Abstract: An appliance includes a cabinet and a cabinet door and an ice maker. A primary ice bin is disposed in the cabinet door of the appliance. A secondary ice bin is disposed in the cabinet of the appliance. A routing device is disposed inside the cabinet. The routing device includes a stationary base that supports an adjustable ramp. The ramp is operable between a first position that directs ice to the primary ice bin and a second position that directs ice to the secondary ice bin.

Abstract: An ice dispenser for a refrigerator is provided. The ice dispenser includes an ice storage container housing and an ice generator having a hollow mold which is filled with water. The ice storage container housing and the ice generator are combined into one modular unit.

Abstract: An ice collection area is disposed inside the cabinet proximate an ice maker. An ice storage area is disposed inside the cabinet. A first relocatable ice bin is disposed inside the cabinet. The first relocatable ice bin is disposed in one of the ice collection area and the ice storage area. A second relocatable ice bin is disposed inside the cabinet. The second relocatable ice bin is disposed in the other of the ice collection area and the ice storage area.

Abstract: An appliance including an ice manipulation reservoir capable of receiving ice having a base, wherein the base includes a first level and a second level, with the first level descending gradually to the second level. A first ice modification member is disposed inside the ice manipulation reservoir adjacent the first level of the base, and a second ice modification member is disposed inside the ice manipulation reservoir adjacent the second level of the base. A motor is operably connected with the ice manipulation reservoir and includes an output shaft. An impeller is connected with the output shaft proximate to the plurality of ice modification members, with the impeller being operable between a first directional rotation, and a second directional rotation.

Abstract: An appliance dispenser includes a housing defining a recess. The housing includes a receptacle support member and a fixed funnel. An ice dispensing passage extends through the fixed funnel and operably connected with an ice bin. A variable funnel includes a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end is adjacent the fixed funnel. The distal end is movable between a retracted position and an extended position.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes refrigerator cabinet, a door attached to the refrigerator cabinet, an ice and water dispenser mounted at the door for dispensing ice and water through the door, the ice and water dispenser including a multifunction dispensing actuation pad having a plurality of actuation points and wherein ice or water is dispensed upon selectively applying a pressure to one of the plurality of actuation points on the dispensing actuation pad. A method of operating a refrigerator includes the steps of providing a refrigerator and selectively applying pressure to at least one of a plurality of actuation points on a dispensing actuation pad of the refrigerator to select an ice and water dispenser function.

Abstract: An ice storage device and a refrigerator and purifier including the ice storage device are disclosed. The ice storage device includes an ice storage box, a plurality of ice outlets provided in the ice storage box and an ice transfer member provided in the ice storage box, to transfer ice to the plurality of the ice outlets selectively. An object of the present invention is to provide an ice storage device capable of discharging ice along various directions, and a refrigerator and purifier including the ice storage device.

Abstract: A semi-frozen product dispenser (10 or 200) is provided for at least partially freezing and dispensing a product. The product dispenser may include at least one freezing barrel (20-1) defining a freezing chamber (C1) configured to receive the product. A refrigeration system (60 or 260) is provided for at least partially freezing product in the freezing chamber (C1). A fluid heating system (80 or 280) is also provided to remove heat from the refrigeration system (60 or 260) and use it in an auxiliary system, such as a water pre-heating system. The fluid heating system (80 or 280) may include a fluid heat exchanger (102) disposed in a high pressure refrigerant line (67 or 267), a fluid tank (82 or 282), and a fluid pump (96). Fluid may be continuously circulated through the fluid heat exchanger (102 or 302) when the refrigeration system is operated, thereby to continuously provide refrigerant cooling and fluid warming.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for crushing ice within a refrigerator are disclosed. The apparatus includes an ice making, storage and dispensing compartment; an ice storage bin, an agitator, an axle, and a crusher. The crusher includes a plurality of fixed blades, a plurality of rotatable crusher arms affixed to the axle, a front wall having an opening vertically above the fixed blades, sidewalls sealing a portion of the front wall to a portion of the back wall, leaving a predetermined void and a motor for rotating the axle to drive the agitator and crusher. The method includes the steps of rotating an axle, in first direction and second directions to dispense whole ice cubes or crushed ice cubes, respectively, from the ice dispenser.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to an apparatus for the preparation of coloured ice cubes (100, 100?, 100?), comprising, a connection for a water supply (10), a heating means (20), which is connected thereto, an array of two or more colour recipients (50, 50?, 50?), at least one freezing means (70, 70?, 70?) for preparing coloured ice cubes (100, 100?, 100?), which is connected to at least one of the water outlets (54, 54?, 54?) of the colour recipients (50, 50?, 50?) and a cooling means (30), which is connected to the connection for the water supply (10) and to the freezing means (70, 70?, 70?). The invention further relates to a method for operating said apparatus.

