# US 7,743,622 B2 · Ice dispensing and detecting apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,743,622 B2 - Document ID: US7743622B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/608,474 - Filed: 2006-12-08 - Published: 2008-06-12 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2006-12-08 - Assignees: Whirlpool Corporation - Inventors: Marcus Roland Fischer; Amy Lauren Siwek; Kevin Michael Chase; Tony Lee Koenigsknecht; Randell Lee Jeffery; Larry Thomas Bashark; Jordan Robert Fountain; Brandon Michael Dawson; Ryan Dean McCollum; Matthew Russel Schwartz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7743622B2 ## CPC - F25C 5/182: Ice bins therefor - F25C 5/046: {Ice-crusher machines} - F25C 5/22: {particularly adapted for household refrigerators} - F25C 2400/08: for different type of ice - F25C 2500/08: Sticking or clogging of ice - F25C 2600/04: Control means - F25C 2700/08: Power to drive the auger motor of an auger type ice making machine - F25C: PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE ## Abstract The present invention relates to an ice dispenser apparatus having an ice storage bin removably mounted to the refrigerator for receiving and storing ice pieces from an ice maker, a metering device for separating individual ice pieces, and a sensing device for detecting the presence of ice pieces. Actuation of a motor causes the metering device to separate individual ice pieces and the sensing device detects ice pieces before, after, or during dispensing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ice dispenser apparatus comprising: an ice storage bin for storing ice pieces; a metering device coupled to the ice storage bin and selectively dispensing individual ice pieces from the ice storage bin; and a sensing device detecting individual ice pieces dispensed from the metering device, wherein the metering device and the sensing device enable the dispensing of a desired number of ice pieces; and wherein the metering device comprises: a cylindrical hub having an opening in the center; and a round disc surrounding said cylindrical hub with at least one opening along the perimeter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ice dispenser of claim 1, wherein the ice pieces are crescent shaped. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The metering device of claim 1, wherein the disc has two openings and the surfaces adjacent to the openings are sloped downwardly towards the openings. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The ice dispenser of claim 1, wherein the sensing device does not come in contact with ice pieces. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The ice dispenser of claim 4, wherein the sensing device comprises at least one of the following: an optical sensor, capacitive sensor, ultrasonic sensor, and weight sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The ice dispenser of claim 1, wherein the sensing device comprises at least one vibration sensor. ### Claim 7 An ice dispenser apparatus comprising: an ice storage bin for storing ice pieces; a metering device coupled to the ice storage bin and selectively dispensing individual ice pieces from the ice storage bin; a sensing device detecting individual ice pieces dispensed from the metering device, wherein the metering device and the sensing device enable the counting of the number of ice pieces dispensed; and a control system configured to receive a user input of the desired number of ice pieces to define an ice piece count for dispensing and an output of the a sensing device regarding the number of the dispensed ice pieces, wherein the control system uses the output of the sensing device to count the number of ice pieces that are dispensed and permits dispensing of the individual ice pieces until the number of pieces dispensed satisfies the ice piece count. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The ice dispenser of claim 7, wherein the ice pieces are crescent shaped. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The ice dispenser of claim 7, wherein the sensing device does not come in contact with ice pieces. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The ice dispenser of claim 9, wherein the sensing device comprises at least one of the following: an optical sensor, capacitive sensor, ultrasonic sensor, and weight sensor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The ice dispenser of claim 7, wherein the sensing device comprises at least one vibration sensor. ### Claim 12 A refrigerator having an ice dispenser apparatus comprising: an ice storage bin for storing ice pieces; a metering device coupled to the ice storage bin and selectively dispensing individual ice pieces from the ice storage bin; a sensing device for detecting individual ice pieces dispensed from the metering device; and a control system configured to receive a user input of the desired number of ice pieces to define an ice piece count for dispensing and an output of the a sensing device to count the number of ice pieces that are dispensed; wherein the control system permits dispensing of the individual ice pieces until the count of the number of ice pieces dispensed satisfies the ice piece count. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the ice dispenser apparatus is mounted to a refrigerator closure member or door. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The refrigerator of claim 12, further comprising a second receptacle wherein at least one of the receptacles leads to a metering device.