Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/877,657 filed Dec. 29, 2006 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Forming Asymmetrical Ice Cubes.” 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention pertains to the art of refrigerators and, more particularly, to a refrigerator door mounted icemaker that produces asymmetrical ice cubes. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Incorporating an automatic icemaker into a refrigerator is well known in the art. In most cases, the icemaker is mounted in a freezer compartment portion of the refrigerator. The icemaker is supplied with water and produces ice, in a mold, as required by a user. Most icemakers are provided with a sensor, e.g., a bail arm or the like, that detects an amount of ice in an ice cube storage bin. When the amount of ice falls below a predetermined level, the icemaker is filled with water and an ice production cycle is initiated. At the end of the ice production cycle, a motor shifts a plurality of lifting fingers to release recently formed ice cubes into the ice cube storage bin. In some cases, the icemaker includes a heater that is selectively activated to aid in releasing the ice cubes. 
   In addition to dispensing ice into an ice storage bin, many refrigerators are provided with a door mounted dispenser that enables a user to retrieve ice, and often times water, without having to access a refrigerated compartment. Typically, a chute extends between the icemaker and the dispenser to guide ice cubes from the ice cube storage bin to the user. In some cases, the icemaker includes an ice crusher that delivers crushed ice on demand. However, as the door must move between open and closed positions, the chute must register with the icemaker each time the door is closed. In addition, a position or interlock switch is required to ensure that the chute is properly positioned before enabling the dispenser to deliver ice to the user. 
   In the highly competitive field of home appliances, eliminating parts and material, even small parts and small amounts of material, can result in a significant cost savings. Thus, several manufactures have turned to mounting the icemaker to the freezer door. This arrangement not only simplifies the transfer if ice cubes from the ice cube storage bin to the dispenser, but also eliminates any need for interlock switches. Unfortunately, most existing icemakers have a wide footprint which, when mounted to a door, not only requires that the ice cube storage bin be of a certain size, but also requires modifications to shelving in the freezer compartment. The modifications to the shelving undesirably reduce storage space in the refrigerator. 
   Based on the above, there exists a need for a door mounted icemaker having a narrow footprint so as to be accommodated on a freezer compartment door without significantly reducing, and preferably without even modifying, existing freezer storage capacity. Moreover, there exists a need for an icemaker having a narrow footprint that will produce ice cubes having a volume substantially corresponding to current configurations. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to a refrigerator including a cabinet having at least one refrigerated compartment. The refrigerator includes a refrigeration system for lowering a temperature of the at least one refrigerated compartment to below freezing temperatures and a door mounted for movement relative to the cabinet for selectively providing access to the at least one refrigerated compartment. The refrigerator includes an automatic icemaker in the refrigerated compartment, with the icemaker being preferably supported on the door. In accordance with the invention, the icemaker includes an ice mold configured to produce truncated, crescent-shaped ice cubes. With this arrangement, the icemaker presents a much narrower footprint and produces smaller ice cubes. However, the particular shape of the ice cubes provides for a volume that is only marginally less than full, crescent-shaped cubes. 
   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 
       FIG. 1  is a partial, perspective view of a side-by-side refrigerator incorporating an icemaker that produces asymmetrical ice cubes having truncated, crescent-shapes in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an upper right perspective view of an ice mold portion of the icemaker of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of the ice mold of  FIG. 2 ; and 
       FIG. 4  is an upper right perspective view of an asymmetrical ice cube, having a truncated, crescent-shape, formed in the icemaker of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   With initial reference to  FIG. 1 , a refrigerator, generally indicated at  2 , includes a cabinet  4  having a top wall  6 , a rear wall  7  and opposing sidewalls  8  and  9 . In the embodiment shown, refrigerator  2  includes a freezer compartment  12  having an inner liner  13  and a plurality of shelves, two of which are indicated at  16  and  17 . Arranged alongside freezer compartment  12  is a fresh food compartment  20  having a corresponding liner and shelves (not shown). A freezer door  22 , having an inner liner  23 , is pivotally mounted for movement relative to cabinet  4  for selectively closing freezer compartment  12 . Similarly, a fresh food compartment door  25  is also pivotally mounted for movement relative to cabinet  4  for selectively closing fresh food compartment  20 . At this point, it should be recognized that the above arrangement describes a conventional side-by-side refrigerator. However, as will become more readily apparent below, the present invention can be incorporated into a variety of refrigerator models, including top mount, bottom mount and French door-style refrigerators, as well as stand alone ice cube making units. In any case, refrigerator  2  is shown to include a control  30  that, based upon inputs received from a plurality of control elements  32  and temperature sensors  34 , regulates a refrigeration system  37  to maintain selected temperatures within freezer compartment  12  and fresh food compartment  20  in a manner known in the art. 
   In accordance with the invention, refrigerator  2  includes an icemaker assembly  47  including an automatic icemaker  54  and an ice cube storage bin  56 . In the most preferred embodiment of the invention, icemaker  54  is mounted to liner  23  of freezer door  22 . Icemaker  54  includes an ice mold  59  which, as will be discussed more fully below, is configured to produce truncated, crescent-shaped ice cubes. Icemaker  54  also includes a motor  62  that selectively rotates a plurality of rake or lifting fingers (not shown) that guide ice cubes from ice mold  59  to ice cube storage bin  56  at the completion of an ice production cycle. In addition, icemaker  54  includes a level sensor, shown in the form of a bail arm  66 , that selectively activates an ice production cycle in the event that a level of ice in ice cube storage bin  56  falls below a predetermined level. Of course, it should be understood that a variety of different ice level sensors could be employed in connection with the present invention. 
