Patent Abstract:
A refrigerator/freezer ice bucket is provided. The ice bucket may include a dispenser interface configured to deliver ice cubes to an ice dispenser upon a request by a user for the ice cubes. The dispenser interface may include a back wall. The ice bucket may further include storage configured to, with the back wall of the dispenser interface, store the ice cubes until the user request. The storage includes a fixed portion and a hinged outer wall. The hinged outer wall is configured to pivot from a position that is parallel to an opposite wall of the fixed portion to a position in which one or more portions of the hinged outer wall are fixed to be slanted upwardly away from the opposite wall of the fixed portion, thereby expanding a capacity of the storage.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field 
         [0002]    The following description relates to a refrigerator/freezer ice bucket. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    A conventional ice bucket for a refrigerator/freezer unit is a plastic bin that is used to store ice cubes. If an icemaker is included in the refrigerator/freezer unit, the ice bucket may be placed underneath the icemaker to collect ice cubes made by the icemaker. The ice cubes made can be preserved in the ice bucket until being retrieved by a user of the refrigerator/freezer unit. 
         [0005]    If an ice dispenser is included in the refrigerator/freezer unit, the ice bucket may be machined to accept an auger provided by the ice dispenser. The auger may force ice cubes stored in the ice bucket to the ice dispenser when the user makes a request for ice cubes via the ice dispenser. A spring hinge or the like can be used by the icemaker to detect a volume of ice cubes within the ice bucket in order to inhibit the icemaker from making more ice cubes than can be contained by the ice bucket. 
         [0006]    The plastic bin serving as the conventional ice bucket for an icemaker and an ice dispenser is machined to accept a certain, nonadjustable volume of ice cubes and an auger to force the ice cubes from the ice bucket to the ice dispenser when a request for ice cubes is made by a user. While the user typically desires a large ice bucket so a large amount of ice cubes can be stored therein, a large ice bucket may have an adverse effect on available space inside the refrigerator/freezer unit for storage of other items. Further, while the user typically desires a large amount of available storage space for other items inside the refrigerator/freezer unit, a smaller ice bucket may be inconvenient for the maintenance of a large amount of ice cubes for occasions such as parties, hosting guests, cooler use during long trips, or the like. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    In one general aspect, a refrigerator/freezer ice bucket may include a dispenser interface configured to deliver ice cubes to an ice dispenser upon a request by a user for the ice cubes. The dispenser interface may include a back wall. The ice bucket may further include storage configured to, with the back wall of the dispenser interface, store the ice cubes until the user request. The storage includes a fixed portion and a hinged outer wall. The hinged outer wall is configured to pivot from a position that is parallel to an opposite wall of the fixed portion to a position in which one or more portions of the hinged outer wall are fixed to be slanted upwardly away from the opposite wall of the fixed portion, thereby expanding a capacity of the storage. 
         [0008]    The hinged outer wall may include a lower adjustable portion hinged to the fixed portion and an upper adjustable portion hinged to the lower adjustable portion. 
         [0009]    The lower adjustable portion may be configured to pivot from a position that is parallel to the opposite wall of the fixed portion to a position that is slanted upwardly away from the opposite wall of the fixed portion. 
         [0010]    The upper adjustable portion may be configured to remain in a position that is parallel to the opposite wall of the fixed portion during a pivoting of the lower adjustable portion. 
         [0011]    The fixed portion may include a bottom floor disposed adjacent to the opposite wall of the fixed portion. One or more portions of the bottom floor may be perpendicular to the opposite wall of the fixed portion. The portions of the hinged outer wall configured to slant upwardly away from the opposite wall of the fixed portion may include a lower adjustable portion hinged to the bottom floor of the fixed portion. The bottom floor may be disposed between the lower adjustable portion and the opposite wall of the fixed portion. 
         [0012]    The hinged outer wall may further include an upper adjustable portion hinged to the lower adjustable portion. The upper adjustable portion may be parallel to the opposite wall of the fixed portion and perpendicular to the portions of the bottom floor that are perpendicular to the opposite wall of the fixed portion. 
