US20100043477A1 - Refrigeration device comprising an ice reservoir - Google Patents

Refrigeration device comprising an ice reservoir Download PDF

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Publication number
US20100043477A1
US20100043477A1 US12/518,309 US51830907A US2010043477A1 US 20100043477 A1 US20100043477 A1 US 20100043477A1 US 51830907 A US51830907 A US 51830907A US 2010043477 A1 US2010043477 A1 US 2010043477A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
ice
stirrer
storage tank
refrigeration appliance
dispensing opening
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US12/518,309
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Martin Buchstab
Irene Dumkow
Adolf Feinauer
Klaus Flinner
Bernd Heger
Helen Lewis
Peter Nalbach
Craig Duncan Webster
Nathan Wrench
Kasim Yazan
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Original Assignee
BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH filed Critical BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
Assigned to BSH BOSCH UND SIEMENS HAUSGERAETE GMBH reassignment BSH BOSCH UND SIEMENS HAUSGERAETE GMBH ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: BUCHSTAB, MARTIN, LEWIS, HELEN, NALBACH, PETER, WEBSTER, CRAIG DUNCAN, WRENCH, NATHAN, YAZAN, KASIM, FEINAUER, ADOLF, DUMKOW, IRENE, FLINNER, KLAUS, HEGER, BERND
Publication of US20100043477A1 publication Critical patent/US20100043477A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
    • F25C5/00—Working or handling ice
    • F25C5/18—Storing ice
    • F25C5/182—Ice bins therefor
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
    • F25C5/00—Working or handling ice
    • F25C5/20—Distributing ice
    • F25C5/22—Distributing ice particularly adapted for household refrigerators
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
    • F25C2500/00—Problems to be solved
    • F25C2500/08—Sticking or clogging of ice

