Ice delivery method for modular cooling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9528736-B2
Application number	US-201213475074-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2012
Priority date	May 18, 2012
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a removable cooling module that defines a cavity. The removable cooling module includes a cooling unit and an ice maker disposed in the cavity. A duct is disposed inside the refrigerator and is in communication with the removable cooling module. The duct is adapted to convey cool air and ice from the ice maker to an ice storage bin in the refrigerator. An ice deflector is disposed in the duct. The ice deflector directs ice to the ice storage bin and directs cool air to a food storage area in the refrigerator.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a removable cooling module defining a cavity and having a cooling unit and an ice maker disposed in the cavity;
a combined duct disposed inside the refrigerator and in communication with the removable cooling module, the combined duct adapted to convey cool air and ice from the ice maker to an ice storage bin in a refrigerator door;
a slotted ice deflector disposed completely within the combined duct and downwardly rotatable within the combined duct and having at least one slot defining an aperture extending through the slotted ice deflector, wherein the slotted ice deflector directs ice to the ice storage bin and directs cool air through the slot of the ice deflector to a food storage area in the refrigerator through an outlet in the combined duct which opens into the food storage area; and
a trap door assembly coupled within the combined duct and having an ice flap which moveable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the trap door assembly relays ice from the ice maker to the ice storage bin in the refrigerator door and wherein the ice flap is at least one of spring loaded and motor operated.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the slotted ice deflector is operable between an open position and a closed position.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the combined duct at least partially extends between an outside wrapper and an inner liner of the refrigerator.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the combined duct is at least partially disposed inside an interior of the refrigerator adjacent an inner liner of the refrigerator.

5. A refrigerator comprising:
a removable cooling module operably coupled to the refrigerator, the removable cooling module including a cooling unit and an ice maker;
a combined duct in communication with the removable cooling module and configured to convey ice and cool air from the removable cooling module to the refrigerator;
an ice deflector rotationally operable between first and second positions is completely disposed within the combined duct and is downwardly rotatable within the combined duct; the ice deflector includes at least one slot defined within the ice deflector, wherein the ice deflector directs ice to an ice storage bin in a first position and directs cool air through the at least one slot to a food storage area in the refrigerator in both the first and second positions through an outlet in the combined duct which opens into the food storage area; and
a trap door assembly coupled within the combined duct and having an ice flap which moveable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the trap door assembly relays ice from the ice maker to the ice storage bin in the refrigerator and wherein the ice flap is at least one of spring loaded and motor operated.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein a portion of the combined duct extends through a refrigerator door.

7. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein a portion of the combined duct extends through a top wall of the refrigerator.

8. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein the ice deflector includes a slotted ice deflector.

9. The refrigerator of claim 5 , further comprising:
a return air duct that conveys air from a refrigerating compartment to the removable cooling module.

10. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein the combined duct at least partially extends between an outside wrapper and an inner liner of the refrigerator.

11. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein the combined duct is at least partially disposed inside an interior of the refrigerator adjacent an inner liner of the refrigerator.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11 , wherein the combined duct includes an ice storage bin proximate a top wall of the inner liner, the ice storage bin collecting ice from the ice maker and discharging the ice through a discharge flap.

13. A refrigerator comprising:
a cooling unit disposed on an exterior wall of the refrigerator, the cooling unit in communication with an airflow interface on the refrigerator;
an ice maker disposed exterior to the refrigerator, the ice maker in communication with an ice conveyance aperture on the refrigerator;
a combined duct disposed inside the refrigerator and in communication with the airflow interface and the ice conveyance aperture, wherein the combined duct includes an ice deflector rotationally operable between first and second positions, wherein the ice deflector is disposed completely within the combined duct and rotates downwardly within the combined duct remains distal from the ice conveyance aperture in both the first and second positions; and wherein the ice deflector directs ice to an ice storage bin and directs cool air to a food storage area of the refrigerator through an outlet in the combined duct which opens into the food storage area and
a trap door assembly coupled within the combined duct and having an ice flap which moveable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the trap door assembly relays ice from the ice maker to the ice storage bin in the refrigerator and wherein the ice flap is at least one of spring loaded and motor operated.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein the duct extends between an outer wrapper and an inner liner of the refrigerator.

15. The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein ice is directed from the ice maker to an ice storage bin in one of a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment in the refrigerator.

16. The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein ice from the ice maker is conveyed to an ice dispenser disposed in a door of the refrigerator.

17. The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein the combined duct, an ice storage bin and an ice dispenser are disposed within a door of the refrigerator.

18. The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein the ice deflector includes a semi-circular top surface, and wherein the top surface includes a plurality of elongated parallel apertures defined therein, and wherein the ice deflector deflects ice to an ice storage bin in the first position and directs air through the plurality of elongated parallel apertures in both the first and the second positions.

Assignees

• Grewal Rameet Singh
• Kuehl Steven J
• Leclear Douglas D
• Litch Andrew D
• Westlake Lorraine J
• Wu Guolian
• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Grewal Rameet Singh
• Kuehl Steven J
• Leclear Douglas D
• Litch Andrew D
• Westlake Lorraine J
• Wu Guolian

Classifications

• F25D19/00 Primary

  Arrangement or mounting of refrigeration units with respect to devices {or objects to be refrigerated, e.g. infrared detectors} · CPC title

• F25C5/185

  with freezing trays · CPC title

• F25C2400/04

  Ice guide, e.g. for guiding ice blocks to storage tank · CPC title

• F25D2317/061

  through special compartments · CPC title

• F25D23/04

  with special compartments, e.g. butter conditioners · CPC title