Abstract: A refrigerator freezer having an ice maker positioned on a refrigerator compartment or freezer compartment door. The ice maker is arranged to prevent or manage spills from the ice maker in the event the door on which the ice maker is mounted is opened or closed when unfrozen water is present in the ice maker. Spill management embodiments for a number of fixed and movable tray ice makers are disclosed.

Abstract: Refrigerator with an icemaker including a cabinet having a mullion wall for compartmentalization of a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber, a case provided to a door on the refrigerating chamber, having a cavity therein, a first duct for supplying cold air from a neighborhood of an evaporator in the freezing chamber to the cavity, the icemaker in the cavity for producing ice, an ice container in the cavity for storing the ice, and a dispenser in the door in communication with the cavity, thereby having ice supplied to a user at an outside of the refrigerator through a dispenser provided to the door.

Abstract: An ice level sensing system for an appliance having a cavity with a cavity wall. An ice storage bin and an ice maker are disposed within the cavity. The ice storage bin is configured to hold ice discharged from the ice maker. The ice level sensing system includes a transmitter for transmitting a light beam and a detector for detecting the light beam. The transmitter and the detector are disposed on the cavity wall. A reflector is disposed relatively remote from the transmitter. The transmitter is operative to project the light beam toward the reflector. The transmitter and the detector are angled relative to each other so that the light beam reflected by the reflector is directed toward the detector.

Abstract: Refrigerator with an icemaker including a cabinet having a mullion wall for compartmentalization of a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber, a case provided to a door on the refrigerating chamber, having a cavity therein, a first duct for supplying cold air from a neighborhood of an evaporator in the freezing chamber to the cavity, the icemaker in the cavity for producing ice, an ice container in the cavity for storing the ice, and a dispenser in the door in communication with the cavity, thereby having ice supplied to a user at an outside of the refrigerator through a dispenser provided to the door.

Abstract: A refrigerator door is provided. The refrigerator door has an outer case forming a shape of the refrigerator door, an inner case provided within the outer case to configure a backside of the refrigerator door wherein a space between the inner case and the outer case is charged with a foaming liquid, an ice making unit provided to one side of the inner case to make ice, a fixing unit provided to the space charged with the foaming liquid between the inner case and the outer case and fixing the ice making unit to the refrigerator door, and a dispenser provided to one side of the outer case to discharge the ice supplied by the ice making unit.

Abstract: Refrigerator with an icemaker including a cabinet having a mullion wall for compartmentalization of a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber, a case provided to a door on the refrigerating chamber, having a cavity therein, a first duct for supplying cold air from a neighborhood of an evaporator in the freezing chamber to the cavity, the icemaker in the cavity for producing ice, an ice container in the cavity for storing the ice, and a dispenser in the door in communication with the cavity, thereby having ice supplied to a user at an outside of the refrigerator through a dispenser provided to the door.