         [0013]    The lower adjustable portion may be configured to pivot from a position that is parallel to the opposite wall of the fixed portion and perpendicular to the portions of the bottom floor that are perpendicular to the opposite wall of the fixed portion to a position that is slanted upwardly away from the opposite wall of the fixed portion and the portions of the bottom floor that are perpendicular to the opposite wall of the fixed portion. 
         [0014]    The hinged outer wall may include an upper adjustable portion hinged to the lower adjustable portion. The upper adjustable portion may be parallel to the opposite wall of the fixed portion and perpendicular to the portions of the bottom floor that are perpendicular to the opposite wall of the fixed portion. The upper adjustable portion may be configured to remain parallel to the opposite wall of the fixed portion and perpendicular to the portions of the bottom floor that are perpendicular to the opposite wall of the fixed portion during the pivoting of the lower adjustable portion and a corresponding pivoting of the upper adjustable portion. 
         [0015]    The lower adjustable portion may include a wall portion and a pair of wings disposed on opposite sides of the wall portion. Each of the wings may include a slot. The back wall of the dispenser interface may include a slot facing the storage. The fixed portion may include a slot facing the storage on a wall of the fixed portion that is opposite the back wall of the dispenser interface. The upper adjustable portion may include a plurality of posts. The slots may be configured to respectively receive the posts and allow the posts to move therein, thereby serving to pivot the lower adjustable portion from the position that is parallel to the opposite wall of the fixed portion to the position that is slanted upwardly away from the opposite wall of the fixed portion. 
         [0016]    The lower adjustable portion may include a wall portion and a pair of wings disposed on opposite sides of the wall portion. Each of the wings may include a post. The back wall of the dispenser interface includes a post facing the storage. The fixed portion may include a post facing the storage on a wall of the fixed portion that is opposite the back wall of the dispenser interface. The upper adjustable portion may include a plurality of slots. The slots may be configured to respectively receive the posts and allow the posts to move therein, thereby serving to pivot the lower adjustable portion from the position that is parallel to the opposite wall of the fixed portion to the position that is slanted upwardly away from the opposite wall of the fixed portion. 
         [0017]    In another general aspect, a refrigerator/freezer ice bucket may include a plurality of walls connected to each other. One or more of the walls may be adjustable. One or more of the walls may be fixed. One of the adjustable walls may be configured to pivot from a position that is parallel to a portion of the fixed walls to a position in which the one pivoting adjustable wall is fixed to be slanted upwardly away from the portion of the fixed walls, thereby expanding a capacity of the plurality of walls to store ice cubes. 
         [0018]    One of the fixed walls may include a bottom floor that connects the adjustable walls to the fixed walls. The bottom floor may be perpendicular to the portion of the fixed walls. 
         [0019]    Another one of the pivoting adjustable walls may be configured to pivot while remaining parallel with the portion of the fixed walls. 
         [0020]    Another one of the pivoting adjustable walls may be configured to pivot while remaining parallel with the portion of the fixed walls and perpendicular to the bottom floor. 
         [0021]    The parallel pivoting adjustable walls may include posts configured to fit slots of the slanting pivoting adjustable wall and the fixed walls. 
         [0022]    In another general aspect, a refrigerator/freezer ice bucket may include a dispenser interface configured to deliver ice cubes to an ice dispenser upon a request by a user for the ice cubes. The dispenser interface may include a back wall. The ice bucket may further include storage configured to, with the back wall of the dispenser interface, store the ice cubes until the user request. The storage may include a fixed portion and a hinged outer wall. The fixed portion may be configured, with the back wall of the dispenser interface, to control a capacity of the storage to store the ice cubes by allowing the hinged outer wall to pivot. 
         [0023]    The fixed portion may be further configured, with the back wall of the dispenser interface, to allow the hinged outer wall to pivot to a position in which one or more portions of the hinged outer wall are slanted upwardly away from the fixed portion to increase the capacity of the storage. 
         [0024]    The fixed portion and the back wall of the dispenser interface may include slots through which posts of the hinged outer wall are allowed to move to cause the hinged outer wall to pivot, thereby adjusting the capacity of the storage. 
