Removable ice bucket for an ice maker

• US 6,425,259 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2001
• Issued: 07/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Steward, Sandra C., Nelson, Mark H., Pastryk, Jim J., Quinlan, Daniel H., Shelley, Kenneth Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Application Number:
  US09/760,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20010025505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 623/44, 220/771, 220/772, 222/466
• US Class Current: 62/344
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/187 with ice level sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/22 particularly adapted for household refrigerators

Abstract

A removable ice bucket for an ice making system for a refrigerator and more particularly a removable ice bucket disposable in a refrigerator for receipt of ice pieces from an ice maker disposed in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator.

The ice bucket has a base and a plurality of upwardly extending side walls cooperating to form a storage bin. A first handle is formed in an upper portion of a first side walls and a second handle is formed in a lower portion of a second of said side walls. A spout is formed above the first handle. The handles facilitate quick and sanitary removal of the ice bucket from the freezer and dispensing of the ice pieces.

Claims

1. An ice bucket for use in a conjunction with a refrigerator having a freezer compartment, a door for selectively closing the freezer compartment, an ice maker disposed within the freezer compartment for forming ice pieces, said ice bucket comprising:

a main body having a base removably mounted to said door below said ice maker for receiving ice pieces from said ice maker, and a plurality of vertical walls extending upwardly from said base defining there between an ice storage bin for collection and storage of said ice pieces received from said ice maker, said main body including a pair of outer side walls disposed opposite each other and generally perpendicular to said door when said ice bucket is mounted to said door,

a first handle formed in an upper portion of a first of said side walls,

a second handle formed in a lower portion of a second of said side walls, and

spout means formed integrally in said first side wall above said first handle such as to direct the flow of ice pieces being dispensed from said ice bucket.

2. The ice bucket according to claim 1, wherein said second handle comprises a cut-away in said base permitting the user to insert on or more fingers below said second side wall for removal of said ice bucket from said door, dispensing of said ice pieces, and reinstallation of said ice bucket to said door.

3. An ice bucket for use in a conjunction with a refrigerator having a freezer compartment, a door for selectively closing the freezer compartment, an ice maker disposed within the freezer compartment for forming ice pieces, said ice bucket comprising:

a main body having a base removably mounted to said door below said ice maker for receiving ice pieces from said ice maker, and a plurality of vertical walls extending upwardly from said base defining there between an ice storage bin for collection and storage of said ice pieces received from said ice maker, said main body including a pair of outer side walls disposed opposite each other and generally perpendicular to said door when said ice bucket is mounted to said door,

a first handle formed in an upper portion of a first of said side walls, and

a second handle formed in a lower portion of a second of said side walls,

wherein said first handle is a downwardly oriented convex surface and is formed to cooperate with the thumb and first finger of a user for facilitating removal of said ice bucket from said door and tilting of said ice bucket for dispensing of ice pieces therefrom.

4. An ice bucket for use in a conjunction with a refrigerator having a freezer compartment, a door for selectively closing the freezer compartment, an ice maker disposed within the freezer compartment for forming ice pieces, said ice bucket comprising:

a main body having a base removably mounted to said door below said ice maker for receiving ice pieces from said ice maker, and a plurality of vertical walls extending upwardly from said base defining there between an ice storage bin for collection and storage of said ice pieces received from said ice maker, said main body including a pair of outer side walls disposed opposite each other and generally perpendicular to said door when said ice bucket is mounted to said door,

a first handle formed in an upper portion of a first of said side walls, and

a second handle formed in a lower portion of a second of said side walls,

wherein said main body is comprised of an opaque lower main body comprising said base and a transparent upper main body comprising the upper portions of said side walls.

