Ice detecting method and apparatus for a refrigerator
US8616013B2 · kind B2 · utility
6Cited by
28References
2Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 22, 2009 |
| Grant date | Dec 31, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 12, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25D2400/02
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method of determining a amount of ice collected in a storage container of a refrigerator, the ice being discharged into the storage container by an ice maker having an ice detecting sensor with a heater, the method comprises determining whether or not the ice storage container is full or nearly full of ice by turning on the detecting sensor for a prescribed period of time. In one embodiment, the heater is turned on while the determining step is preformed. In an alternative embodiment, the heater is continuously maintained in an “ON” state.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.