Refrigeration – Automatic control – By congealed removable product condition
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-12
2003-06-03
Tapolcai, William E. (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Automatic control
By congealed removable product condition
C062S353000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06571567
ABSTRACT:
This application claims the benefit of the Korean Application Nos. P2001-55222 and P2001-55223, which were filed on Sep. 7, 2001, and which are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to refrigerators. More particularly, the present invention relates to ice-making equipment used in refrigerators.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Refrigerators typically include cold-storage rooms and freezers that are maintained at constant, low temperatures. To accomplish this, a refrigerator incorporates a refrigerating system that includes a compressor, a condenser, a capillary tube, and an evaporator. Liquid refrigerant at low temperature and pressure passes through refrigerant tubes in the evaporator so as to absorb heat from air near the evaporator. Thus, the air temperature around the evaporator is cooled. That cooled air is supplied to the cold-storage room and freezer, thus cooling the interior of the refrigerator.
Modern refrigerators often include an ice-making plant in the freezer. A typical ice-making plant is briefly explained with reference to FIG.
1
. As shown, a water supply pipe
2
is installed in a refrigerator body
1
. That supply pipe, which receives water from an external source, is connected to a valve
3
inside the refrigerator. The valve
3
controls water flow both to a dispenser
7
and to an ice-making plant
10
. Water flows to the dispenser
7
by way of connecting pipes
4
a
and
4
b
and by way of a water tank
5
that stores a predetermined amount of water. Water flows to the ice-making plant
10
by way of an external supply pipe
8
that runs along the rear of the refrigerator and that connects to an internal supply pipe
9
that extends into the freezer above the ice-making plant
10
.
Referring now to
FIG. 2A
, a typical prior art ice-making plant
10
includes an ice-making vessel
12
, a motor assembly
14
for revolving the ice-making vessel
12
, and an ice storage vessel (not shown) for storing ice. The motor assembly
14
includes a driving shaft
15
that connects to the center of the ice-making vessel
12
. Thus, as shown, the rotational axis X of the ice-making vessel
12
passes through the center of the ice-making vessel
12
. An ice-checking lever
18
is installed along a side of the motor assembly
14
. That ice-checking lever
18
measures the amount of ice stored in the ice storage vessel.
The operation of the ice-making plant
10
is as follows. Referring now to
FIG. 2B
, after the ice-making vessel
12
is supplied with water by the internal supply pipe
9
, the cold air in the freezer turns the water in the ice-making vessel
12
to ice. Periodically, the ice-checking lever
18
measures the quantity of stored ice in the ice storage vessel. If the quantity of stored ice is less than a predetermined level, the motor assembly
14
rotates the ice-making vessel
12
. After the ice-making vessel
12
rotates by a predetermined angle, it contacts a stopper
19
. Further rotation twists the ice-making vessel
12
against the stopper
19
causing ice in the ice-making vessel
12
to separate from the ice-making vessel
12
and to fall into the ice storage vessel. Thereafter, the ice-making vessel
12
is returned to its initial position and is refilled with water from the internal supply pipe
9
.
Still referring to
FIG. 2B
, the ice-making vessel
12
is preferably installed very close to the end of the internal supply pipe
9
. If that end is too far from the ice-making vessel
12
, the supplied water can splash out of the ice-making vessel
12
. Therefore, close spacing between the internal supply pipe
9
and the ice-making vessel
12
is desirable. However, if the internal supply pipe
9
is too close, rotation of the ice-making vessel
12
causes contact between the internal supply pipe
9
and the ice-making vessel
12
. Such contact can create various problems.
First, contact between the internal supply pipe
9
and the ice-making vessel
12
can damage the internal supply pipe
9
and/or the ice-making vessel
12
. Such damage can prevent ice from forming and can also result in broken pieces of the internal supply pipe
9
and/or the ice-making vessel
12
being mixed with the ice.
Second, contact between the internal supply pipe
9
and the ice-making vessel
12
can induce a positional deviation of the end of the internal supply pipe
9
that causes water to splash from the ice-making vessel
12
.
Third, even if there is no immediate damage, contact between the internal supply pipe
9
and the ice-making vessel
12
can hinder the rotation of the ice-making vessel
12
such that an excessive electrical load can be placed on the motor assembly
14
. Over time, such an excessive electrical load can damage the motor assembly
14
.
Therefore, an improved ice-making apparatus that prevents contact between an internal supply pipe and an ice-making vessel would be beneficial. Even more beneficial would be an improved ice-making apparatus that prevents contact between an internal supply pipe and an ice-making vessel that is located close to the internal supply pipe.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an ice-making apparatus that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An advantage of the present invention is to provide an ice-making apparatus in a refrigerator that prevents interference between a water supply pipe and an ice-making vessel.
Additional advantages and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, an ice-making apparatus in a refrigerator according to the present invention includes a supply pipe for guiding water for ice making, a motor assembly for generating a rotational force, and an ice-making vessel under the supply pipe that is coupled to the motor assembly such that the ice-making vessel has an off-center rotational axis.
The off-center rotational axis causes the ice-making vessel to rotate in a manner that avoids contact between the ice-making vessel and the water supply pipe.
In another aspect of the present invention, an ice-making apparatus for a refrigerator includes a water supply pipe, a motor assembly for generating a turning force, and an ice-making vessel under the water supply pipe that is coupled to the motor assembly. An icemaker cover surrounds and supports the ice-making vessel such that the rotational axis of the ice-making vessel moves when the ice-making vessel contacts the water supply pipe. Movement of the rotational axis is such that interference between the ice-making vessel and the water supply pipe is reduced.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4306423 (1981-12-01), Webb et al.
patent: 5182916 (1993-02-01), Oike et al.
patent: 5400605 (1995-03-01), Jeong
patent: 5809797 (1998-09-01), Ryu
patent: 5829266 (1998-11-01), Lyu
patent: 5946924 (1999-09-01), Kim
patent: 5970725 (1999-10-01), Lee
patent: 6161390 (2000-12-01), Kim
patent: 6276160 (2001-08-01), Terada et al.
An Si Yeon
Jang Da Un
Ali Mohammad M.
LG Electronics Inc.
McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
Tapolcai William E.
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