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US 2008/0157644 A1Published application
Ice supplier
AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.
InventorsDong Hoon LEE, Wook Yong LEE
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ice supplier includes an ice maker configured to make ice, a case configured to store ice made by the ice maker, a sensing unit configured to sense a quantity of ice stored in the case, and a controller configured to control the ice maker according to a result of sensing from the sensing unit.
Claims25
An ice supplier comprising:
- an ice maker configured to make ice;
- an ice storage bin configured to store ice made by the ice maker;
- a sensing system configured to sense a quantity of ice stored in the ice storage bin, the sensing system including:
- a first sender positioned at a first height with respect to the ice storage bin and configured to send a first signal used in sensing the quantity of ice,
- a first receiver positioned at the first height with respect to the ice storage bin and configured to receive the first signal used in sensing the quantity of ice,
- a second sender positioned at a second height with respect to the ice storage bin and configured to send a second signal used in sensing the quantity of ice, the second height being different than the first height, and
- a second receiver positioned at the second height with respect to the ice storage bin and configured to receive the second signal used in sensing the quantity of ice;
- a heating element arranged to be in thermal communication with and produce heat to defrost the first receiver and the second receiver;
- and
- a controller configured to control the ice maker based on the quantity of ice sensed by the sensing system.
7 more elements
A refrigerator comprising:
- a cabinet defining at least one compartment;
- a door configured to open or close the compartment;
- and
- an ice supplier installed in one of the compartment and the door, the ice supplier comprising:
- an ice maker configured to make ice;
- an ice storage bin configured to store ice made by the ice maker;
- a sensing system configured to sense presence or absence of ice at multiple levels in the ice storage bin;
- a user input device positioned on an outer surface of the door and configured to receive user input indicating a desired quantity of ice to maintain in the ice storage bin, the desired quantity of ice being related to one of the multiple levels in the ice storage bin;
- and
- a controller configured to control the ice maker to maintain the desired quantity of ice in the ice storage bin based on a result of sensing from the sensing system.
7 more elements
A refrigerator comprising:
- a cabinet defining at least one compartment;
- a door configured to open or close the compartment;
- an ice maker configured to make ice;
- an ice storage bin configured to store ice made by the ice maker;
- a dispensing mechanism configured to transfer ice from the ice storage bin through the door;
- a sensing system configured to sense a quantity of ice stored in the ice storage bin by sensing presence or absence of ice at multiple levels in the ice storage bin;
- a display device provided on an outer surface of the door;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- receive a signal from the sensing system indicating the quantity of ice stored in the ice storage bin, and
- control the display device to render a user interface including an indication of the quantity of ice stored in the ice storage bin and available for dispensing through the door based on the signal from the sensing system indicating the quantity of ice stored in the ice storage bin.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.