         [0025]    The capacity of the storage may increase as a distance between the fixed portion and the hinged outer wall increases. 
         [0026]    Other features and aspects may be apparent from the following detailed description, the drawings, and the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0027]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view illustrating an example of a refrigerator/freezer ice bucket installed in a refrigerator/freezer unit. 
           [0028]      FIG. 1B  is a front view illustrating an example of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket installed in the refrigerator/freezer unit. 
           [0029]      FIG. 1C  is a perspective view illustrating an example of a refrigerator/freezer ice bucket installed in a refrigerator/freezer unit in which the storage of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket has been fully expanded. 
           [0030]      FIG. 1D  is a front view illustrating an example of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket installed in the refrigerator/freezer unit in which the storage of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket has been fully expanded. 
           [0031]      FIG. 2  is a front view illustrating an example of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket and its correspondence with an icemaker. 
           [0032]      FIG. 3A  is a perspective view illustrating an example of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket. 
           [0033]    . FIG. 3B  is a side view illustrating an example of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket. 
           [0034]      FIG. 3C  is a front view illustrating an example of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket. 
           [0035]      FIG. 3D  is a rear view illustrating an example of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket. 
           [0036]      FIG. 3E  is a perspective view illustrating an example of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket installed in the icemaker. 
           [0037]      FIG. 4A  is a front perspective view illustrating an example of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket in which the storage of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket is in the midst of being expanded. 
           [0038]      FIG. 4B  is a rear perspective view illustrating an example of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket in which the storage of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket is in the midst of being expanded. 
           [0039]      FIG. 4C  is a front view illustrating an example of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket in which the storage of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket is in the midst of being expanded. 
           [0040]      FIG. 4D  is a rear view illustrating an example of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket in which the storage of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket is in the midst of being expanded. 
           [0041]      FIG. 4E  is a perspective view illustrating an example of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket installed in the icemaker in which the storage of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket is in the midst of being expanded. 
           [0042]      FIG. 5A  is a front perspective view illustrating an example of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket in which the storage of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket has been fully expanded. 
           [0043]      FIG. 5B  is a rear perspective view illustrating an example of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket in which the storage of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket has been fully expanded. 
           [0044]      FIG. 5C  is a front view illustrating an example of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket in which the storage of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket has been fully expanded. 
           [0045]      FIG. 5D  is a rear view illustrating an example of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket in which the storage of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket has been fully expanded. 
           [0046]      FIG. 5E  is a rear elevated view illustrating an example of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket in which the storage of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket has been fully expanded. 
       
    
    
       [0047]    Throughout the drawings and the detailed description, unless otherwise described, the same drawing reference numerals will be understood to refer to the same elements, features, and structures. The relative size and depiction of these elements may be exaggerated for clarity, illustration, and convenience. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0048]    Examples incorporating one or more aspects of the present invention are described and illustrated in the drawings. These illustrated examples are not intended to be limiting. For example, one or more aspects of the present invention may be utilized in other embodiments and even other types of devices. 
         [0049]    Examples of the present invention may be applicable to a variety of buckets, drawers, and/or compartments in which expandable storage may be desired, such as, but not limited to, those storing vegetables, meats, fruits, deli items, or any other buckets, drawers, or compartments known by one having ordinary skill in the art to be applicable. 
         [0050]    For purposes of the following descriptions and illustrations, a refrigerator/freezer unit is an electrically cooled compartment or a plurality of electrically cooled compartments combined into a single unit, where one or more of the cooled compartments has the ability to transform water from a liquid state to a solid (frozen) state and maintain the water in the solid (frozen) state by exposing the water to temperatures below a freezing point of water for an indeterminate period of time. 
