US-12624878-B2 - Reservoir access for stand-alone ice making appliance

US12624878B2US 12624878 B2US12624878 B2US 12624878B2US-12624878-B2

Abstract

An ice making appliance includes a casing, a user interface on the casing, a container within the casing, and a reservoir disposed within the casing. The reservoir includes an internal lid. The stand-alone ice making appliance also includes a cover disposed on an external surface of the casing. The cover is rotatable over the reservoir. The internal lid of the reservoir is coupled to the cover. A hinge rotatably couples the cover to the external surface of the casing over the reservoir.

Inventors

Rachel Winckler
Samuel Vincent DuPlessis
Minjoo Annie Han

Assignees

HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230915

Claims (16)

1 . A stand-alone ice making appliance, comprising: a casing; a user interface on the casing; a container within the casing; a reservoir disposed within the casing, the reservoir comprising an internal lid; a cover disposed on an external surface of the casing, the cover rotatable over the reservoir, the internal lid of the reservoir coupled to the cover; a hinge rotatably coupling the cover to the external surface of the casing over the reservoir, whereby the cover is rotatable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the hinge extends from the external surface of the casing, whereby the hinge is outside of the casing; a float sensor coupled to the internal lid of the reservoir, whereby the float sensor extends downward into the reservoir perpendicular to the internal lid when the cover is in the closed position; an ice maker disposed within the casing; and a pump disposed within the casing, the pump in fluid communication with the reservoir and the ice maker, the pump operable to flow water from the reservoir to the ice maker, wherein the internal lid of the reservoir is coupled to the cover, whereby rotating the cover about the hinge simultaneously rotates the internal lid of the reservoir and the float sensor coupled to the internal lid, wherein, when the cover is in the open position, the float sensor rests upside-down, extending perpendicularly upwards away from the external surface of the casing, whereby operation of the pump is ceased when the float sensor rests upside-down, and wherein the cover rotates about the hinge outside of the casing, whereby the simultaneous rotation of the cover and the float sensor coupled to the internal lid of the cover positions the float sensor outside of the casing, whereby an interior volume of the reservoir is unobstructed.
2 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a flexible tubing conduit, the flexible tubing conduit extending from the reservoir to the ice maker.
3 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of claim 1 , wherein the float sensor is disposed at an inside portion of the internal lid, the inside portion proximate the hinge.
4 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of claim 1 , wherein the float sensor comprises an electrical connection, wherein the electrical connection is disposed between the internal lid and the cover, whereby access to the electrical connection is limited.
5 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of claim 1 , wherein the cover may be rotated no less than an angle of one hundred and eighty degrees about the hinge.
6 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of claim 1 , wherein the cover rotates about the hinge towards a front side of the ice making appliance, whereby the hinge is positioned between a distal end of the cover and the front side of the stand-alone ice making appliance.
7 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of claim 1 , wherein, when the cover is rotated about the hinge away from the reservoir, the interior volume of the reservoir is exposed and accessible.
8 . The stand-alone ice making appliance of claim 1 , wherein an auger disposed in the ice maker, the auger configured to lift partially frozen water through the ice maker.
9 . An ice making appliance, comprising: a casing; a user interface on the casing; a container within the casing; a reservoir disposed within the casing, the reservoir comprising an internal lid; a cover disposed on an external surface of the casing, the cover rotatable over the reservoir, the internal lid of the reservoir coupled to the cover; a hinge rotatably coupling the cover to the external surface of the casing over the reservoir, whereby the cover is rotatable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the hinge extends from the external surface of the casing, whereby the hinge is outside of the casing; a float sensor coupled to the internal lid of the reservoir, whereby the float sensor extends downward into the reservoir perpendicular to the internal lid when the cover is in the closed position; and a pump disposed within the casing, the pump in fluid communication with the reservoir, wherein the internal lid of the reservoir is coupled to the cover, whereby rotating the cover about the hinge simultaneously rotates the internal lid of the reservoir and the float sensor coupled to the internal lid, wherein, when the cover is in the open position, the float sensor rests upside-down, extending perpendicularly upwards away from the external surface of the casing, whereby operation of the pump is ceased when the float sensor rests upside-down, and wherein the cover rotates about the hinge outside of the casing, whereby the simultaneous rotation of the cover and the float sensor coupled to the internal lid of the cover positions the float sensor outside of the casing, whereby an interior volume of the reservoir is unobstructed.
