US3411554A

US3411554A - Refrigerator tray filling device

Info

Publication number: US3411554A
Application number: US490491A
Authority: US
Inventors: William E Wilson
Original assignee: Kelvinator Inc
Current assignee: Kelvinator Inc
Priority date: 1965-09-27
Filing date: 1965-09-27
Publication date: 1968-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 1985-11-19

Description

NOV. 19, 1968 W E W|LSON REFRIGERATOR rIRAY FILLING DEVICE Filed Sept. 27, 1965 United States Patent O 3,411,554 REFRIGERATOR TRAY FILLING DEVICE William E. Wilson, Detroit, Mich., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Kelvinator, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 490,491 3 Claims. (Cl. 141-351) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A water filling device for an ice cube tray having a water transferring arrangement whereby upon the removal of the tray from its stored position within a freezer section of a refrigerator it readies a measured amount of water for subsequent transfer to the tray upon the return of the tray to its stored position.

This invention relates to refrigerators in general, and more particularly to ice cube trays and means and methods for filling them in a refrigerator.

It is commonly known to keep ice cube trays in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator. However, normally, the ice cube trays are filled before they are placed in the refrigerator. This is inconvenient, troublesome and accordingly a task that is frequently avoided and results in empty ice cube trays when they are most needed.

It is an object of this invention to disclose an improved means and method for filling ice cube trays while they are in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to disclose means for automatically filling an empty ice cube tray with water when-it is returned to the refrigerator and for dong so with just the right amount of Water from a conveniently located external source.

These and other and more specific objects and advantages to be gained in the practice of this invention will be more fully understood and appreciated upon a reading of the following specification in regard to a preferred embodiment of this invention and having reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side plan view of means for automatically filling an ice cube tray in a refrigerator, with certain parts shown schematically, in phantom positions and as otherwise useful in more fully understanding the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of certain parts of the device shown in the first drawing figure;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are views of another embodiment of this invention and are respectively similar to the first two drawing figures mentioned.

A refrigerator 5 is shown with a freezer compartment 6 and having a source of water 8 which is external to the freezer compartment. The water source 8 itself may be filled from another source (not shown) by a pipe 10. This may be from a water line connection made to the rear of the refrigerator, a separate storage container which is periodically filled, or some other such means.

When the refrigerator freezer compartment door (not shown) is opened, an ice cube tray 12 may be inserted into and removed from a stored position therein on a shelf 14.

When the tray 12 is placed near the back of the shelf 14 it engages a rod 16 which projects through the freezer compartment wall 18. The rod 16 is slidably mounted in a bearing 20 that extends through the freezer compartment wall 18 and has its free end disposed in the path of movement of the tray 12 into its stored position.

The opposite end of the rod 16 is affixed to a flexible 3,411,554 Patented Nov. 19, 1968 bellow type displacement pump which includes a bellows member 22 biased to its expanded position by a compression spring 23 within the chamber area 24 of the flexible pump body member.

The spring 23 serves to keep the bellows expanded and the rod 16 extended for engagement with the tray 12 during its movement into and from its stored position in the freezer compartment. However, it is sufficienty light to yield Without noticeable effort when the tray is inserted into the storage compartment space.

The chamber space 24 in the bellows 22 of the displacement pump member is in communication with the water supply source 8 through a fluid passage conduit 25. Within the fluid passage conduit 25 is a one-way check valve 26 which closes in response to back pressure; that is, a greater fluid pressure within the bellows chamber 24 than on the source side of the valve.

As may be anticipated, the flexible bellows type `displacement pump thus draws water from the source 8 into the chamber 24 as the bellows member 22 is extended and expanded and the check valve 26 precludes passage of the water from the bellows member back when it is contracted.

A conduit 28, open to the bellows chamber space 24,

`extends through the compartment wall 18 into the compartment space 6 over the shelf 14 and in a position to fill a tray 12 positioned on the shelf. A one way check valve 29 in the conduit line 28 operates opposite to the check valve 26 and is closed when the other is open and vice versa. As a consequence, when the bellows member 22 is expanded water is drawn into the chamber space 24 therewithin and when it is contracted water is moved from the bellows space through the conduit 28 and into an ice cube tray 12 positioned on the shelf 14.

The power stroke of the displacement pump takes place when the rod 16 is engaged by the tray 12, as it is moved into its stored position on the shelf 14, and the rod activates the bellows member 22. This compresses the spring 23 and causes the chamber 24 to be collapsed. This, in turn, forces a predetermined amount of water in the chamber space 24 past the check valve 29 and through the conduit 28 into the tray 12 to fill it to a predetermined level.