Abstract: An ice-full state detecting apparatus and a refrigerator having the same are disclosed. The refrigerator including an ice-full state detecting apparatus includes: a refrigerator body including a cooling chamber; a cooling chamber door to open and close the cooling chamber; an ice maker installed at the cooling chamber or at the cooling chamber door; an ice storage container to store ice made by the ice maker; and the ice-full state detecting apparatus to detect an ice-full state of the ice storage container, wherein the ice-full state detecting apparatus includes: a ice-full state detecting sensor to detect an ice-full state of the ice storage container; a sensor heater to heat the ice-full state detecting sensor; a detecting unit to detect whether the ice-full state detecting sensor is in contact with external air; and a controller to control the operation of the sensor heater based on the detection result of the detecting unit.

Abstract: The embodiment relates to a refrigerator, a refrigerator according to the embodiment includes: a refrigerating compartment above the freezing temperature; a freezing compartment below the freezing temperature; a mullion that partitions the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment side by side; a cold air supplying portion that forms within the mullion and includes an evaporator and a cooling fan; and an ice making apparatus that is disposed at the mullion, the ice making apparatus making cold air supplying portion ice by receiving cold air generated by the evaporator.

Abstract: An ice tray assembly for a refrigerator is provided, which includes a case; at least one ice tray disposed in the case; a water box provided at a lateral surface of the ice trays to supply water to the ice trays; and at least one discharge hole provided at the water box corresponding to the number of the ice trays. According to the present invention, the ice tray assembly for the refrigerator is capable of supplying water to the plurality of ice trays at once, of easily supplying water to the ice trays disposed at an upper layer portion in general, as the water box is disposed at the lateral surface of the ice trays, and of uniformly supplying water to each of the plurality of the ice trays.

Abstract: An ice making conveyer producing ice cubes in any size and form designed to be utilized in household or commercial units. This conveyer having three possible shapes: triangle shape of the ice making conveyer, square shape of ice making conveyer and oval or circular shape of the ice making conveyer. Conveyer might be utilized in three types of the refrigerators: where freezer is located on the top of food section of the refrigerator, where freezer is located side by side, no matter on the right or left side of the food section of the refrigerator, where freezer is located underneath the food section of the refrigerator. Present conveyer includes a plastic frame and conveyer device that traverse between freezer and food section of the refrigerator or inside of the freezer. This conveyer allows easy, inexpensive, safe, clean, and compact way of producing ice cubes in any size and form.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ice maker for a refrigerator and a refrigerator having the same. The ice maker for a refrigerator may include an ice tray having a plurality of cells thereinside, an ejector configured to remove ice inside the cells, and a transfer unit configured to transfer the ice removed by the ejector in the length direction of the ice tray. Accordingly, the width of the ice maker can be reduced, thereby reducing the size of its occupied area in the width direction when the ice maker is provided therein.

Abstract: A flow-down-type ice making machine in which ice cubes reliably separate and drop from the lower end of an ice making plate, an ice guiding member can be placed close to the ice making plate, and the amount of ice storage is increased. An ice making section (10) is made up of a pair of ice making plates (12, 12) placed opposed to each other in a substantially vertical position and of evaporation tube (14) provided meandering between the ice making plates (12, 12). The ice guiding member (32) attached to an ice making water tank (22) is placed right under and close to the ice making section (10). The ice guiding member (32) is formed in a reverse V-shaped cross-section and is placed so that the top of the ice guiding member is located in the middle between the back sides of the ice making plates (12, 12).

Abstract: A dispensing system suitable for dispensing ice through the refrigerator compartment door of a bottom-mount refrigerator is disclosed.

Abstract: An automated ice transport device and method that can service one or more remote locations is provided. When ice is needed, the container is automatically filled, and then is transported mechanically along a predetermined pathway to the ice storage device in need, where the ice is dispensed therefrom. The container is returned to the source of ice following the predetermined pathway, remaining there until ice is needed at a location.

Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system stores containers, typically containing biological or chemical samples, at ultra-low temperatures, i.e., from about ?50° C. to about ?90° C., preferably about ?80° C. under normal operating conditions. A robot automatically places sample storage containers in stationary storage racks within the freezer compartment. Magnetic couplings are used to transmit mechanical power from outside of the freezer compartment to the robot inside of the freezer compartment. The robot has a simplified mechanical configuration.

