Patent Publication Number: US-2012043918-A1

Title: Reversing dispenser motor with integral relay

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The subject matter disclosed herein relates to dispensing devices. The subject matter disclosed herein further relates to refrigerators and, more particularly, to ice making assemblies and ice dispensers for refrigerators. 
     Some known refrigerators include an ice making assembly in a freezer storage compartment or in a door of a fresh food compartment of the refrigerator. The ice making assembly generally includes a mold body into which water is supplied. The water is then frozen to form ice pieces or cubes. The ice pieces are then moved to a storage bin where they are held until a user accesses ice from the refrigerator through an ice dispenser typically mounted through the door of the refrigerator. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic diagram of a prior art motor and relay configuration  11  utilized in conventional ice making assemblies and refrigerators. As indicated in  FIG. 1 , a relay component  33  includes a relay  31  containing electronic switches  27  and  29 . The relay component  33  is located physically separate from the motor  17  and associated rectifier circuit  15 . The motor  17  and the rectifier circuit  15  form a motor assembly  13 . An auger motor input line  37  and an AC voltage line  39  connect electrically to the rectifier circuit  15 . The motor  17  in turn connects to the switches  27  and  29  via respective lines  21  and  19 . Lines  21  and  19  provide input to the motor  17 . An electrified input  33  to the relay  31  relates to signals determinative of crushed or cubed ice. 
     The prior art configuration  11  is typically implemented in association with an ice bucket that dispenses crushed ice in one direction and cubed ice in another direction. Such an ice bucket (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) is driven by the DC motor  17  that changes its direction when the polarity is switched. The switching is accomplished via the relay component  33 . Since the electrical power flowing through the contacts of the switches  27  and  29  of the relay component  33  is DC (Direct Current), the relay  33  would need to be rated for DC power switching duty. Relays related to the switch DC power are physically larger and also more expensive, since switching a DC current imposes a greater erosion of the contacts and special means to extinguish the electrical that results from the switching action quickly. Thus, using an external relay  31  and external relay component  33  adds significantly to the wiring effort as well as the occupation of precious space and increases the probability of error during its manufacture. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As described herein, the preferred embodiments of the present invention overcome one or more of the above or other disadvantages known in the art. 
     One aspect of the present invention relates to a dispensing motor apparatus that includes a motor assembly for driving a dispenser, the motor assembly having a motor. The dispenser is driven by the motor. One or more relays having electrical contacts can be integrated with the motor assembly. The motor changes its direction of rotation when its polarity is switched by relay(s). Additionally, a controller communicates electrically with the relay(s) and the motor assembly, such that the controller permits the relay(s) to switch the position of the contacts of the relay(s) before power is turned on with respect to the motor through the electrical contacts and switch the position of the electrical contacts of the relay(s) to a default state after the power is removed from the motor through the electrical contacts. The relay(s) is subject to mechanical cycling only without the contacts of the relay(s) being required to perform an electrical current switching duty. Additionally, in some embodiments the relay(s) may be replaced by a solid state electronic switching device, such as, for example, a Triac or a transistor. 
     These and other aspects and advantages of the preferred embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. Moreover, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally-similar elements throughout the separate views and which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, further illustrate the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic diagram of a prior art reversing relay and motor configuration; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of a refrigerator in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the current invention, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of the refrigerator of  FIG. 1  with the refrigerator doors being in an open position and the freezer door being removed for clarity, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an exploded view of the ice storage and dispense bin assembly, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments; 
         FIG. 5A  illustrates a perspective view of the interior of the ice storage and dispense bin assembly, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments; 
         FIG. 5B  illustrates a perspective view of the interior of the ice storage and dispense bin assembly, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a perspective view of the crusher which is integral to the ice storage and dispense bin assembly, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a block diagram of a control system, which can be utilized in accordance with the disclosed embodiments; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a schematic diagram of a reversing relay integrated with a motor assembly housing, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a control logic chart, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates logic timing diagrams with respect to a crushed mode and a cubed mode, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a block diagram of a motor in association with an overload protection component and a filter, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments; and 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a block diagram of a motor assembly having a solid-state electronic switching device for switching instead of a mechanical relay configuration, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     The particular values and configurations discussed in these non-limiting examples can be varied and are cited merely to illustrate at least one of the disclosed embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope thereof. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary refrigerator  10  in which embodiments may be implemented. Note that while the embodiments described herein are discussed in the context of a specific refrigerator  10 , it is contemplated that the embodiments may be practiced in other types of systems and devices. Therefore, as the benefits of the herein described embodiments accrue generally to dispensing devices and refrigerator, the description herein is for exemplary purposes only and is not intended to limit practice of the disclosed embodiments to a particular refrigeration appliance or machine, such as refrigerator  10 . 
     As indicated in  FIG. 2 , an external access area  49  can be disposed in refrigerator  10  to receive drinking water and ice cubes. Upon a stimulus, a water dispenser  50  allows an outflow of drinking water into a user&#39;s receptacle. Upon another stimulus, an ice dispenser outlet  53  allows an outflow of whole ice cubes into a user&#39;s receptacle. Upon yet another stimulus, ice dispenser outlet  53  allows an outflow of crushed ice cubes into a user&#39;s receptacle. The refrigerator  10  can be configured with a fresh food compartment  12 , a freezer compartment  14 , two access doors  32  and  34  to the fresh food compartment  12 , and one access door  33  to the freezer compartment  14 . Refrigerator  10  is generally contained within an outer case  16 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates the refrigerator  10  with its access doors  32 ,  34  in the open position. As shown, fresh food compartment  12  and freezer compartment  14  are arranged in a bottom mount refrigerator-freezer configuration. Refrigerator  10  includes outer case  16  and inner liners  18  and  20 . A space between outer case  16  and liners  18  and  20 , and between liners  18  and  20 , is filled with foamed-in-place insulation. Outer case  16  normally is formed by folding a sheet of a suitable material, such as pre-painted steel, into an inverted U-shape to form top and sidewalls of the case. A bottom wall of outer case  16  normally is formed separately and attached to the case sidewalls and to a bottom frame that provides support for refrigerator  10 . Inner liners  18  and  20  are molded from a suitable plastic material to form fresh food compartment  12  and freezer compartment  14 , respectively. Alternatively, bending and welding a sheet of a suitable metal, such as steel, may form liners  18 ,  20 . The illustrative embodiment includes two separate liners  18 ,  20  as it is a relatively large capacity unit and separate liners add strength and are easier to maintain within manufacturing tolerances. 
     The insulation in the space between liners  18 ,  20  can be covered by another strip of suitable resilient material, which also commonly is referred to as a mullion  22 . Mullion  22  in one embodiment can be formed of an extruded ABS material. 
     Shelf  24  and slide-out drawer  26  can be provided in fresh food compartment  12  to support items being stored therein. A combination of shelves, such as shelf  28 , is provided in freezer compartment  14 . 
     In one embodiment, each of the access doors  32 ,  34  is mounted by a top hinge assembly  36  and a bottom hinge assembly  37  to rotate about its outer vertical edge between a closed position, as shown in  FIG. 2 , and an open position, as shown in  FIG. 3 . An ice storage and dispense bin assembly  30  can be seen on the interior of left side fresh food compartment door  32 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an exploded view of the interior of exemplary ice making, storage and dispense bin assembly  30  within refrigerator  10 , without any ice cubes in an ice storage bin  40 , an agitator  42 , an axle  44 , a crusher assembly  48  and a motor  62 .  FIG. 4  further shows a view of the interior of crusher assembly  48 , which includes a crusher  54 , a front wall  56 , a sidewall  60  and a back wall  58 .  FIG. 4  also depicts a view of the crusher  54 , which includes a plurality of rotatable crusher arms  64  and a plurality of fixed blades  66 . 