         [0051]      FIGS. 1A-1D  are views illustrating an example of an ice bucket  100  in varied states of expansion installed in refrigerator/freezer unit  200 .  FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate the ice bucket  100  in a normal state.  FIGS. 1C and 1D  illustrated the ice bucket  100  fully expanded.  FIG. 2  is a front view illustrating an example of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket  100  and its correspondence with an icemaker  300 .  FIGS. 3A-5E  are views illustrating various examples of the refrigerator/freezer ice bucket  100 .  FIGS. 3A-3E  illustrate examples in which the storage in the ice bucket  100  has not been expanded.  FIGS. 4A-4E  illustrate examples in which the storage in the ice bucket  100  is in the midst of being expanded.  FIGS. 5A-5E  illustrate examples in which the storage in the ice bucket  100  has been fully expanded. 
         [0052]    Referring to the examples illustrated in  FIGS. 1A-5E , the ice bucket  100  is installed in the icemaker  300  of the refrigerator/freezer unit  200  and may include a dispenser interface  10  and storage  20 . The storage  20  may include a fixed portion  30  and an outer wall  60 . The outer wall  60  may include a lower adjustable portion  40  and an upper adjustable portion  50 . 
         [0053]    The icemaker  300  may be mounted in the refrigerator/freezer unit  200  in a location that can accommodate an expansion of the outer wall  60  of the ice bucket  100 . The icemaker  300  may include a cavity  301  formed to slidably accept and hold the ice bucket  100  therein so that ice cubes made by the icemaker  300  can be delivered to the storage  20  of the ice bucket  100 . The outer wall  60  and a small area of the fixed portion  30  of the ice bucket  100  is substantially planar with a side of the icemaker  300  when the storage  20  is in a position of non 
         [0054]    A bottom portion  11  of the dispenser interface  10  can mate with an upper portion of an ice dispenser (not shown) located on a door (not shown) of the refrigerator/freezer unit  200  such that, when ice cubes are requested by a user, ice cubes can be pulled from the storage  20  of the ice bucket  100  by an auger  70 . The auger  70  can pull the ice cubes through a front hole  31  in a front wall  32  of the fixed portion  30 . The ice cubes that are pulled through the front hole  31  in the front wall  32  of the fixed portion enter a cavity (not shown) in the dispenser interface  10 . The cavity of the dispenser interface  10  connects with the bottom portion  11  of the dispenser interface  10 , through which ice cubes are provided to the ice dispenser for delivery to the user. 
         [0055]    The back wall  13  of the dispenser interface  10  may partially define a boundary of the storage  20 . The back wall  13  of the dispenser interface  10  may also include a curved slot  14 . The curved slot  14  may accept a front upper post  51  on a front winged part  57  of the upper adjustable portion  50  of the outer wall  60  and define a path in which the front upper post  51  can be moved. 
         [0056]    The fixed portion  30  of the storage  20  may be defined by two parallel opposing walls disposed at a front  32  and a back  33  of the ice bucket  100 , a long wall  34  disposed perpendicularly to the front wall  32  and the back wall  33 , and a bottom floor  37  connecting the front wall  32 , the back wall  33 , and the long wall  34 . The bottom floor  37  may include one or more portions that are perpendicular to the front wall  32 , the back wall  33 , the long wall  34 , and one or more portions of the outer wall  60  including the upper adjustable portion  50 . 
         [0057]    The long wall  34  may connect the front wall  32  and the back wall  33  at perpendicular angles. The front wall  32  may have an elevation that is less than an elevation of the back wall  33 . The front wall  32  may be disposed underneath and forward of the black wall  13  of the dispenser interface  10 . The fixed portion  30  may not have a wall that is disposed opposite the long wall  34  at an opposite side of the bottom floor  37  from the long wall  34 . As such, the outer wall  60  may be disposed opposite the long wall  34  at the opposite side of the bottom floor  37  from the long wall  34 . The front wall  32  of the fixed portion  30  may include the front hole  31  through which the auger  70  pulls ice cubes. 
         [0058]    On an outer portion  131  of the long wall  34 , the bucket  100  may include a guide  130 . The guide  130  may be implemented as a ridge or a hook that extends horizontally along a substantially central portion of the outer portion  131  of the long wall  34 . The guide  130  can mate with a corresponding surface of the icemaker  300  to enable proper securing of the bucket  100  to the icemaker  300 . The guide  130  may also provide rigidity to the long wall  34  to enable the bucket  100  to withstand torque inflicted on the bucket  100  by operation of the auger  70 . As a result, the bucket  100  may be inhibited from warping of the bucket  100  that can be caused by repeated operation of the auger  70 . 
