U.S. patent number 3,572,053 [Application Number 04/835,689] was granted by the patent office on 1971-03-23 for household refrigerator including through-the-door ice service.
This patent grant is currently assigned to General Electric Company. Invention is credited to William C. Bodong, Dwight W. Jacobus.
United States Patent |
3,572,053 |
Jacobus , et al. |
March 23, 1971 |
HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATOR INCLUDING THROUGH-THE-DOOR ICE SERVICE
Abstract
A refrigerator cabinet including a freezer compartment
containing an icemaker, an ice storage receptacle and dispenser for
storing and dispensing ice pieces made by the ice maker, a passage
in the freezer door for delivering ice pieces from the dispenser to
a service area on the outer surface of the door, and operating
means including an actuating means on the outer surface of the door
for energizing the dispenser. Preferably, means are provided for
closing the passage when the dispenser is not energized and the
receptacle and dispenser are removable as a unit from the cabinet.
A door-operated switch prevents operation of the dispenser when the
door is open.
Inventors: |
Jacobus; Dwight W. (Louisville,
KY), Bodong; William C. (Louisville, KY) |
Assignee: |
General Electric Company
(N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
25270211 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/835,689 |
Filed: |
June 23, 1969 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
824728 |
Apr 29, 1969 |
|
|
|
|
669234 |
Sep 20, 1967 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/344; 222/140;
62/377 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25C
1/24 (20130101); F25C 5/22 (20180101) |
Current International
Class: |
F25C
1/22 (20060101); F25C 1/24 (20060101); F25C
5/00 (20060101); F25c 005/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;62/344,320,345,137,377
;222/140 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Wayner; William E.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending
application, Ser. No. 824,728 filed Apr. 29, 1969 (now abandoned)
which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 669,234 filed Sept.
20, 1967 (now abandoned).
Claims
We claim:
1. In a refrigerated cabinet comprising insulated walls having an
access opening and including a door for closing said opening, said
walls and door defining a normally closed freezer compartment:
an icemaker in said compartment;
an ice storage receptacle and ice dispenser in said compartment for
receiving and storing ice pieces produced by said icemaker and
having an outlet adjacent said door for discharging ice pieces;
said door having a passage therethrough for receiving ice pieces
from said outlet when door is closed and delivering said ice pieces
to a service area on the exterior surface of the door;
operating means including actuating means exterior of said cabinet
for energizing said dispenser; and
means for normally closing said passage and means responsive to the
operation of said actuating means for opening said closing means
upon energization of said dispenser and closing said closing means
after deenergization of said dispenser.
2. A refrigerated cabinet according to claim 1 in which said
motor-driven means, during operation thereof, agitates ice pieces
stored in said receptacle and includes means for intermittently
discharging ice pieces during operation thereof.
3. In a refrigerator including a freezer compartment and a door for
closing the access opening to said compartment:
an ice dispenser in said compartment having a discharge opening
adjacent said door;
said door including a passage therethrough having its inlet
positioned on the inner surface of said door below said discharge
opening;
a closure member mounted on the inner surface of said door for
normally closing said inlet, said closure member being movable to a
position rearward of said discharge opening to open said inlet;
operating means including an actuating means exterior of said
cabinet for moving said closure member to open said inlet and
thereafter energizing said dispenser; and
a chute means connected to said closure member and extending into
said passage when said closure member is in said rearward position
for directing ice pieces from said discharge opening into said
passage.
4. The refrigerator of claim 3 including means for delaying closing
of said closure member following deenergization of said
dispenser.
5. The refrigerator of claim 3 in which said actuating means is
operable by a receptacle positioned to receive ice pieces from said
passage.
