EP2331894B1 - Ice dispenser for a refrigeration device and refrigeration device with such an ice dispenser - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an automatic ice dispenser for installation in a refrigeration appliance, in particular a household refrigeration appliance, and a refrigerator equipped with such an ice maker. Conventionally, such an ice dispenser comprises two functional groups, namely the actual ice maker, which comprises at least one cooled mold and optionally means for metering water into the mold and ejecting the finished pieces of ice, and an ice storage container in which stores the finished pieces of ice until use be, if necessary, with means for ejecting the pieces of ice out of the container.

These two functional groups are each mounted separately in a refrigeration unit. In case of disuse, they should be easily expandable by a user, and also the replacement should be comfortable and safe possible. A problem here is that the ice maker is generally much smaller in size than the ice bin and is mounted near the back wall, in a rather inaccessible place, in a refrigerator. This makes its installation and removal cumbersome. For a user who temporarily requires space in the refrigerator, it is easiest to remove only the ice bin and leave the icemaker in place. This is unsatisfactory because the ice maker occupies only space, but can not be used. To ensure that the icemaker does not produce ice when the icemaker is not there to pick it up, a sensor must be provided which automatically shuts off the icemaker in the absence of the icebox.

The US 2007/227176 A1 discloses an ice dispenser having an ice maker and an ice bin that can be pulled out of the ice dispenser.

The DE 10 2006 017 803 A1 discloses a refrigerator with an icemaker, which is suspended from a through the heat-insulated interior of the refrigerator extending strut.

The DE 20 2004 016 966 U1 discloses an ice cube container with a container body.

The WO 2008/020707 A1 discloses an icemaker comprising an ice maker and a container disposed below the icemaker for storing the pieces of ice made by the icemaker. The ice maker and the container are disposed within a housing.

The EP 1 939 551 A2 discloses an icemaker comprising an icemaker and a drawer for storing the pieces of ice made by the icemaker. The ice maker is surrounded by a lid.

The WO 2008/082129 A1 and the WO 2008/018770 A1 disclose further ice makers comprising an ice maker and a container for storing the pieces of ice made by the ice maker.

The object of the present invention is to provide an ice dispenser, which is easier to install and remove and in which there is no risk of the operation of the ice maker in the absence of the ice storage container.

The object is achieved on the one hand by the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuse and the ice maker are connected to form a structural unit in an ice dispenser with an ice storage container and an ice maker, which comprises at least one fillable with water mold. Thus, both can be installed and removed together, and the associated with the installation and removal of the ice maker expense is eliminated. Since the ice maker is always taken out together with the ice storage box, there is no need for means for inhibiting the operation of the ice maker in the absence of the ice storage bin.

To ensure proper assembly of ice bin casings and ice makers, both have interlocking contours that allow assembly in only a single configuration.

For cooling the mold, a cold air duct may be provided on the ice maker. Preferably, this has an opening into the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuse outlet, so that the guided through the channel air after the mold can also cool the ice stock.

The interlocking contours can be formed, in particular, in that a wall of the ice maker bounding the cold air duct engages in a complementary recess of the ice storage container housing.

Preferably, the cold air duct extends below the mold. Thus, on the one hand, the mold is cooled efficiently, on the other hand, the cold air can pass without passing through the mold without a significant deflection in the ice storage, which is preferably arranged slightly lower than the mold so that ice can get out of the mold by gravity into the ice storage.

Preferably, the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuse and the ice maker are attached to a common support member. The common carrier part can in particular form a rear wall of the ice dispenser.

An upstream portion of the cold air duct, via which cold air can be supplied to the ice maker, can be expediently formed on the carrier part.

If the support part is a rear wall of the ice dispenser, then it is expedient if the upstream section is delimited on the one hand by the rear wall of the ice dispenser and on the other hand by a rear wall of the refrigeration device housing.

