Combination ice cube maker and refrigerator

Claim 2

An ice cube maker and refriGerator assembly comprising: an enclosed insulated compartment; an automatic ice cube maker unit mounted within said compartment toward one side thereof, said ice cube maker unit having an ice cube mold and means for ejecting formed ice cubes from said mold; a horizontal shelf beneath and spaced from said ice maker unit, and a vertical partition extending upwardly from said shelf, said shelf and partition dividing said compartment into a freezer zone about said ice cube maker unit, and a refrigerator zone; and a refrigeration system including a first stage evaporator disposed against said mold to cool the mold to form ice cubes therein, said first stage evaporator being insulated from said freezer zone, and a second stage evaporator disposed above and partially insulated from said shelf, said second stage evaporator forming a platform to support a container for receiving ice cubes ejected from said ice cube maker unit and being the major source of cooling for said refrigerator zone, said second stage evaporator being disposed in the suction line from said first stage evaporator to a compressor of said refrigeration system to be at a higher temperature than said first stage evaporator.

Claim 3

An ice cube maker and refrigerator assembly comprising: an enclosed insulated compartment; an automatic ice cube maker unit mounted within said compartment toward one side thereof, said ice cube maker unit having an ice cube mold and means for ejecting formed ice cubes from said mold; a horizontal shelf beneath and spaced from said ice maker unit, and a vertical partition extending upwardly from said shelf, said shelf and partition dividing said compartment into a freezer zone about said ice cube maker unit, and a refrigerator zone: and a refrigeration system including a first stage evaporator disposed against said mold to cool the mold to form ice cubes therein, siad first stage evaporator being insulated from said freezer zone, and a second stage evaporator disposed above and insulated from said shelf by a sheet of polystyrene foam, said second stage evaporator forming a platform to support a container for receiving ice cubes ejected from said ice cube maker unit and being the major source of cooling for said refrigerator zone, said second stage evaporator being disposed in the suction line from said first stage evaporator to a compressor of said refrigeration system to be at a higher temperature than said first stage evaporator, and wherein said shelf is provided with spaced lateral openings, whereby a limited heat exchange is provided from said freezer zone, through said shelf, and into said refrigerator zone.

Claim 4

An ice cube maker and refrigerator assembly comprising: an enclosed insulated compartment; an automatic ice cube maker unit mounted within said compartment toward one side thereof, said ice cube maker unit having an ice cube mold and means for ejecting formed ice cubes from said mold; a horizontal shelf beneath and spaced from said ice maker unit, and a vertical partition extending upwardly from said shelf, said shelf and partition dividing said compartment into a freezer zone about said ice cube maker unit, and a refrigerator zone: and a refrigeration system including a first stage evaporator disposed against said mold to cool the mold to form ice cubes therein, siad first stage evaporator being insulated from said freezer zone, and a second stage evaporator disposed above and insulated from said shelf by a sheet of polystyrene foam, said second stage evaporator forming a platform to support a container for receiving ice cubes ejected from said ice cube maker unit and being the major source of cooling for said refrigerator zone, said second stage evaporator being disposed in the suction line from said first stage evaporator to a compressor of said refrigeration system to be at a higher temperature than said first stage evaporator, and wherein said shelf is provided with spaced lateral openings, whereby a limited heat exchange is provided from said freezer zone, through said shelf, and into said refrigerator zone.

Claim 5

The assembly of claim 2 wherein said sheet of polystyrene foam has a density of about 1.75 pounds per cubic foot.

Claim 6

The assembly of claim 2 wherein said vertical partition is provided with openings adjacent its upper end for the flow of warmer air from said refrigerator zone into said freezer zone.

Claim 7

An ice cube maker and refrigerator assembly comprising: an enclosed insulated compartment; an automatic ice cube maker unit mounted within said compartment toward one side thereof, said ice cube maker unit having an ice cube mold and means for ejecting formed ice cubes from said mold; a horizontal shelf beneath and spaced from said ice maker unit, and a vertical partition extending upwardly from said shelf, said shelf and partition dividing said compartment into a freezer zone about said ice cube maker unit, and a refrigerator zone; a refrigeration system including a first stage evaporator disposed against said mold to cool the mold to form ice cubes therein, said first stage evaporator being insulated from said freezer zone, and a second stage eveaporator disposed above and partially insulated from said shelf, said second stage evaporator forming a platform to support a container for receiving ice cubes ejected from said ice cube maker unit and being the major source of cooling for said refrigerator zone, said second stage evaporator being disposed in the suction line from said first stage evaporator to a compressor of said refrigeration system to be at a higher temperature than said first stage evaporator, and control means for said refrigeration system including thermostatic switch means responsive to the temperature of said mold and adapted to complete a circuit through a motor for said compressor when the temperature of said mold rises to a preselected level.

