EP3215797B1

EP3215797B1 - An ice making unit for use in a refrigerator

Info

Publication number: EP3215797B1
Application number: EP15770929.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Tolga APAYDIN; Cumhur Ayvazoglu; Sabahattin Hocaoglu; Erkan KARAKAYA; Faruk KOCABIYIK
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2014-11-03
Filing date: 2015-09-29
Publication date: 2018-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 2035-09-29
Also published as: EP3215797A1; WO2016071049A1; PL3215797T3

Description

The present invention relates to an ice making unit that is suitable to be used in a refrigerator and that is used for making ice.
In refrigerators that do not have automatic ice producing systems, containers having ice cells are used for making the ice pieces, the cells are disposed in place in the freezing compartment after filling with water from a source. The user, desiring to make the maximum amount of ice in one filling of the ice cube tray, fills the cells with water completely or almost completely and needs to show special attention for carrying water without spilling and placing the ice cube tray in the refrigerator. No matter how carefully the tray is carried and placed, spilling of some amount of water cannot be avoided. In refrigerators having automatic ice making systems, high cost and space occupying additional installation elements such as the water tank, the pump that delivers water to the freezing compartment, ducts and valves are used in the refrigerator.
In the state of the art, there are embodiments wherein the ice cube tray is filled by water adding apparatuses.
In the International Patent Application No. WO02052207 , the description is given for a water addition apparatus used for filling the ice cube tray with water and a unit comprising the ice cube tray case whereon the said ice cube tray is placed. An ice making unit according to the preamble of independent claim 1 is known from US5012655 .
The aim of the present invention is the realization of an ice making unit comprising a cartridge that can be mounted/dismounted easily and safely.
The ice making unit suitable to be used in the fresh food or freezer compartments of the refrigerator, realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises an ice cube tray that is placed therein by sliding and that has more than one cell providing the making of ice cubes by freezing the water filled therein; a cartridge providing the filling of water into the ice cube tray, an ice cube tray housing enabling the ice cube tray to be disposed and a cartridge housing that is situated above the ice cube tray housing and that enables the cartridge to be placed.
The ice making unit of the present invention comprises a latch that moves to extend into the cartridge housing when the ice cube tray is taken out of the ice cube tray housing and prevents the cartridge from being placed into the cartridge housing. The latch at least partially extends into the cartridge housing. Thus, while the cartridge is driven into the cartridge housing, the latch forms a barrier at the entrance of the cartridge housing, thus the cartridge bears against the latch and the cartridge is prevented from being placed into the cartridge housing.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ice making unit comprises the latch that has a closed position wherein the latch forms a barrier in the direction the cartridge is driven into the cartridge housing by extending into the cartridge housing and an open position whereto the latch is changed from the closed position by rotating around the shaft and wherein the latch enables the cartridge to be placed into the cartridge housing. The latch extends in the vertical axis while in the closed position and extends in the horizontal axis when changed to the open position. The cartridge can be placed into the cartridge housing after the latch is changed from the closed position to the open position.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ice making unit comprises a shaft that is disposed between the ice cube tray housing and the cartridge housing, that extends in the horizontal direction and whereon the latch is rotatably mounted. The shaft bears the latch rotatably around the horizontal axis. While the latch rotates around the shaft with one end connected to the shaft, the other end of the latch extends into the cartridge housing and prevents the cartridge from being placed into the cartridge housing.
ln a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the latch comprises an upper arm disposed above the shaft and a lower arm disposed below the shaft. The upper arm extends into the cartridge housing and the lower arm into the ice cube tray housing when the latch is in the closed position. The ice cube tray contacts the lower arm while being placed into the ice cube tray housing and forces the latch to rotate around the shaft. Consequently, the latch changes from the closed position to the open position.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ice making unit comprises the latch, the lower arm of which is longer than the upper arm thereof. In this embodiment, the lower arm is longer and heavier than the upper arm. Thus, while the ice cube tray is outside the ice making unit, the latch changes from the open position to the closed position by rotating with the gravity effect since the lower arm is heavier than the upper arm. Thus, when the ice cube tray is not mounted, the cartridge is prevented from being placed.
ln a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ice making unit comprises an opening disposed on the cartridge housing. When the latch is in the open position, the upper arm is placed into the opening. The opening has a length, width and thickness that is equal to or larger than the upper arm. Thus, when placed into the opening, the upper arm does not extend into the cartridge housing and the cartridge can be easily placed into the cartridge housing.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ice making unit comprises a biasing means that forces the latch to remain in the closed position. The biasing means, which is preferably a spring, applies pressure to the latch to enable the latch to remain in the closed position when the ice cube tray is not mounted. While the latch moves from the closed position to the open position, the biasing means applies pressure in the reverse direction of its movement so as to change the latch to the closed position again.
By means of the present invention, the ice cube tray is enabled to be easily filled with water by means of the cartridge and when the ice cube tray is not mounted, the cartridge is prevented from being placed into the ice making unit and the water contained therein from spilling into the ice making unit and inside the refrigerator from the ice making unit.
The ice making unit realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 - is the perspective view of a refrigerator.
Figure 2 - is the perspective view of the ice making unit, the ice cube tray and the cartridge.
Figure 3 - is the sideways cross-sectional view of the ice making unit when the latch is in the open position.
Figure 4 - is the sideways cross-sectional view of the ice making unit when the latch is in the closed position.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Ice making unit
2. Ice cube tray
3. Cell
4. Cartridge
5. Ice cube tray housing
6. Cartridge housing
7. Latch
8. Shaft
9. Upper arm
10. Lower arm
11. Opening
12. Biasing means