For sealing the upstream portion, a wall of the upstream portion may conveniently be formed by two adjacent ribs and a sealing strip inserted in a space between the ribs. This sealing strip can connect tightly to the rear wall of the refrigerator or another suitable wall surface.

The Eisvorratsbehältergehäuse is preferably arranged in a first cavity for receiving the ice and a second cavity in which a drive motor of a mounted in the first cavity, is arranged for ejecting the ice from the storage container conveying tool.

This second cavity may be closed by the support member, such as to protect the motor or other internals of the second cavity from moisture.

For ejecting ice from the mold, the ice maker preferably has a slide which can be moved through the mold. This eliminates the need to move the mold itself to eject the ice, and space that would otherwise need to be kept clear for the movement of the mold can be used elsewhere.

Between two hollow molds, a sloping to the ice storage tank inclined surface may be provided, may fall on the pushed out of the mold by the slide pieces of ice to slide off from there into the ice storage container.

A filling level sensor may be provided so as to be capable of crossing an inlet opening of the ice storage container. If the movement of the level sensor is obstructed by ice, the capacity of the ice storage container is exhausted. In this case, the ice maker should be switched off.

The invention further relates to a refrigerator with an ice dispenser of the type described above, to the housing of the ice maker is indirectly connected via the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuse or a common with the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuse support member. Since the ice maker without the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuse is not mounted in the refrigerator, there is no possibility that he operated accidentally without the ice produced being able to be absorbed by the ice bin.

Fig. 1

einen schematischen Schnitt durch ein Kältegerät mit einem automatischen Eisspender;

Fig. 2

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Eisvorratsbehältergehäuses des Eisspenders;

Fig. 3

eine perspektivische Ansicht des Eisvorratsbehältergehäuses in auseinandergezogener Stellung;

Fig. 4

eine auseinandergezogene Ansicht des Eisspenders;

Fig. 5

eine Rückansicht des Eisvorratsbehältergehäuses;

Fig. 6

eine Rückwand des Eisspenders;

Fig. 7

den Eisspender mit vom Eisvorratsbehältergehäuse abgeschwenkter Rückwand; und

Fig. 8

eine perspektivische Ansicht des Eiserzeugers.

Further advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures.
Show it:

Fig. 1

a schematic section through a refrigerator with an automatic ice dispenser;

Fig. 2

a perspective view of an ice storage bin of the ice dispenser;

Fig. 3

a perspective view of the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuses in an exploded position;

Fig. 4

an exploded view of the ice dispenser;

Fig. 5

a rear view of the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuses;

Fig. 6

a back wall of the ice dispenser;

Fig. 7

the ice dispenser with the back of the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuse pivoted back wall; and

Fig. 8

a perspective view of the ice maker.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic section through a refrigerator with a built-automatic ice dispenser 3. In a door 1 of the refrigerator, a niche 2 is formed in a conventional manner, in which a vessel to be filled can be placed. The refrigeration device is man-high or higher, but the niche 2 should not be placed above the chest height of a user for comfortable handling. To fill ice pieces from the ice dispenser 3 via a passage 4 formed in the wall of the niche 2 in a placed in the niche 2 (not shown) to the vessel can, the ice dispenser 3 should be placed immediately above the niche 2 and extend in the depth direction to over the niche 2.

The ice maker 3 essentially comprises two assemblies connected via a common back wall, an ice maker 5 in which pieces of ice are produced, and an ice storage container housing 6 in which they are stored until use.

The ice maker 5 includes a tray 7, in which a plurality of molds are formed with kreissektorförmigem or semi-cylindrical cross-section. Finished pieces of ice, which are ejected from the molds by a later described in more detail drive mechanism, fall down over a front edge of the tray 7 in a pantry, which fills a large part of the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuses 6. In a second chamber of the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuses 6, a motor 13 for driving a extending through the storage chamber conveyor coil 14 and a circumferentially arranged above the passage 4 grinder 15 is housed.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuses 6, seen obliquely from the front. The Eisvorratsbehältergehäuse 6 is substantially of cuboid shape, with two on the sides upstanding triangular arms 8, which carry a hinged flap 9. Behind the flap 9, an opening is formed in the top of the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuses 6 through which a storage chamber is accessible from the inside. In the pantry, a drawer 10 is taken out pulled forward.