An air vent 30 is provided in the conduit 28 to insure that all of the water in the flow passage line 28 will be drained therefrom and will not be left to freeze and block the passage for subsequent use.

It will be appreciated that when the ice cube tray 12 is removed from the shelf 14, the spring 23 causes the bellows chamber space 24 to be expanded which in turn creates a suction drawing water through the conduit 25 from the water source 8 and past the check valve 26 into the Ibellows chamber space 24 for subsequent use when the empty tray is returned once more.

A simple self closing float valve 32 may be provided at the w-ater source 8 to control the water level thereat as desired.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4.

In the second embodiment of -the invention shown, parts having similar functions are identified by similar numbers with 'the prefix of 1, putting them in the hundred series, when appropriate. Phantom view positions of parts are identified by the same number with ya suflix mark thereafter.

The container 108 is equivalent to the water source 8 in the previous embodiment and is a tiltable container. It is pivotally mounted on a pin 137 and includes a sprout 128 at one end and a deeply dished chamber .area space 138 at the other end thereof. Water fill is through the flow conduit and the amount of water is controlled by the float valve 132 in the deep dished part of the container.

The tiltable container 108 is formed to include a depending arm 116 which projects into the compartment space 6 through an insulated seal 140 in the upper part of the compartment wall 118. The a-rm 116 of the tiltable container 108 projects directly into the path of movement of the ice cube tray 112 as it would be moved into and from its stored position on the compartment shelf 114.

Movement of the tray 112 into engagement with the arm 116 will cause the container 108 to ybe tilted land to pour wa-ter therefrom into the tray through the ller spout 128 suitably positioned for such purpose. The container 108 remains tilted while the tray 112 is on the shelf 114 and engaging the lever arm 11-6.

When the tray 112 is removed from the shelf 114 the heavier weight of the Arear end of the container 108 causes the -tray to return to its first` position, to receive more water, and disposes the arm 116 for engagement by the empty tray when it is returned once more.

As the tray is tilted back to its filling position, the float valve 132, which was held in closing engagement with the ll line 134 when the t-ray was tilted, drops down allowing the proper Iamount of water to enter the tiltable container until the float valve once more closes the water supply source.

When the tray 112 is again inserted into its stored position the process will be repeated.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that a simple and expedient means has been shown and described wherein a measured amount of water may be provided to an ice cube tray automatically from an external source immediately upon being inserted into a freezer compartment space.

Although a preferred embodiment and acceptable alternate design have been shown and described in some detail, it is to be understood and appreciated that this has not been done for purposes of limitation but more to teach a means and method reaching beyond specic structure. Accordingly, the language of the hereinafter appended claims is to be given its broadest interpretation and is to be limited only by the specific exclusions provided therein.

I claim:

1. Means for filling an ice cube tray stored upon a shelf within a freezer compartment provided in a refrigerator and a source of water external to said compartment, comprising:

valve means for said source,

a water storage chamber in communication with said source,

lmeans responsive to the water level in said storage chamber to actuate said valve to admit a water supply suicient to ll said ice cube tray when transferred thereto,

said storage chamber being above and external to said freezer compartment and being separated therefrom and from Said ice cube tray in its stored position by an insulated wall,

conduit means projecting through said insulated wall and `terminating above said ice cube tray in its stored position,

means mounting said storage chamber for tilting movement, said storage chamber having an opening arranged upon being tilted to pour its measured contents into said conduit for flow into said ice cube tray, and .a movable member for tilting said storage chamber upon being engaged by said tray as it is being placed in stored position on said shelf.

2. The means for filling an ice cube tray in a refrigerator according to claim 1 which includes mean operable to close said valve means by the tilting of said storage chamber, yand means for resorting said storage chamber from its tilted position upon the disengagement -of said movable member from said tray.

3. The means for lling an ice cube tray in a refrigerator according to claim 1 in which the movable member projects through the compartment wall and said movable member is a pivoted member having its pivot connection external to said compartment.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 758,188 4/1904 Miller 137-216 1,853,463 4/1932 Schultheiss 137-216 2,388,662 ll/l945 Anderson et al 91-355 1,579,124 3/1926 MacGrath 141-351 X 1,728,888 9/1929 Joerndt et al 222-67 X 2,408,906 10/1946 Bocchicchio 222-166 X 3,045,443 7/1962 McGrath et al 62-353 X 3,280,584 10/1966 Grimm et al 62-344 3,306,064 2/1967 Poolos 62-353 X FOREIGN PATENTS German Printed Application, 1,036,671, August 1958.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner'.

E. J. EARLS, Assistant Examiner.