Refrigerator appliances

• US 9,733,004 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2015
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Inventors: Seenivasan, Ansuraj, Mitchell, Alan Joseph, Miller, Charles Benjamin, Nuss, Bart Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): JULES, FRANTZ F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sanks, Schyler S
• Application Number:
  US14/596,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20160201967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2400/04 Ice guide, e.g. for guiding ice blocks to storage tank
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2500/08 Sticking or clogging of ice
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2700/02 Level of ice
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/187 with ice level sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/22 particularly adapted for household refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/005 Mounting of control devices

Abstract

Refrigerator appliances are provided. A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet defining a fresh food chamber and a freezer chamber, and a door for accessing one of the fresh food chamber or the freezer chamber. The refrigerator appliance further includes an ice making assembly disposed within one of the fresh food chamber, the freezer chamber or the door. The ice making assembly includes an ice maker, a container defining a storage volume for receipt of ice produced by the ice maker, and a chute extending between the ice maker and the container for directing the ice produced by the ice maker towards the storage volume. The chute includes a body defining a passage therethrough. The ice making assembly further includes a sensor positioned to transmit sensing signals through the chute, the sensor in communication with the ice maker.

Claims

1. A refrigerator appliance, comprising:

a cabinet defining a fresh food chamber and a freezer chamber;

a door for accessing one of the fresh food chamber or the freezer chamber; and

an ice making assembly disposed within the cabinet or the door, the ice making assembly comprising;

an ice maker;

a container defining a storage volume for receipt of ice produced by the ice maker;

a chute extending between the ice maker and the container for directing the ice produced by the ice maker towards the storage volume, the chute comprising a body defining a passage therethrough, the passage comprising a radial portion and a longitudinal portion, the longitudinal portion extending along a vertical direction above the storage volume, the passage being positioned such that ice is directed from the ice maker to the radial portion, from the radial portion to the longitudinal portion, and from the longitudinal portion to the storage volume; and

a sensor mounted to an upper wall of the body, the upper wall extending horizontally from the ice maker to a sidewall, the sensor mounted above the longitudinal portion and directed toward the container to transmit sensing signals in the vertical direction through the longitudinal portion of the chute toward the storage volume, the sensor being further mounted downstream from the ice maker such that the radial portion is positioned between the sensor and the ice maker, the sensor being in communication with the ice maker,

wherein the body comprises the sidewall, the sidewall defining at least a portion of the chute at the longitudinal portion, and wherein the sidewall extends downward along the vertical direction at an acute angle from the upper wall.

2. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, further comprising a controller, the controller configured to operate the ice maker based on sensing signals received from the sensor.

3. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a radiation sensor and the sensing signals are radiation signals.

4. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an acoustic sensor and the sensing signals are acoustic signals.

5. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the sensor is directed toward the storage volume to transmit sensing signals through the longitudinal portion to the storage volume.

6. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, further comprising a heating element mounted to the body of the chute.

7. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the door is rotatably hinged to the cabinet for accessing the fresh food chamber and comprises an inner surface and an outer surface and defines an ice box, and wherein the ice making assembly is disposed within the ice box.

8. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein ice within the storage volume of the container is maintained at a temperature greater than thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit.

9. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the ice maker comprises an auger and an extruder.

10. The refrigerator appliance of claim 2, wherein the sensor further receives sensing signals that are transmitted through the chute, and wherein the controller is configured to de-activate the ice maker when the received sensing signals exceed a predetermined threshold.

11. The refrigerator appliance of claim 3, wherein the radiation sensor is an infrared radiation sensor and the radiation signals are infrared radiation signals.

12. The refrigerator appliance of claim 6, wherein the heating element is in communication with the ice maker, and wherein the heating element is active when the ice maker is actively engaged in the production of ice.

13. The refrigerator appliance of claim 6, wherein the heating element is mounted to a portion of the body defining the longitudinal portion.

14. A refrigerator appliance, comprising:

a cabinet defining a fresh food chamber and a freezer chamber;

a door rotatably hinged to the cabinet for accessing the fresh food chamber, the door comprising an inner surface and an outer surface and rotatable between an open position and a closed position, the door defining an ice box;

an ice making assembly disposed within the ice box, the ice making assembly comprising;

an ice maker;

a container defining a storage volume for receipt of ice produced by the ice maker;

a chute extending between the ice maker and the container for directing the ice produced by the ice maker towards the storage volume, the chute comprising a body defining a passage therethrough, the passage comprising a radial portion and a longitudinal portion, the longitudinal portion extending along a vertical direction above the storage volume, the passage being positioned such that ice is directed from the ice maker to the radial portion, from the radial portion to the longitudinal portion, and from the longitudinal portion to the storage volume; and

a sensor mounted to an upper wall of the body, the upper wall extending horizontally from the ice maker to a sidewall, the sensor mounted above the longitudinal portion and directed toward the container to transmit sensing signals in the vertical direction through the longitudinal portion of the chute toward the storage volume, the sensor being further mounted downstream from the ice maker such that the radial portion is positioned between the sensor and the ice maker, the sensor being in communication with the ice maker,

wherein the body comprises the sidewall, the sidewall defining at least a portion of the chute at the longitudinal portion, and wherein the sidewall extends downward along the vertical direction at an acute angle from the upper wall.

15. The refrigerator appliance of claim 14, further comprising a heating element mounted to the body of the chute.

16. The refrigerator appliance of claim 14, wherein ice within the storage volume of the container is maintained at a temperature greater than thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit.