Icemaker assembly
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsVishal B. Chauhan, Giulia Marinello, Vikas C. Mruthyunjaya, Kevin Y. Zhang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A refrigerator includes a freezer compartment and a machine compartment positioned proximate the freezer compartment. An icemaker assembly is positioned within the freezer compartment. A fill tube extends from the machine compartment into the icemaker assembly. A first solenoid valve is coupled to the fill tube. A second solenoid valve is coupled to the fill tube, wherein the first and second solenoid valves are positioned within the machine compartment. A controller is configured to independently open and close the first and second solenoid valves.
Claims20
An icemaker assembly for a refrigerator, comprising:
- a housing;
- an ice tray positioned within the housing;
- a fill tube having a first end positioned within the housing proximate to the ice tray and a second end positioned outside of the housing;
- an outlet tube coupled to a second portion of the fill tube;
- a first solenoid valve coupled to the fill tube;
- a second solenoid valve coupled to the fill tube, wherein the first and second solenoid valves are operable between opened and closed positions;
- and
- a controller configured to control the first and second solenoid valves between the opened and closed positions, wherein the controller is configured to open the second solenoid valve a predetermined amount of time after completion of a fill sequence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.