초록

An dispensing system suitable for lifting and dispensing ice through the refrigerator compartment door of a bottom-mount refrigerator or lifting and dispensing ice from an undercounter ice maker to a dispenser on the countertop.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. An undercounter ice maker for making and dispensing ice cubes, comprising: an ice maker compartment including an ice maker for generating ice cubes; an ice cube storage bin positioned to receive ice cubes from the ice maker; a dispenser outlet positioned on a counter surface above the

We claim: 1. An undercounter ice maker for making and dispensing ice cubes, comprising: an ice maker compartment including an ice maker for generating ice cubes; an ice cube storage bin positioned to receive ice cubes from the ice maker; a dispenser outlet positioned on a counter surface above the undercounter ice maker; and an ice dispenser operably connecting the ice maker to the dispenser outlet such that ice cubes generated by the ice maker can be dispensed through the dispenser outlet, including a lifter positioned adjacent the undercounter ice maker outside the ice maker compartment and connected to the ice cube storage bin for moving ice cubes toward the dispenser outlet, wherein the lifter comprises an elevator having a lifting platform, which is moveable between a loading position, where the ice cubes are loaded onto the platform, and a dispensing position, where the loaded ice cubes are positioned for dispensing through the dispenser outlet. 2. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the ice dispenser comprises a deflector to deflect the ice cubes carried by the platform to the dispenser outlet. 3. The appliance according to claim 2, wherein the deflector is a stripper having multiple teeth, and the lifting platform has multiple openings corresponding to the teeth, such that the teeth are received within the openings as the platform is lifted to strip any ice cubes on the platform off of the platform. 4. An undercounter ice maker for making and dispensing ice cubes, comprising: an ice maker compartment including an ice maker for generating ice cubes; an ice cube storage bin positioned to receive ice cubes from the ice maker; a dispenser outlet positioned on a counter surface above the undercounter ice maker; and an ice dispenser operably connecting the ice maker to the dispenser outlet such that ice cubes generated by the ice maker can be dispensed through the dispenser outlet, including a lifter positioned adjacent the undercounter ice maker outside the ice maker compartment and connected to the ice cube storage bin for moving ice cubes toward the dispenser outlet, wherein the lifter comprises a conveyor belt. 5. The appliance according to claim 4, wherein the conveyor belt comprises an endless belt with at least one projection extending from the belt for supporting at least one ice cube. 6. The appliance according to claim 5, wherein the ice dispenser further comprises a deflector to deflect the ice cubes carried by the conveyor belt to the dispenser outlet. 7. The appliance according to claim 6, wherein the deflector is a stripper having multiple teeth, and the projection has multiple openings corresponding to the teeth, such that the teeth are received within the openings as the belt is moved to strip any ice cubes on the projection off of the projection. 8. An undercounter ice maker for making and dispensing ice cubes, comprising: an ice maker compartment including an ice maker for generating ice cubes; an ice cube storage bin positioned to receive ice cubes from the ice maker; a dispenser outlet positioned on a counter surface above the undercounter ice maker; and an ice dispenser operably connecting the ice maker to the dispenser outlet such that ice cubes generated by the ice maker can be dispensed through the dispenser outlet, including a lifter positioned adjacent the undercounter ice maker outside the ice maker compartment and connected to the ice cube storage bin for moving ice cubes toward the dispenser outlet, wherein the lifter comprises an accelerator located below the counter surface that propels ice cubes toward the dispenser outlet. 9. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein the lifter further comprises a conduit extending toward the dispenser outlet and the accelerator propels ice cubes into the conduit with sufficient velocity to carry the ice cubes to the dispenser outlet. 10. The appliance according to claim 9, wherein accelerator has an inlet coupled to the ice maker and an outlet coupled to the conduit such that ice cubes generated by the ice maker are fed to the accelerator for propelling up the conduit. 11. The appliance according to claim 10, wherein the ice cube storage bin is located to receive the ice cubes from the ice maker and the accelerator inlet is coupled to the ice cube storage bin. 12. The appliance according to claim 11, further including a mover in the ice cube storage bin to move ice cubes to the accelerator inlet. 13. The appliance according to claim 11, wherein the undercounter ice maker includes a drain, and the conduit comprises a backflow device for directing accelerated ice cubes that fall back down the conduit to the drain. 14. The appliance according to claim 13, wherein the backflow device comprises a baffle located within the conduit and a return duct with an inlet in the conduit upstream of the baffle, the baffle is operable between a first position where it blocks the ice cubes from entering the return duct inlet while leaving the conduit open, and a second position, where it closes the conduit while leaving the return duct inlet open to permit falling ice cubes to enter the return duct. 15. The appliance according to claim 14, wherein the return duct includes an outlet connected to the drain. 16. The appliance according to claim 15, further including a drain pan positioned under the return duct, wherein the drain pan is connected to the drain. 17. The appliance according to claim 14, wherein the baffle is normally biased into the first position and is moved to the second position by the impact of an ice cube propelled by the accelerator, with the baffle returning to the first position after the passing of the ice cube. 18. The appliance according to claim 9, wherein the conduit comprises an outlet coupled to the dispenser outlet. 19. The appliance according to claim 9, wherein the accelerator comprises an impeller having at least one blade, whereby as the impeller is rotated the at least one blade contacts and propels ice cubes into the conduit. 20. The method of dispensing ice cubes from an ice dispenser for an undercounter ice maker having an ice cube storage bin positioned under a counter surface and a dispensing head positioned on the counter surface, a lifter comprising two portions with a first lifter portion positioned in the ice cube storage bin and a second lifter portion positioned adjacent the undercounter ice maker extending to the dispensing head comprising: operating the ice making apparatus to form ice cubes; harvesting ice cubes into the ice cube storage bin; dispensing ice cubes including: operating the first lifter portion to move ice cubes from the ice cube storage bin to the second lifter portion; and operating the second lifter portion to move ice cubes to the dispensing head, wherein the step of operating the second lifter portion comprises operating an accelerator to propel ice cubes toward the dispenser outlet. 21. The method of dispensing ice cubes according to claim 20, wherein the first lifter portion is a mover positioned in the ice cube storage bin and wherein the step of operating the first lifter portion comprises operating the mover to move ice cubes from the ice cube storage bin to the second lifter portion positioned outside the ice cube storage bin. 22. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the lifting platform moves within an elevator housing. 23. The appliance according to claim 22, wherein the elevator housing is positioned in a substantially vertical orientation. 24. The appliance according to claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the conveyor belt is positioned in a substantially vertical orientation. 25. The appliance according to claim 4, wherein the conveyor belt is enclosed within a belt housing. 26. The appliance according to claim 25, wherein the conveyor belt further comprises a plurality of lifting cleats extending outwardly from the conveyor belt for supporting the ice cubes. 27. The appliance according to claim 26, wherein the ice cubes move through the belt housing in a compartment defined by the conveyor belt, the lifting cleats and the belt housing. 28. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein the accelerator propels the ice cubes upward from the ice cube storage bin to the dispenser outlet.