Patent Abstract:
An icemaker system provided in a refrigerator is designed to reduce an amount of time required to produce ice. The refrigerator includes a refrigeration system including a number of refrigeration components and a refrigeration loop. The refrigeration loop includes an icemaker section that carries a flow of refrigerant to an ice mold portion of the icemaker system and a bypass section that isolates the icemaker system from the flow of refrigerant. A control system automatically activates the icemaker system regardless of a need for cooling. That is, upon sensing a demand for ice, the control system opens a valve to cause refrigerant to flow through the icemaker section and activates the refrigeration components to speed ice production whether or not additional cooling is required in fresh food and/or freezer compartments.

Full 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 an icemaker system for in a refrigerator.  
         [0003]     2. Discussion of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     Whether it be to ensure an adequate amount of ice for a party or keep up with daily demand, there is always a need to decrease ice production time. In the art of refrigerated appliances, it is known to employ fans or other similar devices to decrease an amount of time required to produce ice. Typically, the fan is oriented to direct air from an evaporator portion of the refrigerator across an ice mold. The flow of air disturbs a thermal barrier that is present at the ice mold increasing temperature transfer rates and, as a consequence, decreasing ice production time.  
         [0005]     While the above arrangements utilize fans to blow evaporator air across the ice mold, other arrangements directly expose the ice mold to the evaporator. 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 effective, the above described systems typically rely on a cooling demand signal. That is, regardless of the need for ice, the above described systems only function when either the fresh food or freezer compartments require 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 a system to reduce ice production time in a refrigerator. More specifically, there exists a need for a system that can, upon demand, decrease ice production time regardless of a need for cooling in the refrigerator.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention is directed to a refrigerator including a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment, a refrigeration system and an icemaker. In accordance with the invention, the refrigeration system includes a plurality of refrigeration components which operate synergistically to establish and maintain desired temperatures in the refrigerator. The refrigeration components include at least a preferably variable speed compressor, a condenser and a condenser fan. In addition, the refrigeration system includes a refrigeration loop that carries a flow of refrigerant to the plurality of refrigeration components. The refrigerator also includes various sensors that monitor temperature conditions within the fresh food and freezer compartments, as well as a level of ice in, for example, an ice storage bin portion the icemaker.  
         [0008]     In further accordance with the invention, a portion of the refrigeration loop passes through the icemaker. More specifically, the refrigeration loop includes an ice maker section that passes through an ice mold portion of the icemaker. In this manner, the flow of refrigerant passing through the refrigeration loop supplies additional cooling to speed the production of ice. In still further accordance with the invention, the refrigeration loop includes a diverter valve and an icemaker bypass. The diverter valve is selectively closed to divert the flow of refrigerant away from the icemaker section and into the icemaker bypass during periods of low or no ice demand.  
         [0009]     In accordance with the most preferred form of the invention, the refrigerator includes a controller that is operatively coupled to each of the refrigeration system and the icemaker. The controller, upon sensing a need for an ice production cycle, activates the refrigeration system regardless of a need for cooling in the fresh food and/or freezer compartments.  
         [0010]     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  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a partial perspective view of a bottom-mount refrigerator incorporating an icemaker system constructed in accordance with the present invention; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a schematic representation of the icemaker coupled to a refrigeration system of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0013]     With initial reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a refrigerator constructed in accordance with the present invention is generally indicated at  2 . As shown, refrigerator  2  includes a cabinet shell  6  provided with an upper fresh food compartment door  10  which is adapted to close off an upper fresh food compartment  12 . As known in the art, fresh food door  10  is adapted to pivot about a vertical axis defined by upper and lower hinges (not shown). Within cabinet shell  6  is also defined a freezer compartment, generally indicated at  15 , which is defined by a liner  18 . Although not shown, freezer compartment  15  is adapted to be closed off by means of a door. With this general construction, refrigerator  2  defines a bottom mount style unit. As known in the art, the door associated with freezer compartment  15  can either be mounted for a pivotable movement about a vertical axis similar to fresh food door  10 , or mounted upon slide assemblies which permit linear shifting of the freezer door relative to cabinet shell  6 .  
         [0014]     Mounted within freezer compartment  15  is a drawer that preferably takes the form of a basket  40 . As shown, basket  40  generally has a meshed wire construction. However, as will become fully evident upon reading the remainder of this description, the drawer can take various forms in accordance with the overall invention. At this point, it is simply important to note that basket  40  can be selectively shifted into and out of freezer compartment  15 . Although not depicted in this figure, there may be one or more additional baskets within freezer compartment  15  that provide additional storage for food items.  