A. Refrigerator

B. Compartment

The ice making unit (1) suitable to be used in a fresh food or a freezer compartment (B) of a refrigerator (A) comprises an ice cube tray (2) having more than one cell (3) providing the making of ice cubes by freezing the water filled therein, a cartridge (4) providing the filling of water into the ice cube tray (2), an ice cube tray housing (5) enabling the ice cube tray (2) to be placed, a cartridge housing (6) that is disposed above the ice cube tray housing (5) and that enables the cartridge (4) to be placed (Figure 1 and Figure 2).
The ice making unit (1) of the present invention comprises a latch (7) that extends into the cartridge housing (6) by moving when the ice cube tray (2) is taken out of the ice cube tray housing (5) and that prevents the cartridge (4) from being placed into the cartridge housing (6). The latch (7) extends at least partially into the cartridge housing (6) and forms a barrier in the movement direction of the cartridge (4) while the cartridge (4) is being placed into the cartridge housing (6).
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ice making unit (1) comprises the latch (7) that has a closed position wherein the latch (7) prevents the cartridge (4) from being placed into the cartridge housing (6) by extending into the cartridge housing (6) and an open position whereto the latch (7) is changed from the closed position by being moved and wherein the latch (7) enables the cartridge (4) to be placed into the cartridge housing (6). The latch (7) extends into the cartridge housing (6) while in the closed position and thus forms a barrier in front of the cartridge (4) and prevents the cartridge (4) from being placed into the cartridge housing (6) while the cartridge (4) is being placed into the cartridge housing (6). The latch (7) does not extend into the cartridge housing (6) in the open position and the cartridge (4) can be placed into the cartridge housing (6) (Figure 3 and Figure 4).
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ice making unit (1) comprises a shaft (8) that is disposed between the ice cube tray housing (5) and the cartridge housing (6) and that extends in the horizontal direction, whereon the latch (7) is rotatably mounted. The shaft (8) is mounted to the ice making unit (1) such that its distance to the cartridge housing (6) is not larger than the height of the latch (7). Thus, the latch (7) extends into the cartridge housing (6) during its movement.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ice making unit (1) comprises the latch (7) having an upper arm (9) disposed above the shaft (8) and a lower arm (10) disposed below the shaft (8). The lower arm (10) and the upper arm (9) extend from the shaft (8) to the ice cube tray housing (5) and the cartridge housing (6) such that there is an obtuse angle (90°-180°) therebetween. The upper arm (9) extends to the cartridge housing (6) and the lower arm (10) to the ice cube tray housing (5) when the latch (7) is in the closed position. When the latch (7) is in the closed position, the ice cube tray (2) bears against the lower arm (10) while being placed into the ice cube tray housing (5) and forces the latch (7) to move from the closed position to the open position. When the latch (7) is in the closed position, the cartridge (4) bears against the upper arm (9) while being placed into the cartridge housing (6). After changing the latch (7) to the open position by placing the ice cube tray (2) into the ice cube tray housing (5), the user can place the cartridge (4) into the cartridge housing (6). Thus, the user is prevented from placing the cartridge (4) when the ice cube tray (2) is not in the ice cube tray housing (5).
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ice making unit (1) comprises the latch (7), the lower arm (10) of which is longer than the upper arm (9) thereof. In this embodiment, the lower arm (10) is longer and heavier than the upper arm (9). Thus, when the ice cube tray (2) is pulled, since the lower arm (10) is longer and heavier than the upper arm (9), the latch (7) moves from the open position to the closed position and the lower arm (10) extends towards the cartridge housing (6) vertically in the downward direction.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ice making unit (1) comprises an opening (11) that is arranged on the cartridge housing (6) and wherein the upper arm (9) is placed in the open position. When the latch (7) is in the open position, the upper arm (9) is placed into the opening (11). Thus, the cartridge (4) is easily placed into the cartridge housing (6). As the latch (7) changes from the open position to the closed position, the upper arm (9) passes through the opening (11) and extends into the cartridge housing (6). Furthermore, when the ice cube tray (2) is not placed into the ice cube tray housing (5) entirely, the upper arm (9) extends into the cartridge housing (6) at least partially and prevents the cartridge (4) from being placed into the cartridge housing (6). Thus, the user understands that the ice cube tray (2) is not placed into the ice cube tray housing (5) properly and the latch (7) is prevented from moving to the open position unless proper placement is realized.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ice making unit (1) comprises a biasing means (12) that is connected to the latch (7) from one end and to the ice making unit (1) from the other end and that forces the latch (7) to remain in the closed position. When the latch (7) is in the closed position, the ice cube tray (2) bears against the lower arm (10) while being placed into the ice cube tray housing (5) and the ice cube tray (2) forces the latch (7) to move from the closed position to the open position. The biasing means (12) becomes active from the moment the latch (7) starts rotating from the closed position and exerts pressure on the latch (7) in the opposite direction of its movement and tries to change the latch (7) back to the closed position. Thus, after the ice cube tray (2) is taken from the ice cube tray housing (5), the latch (7) changes to the closed position again with the pressure exerted by the biasing means (12). Furthermore, when the ice cube tray (2) is outside the ice cube tray housing (5), the biasing means (12) forces the latch (7) to remain in the closed position. Thus, the cartridge (4) is prevented from being placed into the cartridge housing (6) before the ice cube tray (2) is placed in the ice cube tray housing (5).
In the ice making unit (1) of the present invention, the ice cube tray (2) is enabled to be filled with water easily by means of an easy-to-use cartridge (4) without requiring additional water filling equipments. Furthermore, by means of the latch (7), the cartridge (4) is enabled to be placed into the ice making unit (1) only after the ice cube tray (2) is properly placed into the ice making unit (1).