   As best shown in  FIG. 2 , ice mold  59  includes a mold body  80  having first and second laterally opposing side portions  82  and  83  that are interconnected by first and second longitudinally opposing end portions  85  and  86 , as well as a bottom wall  89 , that collectively define a mold cavity  91 . Mold body  80  also includes a water inlet portion  94  having a trough  95  provided with a pair of openings  96  and  97  which lead into mold cavity  91 . With this arrangement, at the start of an ice production cycle, water enters inlet portion  94  and flows into trough  95 . From trough  95 , the water passes through openings  96  and  97  before settling in mold cavity  91 . At this point, the water freezes to form ice cubes as will be discussed more fully below. Furthermore, mold body  80  is provided with a pair of longitudinally opposing apertures  99  and  100  that define a rotation axis for a rake finger assembly (not shown). At the completion of the ice production cycle, the ice cubes are ejected into ice cube storage bin  56  through rotation of the rake finger assembly. In some cases, a heater (not shown) is activated to facilitate the transfer of ice from ice mold  59 . 
   As indicated, mold body  80  has a length “x” which, in a preferred embodiment, is approximately 22 cm, and a width “y” that is approximately 68 mm. In any case, icemaker  54  is sized so as to be readily mounted to liner  23  of freezer door  22  without requiring any internal modifications to shelves  16  and  17  or liner  13  of freezer compartment  12 . In accordance with the invention, in order to minimize volume loss of ice cubes formed in ice mold  59 , bottom wall  89  of mold cavity  91  is formed in a truncated, crescent-shape as will be discussed more fully below. 
   As best shown in  FIG. 3 , bottom wall  89  includes a first inner surface portion  120  defined by a first, upper end portion  122  that gradually slopes down and away, as shown in the orientation of  FIG. 3 , from side portion  82 . First, upper end portion  122  leads to a second end portion  124  that is spaced from and positioned below, side portion  83 . A second inner surface portion  130  of bottom wall  89  includes a first end section  134  that extends from second end portion  124  substantially, vertically upward to a second end section  136  which terminates at side portion  83 . Therefore, first inner surface portion  120  slopes gradually in a concave manner. Rather than continuing along a smooth, concave path, second inner surface portion  130  is abruptly re-directed, i.e., extends sharply upwardly as shown in this figure. 
   Mold body  80  is shown to include a plurality of dividers, one of which is indicated at  143 , that separate mold cavity  91  into a plurality of truncated, crescent-shaped mold sub-cavities  146 , each having a width “w” which, in the most preferred embodiment, is preferably approximately 20 mm. Each divider  143  is provided with a notch  165  that allows water to flow between successive mold sub-cavities  146  so as to be evenly distributed in mold cavity  91  in order to form a corresponding plurality of truncated, crescent-shaped ice cubes, one of which is shown at  160  in  FIG. 4 . 
   In further accordance with the invention, each truncated, crescent-shaped ice cube  160  includes a first, substantially planar surface  184  having first and second opposing edge zones  187  and  188 . A second, convex surface  191 , having a first end  193 , gradually slopes away from first edge zone  187  towards a terminal edge  194 . In the position shown in  FIG. 4 , terminal edge  194  is spaced approximately directly below second edge zone  188 . A third surface  197  has a first end section  199  that extends abruptly from terminal edge  194  of second surface  191  directly to a second end section  200  that terminates at second edge zone  188 . With this arrangement, third surface  197  is substantially perpendicular to first surface  184 . Truncated, crescent-shaped ice cube  160  further includes a pair of laterally opposing side surfaces, one of which is shown at  203 . 
   In the most preferred form of the invention, truncated, crescent-shaped ice cube  160  includes a length “L” which is preferably about 50 mm. More specifically, if a standard crescent-shaped ice cube includes a length L′, which is generally in the order of 60 mm, truncated, crescent-shaped ice cube  160  is 16.5% smaller in overall length. In accordance with the invention, a reduction in the order of 15-20% is most preferable. Obviously, this reduction in the length of ice cube  160  provides for a corresponding reduction in the size of mold body  80 . At this point, it should be readily apparent that, while preferably maintaining a standard width “w”, each truncated, crescent-shaped ice cube  160  is shorter than a full, standard crescent-shaped ice cube, thereby allowing icemaker  54  to exhibit a narrow footprint in order to advantageously reside on freezer door  22 . Moreover, the present invention not only allows for the construction of a narrow icemaker, but also the formation of ice cubes which are considered to be advantageously shaped so as to minimize volume loss “v”, thereby enabling a desired number of ice production cycles to be maintained. That is, reducing the size of the ice cubes inherently results in a corresponding requirement for more frequent ice production cycles in order to meet demands. However, forming ice cubes  60  in accordance with the present invention provides an extremely effective and significant reduction in overall icemaker size, with only a minimum reduction in the overall volume of the ice cubes themselves, thereby assuring that the number of additional ice production cycles is minimized. 
   It should further be apparent that, by truncating ice cubes  160 , it is meant that each ice cube  160  represents a shortened version of a standard crescent-shaped ice cube having two substantially planar side surfaces arranged at a perpendicular angle to a flat side portion and connected by a arcuate or convex opposing side portion such as shown in  FIG. 4 . As set forth above, the present invention allows for an icemaker to be readily mounted to a freezer door of a refrigerated appliance without requiring internal modifications to a freezer compartment to accommodate a standard size icemaker while, at the same time, producing ice cubes having a volume substantially corresponding to standard crescent-shaped ice cubes. This particular arrangement advantageously assures to minimize an overall number of ice production cycles relative to other forms of smaller ice cubes. 
   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, the icemaker could be part of a dispensing system provided on the freezer door. In addition, the icemaker could be provided with a crushing mechanism to selectively deliver crushed ice to a user. In general, the invention is only intended to be limited by the scope of the following claims.

Technology Category: 2