This invention relates generally to refrigerators, and more specifically, to an ice making system for a refrigerator.
Some known refrigerators include a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment. Such refrigerators also typically include a refrigeration circuit including a compressor, evaporator, and condenser connected in series. An evaporator fan is provided to blow air over the evaporator, and a condenser fan is provided to blow air over the condenser. In operation, when an upper temperature limit is reached in the freezer compartment, the compressor, evaporator fan, and condenser fan are energized. Once the temperature in the freezer compartment reaches a lower temperature limit, the compressor, evaporator fan, and condenser fan are de-energized.
Some refrigerator freezers include an ice maker. The ice maker receives water for ice production from a water valve typically mounted to an exterior of a refrigerator case. A primary mode of heat transfer for making ice is convection. Specifically, by blowing cold air over an ice maker mold body, heat is removed from water in the mold body. As a result, ice is formed in the mold. Typically, the cold air blown over the ice maker mold body is first blown over the evaporator and then over the mold body by the evaporator fan. The ice is typically stored in an ice bucket positioned adjacent the mold. Known ice buckets do not permit easy access to bulk ice removal, due to interference with the inner door when the refrigerator is adjacent to a wall, especially for “built-in: style refrigerators.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds