Patent · US Expired

Ice piece ejection mechanism for icemaker

US4838026A · kind A · utility

49Cited by
8References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 28, 1988
Grant dateJun 13, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 28, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF25C2500/02
  • WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An icemaker including a freezer mold having a plurality of cavities along the longitudinal central axis of the mold in which water is to be frozen to form ice pieces with a crescent shape with a flat side and an arcuate side joined to form two opposite edge portions and having a first half and a second half. An ice piece ejector is rotatable in only one direction and has an axle along the longitudinal central axis of the mold. An ice piece ejector guide is located above the cavities longitudinally along the mold and has a resilent forward portion which is spring biased. The guide and rotating ejector cooperate to move the ice pieces above the cavities between the guide and axle of the rotating ejector to move the forward poriton of the guide against the spring bias with the first half of the ice piece and subsequently eject the ice pieces from the icemaker by squeezing the second half of the ice piece between the axle and spring biased forward guide portion to exert propellent force on the ice pieces in the direction of movement of the ice pieces.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.