Abstract:
An icemaker assembly for a refrigerator includes a support bracket having at least one support arm and a rear panel section, a bin slidably attached to the at least one support arm, an icemaker unit having an ice mold is also supported by the at least one support arm within the freezer compartment. The icemaker assembly also includes a fan mounted to the rear panel portion of the support bracket. The fan is selectively operable to direct an airflow onto the icemaker unit in order to speed ice production. Operation of the fan is tied to activation of a water inlet valve. A controller is coupled to the fan and the water inlet valve such that once the water inlet valve opens, fresh water enters the ice mold and the control activates the fan to hasten the production of ice.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention pertains to the art of refrigerators and, more particularly, to a refrigerator having an icemaker assembly provided with a fan that is selectively operable to speed ice formation.  
         [0003]     2. Discussion of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     Whether to ensure an adequate amount of ice for a party, or to keep up with daily demand, there is a need to decrease ice production time. To address this concern in the art of refrigerated appliances, it is known to employ fans or other similar devices to direct air across an ice mold in order to decrease ice production time. Typically, the fan is oriented to direct a flow of air from an evaporator over the ice mold. The flow of air disturbs a thermal barrier that is present about the ice mold in order to increase temperature transfer rates and, as a consequence, decrease an amount of time required to form ice.  
         [0005]     While the above described arrangements simply utilize fans, other arrangements expose the ice mold directly to the evaporator and utilize an evaporator fan to blow cool air. In some cases the evaporator is part of a primary refrigeration system that is employed to maintain temperatures in a fresh food and freezer compartment of the refrigerator, while in other cases the evaporator is dedicated to ice production. Dedicated evaporators are typically employed in systems which locate the icemaker in a portion of the refrigerator other than the freezer compartment. While effective, the above described systems typically rely on a cooling demand signal to operate. That is, regardless of a need for ice, the above described systems only function when either the fresh food or freezer compartment requires cooling which necessitates the activation of the refrigeration system. Correspondingly, even during periods when no ice production is required, the above described systems function upon activation of the refrigeration system.  
         [0006]     Regardless of the teachings in the prior art, there still exists a need for an enhanced system to reduce ice production time in a refrigerator. More specifically, there exists a need for system that is selectively operated to decrease ice production time regardless of a need for cooling in compartments of the refrigerator.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention is directed to a refrigerator including a cabinet, a freezer compartment located in the cabinet and an icemaker assembly mounted in the freezer compartment. In accordance with the invention, the icemaker assembly includes a support bracket having at least one support arm and a back plate, and a bin slidably attached to the at least one support arm. An icemaker unit having an ice mold is also supported by the at least one support arm within the freezer compartment. Furthermore, the icemaker assembly includes a fan that is mounted to the back plate of the support bracket. The fan is selectively operable to direct an airflow onto the icemaker unit in order to speed ice production. Preferably, the fan directs the airflow onto, around and below the icemaker, disrupting a thermal barrier to speed ice cube formation.  
         [0008]     In accordance with the most preferred form of the invention, operation of the fan is tied to activation of an icemaker water inlet valve through a controller. After an ice harvest cycle, i.e., when ice cubes are deposited from the icemaker unit into a storage bin, the icemaker water inlet valve opens, allowing fresh water into the icemaker unit to refill the ice mold. As fresh water enters the ice mold, the controller activates the fan to blow air across, around and below the ice mold to speed ice production. The controller is also preferably coupled to a timer that limits operation of the fan to a predetermined time period.  
