Ice-crushing device for refrigerators

• US 7,481,387 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2005
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Wook-yong, Kim, Seong-jae
• Primary Examiner(s): Francis; Faye
• Application Number:
  US11/126,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20060144976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: 241/65, 241/101.2, 241/DIG.17, 621/57, 623/44, 623/20
• US Class Current: 241/65
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 18/14 within horizontal containers B02C18/062, B02C18/065 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 18/24 Drives
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 2018/188 Stationary counter-knives; Mountings thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2400/08 for different type of ice
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2400/10 Refrigerator units
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/046 Ice-crusher machines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 241/17 Ice crushers

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an ice-crushing device for refrigerators that is capable of crushing ice by torque of rotary blades relative to stationary blades wherein the stationary blades are selectively operated according to selected ice mode, i.e., crushed ice mode or ice cube mode, to allow the stationary blades to have a damper function, thereby preventing stoppage of crushed ice, and therefore, eliminating a locking phenomenon, which is caused by the stoppage of crushed ice. The ice-crushing device comprises an actuating unit for rotating the stationary blades clockwise or counterclockwise about a rotary shaft when a driving force is transmitted to the actuating unit, and a driving unit for supplying the driving force to the actuating unit.

Claims

1. An ice-crushing device for refrigerators, comprising:

a first set of blades rotatable about a first rotary shaft by a driving force, each blade of the first set of blades comprising a guide slit formed in a side thereof;

a second set of blades fitted on a second rotary shaft of a motor for performing a rotating operation; and

an actuating lever having a first end extending in the guide slits, the actuating lever being rotated about a second end of the actuating lever when a driving force of a driving unit is transmitted to the actuating lever, to perform a rectilinear reciprocating movement along the guide slits,

wherein the second set of blades applies a torque to the first set of blades when the ice-crushing device performs an ice-crushing operation, and

an angle between a first reference line, which is a line passing through a center of the actuating lever, and a second reference line, which is a line passing from the first end of the actuating lever through the center of the first rotary shaft, is an acute angle.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

first and second stoppers disposed above and under the actuating lever for restricting rotation of the actuating lever, respectively.

3. The device as set forth in claim 2, wherein the first and second stoppers have shock-absorbing members disposed on outer circumferential surfaces of the first and second stoppers.

4. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the driving unit comprises:

a driving lever integrally formed with an end of a central rotating shaft, which longitudinally extends along the rotation center of the actuating lever, the driving lever being formed in the shape of a crank such that the driving lever is symmetrical to the actuating lever about the middle of the central rotating shaft; and

a solenoid linked with the driving lever, the solenoid having a rod, which is vertically reciprocated, when the solenoid is turned on/off, to rotate the driving lever about the central rotating shaft.

5. The device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the solenoid is provided at the lower end of the rod thereof with a hook, which is opened at the front and rear parts thereof and has an actuating space part, the driving lever being inserted through the actuating space part of the hook.

6. The device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the actuating lever has a restoring spring mounted thereon for returning the actuating lever to its original position when the solenoid is turned off.

7. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the driving unit comprises a central rotating shaft longitudinally extending along a rotation center of the actuating lever, the central rotating shaft receiving the driving force from a motor through a spur gear set for performing a rotating operation.

8. The device as set forth in claim 7, further comprising:

a position detecting unit for restricting the rotation of the central rotating shaft, the position detecting unit including;

a rotary disk fitted on the central rotating shaft;

a plurality of position detecting pieces formed at the rotary disk; and

a detecting sensor disposed opposite to the position detecting pieces for detecting the rotation of the central rotating shaft.

9. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the driving unit comprises a central rotating shaft longitudinally extending along a rotation center of the actuating lever, the central rotating shaft receiving the driving force from a motor through a bevel gear set for performing a rotating operation.

10. The device as set forth in claim 9, further comprising:

a position detecting unit for restricting the rotation of the central rotating shaft, the position detecting unit including;

a rotary disk fitted on the central rotating shaft;

a plurality of position detecting pieces formed at one side surface of the rotary disk; and

a detecting sensor disposed opposite to the position detecting pieces for detecting the rotation of the central rotating shaft.

11. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the driving unit comprises a central rotating shaft longitudinally extending along a rotation center of the actuating lever, the central rotating shaft receiving the driving force from a solenoid through a rack and pinion for performing a rotating operation.

12. The device as set forth in claim 11, wherein the actuating lever has a restoring spring mounted thereon for returning the actuating lever to its original position when the solenoid is turned off.

13. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the driving unit comprises:

rotary driving disks rotatable in alternating directions by a driving force of a motor; and

an actuating pin inserted through the guide slits of the stationary blades for performing a rectilinear reciprocating movement along the guide slits as the rotary driving disks are rotated.

14. The device as set forth in claim 13, wherein

the rotary driving disks are a pair of rotary driving disks arranged such that one of the rotary driving disks is disposed in front of the other rotary driving disk while the rotary driving disks are spaced apart from each other, and

the actuating pin is inserted through the guide slits of the first blades between the rotary driving disks.

15. The device as set forth in claim 14, wherein

the rotary driving disks are fitted on a motor shaft, which is inserted through centers of the rotary driving disks, such that one of the rotary driving disks is disposed in front of the other rotary driving disk while the rotary driving disks are spaced apart from each other, and

the actuating pin is connected to the motor shaft via a reinforcing bar.

16. The device as set forth in claim 13, further comprising:

a position detecting unit for restricting the rotation of the central rotating shaft.

17. The device as set forth in claim 16, wherein the position detecting unit comprises:

a plurality of position detecting pieces formed at a rotary disk; and

a detecting sensor disposed opposite to the position detecting pieces for detecting the position of the actuating pin.