5. An ice bucket for use in a conjunction with a refrigerator having a freezer compartment, a door for selectively closing the freezer compartment, an ice maker disposed within the freezer compartment for forming ice pieces, said ice bucket comprising:

a main body having a base removably mounted to said door below said ice maker for receiving ice pieces from said ice maker, and a plurality of vertical walls extending upwardly from said base defining there between an ice storage bin for collection and storage of said ice pieces received from said ice maker, said main body including a pair of outer side walls disposed opposite each other and generally perpendicular to said door when said ice bucket is mounted to said door,

a first handle formed in an upper portion of a first of said side walls, and

a second handle formed in a lower portion of a second of said side walls,

wherein said base further comprises;

latching means for selectively interconnecting said ice bucket with said door, and

a release for selectively releasing said latch means for removal of said ice bucket from said door.

6. The ice bucket according to claim 5, wherein

said latching means automatically engages with said door when said ice bucket is reinstalled in said door and

said release comprises a button disposed adjacent said second handle for manual release of said latching means.

7. An ice bucket comprising

a main body including a base having outer walls,

a plurality of vertical walls extending upwardly from each of said outer walls of said base and cooperating with said base to define an ice storage bin for collection of ice,

a first handle formed in an upper portion of a first of said side walls,

a second handle formed in a lower portion of a second of said side walls, and

spout means formed integrally in said first side wall above said first handle such as to direct the flow of ice pieces being dispensed from said ice bucket.

8. The ice bucket according to claim 7, wherein said second handle comprises a cut-away in said second side wall permitting the user to insert one or more fingers below said second side wall for dispensing of ice pieces therefrom.

9. The ice bucket according to claim 8, further wherein said first handle is a downwardly oriented convex surface is formed to cooperate with the thumb and first finger of a user for facilitating lifting of said ice bucket and tilting of said ice bucket for dispensing of ice pieces therefrom.

10. An ice bucket comprising

a main body including a base having outer walls,

a plurality of vertical walls extending upwardly from each of said outer walls of said base and cooperating with said base to define an ice storage bin for collection of ice,

a first handle formed in an upper portion of a first of said side walls, and

a second handle formed in a lower portion of a second of said side walls,

wherein said first handle is a downwardly oriented convex surface and is formed to cooperate with the thumb and first finger of a user for facilitating lifting and tilting of said ice bucket for dispensing of ice pieces therefrom.

11. An ice bucket comprising

a main body including a base having outer walls,

a plurality of vertical walls extending upwardly from said each of said outer walls of said base and cooperating with said base to define an ice storage bin for collection of ice,

a first handle formed in an upper portion of a first of said side walls, and

a second handle formed in a lower portion of a second of said side walls,

wherein said main body is comprised of an opaque lower main body comprising said base and a transparent upper main body comprising the upper portions of said side walls.

12. An ice bucket for use in a conjunction with an ice maker disposed within the freezer compartment for forming ice pieces, said ice bucket comprising:

a main body having a base removably mounted to said refrigerator in said freezer compartment below said ice maker for receiving ice pieces from said ice maker, and a plurality of vertical walls extending upwardly from said base defining there between an ice storage bin for collection and storage of said ice pieces received from said ice maker, said main body including a pair of outer side walls disposed opposite each other and generally perpendicular to said door when said ice bucket is mounted to said door,

a first handle formed in an upper portion of a first of said side walls, and

a second handle formed in a lower portion of a second of said side, wherein said first handle is a downwardly oriented convex surface is formed to cooperate with the thumb and first finger of a user for facilitating removal of said ice bucket from said door and tilting of said ice bucket for dispensing of ice pieces therefrom.

13. The ice bucket according to claim 12, further comprising spout means formed integrally in said first side wall above said first handle such as to direct the flow of ice pieces being dispensed from said ice bucket.

14. The ice bucket according to claim 12, wherein said second handle comprises a cut-away in said base permitting the user to insert on or more fingers below said second side wall for lifting of said ice bucket and dispensing of said ice pieces.

15. The ice bucket according to claim 12, wherein said main body is comprised of an opaque lower main body comprising said base and a transparent upper main body comprising the upper portions of said side walls.

16. The ice bucket according to claim 12, wherein said base means further comprises:

latching means for selectively interconnecting said ice bucket with said refrigerator, wherein said latching means automatically engages with said door when said ice bucket is reinstalled in said door and

a release for selectively releasing said latch means for removal of said ice bucket from said door.