This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of Turkish patent application TR 2022/012930, filed Aug. 16, 2022; the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The present invention relates to a cooling appliance provided with an ice maker. In particular, the present invention relates to constructional details of ice maker assemblies for household refrigerators.
A cooling appliance such as a household refrigerator can include one or more ice makers for a facilitated preparation of ice cubes in a designated zone of a respective cooling compartment.
U.S. Pat. No. 11,543,166 B2 and its counterpart International publication WO 2021/202215 A1 disclose an ice maker for cooling appliances. The ice maker in that document includes a carriage, an ice mold defining a plurality of cavities that is movably coupled to the carriage such that the ice mold is movable relative to the carriage between a home position and a harvest position, and a detection lever movably coupled to the carriage such that the detection lever is movable between a retracted position and an extended position, the detection member being biased toward the extended position. The ice maker further includes a retention mechanism configured to retain the detection lever in the retracted position when the ice mold is in the harvest position.
Dimensional limitations with regard to cooling compartments to be furnished with ice makers, renders the procedures related to assembling, maintenance and repair difficult. Therefore, structural solutions are desired in order to facilitate such procedures in assembling and disassembling of ice maker systems for household cooling appliances.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an ice maker assembly structure which overcomes the above-mentioned and related disadvantages of the prior art devices and methods of this general type.
It is another object of the present invention to propose a solution in which the ice makers can be easily attached to and/or detached from a cooling compartment of a cooling appliance.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to propose a solution in which the attachment/detachment of ice makers can be easily performed even in the case where a respective cooling compartment has a relatively small inner volume.
With the above and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, an ice maker assembly configuration for mounting one or more ice makers in a cooling compartment of a cooling appliance, the mounting assembly configuration comprising:
In other words, the present application proposes a cooling appliance having a cooling compartment that can be provided with one or more ice makers. The cooling compartment includes an access opening which can be provided with a door.
The assembly configuration comprises a frame to be engaged to the ice maker. The frame is adapted to removably engage with a rear panel of the cooling compartment distal to an access opening of said cooling compartment. The cooling appliance further comprises a support element for being secured to the rear panel. The support element is arranged for supporting the frame against the force of gravity.
The frame comprises two or more guides at a rear panel side end thereof. The support element comprises two or more guide channels for receiving and guiding said guides at an assembling step of engaging the frame to the rear panel. The co-operation between the guide channels and guides facilitates the attachment/detachment of the ice maker.
In a possible embodiment according to the present invention, the guide channels have one or more sections that are arranged to extend in a horizontal direction when in use. The horizontal arrangement provides that in such sections the guide channels are non-inclined, thereby preventing the guides from unintended sliding along said sections due to the weight of the frame and an ice maker tray attached thereto.
In a possible embodiment, the guide channels include a first section distal to the rear panel, adapted to guide the guides in a horizontal direction at an initial stage of the assembling step. A comparable or similar guidance function inherently applies at a final stage of a disassembling step. So, the attachment/detachment of the ice maker is facilitated.
In a possible embodiment, the guide channels further include a second section in connection with the first section; the second section is transverse to the first section. In other words, the second section is angularly arranged with respect to the horizontal direction, and the guides are elevated when the guides is further guided from the first section into the second section. Hence, the guides and inevitably, the rear panel side of the frame are elevated when the guides is brought from the first section into the second section. With this embodiment, the trajectory of the ice maker at attachment/detachment includes a vertical component. Thus, a facilitated attachment/detachment operation can be conducted even with smaller cooling department volumes. Also, a momentary, inclined position of the ice maker allows intervention to possible cable connections thereof.
In a possible embodiment, the guide channels further include a third section distal to the first section and in connection with the second section; the third section is arranged parallel to the first section. This embodiment provides an increased extent of positional stability to the ice maker when mounted to the support element, in particular at an initial stage of detaching or at a final stage of attaching the frame from/to the cooling appliance.
In a possible embodiment, the guides are provided with respective centering means delimiting a lateral range of motion of the frame in-between the corresponding guide channels. The lateral range of motion is in a lateral direction that is orthogonal to both of the horizontal direction and vertical direction. This embodiment secures the engagement between the guides and respective guide channels, in particular when a distal end of the frame relative to the support element is subjected to mechanical forces with a component in the horizontal direction. Thus, the frame is centred between guide channels at its lateral sides.
In a further exemplary embodiment the frame and/or the respective ice maker can comprise a cable channel for the ice maker. Accordingly, the frame can include an opening for provision of availability to the cable channel. With this embodiment, a technician can interfere to the cable connections of the ice maker, through the opening.
In yet another embodiment, the frame further comprises a cover for reversibly covering the opening. With this embodiment, the cable connections can be protected from surroundings at instances where no interference is performed.
In a possible embodiment, the cover is arranged slidable relative to the frame. Sliding cover does not necessitate separation from the frame when bringing to an open position.
In a possible embodiment, a distal end of the frame—relative to the rear panel—is to be secured to a liner of the cooling compartment. Within this context, the liner can be considered as an upper liner when in use. This embodiment provides that, when attached, the frame is positionally stabilized at the rear panel end thereof by means of the guide channels that receive the respective guides; and further stabilized at the distal end relative to the rear panel by the fastening to the liner.
