Refrigerator
US7360377B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 9, 2005 |
| Grant date | Apr 22, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 27, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S241/17
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A refrigerator including a shaved ice dispensing unit positioned within a freezing compartment door and plural ice dispensing units positioned in an ice cube container to selectively dispense ice cubes, crushed ice and shaved ice. First and second ice dispensing units are positioned in parallel in a freezing compartment. The first ice dispensing unit supplies ice cubes to the shaved ice dispensing unit, and the second ice dispensing unit selectively dispenses the ice cubes and crushed ice through an ice cube/crushed ice discharge port positioned in the freezing compartment door. The shaved ice dispensing unit includes a case having a shaved ice outlet formed therethrough, at least one blade positioned to the shaved ice outlet, a rotational barrel rotatably positioned within the case to be rotated by a driving motor and a reduction gear assembly. The rotational barrel includes a spiral wing provided on an inner peripheral surface of the rotational barrel to force the ice cubes to be conveyed to the blade and shaved into the shaved ice.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.