         [0015]     Also shown mounted in freezer compartment  15  is an icemaker  50 . Ice maker  50  is fixed against liner  18  at brackets  53  and  54  and includes an ice mold  55  and a bail arm  56 . In the embodiment shown, an ice storage bin  58  is positioned below icemaker  50  so as to receive and retain a quantity of ice produced by icemaker  50  for use by a consumer(s). In a manner widely known in the art, bail arm  56  is adapted to be raised and lowered based on a level of ice present in ice storage bin  58 . Actually, bail arm  56  acts as a sensor that determines when the quantity of ice in ice storage bin  58  falls below a predetermined level in order to signal the need for a new ice production cycle. At this point it should be understood that, while shown mounted in freezer compartment  15 , icemaker  50  could also be located in fresh food compartment  12  in a specialty or icemaker compartment shown schematically at  70  in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0016]     Refrigerator  2  includes a control system  80  that selectively activates a refrigeration system  90  to establish and maintain a selected temperature in fresh food compartment  12  and freezer compartment  15 . Towards that end, if a demand for cooling is sensed, such as by a fresh food compartment sensor  93  located in fresh food compartment  12  and/or a freezer compartment sensor  94  located in freezer compartment  15 , refrigeration system  80  is activated to ensure that refrigerator  2  is maintained at the selected temperature(s). In order to satisfy the demand for cooling, refrigeration system  90  includes a plurality of refrigeration components. In accordance with the invention as represented best in  FIG. 2 , the refrigeration components include a compressor  100 , a condenser  104  and a condenser fan  106  which are preferably arranged in a mechanical zone  110  of refrigerator  2 . In addition, arranged at or near freezer compartment  15  is an evaporator  116  having an associated evaporator fan  118 . The refrigeration components and, more specifically, the compressor  100 , condenser  104  and evaporator  116  are interconnected by a refrigeration loop  130  which carries a flow of refrigerant. In order to optimize the cooling capabilities of refrigeration system  90 , an expansion valve  141  is arranged in refrigeration loop  130  between evaporator  116  and condenser  104 .  
         [0017]     In a manner known in the art, compressor  100  establishes or creates a flow of compressed refrigerant which is guided towards evaporator  116 . Evaporator fan  118  establishes an airflow across evaporator  116  which is cooled by the compressed refrigerant. The cooled airflow passes into freezer compartment  15  to establish and maintain the selected temperature therein. After passing through evaporator  116 , the now warm flow of refrigerant passes into condenser  104 . Condenser fan  106  creates an airflow across condenser  104  to dissipate heat carried by the flow of refrigerant. At this point, the refrigerant re-enters compressor  100  to start the cycle anew.  
         [0018]     In accordance with the invention, refrigeration loop  130  includes an icemaker section  161  that passes through icemaker  50 . Preferably, icemaker section  161  extends directly adjacent to or is integrally formed into ice mold  55 . In any case, icemaker section  161  guides compressed or cold refrigerant about ice mold  55  in order to speed the formation of ice crystals in icemaker  50 . In further accordance with the invention, refrigeration loop  130  includes an icemaker bypass section  170  that selectively isolates icemaker section  161  from refrigeration loop  130 . More specifically, a valve  174 , operatively connected to control system  80 , is positioned downstream of icemaker bypass portion  170  in icemaker section  161 . Valve  174  is shiftable between an open position allowing refrigerant to pass into icemaker section  161  and through ice mold  55  and a closed position causing all of the flow of refrigerant to pass through icemaker bypass section  170 . With this arrangement, refrigerant passes through icemaker section  161  only during an ice production cycle and control system  80  can optimize the flow of refrigerant in refrigeration system  90 . In order further optimize or provide additional efficiency gains in refrigeration system  90 , a second expansion valve  176  is preferably arranged between icemaker section  161  and evaporator  116 .  
         [0019]     In accordance with the most preferred form of the present invention, when the quantity of ice falls below a predetermined level in ice storage bin  58 , control system  80  initiates an ice production cycle which, regardless of a need for cooling in fresh food compartment  12  or freezer compartment  15 , activates refrigeration system  90 . Once activated, valve  174  opens, thereby allowing the flow of refrigerant to pass into icemaker section  161  and circulate about ice mold  55  to provide additional cooling to facilitate the production of ice crystals. This additional cooling is particularly necessary if icemaker  50  is located within fresh food compartment  12 . Further enhancement in ice production is achieved by the inclusion of a fan  183  used to direct a cooling airflow onto ice mold  55 .  
         [0020]     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, compressor  100  is constituted by a variable speed compressor. By incorporating a variable speed compressor into refrigeration system  90 , the flow of refrigerant through refrigeration loop  130  can be optimized. More specifically, during periods of no ice production or no need for an ice production cycle, compressor  100  can operate at a low speed. Likewise, during periods when only cooling is needed in fresh food compartment  12  or freezer compartment  15 , variable speed compressor  100  can be operated at a low speed. However, in the event that fresh food compartment  12  and/or freezer compartment  15  require cooling and an ice production cycle is needed, variable speed compressor  100  can be operated at a full speed to ensure the optimal flow of refrigerant through refrigeration loop  130 .  
         [0021]     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, control system  80  can selectively activate a harvest heater  190  in order to slow the formation of ice crystals in ice mold  55 . That is, a consumer can select a clear ice mode for icemaker  50  through user controls  200  which preferably constitute a combination input panel/display unit located within cabinet  6  or on fresh food compartment door  10 . The clear ice mode actually slows the production of ice, thereby allowing air trapped in the ice mold to escape forming substantially, perfectly clear ice cubes.  
         [0022]     Based on the above, it should be understood that the icemaker system of the present invention provides an efficient mechanism for reducing ice production time in a refrigerator. More specifically, the present invention, in addition to speeding ice production time in an icemaker provided in a freezer compartment of the refrigerator, will foster faster ice production in an icemaker compartment located in a fresh food compartment of the refrigerator. That is, by directing refrigerant directly through the ice mold, the icemaker will rapidly form ice crystals despite the lower temperatures in the fresh food compartment. Therefore, while shown in connection with a bottom mount refrigerator, the icemaker system of the present invention could also be employed in top mount, side-by-side, French door or the like models.  
         [0023]     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, although the rapid ice mode is preferably, automatically established based on the position of bail arm  56 , a user could also establish the rapid ice mode through user control  200 . This feature could be extremely beneficial in connection with a party or other gathering when the user knows that an abundance of ice will be needed in a relatively short period of time. In general, the invention is only intended to be limited by the scope of the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5