# US 2014/0150459 A1 · Convertible ice storage > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150459 A1 - Document ID: US20140150459A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/691,885 - Filed: 2012-12-03 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-03 - Assignees: Whirlpool Corporation - Applicants: Whirlpool Corporation - Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman; Gregory G. Hortin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150459A1 ## CPC - F25C 5/182: Ice bins therefor - F25B 21/04: reversible - F25C 1/04: by using stationary moulds - F25C 5/18: Storing ice - F25C 5/22: {particularly adapted for household refrigerators} - F25C 2600/04: Control means - F25D 2400/02: Refrigerators including a heater - F25C: PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) ## Abstract A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, an ice maker disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, an ice storage bucket and a drain positioned to capture water from the ice as it is melted. Ice may melt due to air from the refrigeration compartment or elsewhere, the ambient temperature within the ice storage bucket, or a heater thermally coupled to the ice storage bucket to melt ice stored in the ice storage bucket. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A refrigerator comprising: a refrigerator cabinet; a fresh food compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet; a freezer compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet below the fresh food compartment; a door providing access to the fresh food compartment; an ice maker at the door; an ice storage bucket at the door; a dispenser for dispensing ice on the door; a user interface associated with the dispenser wherein the user interface is configured to select between making wet ice with the ice maker and cold ice with the ice maker. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising a drain for draining melt water from ice melted in the ice storage bucket. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The refrigerator of claim 2 further comprising a heater positioned proximate the ice storage bucket to melt the ice. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The refrigerator of claim 3 wherein the heater is selected from a set consisting of a resistance heater, a conduction heater, a side of a thermo electric cooler (TEC), and a fluid warming loop. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The refrigerator of claim 3 wherein the heater is positioned at a bottom of the ice storage bucket. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The refrigerator of claim 3 wherein the heater provides for conductive heating. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The refrigerator of claim 3 further comprising a control system operatively connected to the heater and wherein the control system provides for periodically operating the heater to melt the ice. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The refrigerator of claim 3 wherein the heater is positioned at the ice maker. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The refrigerator of claim 8 wherein the ice maker comprises an ice mold and wherein the heater provides heat used to facilitate removal of the ice from the mold and to melt the ice stored in the ice storage bucket. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising a conduit at the drain to convey the melt water. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The refrigerator of claim 10 wherein the refrigerator further comprises an evaporator tray and where the conduit conveys the melt water to the evaporator tray. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the ice storage bucket comprises an insulated upper chamber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising a funnel at a bottom of the ice storage bucket. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The refrigerator of claim 13 further comprising an ice chute extending from the funnel to the dispenser. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The refrigerator of claim 14 wherein the drain comprises a water trap positioned along the ice chute to capture water from ice melted by the heater. ### Claim 16 A method for making ice by a refrigerator, the method comprising: (a) providing a refrigerator comprising a refrigerator cabinet, an ice maker disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, an ice storage bucket, and a heater; (b) receiving a user selection for wet ice or cold ice; (c) if the user selection is for the cold ice, making the cold ice at the ice maker and storing the cold ice in the ice storage bucket; (d) if the user selection is for the wet ice, making the wet ice at the ice maker and storing the wet ice in the ice storage bucket. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising, (e) if the user selection is for the wet ice, periodically heating the wet ice in the ice storage bucket using the heater to melt the wet ice to form melt water and draining the melt water from the ice storage bucket. ### Claim 18 An apparatus for making ice, comprising: a housing; an ice maker disposed within the cabinet, the ice maker adapted to make wet ice or cold ice; a user selectable setting to select between making the wet ice and making the cold ice; an ice storage bucket, the ice storage bucket having an insulated upper chamber for maintaining the cold ice at a temperature below freezer; and a drain associated with the ice storage bucket to drain the melt water. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a heater associated with the ice storage bucket to melt the wet ice stored in the ice storage bucket into melt water. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the heater is positioned within the ice storage bucket. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the housing is an under counter housing. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the housing is a counter top housing. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the housing is a refrigerator cabinet.