Refrigeration – Automatic control – By congealed removable product condition
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-02
2002-09-03
Tapolcai, William E. (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Automatic control
By congealed removable product condition
C062S344000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06442954
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to refrigerators, and, more specifically, to icemaking therein.
In a typical side-by-side refrigerator, a refrigeration compartment is disposed to the right, and a freezer compartment is disposed to the left, with corresponding doors therefor. A common compressor is used for compressing a refrigerant which expands in a closed circuit for removing heat from the two compartments.
The freezer compartment typically includes shelves therein as well as inside the freezer door for maintaining frozen typical food products. An automatic icemaker is commonly found at the top of the freezer compartment for producing ice cubes which are stored in a hopper.
A motor driven auger is disposed at the bottom of the hopper and is rotated for dispensing ice cubes through a bottom outlet port thereof. A convenience receptacle is provided in the outside of the freezer door, and is aligned with the hopper port for dispensing ice cubes through the receptacle without opening the freezer door. The receptacle typically also includes a water dispenser for conveniently providing water chilled inside the refrigerator.
The icemaker typically requires a relatively large volume inside the freezer compartment for making, storing, and dispensing ice cubes. The ice cubes are made in an icetray located near the top of the freezer compartment, and are automatically discharged therefrom and fall into the hopper. When the hopper is filled with ice cubes to the level of the icetray, a wire bail is lifted by the mass of cubes for activating an electrical switch and preventing farther icemaking until the level of ice cubes drops in the hopper. Even at the hopper fill level, substantial open space is still found at the top of the hopper adjacent to the icemaker.
The volume occupied by the icemaker is correspondingly not available for storing frozen food. And, unused space inside the icemaker further eliminates available space for storing frozen food.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide an improved icemaker which better utilizes the limited volume of the freezer compartment for ice production to increase volume available for storing frozen food.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A refrigerator includes a freezer compartment and access door. An icemaker is disposed in the freezer compartment. An upper hopper is disposed inside the freezer door below the icemaker, and includes a rotary auger and first and second ice ports below opposite ends thereof. A receptacle is disposed outside the freezer door below the upper hopper, and a lower hopper is disposed inside the freezer door below the receptacle. A chute joins the second port of the upper hopper to the lower hopper for storing ice cubes therein.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4285212 (1981-08-01), Prada
patent: 4300359 (1981-11-01), Koeneman et al.
patent: 4771609 (1988-09-01), Funabashi
patent: 5037004 (1991-08-01), Katz et al.
patent: 5211030 (1993-05-01), Jameson
patent: 5655386 (1997-08-01), Huang et al.
patent: 6050097 (2000-04-01), Nelson et al.
patent: 6082130 (2000-07-01), Pastryk et al.
DuPlessis Samuel Vincent
King Scott Russell
Mershon Martin Scott
Paraszczak Steve
Shapiro Andrew Philip
Cabou Christian G.
General Electric Company
Patnode Patrick K.
Tapolcai William E.
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