The rear portion of the ice storage container housing 6 forms a rearwardly open chamber, from the in Fig. 2 a ceiling 12 and a partially sloping front wall 16 can be seen. In the ceiling 12, a flat recess 17 extends in the depth direction of the refrigerator. In the finished assembled state of the ice dispenser 12 is mounted on the ceiling of the ice maker 5, the front edge of the tray 7 is placed so that ejected by him pieces of ice through the opening of the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuses 6 on the sloping wall 16 or directly into the drawer 10 fall.

At the lower edge of each side wall of the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuses 6 two recesses 58, 59 are formed, which are provided to receive from side walls of the refrigerator body protruding ribs and so to anchor the housing 6 in the body.

Fig. 3 shows the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuse 6 with pulled out drawer 10. A rear wall 18 of the drawer 10 is complementary to the wall 16 partially chamfered to catch the falling ice pieces and to steer into the drawer 10 into it.

In a vertical region of the rear wall 18, a circular opening is formed, in which a flat cylindrical coupling piece 19 is rotatably supported. In the coupling piece 19 engages the front side, the conveyor coil 14 rotatably. At one in the Fig. 3 invisible rear side of the coupling piece 19 is a recess such as a square inner formed, which is rotatably attachable to a stub axle of the motor 13. Thus, in the inserted position of the drawer 10, the conveyor coil 14 is coupled to the motor 13, but if necessary, for example, if the contents of the drawer is frozen so tightly that the coil 14 can not rotate, the drawer 10 can be pulled together with the coil 14 be used to thaw them.

By turning the coil 14, the pieces of ice in the drawer 10 are pushed to a not visible in the figure output port at the front end of the drawer. In the pushed-in position of the drawer ( Fig. 2 ), this discharge opening overlaps with a gap between two in Fig. 3 A flap on the dispensing opening is adjustable between a position in which it blocks the access of pieces of ice to the grinder and pieces of ice can pass through the dispensing opening without crushing, and a position in which they Access to the grinder 15 is free and the discharge opening for uncut pieces of ice blocks.

Fig. 4 shows an exploded view obliquely from behind the components of the ice dispenser with the exception of the drawer 10. In this view, which is provided for receiving the motor 13 chamber of the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuses 6 visible and designated 21. Through the open back of the chamber 21 through several screw dome 22 can be seen in its interior, the installation position of the motor 13 and a Solenoid 23 and one of the electromagnet 23 controlled lever mechanism 24 specify exactly and unambiguously. The electromagnet 23 is provided to control the position of the flap at the dispensing opening via the lever mechanism 24 and a rod extending therefrom and extending forwards under a bottom plate 25 of the storage chamber.

Below the arms 7 25 two indentations 26 are formed in the bottom plate, one of which in Fig. 4 is visible. These recesses 26 are provided to mount below each a lighting means for illuminating the interior of the refrigerator below the ice dispenser.

On the motor 13 and the electromagnet 23 follows in the illustration of Fig. 4 a flat plastic shell 27. It is intended to be placed on the ceiling 12 of the chamber 20 and has a shallow recess 28 complementary to the recess 17 of the ceiling 12 at its bottom. One (in the perspective of Fig. 4 facing away from the viewer) front wall 29 of the shell 27 is broken at the level of the recess 28, here by two elongated slots 30th

At the upper edge of the front wall 29 is followed by a slightly forward sloping, provided at its rear edge with here total eight notches 32 inclined surface 31 at.