         [0059]    A lower portion of the back wall  33  of the fixed portion  30  may include a back hole  35  through which an end of the auger  70  protrudes to be engaged with a shaft  305  of an auger motor (not shown) of the icemaker  300 . The shaft  305  operates the movement of the auger  70  to enable ice cubes to be pulled through the front hole  31  and delivered from the dispenser interface  10  to the ice dispenser (not shown). 
         [0060]    A portion of the back wall  33  of the fixed portion  30  may include a small hole  39 . This small hole  39  may accept protrusions  303  on a back wall  304  of the icemaker  300 . The small hole  39  is configured to secure the bucket  100  to the icemaker  300  via the protrusions  303 . As a result, the bucket  100  may be inhibited from moving forward during operation of the auger  70  and warping that can be caused by torque being repeatedly applied to the bucket  100  because of operation of the auger  70 . 
         [0061]    An upper portion of the back wall  33  of the fixed portion  30  may include a curved slot  36  formed opposite the curved slot  14  of the back wall  13  of the dispenser interface  10 . The curved slot  36  may have an elevation on the back wall  33  of the fixed portion  30  that is less than an elevation of the curved slot  14  on the back wall  13  of the dispenser interface  10 . The curved slot  36  may have a shape that corresponds with a shape of the curved slot  14 . 
         [0062]    The curved slot  36  can accept a rear upper post  52  of a rear winged part  58  of the upper adjustable portion  50  and define a path in which the rear upper post  52  can be moved. The rear upper post  52  may have an elevation on the upper adjustable portion  50  that is less than an elevation of the front upper post  51  on the upper adjustable portion  50 . The elevations of the rear upper post  52  and the front upper post  51  may respectively correspond with the elevations of the curved slot  36  on the back wall  13  of the fixed portion and the curved slot  14  on the back wall  13  of the dispenser interface  10 . The movement of the rear upper post  52  in the curved slot  36  may mirror the movement of the front upper post  31  in the curved slot  14 . The rear upper post  52  may face in a direction that is opposite a direction that the front upper post faces. The front upper post  51  and the rear upper post  52  may both face away from a center of the ice bucket  100 . 
         [0063]    The bottom floor  37  of the fixed portion  30  may have a plurality of hinge post acceptors  38  disposed at the opposite side of the bottom floor  37  from the long wall  34 . The lower adjustable portion  40  of the outer wall  60  can connect to the fixed portion  30  by way of a plurality of hinge posts  41  disposed on a lower edge  48  of the lower adjustable portion  40 . The hinge posts  41  may correspondingly mate with the hinge post acceptors  38  of the bottom floor  37  to allow the lower adjustable portion  40  to move while being connected to the bottom floor  37 . 
         [0064]    The orientation of the hinge between the fixed portion  30  and the lower adjustable portion  40  is not limited to the example above. For example, the bottom portion  37  of the fixed portion  30  can have a plurality of hinge posts disposed at the opposite side of the bottom floor  37  from the long wall  34 . Further, the lower adjustable portion  40  of the outer wall  60  can connect to the fixed portion  30  by way of a plurality of hinge post acceptors disposed on the lower edge  48  of the lower adjustable portion  40 . The hinge post acceptors can correspondingly mate with the hinge posts of the bottom floor  37  to allow the lower adjustable portion  40  to move while being connected to the bottom floor  37 . 
         [0065]    A front winged part  42  of the lower adjustable portion  40  may have a front curved slot  43 . An upper rear winged part  44  of the lower adjustable portion  40  may have a rear curved slot  45 . The front curved slot  43  on the front winged part  42  may be disposed opposite the rear curved slot  45  on the upper rear winged part  44 . The front curved slot  43  may have an elevation that is the same as an elevation of the rear curved slot  45 . The front curved slot  43  may have a shape that corresponds with a shape of the rear curved slot  45 . 
