Refrigerator icemaker moisture removal and defrost assembly

Abstract

An icemaker moisture removal and defrost assembly is provided in a refrigerator. Cooled refrigerant is provided to a refrigerant loop within an icemaker to cool an ice making cavity and a moisture removal portion of the icemaker. Moisture laden air from a refrigerator compartment is directed through airflow channels defined by a plurality of fins extending from the moisture removal portion of the icemaker, whereby moisture condenses on the fins in the form of ice. Dry air exiting the airflow channels is directed across an evaporator and back into the refrigerator compartment. During a defrost event, a heater within the icemaker is used to melt the ice formed on the fins. Alternatively, hot gas from a compressor is used to heat a refrigerant line flowing through the evaporator and/or the icemaker to melt ice formed on the evaporator and/or the icemaker during a defrost event.

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet including at least one refrigerated compartment;   a compressor;   a condenser;   an icemaker moisture removal and defrost assembly including an evaporator and an icemaking device, the icemaking device including:
 a main body portion; 
 a moisture removal portion including a plurality of longitudinal fins defining a plurality of airflow channels; and 
 an ice making cavity; and 
   an airflow circuit circulating refrigerated air through the plurality of airflow channels of the icemaking device and then across the evaporator such that moisture in the refrigerated air is deposited on the plurality of longitudinal fins prior to the refrigerated air reaching the evaporator.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an icemaking compartment housing the icemaking device and the evaporator, the icemaking compartment including an air inlet channel adjacent the icemaking device and an air outlet channel adjacent the evaporator, with the air inlet channel and the air outlet channel being part of the airflow circuit.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , further comprising a fan assembly within the icemaking compartment for driving the refrigerated air. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein the icemaking compartment is separated from the at least one refrigerated compartment by a mullion, and each of the air intake and the air outlet extends through the mullion. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a refrigerant line connecting, in series, the compressor, the condenser, the evaporator and the icemaking device, wherein the refrigerant line extends through the icemaking device.   
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 an expansion device located in the refrigerant line between the condenser and the evaporator.   
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a secondary expansion device located in the refrigerant line between the evaporator and the icemaking device.   
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein the refrigerator further comprises a hot gas defrost system including a hot gas line fluidly connected to the condenser and the refrigerant line, and a valve for selectively opening the hot gas line to provide hot gas from the condenser to the refrigerant line, whereby heated refrigerant flows through the icemaking device and melts any frost or ice accumulated on the moisture removal portion of the icemaking device. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the icemaker further comprises a plurality of longitudinal fins on a side wall of the main body portion. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the icemaking device further comprises a heater, adjacent the ice making cavity, producing heat for harvesting ice from the ice making cavity and defrosting the plurality of longitudinal fins. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of longitudinal fins are comprised of a plurality of rows of fins offset from one another. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of rows of fins includes increasing numbers of fins in each row such that air channeled through the plurality of airflow channels is increasingly restricted by the fins as it travels from an inlet side of the icemaking device to an outlet side of the icemaking device. 
     
     
         13 . An icemaking device comprising:
 a main body portion;   a moisture removal portion including a plurality of longitudinal fins defining a plurality of airflow channels; and   an ice making cavity.   
     
     
         14 . The icemaking device of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a refrigerant loop having portions extending along the moisture removal portion and the ice making cavity.   
     
     
         15 . The icemaking device of  claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of longitudinal fins on a side wall of the main body portion. 
     
     
         16 . The icemaking device of  claim 13 , further comprising a heater, adjacent the ice making cavity, producing heat for harvesting ice from the ice making cavity and defrosting the plurality of longitudinal fins. 
     
     
         17 . The icemaking device of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of longitudinal fins are comprised of a plurality of rows of fins offset from one another. 
     
     
         18 . A method for ice making and moisture removal within a refrigerator comprising:
 providing cooled refrigerant to a refrigerant loop in an icemaking device, wherein the refrigerant loop includes portions extending along an ice making cavity and a moisture removal portion;   directing refrigerated air through airflow channels defined by a plurality of longitudinal fins extending from the moisture removal portion of the icemaking device, whereby moisture in the refrigerated air condenses on the plurality of longitudinal fins in the form of ice; and   heating the longitudinal fins to melt the ice formed on the plurality of longitudinal fins.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein heating the longitudinal fins comprises activating a heating element located adjacent the longitudinal fins. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein heating the longitudinal fins comprises providing a heated refrigerant to the refrigerant loop in the icemaking device.