Ice detecting apparatus of ice maker for refrigerator and ice detecting method thereof
US8635877B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 1, 2009 |
| Grant date | Jan 28, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 20, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25C5/187
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An ice detecting apparatus for a refrigerator having an ice maker includes an ice detecting sensor which determines whether or not an ice storage container which receives and stores ice made by the ice maker is full or nearly full of ice based on pulses transmitted from and received by transmitting and receiving units. The ice detecting sensor includes a transmitting unit to transmit one or more pulses and a receiving unit to detect the pulses transmitted from the transmitting unit. A controller is operably coupled to the transmitting and receiving units to determine whether the storage container is full or nearly full based on pulses detected by the receiving unit among one or more pulses transmitted by the transmitting unit. The controller also determines whether or not external light has been introduced into the ice maker based on the pulses detected by the receiving unit.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.