Ice mold supply system for refrigeration appliances

Abstract

An ice mold supply system for refrigeration appliances of the type comprising a freezer compartment ( 1 ), in whose interior is provided a support means ( 10 ) carrying at least one pair of median rails ( 30 ) on which is slidingly and detachably seated at least one ice mold ( 60 ). According to the present invention, the support means ( 10 ) carries at least one pair of upper rails ( 20 ) on which is slidingly and detachably seated a reservoir ( 50 ) which is dimensioned to contain, when completely full, a volume of water corresponding to that required for adequately supplying the ice molds ( 60 ) disposed immediately below, said reservoir ( 50 ) being inferiorly provided with a discharge nozzle ( 55 ), positioned above the ice mold ( 60 ) immediately below and in which is mounted an outlet valve ( 56 ) which is constantly and resiliently forced to a closed position and automatically displaced to an open position when the reservoir ( 50 ) is mounted in the support means ( 10 ).

1 . An ice mold supply system for refrigeration appliances of the type comprising a freezer compartment ( 1 ), in whose interior is provided a support means ( 10 ) carrying at least one pair of median rails ( 30 ), on which is slidingly and detachably seated at least one ice mold ( 60 ), characterized in that the support means ( 10 ) carries at least one pair of upper rails ( 20 ), on which is slidingly and detachably seated a reservoir ( 50 ) which is dimensioned to contain, when completely full, a volume of water corresponding to that required for adequately supplying the ice molds ( 60 ) disposed immediately below, said reservoir ( 50 ) being inferiorly provided with a discharge nozzle ( 55 ), positioned above the ice mold ( 60 ) immediately below and in which is mounted an outlet valve ( 56 ) which is constantly and resiliently forced to a closed position and automatically displaced to an open position when the reservoir ( 50 ) is mounted in the support means ( 10 ).  
   
   
       2 . The system as set forth in  claim 1 , characterized in that the support means ( 10 ) further incorporates at least one pair of lower rails ( 40 ) on which is slidingly and detachably seated an ice cube collecting box ( 80 ) disposed immediately below at least one ice mold ( 60 ).  
   
   
       3 . The system as set forth in  claim 1 , characterized in that the ice mold ( 60 ) has its opposite ends horizontally rotatably seated on a frame ( 70 ) which is slidingly and detachably seated on at least one of the pairs of median rails ( 30 ) and upper rails ( 20 ), in order to be manually rotated around its longitudinal axis from a rest position, for freezing the volume of water supplied therein, to an inclined position, for gravitationally releasing the ice cubes and in which the ice mold ( 60 ) is submitted to a certain torsion.  
   
   
       4 . The system as set forth in  claim 3 , characterized in that the support means ( 10 ) carries: at least one pair of upper rails ( 20 ) supporting the reservoir ( 50 ), at least one pair of median rails ( 30 ) carrying a frame ( 70 ) on which is rotatably seated at least one manually rotatable ice mold ( 60 ); and at least one pair of lower rails ( 40 ) supporting the collecting box ( 80 ).  
   
   
       5 . The system as set forth in  claim 1 , characterized in that the reservoir ( 50 ) comprises: a body ( 51 ) in the form of a tray seated on at least one pair of upper rails ( 20 ) of the support means ( 10 ); a lid ( 52 ) which is detachably and hermetically mounted onto the body ( 51 ), in order to define an upper wall of the latter; and an overlid ( 53 ), provided on the lid ( 52 ) and which is disposed in such a way as to allow supplying the reservoir and visually indicating the adequate supply of the respective ice mold ( 60 ), the outlet valve ( 56 ) being mounted to a lower wall of the reservoir ( 50 ).  
   
   
       6 . The system as set forth in  claim 5 , characterized in that the outlet valve ( 56 ) incorporates an actuating rod ( 57 ) which is designed so as to interfere with the support means ( 10 ) when the reservoir ( 50 ) is mounted in the support means ( 10 ), in order to provoke the displacement of the outlet valve ( 56 ) to the open position and the consequent supply of the ice mold ( 60 ) disposed immediately below.  
   
   
       7 . The system as set forth in  claim 5 , characterized in that the body ( 51 ) of the reservoir ( 50 ) is medianly divided in two body portions ( 51   a ,  51   b ), each incorporating a discharge nozzle ( 55 ) which is provided with an outlet valve ( 56 ) positioned above a respective ice mold ( 60 ), with the opposite ends thereof being horizontally rotatably seated on a frame ( 70 ) which is slidingly and detachably seated on at least one pair of median rails ( 30 ) of the support means ( 10 ).  
   
   
       8 . The system as set forth in  claim 1 , characterized in that the support means ( 10 ) comprises a frame with a cross section in the form of an inverted “U”, with its lateral walls ( 12 ) internally affixing the pairs of upper rails ( 20 ), median rails ( 30 ), and lower rails ( 40 ), and with its upper wall ( 11 ) being attached against an upper wall of the freezer compartment ( 1 ).