Patent Publication Number: US-6334319-B1

Title: Ice level sensing assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention pertains to the art of refrigerators and, more particularly, to an assembly for adjustably sensing the level of ice collected within a storage bin of an automatic ice maker system. 
     2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
     In the art of refrigerators, it is widely known to incorporate an automatic ice maker system wherein ice cubes are formed and collected within a storage bin from which the cubes can be accessed either manually or through a dispenser. With such a system, provisions are commonly made to sense the level of ice cubes within the storage bin and to automatically terminate the formation of additional ice cubes until the level falls below a certain height. Typically, the automatic ice maker will have an associated bale arm which is raised and lowered based on the level of the ice in the storage bin. When the bale arm is shifted upward a predetermined distance, the formation of ice will be temporarily terminated. With this arrangement, it is not possible for the consumer to personally establish a desired ice level height. 
     To address this potential drawback, it has heretofore been proposed to attach an additional ice level sensing element to the bale arm, with the sensing element being adjustable in order to enable the storage level of the ice to be selectively altered. An example of such an arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,619,858. In general, this patented arrangement enables one of two different ice levels to be selected. Not only is this prior art assembly limited in its range of adjustability, but the manner in which the sensing element is adjusted is considered somewhat cumbersome and time consuming, particularly given the fact that only a small zone is typically available about the element to manually grasp and adjust the element. In addition, when it is desired to withdraw the ice storage bin from the freezer compartment, the sensing element can actually obstruct the movement of the bin. 
     Based on the above, there exists a need in the art for an ice level sensing assembly including a sensing member which can be adjusted through a wide range in order to enhance the versatility, efficiency and effectiveness of an overall automatic ice maker assembly. Furthermore, there exists a need for an adjustable ice level sensing assembly which is designed to enable removal and replacement of the ice storage bin from the freezer compartment without the need to manually alter the selected position of the sensing member. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an automatic ice maker system including an arm assembly used to sense and adjust the amount of ice stored in an ice bin in order to control the production of additional ice. More specifically, the invention is directed to attaching a sensing member to a bale arm of an automatic ice maker, with the positioning of the sensing member relative to the bale arm being easily adjustable in order to enable a consumer to readily select and change the amount of stored ice. The ice level sensing member is uniquely shaped to allow from about 50-100% of the maximum capacity of the ice maker bin to be maintained. In addition, the shape of the ice level sensing member allows the storage bin to be removed and replaced from within a freezer compartment by the consumer without moving the bale arm or the sensing member out of the way or separately turning the ice maker off. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sensing member has two upper end connectors which are adapted to snap-fittingly receive a crosspiece portion of the bale arm, with the end connectors being generally biased outward to positively engage generally parallel leg portions of the bale arm. One of the end connectors is formed with arcuately spaced detents defined by recesses arranged between various projections. In the most preferred form of the invention, three such detents are provided to selectively receive a respective bale arm leg portion. These detents enable the adjustment of the element to alter the maximum capacity of the storage bin. From the end portions, the sensing element has sections which extend in three intersecting planes, while converging to a central vortex portion. The sections generally bend back upon themselves and are angled to enhance capacity adjustments and to enable the storage bin to be removed from and replaced within the freezer compartment without manually moving the bale arm out of the way. 
     Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view depicting the adjustable ice level sensing assembly of the invention within an upper freezer compartment portion of a refrigerator; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sensing member incorporated in adjustable ice level assembly of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a right side elevational view of the sensing member of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a left side elevational view of the sensing member; 
     FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the sensing member; 
     FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the sensing member; 
     FIG. 7 is top view of the sensing member; 
     FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the sensing member; 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional perspective view illustrating the adjustable ice level sensing assembly of the invention; 
     FIG. 10 illustrates the ice level sensing assembly with the sensing member placed in an upper or maximum ice capacity condition and with the ice storage bin in a partially retracted position; 
     FIG. 11 illustrates the sensing member in a lower or reduced ice capacity condition; 
     FIG. 12 is an enlarged partial view showing the sensing member fully raised; 
     FIG. 13 depicts the sensing member in an intermediate position; and 
     FIG. 14 illustrates the sensing member in a fully lowered position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With initial reference to FIGS.  1  and  9 - 11 , a refrigerator generally indicated at  2  includes a cabinet  4  within which is defined a freezer compartment  8 . Freezer compartment  8  can be selectively accessed through the pivoting of freezer door  10 . Also provided is a fresh food door  12  which enables access to a fresh food compartment (not shown). As shown, refrigerator  2  constitutes a top-mount style unit. However, as will become fully evident below, the present invention is equally applicable to various types of refrigerators, including side-by-side style units. 
     Arranged within freezer compartment  8  is an ice maker assembly  16 . In a manner known in the art, ice maker assembly  16  includes an ice maker unit  18  and an ice storage bin  20 . Ice maker unit  18  is shown to include a bale arm  26  including a pair of fore-to-aft spaced and generally parallel leg portions  28  and  29  which are interconnected by a cross leg portion  31 . Leg portion  29  is shown to be connected to a switch arm  34 . 
     Ice maker unit  18  also includes an ice mold  37 . In general, this construction, as well as the operation, of ice maker unit  18  is known in the art. Basically, the flow of water is directed to ice mold  37  to fill up various cavities thereof in order to produce ice cubes which are deposited into storage bin  20 . In a typical ice maker arrangement, when the storage bin has collected sufficient number of ice cubes, the stored ice cubes will act on the bale arm to cause the arm to be lifted which, in turn, operates on the switch arm to de-activate the ice maker unit. The bale arm and/or switch arm are preferably biased downward to an ice making position such that, when a sufficient number of ice cubes are removed from storage bin  20 , the ice maker unit will be automatically reactivated. 
     The present invention is particularly directed to the incorporation of sensing member  42  in ice maker assembly  16 . As will be detailed more fully below, sensing member  42  is adjustably connected to and projects from bale arm  26 . Sensing member  42  is adapted to be used to enable a consumer to readily select and change the amount of stored ice within storage bin  20  and is uniquely shaped to allow from about 50%-100% of the maximum capacity of storage bin  20  to be maintained. Furthermore, sensing member  42  is shaped in a manner which allows storage bin  20  to be removed and replaced from within freezer compartment  8  by the consumer without having to manually move bale arm  26  or sensing member  42  out of the way. Reference will now be made to FIGS. 2-8 in describing the preferred construction of sensing member  42 . 
     In general, sensing member  42  includes first, second and third portions  46 - 48 . First portion  46  is defined by a pair of leg elements  52  and  53 , second portion  47  extends from first portion  46  and is defined by a second pair of leg elements  55  and  56  and third portion  48  is defined by a vortex leg portion  58  that interconnects the second pair of leg elements  55  and  56 . In general, each of leg elements  52 ,  53 ,  55 ,  56  and leg portion  58  is defined by a widened plate portion  62 . In addition, the second pair of leg elements  55 ,  56 , as well as vortex leg portion  58 , preferably includes an upstanding peripheral wall  64 . 
     In the most preferred form of the invention, the entire sensing member  42  is molded of plastic, with plate portions  62  generally being in the order of ⅛″ (0.32 cm) thick and 13″-16″ (33-40.6 cm) wide. Of course, these measurements are only presented for the preferred embodiment and can widely vary without departing from the spirit of the invention. As clearly shown, leg elements  55  and  56  project at an acute angle x from leg elements  52  and  53  respectively. In general, leg elements  52  and  53  extend upwardly to some extent from cross leg portion  31  of bale arm  26 , while leg elements  55  and  56  project downwardly at the acute angle from leg elements  52  and  53 . On the other hand, vortex leg portion  58  extends downwardly at an obtuse angle y from leg elements  55  and  56 . Therefore, sensing member  42  includes portions which extend in three intersecting planes. More specifically, the first pair of leg elements  52  and  53  extend in a first plane, the second pair of leg elements  55  and  56  extend in a second plane and vortex leg portion  58  extends in a third plane, with these planes intersecting one another. At this point, it should be noted that, although first and second portions  46  and  47  are formed from respective spaced leg elements  52 ,  53  and  55 ,  56 , it should be noted that these portions  46  and  47  could be interconnected other than through vortex leg portion  58 . Separate leg elements are preferably utilized to minimize material as vortex leg portion  58  is actually adapted to engage the ice cubes within storage bin  20  as will be detailed more fully below. 
     The first pair of leg elements  52  and  53  have associated therewith first and second end connectors  72  and  73  respectively. Each end connector  72 ,  73  has an associated face portion  78 ,  79  and also includes structure for fixing sensing member  42  to bale arm  26 . In the preferred embodiment, this fixing structure takes the form of respective channels  82  and  83  as clearly depicted in these figures. At the inward ends of each channel  82 ,  83 , sensing member  42  is formed with a nub  86  which projects into the respective channel  82 ,  83 . With this arrangement, cross leg portion  31  of bale arm  26  is received within channels  82  and  83 , while leg portions  28  and  29  of bale arm  26  extend along face portion  78  and  79  respectively. Sensing member  42  is attached to bale arm  26  by both the presence of nubs  86  which establish a snap-fitting connection for sensing member  42  to bale arm  26  by minimizing the cross sectional opening associated with channels  82  and  83 , as well as the fact that the distance between face portions  78  and  79 , as compared to the distance between leg portions  28  and  29 , cause leg portions  28  and  29  to be biased against face portions  78  and  79 . The biasing function associated with this overall fixing structure will be further highlighted below. 
