Icemaker assembly
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsVishal B. Chauhan, Giulia Marinello, Vikas C. Mruthyunjaya, Kevin Y. Zhang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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 first and second ends with first and second portions disposed therebetween, wherein the first end is positioned proximate the ice tray, and further wherein the first portion of the fill tube is positioned within the housing and the second portion of the fill tube is positioned outside the housing;
- at least one solenoid valve operably coupled to the second end of the fill tube and operable between opened and closed positions, wherein the at least one solenoid valve includes a first solenoid valve and a second solenoid valve;
- an outlet tube operably coupled to the fill tube;
- and
- a controller operably coupled to the at least one solenoid valve for controlling the at least one solenoid valve, wherein the controller is configured to open the first solenoid valve to drain water from the fill tube via the outlet tube during a drain sequence and open the second solenoid valve during a fill sequence to provide the water to the ice tray.
An icemaker assembly for a refrigerator, comprising:
- a housing;
- an ice tray positioned within the housing;
- a fill tube having a first end positioned proximate the ice tray within the housing and a second end positioned outside the housing;
- at least one solenoid valve operably coupled to the second end of the fill tube, wherein the at least one solenoid valve includes a first solenoid valve and a second solenoid valve;
- an outlet tube operably coupled to the fill tube;
- and
- a controller operably coupled to the at least one solenoid valve to adjust the at least one solenoid valve between opened and closed positions, and the controller is configured to open the first solenoid valve to drain water from the fill tube and the outlet tube during a drain sequence, and wherein the controller is configured to open the second solenoid valve and close the first solenoid valve during a fill sequence to insert the water into the ice tray.
An icemaker assembly for a refrigerator, comprising:
- a housing;
- a fill tube having a first end positioned within the housing and configured to be positioned proximate to an ice tray and a second end positioned outside the housing;
- a first solenoid valve operably coupled between the second end of the fill tube and an inlet tube;
- and
- an outlet tube operably coupled between the second end of the fill tube and a second solenoid valve, wherein fluid is configured to flow through the first solenoid valve and then the fill tube during a fill sequence, and further wherein the fluid is configured to flow through the fill tube and then the second solenoid valve during a drain sequence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.