Patent ID: 7509818
Filing Date: 2009-03-31
Classification: F25C

Abstract:
1. A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet defining a freezer compartment maintained at a temperature below 0° C., a refrigerator compartment substantially located above the freezer compartment maintained at a temperature above 0° C.; a refrigerator compartment door moveably mounted to the cabinet for selectively closing the refrigerator compartment; an ice maker for generating ice cubes located within the freezer compartment; a dispenser outlet located in the refrigerator compartment door; an ice dispenser operably connecting the ice maker to the dispenser outlet such that ice cubes generated by the ice maker are dispensed through the dispenser outlet comprising: an ice cube storage bin for receiving the ice cubes generated by the ice maker; and a lifter extending from adjacent the ice cube storage bin toward the dispenser outlet to move ice cubes from the freezer compartment to a position suitable for dispensing through the dispenser outlet, wherein the lifter comprises a combination of at least two of the following: an elevator, a conveyor, an auger, or an accelerator, and further wherein a first lifter is an auger positioned in the ice cube storage bin arranged to move ice cubes to a second lifter positioned outside the ice cube storage bin.