초록 ▼

A bottom mount household refrigerator is provided with an apparatus to permit the dispensing of ice. According to one embodiment, a sealed ice making compartment is provided within the fresh food compartment. The sealed ice making compartment may be located at the bottom, at the top, or along a side

A bottom mount household refrigerator is provided with an apparatus to permit the dispensing of ice. According to one embodiment, a sealed ice making compartment is provided within the fresh food compartment. The sealed ice making compartment may be located at the bottom, at the top, or along a side wall within the fresh food compartment. According to another embodiment, ice is made in the ice compartment, and lifted upward to a dispensing location through the door of the fresh food compartment.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A bottom mount refrigerator comprising: a freezer compartment;a fresh food compartment located above the freezer compartment;a sealed ice compartment within the fresh food compartment, the ice compartment having a movable cover to provide access to the ice compartment;an icemaker in the ice compa

1. A bottom mount refrigerator comprising: a freezer compartment;a fresh food compartment located above the freezer compartment;a sealed ice compartment within the fresh food compartment, the ice compartment having a movable cover to provide access to the ice compartment;an icemaker in the ice compartment;insulation around the ice compartment to isolate the ice compartment from the fresh food compartment;a door for the fresh food compartment; andan ice dispenser in the door for dispensing ice from the ice compartment to a consumer. 2. The consumer refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the fresh food compartment has a top wall, a bottom wall, a back wall, and two side walls; and the sealed ice compartment is in contact with the bottom wall and one of the side walls. 3. The consumer refrigerator of claim 2, further comprising an ice storage bin within the sealed ice compartment, and wherein the ice storage bin is provided with an auger for transporting ice from the storage bin to the ice dispenser for dispensing ice. 4. The consumer refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the ice dispenser is located substantially above the storage bin, and wherein the auger is mounted at an incline in order to lift ice from the storage bin to the ice dispenser. 5. The consumer refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the incline is more than thirty degrees, but less than 45 degrees. 6. The consumer refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the storage bin has an inclined bottom surface to match the incline of the auger. 7. The consumer refrigerator of claim 2, wherein a bottom wall of the sealed ice compartment is formed by a top wall of the freezer compartment, and wherein the top wall of the freezer provided with an opening to permit air flow between the freezer compartment and the sealed ice compartment. 8. The consumer refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the freezer compartment is provided with an overflow ice storage bin, and wherein excess ice from the ice maker can fall through the opening into the overflow ice storage bin. 9. The consumer refrigerator of claim 2 further comprising an ice crusher between the ice dispenser and the ice maker and a water dispenser located proximate to the delivery point. 10. The consumer refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the fresh food compartment has a top wall, a bottom wall, a back wall, and two side walls; and the sealed ice compartment is in contact with one of the side walls, but is not in contact with the bottom wall or the top wall. 11. The consumer refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the freezer compartment, the fresh food compartment, and the sealed ice compartment are maintained at specified temperatures; and wherein an average specified temperature of the sealed ice compartment is greater than an average specified temperature of the freezer compartment, but less than an average specified temperature of the fresh food compartment. 12. The consumer refrigerator of claim 1, wherein: the fresh food compartment has a top wail, a bottom wall, a back wall, and two side walls; and the sealed ice compartment is in contact with the top wall and one of the side walls. 13. The consumer refrigerator of 1, wherein the door for the fresh food compartment includes a storage bin. 14. A bottom mount consumer refrigerator comprising: a freezer compartment having a freezer door; a fresh food compartment located above the freezer compartment, the fresh food compartment having a fresh food door, the fresh food door including a dispensing opening for dispensing ice;an ice compartment located substantially within the fresh food compartment and being sealed and insulated from the fresh food compartment;an ice maker mounted within the ice compartment;an ice storage container mounted within the ice compartment, the ice storage container being located substantially lower than the dispensing opening in the fresh food door, anda conveyor mechanism for selectively moving ice from the ice storage container to the dispensing opening. 15. The bottom mount consumer refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the conveyor mechanism comprises an auger. 16. The bottom mount consumer refrigerator of claim 15, wherein the ice storage container includes a sloped bottom surface and wherein the auger is mounted at a slope to match a contour of the sloped bottom surface. 17. The bottom mount consumer refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the conveyor mechanism comprises a wheel with scoops and a motor for rotating the wheel, and wherein rotation of the wheel by the motor causes the scoops to engage and carry ice from the ice storage container and deposit the ice at the dispensing opening. 18. The bottom mount consumer refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the conveyor mechanism comprises a flexible belt looped around rollers, the flexible belt including flaps to engage and carry ice from the ice storage container as the flexible belt is rotated about the rollers. 19. The bottom mount consumer refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the ice compartment is mounted at a divider wall between the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment, and wherein the divider wall forms a floor of the ice compartment. 20. The bottom mount consumer refrigerator of claim 19, wherein the floor of the ice compartment includes an opening to permit flow of air between the ice compartment and the freezer compartment. 21. The bottom mount consumer refrigerator of claim 20 further comprising an auxiliary ice storage container provided in the freezer compartment in alignment with the opening; the auxiliary ice storage container being positioned to catch and retain excess ice as it falls out of the ice storage container. 22. The bottom mount consumer refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the ice compartment includes an ice compartment door to provide access to the ice compartment. 23. The bottom mount refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the cover is insulated. 24. The bottom mount refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the cover is attached to the storage bin.