Patent Publication Number: US-9897362-B2

Title: Ice maker and refrigerator having the same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0092939 filed on Jun. 30, 2015, whose entire disclosure is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     An ice maker and a refrigerator having the same are disclosed herein. 
     2. Background 
     A refrigerator is a home appliance that stores food at a low temperature in an internal storage space. The internal storage space may be cooled using cool air generated by heat exchange of a refrigerant circulated through a refrigeration cycle. Refrigerators have become bigger and may include many functions based on demand, and refrigerators with various structures and equipment for user convenience are being released. 
     For example, an ice maker configured to make and store ice may be provided in a refrigerator at a position such as, e.g., inside a freezer compartment door. Various types of the ice maker may include an ice maker that automatically manufactures, separates, and stores ice, and extracts the stored ice. A refrigerator having this type of ice maker may able to extract or dispense ice out of the refrigerator through a dispenser. In addition, a refrigerator may have an ice maker type that counts and extracts a desired number of pieces of the stored ice through the dispenser according to a user&#39;s selection. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an ice maker  10  of related art may include an ice tray  11 , an ice separation motor  13  and an ejector  12 . The ice tray  11  may be a tray that provides a space for ice and may be formed into a semicircular shape, in which an inside lower surface thereof may have a constant curvature. The ice separation motor  13  may be provided on one side of the ice tray  11 , connected to the ejector  12 , and may rotate the ejector  12 . The ejector  12  may be rotated along a curved surface of an ice space formed by an inner surface of the ice tray  11 . 
     When ice is formed in the ice tray  11 , the ice separation motor  13  may transfer a rotational power or force to the ejector  12 , and, while being rotated, the ejector  12  may lift and discharge the ice in the ice tray  11  out of the tray  11 . However, the ice maker  10  may not properly transfer ice out of the ice maker  10 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , during an ice separation process by the ejector  12  after ice formation is completed, ice may not be discharged out by rotation of the ejector  12  and may be left on a rear end of the ice tray  11 . When the ejector  12  rotates to separate ice later, the ejector  12  may then be damaged or rotation of the ejector  12  may be stopped due to interference of the ice left on the ice tray  11 . 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an ice maker; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are side views showing a process for separating ice according to an operation of the ice maker of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a refrigerator including an ice maker according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of an opened refrigerator including an ice maker according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an ice maker according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an ice tray configuration of an ice maker according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of the ice tray configuration of the ice maker according to the embodiment of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the ice tray configuration of the ice maker according to the embodiment of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C  are side views showing a process for separating ice according to an operating of an ice maker according to an embodiment; and 
         FIGS. 10A, 10B, and 10C  are views showing a process for separating ice from an upper surface of an ice maker according to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 to 4 , an outer shape of a refrigerator  1  according to an embodiment may be provided by a cabinet  2  that forms a storage space, and a door  20  that opens and closes the storage space. For example, the cabinet  2  may form a storage space  50 , which may be partitioned into two sections, where a refrigerator compartment  52  may be provided on a top section, and a freezer compartment  54  may be provided on a bottom section. A storage member such as a drawer, a shelf, and/or a basket may be provided inside of the refrigerator compartment  52  and/or the freezer compartment  54 . 
     The door  20  may include a refrigerator compartment door  22  to open and close the refrigerator compartment  52  and a freezer compartment door  24  to open and close the freezer compartment  54 . The refrigerator compartment door  22  may include one pair of left and right doors and may be opened and closed via rotation. The freezer compartment door  24  may be drawn out, for example, like a drawer. As an arrangement of the refrigerator compartment  52 , the freezer compartment  54 , and a shape of the door  20  may change depending on refrigerator type, embodiments disclosed herein may be applied to various types of refrigerators and are not limited thereto. 
     An ice chamber  30  may be provided in the refrigerator compartment door  22 . The ice chamber  30  may be an insulated, separate space in the refrigerator compartment door  22  and may be a space in which ice may be created and stored and cool air supplied from the freezer compartment  54  or an evaporator may flow. An ice maker  100 , which may make ice, may be provided at an inside or an inner side of the ice chamber  30 . The ice maker  100  may automatically supply water from a refrigerator or a water source of the refrigerator and, when the water is frozen and ice is made, may be configured to allow the ice to be separated automatically. An ice bank  40 , in which the ice is separated from the ice maker  100  and stored, may be placed under or provided on a bottom of the ice maker  100 . 
     Then, a dispenser  26  that extracts or dispenses the ice out of the dispenser  26  may be provided on a front surface of the refrigerator compartment door  22 , in which the ice chamber  30  may be provided. The dispenser  26  may communicate with the ice chamber  30 . The dispenser  26  may also be configured to dispense water. The ice chamber  30  may be provided in the refrigerator compartment  52 , and may communicate with the dispenser  26  while the refrigerator compartment door  22  is closed. 