     Ice storage and dispense bin assembly  30  can be within a separate ice production and storage compartment within fresh food compartment  12  or freezer compartment  14  of refrigerator  10 . Ice storage and dispense bin assembly  30  includes the ice storage bin  40 , which can be filled with whole ice cubes through the addition of whole ice cubes. Alternatively, the ice storage bin  40  can be filled with whole ice cubes from an automatic icemaker. Whole ice cubes within ice storage bin  40  settle in the bottom portion of ice storage bin  40 . The bottom of ice storage bin  40  is angularly configured with a slope from the sidewalls of ice storage bin  40  towards a crusher assembly opening to direct whole ice cubes from ice storage bin  40  into crusher assembly  48  more efficiently. A crusher assembly opening  68  can be seen in  FIG. 5A . 
     In  FIG. 5B , a motor  62  and an agitator  42  are operatively affixed to axle  44 . Axle  44  drives the rotation of agitator  42 . Agitator  42  can rotate in either a counter-clockwise direction  80  or a clockwise direction  82  ( FIG. 4 ). Agitator  42  facilitates the transport of whole ice cubes from ice storage bin  40  through crusher housing opening  68  (as seen in  FIG. 5A ) to crusher  54  (as seen in  FIG. 4 ). Agitator  42  facilitates transport of whole ice cubes from ice storage bin  40  through crusher housing opening  68  to crusher  54  through rotation in either counter-clockwise direction  80  or clockwise direction  82 . In one embodiment, agitator  42  has two raised portions  74  which extend at an angle from the face of agitator  42  and facilitate movement when they contact whole ice cubes. In other embodiments, agitator  42  can have one raised portion or a plurality of raised portions. Raised portions  74  facilitate movement of whole ice cubes from ice storage bin  40  through the crusher assembly opening to crusher  54  whether raised portions  74  are rotating in the counter-clockwise direction  80  or clockwise direction  82 . 
     Referring back to  FIG. 4 , the interior of crusher assembly  48  can be seen. In one embodiment, motor  62  can be operatively affixed to back wall  58  and can also be operatively affixed to axle  44 . In another embodiment motor  62  can be affixed to left side fresh food compartment door  32  and coupled to axle  44 . In this second embodiment, motor  62  and axle  44  are generally coupled in a fork/coupling arrangement so that removal of ice storage bin  40  breaks the engagement of motor  62  and axle  44 . Back wall  58  has an opening so that axle  44  can pass from motor  62 , through back wall  58 , through crusher  54 , through an opening in front wall  56  to agitator  42 . Sidewalls  60  of crusher assembly  48  seal back wall  58  to front wall  56  around the circumference of back wall  58  and front wall  56  while leaving a predetermined void  94  ( FIG. 6 ). Predetermined void  94  allows the exit of whole ice cubes or crushed ice cubes from crusher assembly  48  through ice dispenser outlet  53  to a user&#39;s receptacle. In addition to the opening for axle  44  in front wall  56 , crusher housing opening  68  is configured in front wall  56  to allow for communication and transport of whole ice cubes from ice storage bin  40  to the interior of crusher assembly  48 . Crusher assembly opening  68  is preferably directly above the plurality of fixed blades  66 . 
     Axle  44  also passes through crusher  54  by passing through the plurality of fixed blades  66  and the plurality of rotatable crusher arms  64 . The plurality of fixed blades  66  remains stationary with respect to axle  44  and crusher assembly  48 . The plurality of fixed blades  66  can be in a plane, which is perpendicular to axle  44 , or the plurality of fixed blades  66  can be pitched at an angle. In one embodiment the plurality of fixed blades can be pitched at 60° from the plane which is perpendicular to axle  44 . In one embodiment there can be three fixed blades  66 , in other embodiments there can be one, two or more fixed blades  66 . 
     The plurality of rotatable crusher arms  64  rotates in a counter-clockwise direction  80  or a clockwise direction  82 . A detailed view of a single rotatable crusher arm  64  and a single fixed blade  66  is shown in  FIG. 6 . In this embodiment, front wall  56  is depicted as transparent. 
     Crusher housing opening  68  can be configured as an opening formed by the edge of front wall  56  and sidewall  60 . Back wall  58  can be seen through crusher housing opening  68 . Whole ice cubes from ice storage bin  40  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) enter crusher-assembly  48  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) through crusher housing opening  68 .  FIG. 6  shows a single rotatable crusher arm  64  and a single fixed blade  66  instead of a plurality of rotatable crusher arms  64  and a plurality of fixed blades  66  for ease of illustration and understanding. Single fixed blade  66  is affixed to sidewall  60  and supported by axle  44 , and does not rotate. Single fixed blade  66  has a leading crusher edge  67 . 
