Modular bucket and door architecture to deliver three ice functions

• US 10,006,689 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2015
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Chase, Kevin M., Koenigsknecht, Tony L., Presnell, Kate E., Visin, Jerold M.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARTIN, ELIZABETH J
• Application Number:
  US14/979,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20160131407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2400/08 for different type of ice
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2400/10 Refrigerator units
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/02 Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/046 Ice-crusher machines
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/12 Ice-shaving machines
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/182 Ice bins therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/22 particularly adapted for household refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/04 with special compartments, e.g. butter conditioners
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

An appliance including an ice manipulation reservoir capable of receiving ice having a base, wherein the base includes a first level and a second level, with the first level descending gradually to the second level. A first ice modification member is disposed inside the ice manipulation reservoir adjacent the first level of the base, and a second ice modification member is disposed inside the ice manipulation reservoir adjacent the second level of the base. A motor is operably connected with the ice manipulation reservoir and includes an output shaft. An impeller is connected with the output shaft proximate to the plurality of ice modification members, with the impeller being operable between a first directional rotation, and a second directional rotation.

Claims

1. An appliance comprising:

an ice manipulation reservoir capable of receiving ice and defined by an inverted frusto-conical outer side wall, a frusto-conical center hub and a base having a helical surface spaced between the frusto-conical center hub and the inverted frusto-conical outer side wall, wherein the base includes a first level of the helical surface descending gradually to a second level of the helical surface, and wherein the inverted frusto-conical outer side wall and frusto-conical center hub slope inward toward the base;

a first ice modification member attached directly to the base proximate the first level, and a second ice modification member attached directly to the base proximate the second level;

a trap door attached to the ice manipulation reservoir operable between an open ice cube delivery position and a closed ice shaving or ice crushing position;

first and second drop gaps disposed proximate the first and second ice modification members, respectively, wherein the first and second drop gaps are configured to deliver shaved and crushed ice, respectively, to a user when the trap door is in the closed ice shaving or ice crushing position;

a motor operably connected with the ice manipulation reservoir and including an output shaft; and

an impeller connected with the output shaft proximate the first and second ice modification members, the impeller configured to move in a first rotational direction, and a second rotational direction, and in a first rotational speed and a second rotational speed, the first rotational speed being faster than the second rotational speed.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the impeller includes a shovel-type shape having a central portion and first and second side sections that descend from respective first and second edges to the central portion which is closer to the base than the first and second edges, wherein the first side is configured to force ice in a downward direction in the first rotational direction and the second side is configured to force ice in a downward direction in the second rotational direction.

3. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the impeller includes a single helical blade.

4. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the impeller includes a plurality of helical blades.

5. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the first ice modification member is an ice crushing blade attached to the second level of the helical surface of the base, and wherein the second ice modification member is an ice shaving blade attached to the first level of the helical surface of the base.

6. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the base includes a level portion proximate the second level configured to receive the first and second ice modification members, and wherein the appliance includes a door having an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein the ice manipulation reservoir is mounted to the interior surface of the door.

7. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the first rotational direction defines a first ice manipulation condition, wherein the first ice manipulation condition includes one of crushing and shaving, and wherein the second rotational direction defines a second ice manipulation condition, wherein the second ice manipulation condition includes the other of crushing and shaving, and wherein the second rotational speed defines a cubed ice manipulation condition and wherein the ice is dispensed to a user through the trap door.

8. The appliance of claim 1, the appliance further comprising:

a user interface arranged to allow a user to actuate dispensing of ice in a form selected from a group consisting of crushed, shaved, or cubed.

9. An ice modification mechanism comprising:

an ice manipulation reservoir having a side wall and a base, wherein the base includes a sloped surface having a first level descending gradually to a second level, and wherein the side wall includes an upper circumference and a lower circumference, where the upper circumference is greater than the lower circumference, and wherein at least a portion of the base engages the side wall between the upper and lower circumferences, and wherein the first level of the base engages the side wall closer to the upper circumference than the second level of the base;

at least one ice modification component disposed inside the ice manipulation reservoir, wherein the at least one ice modification component is attached directly to the base at least partially between the first level and the second level of the base;

a trap door attached to the ice manipulation reservoir operable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the trap door is configured to deliver cubed ice when the trap door is in the open position;

two drop gaps disposed proximate the at least one ice modification component and configured to deliver formed ice when the trap door is in the closed position;

a motor operably connected with the ice manipulation reservoir and including an output shaft, wherein the motor includes a first rotational speed and a second rotational speed, and wherein the first rotational speed is greater than the second rotational speed; and

an impeller connected with the output shaft proximate to the at least one ice modification component, the impeller being operable between a first rotational direction, and a second rotational direction.

10. The mechanism of claim 9, wherein the impeller includes a shovel-type shape that is configured to force the formed ice in a downward direction in both the first rotational direction and the second rotational direction.

11. The mechanism of claim 9, wherein the impeller includes a single helical blade.

12. The mechanism of claim 9, wherein the impeller includes a plurality of helical blades.

13. The mechanism of claim 9, wherein the at least one ice modification component includes a first ice modification member and a second ice modification member, the first ice modification member is an ice crushing blade, and wherein the second ice modification member is an ice shaving blade.

14. The mechanism of claim 9, wherein the base includes a spiral-type surface and wherein the mechanism is generally disposed within a housing having a door, wherein the door includes an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein the mechanism is mounted to the interior surface of the door.

15. The mechanism of claim 14, wherein the first rotational direction defines a first ice manipulation condition, wherein the first ice manipulation condition includes one of crushing and shaving, and wherein the second rotational direction defines a second ice manipulation condition, wherein the second ice manipulation condition includes the other of crushing and shaving, and wherein the second rotational speed of the motor defines a cubed ice manipulation condition, and wherein ice is dispensed to a user through the door.

16. The mechanism of claim 9, the mechanism further comprising:

a user interface arranged to allow a user to actuate dispensing of ice in a form selected from a group consisting of crushed, shaved, or cubed.

17. A method of making an ice modification mechanism comprising steps of:

providing an ice manipulation reservoir having an outer wall including upper and lower edges, a base having a helical surface and two drop gaps, and a trap door operable between open and closed positions, wherein the upper edge has a greater circumference than the lower edge, and wherein the base engages the outer wall between the upper and lower edges;

forming a first level and a second level of the helical surface of the base, wherein the first level descends gradually to the second level;

installing at least one ice modification component having a shaving blade and a chopping blade, wherein the at least one ice modification component is attached directly to the base proximate at least one of the first level of the base and the second level of the base, wherein one of the two drop gaps is positioned proximate the shaving blade and the other of the two drop gaps is positioned proximate the chopping blade;

providing a motor having an output shaft;

connecting an impeller to the output shaft, wherein the impeller includes a first rotational direction, a second rotational direction, a first speed and a second speed; and

extending the impeller into the ice manipulation reservoir.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the impeller comprises a shovel-type shape that is configured to force ice in a downward direction in both the first rotational direction and the second rotational direction.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

connecting the motor to a user interface actuated by a user to control operation of the motor between the first and second rotational directions and the first and second speeds.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

forming shaved ice by rotating the impeller in the first rotational direction at the first speed such that the impeller moves ice across the shaving blade and directs shaved ice pieces down one of the two drop gaps;

forming chopped ice by rotating the impeller in the second rotational direction at the first speed such that the impeller moves ice across the chopping blade and directs chopped ice pieces down the other of the two drop gaps; and

moving cubed ice pieces by rotating the impeller at the second speed, wherein the impeller directs the cubed ice pieces through the trap door disposed in the open position; and

providing an ice maker capable of introducing cubed ice pieces to the ice manipulation reservoir.