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a refrigeration appliance, in particular a domestic refrigerator or combination fridge-freezer with a built-in ice dispenser.
  • a refrigeration appliance of this type is known for example from U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,627 A.
  • the ice dispenser arranged in an interior of the refrigeration appliance comprises a storage tank for icecubes and a stirrer that is rotatable about an axis that extends through the storage tank.
  • the base of the elongated storage tank slopes toward one of its ends so that icecubes stored in the storage tank tend to move toward this end when the stirrer is rotated.
  • a dispensing chamber is connected to the storage chamber, via which the icecubes move into a channel that runs through the housing of the refrigeration appliance and into the open air.
  • Blades arranged in the dispensing chamber are capable of being switched from an operating state in which icecubes can pass through the dispensing chamber intact, and an operating state in which said blades crush the icecubes.
  • Icecubes are brought into the dispensing chamber with each rotation of the stirrer. If the stirrer is rotated without the icecubes being able to reach the open air, there is a danger of a blockage occurring. If the stirrer is only rotated when ice is actually to be dispensed, the periods of time between successive actuations of the stirrer can become very long, and there is the danger of icecubes freezing together in the storage tank, and of the stirrer becoming blocked.
  • a further example of a refrigeration appliance with ice dispenser is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,880,355 B2.
  • a stirrer extends lengthwise through a storage tank with an dispensing opening at one longitudinal end.
  • the stirrer is realized partly as a helix and partly as a worm in order, through its rotation, to propel icecubes located in the storage tank in the direction of the dispensing opening.
  • the object of the present invention is to create a refrigeration appliance with an ice storage tank in which a stirrer can also be actuated even if no simultaneous dispensing of ice is desired.
  • a refrigeration appliance having a housing that encloses an interior and, arranged in said interior, a storage tank with an dispensing opening, with a stirrer being arranged in said storage tank
  • the ice storage tank is pivotable between two positions that are distinguished by the height of the dispensing opening.
  • the pivoting movement of the storage tank can ensure that icecubes set in motion by the movement of the stirrer tend to move away from, or at least tend not to move toward, the dispensing opening, and/or any conveying effect that may be present as a function of the design of the stirrer can be compensated for by the tilting of the storage tank.
  • an actuating element for actuation of a pivoting motion of the ice storage tank between the two positions.
  • an automatic tilting of the ice storage tank toward the position in which the dispensing opening is lower can be actuated when a user wishes to dispense ice, and likewise back to the higher position when the dispensing of ice is to be stopped.
  • the stirrer is preferably rotatable about an axis that extends in the longitudinal direction of the storage tank.
  • the stirrer is a rod with an undulating profile in one plane.
  • a stirrer of this type does not of itself deploy a conveying effect in the direction of its axis of rotation, but rather a preferred direction for the movement of the icecubes can be specified through the inclination of the base of the ice storage tank.
  • the base of the ice storage tank expediently slopes down toward the dispensing opening in one of the two positions, while in the other position it rises toward the dispensing opening.
  • the stirrer is helical in shape.
  • the rotation of a stirrer of this type has a conveying effect on icecubes in the ice storage tank in parallel to the axis of rotation.
  • the stirrer can expediently be capable of rotating in opposite directions.
  • the rotational direction of the stirrer is expediently linked to the position of the ice storage tank.
  • a switching gear mechanism linked to the position of the ice storage tank can be provided in particular between the motor and the stirrer.
  • FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-section through a domestic refrigeration appliance with an ice dispenser in accordance with the present invention
  • FIG. 2 shows a cross-section through the ice dispenser along the Line A in FIG. 1 according to the first embodiment
  • FIG. 3 shows a similar cross-section to FIG. 2 according to a second embodiment
  • FIG. 4 shows a cross-section along the line B from FIG. 1 according to the second embodiment.
  • the refrigeration appliance shown in schematic cross-section in FIG. 1 has a heat-insulating body 1 and a door 2 that delimit an interior 3 .
  • the temperature of the interior 3 is kept below 0° C. by means of an evaporator that is accommodated in a separate evaporation chamber 4 in the upper region of the body 1 .
  • An automatic ice-maker 5 is arranged directly adjacent to the evaporation chamber 4 within the interior 3 so that said ice-maker 5 can preferably be subject to the action of cold air from the evaporation chamber 4 .
  • the ice-maker 5 comprises several mold containers, means for automatically feeding water into the mold containers, and means for automatically ejecting the finished icecubes from the mold containers.
  • a storage chamber 6 of an ice-dispensing module 7 is arranged with an upward-facing opening below the ice-maker 5 , with the ejected icecubes being collected in said storage chamber 6 .
  • the ice-dispensing module 7 extends over the majority of the depth of the interior 3 and can be for example injection molded as a single piece from plastic or assembled from several injection-molded elements.
  • An electric motor 10 for actuating a stirring rod 9 is accommodated in a rear recess 8 in the ice-dispensing module 7 .
