초록 ▼

A refrigerator freezer having an ice maker positioned on a refrigerator compartment or freezer compartment door. The ice maker is arranged to prevent or manage spills from the ice maker in the event the door on which the ice maker is mounted is opened or closed when unfrozen water is present in the

A refrigerator freezer having an ice maker positioned on a refrigerator compartment or freezer compartment door. The ice maker is arranged to prevent or manage spills from the ice maker in the event the door on which the ice maker is mounted is opened or closed when unfrozen water is present in the ice maker. Spill management embodiments for a number of fixed and movable tray ice makers are disclosed.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A refrigerator freezer comprising: a freezer compartment maintained at a temperature below 0�� C. and having an insulated freezer compartment door; a refrigerator compartment maintained at a temperature above 0�� C. and having an insulated refrigerator compartment door; a refrigeration

We claim: 1. A refrigerator freezer comprising: a freezer compartment maintained at a temperature below 0�� C. and having an insulated freezer compartment door; a refrigerator compartment maintained at a temperature above 0�� C. and having an insulated refrigerator compartment door; a refrigeration system for cooling the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment; an automatic ice maker positioned on one of the refrigerator compartment door and the freezer compartment door; a tray mounted below the ice maker arranged to collect water spillage that may occur when door on which the ice maker is positioned is moved when water is present in the ice maker. 2. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 1, further including a drain line leading from the tray to a water disposal container. 3. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 2, further including a machinery compartment, and wherein the refrigeration system includes a drain pan located in the machinery compartment, and further wherein the drain pan is the water disposal container. 4. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 3, further including a pump to pump water from the tray to the drain pan. 5. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 1, further including a heater for the tray. 6. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 5, further including a defrost heater for the refrigeration system wherein the tray heater is connected to be energized when the defrost heater is energized. 7. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 5, further including a control for the tray heater wherein the tray heater is periodically energized. 8. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 5, further including a spill sensor and control arranged to detect the presence of water in the tray, wherein the control energizes the tray heater when the spill sensor detects water in the tray. 9. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerator freezer includes an ice storage bin and wherein the automatic ice maker and ice storage bin are positioned on the freezer compartment door. 10. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerator freezer includes an ice storage bin and the automatic ice maker and ice storage bin are positioned on the refrigerator compartment door, and wherein the refrigerator freezer further includes an air duct leading to the automatic ice maker and ice storage bin from a source of below 0�� C. air for supplying air cooled to below 0�� C. to the automatic ice maker and to the ice storage bin. 11. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 10, further including an insulated sub-compartment on the refrigerator compartment door for the automatic ice maker, and wherein the ice storage bin is insulated to maintain below freezing temperatures in the ice storage bin. 12. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 1, further including a door damper connected to the one of the refrigerator compartment door and the freezer compartment door on which the ice maker is positioned. 13. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 1, wherein the automatic ice maker includes an ice mold and a hinged cover for substantially covering the ice mold, and wherein the ice maker is arranged to open the hinged cover during ice harvesting cycles. 14. A refrigerator freezer comprising: a freezer compartment maintained at a temperature below 0�� C. and having an insulated freezer compartment door; a refrigerator compartment maintained at a temperature above 0�� C. and having an insulated refrigerator compartment door; a refrigeration system for cooling the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment; an automatic ice maker positioned on one of the refrigerator compartment door and the freezer compartment door comprising: an ice mold; an ice piece stripper having a base strip mounted along one edge of the ice mold, and having a plurality of fingers extending from the base strip and positioned above a portion of the ice mold; an ice rake having a plurality of tines rotatably mounted above the ice mold and arranged for the tines to rotate between the plurality of fingers and through the ice mold to carry ice pieces out of the ice mold; and a cover including a longitudinally extending domed portion substantially covering the ice mold, wherein the domed portion is hinged to the ice maker along a first edge and includes a plurality of tongues adjacent a second edge and arranged to extend into and substantially fill the spaces between adjacent ice piece stripper fingers. 15. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 14, further including an ice cube storage bin, and wherein the cover is arranged to open during ice harvesting cycles to permit the ice rake to rotate through the ice mold and ice pieces to fall into the ice storage bin. 16. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 15, wherein the automatic ice maker includes a motor arranged to drive the ice rake and to open the cover during ice harvesting cycles. 17. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 16, wherein the automatic ice maker further includes one or more gears drivingly connecting the ice maker motor to the ice rake. 18. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 17, wherein the automatic ice maker further includes a cam driven by the ice maker motor to open the cover when the ice maker motor operates to drive the ice rake. 19. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 14, wherein the first edge of the cover closes against the ice mold and the second edge of the cover closes against the base strip of the ice piece stripper. 20. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 19, wherein the cover includes end walls closing the domed portion, and wherein a first portion of the end walls close against the ice mold. 21. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 19, wherein the ice mold includes a plurality of hinge pins along one edge of the ice mold, and the cover includes a plurality of hinge elements arranged to engage and pivot on the hinge pins. 22. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 21, wherein the ice piece stripper is arranged with a finger at each end overlying a portion of the respective end of the ice mold, and wherein a second portion of the end walls of the cover close against the ice piece stripper finger at the respective ends of the ice piece stripper. 23. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 14, wherein the ice mold includes a plurality of semi-cylindrical cavities for forming ice pieces. 24. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 23, wherein the rotatably mounted ice rake is mounted adjacent the top edge of the semi-cylindrical cavities and is positioned substantially along the center line of the semi-cylindrical cavities. 25. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 24, wherein the ice piece stripper fingers are arranged to extend from the base strip along one edge of the ice mold to the ice rake. 26. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 14, wherein the ice piece stripper is positioned on the ice mold to define a water recovery channel between the ice piece stripper and the ice mold, and wherein the cover overlies and encloses the water recovery channel. 27. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 14, further including a door damper connected to the one of the refrigerator compartment door and the freezer compartment door on which the ice maker is positioned. 28. A refrigerator freezer comprising: a freezer compartment maintained at a temperature below 0�� C. and having an insulated freezer compartment door; a refrigerator compartment maintained at a temperature above 0�� C. and having an insulated refrigerator compartment door; a refrigeration system for cooling the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment; an automatic ice maker positioned on one of the refrigerator compartment door and the freezer compartment door; a tray mounted below the ice maker arranged to collect water spillage that may occur when door on which the ice maker is positioned is moved when water is present in the ice maker; and a spill sensor to detect water in the tray and arranged to provide a signal to the user that a spill has occurred. 29. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 28, wherein the spill sensor comprises two groups of conductive elements positioned in the tray, and wherein the two groups of conductive elements are connected to a spill detecting circuit. 30. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 29, wherein the spill detecting circuit includes a signal to alert the user that a spill has occurred. 31. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 30, wherein the signal is an LED device to provide a visual signal that a spill has occurred. 32. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 30, wherein the signal is a beeper to provide an audible alert that a spill has occurred. 33. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 30, further including a drain line from the tray leading to a water disposal container and a pump to pump water from the tray to a water disposal container and the spill detecting circuit includes an output to activate the pump. 34. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 28, further including a tray heater wherein the spill sensor actives the tray heater when a spill has occurred. 35. The refrigerator freezer according to claim 28, further including a door damper connected to the one of the refrigerator compartment door and the freezer compartment door on which the ice maker is positioned.