6. In a refrigerator including a freezer compartment having an
access opening and a door comprising spaced inner and outer panels
for closing said access opening:
said outer panel having a recess therein;
an ice dispenser in said compartment including a discharge opening
adjacent said door;
said door including means defining a passage therein having its
inlet in said inner panel below said discharge opening and its
outlet in said recess;
a closure member for said inlet and means for pivotally supporting
said closure member on said inner panel for pivotal movement of
said member about a pivot axis below said closure member from a
normal position closing said inlet to an open position rearwardly
of said discharge opening;
an ice chute having one end mounted on said closure member and the
other end extending into said passage for directing ice pieces from
said dispenser into said passage when said closure member is in its
open position;
operating means for operating said dispenser and said closure
member comprising a pushrod extending through said door;
crank means between said rod and said closure member for moving
said closure member to its open position by pressure on said
pushrod;
switch means actuated by said operating means when said closure
member is in its open position for energizing said dispenser;
and
means for biasing said closure member to its closed position.
7. The refrigerator of claim 6 in which said passage outlet is in
the upper portion of said recess.
8. The refrigerator of claim 6 in which said pushrod is in said
recess.
9. The refrigerator of claim 6 including means for delaying
movement of said closure member to its closed position after
release of pressure on said pushrod and deenergization of said
dispenser for a time sufficient to permit the ice pieces discharged
by said dispenser to enter said passage.
10. In a refrigerator including a freezer compartment and a closure
means for closing the access opening to said compartment:
an ice dispenser in said compartment having a discharge opening
adjacent said closure means;
said closure means including a passage therethrough having its
inlet positioned on the inner surface of said closure means below
said discharge opening;
a closure member for normally closing said passage and movable to a
position to open said passage;
a chute member normally disposed within said passage and movably to
a position projecting rearwardly from said inner surface of said
closure means for receiving ice pieces from said discharge opening
and directing them into said passage; and
operating means including an actuating means exterior of said
cabinet for moving said closure member to open said passage and
said chute to its ice receiving position and thereafter energizing
said dispenser.
11. The refrigerator of claim 10 including means for delaying
closing of said closure member following deenergization of said
dispenser.
12. In a refrigerator including a freezer compartment and a door
for closing the access opening to said compartment:
an ice dispenser in said compartment having a discharge opening
adjacent said door;
said door including a passage therethrough having its inlet
positioned on the inner surface of said door below said discharge
opening;
a closure member for normally closing said inlet, said closure
member being movable to a position rearward of said discharge
opening to open said inlet;
operating means including an actuating means exterior of said
cabinet for moving said closure member to open said inlet and
thereafter energizing said dispenser; and
a chute means connected to said closure member and extending into
said passage when said closure member is in said rearward position
for directing ice pieces from said discharge opening into said
passage.
13. The refrigerator of claim 12 comprising a recess in the outer
surface of said door with said passage opening into said recess and
with said actuating means disposed in said recess.
14. In a refrigerator including a freezer compartment and a door
for closing the access opening to said compartment:
an icemaker in said compartment;
an ice receptacle and dispenser in said compartment for receiving
and storing ice pieces produced by said icemaker and having a
discharge opening adjacent said door for dispensing stored ice
pieces;
said door including a passage therethrough having its inlet
positioned on the inner surface of said door below said discharge
opening for receiving ice pieces from said opening and conveying
them to a service area on the outer surface of said door;
a closure member for normally closing said passage and movable to a
position to open said passage;
operating means including an actuating means exterior of said
cabinet for moving said closure member to open said passage and
thereafter energizing said dispenser; and
means for delaying closing of said closure member following
deenergization of said dispenser.
15. A refrigerator according to claim 14 in which said service area
comprises a recess in the outer surface of said door and said
actuating means is disposed in said recess.
16. A refrigerator according to claim 14 including means for
rendering said operating means inoperable when said door is
opened.
17. In a refrigerated cabinet comprising insulated walls having an
access opening and including a door for closing said opening, said
walls and door defining a normally closed freezer compartment:
an icemaker in said compartment;
an ice storage receptacle including motor-operated dispenser means
for receiving, storing and dispensing ice pieces produced by said
icemaker and having an outlet adjacent said door for discharging
ice pieces;
said door having a passage therethrough for receiving ice pieces
from said outlet when said door is closed and delivering said ice
pieces to a service area on the exterior surface of the door;
operating means including manually operated means exterior of said
cabinet and switch means operated thereby for energizing said
dispenser means;
means operable when said door is opened for preventing operation of
said dispenser means by said operating means;
means for closing said passage and means mechanically operated by
said manually operated means for opening said closing means;
and
means for delaying the closing of said closing means after
deenergization of said dispensing means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a household refrigerator
cabinet including means for dispensing ice pieces exteriorally of
the refrigerator cabinet.