Claim 8

An ice cube maker and refrigerator assembly comprising: an enclosed insulated compartment; an automatic ice cube maker unit mounted within said compartment toward one side thereof, said ice cube maker unit having an ice cube mold and means for ejecting formed ice cubes from said mold; a horizontal shelf beneath and spaced from said ice maker unit, and a vertical partition extending upwardly from said shelf, said shelf and partition dividing said compartment into a freezer zone about said ice cube maker unit, and a refrigerator zone; a refrigeration system including a first stage evaporator disposed against said mold to cool the mold to form ice cubes therein, said first stage evaporator being insulated from said freezer zone, and a second stage eveaporator disposed above and partially insulated from said shelf, said second stage evaporator forming a platform to support a container for receiving ice cubes ejected from said ice cube maker unit and being the major source of cooling for said refrigerator zone, said second stage evaporator being disposed in the suction line from said first stage evaporator to a compressor of said refrigeration system to be at a higher temperature than said first stage evaporator, and control means for said refrigeration system including thermostatic switch means responsive to the temperature of said mold and adapted to complete a circuit through a motor for said compressor when the temperature of said mold rises to a preselected level.

Claim 9

An ice cube maker and refrigerator assembly comprising: an insulated compartment having an opening to the interior thereof; a door normally closing said opening; an L-shaped bracket having a horizontal portion extending from a side wall of said compartment and a vertical portion extending from said horizontal portion to the top wall of said compartment, said bracket dividing said compartment into a freezer zone within the space described by said bracket and a refrigerator zone beneath and to one side of said bracket; an automatic ice cube maker unit disposed within said freezer zone and including an ice cube mold whose surface is exposed to said freezer zone and means for ejecting ice cubes from said mold; a refrigeration system including a first stage evaporation mounted against said mold and insulated from said freezer zone, and a second stage evaporator spaced above said horizontal portion of said bracket and forming a platform for supporting a container for receiving ice cubes ejected from said ice cube maker unit, said second stage evaporator being disposed in the suction line from said first stage evaporator to a compressor of said refrigeration system whereby the second stage evaporator will be at a higher temperature than said first stage evaporator; and a sheet of insulation disposed between said second stage evaporator and said horizontal portion of said bracket, said horizontal portion of said bracket having openings adjacent the lateral edges thereof for limited heat transfer between said freezer zone and said refrigerator zone through said sheet of insulation, and said vertical partition having openings adjacent its top edge for the flow of warmer air from said refrigerator zone to said freezer zone, whereby said freezer zone is held at or below freezing temperature while said refrigerator zone is held at above freezing.

Claim 10

An ice cube maker and refrigerator assembly comprising: an insulated compartment having an opening to the interior thereof; a door normally closing said opening; an L-shaped bracket having a horizontal portion extending from a side wall of said compartment and a vertical portion extending from said horizontal portion to the top wall of said compartment, said bracket dividing said compartment into a freezer zone within the space described by said bracket and a refrigerator zone beneath and to one side of said bracket; an automatic ice cube maker unit disposed within said freezer zone and including an ice cube mold whose surface is exposed to said freezer zone and means for ejecting ice cubes from said mold; a refrigeration system including a first stage evaporation mounted against said mold and insulated from said freezer zone, and a second stage evaporator spaced above said horizontal portion of said bracket and forming a platform for supporting a container for receiving ice cubes ejected from said ice cube maker unit, said second stage evaporator being disposed in the suction line from said first stage evaporator to a compressor of said refrigeration system whereby the second stage evaporator will be at a higher temperature than said first stage evaporator; and a sheet of insulation disposed between said second stage evaporator and said horizontal portion of said bracket, said horizontal portion of said bracket having openings adjacent the lateral edges thereof for limited heat transfer between said freezer zone and said refrigerator zone through said sheet of insulation, and said vertical partition having openings adjacent its top edge for the flow of warmer air from said refrigerator zone to said freezer zone, whereby said freezer zone is held at or below freezing temperature while said refrigerator zone is held at above freezing.

Claim 11

The assembly of claim 6 wherein said sheet of insulation is formed of polystyrene foam having a density of about 1.75 pounds per cubic foot.

Claim 12

The assembly of claim 6 wherein said refrigeration system includes a compressor having a motor, and together with control means for said ice cube maker unit and said refrigeration system, said control means including a thermostatic switch responsive to the temperature of said mold and adapted to complete a circuit through said compressor motor when the mold temperature rises to a preselected level, and adapted to complete a circuit through said ejector means and to open the circuit to said compressor motor when the mold temperature falls to a preselected level.

Claim 13

The assembly of claim 8 wherein said ice cube maker unit includes sensing means adapted to sense the level of ice cubes in said container and to prevent the completion of the circuit to said ejector means when said container is full of cubes while permitting the completion of the circuit to said compressor motor, whereby said refrigeration system will continue to function in response to changes in mold temperature.