Patent Application
20150276298
This disclosure relates generally to ice makers, and, more particularly, to apparatuses and methods to improve air flow in on-the-door icemakers.
Some prior-art appliances such as side-by-side refrigerators, French-door refrigerators and freezers have on-the-door icemakers. On-the-door icemakers facilitate, among other things, the dispensing of ice and/or beverages through external dispensers.
On-the-door icemakers having improved air flow are disclosed. An example icemaker includes an ice mold configured to produce ice by removing heat from the ice mold using supplied cold air, and a shaped air flow redirection member disposed at least partially between the icemaker and the door to redirect at least a portion of the cold air away from the door toward the freezer compartment.
An example method for redirecting air flow in an on-the-door icemaker of an appliance having a freezer compartment, and a door that provides access to the freezer compartment includes supplying cold air into the icemaker, and redirecting at least a portion of the cold air from the ice maker back toward the freezer compartment using a generally L-shaped air flow redirection device disposed at least partially between the icemaker and the door.
In some prior-art appliances including to, but not limited to, side-by-side refrigerators, French-door refrigerators and freezers, cold air provided to an on-the-door icemaker may result in the buildup of humidity, frost and/or ice on an appliance door or stored ice, and/or the freezing of a water supply. To overcome at least these problems, on-the-door icemakers having improved air flow are disclosed. For example, the disclosed on-the-door icemakers redirect more air away from the door, ice storage bin, and water freezing zone than existing appliances.
To make and/or dispense ice, the example refrigerator 100 includes an on-the-door icemaker 110 on the door 103, which is constructed in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure. The icemaker 110 may be fixedly or removeably mounted to the door 103. While not shown or discussed herein, the on-the-door icemaker 110 may dispense ice through the door 103, as is well understood. Additionally or alternatively, the icemaker 110 may include a door and/or access 112 to enable a person to remove ice from an ice storage area and/or bin 320 (see
Although the example on-the-door icemaker 110 disclosed herein is described with reference to the example refrigerator 100 of
As shown in
Turning to
Traditionally, after passing around the ice mold 305, the second portion of the cold air flow 310 is reflected by the interior lining the door 103. However, doing so has numerous disadvantages including, but not limited to, the buildup of frost, ice and/or humidity on the door 103, the unnecessary reflection of cold air into the ice storage zone 320, and/or the reflection of additional cold air into the water supply zone 315 which may result in freezing of the water supply.
To prevent these and other problems, the example icemaker 110 includes a generally L-shaped air flow redirection member 325. The example air flow redirection member 325 has a first portion or member 330 that is at least partially between the icemaker 110 and the door 103. This first member 330 reflects at least some of the first portion of the flow of cold air 310 after it passes around and/or beneath the ice mold 305 back toward the freezer compartment 102.
To reflect cold air that has been reflected downward by the first member 330 and/or cold air that may be pass below and generally close to the first portion 330, the example air flow redirection member 325 has a second portion or member 335 that extends from the first portion or member 330 generally toward the freezer compartment 102. As shown, at least some of the cold air flowing downward along the first member 330 is redirected away from the door 103 and toward the freezer compartment 102 by the second member 335.
It will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art that not all of the cold air flowing into the icemaker 110 and/or impinging on the air flow redirection member 325 will be reflected toward the freezer compartment 102. However, more cold air will be redirected away from the door 103, the water supply zone 315, and the ice storage area 320 toward the freezer compartment 102 than traditional icemakers.
As shown in
In some examples, the air flow redirection member 325 is a separate member that is mounted to the icemaker 110 such that when the icemaker 110 is in place in the door 103 it is positioned at least partially between the icemaker 110 and an inner liner of the door 103. In other examples, the air flow redirection member 325 is mounted or affixed to the inner liner of the door 103. In these latter examples, the first portion 330 may be formed as part of the inner liner; with the second portion 335 attached or affixed to the liner or as a part of the liner, thereby forming the L-shaped air flow redirection member 325. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other configurations may be used.
Although certain example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the claims of this patent.
