Patent ID: 8336325

Claim:
An ice dispenser for a refrigerator, comprising: a flap unit which is arranged in an ice dispenser shaft and which can be adjusted between a release position which releases the ice dispenser shaft for dispensing ice and a locking position which blocks the ice dispenser shaft against dispensing ice; an actuating magnet arrangement for actuating the flap unit, the actuating magnet arrangement being controlled by pulse control means wherein a first control pulse causes the flap unit to move from the release position toward the locking position and a subsequent second control pulse causes the flap unit to move from the locking position toward a release position; and a mechanical retention device for releasably retaining the flap unit in the locking position following termination of the first control pulse and for releasably retaining the flap unit in the release position following termination of the second control pulse, wherein the actuating magnet is not supplied with electrical power to retain the flap unit in either the locking position or the release position; and wherein the actuating magnet arrangement is constructed so as to have a single action, and wherein the mechanical retention device comprises a guide track member for a retention finger which is movably guided on the guide track member and which, in the event of successive control pulses for the actuating magnet arrangement, alternately moves towards two rest positions which are on the guide track member, each rest position corresponds to one of two rest positions of the flap unit.