         [0009]     Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is an upper left partial sectional view, of a side-by-side refrigerator incorporating an icemaker assembly including a fan constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the icemaker assembly of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is an upper left perspective view of the fan mounted in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0013]     With initial reference to  FIG. 1 , the present invention will be described with respect to a side-by-side refrigerator which is generally indicated at  2 . As shown, refrigerator  2  includes a cabinet shell  5  within which is provided a freezer compartment  9  defined, at least in part, by a side wall  10  and a back wall  11 . Freezer compartment  9  can be selectively accessed by means of a pivotally mounted freezer door  16 . Adjacent freezer door  16  is a fresh food door  17 , behind which is arranged a fresh food compartment (not shown). In a manner known in the art, freezer compartment  9  is preferably provided with a plurality of storage baskets  22  and  23 , as well as a pair of vertically extending support rails  26  and  27  provided at laterally spaced positions along back wall  11 . Obviously, this basic structure for refrigerator  2  is widely known in the art and therefore has only been provided for the sake of completeness.  
         [0014]     The present invention is particularly directed to the incorporation of an icemaker assembly  32  within refrigerator  2 . With particular reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , icemaker assembly  32  includes a support bracket  35  having a pair of laterally spaced support arms  37  and  38 , each of which is provided with a plurality of rear hook elements  42 . Interconnecting support arms  37  and  38  are a plurality of fore-to-aft spaced cross braces  51 - 53 . Each support arm  37 ,  38  is preferably made of metal and, as best shown in  FIG. 2 , includes a pair of spaced tabs  58  and  59  which are lanced out of each support arm  37 ,  38 . Support bracket  35  also includes a back plate  63  which interconnects support arms  37  and  38 . Actually, in the most preferred form of the invention, back plate  63  wraps around and is fixedly secured to support arms  37  and  38 . Support bracket  35  is adapted to be hung, in a cantilevered manner, from support rails  26  and  27  with the use of hook elements  42 .  
         [0015]     Icemaker assembly  32  also includes an icemaker unit  70  having a main body portion  72 , a trough or ice mold portion  73 , a motor end mount  75 , an end cover  76  and a bale arm  78 . In general, the construction and operation of icemaker unit  70  is known in the art and does not form part of the present invention. However, in accordance with the invention, icemaker unit  70  is secured to back plate  63  so as to be suspended at a select vertical location upon support rails  26  and  27  through support arms  37  and  38 . Although icemaker unit  70  could be attached to support arms  37  and  38  in a variety of ways, in accordance with the embodiment shown, icemaker unit  70  is provided with a pair of brackets  80  and  81  which are fixed to back plate  63  by means of screws  84  and  85 .  
         [0016]     Also preferably provided as part of icemaker assembly  32  is a pair of side rails  99  and  100 . As shown, each side rail  99 ,  100  is formed with a pair of spaced openings  104  and  105 , as well as a central aperture  109 . With this construction, each side rail  99 ,  100  can be positioned against a respective support arm  37 ,  38 , with openings  104 ,  105  receiving a corresponding one of tabs  58  and  59 . A screw  112  is provided which extends through aperture  109  and is threadably received in an opening  115  provided in a respective support arm  37 ,  38 .  
         [0017]     Icemaker assembly  32  also includes an ice storage bin  122 . Most preferably, bin  122  is integrally molded of plastic to include a front wall  126 , side walls  127  and  128 , a bottom wall  129  and an open rear wall portion  131 . In addition, bin  122  preferably includes a ledge member  134  having a base  136 , upstanding sides  137  and  138 , and an upper plateau portion  140 . Furthermore, bin  122  is provided with a separate front panel  147  having a recessed zone  149  and a handle portion  150 . As shown, side walls  127  and  128  lead to front, out-turned flanges  155  and  156 . In the embodiment shown, front panel  147  is fixed across front wall  126  by means of a plurality of screws  160  which extend through flanges  155  and  156  and into front panel  147  from behind.  
