ICE MAKER FOR A REFRIGERATION APPLIANCE

摘要

A refrigeration appliance includes a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment, and an ice maker within the fresh food compartment for freezing water into ice pieces. In one example, a rotatable auger drives the ice pieces out of a removable ice bin via a driving force applied in a first direction. A latch is configured to apply a resisting force to the ice bin along a second direction. In another example, an air mover is disposed within the ice maker for delivering cooled air from an ice maker evaporator to a region adjacent to the ice bin. At least one air channel is formed into an inside surface of the ice maker chamber. In another example, a method of making ice in the refrigeration appliance is provided. The method includes the steps of operating the air mover and a defrost heating of the ice maker evaporator.

主权项

1. A refrigeration appliance comprising:
a fresh food compartment for storing food items in a refrigerated environment having a target temperature above zero degrees Centigrade; a freezer compartment for storing food items in a sub-freezing environment having a target temperature below zero degrees Centigrade; an ice maker disposed within the fresh food compartment for freezing water into ice pieces, the ice maker comprising an ice maker chamber with a first end and a second end and containing an ice bin for storing the ice pieces produced by the ice maker; a refrigeration system comprising a system evaporator for providing a cooling effect to at least one of the fresh food and freezer compartments, and an ice maker evaporator disposed in the ice maker chamber that is dedicated to provide air cooled to a temperature below zero degrees Centigrade to the ice maker; an air mover disposed within the ice maker and adjacent the second end of the ice maker chamber for delivering the cooled air from the ice maker evaporator to a region adjacent to the ice bin; and at least one air channel formed into an inside surface of the ice maker chamber adjacent the first end and extending vertically between an upper surface of the ice bin towards a lower surface of the ice bin.