Patent Publication Number: US-8528350-B2

Title: Ice making apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0102087, filed on Oct. 20, 2006, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to an ice making apparatus. 
     An ice making apparatus is for making ice. The ice making apparatus discharges ice cubes made in an ice making tray into an ice bank by rotating an ejector. An ice full detecting unit includes an ice full detecting arm that is disposed in front of the ice making tray to rotate downward. When the ice full stops rotating downward by being caught on the ice cubes, a control unit determines that the ice bank is fully filled with the ice cubes. The ice full detecting arm rotates periodically to detect if the ice bank is fully filled with the ice cubes. 
     A user can take out the ice bank that is fully filled with the ice cubes and take the ice bank into the initial position. At this point, the control unit rotates the ice full detecting arm downward. In this case, since the current location of the ice full detecting arm cannot be determined, the ice full detecting arm cannot move to the initial position when the ice full detecting arm is caught on the ice cubes. Therefore, the ejector may stop actuating or the ice full detecting unit may be damaged. 
     Further, since the ice full detecting arm is disposed in front of the ice making tray, the ice full detecting arm may be damaged by being caught on the ice bank when the user takes in and out the ice bank. 
     In addition, since the ice full detecting arm is disposed in front of the ice making tray, a sufficient space in which the ice full detecting arm fully rotates is required in front of the ice making tray. Therefore, an installation space of the ice making apparatus may increase. 
     Further, the ice full detecting arm is disposed to be exposed to an external side. This detracts from the beauty of the view. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments provide an ice making apparatus that is designed to prevent an ice full detecting unit from being damaged. 
     Embodiments provide an ice making apparatus that is designed to reduce a radius of rotation of an ice full detecting arm and thus reduce an installation space thereof. 
     In an embodiment, an ice making apparatus includes an ice making tray in which ice is made; an ejector for discharging the ice made in the ice making tray into an ice bank; a cam assembly cooperatively coupled to the ejector; an ice full detecting arm that is rotated by the cam assembly to detect if the ice bank is fully filled with the ice; a first ice full detecting member that detects if the ice bank is fully filled with the ice by detecting a position of the cam assembly when the cam assembly operates; and a second ice full detecting member that detects if the ice full detecting arm is not returned to an initial position by being caught on the ice. 
     The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a refrigerator to which an ice making apparatus of an embodiment is applied. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the ice making apparatus depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of an ice full detecting arm of the ice making apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view illustrating a state where the ice full detecting arm detects that an ice bank is fully filled with ice cubes in the ice making apparatus of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view illustrating a state where the ice full detecting arm is caught on the ice cubes filled in the ice bank in the ice making apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. 
     The following will describe an ice making apparatus according to an embodiment. 
     An ice making apparatus of the present invention may be applied to a variety of appliances such as a refrigerator, a water purifier, and the like. The following will describe a case where an ice making apparatus of the present invention is applied to the refrigerator by way of example. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a refrigerator to which an ice making apparatus of an embodiment is applied. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a storage chamber  11  is defined in a refrigerator  10 . The refrigerator  10  has doors  12  for opening and closing freezing and refrigerating compartments. 
     An ice making apparatus  20  may be installed in one of the doors  12  or the storage chamber  11 . When the ice making apparatus  20  is installed in one of the door  12 , a power source may be connected to the ice making apparatus  20  by an electric wire (not shown) passing through a hinge portion of the door  12 . In  FIG. 1 , the ice making apparatus is installed in the door  12  of the refrigerator  10 . 
     The ice making apparatus  20  includes an icemaker  100  for making ice and an ice bank  105  for storing the ice. The ice making apparatus  20  further includes a dispenser  107  for dispensing the ice out of the door  12 . The ice making apparatus  20  may be comprised of only the icemaker  100  and the ice bank  105  or all of the icemaker  100 , the ice bank  105 , and the dispenser  107 . 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the ice making apparatus depicted in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3  is a schematic view of an ice full detecting arm of the ice making apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the ice bank  105  for storing the ice is disposed under the icemaker  100  for making the ice. 
     The icemaker  100  includes an ice making tray  110 , a driving unit  120 , an ejector  130 , and an ice full detecting unit. The ice full detecting unit may include an ice full detecting arm  140 , a cam assembly  150 , and first and second ice full detecting members  170  and  180 . 
     An ice making chamber  111  to which water is supplied is defined by the ice making tray  110  and ribs (not shown) are disposed in the ice making chamber  111  and spaced apart from each other. The ribs divide the ice making chambers  111  into different sections to make a plurality of ice cubes. In addition, slide bars  112  are disposed on a front side of the ice making tray  110  and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. The slide bars  112  are inclined so that the ice cubes can smoothly slide. In addition, a heater  113  may be disposed on an under surface of the ice making tray  110  to easily discharge the ice cubes by slightly melting surfaces of the ice cubes. 