     The ice maker  100  may be provided in not only the ice chamber  30  but also in the freezer compartment door  24  or freezer compartment  54 , and may be located at any available position where ice may be made, such as, e.g., in the refrigerator or an inner surface of a refrigerator door. The ice maker  100  may also be variously configured according to a water supply method and an ice separation method. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 to 6 , the ice maker  100  may provide a space, in which the ice is made. The ice maker  100  may include an ice tray or tray  110 , in which one or more projections  112  that protrudes in a direction in which the ice is separated may be formed, an ejector  120  to discharge the ice from the ice tray  110  out of the tray, and an ice separation motor or ice separator  130  to drive the ejector  120 . The ice separation motor  130  may be provided at a side of the ice maker  100 . A plurality of gears, such as, e.g., an electric motor to rotate the ejector  120 , may be provided inside the ice separation motor  130 . 
     The ejector  120  may be connected to one side of the ice separation motor  130 . The ejector  120  that separates the ice made at or in the ice tray  110  out of the ice tray  110  may include an ejector shaft  121 , which may be connected to the one side of the ice separation motor  130  and rotated, and one or more ejector fins  122 , which may extend from the ejector shaft  121  to scoop the ice made. An ice sensor may be provided on another side of the ice separation motor  130 . The ice sensor may be rotated by the ice separation motor  130 , and, while rotating, the ice sensor may be configured to detect whether the ice bank  40  is full of ice. 
     A stripper  140  may be provided on an upper surface of the ice tray  110 . The stripper  140  may cover a portion of an open upper surface of the ice tray  110  and may have a partially cut shape so that the ejector  120  may pass therethrough. The stripper  140  may be formed of an elastically deformable material. The stripper  140  may prevent water accommodated in the ice tray  110  from overflowing and, concurrently, when the ice is separated by the ejector  120 , may guide the separated ice to a front of the ice tray  110 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7 to 8 , the ice tray  110  may be provided on the one side of the ice separation motor  130 . The ice tray  110  may form an ice space or space  111 , in which water may be supplied and frozen to form ice. The ice tray  110  may be formed of a plastic material or a metal material, for example, aluminum, which has excellent heat transfer performance, or an aluminum alloy. The ice space  111  of the ice tray  110  may be partitioned into a plurality of spaces by a plurality of partition plates  113 . The plurality of partition plates  113  may protrude from an inner surface of the ice tray  110  and may extend a predetermined length. A height of at least a portion of each of the plurality of partition plates  113  may be formed lower than a height of the ice tray  110  so that water supplied into the ice tray  110  may move to each partitioned space of the ice space  111  and be uniformly supplied. 
     A fixture  150  (see  FIG. 5 ) may be formed at one side of the ice tray  110  so as to fix the ice tray  110  or the ice maker  100  to an inside of the ice manufacture chamber  30 . A water supplier, which may automatically provide water to be supplied to the ice tray  110 , may be provided on an upper side of the ice tray  110 . A temperature sensor, which may detect a temperature of the ice tray  110 , and/or a temperature sensor, which may detect a temperature of the inside of the ice manufacture chamber  30 , may also be provided. A heater, which may heat the ice tray  110  during ice separation, may be provided in a lower portion of the ice tray  110  as needed. 
     The ice space  111  of the ice tray  110  may be in a shape having a curved surface with a predetermined curvature when viewed from a side. The ice space  111  may be in a shape having a curved surface with a same curvature as a rotation curvature of the ejector  120 . For example, when viewed from the side, the ice space  111  may be a semicircular shape, of which an upper portion may be cut off. A plurality of projections  112  having a curvature, which may be a same as or similar to a curvature of the ice space  111 , may be formed at a position between the plurality of partition plates  113  that partition the ice space  111  of the ice tray  110 . The plurality of projections  112  formed between the plurality of partition plates  113  may be extended in a direction which may be a same direction as a rotation direction of the ejector  120 , for example, a direction in which the ice is separated. 
     Each of the plurality of projections  112  may protrude from and be formed in an inner surface of the ice space  111  so that the inner surface of the ice space  111  may be spaced apart from a piece of ice  1 . The ice space  111  may be divided into an insertion area, in which the ejector  120  may be inserted, and a withdrawal area, from which the ejector  120  may be withdrawn. When a first reference line L 1 , which may be parallel to an extension direction of the shaft of the ejector  120  and bisect an area between the insertion area and the withdrawal area, is defined, some or all of the plurality of projections  112  may be located on an inner surface of the space between the first reference line L 1  and the withdrawal area. This configuration may be for tilting toward a forward end direction of the ice tray  110  when the ice is separated by the ejector  120  or when the ice is located at a rear end of the ice tray  110 . The projection  112  may be extended to the withdrawal area. The projection  112  may extend from first reference line L 1  to the withdrawal area or from the insertion area to the withdrawal area. 
