Refrigerator icemaking system with tandem storage bins and/or removable dispenser recess
AssigneeMidea Group Co., Ltd.
InventorEric Scalf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerator utilizes in some instances an icemaker having a tandem arrangement of storage bins. A first storage bin receives ice produced by an icemaker and includes a reversible ice mover that when operated in a first direction feeds an ice dispenser, and when operated in a second direction feeds a second storage bin disposed below the first storage bin. A refrigerator may also in another aspect include an externally-accessible ice dispenser having a dispenser recess portion that is removable from the refrigerator when the doors of the refrigerator are closed, e.g., for the purpose of accessing an ice storage bin.
Claims20
A refrigerator, comprising:
- a cabinet;
- a freezer compartment disposed in the cabinet;
- a fresh food compartment disposed in the cabinet above the freezer compartment and having a top wall, a bottom wall, and first and second side walls, the bottom wall separating the fresh food compartment from the freezer compartment;
- an icemaking console extending upwardly from the bottom wall of the fresh food compartment only a portion of a height of the fresh food compartment and spaced apart from each of the top wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall, the icemaking console including one or more walls that insulate an interior compartment of the icemaking console from the fresh food compartment;
- an icemaker disposed within the icemaking console;
- a first storage bin disposed below the icemaker and in the icemaking console and configured to receive ice produced by the icemaker;
- a reversible ice mover disposed and in the icemaking console and within the first storage bin and operable to move ice in first and second directions within the first storage bin;
- an ice dispenser configured to dispense ice disposed in the first storage bin, the ice dispenser configured to receive ice moved in the first direction by the reversible ice mover;
- and
- a second storage bin disposed below the first storage bin and in the icemaking console and configured to receive ice disposed in the first storage bin and moved in the second direction by the reversible ice mover.
A refrigerator, comprising:
- a cabinet;
- an icemaker disposed within the cabinet;
- a first storage bin disposed below the icemaker and configured to receive ice produced by the icemaker;
- a reversible ice mover disposed within the first storage bin and operable to move ice in first and second directions within the first storage bin;
- an ice dispenser configured to dispense ice disposed in the first storage bin, the ice dispenser configured to receive ice moved in the first direction by the reversible ice mover;
- a second storage bin disposed below the first storage bin and configured to receive ice disposed in the first storage bin and moved in the second direction by the reversible ice mover;
- a level sensor configured to sense a level of ice within the first storage bin, wherein the icemaker is positioned to drop ice into an intermediate area of the first storage bin;
- and
- a controller coupled to the reversible ice mover and, wherein the controller is configured to, upon detecting a not full condition in the first storage bin with the level sensor, operate the reversible ice mover to move ice dropped into the intermediate area of the first storage bin in the first direction toward the ice dispenser, and upon detecting a full condition in the first storage bin with the level sensor, operate the reversible ice mover to move ice in the first storage bin in the second direction and into the second storage bin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.