REFRIGERATOR WITH ICE BUCKET ON DOOR

Abstract

A refrigerator with a freezer compartment having a door to open and close the freezer compartment. An ice maker is disposed within the freezer compartment for forming ice pieces. An ice storage bin is mounted to the door for receiving ice from the ice maker. A cover is hinged to the ice marker. The cover is moveable between an unrestricting position in which ice is discharged when the door is in a closed position to a restricting position in which ice does not discharge when the door is in an open position. A sliding tray having sidewall enclosing an area behind the ice maker and extending the depth between the ice maker and a rear wall of the refrigerator, defines a storage chamber.

Claims

1. A refrigerator including a compartment, the refrigerator comprising: a door configured to open and close at least a portion of the compartment, an ice making assembly disposed within the compartment, the ice making assembly having an ice maker for forming ice pieces, and a cover movably coupled to the ice maker, wherein the cover is moveable between an unrestricting position which allows the ice maker to harvest the ice pieces, and a restricting position which prevents the ice maker from harvesting the ice pieces; an ice storage unit removably mounted to the door for receiving ice pieces from the ice making assembly, wherein when the door is in an open position, the cover inhibits access to the ice maker, and when the door is in a closed position, the cover exposes the ice maker to the ice storage unit; and a bail arm movably mounted to the ice maker between an ice sensing position and an ice harvest position for sensing a level of ice within the ice storage unit, wherein the bail arm is operatively configured to inhibit the ice maker from harvesting ice pieces when the ice storage unit is full, and wherein when the cover is in the restricting position, the cover restricts movement of the bail arm to the ice sensing position to thereby inhibit the ice maker from harvesting ice pieces.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein when the cover is in the unrestricting position, the cover permits movement of the bail arm into the ice storage unit and towards the ice harvest position.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein if the ice storage unit is not full and the bail arm traverses to the ice harvest position, the ice maker is permitted to harvest and transfer the ice pieces into the ice storage unit.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the cover is rotatably hinged to a side wall of the ice maker.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the cover rotates about a horizontal axis relative to the ice maker.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the cover is movably coupled to the ice maker by a slotted tab and pin.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the ice storage unit is configured to be positioned under the ice making assembly when the door is in a closed position.

8. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the cover in the unrestricting position engages a top edge of the ice storage unit.

9. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein when the door is in the closed position and the ice storage unit is removed from the door, the cover remains in the restricting position to prevent the ice maker from harvesting the ice pieces.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the bail arm is further moveable to a lock position to inhibit ice pieces from harvesting.

11. A refrigerator including a compartment, the refrigerator comprising: a door configured to open and close at least a portion of the compartment, the door positioned adjacent a front portion of the compartment; an ice making assembly disposed within the compartment, the ice making assembly having an ice maker for forming ice pieces, wherein the ice making assembly is positioned at a top surface of the compartment and adjacent to said front portion of the compartment; and a storage chamber positioned behind the ice maker, at said top surface of the compartment and adjacent to a rear portion of the compartment, the storage chamber having a tray slidably mounted to the storage chamber.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the tray has a curved guide configured to slidably engage with the storage chamber, the curved guide being disposed along a side wall of the tray.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the curved guide defines a curved path when the tray slides in and slides out of the storage chamber.

14. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the tray has a front edge adapted to serve as a handle for moving the tray along the curved path when the tray slides in and slides out of the storage chamber.

15. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the ice making assembly further comprises a cover rotatably hinged to the ice maker, wherein the cover is moveable between an unrestricting position in which ice is discharged, to a restricting position in which ice does not discharge.

16. The refrigerator of claim 15, further comprising an ice storage unit removably mounted to the door for receiving ice from the ice making assembly, wherein at least a portion of the ice storage unit is configured to be positioned under the ice making assembly when the door is in a closed position.

17. The refrigerator of claim 15, wherein the cover, in the unrestricting position, engages a top edge of the ice storage unit.

18. The refrigerator of claim 15, wherein the tray is slidably moveable to an accessible position under the ice making assembly without disturbing the cover.

19. The refrigerator of claim 11, further comprising an air duct disposed along the top surface of the compartment to carry cold air to the ice maker.

