Variable capacity ice storage assembly
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorLindsey A. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variable capacity ice storage assembly for a refrigerator freezer compartment includes a removable insert adapted to be positioned within an ice storage bucket to alter the storage capacity of the ice bucket. The insert includes one or more tabs having clips thereon for attaching the insert to one or more side walls of the ice bucket. The tabs are fixed to a main body portion having a first solid deflector extending at a first angle there from and a second solid deflector extending at a second angle. One or more hinges may be utilized to connect parts of the insert, resulting in a reconfigurable insert that can be utilized in multiple positions. When utilized in an auger-type ice dispensing system, the insert is sized such that the main body portion of the insert does not interfere with the function of the auger.
Claims18
A refrigerator comprising:
- a cabinet;
- a freezer compartment arranged within the cabinet;
- a door mounted to the cabinet for selectively providing access to the freezer compartment;
- an ice maker disposed within the freezer compartment for forming ice pieces;
- a variable capacity ice storage assembly comprising:
- an ice bucket including bottom, front, back and opposing side walls establishing a top rim and defining a storage cavity adapted to receive ice pieces dispensed from said ice maker;
- and
- a removable insert including:
- a main body portion including a solid first deflector and a solid second deflector directly attached to the first deflector;
- a first tab portion attached to the main body portion including a first clip configured to be removably attached to one of the front, back and opposing side walls of the ice bucket, with the first tab portion extending up from the main body portion along the one of the front, back and opposing side walls adjacent the top rim and the first clip interconnecting the first tab portion to the ice bucket while extending over the top rim;
- and
- a second tab portion attached to the first deflector and including a second clip configured to be removably attached to one of the front, back and opposing side walls of the ice bucket, with the second tab portion also extending up from the main body portion along the one of the front, back and opposing side walls to adjacent the top rim and the second clip interconnecting the second tab portion to the ice bucket while extending over the rim.
A variable capacity ice storage assembly comprising:
- an ice bucket including bottom, front, back and opposing side walls defining a storage cavity adapted to receive ice pieces dispensed from an ice maker;
- and
- a removable insert including:
- a main body portion including a solid first deflector and a solid second deflector directly attached to the first deflector by a first hinge;
- and
- a first tab portion attached to the main body portion including a first clip configured to be removably attached to one of the front, back and opposing side walls of the ice bucket, wherein the first tab portion is attached to the main body by a second hinge.
A method of varying an ice storage capacity of an ice bucket including bottom, front, back and opposing side walls establishing a top rim defining a storage cavity adapted to receive ice pieces dispensed from an ice maker, the method comprising:
- placing an insert into a storage cavity of the ice bucket, the insert including a main body portion having a solid first deflector, a solid second deflector directly attached to the first deflector, a first tab portion and a second tab portion, with each of the first and second tab portions extending up from the main body portion along a respective one of the front, back and opposing side walls to adjacent the top rim;
- removably attaching a first clip of the first tab portion to one of the front, back and opposing side walls of the ice bucket and;
- removably attaching a second clip of the second tab portion to one of the front back and opposing side walls of the ice bucket, with the first clip and the second clip respectively interconnect the first tab portion and the second tab portion to the ice bucket while extending over the top rim, wherein the insert reduces the ice storage capacity of the storage cavity and deflects ice dispensed into the ice bucket towards the bottom wall of the ice bucket.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.