of basin. Grid moldincludes insulated exterior sidewalls and insulated interior sidewalls. Grid moldis used for shaping the liquid into a desired form during freezing by creating shaped cavities with its insulated sidewalls. For example, the sidewalls of grid moldmay form cavities of an approximate rectangular, spherical, or diamond shape. The sidewalls of grid moldmay further form cavities of a Collins cube shape, approximately 2″×2″×6″. Grid mold, also referred to as grid, is filled with liquid from the bottom of gridto the top of grid. Grid moldhouses liquid which is transformed into ice segments during freezing. Gridmay be removable, interchangeable, and alternately shaped in future product variations. In the current embodiment, grid moldmay be made of plastic, and in other embodiments, grid moldmay be made of a variety of materials such as bioplastics, composites, silicone, and other materials of the like. Grid moldincludes multiple advancements in technology to support the transfer of the ice segments during the ice machine cycle, one of which includes slanted guides.

Slanted guidesare used for supplementary aid in transferring ice segments from grid moldto storage container. Slanted guidesare built into the insulated interior sidewalls and the insulated exterior sidewalls of grid mold. The thickness of the sidewalls gradually tapers to include a greater length and width at the bottom of grid moldcompared to the top of grid mold, thus forming slanted guides. For example, slanted guidesmay microscopically alter the shape of a cube in grid, traditionally having parallel slides, to have a larger bottom width than top width. Slanted guidesare included to prevent the ice segments from catching, or getting stuck, in grid moldduring the transfer of the ice segments from grid moldto storage container. As the ice segments slide downward to depart grid mold, the process for the ice segments to drop from grid moldmay be accelerated with slanted guides. Due to the cavities of grid moldhaving a larger base area, once the ice segments partially slide downward from grid mold, the ice segments are free to fall into funnel. Slanted guides, paired with embedded heat wires, enable an expedited transfer of ice segments in comparison to alternative design options.

Heat wiresembedded to the sidewalls of the grid moldare activated by the control system to shorten the transfer process during the ice machine cycle. Embedded heat wiresmay be located both in the insulated exterior sidewalls and the insulated interior sidewalls of grid mold. Embedded heat wiresheat the exterior of the ice segments through the interior and exterior sidewalls of grid mold. During freezing, the ice segments expand as they freeze to fill the space within the cavities of grid mold. Due to this, the ice segments must partially melt to depart their respective cavities in grid mold. While one option may include waiting for the ice segments to partially melt naturally, the transfer of the ice segments may be expedited by applying heat via embedded heat wiresto the outside of the ice segments. Due to the accelerated transfer, the ice machine cycle can occur in a shorter time, further producing more ice segments in a shorter time. Embedded heat wiresremain inactive until the freezing process is complete, the excess liquid drains from basin, and the control system activates embedded heat wires.

Grid moldincludes sidewall insulationlocated on the exterior and interior sidewalls of grid mold. Additionally, basinmay include bottom insulation. Exterior and interior sidewall insulationand bottom insulationensures the freezing process is completely one-directional. For example, the freezing process may freeze the liquid in grid moldfrom the top of grid moldto the bottom of grid mold. Without sidewall insulationand bottom insulation, the liquid within the cavities of grid moldwould freeze according to traditional freezing methods, otherwise referred to herein as non-directional freezing. Non-directional freezing methods do not facilitate the extraction of impurities and air bubbles from ice segments and thus do not produce clear ice segments. In the current embodiment, sidewall insulationand bottom insulationis made of polystyrene foam (XPS), and in other embodiments, sidewall insulationand bottom insulationmay be made of a variety of materials such as expanded polystyrene, polyisocyanurate foam board, and other materials of the like.

Basinincludes grid moldinset to basin. Basinincludes four sidewalls and a bottom. The top of basinincludes grid moldinset to basin. Basinmay include insulation on the exterior of the four sidewalls and the exterior of the bottom. Insulation on the sidewalls of basinfurther provides insulation to grid mold. The bottom of basinincludes an aperture to allow the passage of ice segments from grid moldto storage container. A liquid line may be connected to a sidewall, top, or bottom of basinfor the entrance and exit of liquid from basin. The control system may cause a pump to move liquid from a reservoir into the liquid line to deposit into basin. The pump may continue moving the liquid from the reservoir to basinuntil the liquid fills to the top of grid mold. The control system may cause the pump to cease the movement of liquid from the reservoir into basinonce the cavities of grid moldare filled with liquid. For example, a microcontroller of the control system may retrieve information from various level sensors located in basinregarding the water level of basin. Upon the control system causing the pump to drain any excess liquid out of basinvia the liquid line, the liquid may be stored in a chamber for recycled use. In an implementation, if the liquid is water, the water may be drained from basininto a water chamber. The water chamber may purify and store the excess water for use in the subsequent ice machine cycles. The implementation of a water chamber may result in near zero water waste.

