Methods and apparatus for mounting an ice maker

Abstract

An ice maker for a refrigerator having a freezer compartment with a top wall, side walls, a back wall, and a door opposite the back wall includes a mold body having at least one cavity for containing water therein for freezing into ice, and a control housing extending from the mold body. The control housing is configured to be coupled to a mounting surface of said freezer compartment, wherein the mounting surface includes at least one of the top wall, the side walls, the back wall, and the door of the freezer compartment.

1 . An ice maker for a refrigerator, wherein the refrigerator includes a freezer compartment having a top wall, side walls, a back wall, and a door opposite the back wall, said ice maker comprising: 
 a mold body comprising at least one cavity for containing water therein for freezing into ice; and    a control housing extending from said mold body, said control housing configured to be coupled to a mounting surface of said freezer compartment, wherein the mounting surface includes at least one of the top wall, the side walls, the back wall, and the door of the freezer compartment.    
   
   
       2 . An ice maker in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said control housing configured to be mounted to one of the side walls such that an air gap is formed between said mold body and the back wall.  
   
   
       3 . An ice maker in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said mold body comprises multiple cavities aligned along a mold body axis, said mold body axis extending substantially parallel to the back wall of the freezer compartment.  
   
   
       4 . An ice maker in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said mold body includes a front face, the ice is removed from said cavities at said front face, said control housing extending substantially perpendicular to said front face.  
   
   
       5 . An ice maker in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said control housing comprises a mounting slot, said ice maker further comprising a fastening element configured to be mounted to the mounting surface, said fastening element received in said mounting slot when said control housing mounted to the mounting surface.  
   
   
       6 . An ice maker for a refrigerator, wherein the refrigerator includes a freezer compartment having a top wall, side walls, a back wall, and a door opposite the back wall, said ice maker comprising: 
 a mold body comprising at least one cavity for containing water therein for freezing into ice;    an ice removal element operationally coupled to said mold body;    a motor operationally coupled to said ice removal element;    a control housing extending from said mold body and housing said motor; and    an end cover coupled to said control housing, said end cover configured to be mounted to a mounting surface of the freezer compartment, wherein the mounting surface includes at least one of the top wall, one of the side walls, the back wall, and the door of the freezer compartment.    
   
   
       7 . An ice maker in accordance with  claim 6  wherein said end cover configured to be mounted a distance from the back wall of the freezer compartment.  
   
   
       8 . An ice maker in accordance with  claim 6  wherein said end cover configured to be mounted such that an air gap surrounds said mold body.  
   
   
       9 . An ice maker in accordance with  claim 6  wherein said end cover configured for bracketless mounting.  
   
   
       10 . An ice maker in accordance with  claim 6  wherein said end cover configured to directly mount to the mounting surface.  
   
   
       11 . An ice maker in accordance with  claim 6  wherein said mold body comprises multiple cavities aligned along a mold body axis, said mold body axis extending substantially parallel to the back wall of the freezer compartment.  
   
   
       12 . An ice maker in accordance with  claim 6  wherein said ice removal element comprises a rake extending from said control housing along a rake axis, said rake axis extending substantially parallel to the back wall of the freezer compartment.  
   
   
       13 . An ice maker in accordance with  claim 6  wherein said motor configured to rotate said ice removal element along an axis of rotation, said axis of rotation extending substantially parallel to the back wall of the freezer compartment.  
   
   
       14 . An ice maker in accordance with  claim 6  wherein said mold body includes a front face, the ice is removed from said cavities at said front face, said end cover extending substantially perpendicular to said front face.  
   
   
       15 . An ice maker in accordance with  claim 6  wherein said end cover comprises a mounting slot, said ice maker further comprising a fastening element configured to be mounted to the mounting surface, said fastening element received in said mounting slot when said end cover mounted to the mounting surface.  
   
   
       16 . A method of mounting an ice maker within a freezer compartment of a refrigerator, wherein the freezer compartment includes a top wall, side walls, a back wall, and a door opposite the back wall, said method comprising: 
 providing a mold body having at least one cavity for containing water therein for freezing into ice;    providing a control housing, wherein the control housing extends from the mold body; and    coupling the control housing to a mounting surface of the freezer compartment, wherein the mounting surface includes at least one of the top wall, one of the side walls, the back wall, and the door of the freezer compartment.    
   
   
       17 . A method in accordance with  claim 16  wherein the mold body includes multiple cavities aligned along a mold body axis, said coupling the control housing to a mounting surface comprises coupling the control housing to a mounting surface such that the mold body axis extends substantially parallel to the back wall of the freezer compartment.  
   
   
       18 . A method in accordance with  claim 16  wherein the mold body includes a front face, the ice is removed from the cavities at the front face, said providing a control housing comprises providing a control housing having an end cover that extends substantially perpendicular to the front face, said coupling the control housing to a mounting surface comprises coupling the end cover to the mounting surface.  
   
   
       19 . A method in accordance with  claim 16  further comprising: 
 providing a motor within the control housing;    providing an ice removal element;    coupling the motor to the ice removal element wherein the motor being configured to rotate the ice removal element along an axis of rotation, the axis of rotation extends substantially parallel to the back wall of the freezer compartment.    
   
   
       20 . A method in accordance with  claim 16  wherein the control housing includes a mounting slot, said method further comprises: 
 coupling a fastening element to the mounting surface; and    coupling the mounting slot to the fastening element.