Mechanism for dispensing shaved ice from a refrigeration appliance

• US 7,278,275 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2005
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Visin, Jerry M., Fischer, Marcus R., Voglewede, Ronald L., Wilson, Gary W., Harmon, Daryl Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai; William E.
• Application Number:
  US11/080,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20060207270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 623/20, 623/44, 241/101.01, 241/DIG.17
• US Class Current: 62/320
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2400/08 for different type of ice
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/046 Ice-crusher machines
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/12 Ice-shaving machines
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/22 particularly adapted for household refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 241/17 Ice crushers

Abstract

A mechanism for dispensing ice in each of three selected forms, namely, cubed, crushed and shaved. This mechanism includes a reservoir arranged to hold a supply of ice cubes, a dispensing zone, a delivery mechanism arranged for dispensing ice cubes from said reservoir to said dispensing zone, an ice crushing mechanism located in said dispensing zone arranged to selectively crush ice, an ice shaving mechanism located in said dispensing zone arranged to selectively shave ice, and a control mechanism arranged to selectively activate said ice crushing mechanism and said ice shaving mechanism upon receipt of an appropriate input from a user.

Claims

1. A refrigeration appliance comprising:

a refrigerated compartment,

an ice making mechanism in said refrigerated compartment,

an ice delivery system arranged to deliver ice from said ice making mechanism, and

an ice shaving mechanism located in said refrigeration appliance arranged to selectively shave ice received from said ice delivery system,

a control mechanism arranged to allow a user to selectively activate said ice shaving mechanism; and

an ice dispensing system arranged to dispense ice, wherein ice may be dispensed in a shaved condition or a non-shaved condition.

2. A refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said non-shaved condition comprises cubed ice.

3. A refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said non-shaved condition comprises crushed ice.

4. A refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said ice is dispensed to a user through a door of said refrigeration appliance.

5. A refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said ice is dispensed to a container located within said refrigeration appliance.

6. A refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, including a reservoir arranged to receive ice from said ice making mechanism and wherein said ice shaving mechanism is located in said reservoir.

7. A refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said ice dispensing system includes a dispensing zone with an outlet and wherein said ice shaving mechanism is located in one of said dispensing zone and outlet.

8. A refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing system is arranged to dispense shaved ice from said refrigeration appliance.

9. A refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing system is further arranged to dispense cubed ice from said refrigeration appliance.

10. A refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing system is further arranged to dispense crushed ice from said refrigeration appliance.

11. A refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing system is further arranged to dispense liquid water from said refrigeration appliance.

12. A mechanism according to claim 1, including an ice crushing mechanism located in said refrigeration appliance arranged to selective crush ice received from said ice delivery system, wherein said ice crushing mechanism comprises an arm rotatably driven by a motor.

13. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said ice shaving mechanism comprises a pusher rotatably driven by a motor for pushing ice and a fixed blade against which said ice is pushed by said rotating pusher.

14. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said ice shaving mechanism comprises a pusher and a blade, at least one of which is rotated relative to the other by a motor.

15. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing outlet comprises a vertical passage.

16. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing outlet comprises a non-vertical passage.

18. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing outlet comprises an auger to collect a batch of shaved ice prior to dispensing.

19. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing outlet comprises a paddle to collect a batch of shaved ice prior to dispensing.

20. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing zone comprises a single well in which ice cubes and shaved ice are dispensed to a user.

21. A mechanism according to claim 20, including a movable door to allow said ice cubes to selectively bypass said ice shaving mechanism.

22. A mechanism according to claim 20, wherein said single well includes a pusher and a plate having different openings therein for selective passage of ice cubes and shaved ice.

23. A mechanism according to claim 22, wherein said plate is rotatable.

24. A mechanism according to claim 22, including a cover positioned over said plate, said cover having an ice passage therethrough, and at least one of said cover and said plate being rotatable relative to the other.

25. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing zone comprises a dual path in which ice cubes and shaved ice are dispensed to a user via different paths through the dispensing zone.

17. A mechanism according to claim , wherein said dispensing outlet comprises a movable door to collect a batch of shaved ice prior to dispensing.

26. A refrigeration appliance comprising:

a first refrigerated compartment arranged to be held at a temperature below room temperature and above the freezing point of water,

a second refrigerated compartment arranged to be held at a temperature below the freezing point of water,

an ice making mechanism in said second refrigerated compartment,

an ice delivery system arranged to deliver ice from said ice making mechanism,

an ice shaving mechanism located in said refrigeration appliance arranged to selectively shave ice received from said ice delivery system,

a control mechanism arranged to allow a user to selectively activate said ice shaving mechanism; and

an ice dispensing system arranged to dispense ice trough a door providing access to one of said first and second refrigerated compartments, wherein ice may be dispensed in a shaved condition or a non-shaved condition.

27. A refrigeration appliance according to claim 26, wherein said non-shaved condition comprises crushed ice.

28. A mechanism according to claim 26, wherein said ice shaving mechanism comprises a pusher rotatably driven by a motor for pushing ice and a fixed blade against which said ice is pushed by said rotating pusher.

29. A mechanism according to claim 26, wherein said ice shaving mechanism comprises a pusher and a blade, at least one of which is rotated relative to the other by a motor.

30. A mechanism according to claim 26 wherein said dispensing zone comprises a dual path in which ice cubes and shaved ice are dispensed to a user via different paths through the dispensing zone.

31. A refrigeration appliance comprising:

a refrigerated compartment,

an ice making mechanism in said refrigerated compartment arranged to make cubed ice,

an ice delivery system arranged to deliver cubed ice from said ice making mechanism,

an ice crushing mechanism located in said refrigeration appliance arranged to selectively crush ice received from said ice delivery system,

an ice shaving mechanism located in said refrigeration appliance arranged to selectively shave ice received from said ice delivery system,

a control mechanism arranged to allow a user to selectively and alternately activate one of said ice shaving mechanism and said ice crushing mechanism; and

an ice dispensing system arranged to dispense ice, wherein ice may be dispensed in a shaved condition, a crushed condition or a cubed condition.

32. A refrigeration appliance according to claim 31, wherein said ice is dispensed to a user through a door of said refrigeration appliance.

33. A refrigeration appliance according to claim 31, including a reservoir arranged to receive cubed ice from said ice making mechanism and wherein said ice shaving mechanism is located in said reservoir.

34. A refrigeration appliance according to claim 31, wherein said ice dispensing system includes a dispensing zone with an outlet and wherein said ice shaving mechanism is located in one of said dispensing zone and outlet.

35. A refrigeration appliance according to claim 31, wherein said dispensing system is further arranged to dispense liquid water from said refrigeration appliance.

36. A mechanism according to claim 31, wherein said ice shaving mechanism comprises a pusher rotatably driven by a motor for pushing ice and a fixed blade against which said ice is pushed by said rotating pusher.

37. A mechanism according to claim 31, wherein said ice shaving mechanism comprises a pusher and a blade, at least one of which is rotated relative to the other by a motor.

38. A mechanism according to claim 31, wherein said dispensing zone comprises a dual path well in which ice cubes and shaved ice are dispensed via different paths in the dispensing zone to a user.