10 . The ice making appliance of claim 9 , further comprising a flexible tubing conduit, the flexible tubing conduit extending from the reservoir to an ice maker of the ice making appliance.
11 . The ice making appliance of claim 10 , wherein an auger disposed in the ice maker, the auger configured to lift partially frozen water through the ice maker.
12 . The ice making appliance of claim 9 , wherein the float sensor is disposed at an inside portion of the internal lid, the inside portion proximate the hinge.
13 . The ice making appliance of claim 9 , wherein the float sensor comprises an electrical connection, wherein the electrical connection is disposed between the internal lid and the cover, whereby access to the electrical connection is limited.
14 . The ice making appliance of claim 9 , wherein the cover may be rotated no less than an angle of one hundred and eighty degrees about the hinge.
15 . The ice making appliance of claim 9 , wherein the cover rotates about the hinge towards a front side of the ice making appliance, whereby the hinge is positioned between a distal end of the cover and the front side of the ice making appliance.
16 . The ice making appliance of claim 9 , wherein, when the cover is rotated about the hinge away from the reservoir, the interior volume of the reservoir is exposed and accessible.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present subject matter relates generally to ice making appliances, and more particularly to components of ice making appliances that produce nugget ice. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Stand-alone ice making appliances are separate appliances from refrigerator appliances and provide independent ice supplies. Generally, liquid water is added to the stand-alone ice making appliance, and the ice maker operates to freeze the liquid water and form ice. In current ice making appliances, access for the user to add liquid water to the ice making appliance can be difficult. Some ice making appliances involve multiple steps to add water to the reservoir, such as dismantling portions of the ice making appliance in order to access the reservoir, which has to be removed and put back once full of water. Accordingly, improved stand-alone ice making appliances are desired in the art. In particular, stand-alone ice making appliances that make access for the user to add liquid water easier for the user would be advantageous. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention. In one example embodiment, a stand-alone ice making appliance includes a casing, a user interface on the casing, a container within the casing, and a reservoir disposed within the casing. The reservoir includes an internal lid. The stand-alone ice making appliance also includes a cover disposed on an external surface of the casing. The cover is rotatable over the reservoir. The internal lid of the reservoir is coupled to the cover. A hinge rotatably couples the cover to the external surface of the casing over the reservoir. The stand-alone ice making appliance further includes an ice maker disposed within the casing, and a pump disposed within the casing. The pump is in fluid communication with the reservoir and the ice maker. The pump is operable to flow water from the reservoir to the ice maker. In another example embodiment, an ice making appliance includes a casing, a user interface on the casing, a container within the casing, and a reservoir disposed within the casing. The reservoir includes an internal lid. The stand-alone ice making appliance also includes a cover disposed on an external surface of the casing. The cover is rotatable over the reservoir. The internal lid of the reservoir is coupled to the cover. A hinge rotatably couples the cover to the external surface of the casing over the reservoir. These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an appliance according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a perspective section view of the example appliance of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the example appliance of FIG. 1 with a casing of the example appliance removed to show interior components of the example appliance. FIG. 4 is a side schematic view of the example appliance of FIG. 1. Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. As used herein, the terms “includes” and “including” are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.” Similarly, the term “or” is generally intended to be inclusive (i.e., “A or B” is intended to mean “A or B or both”). Approximating language, as used herein throughout the specification and claims, is applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary w