Ice making apparatus for use in a refrigerator

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ice making apparatus comprising a casing, ice trays, an ice receptacle, a retainer for rotatably supporting the ice trays and one or more than one knob for respectively twisting the ice trays either simultaneously or singly. In the ice making apparatus of the present invention, the retainer selectively supports either one of a plurality of exchangeable covers enabling a single or simultaneous twist type ice making apparatus. One exchangeable cover has a plurality of bearings.

Claims

1. An ice making apparatus comprising a casing accommodating ice trays, an ice receptacle disposed below the ice trays, a retainer for rotatably supporting the ice trays, the retainer including a plurality of bearings for receiving a plurality of driven gears, and one or more than one knob for respectively twisting the ice trays simultaneously or singly, wherein the ice making apparatus has a single twist mode and a simultaneous twist mode, wherein in the single twist mode where each ice tray is twisted independently from remaining ice trays, the retainer is coupled to a first exchangeable cover which has a plurality of bearings, each bearing corresponding to a bearing of the retainer and holding a plurality of knobs, one knob for singly twisting a corresponding ice tray, each ice tray has a head and each knob has a hub which directly and detachably engages with the head of the corresponding ice tray, wherein in the simultaneous twist mode where all ice trays are twisted simultaneously, the retainer is coupled to a second exchangeable cover which has a gear assembly and only one bearing holding only one knob for simultaneously twisting all ice trays via the gear assembly which couples the ice trays with the only one knob of the second exchangeable cover, the gear assembly has a driving gear coupled to the plurality of driven gears, the driving gear has a head which directly and detachably engages with the hub of the only one knob and each driven gear has a hub which directly and detachably engage with the head of the corresponding ice tray wherein the first exchangeable cover and the second exchangeable cover are interchangeable such that the ice making apparatus is convertible between the single twist mode and the simultaneous twist mode by the retainer selectively coupling to the first exchangeable cover and the second exchangeable cover, respectively.

2. The ice making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hub of each knob of the first exchangeable cover or the second exchangeable cover comprising a notch and the head of each ice tray has a matching tab which detachably fits into the notch of the corresponding knob, the head of the driving gear of the second exchangeable cover has a matching tab which detachably fits into the notch of the knob, and the hub of each driven gear of the second exchangeable cover has a notch which detachably fits onto the matching tab of the corresponding ice tray.

3. The ice making apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the notch of each knob of the first exchangeable cover or the second exchangeable cover has one or more than one slot and the matching tab of each corresponding ice tray has one or more than one matching claw which snap-fits into the respective slot of the corresponding knob, the matching tab of the driving gear of the second exchangeable cover has one or more than one matching claw which snap-fits into the respective slot of the knob and the notch of each driven gear of the second exchangeable cover has one or more than one slot into which the respective matching claw of the corresponding ice tray snap-fits.

4. The ice making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving gear of the second exchangeable cover has one or more than one alignment groove and each driven gear has one or more than one alignment tooth, wherein each alignment groove meshes with the respective alignment tooth of the corresponding driven gear when the corresponding ice tray is facing horizontally upwards and the knob is at a rest position.

5. The ice making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the retainer supports spring elements which respectively bias a corresponding ice tray to a rest position where the ice tray is horizontally aligned and faces upwards.

6. The ice making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of bearings of the retainer are adapted to detachably and rotatably support the driving gear and the driven gears of the second exchangeable cover respectively.

7. The ice making apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the driving gear of the second exchangeable cover has arc-shaped claws which snap fittingly engage with a rim of the corresponding bearing on the retainer.

8. The ice making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ice receptacle is slidably and releasably disposed inside a lower section of the casing.

9. The ice making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the retainer is slidably mountable into an upper section of the casing.

10. The ice making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each knob comprising a round shaped body and a grip which is defined by two diametrically opposed recesses formed into a front section of the body.

11. The ice making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each exchangeable cover has a frame which fits onto a front section of the retainer.

12. A refrigerator comprising a freezer compartment, including an ice making apparatus according to claim 1.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 12, wherein the ice making apparatus is detachably disposed into the freezer compartment.

Description

(1) Additional advantages of the ice making apparatus according to the present invention and the refrigerator according to the present invention will become apparent with the detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a refrigerator which has an ice making apparatus inside the freezer compartment according to an embodiment of the present invention,

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the ice making apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention,

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the ice making apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the ice receptacle is partly pulled out,

(5) FIG. 4 is a schematic partial inner perspective view of the ice making apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the casing, the ice trays and the ice receptacle have been omitted,

(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective exploded view of the ice making apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention,

(7) FIG. 6 is a another schematic partial perspective exploded view of the ice making apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention,

(8) FIG. 7 is a another schematic partial perspective exploded view of the ice making apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention,

(9) FIG. 8 is a schematic partial inner perspective view of the ice making apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the casing, the retainer and the ice receptacle have been omitted,

(10) FIG. 9 is a schematic partial inner perspective exploded view of the ice making apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the casing, the retainer and the ice receptacle have been omitted,

(11) The reference signs appearing on the drawings relate to the following technical features. 1. Apparatus 2. Casing 3. Tray 4. Receptacle 4a. Grip 5. Retainer 6. Knob 6a. Body 6b. Grip 6c. Recess 7a. Cover 7b. Cover 7c. Frame 8a. Bearing 8b. Bearing 8c. Bearing 9a. Head 9b. Head 10a. Hub 10b. Hub 11. Gear assembly 12. Gear 13. Gear 14a. Notch 14b. Notch 15a. Tab 15b. Tab 16a. Slot 16b. Slot 17a. Claw 17b. Claw 17c. Claw 18. Groove 19. Tooth 20. Spring element 21. Rim 22. Refrigerator 23. Compartment

(12) The ice making apparatus (1) comprises a casing (2) which accommodates ice trays (3), an ice receptacle (4) disposed below the ice trays (3), a retainer (5) for rotatably supporting the ice trays (3) and one or more than one knob (6) for respectively twisting the ice trays (3) simultaneously or singly (FIGS. 1 to 9).

