Patent Publication Number: US-2007119203-A1

Title: Methods and apparatus for mounting an ice maker

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims priority to India Patent Application Serial Number 1752/CHE/2005, filed Nov. 30, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates generally to ice makers, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for mounting ice makers within a freezer compartment.  
      Some refrigerator freezers include an ice maker mounted within the freezer compartment. The ice maker includes a mold body having multiple cavities that receive water for ice production. Over time, the water is frozen and ice is formed in the mold body. The ice is deposited into and stored in an ice bucket. Typically a leveling arm senses the level of ice in the ice bucket. Ice is produced until the ice level is at a certain height within the bucket. Typically, the ice maker is mounted against a back wall of the freezer compartment directly above the ice bucket. The ice maker is mounted by brackets that are integral to the ice maker mold body. At least some known ice makers include a secondary bracket that is mounted to the back wall, and the integral brackets are coupled to the secondary bracket. However, increased material and/or labor costs are associated with the use of a secondary bracket.  
      The interaction of the secondary brackets and the integral brackets with the back wall lead to variability in the mounted position of the ice maker. For example, the back wall of the freezer compartment is typically formed by a case foam process. The process may cause uneven or non-planar surfaces for mounting the brackets. Additionally, the brackets may be uneven or non-level when mounted. Such variations may lead to an improper position or angular orientation of the leveling arm with respect to the ice bucket. As a result, the position of the leveling arm with respect to the ice bucket may be varied, leading to too much or too little ice being produced by the ice maker and stored in the ice bucket. Additionally, improper functioning of the ice maker leads to service calls and unhappy customers.  
      To address the above identified problems, installers and/or repair servicemen typically shim the ice maker to level the ice maker with respect to the ice bucket. However, the shimming process is inaccurate and may be temporary. Additionally, installers and/or repair servicemen adjust the position of the feeler arm by physically moving or adjusting the feeler arm. However, such manipulation of the feeler arm may lead to permanent damage to the feeler arm.  
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      In one aspect, an ice maker for a refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a freezer compartment having a top wall, side walls, a back wall, and a door opposite the back wall. The ice maker includes a mold body having at least one cavity for containing water therein for freezing into ice, and a control housing extending from the mold body. The control housing is configured to be coupled to a mounting surface of said freezer compartment, wherein the mounting surface includes at least one of the top wall, the side walls, the back wall, and the door of the freezer compartment.  
      In another aspect, an ice maker for a refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a freezer compartment having a top wall, side walls, a back wall, and a door opposite the back wall. The ice maker includes a mold body having at least one cavity for containing water therein for freezing into ice, an ice removal element operationally coupled to the mold body, and a motor operationally coupled to the ice removal element. A control housing extends from the mold body and houses the motor. An end cover is coupled to the control housing, and the end cover is configured to be mounted to a mounting surface of the freezer compartment, wherein the mounting surface includes at least one of the top wall, one of the side walls, the back wall, and the door of the freezer compartment.  
      In a further aspect, a method of mounting an ice maker within a freezer compartment of a refrigerator is provided. The freezer compartment includes a top wall, side walls, a back wall, and a door opposite the back wall. The method includes providing a mold body having at least one cavity for containing water therein for freezing into ice, providing a control housing, wherein the control housing extends from the mold body, and coupling the control housing to a mounting surface of the freezer compartment, wherein the mounting surface includes at least one of the top wall, one of the side walls, the back wall, and the door of the freezer compartment. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a side-by-side refrigerator.  
       FIG. 2  illustrates a front view of the refrigerator shown in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of an exemplary ice-maker for the refrigerator shown in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the ice maker shown in  FIG. 3 .  
       FIG. 5  illustrates the ice-maker shown in  FIG. 3  mounted within a freezer compartment of the refrigerator shown in  FIG. 1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary refrigerator  100 . While the apparatus is described herein in the context of a specific refrigerator  100 , it is contemplated that the herein described methods and apparatus may be practiced in other types of refrigerators. Therefore, as the benefits of the herein described methods and apparatus accrue generally to ice maker mounting methods and apparatus in a variety of refrigeration appliances and machines, the description herein is for exemplary purposes only and is not intended to limit practice of the invention to a particular refrigeration appliance or machine, such as refrigerator  100 .  
      Refrigerator  100  includes a fresh food storage compartment  102  and freezer storage compartment  104 . Freezer compartment  104  and fresh food compartment  102  are arranged side-by-side, however, the benefits of the herein described methods and apparatus accrue to other configurations such as, for example, top and bottom mount refrigerator-freezers. Refrigerator  100  includes an outer case  106  and inner liners  108  and  110 . A space between case  106  and liners  108  and  110 , and between liners  108  and  110 , is filled with foamed-in-place insulation. Outer case  106  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 side walls of case. A bottom wall of case  106  normally is formed separately and attached to the case side walls and to a bottom frame that provides support for refrigerator  100 . Inner liners  108  and  110  are molded from a suitable plastic material to form freezer compartment  104  and fresh food compartment  102 , respectively. Alternatively, liners  108 ,  110  may be formed by bending and welding a sheet of a suitable metal, such as steel. The illustrative embodiment includes two separate liners  108 ,  110  as it is a relatively large capacity unit and separate liners add strength and are easier to maintain within manufacturing tolerances. In smaller refrigerators, a single liner is formed and a mullion spans between opposite sides of the liner to divide it into a freezer compartment and a fresh food compartment.  
      A breaker strip  112  extends between a case front flange and outer front edges of liners  108  and  110 . Breaker strip  112  is formed from a suitable resilient material, such as an extruded acrylo-butadiene-styrene based material (commonly referred to as ABS).  
      The insulation in the space between liners  108 ,  110  is covered by another strip of suitable resilient material, which also commonly is referred to as a mullion  114 . Mullion  114  also, in one embodiment, is formed of an extruded ABS material. Breaker strip  112  and mullion  114  form a front face, and extend completely around inner peripheral edges of case  106  and vertically between liners  108 ,  110 . Mullion  114 , insulation between compartments, and a spaced wall of liners separating compartments, sometimes are collectively referred to herein as a center mullion wall  116 .  
      In the exemplary embodiment, freezer compartment  104  is defined by a top wall  118 , a bottom wall  120 , a back wall  122 , a first side wall  124 , and a second side wall  126 . Top wall  118 , bottom wall  120 , back wall  122  and first side wall  124  are each formed by inner liner  110 . Second side wall  126  is formed by mullion  114 . Alternatively, second side wall  126  is formed by inner liner  110 . Shelves and baskets are provided in freezer compartment  104  and extend between first and second side walls  124  and  126 , respectively. In addition, a storage bin or ice bucket  128  and an ice maker  130  are provided in freezer compartment  104 . In the exemplary embodiment, ice maker  130  is coupled to first side wall  124  and extends centrally into freezer compartment  104  over storage bin  128 . In alternative embodiments, ice maker  130  is coupled to one of top wall  118 , back wall  122 , second side wall  126 , or a freezer door  132 .  
      Freezer door  132  and a fresh food door  134  close access openings to fresh food and freezer compartments  102 ,  104 , respectively. Each door  132 ,  134  is mounted by a top hinge  136  and a bottom hinge (not shown) to rotate about its outer vertical edge between an open position, as shown in  FIG. 1 , and a closed position (shown in  FIG. 2 ) closing the associated storage compartment. Freezer door  132  includes a plurality of storage shelves  138  and a sealing gasket  140 , and fresh food door  134  also includes a plurality of storage shelves  142  and a sealing gasket  144 .  
       FIG. 2  is a front view of refrigerator  100  with doors  134  and  132  in a closed position. Freezer door  132  includes a through the door dispenser  146 , and a user interface  148 . Dispenser  146  is configured to dispense water supplied from a water source (not shown). Dispenser  146  is also configured to dispense ice produced by ice maker  130  (shown in  FIG. 1 ), such as through an ice chute (not shown) in freezer door  132 . User interface  148  is used to change the dispensing mode between water and ice dispensing.  
       FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of ice maker  130  including a metal mold body  150  with a tray structure having a bottom wall  152 , a front wall  154 , and a back wall  156 . A plurality of partition walls  158  extend transversely across mold body  150  to define cavities in which ice pieces  160  are formed. Each partition wall  158  includes a recessed upper edge portion  162  through which water flows successively through each cavity to fill mold body  150  with water.  