     A water supply portion  114  is disposed in the ice making tray  110 . Since the water supply portion  114  functions to supply the water to the ice making chamber  111 , the water supply portion  114  may be disposed above the ice making chamber  111 . A water supply pipe (not shown) is connected to the water supply portion  114 . 
     The driving unit  120  is disposed beside the ice making tray  110 . The driving unit  120  includes a motor unit  121 . The motor unit  121  may include a motor (not shown) and a gear box (not shown). 
     The ejector  130  is connected to the motor unit  121  to be capable of rotating. The ejector  130  includes a rotational shaft  131  disposed across the ice making chamber  111  and a plurality of ejector pins  132  arranged on the rotational shaft  131  at predetermined intervals. The rotational shaft  131  is rotatably inserted in a side of the ice making tray  110 . Therefore, when the ejector  130  rotates, the ejector pins  132  rotate passing between the slide bars  112 . 
     The ice full detecting unit is cooperatively coupled to the driving unit  120 . 
     The cam assembly  150  and the first and second ice full detecting members  170  and  180  are disposed inside the driving unit  120  and the ice full detecting arm  140  is disposed outside the driving unit  120 . 
     The cam assembly  150  includes a driving cam  151  coupled to the ejector  130  and rotating together with the ejector  130 , a lever  152  rotating together with the driving cam  151 , and a gear unit  160  rotating together with the lever  152 . 
     A rotational shaft of the driving cam  151  is coupled to the rotational shaft  131  of the ejector  130 . A radius of the driving cam  151  is gradually increased and terminated at a predetermined portion. 
     Further, the lever  152  is provided with a protruding portion  153  contacting an outer circumference of the driving cam  151 . The lever  152  is further provided with first and second extending portions  154  and  155  extending to an opposite side to the driving cam  151 . Gear teeth  157  are formed on an end of the second extending portion  155 . 
     The gear unit  160  is provided to synchronize with the gear teeth  157  of the second extending portion  155 . The gear unit  160  includes a first gear  161  engaged with the gear teeth  157 , a second gear  162  coupled to the rotational shaft  131  to which the first gear  161  is also coupled, and a third gear  163  engaged with the second gear  162 . 
     At this point, the ice full detecting arm  140  may be elastically coupled to the gear unit  160 . For example, a first end portion of the ice full detecting arm  140  is coupled to the third gear  163  by a torsion spring  165  in a state where the first end portion is fitted in the rotation shaft of the third gear  163 . Therefore, when the ice full detecting arm  140  is caught on the ice cubes, the ice full detecting arm  140  does not rotate even if the cam assembly  150  is driven. At this point, the torsion spring  165  is tensioned. As the ice full detecting arm  140  is elastically coupled, the ice full detecting arm  140  is not damaged even if it is caught on the ice cubes. 
     The ice full detecting arm  140  is rotatably disposed under the ice making tray  110 . The ice full detecting arm  140  is bent in an opposite direction to a direction in which the ice cubes are discharged from the ice making tray  110 . The ice full detecting arm  140  may be disposed such that it is not caught on an upper end of the ice bank  105  when the ice bank  105  is drawn in and out. In this case, the damage of the components such as the ice full detecting arm  140  and the gear unit  160  of the ice full detecting unit can be prevented when the ice bank  105  is drawn in and out. 
     The first, second, and third gears are associated with each other with proper gear ratios allowing the ice full detecting arm  140  to rotate within a predetermined angle range. 
     A first magnet  171  is disposed on the first extending portion  154  of the lever  152  and a first ice full detecting sensor  172  is disposed near the first extending portion  154 . Therefore, when the ejector  130  rotates to discharge the ice cubes to the ice bank  105  and thus the first extending portion  154  rotates by a predetermined angle, the first ice full detecting sensor  172  detects the first magnet  171 . A hole sensor may be used as the first ice full detecting sensor  172 . That is, the first ice full detecting member  170  may includes a first magnet  171  and the first ice full detecting sensor  172 . 
     A second magnet  181  is disposed on the ice full detecting arm  140  and a second ice full detecting sensor  182  is disposed on the third gear  163 . Accordingly, when the ice full detecting arm  140  and the third gear  163  rotate together, the second ice full detecting sensor  182  can always detect the second magnet  181 . In addition, when the ice full detecting arm  140  cannot rotate together with the third gear  163  as the ice full detecting arm  140  is caught on the ice cubes, the second ice full detecting sensor  182  cannot detect the second magnet  181 . Therefore, the ice full state is determined whether the second ice full detecting sensor  182  detects the second magnet  181 . The second ice full detecting unit  180  includes the second magnet  181  and the second ice full detecting sensor  182 . 
     Alternatively, the second ice full detecting sensor  182  may be disposed near the third gear  163 . At this point, it is determined that the ice bank is fully filled with the ice cubes only when the ice full detecting arm  140  is not returned to the initial position. A hole sensor may be used as the second ice full detecting sensor  182 . The following will describe a case where the second ice full detecting sensor  182  is disposed on the third gear  163 . 