(13) In the ice making apparatus (1) of the present invention, the retainer (5) selectively supports either one of a plurality of exchangeable covers (7a, 7b). In the ice making apparatus (1) of the present invention, the casing (2) accommodates either an exchangeable cover (7a) which has a plurality of bearings (8a), wherein each bearing (8a) holds one knob (6) for singly twisting the corresponding ice tray (3) and wherein each ice tray (3) has a head (9a) and wherein each knob (6) has a hub (10a) which directly and detachably engages with the head (9a) of the corresponding ice tray (3), or the casing (2) accommodates another exchangeable cover (7b) which has a single bearing (8b) and a gear assembly (11), wherein the single bearing (8b) holds one knob (6) for simultaneously twisting all ice trays (i) via the gear assembly (11) which couples the ice trays (3) with the knob (6), wherein the gear assembly (11) has a driving gear (12) and a plurality of driven gears (13), wherein the driving gear (12) has a head (9b) which directly and detachably engages with the hub (10a) of the knob (6) and wherein each driven gear (13) has a hub (10b) which directly and detachably engages with the head (9a) of the corresponding ice tray (3).

(14) In an embodiment, the hub (10a) of each knob (6) comprises a notch (14a). And the head (9a) of each ice tray (3) has a matching tab (15a) which detachably fits into the notch (14a) of the corresponding knob (6). In this embodiment, the head (9b) of the driving gear (12) has a matching tab (15b) which detachably fits into the notch (14a) of the knob (6). And the hub (10b) of each driven gear (13) has a notch (14b) which detachably fits onto the matching tab (15a) of the corresponding ice tray (3).

(15) In another embodiment, the notch (14a) of each knob (6) has one or more than one slot (16a). And the matching tab (15a) of each corresponding ice tray (3) has one or more than one matching claw (17a) which snap-fits into the respective slot (16a) of the corresponding knob (6). In this embodiment, the matching tab (15b) of the driving gear (12) has one or more than one matching claw (17b) which snap-fits into the respective slot (16a) of the knob (6). And the notch (14b) of each driven gear (13) has one or more than one slot (16b) into which the respective matching claw (17a) of the corresponding ice tray (3) snap-fits.

(16) In another embodiment, the driving gear (12) has one or more than one alignment groove (18). And each driven gear (13) has one or more than one alignment tooth (19). The alignment groove (18) and the alignment tooth (19) are relatively larger than the other grooves and the other teeth respectively. Each alignment groove (18) of the driving gear (12) meshes with the respective alignment tooth (19) of the corresponding driven gear (13) when the corresponding ice tray (3) is facing horizontally upwards and the knob (6) is at the rest position.

(17) In another embodiment, the retainer (5) supports spring elements (20) which respectively bias the ice trays (3) to the rest positions where the ice tray (3) is horizontally aligned and faces upwards.

(18) In another embodiment, the retainer (5) comprises bearings (8c) which detachably and rotatably support the driving gear (12) and the driven gears (13) respectively.

(19) In another embodiment, the driving gear (12) has arc-shaped claws (17c) which snap fittingly engage with the rim (21) of the corresponding bearing (8c) on the retainer (2).

(20) In another embodiment, the receptacle (4) is slidably and releasably disposed inside the lower section of the casing (2). In a version of this embodiment, the receptacle (4) has a grip (4a) which is formed by a depression.

(21) In another embodiment, the retainer (5) is slidably mountable into the upper section of the casing (2).

(22) In another embodiment, each knob (6) comprises a round shaped body (6a) and a grip (6b) which is defined by two diametrically opposed recesses (6c) formed into the front section of the body (6a).

(23) In another embodiment, each exchangeable cover (7a, 7b) has a frame (7c) which detachably fits onto the front section of the retainer (5).

(24) In another embodiment, the casing (2) accommodates two ice trays (3) and two knobs (6) for singly twisting the two ice trays (3). And the exchangeable cover (7a) has two bearings (8a), wherein each bearing (8a) holds one respective knob (6) (FIGS. 8 to 9).

(25) In another alternative embodiment, the casing (2) accommodates two ice trays (3) and one knob (6) for simultaneously twisting the ice trays (3). And the exchangeable cover (7b) has a single bearing (8b) and a gear assembly (11). The single bearing (8b) holds the knob (6). The gear assembly (11) has a driving gear (12) and two driven gears (13). The driven gears (13) are each directly meshed with the driving gear (12) (FIGS. 1 to 7).

(26) The refrigerator (22) comprises a freezer compartment (23). The refrigerator (22) of the present invention comprises the ice making apparatus (1) and in another embodiment, the ice making apparatus (1) is detachably disposed into the freezer compartment (23).

(27) With the present invention, a convertible and environment friendly ice making apparatus (1) has been provided which can be assembled as a single twist type ice making apparatus (1) or a simultaneous twist type ice making apparatus (1). Thereby, the production and assembly costs of the ice making apparatus (1) have been reduced both in labor and material. With the present invention, a consumer satisfaction can be increased.