20. The refrigerator of claim 19, wherein the storage chamber encloses a space underneath the air duct.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The foregoing and other aspects of the described embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0018] FIG. 1 is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a refrigerator with a side-by-side configuration having an ice making and dispensing system.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating an ice making and dispensing system within a compartment of the refrigerator of FIG. 1.

[0020] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ice making and dispensing system with the door in the open position.

[0021] FIG. 4 is a side view of an ice making and dispensing system with the door in the closed position.

[0022] FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the ice making and dispensing system within a compartment of FIG. 4.

[0023] FIG. 6 is side view of an exemplary embodiment of a bail arm for the ice making and dispensing system.

[0024] FIG. 7 is side view of another exemplary embodiment of a bail arm for the ice making and dispensing system.

[0025] FIG. 8 is perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a storage chamber of a refrigerator having an ice making and dispensing system in its closed position.

[0026] FIG. 9 is perspective view of the storage chamber in FIG. 8 in its open position.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES OF EMBODIMENTS

[0027] Examples will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which example embodiments are shown. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. However, aspects may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0028] Turning to FIG. 1, a refrigerator 10, illustrating a side-by-side configuration is shown. The refrigerator 10 having a cabinet 12 forming a fresh food compartment 14 and a freezer compartment 16. Both the fresh food compartment 14 and the freezer compartment 16 are provided with access openings. A fresh food door 18 restricts access to the fresh food compartment 14. A freezer door 20 restricts access to a freezer compartment 16. Both the fresh food door 18 and the freezer door 20 are hingedly mounted to the cabinet 12 for opening and closing the access openings. The freezer door 20 can be operably coupled to the ice dispensing system 26 whereby a user may readily dispense ice produced by the ice making assembly 22.

[0029] Although FIG. 1 shows a refrigerator 10 which includes a freezer compartment 16 disposed beside a fresh food compartment 14, the refrigerator 10 may have compartments arranged according to other configurations without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the fresh food compartment 14 may be vertically disposed below the freezer compartment 16 or the freezer compartment 16 may be vertically disposed below a fresh food compartment 14.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows an ice making and dispensing system within a compartment of the refrigerator. The illustrated embodiment shows an ice making assembly 22 disposed within the freezer compartment 16. The ice making assembly 22 can be mounted to the inside surface of the top wall 24 of the freezer compartment 16. An ice dispensing system 26, mounted to the freezer door 20, can be configured to be positioned below the ice making assembly 22 for receiving ice pieces therefrom when the freezer door 20 can be in a closed position. The ice dispensing system 26 includes an ice storage receptacle, bucket or bin 28. When operated, the ice dispensing system 26 transfers ice pieces from the ice bucket 28 through the freezer door 20 whereby ice pieces may be dispensed through a conventional, forwardly exposed ice dispenser station or external ice service area. Alternatively, a user may remove the ice bucket 28 from the freezer door 20. This allows a user to readily dispense a large quantity of ice from the ice bucket 28 into a receptacle, such as an insulated cooler.

[0031] FIG. 3 discloses details of the ice making and dispensing system when the refrigerator door is in an open position. The ice making assembly 22 includes an ice maker 42 for forming ice cubes. The ice making assembly 22 further includes a cover 40 that can be pivotally attached to the ice maker 42. The cover 40 may be connected to the ice maker 42 by, for example, a hinge, or a pivot pin, or slotted tab and pin or any other features of the sorts. The cover 40 may be formed of metal, plastic or any other suitable material. The cover 40 guides the discharge of ice. The cover 40 also protects the ice maker 42. When the freezer door 20 is in an open position, the cover 40 inhibits users from accessing the ice maker 42. When the freezer door 20 is in a closed position, the cover 40 exposes the ice maker 42 to the ice bucket 28. The ice maker assembly 22 also includes an air duct 44 disposed along the top surface 24 of the freezer compartment 16 to carry cold air to the ice maker 42.

[0032] The cover 40 can be pivotally connected to the sides of the ice maker 42 such that it pivots about an axis X. When the freezer door 20 is in an open position, the cover 40 can be configured to, for example, inhibit ice harvesting. Additionally, the cover 40 may inhibit ice from harvesting when the ice bucket 28 is removed from the door 20. When a user opens the freezer door 20 or removes the ice bucket 28 from the freezer door 20, the cover 40 is released from the edge of the ice bucket 28 causing the cover 40 to swing about the horizontal axis into a freely hanging position below the icemaker 42, thus inhibiting additional ice from being harvested.

