Ice dispensing apparatus and refrigerator

• US 8,387,408 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Seong Jae, Seo, Chang Ho, Lee, Nam Gi
• Primary Examiner(s): Jules, Frantz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bauer, Cassey D
• Application Number:
  US11/966,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20080156826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 623/40, 623/44, 623/20, 241/DIG.17
• US Class Current: 62/340
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2400/10 Refrigerator units
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/046 Ice-crusher machines
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/22 particularly adapted for household refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/06 Refrigerators with a vertical mullion
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/24 Rotary or oscillatory members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/105 Heating or cooling means, for temperature and humidity control, for the conditioning of articles and their storage dispensers for food articles requiring a processing by temperature treatment or conditioning before they are ready for dispensing G07F17/0064

Abstract

An ice dispensing apparatus and a refrigerator having the ice dispensing apparatus are provided. The ice dispensing apparatus includes a case provided with an ice inlet and an ice outlet, a conveying unit that is provided on a first side of the case to convey and discharge ice cubes through the ice outlet, an ice-crushing unit that is provided on a second side of the case to crush the ice cubes into ice pieces and discharge the crushed ice pieces through the ice outlet, and an ice delivery unit for delivering the ice cubes input through an input portion to the conveying unit or the ice-crushing unit.

Claims

1. An ice dispensing apparatus, comprising:

a case provided with an ice inlet and an ice outlet;

a conveying unit that is provided on a first side of the case to convey and discharge ice cubes through the ice outlet;

an ice-crushing unit that is provided on a second side of the case to crush the ice cubes into ice pieces and discharge the crushed ice pieces through the ice outlet, the ice-crushing unit including a rotational blade that is rotatably coupled to a shaft; and

a guide member disposed at the second side of the case and configured to guide the ice cubes in different directions in accordance with an ice mode, the guide member having a slot and being positioned so that at least a portion of the rotational blade of the ice-crushing unit passes by the guide member through the slot,

wherein the rotational blade is rotated in a first direction to push the ice cubes toward the first side of the case when the ice dispensing apparatus is in an ice cube dispensing mode of operation, and

wherein the rotational blade is rotated in a second direction to push the ice cubes toward the second side of the case when the ice dispensing apparatus is in a crushed ice dispensing mode of operation.

2. The ice dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a driving unit comprising:

a driving motor for driving the ice-crushing unit;

a driving gear rotating by the driving motor; and

a driven gear that is engaged with the driving gear to drive the ice-crushing unit.

3. The ice dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveying unit comprises:

a cylindrical body disposed adjacent to the guide member and communicating with the ice outlet; and

a spiral blade disposed in the cylindrical body.

4. The ice dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveying unit and the ice-crushing unit are driven by a common driving unit.

5. The ice dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ice-crushing unit comprises:

a stationary blade fixed with reference to the case; and

wherein the rotational blade is configured to crush the ice cubes disposed on the stationary blade,

wherein the ice cubes are directed to the stationary blade or the conveying unit by adjusting a rotational direction of the rotational blade.

6. The ice dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ice-crushing unit further comprises a stationary blade that is fixed to the shaft and does not rotate, and wherein the guide member comprises an input hole so that the ice cubes are input through the input hole and guided toward the stationary blade.

7. An ice dispensing apparatus, comprising:

a case provided with an ice inlet and an ice outlet;

a conveying unit that is provided on a first side of the case to convey and discharge ice cubes through the ice outlet;

a guide member that is disposed at a second side of the case and connected to the conveying unit to guide the ice cubes in different directions in accordance with an ice mode; and

an ice delivery and crushing unit located under the guide member, wherein the ice delivery and crushing unit delivers the ice cubes on the guide member to the conveying unit in an ice cube mode by partly passing through the guide member and contacting the ice cubes and delivers the ice cubes in a direction away from the conveying unit in a crushed ice mode to crush the ice cubes and discharges the crushed ice pieces by partly passing through the guide member and contacting the ice cubes.

8. The ice dispensing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a driving unit for selectively rotating the ice delivery and crushing unit clockwise or counterclockwise.

9. The ice dispensing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the ice delivery and crushing unit comprises:

a rotational blade that partly protrudes above the guide member; and

a stationary blade fixed relative to the case.

10. The ice dispensing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the guide member is provided with an input hole through which the ice cubes are directed to the ice delivery and crushing unit in a crushed ice piece mode.

11. The ice dispensing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the conveying unit comprises:

a cylindrical body provided adjacent to the ice delivery and crushing unit and communicating with the ice outlet of the case; and

a spiral blade disposed in the cylindrical body.

12. The ice dispensing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the common driving unit comprises:

a driving motor rotating clockwise and counterclockwise;

a driving bevel gear set rotating by the driving motor; and

a driven bevel gear set that is substantially perpendicular to the driving bevel gear and rotates by the driving bevel gear set to rotate the spiral blade.

13. The ice dispensing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the conveying unit and the ice delivery and crushing unit are driven by a common driving unit or respective driving units.

14. The ice dispensing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the conveying unit conveys the ice cubes in a gravity direction.

15. A refrigerator comprising:

a main body having a freezing compartment therein;

a door opening and closing the freezing compartment;

an ice making apparatus that is installed on one of the freezing compartment and the door;

an ice dispensing apparatus for dispensing a proper amount of ice having a proper size; and

a chute along which the ice discharged from the ice dispensing apparatus is discharged out of the door,

wherein the ice dispensing apparatus comprises;

a case provided with an ice inlet and an ice outlet;

a conveying unit that is provided on a first side of the case to convey and discharge ice cubes through the ice outlet;

an ice-crushing unit that is provided on a second side of the case to crush the ice cubes into ice pieces and discharge the crushed ice pieces through the ice outlet, the ice-crushing unit including a rotational blade that is rotatably coupled to a shaft; and

a guide member disposed at the second side of the case and configured to guide the ice cubes in different directions in accordance with an ice mode, the guide member having a slot and being positioned so that at least a portion of the rotational blade of the ice-crushing unit passes by the guide member through the slot,

wherein the rotational blade is rotated in a first direction to push the ice cubes toward the first side of the case when the ice dispensing apparatus is in an ice cube dispensing mode of operation, and

wherein the rotational blade is rotated in a second direction to push the ice cubes toward the second side of the case when the ice dispensing apparatus is in a crushed ice dispensing mode of operation.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 15, wherein the ice-crushing unit further comprises a stationary blade that is fixed to the shaft and does not rotate, and wherein the guide member comprises an input hole so that the ice cubes are input through the input hole and guided toward the stationary blade.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 15, wherein the conveying unit comprises:

a cylindrical body disposed adjacent to the guide member and communicating with the ice outlet; and

a spiral blade disposed in the cylindrical body.

18. The refrigerator according to claim 15, wherein the conveying unit and the ice-crushing unit are driven by a common driving unit.