Patent ID: 9568228
Date: 2017-02-14
CPC Classifications: F25B,F25C,F25D

Claim:
1. An ice making method comprising: an ice making initiation operation of forming ice by an ice formation unit; determining a point in time at which ice is to be released during an ice release time determining operation, wherein the point in time at which ice is to be released is based in consideration of a signal from a detection unit for detecting whether the formation of ice has reached an intended level and an ice making lapse time which has lapsed after the formation of ice was initiated by the ice formation unit; an ice releasing operation of releasing the formed ice when the point in time at which ice is to be released is determined in the ice releasing time determining operation, wherein, in the ice release time determining operation, when the ice making lapse time is equal to a pre-set maximum ice making time, it is determined as an ice releasing time although it is not determined that the formation of ice has reached the intended level by the detection unit, and in the ice release time determining operation, although the ice making lapse time is less than a pre-set minimum ice making time, when it is determined that the formation of ice has reached the intended level by the detection unit, it is determined that it is time to release ice when the minimum ice making time has expired, and wherein the ice formation unit forms ice in a tray member with water therein after water is supplied to the tray member, and the detection unit detects whether or not the formation of ice in the tray member has reached an intended level.