Additionally, basinmay include a temperature sensor or sensors. The temperature sensor or sensors may be located at the bottom of basin, above grid mold, or at an alternate location. For example, water may be used to produce ice segments. The temperature of the water at the bottom of the basin may be monitored to calculate the time until only the water housed within the cavities of grid moldare frozen through, while the water in basin, below grid mold, remains a liquid. In this example, the temperature sensor may be located at the bottom of basin. Alternatively, the temperature sensor may monitor the temperature of the air above grid moldto calculate the time until the water housed within the cavities of grid moldare frozen through. In this example, the temperature sensor may be located above grid mold. In another example, ice machineis programmed to transform liquid water into ice segments in a cubical-shaped grid mold. In this example, the control system performs a coding loop which freezes the ice segments to a pre-determined depth, for example two inches. The coding loop may operate according to a pre-set timer, according to active feedback from the temperature sensors located within basin, or according to a combination of both. Following the conclusion of freezing, funnelmay aid in the transfer of ice segments from grid moldto storage container. In the current embodiment, basinmay be made of sheet metal, and in other embodiments, basinmay be made of a variety of materials such as acrylic sheets, polycarbonate sheets, carbon fiber sheets, and other materials of the like.

Funnelis located beneath grid moldto guide ice segments from grid moldto the aperture at the bottom of basin. By implementing the use of funnel, the ice segments that drop from grid moldhave a softer landing due to the angle of funnel. Additionally, funnelmay prevent ice segments from getting stuck and becoming stagnant on the flat bottom of basin, potentially melting prior to entering storage container. The base of funnelhovers above the aperture of basin, without completely connecting to the bottom of basin. Therefore, there is a small gap between the aperture of basinand funnel. The small gap prevents grid moldfrom being sealed off from basin. Therefore, the liquid that enters basinvia the liquid line can fill grid moldwith liquid, rather than filling only basin.

Ice machinefurther includes gate valvedriven by gate valve motor. Gate valve motormay also be referred to herein as motor. Gate valvemay be connected to the underside of the aperture at the bottom of basin. The control system causes motorto close gate valve, resulting in the aperture of basinbeing fully enclosed. When the aperture is fully enclosed, the bottom of basinhas a liquid-tight seal that prevents any liquid from leaking out of ice machine. When the control system causes motorto open gate valve, the aperture of basinis fully exposed. When the aperture is fully exposed, the bottom of basinis permeable for ice segments to pass through the bottom of basin. At the beginning of the ice machine cycle, for example prior to liquid filling basinof ice machine, the control system causes motorto close gate valve. Closing gate valveat the beginning of the ice machine cycle prevents the liquid entering basinvia the liquid line from escaping basin. After freezing concludes and all excess liquid has drained from basinvia the liquid line, the control system causes motorto open gate valve. Gate valvein the open position allows for ice segments guided by funnelto transfer from grid moldthrough the aperture of basin. If gate valvewere to remain closed during the transfer from grid moldto storage container, ice segments may become trapped in basin, further melting prior to reaching maintained storage container.

illustrates an exemplary isometric diagram of sealing mechanismof ice machine. Scaling mechanismmay be implemented in alternative ice machine configurations rather than of ice machine. Sealing mechanismincludes gate valveand motorshow in upper sectionof, and drain. Sealing mechanismmay function according to program instructions or a coding loop integrated within a control system that, when executed by a suitable computing system, causes gate valve motorto open and close gate valve. For the purposes of explanation, sealing mechanismwill be explained with the elements ofand.

Motorshown in sealing mechanismofmay be integrated into the control system of ice machine. The control system causes motorto move gate valve. For example, motormay close gate valveto fully enclose an aperture and provide a liquid-tight seal. Optionally, motormay open gate valveto fully expose an aperture and allow passage of an object through the aperture. In an implementation, the control system causes motorto close gate valvein preparation for filling basinwith liquid. Gate valvethus provides a liquid-tight seal prior to a liquid line depositing liquid into basinof upper sectionof ice machine. Gate valveserves as the separation of basinand storage containerwhen in the closed position. Optionally, the control system instructs motorto open gate valveduring the transfer of ice segments from grid moldto storage container. Gate valvethus reveals an aperture at the bottom of basinin upper sectionof ice machine.