  • the electric motor 10 can be mounted permanently in the refrigeration appliance or can be integrated in, and removable with, the ice-dispensing module 7 .
  • the stirring rod 9 extends in a longitudinal direction through the whole of the storage chamber 6 and/or depthwise into the interior 3 .
  • the ice-dispensing module 7 is suspended pivotably in the interior 3 about a horizontal axis 11 which, in the embodiment shown here, is adjacent to a rear end of the ice-dispensing module 7 .
  • Other positions of the axis 11 are also possible depending on the placing of the ice-maker 5 within the interior 3 .
  • an actuating element for example an electric motor with a worm gear
  • the evaporation module 7 can be pivoted between an idle position (shown in FIG. 1 with continuous lines) and a dispensing position (shown as a dashed line). In the idle position an dispensing opening 12 arranged at the door-side end of the ice-dispensing module 7 is higher than most of the storage chamber 6 .
  • the base of the storage chamber slopes depthwise in the body 1 toward the rear, so that icecubes in the storage chamber 6 tend to accumulate at the end to the rear of the storage chamber 6 .
  • a flap (not shown) can be provided at the dispensing opening 12 that is closed in the idle position and open in the dispensing position.
  • a control circuit (not shown) reacts firstly by triggering the actuating element to tilt the ice-dispensing module 7 to a position shown in FIG. 1 with a dashed line, in which position the base of the storage chamber 6 slopes toward the door 2 and the dispensing opening 12 comes to rest at a channel 13 that extends through the door 2 into a recess 14 that is open at its front side.
  • the control circuit then opens a flap 15 that is arranged in the channel 13 and is normally closed to prevent the penetration of warm outside air from the recess 14 into the interior 3 .
  • the control circuit also triggers the electric motor 10 , and the rotation of the stirring rod 9 causes the icecubes in the storage chamber 6 to move to the dispensing opening 12 .
  • the user signals when sufficient ice has been dispensed by releasing or pressing the button 20 again, at which point the control circuit stops the electric motor 10 and the ice-dispensing module 7 pivots back to the position indicated with a continuous line.
  • a water tank 16 is embedded in the insulation material for the door 2 .
  • the water tank 16 is connected on one side, like the ice-maker 5 , to the drinking water main via a supply pipe 17 and a stop valve 18 , and on the other side to a tap connection 19 in the recess 14 .
  • FIG. 2 shows a cross-section through the ice-dispensing module 7 along the plane indicated in FIG. 1 by A in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention.
  • the stirring rod is realized as a metal rod that is bent in a zigzag form in a parallel plane to its axis of rotation.
  • This stirring rod has no chirality, and so a preferred direction of movement of the icecubes set in motion by said stirring rod is determined solely by the incline of the base of the storage chamber 6 .
  • FIG. 3 shows a cross-section along the plane indicated in FIG. 1 by A in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.
  • the stirring rod 9 is helical and its counter-clockwise rotation propels icecubes in the storage chamber 6 in the direction of the dispensing opening 12 .
  • a clockwise rotation of the stirring rod 9 pushes the icecubes away from the dispensing opening 12 in the direction of the rear end of the storage chamber 6 .
  • the effect of the tilting movement of the ice-dispensing module 7 described above with reference to FIG. 1 can therefore also be assisted insofar as the rotational direction of the stirring rod 9 is controlled according to the specific position of the ice-dispensing module 7 .
  • Controlling of the rotational direction in this way can be achieved by electronic means if the electric motor 10 supports different rotational directions.
  • a simple electric motor with a fixed rotational direction can also be employed, the rotation of which is transmitted via a gear mechanism to the stirring rod 9 as a function of the position of the ice-dispensing module 7 .
  • FIG. 4 shows an example of such a gear mechanism with the aid of a cross-section along the plane B shown in FIG. 1 .
  • the section plane extends through a gap between the motor 10 and a back wall of the storage chamber 6 .
  • a toothed wheel 21 that is non-rotationally fixed at one end of the stirring rod 9 and a wheel disk 22 that is actuated by the electric motor 10 are located in this gap.
  • the wheel disk 22 has a broad circumferential groove 23 that is toothed around its inner and outer periphery and the breadth of which is selected such that the toothed wheel 21 can only interlock with one of the two sets of teeth 24 , 25 in the groove 23 .
  • the height of the toothed wheel 21 varies according to the position of the ice-dispensing module 7 .
  • the configuration shown in FIG. 4 in which the toothed wheel 21 is interlocking with the inner set of teeth 24 of the wheel disk 22 , corresponds to the position in which the ice-dispensing module 7 is rising toward the door.
  • the number of teeth on the toothed wheel 21 and on the inner set of teeth 24 is equal so that a slow rotation of the stirring rod 9 with a high torque can be actuated and any icecubes that have frozen solid can be broken apart easily.
  • the toothed wheel 21 engages with the outer set of teeth 25 and thus, although the rotational direction of the wheel disk 22 remains constant, is actuated with a reversed sense of rotation so that the icecubes in the storage chamber 6 are conveyed to the dispensing opening 12 . Furthermore since the number of teeth on the outer set of teeth 25 is a multiple of that of the inner set of teeth 24 , in this case the stirring rod 9 rotates rapidly with reduced torque so that after the motor 10 is actuated the icecubes reach the dispensing opening 12 with little delay and can be dispensed in quick succession.
  • the icecubes move directly from the storage chamber 6 to the dispensing opening 12 .