Many modern household refrigerators feature automatic icemakers
including a receptacle in the freezer compartment for receiving and
storing a supply of ice pieces at below freezing temperatures.
The usefulness of an automatic icemaker is measured by the amount
of ice available on short notice, or in other words, it is not
determined by the icemaking capacity of the icemaker. Thus for
maximum convenience, the present-day icemakers include a storage
receptacle for receiving and storing the few ice pieces
periodically discharged by the icemaker so that a much larger
amount of ice produced over a period of time and stored in the
receptacle is available for use within a relatively short period of
time.
As an added customer convenience, it is desirable to provide means
for dispensing ice pieces exteriorally of the refrigerator cabinet.
Prior U.S. Pat. No. 2,212,405 -- Rose et al. issued Aug. 20, 1940
and U.S. Pat. No. 2,697,918 -- Comstock issued Dec. 28, 1954, both
disclose exterior ice services in which the ice is dispensed
directly from an icemaker through a cabinet wall or the cabinet
door. In each of these services, the passages leading to the
exterior of the cabinet are sloping or slanted and the ice pieces
are dispensed directly through the outer surface of the cabinet
structure. In such ice service, the amount of ice available at any
one time is limited by the capacity of the icemaker.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A refrigerator including a freezer compartment having an access
opening and a door for closing the access opening contains an
icemaker and an ice storage receptacle and ice dispenser in the
freezer compartment. The receptacle receives and stores ice pieces
produced by the icemaker and has an outlet adjacent the freezer
door. The door has a passage therethrough for receiving ice pieces
discharged from the outlet when the door is closed and delivering
the ice pieces to a service area on the exterior surface of the
door. The dispenser is controlled by operating means including
actuating means exterior of said cabinet. Preferably the
refrigerator also includes means for preventing energization of the
dispenser when the door is opened and a normally closed closure
member for the ice passage which is opened during energization of
the dispenser. The receptacle and dispenser components associated
therewith preferably form a unitary structure removable as a unit
through the access opening.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
In the accompanying drawing:
FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a household refrigerator
freezer compartment including one embodiment of a through-the-door
ice service of the present invention, this view being taken
generally along line 1-1 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the combination receptacle
and dispensing means of FIG. 1 taken generally along line 2-2 of
FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 1 showing the
dispensing means positioned to discharge ice pieces from the
receptacle;
FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram for controlling the operation of the
subject ice service;
FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of a household refrigerator
including a second embodiment of the ice-dispensing service of the
present invention;
FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along line 6-6
of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a portion of the door structure shown
in FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a rear elevational view of the door structure
illustrating additional structural details thereof; and
FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a portion of a door structure
illustrating a preferred arrangement.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The invention will be specifically described in its application to
a household refrigerator cabinet comprising a vertically extending
freezer compartment 1 having a front access opening closed by a
door 2. The door 2 is of the usual construction including an outer
or face panel 3 and an inner panel 4 which are spaced from one
another with most or all the space between the two panels being
filled with suitable heat-insulating material 5. The freezer
compartment 1 contains an automatic icemaker 6 in an upper portion
thereof adapted to automatically manufacture and periodically
discharge ice pieces or "cubes" for storage in a combination
receptacle and ice dispenser unit generally indicated by numeral 7,
this unit being removably supported on a shelf 8 below the ice
maker 6. Any suitable icemaker may be used. The illustrated
icemaker is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,331,215 Shaw.
The storage receptacle and dispensing means illustrated in FIGS.
1--3 broadly includes a storage receptacle or bin 10 for storing
ice pieces produced by the icemaker 6 and a motor-driven shuttle 11
positioned in the bottom portion of the receptacle 10 and adapted
to intermittently discharge or dispense batches of ice pieces
through a discharge opening 12 into a guide member 14 mounted on
the front of the receptacle and having a downwardly directed or
facing outlet or discharge 15, the member 14 serving to guide the
ice pieces or in other words to define the path of the ice pieces
discharged through the opening 12.
The receptacle 10 is of a generally box shape construction
including a transversely sloping bottom wall 17 (FIG. 2) extending
from one of its sidewalls 18 and terminating in a downwardly
projecting portion 19 spaced from the opposite sidewall 20. The
dispensing shuttle 11 is positioned between the bottom wall portion
19 and the sidewall 20. The shuttle 11, as illustrated in FIG. 1 of
the drawing, preferably extends substantially the full length of
the receptacle 10 and is pivotally supported adjacent its
midsection on the downwardly extending bottom wall portion 19 by a
pin 22 so that by the use of suitable drive means, this shuttle can
be oscillated or rocked about this pivot point. The shuttle
includes an ice duct 23 extending substantially the full length
thereof and having an inlet opening 24 at the rear end of the
shuttle and an outlet opening 25 at the forward end of the shuttle.
The bottom wall of the duct 23 is divided into an inlet bottom wall
portion 28 and an outlet or dispensing bottom wall portion 29 by
means of a stationary plane 30 forming part of the duct structure
but not movable with the shuttle 11. Specifically, plane 30 extends
from and is integral with sidewall 20. The top wall 31 of the duct
is formed as part of the shuttle 11 and moves therewith in its
entirety.
As is shown particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, only the
top wall 31, the bottom walls 28 and 29 and one sidewall 32 of the
duct 23 are formed integrally with the shuttle 11 and the shuttle
11 is positioned adjacent the one bin sidewall 20 so that this
sidewall 20 in effect forms the fourth side of the duct.
The illustrated means for oscillating or rocking the shuttle 11
between its one extreme position illustrated in FIG. 1 of the
drawing and its other extreme position illustrated in FIG. 3 of the
drawing includes a drive motor 35 suitably supported below the
slanting bottom wall 17. The motor 35 is connected through a
suitable gear reduction (not shown) and an eccentric drive pin 37
to a yoke 38 connected to shuttle 11. More particularly, the yoke
38 includes a slot 39 for receiving the pin 37. As the member 40
carrying the pin 37 is rotated by the motor 35, the pin slides back
and forth within the slot 39 and effects an oscillating movement of
the shuttle 11 between its two extreme positions.
The additional features of construction of the duct 23 can best be
described in connection with its intended mode of operation. As the
shuttle oscillates from its position shown in FIG. 3 to the
position shown in FIG. 1, the rear end of the shuttle moves
upwardly through the ice pieces stored in the receptacle 10 during
which time properly oriented ice pieces in the bin drop through the
inlet 24 and slide downwardly along the bottom wall 28 which is
then in a sloping position. The ice pieces slide onto the
stationary plane 30 which is integral with the sidewall 20, and if
no ice pieces are in the forward or discharge end of the duct these
ice pieces will slide from the stationary plane 30 onto the sloping
bottom wall portion 29 of the duct. These ice pieces are then
stopped by engagement with the arcuate dam or stop 41 which closes
the outlet end 25 of the duct when the shuttle 11 is in the
position shown in FIG. 1.
As the shuttle pivots from its position shown in FIG. 1 to the
position shown in FIG. 3, the outlet end portion of the duct 23
moves upwardly until the duct outlet 25 communicates with the
opening 12. At that time, any ice pieces in the outlet or discharge
end portion of the duct, that is that portion of the duct including
the bottom wall portion 29, slide through the opening 12 for
discharge through the discharge outlet 15. To obtain this result,
the duct bottom wall portion 29 should have a forward slope
sufficient to cause these ice pieces to slide through the opening
12 when the shuttle 11 is in the position shown in FIG. 3.
During movement of the shuttle to this discharge position, a
shoulder 42 on the inner or rear end of the duct bottom wall 29
moves upwardly relative to the stationary plane 30 to a position in
which it blocks any ice pieces stored on the stationary plane 30
and prevents them from entering the outlet portion of the duct.
Thus the number of ice pieces discharged during each cycle of
operation of the shuttle 11 is determined by the number of ice
pieces which can be contained within the forward portion of the
duct extending from the stationary plane 30 to the dam 41. The
preferred cross-sectional area of the duct is dependent to some
extent upon the size and shape of the cubes or ice pieces produced
by the icemaker 6. Preferably, it has cross-sectional area large
enough so that the largest ice pieces can pass freely through the
duct but not so large that two or more smaller ice pieces may wedge
within the duct.
Upon return movement of the shuttle to its position shown in FIG. 1
of the drawing, ice pieces stored on or upstream from the
stationary plane 30 are freed to slide forwardly into the outlet
end portion of the duct while at the same time additional ice
pieces are caused to enter the duct inlet 24. If desired, a
"stuffer" means in the form of a finger or ledge 44 overhanging the
duct inlet 24 may be provided to aid in forcing ice pieces to enter
the inlet 24 and also to break up pairs or clusters of ice pieces
with the receptacle 10.
In addition to its dispensing action, the shuttle 11 also serves to
agitate the ice pieces contained in the receptacle 10 so as to
break up clusters of ice pieces and to prevent the formation
thereof which may take place even though the ice pieces are
continuously maintained or stored at below freezing temperatures.
To this end, the shuttle is preferably provided with a continuous
and somewhat V-shaped top wall 46 disposed above the top wall 31 of
the duct 23. As the shuttle oscillates or rocks, the front portion
and rear portion of this top wall 46 alternately pass upwardly
through the stored ice pieces so that ice pieces stored on the top
of the shuttle are moved relative to, and cause movement of, the
ice pieces to one side of the shuttle. This agitation of
substantially all of the stored ice pieces aids in preventing the
formation of clusters of ice pieces and breaks the ice bonds in any
clusters which may have been formed in the receptacle. At the same
time the V-shaped construction of this wall 46 aids in effecting a
back and forth or longitudinal movement of the ice pieces above the
shuttle and helps assure the presence of ice pieces at the loading
or inlet end 24 of the duct 23.
In accordance with the present invention, means are provided for
delivering ice pieces discharged from a dispenser, such as the
dispenser unit 7, exteriorly of the freezer door 3. This means is
preferably so constructed and arranged within the door and relative
to the ice dispenser as to permit the use of a storage receptacle
and ice dispenser having a substantial storage capacity and to
provide a minimum flow path for the ice after it leaves the
dispenser.
In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3,
the outer panel 3 of the door includes an exterior ice service
recess 47 extending into the plane of the door, that is, into the
space between the outer panel 3 and the inner panel 4, and the
inner panel 4 is formed with a second recess 48 extending into the
plane of the door above and in at least partially overlapping
relationship with the service recess 47. More specifically, the
inner recess 48 includes a bottom area 49 forming a ledge which
partially overlaps the outer door recess 47. A substantially
vertical passage 50 is provided within the body of the door passing
through panels 3 and 4 and leading from the interior of the door to
the exterior thereof. This passage is generally above recess 47.
Its inlet 51 is positioned in the area 49 to receive ice from the
member 14, and its outlet 52 opens into the top wall of the service
recess 47.
With this construction, the receptacle an dispensing means or more
specifically the guide member 14 is positioned in the compartment 1
so that the outlet 15 overlies the passage inlet 51 when the door
is closed whereby ice pieces freely drop from the outlet 15 into
the inlet 51. Since the passage 50 is of a relative short length
and is substantially vertical, the ice can fall freely from the
dispenser outlet 15 and through the passage without clinging to the
surfaces thereof.
Exteriorly operable means for operating the ice dispenser 7
comprises a pushrod 55 supported in the rear wall 56 of the recess
47 below the passage 50 and having a knob or cradle 57 on the
forward end thereof. This actuating member is designed to operate
switch means 59 mounted within the door 2 for normally controlling
the energization of the ice dispenser motor 35. Thus, when a glass
or other receptacle is pressed into engagement with the cradle 57
while the door 2 is closed, batches of ice pieces are periodically
discharged by the dispenser through the passage 50 into the
glass.
When the door is opened, passage 50 is not in position to receive
ice pieces from the outlet 15. To prevent operation of the
dispenser under such conditions, there is provided a normally
closed door-operated switch 61 connected in series with switch 59
as shown in FIG. 4. When switch 61 is opened upon opening of the
door 3, the switch 59 cannot energize the dispenser motor 35.
If desired, means may also be provided for limiting air circulation
between the exterior and the interior of the cabinet. In the
embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1--3, this means
comprises a telescopic seal generally indicated by numeral 60
mounted on the front of the ice dispenser 7 and encircling the
member 14. This seal 60 may be of any suitable telescopic
construction, its purpose being to adjust for varying door
clearances and engage the periphery of recess 48 so as to bridge
the space between the front of the dispenser 7 and the portion of
the inner panel 4 surrounding the recess 48 for all clearances.
With this space sealed, any flow of air between the cabinet and the
ambient atmosphere is restricted to a path through the ice
dispenser or more specifically through the dispensing means duct
23. This path is closed by stop 41 when the shuttle is in the
position shown in FIG. 1. Since the receptacle is normally filled
with ice to at least the level of the duct inlet 24, this stored
ice plus the ice within the duct 23 substantially restricts the
airflow path when the shuttle is in the position shown in FIG.
3.
Considering now the operation of this embodiment of the invention,
it will be seen that when the door is closed and pressure is
applied to the pushrod 55 to close the switch 59, the motor 35 is
energized to oscillate or rock the shuttle 11 about its pivot
support 22. During each portion of its oscillating cycle that the
duct outlet 25 is aligned with the opening 12, the ice pieces
stored within the duct forwardly from the stationary plane 30 slide
downwardly through the sloping member 14 and fall freely from the
outlet 15 through the passage 50 and into a glass or other
receptacle placed within the recess 47. This intermittent or batch
discharge of ice pieces will continue so long as the switches 59
and 61 are closed. Since the dispenser refills itself from the
receptacle 10, the amount of ice delivered may be as much as the
total capacity of the receptacle.
As soon as pressure is removed from pushrod 55, the switch 59 opens
to stop the dispensing shuttle 11. Because of the short path the
ice pieces travel from outlet 12 to the recess 47, under normal use
conditions ice pieces which have already passed through opening 12
at the moment the switch 59 is opened will reach the glass or other
receptacle before it can be removed from its position below the
passage outlet 52.
Under certain conditions, an ice piece may be trapped half way
through the outlet 12 during the return stroke of the shuttle to
its position shown in FIG. 1. In order to prevent the motor from
stalling under such conditions, the connection of the drive motor
to the shuttle includes means for permitting continued operation of
the motor 35 even though the shuttle is prevented from completing
its return movement by the stalling ice piece. To this end, the
yoke 38 is pivotally connected to the shuttle by a pivot pin 64 and
includes a bearing surface 65 normally engaging a cooperating
bearing surface 66 on a depending portion of the shuttle. A spring
67 connecting an extreme portion of the yoke 38 with the shuttle
has sufficient tension to normally maintain the yoke surface 65 in
contact with the shuttle surface 66. However in the event that an
ice piece jams the shuttle to stop downward movement of the forward
end of the shuttle, the spring 67 permits pivoting of the yoke
about its pivotal connection 64 and thus allows continued rotation
of the motor 35. As the drive pin 37 again pivots the yoke 38 to a
point where it reengages the shuttle surface 66, the forward end of
the shuttle will again be raised to its upper position illustrated
in FIG. 3 of the drawing whereupon the stalled ice piece and any
ice pieces contained within the outlet portion of the duct 23 will
pass through the outlet 12 into member 14. Thus the dispensing
mechanism is self-clearing during the cycle of operation following
the stalled cycle.
Occasionally ice chips discharged with the ice pieces may miss the
glass or other receptacle positioned in the recess 47 and fall to
the bottom of the recess. In order to dispose of the water formed
when this ice melts, the bottom of the recess 47 is provided with
an open sump 68. The sump receives this water and prevents it from
flowing from the recess onto the floor in front of the
refrigerator. The sump is preferably provided with an electric
heater 69 for warming the sump to a temperature such that the water
collecting therein will be evaporated. Alternatively, the sump 68
may be connected through a suitable drain tube to the usual defrost
water drain pan contained in the machinery compartment at the lower
end of the refrigerator cabinet in heat exchange relationship with
the refrigerant-condensing unit. The heated sump of our invention
is preferred, however, since it does not require drain tube
connections from the door to the machinery compartment.
Preferably also, the receptacle-dispensing unit 7 is removably
supported on the shelf 8 so that it can be removed from the cabinet
for periodic cleaning. For this purpose, since motor 35 is part of
the removable unit (FIG. 2) the latter may be provided with a plug
releasably engageable in a fixed socket (not shown) and through
which the motor is adapted to be energized. In addition, as the
user may occasionally desire to obtain access to the receptacle for
the manual removal of ice pieces therefrom, the front wall thereof
is provided with a service door 71 pivotally mounted as indicated
at its lower end by the numeral 72 and spring biased by means (not
shown) to a closed position. The service door 71 can be tilted to a
forward position so that the stored ice is easily accessible when
the main refrigerator door is open.
FIGS. 5 through 8, in which the same reference numerals have
generally been used to indicate the same or similar elements,
illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a front view of a cabinet containing in side-by-side
relationship a freezer compartment 1 and a fresh food compartment
73. The front access openings to these compartment are respectively
closed by a freezer door 2 and a fresh food door 74.
The freezer door 2 comprises spaced outer and inner panels 3 and 4.
The outer panel 3 forms the face of the door 2 and includes the
recess 47 generally defining a service center or area at which ice
pieces are delivered exteriorly of the cabinet from an ice
receptacle and dispenser 79 disposed in the upper portion of the
compartment 1, i.e., above the level of the recess 47.
The illustrated ice receptacle and dispenser 79 is of the type more
fully described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,422,994 issued Jan.
1, 1969 in the name of Robert J. Alvarez and assigned to the same
assignee as the present invention. Briefly described, it includes,
as is shown in FIG. 6, a receptacle 81 for receiving and storing
ice pieces produced by an automatic icemaker 6 and rotatable
dispensing means 84 positioned in the receptacle and driven through
a separable coupling 86 by a speed reduction drive means including
a motor 85. The receptacle includes a discharge opening 87. Upon
rotation of the dispensing means 84, ice pieces stored in
receptacle 81 are advanced by a screw conveyor 88 to the opening 87
through which batches of one or more ice pieces are periodically
discharged at the end of each half cycle or full cycle of rotation
of the dispensing means depending respectively upon whether the
screw 88 is a double or a single blade screw.
The batches of ice pieces periodically discharged from the opening
87 are delivered directly to the recess 47. To this end, the door 2
includes a passage 90 (FIG. 7) having its inlet 91 in the inner
door panel 4 and its outlet end 93 in the upper or top wall portion
94 of recess 47.
The inlet end 91 is normally closed by an insulate closure member
96 adapted to seat against a sealing gasket 97 surrounding the
inlet 91.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the closure 96 is pivotally mounted on
the inner panel 4 by means of a pair of legs 98 extending
downwardly from the side edges thereof and pivotally secured to the
panel 4 by pivot pins 100 whereby the closure 96 is movable from
its closed position of FIG. 6 to an open position rearward of the
discharge opening 87 as shown in FIG. 7. One or more springs 103
bias the closure 96 to its normally closed position.
Means for directing ice pieces into the passage 90 comprises a
chute 104 mounted on and movable with the closure 96. The chute is
positioned below the discharge opening 87. It is preferably formed
of polypropylene and includes a hinge portion 105 at one end
secured to the member 96. The other or outlet end 106 of the chute
extends into the passage 90 where it is slidingly supported on the
slanting bottom wall 107 of that passage.
