Refrigerator appliance and ice maker having a spring-biased wire

Abstract

A refrigerator appliance or ice maker may include an assembly frame, a rotating body, a thermistor wire, and a biasing spring. The rotating body may be rotatably attached to the assembly frame to rotate about an axial direction. The thermistor wire may extend between a static end and a movable end fixed to the rotating body to move therewith. The biasing spring may be fixed to the thermistor wire between the static end and the movable end. The biasing spring may be in biased engagement with the thermistor wire to motivate the movable end toward the static end.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ice maker comprising:
 an assembly frame;   a rotating body rotatably attached to the assembly frame to rotate about an axial direction;   a thermistor wire extending between a static end and a movable end fixed to the rotating body to move therewith; and   a biasing spring fixed to the thermistor wire between the static end and the movable end, the biasing spring being in biased engagement with the thermistor wire to motivate the movable end toward the static end.   
     
     
         2 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the rotating body comprises an ice tray defining a cell for receipt of water for freezing. 
     
     
         3 . The ice maker of  claim 2 , wherein the ice tray comprises an upper face and a lower face opposite to the upper face, wherein the cell is defined as a recess at the upper face, and wherein the movable end of the thermistor wire is attached to the lower face. 
     
     
         4 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the rotating body is configured to rotate about the axial direction between an ice-making receiving position to an ice-dispensing evacuation position, and wherein the rotating body rotates towards the static end of the thermistor wire from the fill position to the expel position. 
     
     
         5 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the biasing spring is attached to the assembly frame. 
     
     
         6 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , further comprising an electronic plug spaced apart from the assembly frame, wherein the static end of the thermistor wire is attached to the electronic plug, and wherein the biasing spring is attached to the electronic plug. 
     
     
         7 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the biasing spring is jacketed over the thermistor wire. 
     
     
         8 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , further comprising a conduit casing within which the biasing spring and the thermistor wire are held. 
     
     
         9 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , further comprising a storage bin removably positioned below the rotating body and the thermistor wire to receive ice from the ice maker. 
     
     
         10 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the biasing spring comprises a steel tension spring. 
     
     
         11 . A refrigerator appliance comprising:
 a cabinet;   an internal liner positioned within the cabinet, the internal liner defining a chilled chamber; and   an ice maker mounted within the chilled chamber, the ice maker comprising an assembly frame,
 a rotating body rotatably attached to the assembly frame to rotate about an axial direction, 
 a thermistor wire extending between a static end and a movable end fixed to the rotating body to move therewith, and 
 a biasing spring fixed to the thermistor wire between the static end and the movable end, the biasing spring being in biased engagement with the thermistor wire to motivate the movable end toward the static end. 
   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the rotating body comprises an ice tray defining a cell for receipt of water for freezing. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the ice tray comprises an upper face and a lower face opposite to the upper face, wherein the cell is defined as a recess at the upper face, and wherein the movable end of the thermistor wire is attached to the lower face. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the rotating body is configured to rotate about the axial direction between an ice-making receiving position to an ice-dispensing evacuation position, and wherein the rotating body rotates towards the static end of the thermistor wire from the fill position to the expel position. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the biasing spring is attached to the assembly frame. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , further comprising an electronic plug spaced apart from the assembly frame, wherein the static end of the thermistor wire is attached to the electronic plug, and wherein the biasing spring is attached to the electronic plug. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the biasing spring is jacketed over the thermistor wire. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , further comprising a conduit casing within which the biasing spring and the thermistor wire are held. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , further comprising a storage bin removably positioned below the rotating body and the thermistor wire to receive ice from the ice maker. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the biasing spring comprises a steel tension spring.