Abstract: A refrigerator has a freezing chamber at the bottom, and a refrigerating chamber over the freezing chamber. The refrigerator includes an ice making unit and an ice dispenser mounted in a refrigerating chamber door that allows ice to be dispensed without opening the door. A sub-PCB is mounted in the refrigerating chamber door for controlling operations of the ice making unit and the dispenser. A cold air supply duct supplies cold air from a cold air supply unit to the ice making unit.

Abstract: A refrigerator with an icemaker (100) is disclosed, having an improved structure for supplying ice to a user of the outside through a dispenser (30) provided in a door (25), which includes a dispenser (30) provided in a door (25); an icemaker (100) for making ice by using a cool air of a freezer; a container (200) for receiving and storing the ice discharged from the icemaker; and a lifter (300) provided between the dispenser and the container, for lifting the ice stored in the container to the dispenser.

Abstract: An ice cube machine that generates ice cubes having an alcohol content of at least 2-5%. The ice cube machine operates at temperatures of no greater than 0° F., and typically at least 0° F. or colder. An ice dispensing system monitors the amount of ice cubes dispensed from the machine and can determine the amount of alcohol dispensed from the system.

Abstract: A refrigerator freezer having an ice maker positioned on a refrigerator compartment or freezer compartment door. The ice maker is arranged to prevent or manage spills from the ice maker in the event the door on which the ice maker is mounted is opened or closed when unfrozen water is present in the ice maker. Spill management embodiments for a number of fixed and movable tray ice makers are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a refrigerator, in which cold-storage (1) and freezer rooms (2) are situated at upper and lower parts, respectively, in which ice made at the freezer room (2) of the lower part is dispensed at the cold-storage room (1) of the upper part, and by which a user can pick up the ice without bending over to enhance user's convenience. The present invention includes a body (B) having a cold-storage room (1) provided to an upper part and a freezer room (2) provided to a lower part, an ice maker (400) provided to the freezer room to make ice, an ice bank (600) receiving the ice made by the ice maker, and a transport mechanism sending the ice discharged from the ice bank (600) toward the cold-storage room (1) via an ice transport passage (200a, 300). Therefore, the present invention sufficiently secures the spaces of the cold-storage and freezer rooms to raise spatial efficiency.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes an ice maker to make pieces of ice and an ice storage bin to receive the pieces of ice made by the ice maker. A plurality of blades is rotatably disposed at a bottom portion of the ice storage bin and an ice separating device to separate clumped pieces of ice discharged from the ice maker is disposed in the ice storage bin between the ice maker and the plurality of blades, where the ice separating device is disposed on at least a rear wall, a front wall, or a side wall of the ice storage bin.

Abstract: An insulated icemaking compartment is provided in the fresh food compartment of a bottom mount refrigerator. The icemaking compartment may be integrally formed with the liner of the fresh food compartment, or alternatively, may be modular for installation anywhere in the fresh food compartment. A removable bin assembly with a front cover normally seals the icemaking compartment to maintain the temperature in the compartment. A cold air duct formed in the rear wall of the refrigerator supplies cold air from the freezer compartment to the icemaking compartment. A return air duct directs a portion of the air from the icemaking compartment back to the freezer compartment. An air vent with a damper in the icemaking compartment directs another portion of air into the fresh food compartment. A control system provides for controlling refrigerator functions in a manner that promotes energy efficiency, including movement of the damper between open and closed positions.

Abstract: A refrigerator door is provided. The refrigerator door has an outer case forming a shape of the refrigerator door, an inner case provided within the outer case to configure a backside of the refrigerator door wherein a space between the inner case and the outer case is charged with a foaming liquid, an ice making unit provided to one side of the inner case to make ice, a fixing unit provided to the space charged with the foaming liquid between the inner case and the outer case and fixing the ice making unit to the refrigerator door, and a dispenser provided to one side of the outer case to discharge the ice supplied by the ice making unit.