      Ice maker  130  is mounted within freezer compartment  104  to first side wall  124  proximate top wall  118  and back wall  122 . Ice maker  130  extends generally parallel to back wall  122 . In the exemplary embodiment, ice maker  130  is mounted such that an air gap  163  is provided between ice maker  130  and back wall  122  to allow circulation of air between ice maker  130  and back wall  122 . Additionally, in the exemplary embodiment, no portion of ice maker  130  or other structures or components extend between ice maker  130  and back wall  122 . Ice maker  130  is not supported by back wall  122 .  
      A sheathed electrical resistance ice removal heating element or heater  164  is press-fit, staked, and/or clamped into bottom wall  152  of mold body  150  and heats mold body  150  when a harvest cycle is executed to slightly melt ice pieces  160  and release them from the mold cavities. An ice removal element or rotating rake  166  sweeps through mold body  150  as ice is harvested and ejects ice from mold body  150  into storage bin  128 . Cyclical operation of heater  164  and rake  166  are effected by a controller  170  disposed within a control housing  172  at a mounting end  174  of mold body  150 . For example, controller  170  is operatively coupled to a motor  176  for turning or rotating rake  166  during a harvest cycle. Controller  170  is also operatively coupled to heater  164  for heating mold body  150  during a harvest cycle. Additionally, controller  170  is operatively coupled to a water valve (not shown) to automatically provides for refilling mold body  150  with water for ice formation after ice is harvested. The water valve is connected to a water line (not shown) that receives water from a water source (not shown), and delivers water to mold body  150  through an inlet structure (not shown). The water fills successive cavities of mold body  150  with water through recessed upper edge portions  162 .  
      In order to sense a level of ice pieces  160  in storage bin  128 , controller  170  actuates a spring loaded feeler arm  178  for controlling an automatic ice harvest so as to maintain a selected level of ice in storage bin  128 . Feeler arm  178  is automatically raised and lowered during operation of ice maker  130  as ice is formed. Feeler arm  178  is spring biased to a lowered home position that is used to determine initiation of a harvest cycle and raised by a mechanism (not shown) as ice is harvested to clear ice entry into storage bin  128  and to prevent accumulation of ice above feeler arm  178  so that feeler arm  178  does not move ice out of storage bin  128  as feeler arm  178  raises. When ice obstructs feeler arm  178  from reaching its home position, controller  170  discontinues harvesting because storage bin  128  is sufficiently full. As ice is removed from storage bin  128 , feeler arm  178  gradually moves to its home position, thereby indicating a need for more ice and causing controller  170  to initiate formation and harvesting of ice pieces  160 .  
      In another exemplary embodiment, a cam-driven feeler arm (not shown) rotates underneath ice maker  130  and out over storage bin  128  as ice is formed. Feeler arm  178  is spring biased to an outward or home position that is used to initiate an ice harvest cycle, and is rotated inward and underneath ice maker  130  by a cam slide mechanism (not shown) as ice is harvested from ice maker mold body  150  so that the feeler arm does not obstruct ice from entering storage bin  128  and to prevent accumulation of ice above the feeler arm. After ice is harvested, the feeler arm is rotated outward from underneath ice maker  130 , and when ice obstructs the feeler arm and prevents the feeler arm from reaching the home position, controller  170  discontinues harvesting because storage bin  128  is sufficiently full. As ice is removed from storage bin  128 , feeler arm  178  gradually moves to its home position, thereby indicating a need for more ice and causing controller  170  to initiate formation and harvesting of ice pieces  160 .  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of ice maker  130  illustrating mold body  150  and control housing  172 . Mold body  150  includes an open top  180  extending between mounting end  174  and a free end  182  of mold body  150 . Mold body  150  also includes a front face  184  and a rear face  186 . Front face  184  is substantially aligned with storage bin  128  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) when ice maker  130  is mounted within freezer compartment  104  such that ice pieces  160  are dispensed from mold body  150  at front face  184  into storage bin  128 . Rear face  186  faces back wall  122  of freezer compartment  104  (shown in  FIG. 1 ). In one embodiment, brackets  188  extend upward from rear face  186 .  
      Rake  166  extends from control housing  172  along top  180  of mold body  150 . Rake  166  includes individual fingers  190  received within each of the cavities of mold body  150 . In operation, rake  166  is rotated about an axis of rotation or rake axis  192  that extends generally parallel to front face  184  and rear face  186 . As described above, motor  176  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) is housed within control housing  172  and is used for turning or rotating rake  166  about axis of rotation  192 .  
      In the exemplary embodiment, control housing  172  is provided at mounting end  174  of mold body  150 . Control housing  172  includes a housing body  200  and an end cover  202  attached to housing body  200 . Housing body  200  extends between a first end  204  and a second end  206 . First end  204  is secured to mounting end  174  of mold body  150 . Alternatively, housing body  200  and mold body  150  are integrally formed. Housing body  200  houses motor  176  and controller  170  (shown in  FIG. 3 ). End cover  202  is coupled to second end  206  of housing body  200  and closes access to housing body  200 . In an alternative embodiment, end cover  202  is integrally formed with housing body  200 .  
      In the exemplary embodiment, end cover  202  is used for mounting ice maker  130  within freezer compartment  104 . End cover  202  includes a rear end  210 , a forward end  212 , a top end  214 , a bottom end  216 , and an end cover mounting surface  218 . In the exemplary embodiment, end cover  202  includes mounting slots  220  open to rear end  210  and end cover mounting surface  218 . Alternatively, mounting slots  220  are open to top end  214  to facilitate mounting to top wall  118  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) of freezer compartment  104 . Mounting slots  220  are configured to receive a fastening element (not shown) to support ice maker  130  during installation of ice maker  130 . Forward end  212  includes an extension  222  extending beyond an envelope of housing body  200 . Protrusion includes a fastener bore  224  configured to receive a fastener (not shown), such as, for example, a screw, a rivet, a pin or the like during installation of ice maker  130 .  
       FIG. 5  illustrates ice maker  130  mounted within freezer compartment  104  of refrigerator  100 . Ice maker  130  is mounted within freezer compartment  104  to first side wall  124  proximate top wall  118  and back wall  122 . First side wall  124  thus defines a mounting surface for ice maker  130 . Ice maker  130  extends generally parallel to back wall  122  and top wall  118 , and extends perpendicularly outward from first side wall  124 . Specifically, a mold body axis  228  that extends generally across the multiple cavities of mold body  150  extends generally parallel to back wall  122  and top wall  118 . Ice maker  130  is generally forward facing such that front face  184  of mold body  150  is open to or faces the opening of freezer compartment  104 . Additionally, ice maker  130  may be centrally positioned with respect to the front and back of freezer compartment  104 , as ice maker is mounted to first side wall  124  and is not mounted to back wall  122 .  
      During installation or mounting of ice maker  130  within freezer compartment  104 , ice maker  130  is provided. For example, control housing  172  is coupled to mold body  150 . End cover  202  is coupled to housing body  200 . Prior to mounting, fastener elements  230  are secured to first side wall  124  of freezer compartment  104 . In the exemplary embodiment, fastener elements  230  include a grommet secured to first side wall  124  by a screw. During installation, end cover mounting surface  218  is positioned proximate the mounting surface of freezer compartment  104  and a portion of fastener elements  230  are received in mounting slots  220  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) of end cover  202 . For example, mounting slots  220  are aligned with fastener elements  230  and ice maker  130  is slid generally toward back wall  122  of freezer compartment  104 . Fastener elements  230  support ice maker  130  and resist movement of ice maker  130  in a downward direction generally away from top wall  118 . A fastener  232  is then used to secure ice maker  130  in the installed position. Fastener  232  is driven through fastener bore  224  (shown in  FIG. 4 ). Fastener  232  resists movement of ice maker  130  in both a vertical direction, such as in a direction away from top wall  118 , and a horizontal direction, such as in a direction generally away from back wall  122  or in a direction generally away from first side wall  124 .  
      Methods and apparatus for mounting an ice maker are thus provided which mount the ice maker in a cost effective and reliable manner. Manufacturing, assembling, and installation costs are reduced due to a reduced component number and cost. Additionally, the end cover and associated mounting components may be retro-fit to existing ice makers. In addition, reliable and accurate installation is achieved for accurate ice level detection and improved thermal efficiency.  
      Exemplary embodiments of an ice maker are described above in detail. Each ice maker is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but rather each component may be utilized independently and separately from other components described herein. Each component can also be used in combination with other ice makers.  
      While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.