Claims

An ice making unit (1) suitable to be used in a fresh food or a freezer compartment (B) of a refrigerator (A) comprises an ice cube tray (2) having more than one cell (3) providing the making of ice cubes by freezing the water filled therein, a cartridge (4) providing the filling of water into the ice cube tray (2), an ice cube tray housing (5) enabling the ice cube tray (2) to be placed, a cartridge housing (6) that is disposed above the ice cube tray housing (5) and that enables the cartridge (4) to be placed, characterized by a latch (7) that extends into the cartridge housing (6) by moving when the ice cube tray (2) is taken out of the ice cube tray housing (5) and that prevents the cartridge (4) from being placed into the cartridge housing (6).
An ice making unit (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the latch (7) that has a closed position wherein the latch (7) prevents the cartridge (4) from being placed into the cartridge housing (6) by extending into the cartridge housing (6) and an open position whereto the latch (7) is changed from the closed position by being moved and wherein the latch (7) enables the cartridge (4) to be placed into the cartridge housing (6).
An ice making unit (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a shaft (8) that is disposed between the ice cube tray housing (5) and the cartridge housing (6) and that extends in the horizontal direction, whereon the latch (7) is rotatably mounted.
An ice making unit (1) as in Claim 3, characterized by the latch (7) comprising an upper arm (9) disposed above the shaft (8) and a lower arm (10) disposed below the shaft (8).
An ice making unit (1) as in Claim 4, characterized by the latch (7), the lower arm (10) of which is longer than the upper arm (9) thereof.
An ice making unit (1) as in Claim 4 or 5, characterized by an opening (11) that is arranged on the cartridge housing (6) and wherein the upper arm (9) is placed in the open position.
An ice making unit (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a biasing means (12) that is connected to the latch (7) from one end and to the ice making unit (1) from the other end and that forces the latch (7) to remain in the closed position.