Abstract: An ice tray is provided that prevents the overflow or splashing of water or thin ice out of the ice tray as water is supplied to the ice tray, or when the ice tray is shaken by an external force. The ice tray may include a plurality of receiving portions that receive water for freezing into ice pieces. An overflow preventing portion may extend upward from upper edges of the receiving portions to form a barrier to water flowing out of the ice tray. Alternatively, the receiving parts may be positioned within a corresponding plurality of location parts having water proofing walls extending upward therefrom to inhibit the unintentional flow of water or thin ice out of the receiving portions of the ice tray.

Abstract: A safety system for an ice and liquid dispenser of a refrigerator is used to sense the presence of human skin in a dispensing well. The safety system includes a digital image capture device focused on a dispenser well for capturing images of objects, such as hands, in the dispenser well and a digital image analyzer operatively coupled to the digital image capture device. The digital image analyzer evaluates the digital images captured by the digital image capture device to determine if human skin color is detected in the image of the object in the dispensing well. If human skin color is detected, thus indicating a hand in the dispensing area, any dispensing operation will be prevented and an alert will be provided.

Abstract: An ice bagging system is described.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes an ice storage bin, an opening provided in the ice storage bin through which ice is discharged, and a plurality of blades provided in the ice storage bin, such that the plurality of blades can rotate in a forward direction or in a reverse direction, to selectively discharge ice through the opening as whole ice or crushed ice, where gravity and the plurality of blades are the only forces exerted on the ice collected in the ice storage bin.

Abstract: An dispensing system suitable for lifting and dispensing ice through the refrigerator compartment door of a bottom-mount refrigerator or lifting and dispensing ice from an undercounter ice maker to a dispenser on the countertop.

Abstract: A low profile ice maker/dispenser and water dispenser having a high ice making capacity, for ice nugget manufacture is provided, wherein ice nuggets are metered out of a storage bin via a nugget dispenser outlet, and whereby water is dispensed via a water dispenser outlet. A refrigeration cycle is used, wherein an auger compresses ice on a wall of an evaporator and delivers the ice to the ice bin, breaking it into nuggets along the way. An outer wall of the evaporator is comprised of part of the water reservoir. A baffle in the ice bin facilitates metering of the amount of ice discharged. The system comprises a closed system that enables efficient cleaning of the system.

Abstract: A refrigerator freezer having an ice maker positioned on a refrigerator compartment or freezer compartment door. The ice maker is arranged to prevent or manage spills from the ice maker in the event the door on which the ice maker is mounted is opened or closed when unfrozen water is present in the ice maker. Spill management embodiments for a number of fixed and movable tray ice makers are disclosed.

Abstract: A machine for making yoghurt without requiring active bacterial cultures includes a milk dispenser, an ingredient dispenser, a heating unit and a cooling unit. In particular, a vending machine further includes a credit entry component. The ingredient dispenser system releases at least one salt of a non-toxic divalent cation and at least one non-toxic acidulating agent.

Abstract: There is provided an ice maker and a water purifier having the same capable of effectively making ice using two water trays. The water purifier having an ice maker includes a water tray member comprising an ice-making water tray holding ice-making raw water to make ice using an ice-making unit, and an auxiliary water tray holding ice-making raw water remaining in the ice-making water tray in the course of cooling the ice-making raw water by means of the ice-making unit and removing the ice-making raw water from the ice-making water tray; an ice reservoir storing ice made in the ice-making unit; a cold water storage tank cooling water held therein using the ice made in the ice-making unit; and a guide member guiding the ice made in the ice-making unit so that the ice is selectively fed to either the ice reservoir or the cold water storage tank.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing and storing ice on the sea using sub-zero cold air of the winter season, to achieve an earlier freezing period, and increasing the area and thickness of the ice layer, to suppress the melting of ice sheets and glaciers and suppress and overcome global warming as well as its side effects. The apparatus and method involve compressing cold air; injecting the compressed cold air into a storage tank; supercooling water using the injected cold air; forming an ice layer by misting the supercooled water into the sea; and increasing a thickness of the ice layer by additionally misting water onto the ice layer formed at water level.

