Appliance with ice packer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12000642-B2
Application number	US-202117356905-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2021
Priority date	Jun 24, 2021
Publication date	Jun 4, 2024
Grant date	Jun 4, 2024

Abstract

A refrigerator appliance includes an ice packer assembly including an enclosure with a rotatable door, and an ice mold slidably supported by the enclosure. The ice mold is configured to translate between a first position and a second position. The door is configured to rotate from a first orientation to a second orientation as the ice mold is translated from the first position to the second position. The enclosure defines a pass-through opening therethrough. The door opens up the pass-through opening when rotated to the first orientation, and closes the pass-through opening and defines a platform for receiving crushed ice thereon when it is rotated to the second orientation.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An ice packer for an appliance to form chewable ice cubes, comprising:
an enclosure defining a pass-through opening extending between an upper end and a lower end thereof;
a door pivotally coupled to the enclosure and rotatable between a first orientation and a second orientation, wherein the door further comprises pivot pins extending laterally from the door to pivotally couple the door to the enclosure, wherein the door opens the pass-through opening when it is rotated to the first orientation, and wherein the door closes the pass-through opening when it is rotated to the second orientation; and
an ice mold slidably supported by the enclosure and configured to translate between a first position and a second position, wherein the ice mold defines a cavity therein, and
wherein when the door is rotated to the second orientation, it defines a platform for receiving ice thereon that is compacted in the cavity of the ice mold when the ice mold is translated toward the second position.

2. The ice packer according to claim 1 , wherein the enclosure includes a front wall and a rear wall spaced apart and connected by opposing side walls, and wherein each side wall defines a slot extending along a partial longitudinal length thereof, and
wherein the ice mold includes a top wall, a bottom wall, a rear wall, and opposing side walls, and wherein a protrusion is formed on each side wall and is configured to be slidably received by the respective slot of the enclosure to slidably support the ice mold from the enclosure and enable the ice mold to be translate between the first position and the second position.

3. The ice packer according to claim 1 , wherein when the ice mold is translated toward the first position, it causes the door to rotate to the first orientation thereby opening up the pass-through opening, and wherein when the ice mold is translated to the second position, it causes the door to rotate to the second orientation thereby closing the pass-through opening and defining the platform for receiving ice thereon.

4. The ice packer according to claim 3 , wherein the ice mold further comprises a guide extending from a bottom wall thereof that is configured urge the door to rotate from the first orientation to the second orientation.

5. The ice packer according to claim 4 , wherein the guide further comprises a curved distal end that is configured to slidably contact a planar surface of the door such that the door is gradually rotated from the first orientation to the second orientation as the ice mold is translated toward the second position.

6. The ice packer according to claim 4 , wherein the guide further comprises a narrowed portion and a widened portion, and wherein the door further comprises a longitudinal slot extending therethrough that is configured to receive the narrowed portion of the guide therethrough to enable the ice mold to be translated toward the second position.

7. The ice packer according to claim 6 , wherein the door further comprises a first planar surface and a second planar surface, and wherein the widened portion of the guide is configured to abut against the second planar surface of the door to retain the door in the second orientation.

8. The ice packer according to claim 1 , wherein the enclosure further comprises side walls defining the respective openings therethrough, and wherein the pivot pins are configured to be inserted into the respective openings.

9. The ice packer according to claim 1 , wherein the enclosure further comprises:
an ejector extending from a rear wall thereof and into an internal space defined by the enclosure, wherein the ejector is configured to cause ice molded in the ice mold to be ejected therefrom when the ice mold is translated from the second position to the first position.

10. The ice packer according to claim 1 , wherein the door comprises a first planar surface and a second planar surface, and wherein the first planar surface defines the platform for receiving crushed ice thereon when the door is rotated to the second orientation, and wherein the enclosure further comprises a front wall, and wherein the front wall of the enclosure is configured to force crushed ice deposited on the first planar surface of the door into the ice mold when the ice mold is translated to the second position.

11. An ice packer assembly for a refrigerator appliance, comprising:
a reciprocating mechanism; and
an ice packing compartment comprising:
an enclosure defining a pass-through opening extending between an upper end and a lower end thereof,
a door pivotally coupled to the enclosure and rotatable between a first orientation and a second orientation, wherein the door opens the pass-through opening when it is rotated to the first orientation, and wherein the door closes the pass-through opening when it is rotated to the second orientation, and
an ice mold slidably supported by the enclosure and pivotally coupled to the reciprocating mechanism, and wherein the reciprocating mechanism is configured to translate the ice mold between a first position and a second position relative to the enclosure,
wherein the ice mold further comprises a guide extending from a bottom wall thereof, wherein the guide is configured to urge the door toward the second orientation when the ice mold is translated to the second position.

12. The ice packer assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the ice packer assembly further comprises a motor assembly, and wherein the reciprocating mechanism further comprises a crank and a link, wherein the crank is rotatably coupled to the motor assembly via a shaft, and wherein opposing ends of the link are pivotally coupled to the crank and the ice mold, respectively, and wherein the crank is configured to cause the link to urge the ice mold to translate between the first position and the second position during a rotation thereof.

13. The ice packer assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the enclosure further comprises a front wall, a rear wall, and opposing side walls that are spaced apart and connected by the front wall and the rear wall, and wherein the rear wall defines an opening therein that is configured to enable the link of the reciprocating mechanism to pass therethrough to pivotally couple the link to the ice mold.

14. The ice packer assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the enclosure includes a front wall and a rear wall spaced apart and connected by opposing side walls, and wherein each side wall defines a slot extending along a partial longitudinal length thereof, and
wherein the ice mold includes a top wall, a bottom wall, a rear wall, and opposing side walls, and wherein a protrusion is formed on each side wall and is configured to be slidably received by the respective slot of the enclosure to slidably support the ice mold from the enclosure and enable the ice mold to be translated between the first position and the second position.

15. The ice packer assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the guide further comprises a curved distal end that is configured to slidably contact a planar surface of the door such that the door is gradually rotated from the first orientation to the second orientation when the ice mold is translated toward the second position.

16. The ice packer assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the guide further comprises a narrowed portion and a widened portion, and wherein the door further comprises a longitudinal slot extending therethrough that is configured to receive therein the narrowed portion of the guide to enable the ice mold to be fully translated to the second position.

Assignees

• Electrolux Home Prod Inc

Inventors

• Shi Zhuochen
• Mccollough Thomas

Classifications

• F25C5/02 Primary

  Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice · CPC title

• F25C1/10

  by using rotating or otherwise moving moulds (F25C1/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F25C5/182

  Ice bins therefor · CPC title

• F25C2305/022

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

• F25C2400/10

  Refrigerator units · CPC title