     Rotatable crusher arm  64  is rotatably affixed to axle  44  and rotates in counter-clockwise direction  80  or clockwise direction  82 . If rotatable crusher arm  64  rotates in counter-clockwise direction  80 , the leading counter-clockwise edge  63  causes a whole ice cube  112  to move until whole ice cube  112  is being contacted by a leading counter-clockwise edge  63  while the other side of whole ice cube  112  contacts leading crusher edge  67 . As rotatable crusher arm  64  continues rotating in counter-clockwise direction  80  past fixed blade  66 , whole ice cube  112  is crushed into crushed ice  114  and is dispensed through predetermined void  94  and ice dispenser outlet  53  to a user. Rotatable crusher arm  64  and axle  44  can rotate continuously around in either counter-clockwise direction  80  or clockwise direction  82 . If more crushed ice cubes are desired, rotatable crusher arm  64  will continue to rotate in counter-clockwise direction  80  until enough crushed ice cubes have been delivered. 
     If rotatable crusher arm  64  rotates in clockwise direction  82 , a leading clockwise edge  65  causes a whole ice cube  110  to move until whole ice cube  110  falls downward towards predetermined void  94 , passes through predetermine void  94  and ice dispenser outlet  53  and is dispensed to a user. If more whole ice cubes are desired, rotatable crusher arm  64  will continue to rotate in clockwise direction  82 , past fixed blade  66  until enough whole ice cubes have been delivered. 
     The design of the serrations of leading counter-clockwise edge  63  and leading crusher edge  67  can be any design which is suitable to move whole ice cubes from the area around crusher housing opening  68  on leading counter-clockwise edge  63  to leading crusher edge  67  and subsequently crush the whole ice cubes. A serration  69  is one example of a design, which is suitable to move whole ice cubes from the area around crusher housing opening  68 . 
     The plurality of rotatable crusher arms  64  can be in a plane, which is perpendicular to axle  44 , or the plurality of rotatable crusher arms  64  can be pitched at an angle. In one embodiment the plurality of rotatable crusher arms  64  can be pitched at 60° from the plane which is perpendicular to axle  44 . If the plurality of rotatable crusher arms  64  are pitched at an angle, they act to draw whole ice cubes further into crusher assembly  48 , from crusher housing opening  68  towards back wall  58  as they rotate. In one embodiment there can be three rotatable crusher arms  64 , in other embodiments there can be one, two or more rotatable crusher arms  64 . In some embodiments, the ice dispenser  52  can include the crusher assembly  48 , the agitator  42 , the axle  44  and the motor  62 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary dispenser control system  100 . Ice dispenser control system  100  generally includes motor  62 , a controller  90  and a user stimulus  92 . The control of motor  62  is based on user input  92 , which input to the controller  90 , for example, by programming particular control instructions into a memory of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or other programmable memory device. 
     Controller  90  can be employed to control the operation of motor  62  based on user stimulus  92 . If user stimulus  92  is a stimulus to receive whole ice cubes, motor  62  will rotate axle  44  causing the plurality of rotatable crusher arms  64  and agitator  42  to rotate in clockwise direction  82  (e.g., as seen in  FIG. 4 ). If user stimulus  92  is a stimulus to receive crushed ice cubes, motor  62  will rotate axle  44  causing the plurality of rotatable crusher arms  64  and agitator  42  to rotate in counter-clockwise direction  80  (e.g., as seen in  FIG. 4 ). 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a schematic diagram of a dispensing motor apparatus  41  that includes a motor  62  integrated with a reversing relay  31 , in accordance with the disclosed embodiments. Note that the apparatus  41  can be implemented in association with the ice dispenser  52  and related components discussed earlier herein. The apparatus  41  generally includes a motor assembly  43  for driving a dispenser (e.g., dispenser  52 ). The motor assembly  43  includes a DC motor  62  and one or more relays such as, for example, relay  31 . The relay  31  generally includes one or more electrical contacts  57  and  59 . The relay  31  is integrated with motor  62 . The dispenser  52  is driven by the motor  62 , which changes its direction of rotation when its polarity is switched by the relay  31 . 
