Back to results
US 7,395,672 B2Granted
Ice dispenser assembly and method of assembling same
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsAndrew Krause, Ravi Varanasi, Ramesh Janardhanam, Abdel Hamad
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ice-dispenser assembly for a refrigerator includes a crusher, an auger, a motor configured to drive the auger, and a sorting device operatively coupled to the auger. The sorting device is configured to deliver ice to the crusher when rotated in a first direction and have ice bypass the crusher when rotated in the opposite direction.
Claims20
An ice-dispenser assembly for a refrigerator, said ice-dispenser assembly comprising:
- a crusher positioned within a housing;
- an auger;
- a motor configured to drive said auger;
- and
- a sorting device operatively coupled to said auger, wherein said sorting device is configured to deliver ice to said crusher within said housing when rotated in a first direction and to direct ice into a passage configured to bypass said housing when rotated in an opposite second direction.
2 more elements
An appliance comprising:
- a housing comprising a freezer compartment;
- an ice-bin positioned within said freezer compartment and configured to store ice therein;
- a crusher in communication with said ice bin and configured to crush ice, said crusher positioned within a crusher housing;
- and
- an ice dispenser assembly comprising a bi-directional helix device configured to deliver ice to said crusher within said crusher housing when operated in a first direction and to direct ice into a passage configured to bypass said crusher housing when operated in an opposite second direction.
2 more elements
A method of assembling a refrigerator having a freezer compartment, said method comprising:
- providing an ice bin configured to store ice therein;
- providing a crusher in communication with the ice bin, wherein the crusher is positioned within a housing, and configured to produce crushed ice;
- providing a dispenser in communication with the ice bin and the housing, wherein the dispenser is configured to channel ice to a user;
- and
- arranging an ice dispenser assembly in communication with the ice bin and the housing, wherein the ice dispenser assembly is configured to deliver ice to the crusher within the housing when operated in a first direction and to direct ice into a passage configured to bypass the housing when operated in an opposite second direction such that ice is delivered to the dispenser.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.