The shell 27 is provided to accommodate the already mentioned tray 7, while maintaining an air gap between the underside of the tray 7 and the bottom of the tray 27. The tray 7 comprises eight molds 33, corresponding to the number of notches 32, of substantially semi-cylindrical cross-section. Along the common cross-sectional axis of the molds 33 extends a shaft 34, on which eight fingers 35 (see Fig. 8 ) are arranged comb-like. In a fixedly connected to the tray 7 housing 36, a drive motor for the shaft 34 and a control circuit is housed, the filling of the molds 33 with water, after freezing of the water in the molds 33, the switching of an integrated in the tray 7 electric heater for the superficial Antauen the ice cubes in the molds and after defrosting the pushing out of the resulting water layer easily movable pieces of ice from the molds 33 by a rotation of the shaft 34 controls. A supply cable 53 of the housing 36 is provided to be inserted through an open-edge cutout 54 of the ceiling 12 into the chamber 21 and connected there to a distributor, via which the motor 13 is also supplied with energy.

Fig. 5 shows a view into the chamber 21 of the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuses. Motor 13, solenoid 23 and lever mechanism 24 are bolted to their respective placement predetermining screw domes. In a housing opening 54, a plug connector 57 is latched, from which supply lines 55 to the motor 13 or 56 for connection to the supply cable 53 depart.

A rear wall 37 of the ice dispenser is in Fig. 4 and - in a slightly modified embodiment - in Fig. 6 each shown in a view from behind. At the right and left edge of the rear wall 37, an approximately rectangular hollow projection 38 is formed in each case, which engages in the assembled state in a complementary receptacle 39 of the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuses 6. Rear wall 37 and Eisvorratsbehältergehäuse 6 are held together by inserted from behind into the hollow projections 38 and engaging in thread of the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuses 6 screws 40.

From the back of the rear wall 37 projecting ribs 41 define a cold air duct 44 which is fed by a, not shown, arranged under the ice dispenser 3 in the refrigerator evaporator. The ribs 41 are arranged in pairs and define a groove in which a flexible sealing strip 42 is clamped. The sealing strip is over the ribs 41 in the direction of the rear wall of the refrigeration appliance body on to touch them in the installed state and thus seal the cold air duct 44.

An opening 43 formed between the ribs 41 in the rear wall 37 opens into the recess 28 of the shell. Through the opening 43 is in Fig. 5 the gap between the bottom of the shell 27 and the underside of the tray 7 can be seen. At the evaporator in the cold air duct 44 injected air is forced to pass through the opening 43 and the gap. As a result, the tray 7 is cooled intensively, so that its contents freeze in a short time.

Much of the injected air leaves the gap via the slots 30 in the front wall 29 of the shell 27. Since the slots 30 are below the level of the ceiling of the ice storage bin 6, the passing air is for the most part directed into the drawer 10 and keeps the pieces of ice stored in it frozen.

Fig. 7 shows a partial view of the rear portion of the ice dispenser with separated from the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuse 6, turned away to the side rear wall 37. At the bottom of the rear wall 37 a plurality of hooks 45 are seen, which in the assembled state in slots 46 (see Fig. 4 ) in the bottom plate of the Eisvorratsbehältergehäuses 6 engage. These hooks 45, together with the projections 38 and receptacles 39 bolted to one another, are sufficient to connect the rear wall 37 securely and without play with the ice storage container housing 6.

In front of the front wall 29 of the shell 27, a wire bracket 47 can be seen, which is suspended on the one hand in the motor and circuit housing 36 and on the other hand in a frame plate 48, which in turn is screwed to a side facing away from the housing 36 narrow side of the shell 7. The wire bracket 47 is connected in the housing 36 with a motor and with a switch. The control circuit is set up to raise each time before ejecting ice from the shell, the wire hanger 47 by means of the motor and to let fall again after ejection. If it is detected by means of the switch that the wire hanger 47, the in Fig. 7 shown rest position is not reached again, then it can be assumed that the drawer 10 is full of ice pieces and that they block the wire bracket 47. The operation of the ice maker 5 is then interrupted until the wire bow 47 has reached the rest position again.

