Ice dispenser for the automatic ice maker of a refrigerator
US5037004A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 12, 1990 |
| Grant date | Aug 6, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 12, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25D2500/02
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Ice cubes manufactured by the automatic ice maker of a household refrigerator are collected in a storage bin and conveyed towards the front of the bin and metered through an outlet opening at a constant rate by a longitudinal conveyor rotatably mounted between the front and back walls of the bin, and defined by spaced front and back helical sections of different pitches which convey the cubes forwardly at different rates and a propeller positioned on the conveyor forwardly of the front helical section at the outlet opening for breaking up frozen ice clusters and metering the cubes through the opening and past an upwardly angled ramp carried by an ice dam housing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.