IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0618092
(2009-11-13)
|
등록번호 |
US-8424323
(2013-04-23)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Austin, Martin Nicholas
- Snider, Bryan W.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
7 인용 특허 :
7 |
초록
▼
An ice level sensing system for an appliance having a cavity with a cavity wall. An ice storage bin and an ice maker are disposed within the cavity. The ice storage bin is configured to hold ice discharged from the ice maker. The ice level sensing system includes a transmitter for transmitting a lig
An ice level sensing system for an appliance having a cavity with a cavity wall. An ice storage bin and an ice maker are disposed within the cavity. The ice storage bin is configured to hold ice discharged from the ice maker. The ice level sensing system includes a transmitter for transmitting a light beam and a detector for detecting the light beam. The transmitter and the detector are disposed on the cavity wall. A reflector is disposed relatively remote from the transmitter. The transmitter is operative to project the light beam toward the reflector. The transmitter and the detector are angled relative to each other so that the light beam reflected by the reflector is directed toward the detector.
대표청구항
▼
1. An ice level sensing system for an appliance having a cavity with a cavity wall, an ice storage bin disposed within the cavity and an ice maker disposed within the cavity, the ice storage bin being configured to hold ice discharged from the ice maker, the ice level sensing system comprising: a tr
1. An ice level sensing system for an appliance having a cavity with a cavity wall, an ice storage bin disposed within the cavity and an ice maker disposed within the cavity, the ice storage bin being configured to hold ice discharged from the ice maker, the ice level sensing system comprising: a transmitter disposed on the cavity wall for transmitting a light beam;a detector disposed on the cavity wall for detecting the light beam; anda reflector disposed relatively remote from the transmitter, wherein the transmitter is operative to project the light beam toward the reflector, and the transmitter and the detector are angled relative to each other so that the light beam reflected by the reflector is directed toward the detector,wherein the ice storage bin is disposed within a freezer drawer, the freezer drawer being disposed within the cavity and movable between an open position and a closed position such that a spatial relationship between the transmitter and the reflector changes as the freezer drawer is moved from the closed position, causing the light beam to be directed away from the reflector so that the light beam is not detected by the detector when the drawer is in the open position. 2. The ice level sensing system of claim 1, wherein the cavity wall is a back wall of a freezer cavity. 3. The ice level sensing system of claim 2, wherein the reflector is disposed on a front wall of the is storage bin. 4. The ice level sensing system of claim wherein the transmitter and the detector are integrated into a single transceiver unit. 5. The ice level sensing system of claim 1, further comprising a control unit coupled to the transmitter, the detector and the ice maker, the control unit being responsive to the detector and operative to turn off the ice maker when the light beam is not detected by the detector. 6. The ice level sensing system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter, the detector and the reflector are positioned relative to the ice storage bin such that detection of the light beam is prevented by ice within the ice storage bin when the ice reaches a predetermined level within the ice storage bin. 7. An appliance comprising: a frame forming a cavity, the cavity having a cavity wall;a drawer movably disposed within the cavity, the drawer including an ice storage bin;an ice maker disposed within the cavity at least partly above the ice storage bin, the ice maker being configured for discharging ice into the ice storage bin; andan ice level sensing system disposed at least partly within the cavity, the ice level sensing system including a transmitter, a detector responsive to the transmitter and a reflector, the transmitter and the detector being disposed on the cavity wall and the reflector being disposed relatively remote from the transmitter and the detector, the transmitter being operative to project a light beam toward the reflector, and the transmitter and the detector are angled relative to each other so that the light beam reflected by the reflector is directed toward the detector,wherein the drawer is movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the cavity such that a spatial relationship between the transmitter and the reflector changes as the drawer is moved from the closed position, causing the light beam to be directed away from the reflector so that the light beam is not detected the detector when the drawer is in the open position. 8. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the cavity wall is a back wall of a freezer cavity. 9. The appliance of claim 8, wherein the reflector is disposed on a front wall of the ice storage bin. 10. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the transmitter and the detector are integrated into a single transceiver unit. 11. The appliance of claim 7, further comprising a control unit coupled to the transmitter, the detector and the ice maker, the control unit being responsive to the detector and operative to turn off the ice maker when the light beam is not detected by the detector. 12. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the transmitter, the detector and the reflector are positioned relative to the ice storage bin such that detection of the light beam is prevented by ice within the ice storage bin when the ice reaches a predetermined level within the ice storage bin. 13. A method for sensing a level of ice within an ice storage bin, the ice storage bin being disposed within a cavity of an appliance, the cavity having a cavity wall and an ice maker disposed within the cavity fir discharging ice into the ice storage bin, the method comprising: projecting a light beam, from a transmitter disposed on the cavity wall, to a reflector remotely disposed relative to the transmitter for reflecting the light beam;detecting the light beam reflected from the reflector with a detector disposed on the cavity wall;controlling the ice maker with a control unit of the appliance so that the ice maker is turned off when the light beam does not pass to the detector; andchanging a spatial relationship between the transmitter and the reflector so that the projected light bean is moved off of the reflector, thereby preventing detection of the light beam by the detector to effect turning off the ice maker. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the cavity wall comprises a back wall of a freezer cavity and the ice storage bin comprises a front wall, the transmitter and the detector being disposed on the back wall of the freezer cavity and the reflector is disposed on the front wall of the ice storage bin. 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the transmitter and the detector are arranged at a predetermined angle relative to each other to allow placement of the transmitter and the detector on a single wall of the cavity. 16. The method of claim 13, further comprising turning off the ice maker when the light beam is prevented from passing to the detector by ice accumulated to a level within the ice storage bin.
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