In a possible embodiment, the frame can comprise one or more extensions extending in a lateral direction that is orthogonal to both of the horizontal direction and vertical direction. The extensions can be adapted to delimit a gravity-related pivotal motion range of the frame around the guides by abutting onto the support element when the guides are in the respective third sections. For instance, when the distal end of the frame is released from the liner, the frame inevitably inclines under gravity by pivoting around the guides in the guide channels (e.g., in the third sections thereof). In such case, this embodiment prevents an uncontrolled pivotal movement in which the ice maker otherwise might collide onto a bottom liner of the cooling compartment.
With the above and other objects in view there is also provided, in accordance with the invention, a cooling appliance, comprising:
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an end of the frame that is distal from the rear panel is secured to a liner of the cooling compartment.
The above-noted guides and guide channels are formed to enable a sliding assembly of the ice maker(s) into the cooling compartment and a sliding disassembly of the ice maker(s) out of the cooling compartment.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. It should be noted in particular that all of the features described above with reference to the assembly configuration itself equally apply to the cooling appliance as a whole.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in an ice maker assembly structure and in a cooling appliance, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail, there is shown a cooling appliance (1) having a cooling compartment (10) to be provided with one or more ice makers (11). Within the context of the present application, an ice maker (11) can be considered to include one or more molding vessels (here: ice maker trays) to be fed with water by a water provision apparatus (14), for freezing water under thermal conditions available inside the cooling compartment (10) when in use.
The frame (20) comprises two or more guides (21) at a rear panel-side end (22) thereof. The support element (30) comprises two or more guide channels (31) for receiving and guiding said guides (21) at an assembling step by sliding the frame (20) towards the rear panel (101); and also, at a disassembling step by sliding the frame (20) away from the rear panel (101). The guides (21) can be considered in the form of pins or rods, that can extend from lateral sides of the frame (20) in a lateral direction (z) for being received and guided in respective guide channels (31). The guide channels (31) can be considered to be disposed to oppose each of said lateral sides of the frame (20), for symmetrically and
Within the context of the present application, the term “assembling” corresponds to engaging the frame (20) to the support element (30), and the term “disassembling” corresponds to disengaging the frame (20) from the support element (30). The mechanically cooperative behaviors and functioning of guides (21) and guide channels (31) during assembly and disassembly can be considered identical in every aspect, other than the direction of movement of the frame (20) (e.g., relative to the rear panel (101)), which is reversed. The co-operation between the guide channels (31) and the guides (21) facilitates the attachment and detachment of the ice maker (11) with respect to the cooling compartment (10), that is, to/from the rear panel (101).
In a possible embodiment, the frame (20) further comprises one or more extensions (26) extending in the lateral direction (z) that is orthogonal to both of the horizontal direction (x) and vertical direction (y). In such embodiment, the extensions (26) are adapted to delimit a gravity-related pivotal motion range of the frame (20) around the guides (21) by abutting onto the support element (30) when the guides (21) are in the respective third sections (313).
Within the context of the present application, the term “liner” corresponds to an upper liner of the cooling compartment (10) when in use.
The guide channels (31) can be arranged wider at a section distal from the rear panel (101) for facilitated engagement with respective guides (21) at initiation of an assembly operation. For example, in the vertical direction (y) when in use, a height (h) of the guide channels (31) can be greater at the first section (311) when compared to one or more remaining sections thereof (see
The guide channels (31) may have one or more sections that are arranged to extend in a horizontal direction (x) when in use. This measure provides an enhanced positional stability to the respective ice maker, since the horizontal (non-inclined) layout of such section(s) prevent the frame (20) from sliding along such section(s) of the guide channels (31) under the weight of the frame (20) and of a corresponding ice maker (11). This fact also applies at an instance in which the guides (21) are guided into a position in which the frame (20) is not yet secured to the cooling compartment (10) (see
Such positional stability also applies at an instance of detachment of the frame (20) from the cooling compartment (10): when a means (e.g., one or more screws) for securing the frame (20) to the cooling compartment (10) is removed, the frame (20) can pivot around guides (21) under gravity, but takes a stable and stagnant position in terms of sliding in the horizontal direction (x). The horizontally arranged section (e.g., the third section (313)) prevents the guides (21) from moving in a direction that has a vertical component. The frame (20) can be provided with one or more extensions (26) that are arranged to abut onto the support element (30) to delimit a pivotal movement range of the frame (20) under gravity (g) (see
In relation with the functionality discussed above:
In a possible embodiment, the frame (20) further comprises an opening (23) for provision of availability to a cable channel of the ice maker. With this embodiment, a technician can interfere to the cable connections of the ice maker, through the opening (23). In the case where the cable channel is arranged for supporting the cable connections against gravity, when in use, the opening (23) can be considered as an “upper” opening. In the case where the guide channels (31) include the first section (311) and second section (312) (and possibly, also the third section (313)) as discussed before, the frame (20) takes an inclined position at a relevant stage of attachment or detachment of the ice maker. In such instance, the opening (23) (and possibly, a cover (24) thereof) is easily available for intervention without necessitating a complete removal of the ice maker from the support element (30).
In a possible embodiment, the frame (20) further comprises a cover (24) for reversibly covering the opening (23). With this embodiment, the cable connections can be protected at instances where no such interference is required on cable connections of the ice maker.
In yet another possible embodiment, the cover (24) is arranged slidable relative to the frame (20). With such a slidable cover (24), the cover (24) can be moved between an open position and closed position without necessitating a separation of the cover (24) from the frame (20).
The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention:
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2022/012930 | Aug 2022 | TR | national |