Ice making assembly for refrigerator
US6176099A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 15, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jan 23, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 15, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25C2400/10
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An ice making assembly for use in a refrigerator has an ice forming chamber positioned in the freezer. The chamber has a water reservoir for receiving water, at least one air inlet passage and an outlet opening for permitting cool air flow to pass through the ice forming chamber and over the water reservoir to chill the water into ice pieces. The chamber has an ice displacing device for displacing the ice pieces from the water reservoir and moving the ice pieces out of the ice forming chamber through the outlet opening into an ice storage bin. The bin has a discharge opening for discharging ice pieces from the ice making assembly. The ice making assembly has a downwardly extending baffle positioned across outlet opening of the ice forming chamber. The baffle is slanted from the vertical back towards the outlet opening of the ice making chamber by an angle of about 5.degree. to partially close the outlet opening and to redirect a portion of the air flow normally exiting the outlet opening back into the ice forming chamber and over the water reservoir. The baffle advantageously redirects air flow back over the water to be chilled thereby increasing the heat exchange between the air f…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.