         [0066]    The upper adjustable portion  50  may include a front lower post  53  and a rear lower post  54  respectively disposed on the front winged part  57  and the rear winged part  58 . The front curved slot  43  and the rear curved slot  45  can respectively accept the front lower post  53  and the rear lower post  54  of the upper adjustable portion  50  and define paths in which the front lower post  53  and the rear lower post  54  can be moved. The front lower post  53  may have an elevation on the upper adjustable portion  50  that is the same as an elevation of the rear lower post  54  on the upper adjustable portion  50 . The movement of the front lower post  53  in the front curved slot  43  may mirror the movement of the rear lower post  54  in the rear curved slot  45 . The front lower post  53  may face in a direction that is opposite a direction that the rear lower post  54  faces. The front lower post  53  and the rear lower post  54  may both face toward a center of the ice bucket  100 . 
         [0067]    An upper edge  46  of the lower adjustable portion  40  may have a plurality of hinge post acceptors  47 . The hinge post acceptors  47  of the upper edge  46  may be disposed at an opposite side of the lower adjustable portion  40  from the hinge posts  41  disposed on the lower edge  48  of the lower adjustable portion  40 . The upper adjustable portion  50  may connect to the lower adjustable portion by way of a plurality of hinge posts  55  disposed on a lower edge  59  of the upper adjustable portion  50 . The hinge posts  55  correspondingly mate with the hinge post acceptors  47  to allow the lower adjustable portion  40  to move while being connected to the upper adjustable portion  50 . 
         [0068]    The orientation of the hinge between the lower adjustable portion  40  and the upper adjustable portion  50  is not limited to the example above. For example, an upper edge  46  of the lower adjustable portion  40  can have a plurality of hinge posts. The hinge posts of the upper edge  46  can be disposed at an opposite side of the lower adjustable portion  40  from the hinge posts  41  disposed on the lower edge  48  of the lower adjustable portion  40 . The upper adjustable portion  50  can connect to the lower adjustable portion by way of a plurality of hinge post acceptors disposed on a lower edge  59  of the upper adjustable portion  50 . The hinge post acceptors can correspondingly mate with the hinge posts to allow the lower adjustable portion  40  to move while being connected to the upper adjustable portion  50 . 
         [0069]    The slots  14 ,  36 ,  43   45  respectively serve to guide the posts  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  of the upper adjustable portion  50  along a specific course. The slots  14 ,  36 ,  43 ,  45  may be oriented to provide the posts  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  with room to move along the specific course. In addition, the slots  13 ,  36 ,  43 ,  45  may be oriented to inhibit any movement by the posts  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  that would serve to adjust a parallel relationship between the upper adjustable portion  50  and the long wall  34  of the fixed portion  30 . In other words, while the upper adjustable portion  50  may be pivoted through interaction with the slots  13 ,  36 ,  43 ,  45  and the posts  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  to allow an angular relationship with the lower adjustable portion  40  to change, the slots  13 ,  36 ,  43 ,  45  and the posts  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  may be oriented such that a parallel relationship between the upper adjustable portion  50  and the long wall  34  of the fixed portion  30  never changes. Further, a plane in which the upper adjustable portion  50  resides may remain parallel to a plane in which the long wall  34  resides during any movement of the upper adjustable portion  50  and the lower adjustable portion. Moreover, any movement of the upper adjustable portion  50  and the lower adjustable portion  40  may alter angles between the lower adjustable portion  40  and both the upper adjustable portion  50  and the bottom floor  37 . 
         [0070]    The upper adjustable portion  50  may have a notch  56  that enables a user of the refrigerator/freezer unit  200  to expand the ice bucket  100  by grabbing the upper adjustable portion  50  around the notch  56  and subsequently pulling the upper adjustable portion  50  via the notch  56  in a direction away from the long wall  34 . When the ice bucket  100  is in a state of non-expansion and a user wishes to move the ice bucket to a state of full expansion, the user may pull the grabbed upper adjustable portion  50  in the direction away from the long wall  34 . This pulling may serve to initiate movement of each of the posts  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  with respect to each of the slots  14 ,  36 ,  43 ,  45  until the posts  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  are at a respective position in the slots  14 ,  36 ,  43 ,  45  that is at an opposite end of slots  14 ,  36 ,  43 ,  45  from which the posts  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  began movement. In other words, the user&#39;s initiation of movement of the posts  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  with respect to each of the slots  14 ,  36 ,  43 ,  45  by pulling may bring the ice bucket  100  to a state of full expansion from the state of non-expansion. 