         [0018]     Icemaker assembly  32  also includes a shelf  166  having a peripheral rim  168 , an upstanding rear strip  170  and a platform  173  which is preferably made from a visually transparent material such as glass, but which could be opaque. In general, platform  173  is encapsulated by rim  168  to define a spill-proof shelf. It should be recognized that encapsulating shelving of this type is known for use in at least fresh food compartments of refrigerators. In accordance with the present invention, shelf  166  is mounted upon support arms  37  and  38  above icemaker unit  70 . In one preferred embodiment, shelf  166  is fixed upon support arms  37  and  38 . However, it should be understood that shelf  166  could readily be mounted for sliding movement into and out from freezer compartment  9  relative to support arms  37  and  38 . Finally, a wire harness  180  is provided. Wire harness  180  includes opposing terminal connectors  183  and  184  for providing required electrical connections to icemaker unit  70 , preferably through back wall  11 . Although not shown, a water supply tube would also be routed to icemaker unit  70 . The water supply tube would be connected to a valve, which is schematically indicated at  200  in  FIG. 1  and, as will be detailed more fully below, is selectively operated by icemaker unit  70  upon sensing a demand for ice from, for example, bale arm  78 .  
         [0019]     In accordance with the invention, icemaker assembly  32  includes a fan  250  that is selectively operated to speed the production of ice within icemaker unit  70 . As will be discussed more fully below, fan  250  is coupled to a controller  255 . In any case, fan  250  is preferably mounted at a central opening  260  provided in back plate  63 . In addition to central opening  260 , back plate  63  also includes a plurality of mounting apertures  261 - 264  for mounting fan  250  in a manner that will be described more fully below. Fan  250  is shown in  FIG. 2  to include a main housing  270  having a mounting flange  275  that is provided with a plurality of openings  276 - 279  which are designed to align with mounting apertures  261 - 264 . Fan  250  also includes a plurality of blades  290  that project outwardly from a central hub  294 . Finally, a central electrical coupler  296  extends from main housing  270  to electrically interconnect fan  250  with controller  210 .  
         [0020]     As best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , fan  250  is positioned behind back plate  63  at central opening  260  with mounting openings  276 - 279  aligning with mounting apertures  261 - 264 . Once aligned, a plurality of mechanical fasteners, such as indicated at  299 , are employed to connect fan  250  to back plate  63 . Of course, it should be understood that the particular type of fastening arrangement can vary in accordance with the present invention and can include screws, rivets and other types of connecting members. With this mounting arrangement, fan  250  can be readily mounted, electrically connected and vertically adjustable in unison with icemaker unit  70 .  
         [0021]     In accordance with the most preferred form of the invention, fan  250  is activated upon the cycling of valve  200 . More specifically, upon sensing a need for ice, icemaker unit  70  opens valve  200  allowing water to enter into the ice mold portion  73 . After valve  200  closes or, alternatively, prior to the closing of valve  200 , controller  255  activates fan  250 . Upon activation, fan  250  directs a cooling airflow over, across and about icemaker unit  70  to increase a mass flow of cold air about ice mold  73  and hasten the formation of ice. That is, by increasing the mass flow of cold air, fan  250  speeds the heat transfer between the water and the air in freezer compartment  9 , causing ice to form within icemaker unit  70  quicker that would otherwise be possible. Preferably, fan  250  is operated for a predetermined time period established by a timer  300  that is coupled to controller  250 . The duration of the time period is established as a factory setting which may be subsequently altered or adjusted by a technician if necessary. In any case, the preferred mounting of fan  250  ensures a uniform airflow distribution about icemaker unit  70  such that the mass flow of cold air covers the entire icemaker unit  70  and not merely about portions thereof.  
         [0022]     Although described with reference to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be readily understood that various changes and/or modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit thereof. For instance, while shown as a side-by-side model, the present invention could also be incorporated into top mount, bottom mount, French door, built-in or free-standing, and dedicated freezer models. In addition, it should be understood that the refrigerator could be provided with operator controls that enable the icemaker fan to be selectively de-activated by a consumer if so desired. Finally, although shown separately, it should be understood that the controller can be provided as part of the icemaker unit. In general, the invention is only intended to be limited by the scope of the following claims.