Abstract: Provided is a refrigerator including a main body providing a storage, a dispenser provided to the main body and configured to dispense water or ice, an operable operation part provided to the dispenser, and a dispenser motor driven according to operating the operation part, wherein the dispenser motor includes, a stator generating a magnetic field, a rotator rotatable by the magnetic field, and a compression member applying a frictional force to the rotator while rotation of the rotator is stopped. The dispensing of water or ice is quickly stopped by stopping the operating of the operation part.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an icemaker of a refrigerator including an ice dispersing unit to disperse ice for uniform distribution of ice in an ice making container. The icemaker includes an ice making unit to make ice, and an ice making container to receive ice separated from the ice making unit. The icemaker further includes an ice dispersing unit arranged between the ice making unit and the ice making container. The ice dispersing unit serves to guide the ice moving from the ice making unit to the ice making container, to assure uniform distribution of the ice in the ice making container.

Abstract: An ice-making machine comprising a box-shaped lower housing provided therein with an ice storage bin, a box-shaped upper housing mounted on a rear portion of the lower housing, an ice-making mechanism assembled within the front portion of a machine compartment formed in the upper housing, and a freezing unit installed behind the ice-making mechanism for supplying refrigerant to the ice-making mechanism, wherein an open-and-close lid is mounted on an opening formed between the lower end of the front face of the upper housing and the upper end of the front face of the lower housing, and wherein an air intake passage is formed to cause outside air introduced from the front face of the lower housing to flow as cooling air into the machine compartment along inner surfaces of one side wall and the rear wall of the lower housing, and an air discharge passage is formed to cause the air after cooling to flow outward along inner surfaces of the rear wall and the other side wall of the lower housing and to discharge to

Abstract: An ice maker and a refrigerator having the ice maker are disclosed. The ice maker includes: an ice making tray having a plurality of cells; an ejector disposed at one side of the ice making tray and separating ice within the cells; and a driving motor installed at an upper side of the ice making tray and providing a driving force to the ejector. The size of the ice making tray can be increased in a lengthwise direction to increase the ice making capacity. The ice maker can be suitably installed at an inner side of a door where a horizontal width can be hardly changed.

Abstract: Refrigeration systems for machines for making blended iced beverages make ice for use in the beverages and maintain beverage ingredients cold not only as the ingredients are stored in supply containers in the machine but also as they are delivered from the supply containers to a remote point of delivery at a beverage ingredient dispense station. Arrangements are disclosed in which a single refrigeration system makes ice and chills the beverage ingredients; in which a pair of refrigeration systems make ice and chill the beverage ingredients; in which a single refrigeration system makes ice and the ice is used to chill the beverage ingredients; and in which a single refrigeration system makes ice and melt water from the ice is used in chilling the beverage ingredients.

Abstract: A portable ice bucket apparatus for storing and dispensing ice includes: (a) an upper bucket portion including an insulated bucket with an opening at the top of the bucket and an ice body chute opening in a bottom wall of the bucket; (b) a motorless lower stand portion, the upper bucket portion being detachably attachable to the stand portion; (c) a dispensing mechanism including a movable gate flap within the bucket portion, a spring-loaded lever, and a gate shaft and a dispensing lever within the stand portion, the dispensing lever being coupled to the gate shaft, the gate shaft being coupled to the spring-loaded lever, the gate shaft being coupled with the gate flap; and (d) a water drainage and collection mechanism including a reservoir in the stand portion, and preferably a drain valve; wherein the movable gate flap in a closed position substantially covers the ice body chute opening.

Abstract: A refrigerator dispenser includes an ice dispensing actuator, an ice dispensing chute, an ice dispensing housing positioned within a refrigerator door cavity and configured to define an ice dispensing cavity through which ice dispensed by the ice dispensing chute passes, a liquid dispensing chute positioned closer to a front surface of a refrigerator door than the ice dispensing housing, and a liquid dispensing actuator positioned on the ice dispensing housing and configured to receive input to inspire dispensing of liquid through the liquid dispensing chute.