Optionally, ice machinemay include drain. Draintransfers any excess liquid resting on the top face of gate valvefrom the face of gate valveout of ice machine. Drainmay be connected to a drain line to route the excess liquid gathered from the top face of gate valveto a preferred location outside of ice machine. For example, the drain line may route to a water reservoir used to provide the liquid to fill basinprior to the freezing process. Additionally, drainmay be connected to a drain hole integrated into the sealing mechanism. The drain hole of the sealing mechanism may be below the face of gate valve, and above drain. The drain hole of the sealing mechanism may be configured to receive the excess liquid resting on the face of gate valveas gate valveopens. In other words, as gate valveopens, the gravitational force may cause the excess liquid on the top face of gate valveto funnel to the drain hole of the sealing mechanism connected to drain. The liquid enters the drain hole, falls into drain, and is routed out of ice machinevia the drain line. Alternate embodiments of the drain line, drain hole, and drainmay be applied to drain the excess liquid from the top face of gate valve.

illustrates an exemplary diagram of top viewof upper sectionof ice machine. Top viewis a plan view of upper sectionshown in. Top viewincludes grid mold, embedded heat wires, gate valve, and funnel. For the purposes of explanation, top viewis explained with the elements ofand.

Top viewillustrates an alternative angle of grid mold, embedded heat wires, gate valve, and funnel.illustrates the components which facilitate the transfer of ice segments from grid moldthrough an aperture at the bottom of basin. The aperture of basinin which funnelconverges may be in the location shown in, or in an alternate location beneath grid mold. Funnelprevents the ice segments from becoming stuck at the bottom of basin. Additionally, funnelaids in preventing the ice segments from chipping or breaking during the transfer process. The bottom of grid moldis completely encompassed by funnelto ensure all ice segments drop from grid moldinto funnel. Funnelarchitecture ensures full guidance of the ice segments to the aperture at the bottom of basin. Additionally,illustrates gate valvein an open position to allow the passage of ice segments through the aperture of basin.

In operation, ice machineperforms various processes to prepare, produce, and store directionally-frozen ice segments. To begin, the control system prepares ice machinefor freezing. First, the control system of ice machinecauses motorto shut gate valve. By shutting gate valve, the aperture at the bottom of basinis fully enclosed. Therefore, the bottom of basinincludes a liquid-tight seal to prevent leakage during the subsequent events. In other embodiments, the aperture of basin may be enclosed by an alternate type of device that results in a liquid-tight seal. Next, the control system causes a pump to move liquid from a reservoir into a liquid line connected to basinto deposit liquid into basin. For example, a bar or restaurant may connect an existing liquid line to ice machine. Accordingly, ice machinemay have a pre-constructed port adaptable to fit a multitude of potential liquid lines. For example, the liquid line may be a vessel for water, juice, or the like. The liquid line deposits liquid into basin, filling from the bottom of basinto the top of grid mold. Given the presence of a gap between funneland the bottom of basin, liquid is permitted to pass into funneland fill grid moldfrom the bottom, up. Once the cavities of grid moldare filled with the liquid, the control system causes the pump to pause the movement of liquid from the reservoir into basin.

Then, the control system instructs ice machineto initiate freezing. To initiate freezing, the control system powers on the condenser and one or more fans. The one or more fans, also referred to herein as the overhead fans or fans, may be located on the underside of the roof of ice machineabove grid mold. The overhead fans may be located above grid moldto aid in the directional-freezing process, freezing the liquid in the cavities of grid moldfrom the top of grid moldthrough the bottom of grid mold. The duration of the freezing process may vary based on the type of liquid being frozen. The movement of the overhead fans and the powered-on state of the condenser may be based on a pre-set timer, temperature sensors located within ice machine, a combination of both, or an alternate form of sensing technology. For example, once the liquid at the bottom of basinmaintains a desired temperature for a given amount of time, this may be representative of the liquid in the cavities of grid moldfreezing to a specific depth. For example, the desired depth may be approximately 2.00″ deep in a cubical ice segment, with a tolerance of +0.20″. Alternatively, once the temperature of the air above grid moldmaintains a desired temperature for a given amount of time, this may be representative of the liquid in the cavities of grid moldfreezing to a specific depth. Once the ice segments in the cavities of grid moldhave frozen to the desired depth, the control system powers off the condenser and fans. The resulting state of ice machinemay include ice segments within the cavities of grid moldand liquid resting in basinof ice machine.