     As indicated above, it is desirable to enable easy adjustment of sensing member  42  to establish varying height positions in order to allow from about 50%-100% of the maximum capacity of storage bin  20  to be selectively maintained. To perform this function in accordance with the most preferred embodiment of the invention, face portion  78  is formed with a plurality of detents  90 - 93 . More specifically, projecting from face portion  78  are various arcuately spaced projections  97 - 100 . Detent  90  is defined between projections  97  and  98 , detent  91  is defined between projections  98  and  99  and detent  92  is defined between projections  99  and  100 . In the most preferred embodiment, projections  97  and  100  extend from face portion  78  a distance greater than projections  98  and  99 . For instance, projections  98  and  99  can extend about {fraction (1/16)}″ (0.16 cm) from face portion  78 , while projections  97  and  100  extend about ⅛″ (0.32 cm). 
     With this configuration, leg portion  28  of bale arm  26  can be received in a selected one of detents  90 - 92  in order to establish a desired height for sensing member  42  and, correspondingly, a desired ice level capacity retained within storage bin  20 . FIG. 12 illustrates sensing member  42  in a high capacity position wherein leg portion  28  is arranged between projections  100  and  99 ; FIG. 13 shows sensing member in a 75% capacity position wherein sensing member  42  has been rotated about an axis defined by cross leg portion  31  until leg portion  28  of bale arm  26  extends over projection  99  and is received within detent  91  between projections  98  and  99 . Since face portions  78  and  79  are spaced such that these portions abut leg portions  28  and  29 , it should be realized that leg elements  52  and  53  shift toward one another as leg portion  28  extends over projection  99 . Leg elements  52  and  53  then shift away from each other so that leg portion  28  is received within detent  91 . FIG. 14 shows sensing member  42  in a lower capacity position which is established, in the preferred embodiment, at 50% ice storage for bin  20 . Here, leg portion  28  is received within detent  90  between projections  97  and  98 . 
     In each of the various positions shown in FIGS. 12-14, ice within storage bin  20  can engage vortex leg portion  58  such that, as the ice level builds within storage bin  20 , bale arm  26  can be shifted to cause ice maker unit  18  to cease producing further ice cubes until the level of ice cubes in the storage bin  20  is reduced. When in the maximum capacity position shown in FIG. 12, the lowermost portion of sensing member  42  is substantially at the level of cross leg portion  31  of bale arm  26 . However, at each of the positions shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, vortex leg portion  58  extends below cross leg portion  31 . When in either of these lowered positions, the presence of sensing member  42  would be capable of interfering with the removal of storage bin  20  from freezer compartment  8 . However, given that sensing member  42  converges from end connectors  72  and  73  towards vortex leg portion  58 , the upstanding peripheral wall  64  of leg elements  55  and  56  and vortex leg portion  58  function as a camming surface which cooperates with storage bin  20 . That is, when storage bin  20  is shifted from the recessed position shown in FIG. 1 to the partially withdrawn position shown in FIG. 10, sensing member  42  is cammed upwardly to cause rotation of bale arm  26 . 
     More specifically, in the most preferred embodiment, storage bin  20  includes a bottom  109 , side walls  110  and  111 , a rear comer wall portion  112 , a lower rear wall section  113  and a lower front wall section  114 . As storage bin  20  is shifted out of freezer compartment  8  through the use of front, molded-in handle  115 , lower rear wall section  113  cams along the upstanding peripheral wall  64  of leg element  56  and/or vortex leg portion  58  depending upon the height established for sensing member  42 . Therefore, without manually adjusting sensing member  42 , storage bin  20  can be removed from freezer compartment  8  while causing an automatic rotation of bale arm  26 . A similar action can occur when bale arm  26  is in a lowered condition and storage bin  20  is being inserted into freezer compartment  8  wherein lower rear wall section  113  of storage bin  20  will engage upstanding peripheral wall  64  of leg element  55  and/or vortex leg portion  58 . 
     Although described with respect 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 example, although the invention has been described to provide three varying height positions for the sensing member relative to the bale arm, it should be recognized that additional detents or other indexing structure could be provided to enable further positions. In fact, the frictional engagement between face portion  78  and  79  and leg portions  28  and  29  could be such that a substantially infinite number of positions could be established without departing from the invention. In any case, it should be recognized that the incorporation of sensing member  42  enables a wide range of adjustments in the amount of ice maintained in storage bin  20  and the particular configuration of sensing member  42  adds to the versatility and effectiveness of the overall ice maker assembly  16 . Regardless, when considering the overall invention, the invention should only be limited by the scope of the following claims.