Ice maker bail arm raising apparatus for ice storage bin
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F25C-005/18
출원번호
US-0378152
(2003-03-06)
발명자
/ 주소
Collins, Clint J.
O'Halloran, Jeffrey M.
출원인 / 주소
Maytag Corporation
대리인 / 주소
Diederiks & Whitelaw, PLC
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
15인용 특허 :
4
초록▼
An apparatus for automatically shifting a bail arm of an automatic ice maker upon repositioning an ice storage bin carried by a slidable freezer drawer or basket includes a wedge member arranged just above a rear wall of the bin, preferably between the bin and a rear wall of the basket. The wedge me
An apparatus for automatically shifting a bail arm of an automatic ice maker upon repositioning an ice storage bin carried by a slidable freezer drawer or basket includes a wedge member arranged just above a rear wall of the bin, preferably between the bin and a rear wall of the basket. The wedge member defines a frontal wedge portion that generally tapers laterally and rearwardly from a wide section to a narrow section. As the bin is shifted out of the freezer compartment, the bail arm initially engages the wide section of the frontal wedge portion, then rides up the frontal wedge portion, and subsequently rides along an opposing, rear wedge portion of the wedge member. This action is reversed upon sliding the bin back into place beneath the ice maker to gently repositioned the bale arm over the ice bin.
대표청구항▼
1. A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet defining a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment; an automatic ice maker having a bale arm which is movable between raised and lowered positions for controlling a production of ice cubes within the freezer compartment; a bin, arranged below
1. A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet defining a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment; an automatic ice maker having a bale arm which is movable between raised and lowered positions for controlling a production of ice cubes within the freezer compartment; a bin, arranged below a level of the automatic ice maker, for collecting ice cubes produced by the automatic ice maker; a drawer shiftably mounted within the freezer compartment, said bin being positioned in the drawer; and an apparatus for adjusting a height of the bale arm upon shifting of the bin relative to the automatic ice maker, said apparatus including a wedge member which engages the bale arm upon shifting of the drawer relative to the cabinet. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the drawer constitutes a basket having at least a bottom wall and a rear wall, said wedge member being located, at least in part, between the rear wall of the basket and the bin.3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus is attached to the basket along at least the rear wall.4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the apparatus is clipped to the bottom wall and both extends over and is connected to the rear wall.5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein the apparatus includes a terminal mount which is mechanically fastened to the rear wall of the basket.6. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein the apparatus includes an upstanding side wall extending adjacent the bin within the drawer.7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the apparatus includes at least one base portion.8. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus is clipped to and projects above the rear wall.9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus further includes a tab member interengaged with the basket.10. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the wedge member includes a frontal wedge portion and an opposing rear wedge portion.11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein each of the frontal and rear wedge portions taper laterally away from the automatic ice maker so as to define a wide section and a narrow section, with the wide section being located closer to the automatic ice maker than the narrow section.12. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein the frontal and rear wedge portions are interconnected by an upper surface portion of the wedge member, with the upper surface portion extending in a substantially horizontal plane.13. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein the frontal and rear wedge portions are interconnected by an upper surface portion of the wedge member, with the upper surface portion being curvilinear.14. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the basket has a meshed wire construction.15. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the freezer compartment is located below the fresh food compartment and the drawer can be selectively shifted into and out of the freezer compartment.16. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is fixed to the drawer and said bin is removably positioned in the drawer.17. A method of automatically shifting a bail arm of an automatic ice maker upon repositioning an ice storage bin arranged in a shiftable freezer drawer comprising: initially engaging the bail arm of to automatic ice maker with a wide section of a frontal wedge portion of a wedge member that forms part of an apparatus which moves as the bin is shifted out of the freezer compartment; causing the bail arm to ride up to a narrow section of the frontal wedge portion as the bin is continually shifted farther out of the freezer compartment; and causing the bail arm to ride along an opposing, rear wedge portion of the wedge member as the bin is further shifted out of the freezer compartment. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: after the bail arm rides up the frontal wedge portion, engaging the bail arm with an upper surface of the apparatus.19. The method of claim 17, wherein, when the bin is repositioned back into the freezer compartment, the bail arm rides up the rear wedge portion to raise the bail arm to an upper ice storage level for the bin.20. The method of claim 19, wherein, as the bin continues back into the freezer compartment, the bail arm will initially ride along an upper surface of the apparatus and then will be guided downward along the frontal wedge portion, thereby being gently repositioned over the ice bin.
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