     The controller  90  shown in  FIG. 7  can communicate electrically with the relay  31 , such that the controller  90  permits the relay  31  to switch the position of the contacts  57  and/or  59  before power is turned on with respect to the motor  62  through the electrical contacts  57  and  59  of the relay  31  and then switch the position of the electrical contacts  57  and  59  to a default state after the power is removed from the motor  62  through the electrical contacts  57  and  59  of the relay  31 . In this manner, the relay  31  is subject to mechanical cycling without the contacts  57  and  59  of the relay being required to perform a current switching duty. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the motor assembly  43  additionally includes a bridge rectifier circuit  15  that is electrically connected via electrical lines  23  and  25  to respective switches  27  and  29 . Switches  27  and  29  are respectively electrically connected to motor input lines  21  and  19 , which in turn electrically connect to motor  62 . Note that a rectified signal can be output from the bridge circuit  15  along electrical lines  23  and  25 . A motor input line  37  additionally can connect to the bridge circuit  15  and provide a motor input signal (e.g., 110 V AC) to the bridge rectifier circuit  15 . A neutral connection can also be made to the bridge rectifier circuit  15  along electrical line  39 . Similarly, a neutral connection can be provided to the relay  31  along line  33 , which connects electrically to relate  31  and the electrical line  39 . A relay input signal (e.g., 110 V AC) can be provided to the relay  31  along electrical line  35 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a control logic chart  109 , in accordance with the disclosed embodiments. The logic chart  109  generally includes an accounting of switching states “On” and “Off” with respect to a crushed mode and a cubed mode (i.e., different types of ice shapes). Thus, for example, a motor input can lead to “On” states with respect to both crushed and cubed nodes. A relay coil input leads to an “Off” state with respect to the crushed mode and an “On” state with respect to the cubed mode. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates logic timing diagrams  111  and  113  with respect to a crushed mode and a cubed mode, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments. The timing diagram  111  tracks the crushed mode and the motor input and the relay input with respect to voltage and time. The timing diagram  113  similarly tracks the cubed mode with respect to the motor input and relay input and voltage and time. Timing diagram  113  indicates, for example, that the relay  31  can switch in advance of the motor input and also switches back after the motor input is removed. 
     The logic diagram  109  shown in  FIG. 9  and the timing diagrams  111  and  113  shown in  FIG. 10  demonstrate that the control logic discussed herein causes the relay  31  to switch before the power is turned on to the motor  62  and switches back to a default state after the power is removed from the motor  62 . In effect, the relay  31  is only subject to a mechanical cycling without its contacts  57  and  59  being stressed for current switching. Such a configuration enables the use of a very low power rating relay for, relay  31 , which can then be very easily integrated into the motor assembly  43  of the apparatus  41 . Such an arrangements saves a lot of space, makes factory assembly very simple and avoids errors at the factory during manufacture. The relay  31  is thus integrated into the motor assembly  43 , which reduces considerably the cost of the apparatus  41  as well as improving manufacturability. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates a block diagram of the motor assembly  43  in association with an overload protection component  83  and a filter  85 , in accordance with the disclosed embodiments. The filter  85  can be, for example, an EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) filter or an RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) filter depending upon design considerations. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates a block diagram of the motor assembly  43  in association with a solid-state electronic switching device  120 , in accordance with an alternative embodiment. In the configuration depicted in  FIG. 12 , the motor assembly  43  is modified so instead of utilizing a mechanical relay (or relays) such as the previously described herein, the mechanical relay (containing a coil and electrical contacts) is replaced by the solid-state switching device  120 . The motor assembly  43  of course includes the motor  62  and other necessary components, which will not be repeated here for brevity sake. The solid-state electronic switching device  120  can be, for example, a TRIAC (bidirectional triode thyristor) or a transistor or, for example, an opto-coupled device, depending upon design considerations. 
     Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps, which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.