         [0071]    When a user wishes to move the ice bucket  100  from the state of full expansion back to the state of non-expansion, a used can grab the upper adjustable portion  50  around the notch  56  and subsequently push the upper adjustable portion  50  in a direction toward the long wall  34 . This pushing may serve to initiate movement of each of the posts  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  with respect to each of the slots  14 ,  36 ,  43 ,  45  until the posts  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  are at a respective position in the slots  14 ,  36 ,  43 ,  45  that is at an opposite of the slots  14 ,  36 ,  43 ,  45  from which the posts  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  began movement. In other words, the user&#39;s initiation of movement of the posts  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  with respect to each of the slots  14 ,  36 ,  43 ,  45  by pushing may bring the ice bucket  100  from the state of full expansion to the state of non-expansion. 
         [0072]    It should be noted that, when ice buckets are actively being stored by an ice bucket  100  in the state of full expansion, depending on a volume and weight of ice cubes being stored in the ice bucket  100 , the user may be inhibited from pushing the ice bucket  100  to the state of non-expansion. A volume and weight of ice cubes in the ice bucket  100  at a time in which the ice bucket  100  is in a state of non-expansion may serve to facilitate the expansion of the ice bucket  100  when the notch  56  is used to pull the upper adjustable portion  50  in the direction away from the long wall  34 . 
         [0073]    When the ice bucket  100  is in the state of non-expansion, the lower adjustable portion  40  may be at its highest elevation. When the ice bucket  100  is in the state of full expansion, the lower adjustable portion  40  may be at its lowest elevation. 
         [0074]    When the ice bucket  100  is in the state of non-expansion, a plane in which the lower adjustable portion  40  resides may be parallel to the plane in which the long wall  34  resides. When the ice bucket  100  is in the state of full expansion, a plane in which the lower adjustable portion  40  resides may not be parallel to the plane in which the long wall  34  resides. 
         [0075]    When the ice bucket  100  is in the state of non-expansion, the posts  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  may be at their highest elevation. When the ice bucket  100  is in the state of full expansion, the posts  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  may be at their lowest elevation. 
         [0076]    When the ice bucket  100  is in the state of non-expansion, the front upper post  51  and the rear upper post  52  may be at their closest to the long wall  34 , and the front lower post  53  and the rear lower post  54  may be at their farthest from the long wall  34 . When the ice bucket  100  is in the state of full expansion, the front upper post  51  and the rear upper post  52  may be at their farthest from the long wall  34 , and the front lower post  53  and rear lower post  54  may be at their closest to the long wall  34 . 
         [0077]    The orientation of the slots and posts of the ice bucket  100  is not limited to the examples described above. For example, the posts  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  of the upper adjustable portion  50  can be replaced with slots depending on an expanded size of the front winged part  57  and the rear winged part  58 . Correspondingly, slots  13 ,  36 ,  43 , and  45  can be replaced with posts that can be received by the slots provided in the expanded front winged part  57  and the expanded rear winged part  58 . 
         [0078]    In addition, various prongs, posts, clips, receptacles, and similar mechanisms known to one having ordinary skill in the art may be implemented on the lower adjustable portion  40  and/or the upper adjustable portion  50  so that the ice bucket  100  may be placed in a state of partial expansion. Moreover, various prongs, posts, clips, receptacles, and similar mechanisms known to one having ordinary skill in the art may be implemented on the lower adjustable portion  40  and/or the upper adjustable portion  50  so that the ice bucket  100  may be locked in the state of non-expansion, the state of partial expansion, or the state of full expansion. 
         [0079]    A number of examples have been described above. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the described elements are combined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented by other elements or their equivalents. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5