US 12,320,570 B2
Ice bin with magnetized scoop and method of manufacture and use
Kevin Knatt, O'Fallon, MO (US); and Curt Cayemberg, O'Fallon, MO (US)
Assigned to True Manufacturing Company, Inc., O'Fallon, MO (US)
Filed by True Manufacturing Company, Inc., O'Fallon, MO (US)
Filed on May 12, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/318,486.
Prior Publication US 2022/0364779 A1, Nov. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. F25C 5/182 (2018.01); F25C 5/04 (2006.01)
CPC F25C 5/043 (2013.01) [F25C 5/182 (2013.01); F25C 2500/02 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ice bin comprising:
a bin body, the bin body comprising a lower portion, an upper portion, and a perimeter wall extending heightwise from the lower portion to the upper portion, the upper portion of the bin body defining an ice drop area configured so that ice dropped from an ice maker supported above the ice bin is passable through the ice drop area into the interior, the bin body further comprising an ice retrieval area spaced apart from the ice drop area for providing access to the interior of the ice bin, the perimeter wall comprising a support plate configured to support an ice scoop on the perimeter wall in the interior of the ice bin by a force of magnetic attraction between the ice scoop and the support plate;
wherein the perimeter wall has a back, a front, and an inner side wall, the inner side wall having a front-to-back depth extending from the front to the back of the perimeter wall and the inner side wall having a height extending from the lower portion to the upper portion of the bin body;
wherein the perimeter wall comprises an outer shell, a liner, and an enclosed insulation space between the outer shell and the liner, the support plate being received in the enclosed insulation space along the inner side wall of the perimeter wall and the enclosed insulation space being filled with foam insulation molded-in-place between the liner and the outer shell and around the support plate;
wherein the support plate has a front edge margin, a back edge margin, and a front-to-back depth extending from the front edge margin to the back edge margin;
wherein the support plate has a top edge margin, a bottom edge margin, and a height extending from the top edge margin to the bottom edge margin;
wherein the back edge margin of the support plate is spaced apart from the back of the inner side wall by a front-to-back spacing distance;
wherein the bottom edge margin of the support plate is spaced apart from the lower portion of the bin body by a top-to-bottom spacing distance; and
wherein the front-to-back spacing distance is greater than the front-to-back depth of the support plate.