     Further, the first and second ice full detecting members  170  and  180  are electrically connected to a control unit (not shown). 
     The following will describe operation of the ice making apparatus  20  according to the embodiment. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the ice making apparatus depicted in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 3  is a schematic view of an ice full detecting arm of the ice making apparatus of  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 4  is a schematic view illustrating a state where the ice full detecting arm detects that an ice bank is fully filled with ice cubes in the ice making apparatus of  FIG. 2 , and  FIG. 5  is a schematic view illustrating a state where the ice full detecting arm is caught on the ice cubes filled in the ice bank in the ice making apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the ice cubes are made by supplying water from the water supply portion  114  to the ice making chamber  111 . When it is determined that the water is fully frozen, the control unit melts surfaces of the ice cubes using the heater  113 . 
     Further, as the motor operates, the ejector  130  rotates. At this point, when the ejector pins  132  rotate, the ice cubes made in the ice making tray  110  move upward. When the ejector pins  132  further rotate, the ice cubes are discharged into the ice bank  105 . 
     At this point, the driving cam  151  rotates together with the ejector  130 . The driving cam  151  presses the contacting portion  153  of the lever  152  and thus the lever  152  rotates. Therefore, the first and second extending portions  154  and  155  rotate. The gear teeth  157  rotate the first, second, and third gears  161 ,  162 , and  163 . The ice full detecting arm  140  rotates together with the third gear  163  to detect if the ice bank is fully filled with the ice cubes. 
     The following will describe a case where the ice full detecting arm  140  is not caught on the ice cubes with reference to  FIG. 4 . 
     When the ice full detecting arm  140  is not caught on the ice cubes, the ice full detecting arm  140  is returned to its initial position. In this case, the first ice full detecting sensor  172  detects once the first magnet  171  of the first extending portion  154 . Further, the third gear  163  rotates together with the ice full detecting arm  140  and thus the second ice full detecting sensor  182  detects always the second magnet  181  of the ice full detecting arm  140 . In addition, the second ice full detecting sensor  182  rotates together with the ice full detecting arm and the second magnet  181  rotates together with the third gear  163 . At this point, the second ice full detecting senor  182  faces the second magnet  181 . Further, the torsion spring  165  maintains its initial state without being tensioned. Therefore, the control unit determines that the ice bank is not fully filled with the ice cubes and continues the ice making process. 
     The following will describe a case where the ice making detecting arm  140  is caught on the ice cubes with reference to  FIG. 5 . 
     Since the driving cam  151  rotates continuously when the ice full detecting arm  140  is caught on the ice cubes, the lever  152  and the first, second, and third gears  161 ,  162 , and  163  rotate continuously. At this point, while the third gear  163  rotates, the ice full detecting arm  140  cannot rotate any more. Further, the second ice full detecting sensor  182  is in a stopped state together with the ice full detecting arm  140  and the second magnet  181  rotates together with the third gear  163 . The second ice full detecting sensor  182  does not face the second magnet  181 . At this point, the torsion spring  165  is tensioned. 
     Further, the first ice full detecting sensor  172  detects once the first magnet  171  of the first extending portion  154  while the second ice full detecting senor  182  cannot detect the second magnet  181  disposed on the ice full detecting arm  140 . At this point, the control unit determines that the ice full detecting arm  140  is not returned to its initial position and stops the operation of the ejector  130 . Therefore, the control unit determines that the ice bank is fully filled with the ice cubes and stops making the ice cubes. In addition, the control unit rotates periodically the ice full detecting arm to determine if the ice bank is fully filled with the ice cubes. 
     Meanwhile, the user can draw the ice bank  105  filled with the ice cubes and insert the ice bank  105  again to the initial poison. Then, the ice full detecting arm  140  rotates downward to detect if the ice bank  105  is fully filled with the ice cubes. At this point, when the ice full detecting arm  140  is caught on the ice cubes, the lever  152  is returned to the initial position but the ice full detecting arm  140  cannot be returned to the initial position. Therefore, the second ice full detecting sensor  182  cannot detect the second magnet  181 . Therefore, the operation of the ejector  130  and the ice making process are stopped. As described above, it can be accurately determined by the first and second ice full detecting members  170  and  180  if the ice full detecting arm  140  is returned to the initial position. 
     According to the ice making apparatus of the embodiment, since the ice full detecting arm is disposed under the ice making case, there is no need to secure a space, which is sufficient to allow the ice full detecting arm fully rotates, in front of the ice full detecting arm. Therefore, the installation space for the ice making apparatus can be minimized. 
     In addition, since the ice full detecting arm is disposed not to be caught on the upper end of the ice bank when the ice bank is drawn out and in, the damage of the ice full detecting arm and the gear units by the ice bank can be prevented. 
     Furthermore, since the positions of the lever and the ice full detecting arm can be detected by the first and second ice full detecting members, it can be accurately determined if the ice full detecting arm is caught on the ice cubes. Therefore, the damage of the ice full detecting arm and the gear units can be prevented. 
     Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.