Ice dispenser for refrigerator with bottom mount freezer
AssigneesIowa State University Research Foundation, Inc., Maytag Corporation
InventorsSteven G. Herndon, Bill Koons, Steven L. Devlin, John A. Roberts, Anna M. Jones
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ice dispensing system is provided for a refrigerator having a bottom freezer. The system includes an ice maker in the freezer compartment and an ice bucket in the refrigerator compartment. A shuttle carries ice from the ice maker to the bucket through a tube extending upwardly through the dividing wall between the freezer and refrigerator compartments. The bucket includes an auger in communication with an ice dispensing opening in the refrigerator door for ice on demand by a user. The shuttle is raised and lowered by a motor-driven cable.
Claims30
An ice dispensing system for a refrigerator having a lower freezer compartment, an upper refrigerator compartment, and doors for each compartment, the system comprising:
- an ice maker in the freezer compartment;
- an ice bucket in the refrigerator compartment;
- and
- a shuttle movable between the ice maker and the ice bucket for carrying ice cubes upwardly from the ice maker to the ice bucket.
A refrigerator, comprising:
- an upper refrigerator compartment;
- a lower freezer compartment;
- a door for the refrigerator compartment;
- a door for the freezer compartment;
- an ice maker in the freezer compartment;
- an ice dispenser in the refrigerator compartment;
- and
- a shuttle for carrying ice cubes from the ice maker to the ice dispenser.
A method of dispensing ice from a refrigerator, comprising:
- making batches of ice in a lower freezer compartment of the refrigerator;
- carrying each batch of ice upwardly in a shuttle from the lower freezer compartment to an upper refrigerator compartment;
- storing the batches of ice in a bucket in the upper refrigerator compartment;
- and
- dispensing ice on demand from the bucket through an outlet in a door of the upper refrigerator compartment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.