# US 2014/0150467 A1 · Refrigerator with icemaker chilled by thermoelectric device cooled by fresh food compartment air > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150467 A1 - Document ID: US20140150467A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/691,919 - Filed: 2012-12-03 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-03 - Assignees: Whirlpool Corporation - Applicants: Whirlpool Corporation - Inventors: PATRICK J. BOARMAN; BRAIN K. CULLEY; GREGORY GENE HORTIN; MARK E. THOMAS - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150467A1 ## CPC - F25B 21/02: using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect - F25D 17/08: using ducts - F25C 1/24: for refrigerators, e.g. freezing trays - F25C 5/22: {particularly adapted for household refrigerators} - F25D 17/065: {with compartments at different temperatures} - F25B 2321/025: Removal of heat - F25B 2321/0251: by a gas - F25D 2323/021: French doors - 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) - F25C: PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE ## Abstract A refrigerator that has a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment, and a door that provides access to the fresh food compartment is disclosed. An icemaker is mounted remotely from the freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold. A thermoelectric device is provided and includes a warm side and an opposite cold side. The icemaker is thermally influenced by the cold side of the thermoelectric device. Air or fluid may be moved from the fresh food compartment across the warm side of the thermoelectric device. Cold air or fluid, such as from the refrigerator compartment, is used to dissipate heat from the warm side of the thermoelectric device for cooling the ice mold of the icemaker. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A refrigerator that has a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment, and a door that provides access to the fresh food compartment, the refrigerator comprising: an icemaker mounted remotely from the freezer compartment, the icemaker including an ice mold; a thermoelectric device, the thermoelectric device having a cold side in thermal contact with the ice mold and a warm side; a fan positioned to move air from the fresh food compartment across the warm side of the thermoelectric device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the thermoelectric device comprises a plurality of thermoelectric components. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising: an insulated compartment; an ice storage bin in the insulated compartment positioned to receive ice harvested from the ice mold; and an air supply pathway in communication between a freezer evaporator and the insulated compartment for supplying cold air to the insulated compartment. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The refrigerator of claim 3 further comprising an air return pathway in communication between the insulated compartment and the freezer compartment for exhausting air from the insulated compartment to the freezer compartment. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The refrigerator of claim 3 further comprising an air return pathway in communication between the insulated compartment and the fresh food compartment for exhausting air from the insulated compartment to the fresh food compartment. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising: an insulated compartment mounted on the door; an ice storage bin in the insulated compartment positioned to receive harvested ice from the ice mold; and a drain from the ice storage bin for draining melt water from harvested ice out of the ice storage bin. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The refrigerator of claim 6 further comprising a water drain tube leading to a cooling application on the door using cold melt water. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the icemaker is mounted on the fresh food compartment door. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein air from the warm side of the thermoelectric device is exhausted back to the fresh food compartment. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein air from the warm side of the thermoelectric device is exhausted to the freezer compartment. ### Claim 11 A refrigerator that has a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment, and a door that provides access to the fresh food compartment, the refrigerator comprising: an insulated compartment mounted remotely from the freezer compartment; an icemaker housed within the insulated compartment, the icemaker having an ice mold; an air pathway in communication between the insulated compartment and the fresh food compartment for supplying cold air; a thermoelectric device having a thermal influence on the ice mold and air in the air pathway. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The refrigerator of claim 11 wherein the thermoelectric device comprises a cold side in thermal contact with the ice mold and a warm side in communication with the air pathway. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The refrigerator of claim 11 wherein the air pathway comprises an air supply pathway in communication between the fresh food compartment and the thermal electric device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The refrigerator of claim 11 wherein the air pathway comprises an air return pathway in communication between the thermal electric device and: a. a warming application on the door; b. the fresh food compartment; c. the freezer compartment. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The refrigerator of claim 11 wherein the air pathway comprises an air supply pathway in communication between the fresh food compartment and an ice storage bin. ### Claim 16 A refrigerator that has a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment, and a door that provides access to the fresh food compartment, the refrigerator comprising: an icemaker mounted on the fresh food compartment door; an ice mold within the icemaker, the ice mold having a surface for transferring heat; a thermoelectric device having a cold side in thermal contact with the ice mold surface and a warm side; an air pathway between the fresh food compartment and the thermoelectric device for supplying cold air across the warm side of the thermoelectric device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The refrigerator of claim 16 further comprising: an insulated compartment mounted on the fresh food compartment door; and an ice storage bin in the insulated compartment positioned to receive harvested ice from the ice mold. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The refrigerator of claim 17 wherein the air pathway comprises an air supply pathway in communication between the fresh food compartment and the ice storage bin for supply cold air to the ice storage bin. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The refrigerator of claim 17 wherein the air pathway comprises an air return pathway in communication with the ice storage bin for supplying warm air to the ice storage bin. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The refrigerator of claim 16 wherein the thermoelectric device comprises an ice harvesting mode with the cold side of the thermoelectric device thermally switched to the warm side to supply warmth to the surface of the ice mold.