Exteriorly operable means for opening the closure 96 comprises a
pushrod 109 extending through the door 3 from the recess 47 and
having a knob or pushbutton 110 on the forward or exterior end
thereof. This rod, normally biased to its forward position by
spring means (not shown), includes a pad 111 on the rear end
thereof adapted to engage the offset or crank portion 112 of drive
member 113 pivotally supported on the panel 4. The drive member 113
also includes arms 114 adapted upon rotation of member 113 to
engage legs 98 and thereby move the closure member 96 to its open
position.
Inward movement of the pushrod 109 is also employed to operate the
ice-dispensing means 84. When the rod approaches its innermost
position, pad 111, as shown in FIG. 8, is adapted to contact switch
arm 116 of a switch 117 which controls the energization of the
dispenser motor 85.
The closure member and switch operating means are so designed that
when pressure is applied to the knob 110 by a glass or other
receptacle inserted into the recess 47, the closure member
operating mechanism moves the closure member 96 to its open
position before switch 117 closes to operate the ice dispenser.
Thus the closure member and the chute 104 are in proper position to
direct ice pieces discharged through opening 87 into the passage
90. Batches of ice pieces will be dispensed into the glass until
the pressure on knob 110 is released. In order to prevent ice
pieces which have just been discharged through opening 87 from
being trapped between the closure 96 and the seal 97 following
release on the pressure on knob 110, there is preferably provided a
time delay means for keeping the closure 96 open a few seconds
after the rod 109 returns to its forward position. Any suitable
device may be employed for this purpose. The illustrated means,
generally indicated by numeral 120, comprises a dashpot means
pivotally mounted within the door 2. The dashpot is connected to
the closure 96 by a rod 122 and is designed to bias the door to an
open position i.e., to retard the closing movement of the closure
door 96, thereby delaying movement of the door to its closed
position by the spring 103. Also to prevent any ice pieces missing
chute 104 from holding the closure 96 open, the bottom edge of the
closure when open is spaced a sufficient distance from panel 4 to
permit such ice pieces to fall through this gap.
The service area represented by recess 47 may also include means
for dispensing cold water. Such cold water supply means may be of
the type more fully described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No.
3,427,140 issued Feb. 25, 1969 in the name of Frederick M. White
and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.
Briefly, it includes a cooling tank 125 positioned in the fresh
food compartment and connected through a solenoid valve 126 to a
water supply line. Water from the tank 125 is conducted into the
door 3 through a line 27 terminating in the top portion of recess
47. The valve 126 is controlled by a switch 192 operated by a
pushrod 130 in the same manner as pushrod 109. The drip sump or
trough 68 and associated heater 69 takes care of any spilled water
or water drippage.
Additional elements designed to provide trouble-free operation of
the ice service include a heater 132 adjacent the passage inlet 91
and gasket 97 to maintain this area above freezing so that any
moisture collecting in this area or in passage 90 will remain
liquid.
FIG. 9 illustrates what is presently considered to be a preferred
passage means for conveying ice pieces through the freezer door 3
to the service recess 47. In this embodiment, the passage 140
through the door 2, like passage 50 of FIG. 3, is substantially
vertical with its inlet end 141 positioned to receive the ice
pieces falling from the dispenser outlet 142. As in the other
embodiments, the dispenser is associated with a receptacle which
collects the ice pieces periodically produced by the icemaker. The
dispenser of FIGS. 6--8 is preferred and feeds into the outlet
142.
A passage closure member 143 is pivotally supported adjacent the
outlet end of the passage 140 and is connected through suitable
operating closure mechanism (not shown) to pushrod 109 so that,
like closure member 96 of FIG. 6, it will be pivotally rotated to a
position opening passage 140 when pressure is applied to rod 109 to
energize the ice dispenser. A heater 145, comparable to heater 132,
may be provided adjacent the outlet end of passage 140 to maintain
this area adjacent the member 143 at above freezing
temperatures.
While there has been shown and described a number of embodiments of
the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention is
not limited thereto and it is intended by the appended claims to
cover all modifications falling within the spirit and scope of the
invention.
* * * * *