Compact ice making system for slimline ice compartment

[0100]As best shown in FIGS. 15B, 18, and 19A, an ice maker guard 715 is fastened to the side of the integral ice maker assembly unit 712 facing the ice bucket 751. The ice maker guard 715 includes a plurality of projections or fingers 715′. Ejector fingers or plates 716 are arranged on a rotatable shaft 716′ and are movable in spaces between the projections 715′. The rotatable shaft 716′ is supported in an ejector finger bearing 716″. The ice maker bracket 717 is disposed above the mold with a plurality of cavities 712′ and includes a water fill cup 717′ for directing water into the cavities 712′. The ice maker bracket 717 is attached via fasteners (for example, screws) to the integral ice maker assembly unit 712. The ice maker bracket 717 also includes a plurality (for example three) of mounting hooks HH1 on a top surface thereof for engaging corresponding mounting members MM1 assembled directly into an inner top wall 603′ which is part of the refrigerator structure (see FIGS. 20A an

[0102]As best shown in FIGS. 14, 15A, 15B, 18, and 20B, the gear box 718 is positioned at a front end portion (facing the front of the refrigerator) of the integral ice maker assembly unit 712 and includes gears and a motor (not shown) for driving the rotatable shaft 716′ and the bail arm or optical sensor system that senses the amount of ice pieces in the ice bucket 751. In the second embodiment, an optical sensor system, comprising the optical sensor OSE (emitter) that is disposed on the ice maker bracket 717 and the optical sensor OSR (receiver) that is disposed on the gear box 718, is provided for sensing the amount of ice pieces in the ice bucket 751. The receiver OSR is built into the gear box 718, while the emitter OSE has its own housing that is latched on the right rear end of the ice maker bracket 717 (see FIGS. 14, 15A, 15B, 18, and 19C). A temperature or tray sensor such as a thermistor TT is disposed on an outer portion of the gear box 718 facing the integral ice maker ass