Next, the control system causes the pump to move excess liquid from the basin into the liquid line, wherein the liquid line transfers the excess liquid out of basin. In an exemplary embodiment, the liquid within ice machineis only frozen within the cavities of grid moldand all liquid beneath grid moldremains in its liquid state. The liquid line may store the excess liquid in a storage tank or liquid purifying container. Then, the control system causes motorto open gate valve. The control system does not cause, or instruct, motorto open gate valveuntil the pump removes all excess liquid from basinvia the liquid line. Motoropening gate valveresults in the aperture of basinbeing fully exposed. Full exposure of the aperture of basinallows the passage of ice segments from grid moldto storage container. Finally, the control system activates heat wiresembedded into the interior and exterior sidewalls of grid mold. Embedded heat wiresare used to expedite the movement of the ice segments in the cavities of grid moldto funnel. By heating the exterior of the ice segments through the sidewalls of grid mold, embedded heat wirespartially melt the ice segments. For the ice segments to drop from grid mold, the ice segments are required to partially melt. The ice segments experience expansion during the freezing process, which prevents the ice segments from immediately dropping once frozen. Alternate methods include allowing the ice segments to partially melt in a natural manner. However, applying heat via embedded heat wiresexpedites the transfer process.

Further accelerating the transfer process include slanted guidesof grid mold. Slanted guidesof grid moldare tapered, meaning that slanted guidesof grid molddecrease in width and/or length moving downward. Slanted guidesresult in the cavities of grid moldhaving a larger base face area than the face area at the top of grid mold. The greater width and length of the cavities of grid moldreduces the friction force experienced by the ice segments with the sidewalls of grid mold. The reduced friction force results in an expedited transfer from grid moldto funnel. Once the ice segments drop from grid mold, the ice segments are guided by funnelto the aperture of basin. Funnelis angled to lead directly above the aperture of basin. Due to the open position of gate valve, the ice segments are allowed to pass through the aperture of basinand into storage container. Storage containermay be located directly beneath the aperture of basinto avoid an extended drop distance for the ice segments.

Further, storage containercontinuously maintains the ice segments in preparation for future use. Maintenance of the ice segments may include tempering the ice segments to improve the overall clarity and quality of the ice segments. Storage containermay include temperature controls or sensors to ensure the ice segments are maintaining their solid state. Tempering the ice segments may include the control system manipulating the temperature controls of storage containerto vary the temperature inside of storage container. Additionally, storage containermay include level sensors to monitor the remaining storage space in storage container. In an implementation, the various sensors are integrated into the control system to provide information to the control system. Optionally, if ice machineexperiences failure at any point in the process, the control system will direct the liquid line to drain any remaining liquid from basin, release any ice segments from grid mold, and begin a new ice machine cycle.

illustrates finite state machine diagram (FSM)that may be used as instructions for the control system of an ice machine in an implementation. Finite state machine diagramis representative of the instructions used to operate an ice machine that produces and stores directionally-frozen ice segments. For example, finite state machine diagrammay be implemented using ice machineofand upper sectionof. Finite state machine diagrammay be implemented in the context of program instructions or a coding loop integrated within a control system that, when executed by a suitable computing system, instructs the ice machine to operate as follows, referring parenthetically to the steps in. For the purposes of explanation, finite state machine diagramwill be explained with the elements ofand. This is not meant to limit the applications of finite state machine diagram, but rather to provide an example.

Finite state machine diagrammay be implemented as software stored within the memory of a microcontroller, the microcontroller further capable of executing the instructions of the software using a processing system. Further, the microcontroller may comprise one or more processors, and one or more memories having stored thereon instructions that, upon execution by the one or more processors, cause the microcontroller to at least perform the various steps as described by finite state machine diagram. For the purposes of explanation, finite state machine diagramwill be explained with the elements of a microcontroller, for example microcontrollerof.

The shaded boxes shown inillustrate inputs or events that affect the non-shaded boxes. The non-shaded boxes shown inillustrate the state that ice machineis experiencing. In an implementation, ice machinewill be on a coding loop, meaning it will follow a linear “if-then” process to manage the ice machine cycle. The coding loop ensures the control system understands the sequential process of the ice machine during the ice machine cycle. If a failure occurs at some point during the sequential process, for example, the microcontroller will cause a pump to drain all excess liquid via the liquid line from basin, facilitate the release of any ice segments sitting in grid mold, and begin a new ice machine cycle. While the current embodiment may utilize finite state machine diagram, other embodiments can operate using a modified version of finite state machine diagramand thus carry out alternate ice machine processes.