The frame plate 48 further forms a bearing 49 for the shaft 34 and carries a spring-loaded pin 50 which engages in a small hole on a side cheek of the shell 27. When the pin 50 is pressed into the frame plate 48 against the force of the spring, the shell 27 can be pulled down and removed forwardly by a rib of the rear wall 37 concealed in its rear edge and supporting it at its rear edge.

Fig. 8 shows a front view of the ice maker. The tray 7 is largely hidden under the inclined surface 31 of the shell 27 and the shaft 34 with their fingers 35. Clear to see are two screwed to the rear wall 37 feet 51 of the tray 7. These fix not only the tray 7 on the rear wall 37, but also firmly connected to him housing 36. The housing 36 also rests on the ceiling 12 and one of the projections 38 of the rear wall 37.

Ice maker 5 and reservoir housing 6 are mechanically connected via the rear wall 37 to a unit which can be used only as a whole in the refrigerator or removed again. As a result of the common electrical supply of the motor 13 and the components in the housing 36 via the connector 57 and the electrical connections for both groups of functions can be made with a handle and released again.

Based on the view of Fig. 8 It is well understood that when the fingers 35 are pivoted into the semi-cylindrical molds of the tray 7, the ice cubes are pushed out therefrom through the notches 32 of the inclined surface 31. The fingers 35 are asymmetrically shaped so that the ice pieces, once they have passed the notches 32 far enough, tilt away to the side and come to lie on the fingers 52 of the inclined surface 31. From there they slide forward and fall into the drawer 10.

Claims (13)

1. Ice dispenser for a refrigeration device, in particular a household refrigeration device, comprising an ice storage container housing (6) and an ice generator (5) which comprises at least one hollow mould (33) which can be filled with water, wherein the ice storage container housing (6) and the ice generator (5) are combined into one modular unit, characterised in that the ice storage container housing (6) and the ice generator (5) have intermeshing contours (17,28), which are embodied such that an assembly of the ice storage container housing (6) and the ice generator (5) is only made possible in a single configuration.
2. Ice dispenser according to claim 1, characterised in that a cold-air duct of the ice generator (5) has an outlet opening (30) opening into the ice storage container housing (6).
3. Ice dispenser according to claim 2, characterised in that a wall (28) of the ice generator (5), said wall delimiting the cold-air duct, engages with a complementary recess (17) of the ice storage container housing (6), wherein the wall (28) and the complementary recess (17) form the intermeshing contours (17, 28).
4. Ice dispenser according to claim 2 or claim 3, characterised in that the cold-air duct runs beneath the hollow mould (33).
5. Ice dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the ice storage container housing (6) and the ice generator (5) are fastened to a common support member (37).
6. Ice dispenser according to claim 5 when dependent on claim 2, characterised in that an upstream portion (44) of the cold-air duct is formed on the support member (37).
7. Ice dispenser according to claim 6, characterised in that a wall of the upstream portion (44) is formed by two adjacent ribs (41) and a sealing strip (42) inserted into an intermediate space between the ribs (41).
8. Ice dispenser according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterised in that the common support member forms a back wall (37) of the ice dispenser.
9. Ice dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the ice storage container housing (6) comprises a first cavity for accommodating the ice and a second cavity (21) in which a drive motor (13) of a conveying tool (14) mounted in the first cavity is arranged.
10. Ice dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that, for ejecting ice out of the hollow mould (33), the ice generator (7) has a pusher (35) which can be moved through the hollow mould (33).
11. Ice dispenser according to claim 10, characterised in that an inclined surface (31, 52) sloping towards the ice storage container housing (6) is provided between two hollow moulds (33).
12. Ice dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by a movable level sensor (47) which crosses an inlet opening of the ice storage container.
13. Refrigeration device comprising an ice dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the ice generator (5) is connected to a housing of the refrigeration device indirectly via the ice storage container housing (6) or a support member shared with the ice storage container housing (6).

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