Ice-maker/ice storage box assembly and refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10808980-B2
Application number	US-201816200232-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 26, 2018
Priority date	May 27, 2016
Publication date	Oct 20, 2020
Grant date	Oct 20, 2020

Abstract

An ice-maker/ice storage box assembly and a refrigerator having the ice-maker/ice storage box assembly are provided. The ice-maker/ice storage box assembly has an ice storage box. The ice storage box is provided with a rotary shaft and a separation mechanism. An outer end of the rotary shaft is provided with a rotary-shaft connector. The rotary-shaft connector is connected to a transmission connector of an ice dispensing motor. The separation mechanism is used to axially separate the transmission connector from the rotary-shaft connector. The ice-maker/ice storage box assembly enables the ice storage box to be conveniently removed without damaging a connection part between the ice dispensing motor and the ice storage box, and the ice storage box does not have to be removed in a fixed direction.

First claim

What is claiming is:

1. An ice-maker/ice storage box assembly, comprising:
an ice storage box, wherein the ice storage box is provided with a rotary shaft and a separation mechanism, an outer end of the rotary shaft is provided with a rotary-shaft connector for connecting to a transmission connector of an ice dispensing motor, and the separation mechanism is configured to axially separate the transmission connector from the rotary-shaft connector, wherein the separation mechanism comprises a pressing connecting arm, a pressing block and a fixing base shell; one end of the pressing connecting arm is arranged correspondingly to the rotary-shaft connector for moving the rotary-shaft connector along an axial direction of the rotary shaft the pressing block is fixedly connected to the other end of the pressing connecting arm; and the fixing base shell is fixed on the ice storage box and the pressing block is connected to the fixing base shell.

2. The ice-maker/ice storage box assembly of claim 1 , wherein one end of the rotary-shaft connector is provided with a blocking plate.

3. The ice-maker/ice storage box assembly of claim 2 , wherein the rotary-shaft connector is connected to the blocking plate through a connecting sleeve; one end of the pressing connecting arm is arranged opposite to one side of the blocking plate, and there is a gap between the pressing connecting arm and the connecting sleeve.

4. The ice-maker/ice storage box assembly of claim 1 , wherein an elastic resetting member is sleeved on the rotary shaft between the rotary-shaft connector and the ice storage box.

5. The ice-maker/ice storage box assembly of claim 4 , wherein the elastic resetting member is a resetting spring.

6. The ice-maker/ice storage box assembly of claim 1 , wherein an outer end of the rotary shaft is provided with an external thread which is connected to a nut for preventing the rotary-shaft connector from shedding.

7. The ice-maker/ice storage box assembly of claim 1 , wherein a limiting protrusion is provided on the pressing block, and a limiting slot corresponding to the limiting protrusion is provided on the fixing base shell.

8. A refrigerator, comprising:
a door liner, an ice-making compartment, an ice-maker and an ice dispensing motor, the ice-making compartment being mounted on the door liner, the ice-maker being mounted at an upper portion within the ice-making compartment, the ice dispensing motor being mounted at a lower portion within the ice-making compartment; and
an ice storage box, wherein the ice storage box is provided with a rotary shaft and a separation mechanism, an outer end of the rotary shaft is provided with a rotary-shaft connector for connecting to a transmission connector of the ice dispensing motor, and the separation mechanism is configured to axially separate the transmission connector from the rotary-shaft connector, wherein:
one end of the ice dispensing motor is connected to the transmission connector connected to the rotary-shaft connector, and a lower end of the ice storage box is positioned on a lower end of the ice-making compartment; when the ice storage box is removed, the rotary-shaft connector is separated from the transmission connector by the separation mechanism, wherein the separation mechanism comprises a pressing connecting arm, a pressing block and a fixing base shell; one end of the pressing connecting arm is arranged correspondingly to the rotary-shaft connector for moving the rotary-shaft connector along an axial direction of the rotary shaft the pressing block is fixedly connected to the other end of the pressing connecting arm; and the fixing base shell is fixed on the ice storage box and the pressing block is connected to the fixing base shell.

9. The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein the transmission connector is mounted on a motor shaft of the ice dispensing motor.

10. The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein one end of the rotary-shaft connector close to the ice storage box is provided with a blocking plate.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the rotary-shaft connector is connected to the blocking plate through a connecting sleeve; one end of the pressing connecting arm is arranged opposite to one side of the blocking plate, and there is a gap between the pressing connecting arm and the connecting sleeve.

12. The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein an elastic resetting member is sleeved on the rotary shaft between the rotary-shaft connector and the ice storage box.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the elastic resetting member is a resetting spring.

14. The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein an outer end of the rotary shaft is provided with an external thread which is connected to a nut for preventing the rotary-shaft connector from shedding.

15. The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein a limiting protrusion is provided on the pressing block, and a limiting slot corresponding to the limiting protrusion is provided on the fixing base shell.

Assignees

• Hefei Hualing Co Ltd
• Midea Group Co Ltd
• Media Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Si Zengqiang
• Shao Yang
• Lv Zhengguang
• Wang Hao

Classifications

• F25C2305/022

  Harvesting ice including rotating or tilting or pivoting of a mould or tray · CPC title

• F25C1/24 Primary

  for refrigerators, e.g. freezing trays · CPC title

• F25C5/22 Primary

  particularly adapted for household refrigerators · CPC title

• F25D23/10

  Arrangements for mounting in particular locations, e.g. for built-in type, for corner type · CPC title

• F25C5/02

  Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice · CPC title