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)
  • Cold Air Circulating Systems And Constructional Details In Refrigerators (AREA)
  • Production, Working, Storing, Or Distribution Of Ice (AREA)
US12/518,309 2006-12-22 2007-12-11 Refrigeration device comprising an ice reservoir Abandoned US20100043477A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102006061095.4 2006-12-22
DE102006061095A DE102006061095A1 (de) 2006-12-22 2006-12-22 Kältegerät mit Eisvorratsbehälter
PCT/EP2007/063672 WO2008077764A1 (de) 2006-12-22 2007-12-11 Kältegerät mit eisvorratsbehälter

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20100043477A1 true US20100043477A1 (en) 2010-02-25

Family

ID=39335355

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US12/518,309 Abandoned US20100043477A1 (en) 2006-12-22 2007-12-11 Refrigeration device comprising an ice reservoir

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US20100043477A1 (zh)
EP (1) EP2104815A1 (zh)
CN (1) CN101563573B (zh)
DE (1) DE102006061095A1 (zh)
WO (1) WO2008077764A1 (zh)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8756950B2 (en) * 2009-08-20 2014-06-24 Follett Corporation Dispenser device for ice and water, components thereof and process of cleaning same

Citations (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3572053A (en) * 1969-06-23 1971-03-23 Gen Electric Household refrigerator including through-the-door ice service
US4176627A (en) * 1976-09-06 1979-12-04 Alfa Romeo S.P.A. Fuel-intermittent-injection installation for internal-combustion engines
US4333588A (en) * 1980-08-08 1982-06-08 General Electric Company Ice dispenser assembly
US5125242A (en) * 1990-04-30 1992-06-30 Gaggenau-Werke Haus- Und Lufttechnik Gmbh Ice dispensing and crushing apparatus
US5273219A (en) * 1993-01-11 1993-12-28 White Consolidated Industries, Inc. Ice dispenser
US20030000240A1 (en) * 2001-06-29 2003-01-02 Pahl Richard Charles Compact countertop frozen food and beverage system for domestic use
US20050061018A1 (en) * 2003-09-19 2005-03-24 Kim Seong Jae Refrigerator with an icemaker
US6880355B2 (en) * 2003-01-21 2005-04-19 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Refrigerator with ice feeding unit
US6904765B2 (en) * 2003-05-28 2005-06-14 Lg Electronics Inc. Structure for dispensing ice in refrigerator
US20060065006A1 (en) * 2004-09-30 2006-03-30 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Refrigerator
US20060090496A1 (en) * 2004-09-27 2006-05-04 Maytag Corporation Apparatus and method for dispensing ice from a bottom mount refrigerator
US20070113578A1 (en) * 2005-11-21 2007-05-24 Guolian Wu Tilt-out ice bin for a refrigerator

Patent Citations (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3572053A (en) * 1969-06-23 1971-03-23 Gen Electric Household refrigerator including through-the-door ice service
US4176627A (en) * 1976-09-06 1979-12-04 Alfa Romeo S.P.A. Fuel-intermittent-injection installation for internal-combustion engines
US4333588A (en) * 1980-08-08 1982-06-08 General Electric Company Ice dispenser assembly
US5125242A (en) * 1990-04-30 1992-06-30 Gaggenau-Werke Haus- Und Lufttechnik Gmbh Ice dispensing and crushing apparatus
US5273219A (en) * 1993-01-11 1993-12-28 White Consolidated Industries, Inc. Ice dispenser
US20030000240A1 (en) * 2001-06-29 2003-01-02 Pahl Richard Charles Compact countertop frozen food and beverage system for domestic use
US6880355B2 (en) * 2003-01-21 2005-04-19 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Refrigerator with ice feeding unit
US6904765B2 (en) * 2003-05-28 2005-06-14 Lg Electronics Inc. Structure for dispensing ice in refrigerator
US20050061018A1 (en) * 2003-09-19 2005-03-24 Kim Seong Jae Refrigerator with an icemaker
US20060090496A1 (en) * 2004-09-27 2006-05-04 Maytag Corporation Apparatus and method for dispensing ice from a bottom mount refrigerator
US20060201189A1 (en) * 2004-09-27 2006-09-14 Maytag Corporation Ice maker and dispenser for a bottom mount refrigerator
US20060065006A1 (en) * 2004-09-30 2006-03-30 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Refrigerator
US20070113578A1 (en) * 2005-11-21 2007-05-24 Guolian Wu Tilt-out ice bin for a refrigerator

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE102006061095A1 (de) 2008-06-26
EP2104815A1 (de) 2009-09-30
CN101563573B (zh) 2011-05-04
WO2008077764A1 (de) 2008-07-03
CN101563573A (zh) 2009-10-21

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AS Assignment

Owner name: BSH BOSCH UND SIEMENS HAUSGERAETE GMBH,GERMANY

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:BUCHSTAB, MARTIN;DUMKOW, IRENE;FEINAUER, ADOLF;AND OTHERS;SIGNING DATES FROM 20090528 TO 20090608;REEL/FRAME:022798/0391

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION