Ice making and dispensing system
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsJeffery J. Anselmino, Nihat Cur, Marcus R. Fischer, Tushar Kulkarni, James C. L. Guarino
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ice making and dispensing system suitable for making and dispensing ice through the refrigerator compartment door of a bottom freezer refrigerator. The ice maker and ice cube storage bin can be positioned in an insulated module in the refrigerator compartment opposite an ice dispenser positioned on the refrigerator compartment door. The insulated module is maintained at temperatures below 0° C. for forming and storing ice cubes. Air ducts from the evaporator compartment or an auxiliary ice maker evaporator can be provided to maintain below 0° C. temperatures in the insulated module.
Claims22
A refrigerator comprising:
- a cabinet defining a freezer compartment maintained at a temperature below 0° C. and a refrigerator compartment maintained at a temperature above 0° C. located above the freezer compartment;
- an insulated refrigerator door moveably mounted to the cabinet for selectively closing the refrigerator compartment;
- a refrigeration system for cooling the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment;
- an ice maker module mounted in the refrigerator compartment comprising an insulated housing enclosing an automatic ice maker and an ice cube storage bin;
- an ice dispenser located on the refrigerator door;
- and
- an ice cube dispensing outlet located in the refrigerator door;
- wherein the ice cube storage bin comprises a drawer movably mounted in the ice maker module and the ice maker module and ice cube storage bin are continuously maintained at a temperature below 0° C. for forming and storing ice cubes.
An ice maker and dispenser for a bottom freezer refrigerator having a freezer compartment maintained at a temperature below 0° C.;
- a refrigerator compartment maintained at a temperature above 0° C. positioned above the freezer compartment;
- an insulated refrigerator compartment door;
- and a refrigeration system for cooling the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment comprising:
- an insulated module maintained at a temperature below 0° C. mounted inside the refrigerator compartment;
- an ice maker and an ice cube storage bin in the insulated module;
- a water supply for the ice maker;
- and
- an ice dispenser positioned on the refrigerator door to receive ice cubes from the ice cube storage bin and dispense ice cubes from the face of the refrigerator door
- wherein the insulated module includes a first portion in which the ice maker is located, a second portion comprising the ice cube storage bin having an auger for moving ice cubes, and a wall having an opening for dispensing ice pieces and a movable door closing the opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.