Ice crushing mechanism

• US 8,220,283 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2007
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Boarman, Patrick J., Wilson, Gary W., Meyerholtz, Eric R., Webster, Richard A., Kracker, Dawn M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tyler, Cheryl J
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROGERS, LAKIYA G
• Application Number:
  US11/870,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20080148759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• Field of Search: 623/20, 241/DIG.17
• US Class Current: 62/320
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2400/10 Refrigerator units
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/046 Ice-crusher machines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 62/17 Condenser pressure control

Abstract

An ice making and storing system which may be mounted in a refrigeration appliance. The ice making and storing system includes an ice making mechanism, a removable ice storage receptacle positioned adjacent to the ice making mechanism, an insulated cover for the ice making mechanism with a portion engageable with the ice storage receptacle to provide a thermally tight seal between the cover and the ice storage receptacle.

Claims

1. An ice crushing mechanism comprising:

a housing having a first chamber and a second chamber,

a rotatable spindle positioned in the housing extending essentially vertically through both the first and second chambers and defining a vertical rotational axis,

the first chamber formed in the housing and defined by a first bottom wall with an opening therein,

the second chamber formed below the first chamber in the housing and defined on top by the first bottom wall of the first chamber and also by a second wall with an opening therein angularly offset relative to the vertical axis from the first bottom wall opening, the second chamber forming a passage from the opening in the first bottom wall to the opening in the second wall,

at least one ice crushing blade rotatably carried on the spindle and positioned in the first chamber, and

a wiper rotatably carried on the spindle and positioned in the second chamber, said wiper being configured to have an arm portion positioned between the opening in the second wall and the opening in the first bottom wall, to block the passage between the opening in the second wall and the opening in the first bottom wall in all rotational positions of the wiper.

2. The ice crushing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the second wall comprises a bottom wall of the second chamber.

3. The ice crushing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first chamber is further defined by a top wall with an opening therein angularly offset relative to the vertical axis from the first bottom wall opening.

4. The ice crushing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the openings in the first bottom wall and the second wall each have an angular extent relative to the vertical axis of less than 90 degrees.

5. The ice crushing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are each defined by a circular outer wall.

6. The ice crushing mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the wiper arm portion comprises at least one arm attached to be rotatably driven by the spindle with a free end terminating closely adjacent to the outer wall defining the second chamber.

7. The ice crushing mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the wiper arm portion is made of a flexible and resilient material.

8. The ice crushing mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the wiper arm portion comprises three arms attached to be rotatably driven by the spindle, each with a free end terminating closely adjacent to the outer wall defining the second chamber.

9. An ice crushing mechanism comprising:

a housing having a first chamber and a second chamber,

a rotatable spindle positioned in the housing extending essentially vertically through a central portion of both the first and second chambers and defining a vertical rotational axis,

the first chamber formed in the housing and defined by a top wall with a first opening therein, a first bottom wall with a second opening having an angular extent relative to the vertical axis of no more than 110 degrees therein angularly offset relative to the vertical axis from the top wall opening and a circular outer wall,

the second chamber formed below the first chamber in the housing and defined on top by the first bottom wall of the first chamber, on the bottom by a lower, second bottom wall with a third opening having an angular extent relative to the vertical axis of no more than 110 degrees therein angularly offset relative to the vertical axis from the first bottom wall opening by approximately 180 degrees and a circular outer wall,

at least one ice crushing blade rotatably carried on the spindle and positioned in the first chamber, and

a wiper rotatably carried on the spindle and positioned in the second chamber, the wiper comprising a plurality of arms, each attached to be rotatably driven by the spindle and each with a free end terminating closely adjacent to the outer wall, and each having a height equal to a height of the second chamber,

the arms being angularly spaced apart relative to the vertical axis from each other such that at least two arms block all paths between the second opening and the third opening in all rotational positions of the wiper.

10. The ice crushing mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the openings in the top wall, the first bottom wall and the second bottom wall each have an angular extent relative to the vertical axis of less than 90 degrees.

11. The ice crushing mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the wiper arm is made of a flexible and resilient material.

12. A refrigeration appliance comprising:

a cabinet with a refrigerated compartment therein,

an ice making mechanism located in the refrigerated compartment and arranged to make ice and to dispense the ice to an ice crushing mechanism,

the ice crushing mechanism comprising;

a housing having a first chamber and second chamber,

a rotatable spindle positioned in the housing extending essentially vertically through both the first and second chambers and defining a vertical rotational axis,

the first chamber formed in the housing and defined by a first bottom wall with an opening therein,

the second chamber formed below the first chamber in the housing and defined on the top by the first bottom wall of the first chamber and also by a second wall with an opening therein angularly offset relative to the vertical axis from the first bottom wall opening, the second chamber forming a passage between the opening in the first bottom wall and the opening in the second wall,

at least one ice crushing blade rotatably carried on the spindle and positioned in the first chamber, and

a wiper rotatably carried on the spindle and positioned in the second chamber, said wiper being configured to have an arm portion positioned between the opening in the second wall and the opening in the first bottom wall, to block the passage between the opening in the second wall and the opening in the first bottom wall in all rotational positions of the wiper.

13. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, wherein the second wall comprises a bottom wall of the second chamber.

14. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, wherein the first chamber is further defined by a top wall with an opening therein angularly offset relative to the vertical axis from the first bottom wall opening.

15. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, wherein the openings in the first bottom wall and the second wall each have an angular extent relative to the vertical axis of less than 90 degrees.

16. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are each defined by a circular outer wall.

17. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 16, wherein the wiper arm portion is attached to the wiper to be rotatably driven by the spindle with a free end terminating adjacent to the outer wall defining the second chamber.

18. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 17, wherein the wiper arm portion is made of a flexible and resilient material.

19. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 16, wherein the wiper arm portion comprises three arms attached to be rotatably driven by the spindle, each with a free end terminating adjacent to the outer wall defining the second chamber.