[0033] Turning now to FIGS. 4 and 5, when the freezer door 20 is in a closed position, the cover 40 swivels about the axis X to push against the edge of the ice bucket 28 causing the cover 40 to swing upward and aside to expose the ice maker 42 to the ice bucket 28 so that ice cubes can fall directly into the ice bucket 28 from the ice maker 42 during harvesting.

[0034] In FIGS. 5 and 6 show example embodiments of a bail arm. The bail arm 30 can be operatively connected to the ice maker 42 for sensing the level of ice in the ice bucket 28. The bail arm 30 may be attached to the end of a shaft 32 which protrudes from the side of the ice maker's control housing 34. The bail arm 30 may be positioned on either side of the housing as may be appropriate for different refrigerator configurations. The bail arm 30 may be keyed to the end of the shaft 32 so that the bail arm 32 cannot rotate independently of the shaft. The bail arm 30 may be held in place by a single screw.

[0035] In operation, the bail arm 30 transitions between an ice sensing position and an ice harvest position for ice harvest by the ice maker. When the freezer door 20 is in a closed position, the bail arm 30 rotates into the ice bucket 28 to determine if the ice bucket 28 is full and/or if harvesting of ice is necessary. Upon sensing the level of the ice, Ice cubes may fall directly into the ice bucket 28 from the ice maker 42 during harvesting if the bail arm 30 determines that the ice bucket 28 is not full. If the bail arm 30 determines that the ice bucket 28 is full, the bail arm signals the icemaker to stop harvesting ice. The bail arm may swing up and into a lock position to inhibit ice from harvesting. If the ice bucket 28 is not in place when the freezer door 20 is closed, the cover 40 will not be pushed aside causing the cover 40 to block the bail arm 30 so that the ice maker 42 will be inhibited from harvesting ice.

[0036] FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate an example embodiment of the storage chamber in its closed and in its open position, respectively. A storage chamber 50 can be disposed behind the ice maker 42 enclosing a space underneath the air duct 44. The storage chamber 50 includes a slidable tray 52 defining a storage space behind the ice maker when the tray is in a closed position. The tray 52 can be configured to be slidably pushed in and pulled out of the freezer compartment 16 in such a manner that the tray 52 can be slid to an accessible position under the ice maker 42 without disturbing the cover 40 or the ice maker 42. The tray 52 slides downwardly underneath the ice maker 42 as it is pulled out to its accessible position allowing a user to place items in the tray 52 so that those items will be stored in the storage chamber 50 when the tray is pushed back to its closed position. Pulling the tray 52 out to its accessible position exposes the items in the tray so that they may be removed by a user.

[0037] The tray 52 includes a pair of curved guides 54 located along opposing side walls of the tray. The curved guides 54 slidably engage guide tracks 56 formed along the sidewalls of the storage chamber 50. By this arrangement the tray 52 is slidably supported in both its accessible and closed positions. The curved guides 56 define a curved path enabling the tray 54 to follow the curved path when pulled out. The curved path enables the tray 54 to slide downward and underneath the ice maker 42 as it is pulled out. The front surface 58 of the tray 54 can be adapted to serve as a handle for pulling out and pushing in the tray 54. The front surface can have an upwardly opening C shape defined by an opening for facilitating access to items in the tray.

[0038] The present disclosure has been described with reference to the example embodiments described above. Modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of this specification. Example embodiments incorporating one or more aspects of the invention are intended to include all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims.

PARTS LIST

[0039] 10Refrigerator [0040] 12Cabinet [0041] 14Fresh Food Compartment [0042] 16Freezer Compartment [0043] 18Fresh Food Door [0044] 20Freezer Door [0045] 22Ice Making Assembly [0046] 24Top Wall [0047] 26Ice Dispensing System [0048] 28Ice Bucket [0049] 30Bail Arm [0050] 40Cover [0051] 42Ice Maker [0052] 44Air Duct [0053] 50Storage chamber [0054] 52Sliding Tray [0055] 54Curved Guide [0056] 56Sliding Guide [0057] 58Front Surface