Patent ID: 7942016

Claim:
A refrigerator, comprising: a refrigerator cabinet having at least one door; an ice dispenser operatively connected to one of the at least one door having an opening for dispensing ice; an ice storage receptacle for storing ice disposed within the refrigerator cabinet; an ice crusher; an ice transfer mechanism for moving ice from the ice storage receptacle to the ice crusher; an ice chute for conveying ice from the ice crusher to the ice dispenser; an intrusion barrier positioned within the ice chute to assist in preventing objects entering the ice chute through the ice dispenser from reaching the ice crusher without stopping ice flow through the ice chute; wherein the intrusion barrier comprises a wheel; the wheel is a paddle wheel comprising an outer rim and a plurality of paddle blades operatively connected to the outer rim to assist in preventing intrusions in the ice chute; and a second intrusion barrier positioned outside of the ice chute to assist in preventing external intrusions into the ice chute.