The present invention relates to a refrigerator comprising an ice making unit.
The ice making units used in refrigerators are generally disposed in the interior volume of the freezing compartment. This situation causes the space of the freezing compartment not to be used effectively. The position of the ice making unit cannot be changed according to the user needs. Another problem encountered is the outer surface of the ice cubes becoming dull due to contact with air while taking out the ice cubes. In order to obtain transparent ice, the ice cubes should be kept inside the ice making unit until usage by being isolated from the outside environment.
In the state of the art International Patent Application No.
The aim of the present invention is the realization of a refrigerator which comprises an ice making unit providing ease of utilization.
The present invention is disclosed in the independent claim 1. Further embodiments are disclosed in the dependent claims.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator comprises a stopper that is mounted on the front side of the shelf and that limits the forward movement of the supporter on the shelf. The stopper limits the movement of the supporter and prevents the ice making unit from being detached from the shelf and from breaking by falling down.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice making unit comprises a handle that can be attached to/detached from the casing and that enables the casing to be carried to the outside environment. By means of the handle, the portable ice making unit can be easily carried to the outside environment.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice making unit has a double walled casing. Insulation material or cooling liquid, for example liquid nitrogen, is filled between the walls, thus enabling the ice cubes to be stored outside without melting for a longer period of time.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the wall of the ice tray is convex. By means of the convex shape of the ice tray, the ice cubes can be easily transferred into the container to be used without scattering.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice making unit comprises at least one cut-out that is arranged on the casing and that enables cold air to flow into the ice cube container. By means of the cut-out, the water inside the ice cube container is cooled effectively.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator comprises an opening which enables the ice cube container to be placed into the housing and a lid which covers the opening and which is in a form matching the form of the twisting knob. The lid prevents odors from entering the ice making unit by covering the opening and improves its appearance.
By means of the present invention, an ice making unit is realized, the position of which is changed for providing flexibility of usage. The interior volume of the refrigerator is enabled to be used more efficiently by means of the ice making unit moving slidingly on the shelf. Moreover, a portable ice making unit is realized, that can be detached from the shelf and used both inside the refrigerator and outside the refrigerator. The process of taking out ice cubes is realized at the place where ice cubes are to be used by means of the ice making unit having an almost entirely closed configuration. Thus, the ice cubes can be used without the surfaces getting dull.
A refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:
The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:
The refrigerator (1) comprises a freezing compartment (17), a shelf (2) that is disposed in the freezing compartment (17) and whereon the foodstuffs to be frozen are placed; and an ice making unit (8) that has at least one ice cube container (3) wherein water is filled for making ice cubes, a twisting knob (4) that is connected to the ice cube container (3) and that enables the ice cubes in the ice cube container (3) to fall out by being twisted, an ice tray (5) that is disposed under the ice cube container (3) and wherein the ice cubes fall, a housing (6) whereon the ice cube container (3) and the twisting knob (4) are situated and that houses the ice cube container (3) and a casing (7) wherein the housing (6) and the ice tray (5) are detachably mounted and that holds the housing (6) and the ice tray (5) together.
The refrigerator (1) of the present invention comprises the ice making unit (8) having the detachable and portable casing (7) that is disposed to the shelf (2) to move thereon slidingly in the horizontal direction. By means of the portable ice making unit (8), it is possible to perform the process of taking the ice cubes outside the refrigerator (1) without dismounting the ice tray (5). The closed volume of the ice making unit (8) enables the surface of the ice cubes to remain transparent by shortening the time period the ice cubes are subjected to the atmosphere. The ice making unit (8) moving in two directions (in two axes) forwards-backwards and to right and left on the shelf (2) provides flexibility of utilization. The ice making unit (8) is stored outside the refrigerator (1) by being detached when not in use. Thus, the space inside the refrigerator (1) is used effectively. The user can arrange the foodstuffs as desired by sliding the ice making unit (8) on the shelf (2) inside the freezing compartment (17).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice making unit (8) is mounted to the shelf (2) so as to remain below the shelf (2). Thus, the foodstuffs to be frozen are placed over the shelf (2) while the ice making process continues and the unused areas under the shelf (2) are put to good use.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises two supporters (9) attached to two opposite sides of the shelf (2), at least two holes (10) arranged oppositely on the side walls of the casing (7), and at least one shaft (11) that is fixed to the supporters (9) so as to extend between the supporters (9) and that enables the casing (7) to suspend from the shelf (2) by passing through the holes (10) and to move between the two supporters (9) by sliding. More than one casing (7) can be mounted on the shaft (11) thus ice making capacity can be increased by using more than one ice making unit (8). The position of the ice making unit (8) can be arranged as per user preference by means of the movement of the casing (7) on the shaft (11).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises two guides (12) that are disposed on the opposite supporters (9) and that enable the supporters (9) to be moved by sliding between the front side and the rear side of the shelf (2). The supporters (9) slide over the sides of the shelf (2) by means of the guides (12), thus the ice making unit (8) changes position from the front towards the rear side of the shelf (2) or from the rear towards the front side by sliding. The ice making unit (8) moves forwards - backwards together with the supporters (9) which move on the shelf (2) by means of the guides (12) and moves to right and left on the shaft (11) between the supporters (9).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises a stopper (13) that is mounted to the front side of the shelf (2) and that limits the forward movement of the supporters (9) on the shelf (2). The stopper (13) stops the ice making unit (8) from moving towards the front of the shelf (2) by limiting the movement of the supporter (9). The stopper (13) enables the casing (7) to move controllably on the shelf (2).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice making unit (8) comprises a handle (18) that can attached to/detached from the casing (7) and that enables the casing (7) to be carried to the outside environment. By means of the handle (18), the ice making unit (8) can be easily carried to the outside environment.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice making unit (8) has a double walled casing (7). By means of the insulation material or cooling material filled between the two walls, the ice cubes are enabled to be kept in the outside environment for a longer period of time without melting.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice making unit (8) has the ice tray (5) with the convex rear wall. By means of the convex shape of the ice tray (5), the ice cubes can be easily transferred into the container to be used without scattering.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice making unit (8) comprises at least one cut-out (16) that is arranged on the casing (7) and that enables the cold air inside the freezing compartment (17) to be circulated inside the casing (7). By means of the cut-out (16), heat transfer between the ice cube container (3) and the freezing compartment (2) is realized.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises an opening (14) enabling the ice cube container (3) to be placed into the housing (6) and a lid (15) that covers the opening (14) and that is in a form matching the form of the twisting knob (4).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the casing (7) is shaped like a rectangular prism. By placing both the ice tray (5) and the ice cube container (3) into the rectangular prism-shaped casing (7), a more compact structure is obtained.
By means of the present invention, a portable ice making unit (8) is realized, of which the position inside the refrigerator (1) can be determined according to the user preference and that can used both inside the refrigerator (1) and outside the refrigerator (1). The process of taking out the ice cubes is realized at the place where the ice cubes are to be used by means of the ice making unit (8) having an almost entirely closed configuration. Thus, the ice cubes can be used without the surfaces getting dull.
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.