     A forward end  112   a  of the projection  112  may protrude and extend from a lowest side of the inner surface of the ice space  111  of the ice tray  110 , and as it extends toward a rear end  112   b  of the projection, a projection height may gradually increase while having an certain curvature, and the rear end  112   b  of the projection may protrude at a greater height that a height of the forward end  112   a  from the rear end of the ice space  111  of the ice tray  110 . For example, the forward end  112   a  of the projection  112  may be a portion near the insertion area, and the rear end  112   b  of the projection  112  may be a portion near the withdrawal area. A protrusion height of the forward end  112   a  of the projection  112  may be lower than a protrusion height of the rear end  112   b  of the projection  112 . An upper surface of the forward end  112   a  of the projection  112  and an upper surface of the rear end  112   b  of the projection  112  may be a curved shape having a set curvature such that a line connecting the rear end  112   b  from the forward end  112   a  may be one curved line. 
     For example, the forward end  112   a  of the projection  112  may gradually protrude at a same height as a lowest surface of the ice tray  110  and form a certain curvature to the rear end  112   b.  Thus, the projection  112  may be formed in a shape in which the rear end  112   b  of the projection  112  has a greater height than a height of the forward end  112   a  of the projection  112 . A height from the inner surface of the ice tray  110  to the upper surface of the rear end  112   b  of the projection  112  may be greater than a height from the inner surface of the ice tray  110  to the upper surface of the forward end  112   a  of the projection  112 . The rear end  112   b  of the projection  112  may be round. Even if the rear end  112   b  formed to be round is compared to the rear end  112   b  formed to be a right angle shape, the ice separation effect may be similar and forming the rear end  112   b  to be round may be effective for lowering manufacturing costs. 
     A portion of the projection  112  may be located on a second reference line L 2 , which may bisect the ice space  111  in a direction perpendicular to an extension direction of the ejector shaft  121 . For example, an extension line from the forward end  112   a  to the rear end  112   b  and the second reference line L 2  may be parallel to each other. The projection  112  may be formed so that an extension direction of the projection  112  may be parallel to the second reference line L 2 . A width of the projection  112  may be smaller than a width of the ice generated in the ice space  111 . For example, a width of the projection  112  may have a width only so that an upper surface of the projection  112  may support the ice. The narrower the width of the projection  112 , the more an amount of ice separated from the ice space  111  may be. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 9A and 10A , water or purified water may be supplied to the ice tray  110  of the ice maker  100  according to an embodiment from a water supplier of the refrigerator. A water level of water supplied from the water supplier may be equal or greater than a predetermined height of the partition plate  113  of the ice space  111  so as to equalize an amount of water supplied to the ice tray in each of the ice spaces  111  divided by the partition plate  113 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 9B and 10B , when water is supplied to the ice tray  110 , cool air supplied by the freezer compartment or evaporator may freeze the water in the ice tray  110  to produce or form ice  1 . As the projection  112  and the partition plate  113  are formed in the ice space  111  of the ice tray  110 , a predetermined groove may be formed in a portion of a lower surface of the ice  1 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 9C and 10C , when ice  1  is formed in the ice tray  110 , the ice separation motor  130  may operate to rotate the ejector shaft  121 . While the ejector shaft  121  is rotating, the one or more ejector fins  122  formed on a side of the ejector shaft  121  may push the ice  1  up to a rear portion of the ice tray  110 . A groove made by the projection  112  may be formed in the lower surface of the ice from a middle portion of the ice  1  to the rear end, but a groove may not be formed in the lower surface from a forward end of the ice  1  to the middle portion. 
     When the ice  1  is being pushed up to the rear portion of the ice tray  110  by the ejector fin  122 , since a groove is not formed in a lower surface from a forward end of the ice  1  to the middle portion, and while the lower surface of the ice  1  is in contact with the upper surface of the projection  112  and moving, the ice  1  may be pushed up to the rear portion of the ice tray  110 . At this time, between the inner surface of the ice  1  and the ice tray  110 , an empty space  115  having a depth of as much as a height of the projection  112  may be present in the ice space  111  to a position of both sides of the projection  112 . That is, an inner surface of the ice space  111  of the ice tray  110  and the ice  1  may be spaced apart from each other. 
     As a contact surface between the inner surface of the ice tray  110  and an outer surface of the ice  1  is decreased and the empty space  115  increases, surface tension between the ice tray  110  and the ice  1  may be reduced. Thus, the ice  1  may be easily discharged out of the ice tray  110  by the ejector fin  122  compared to an ice maker such as ice maker  10 . 
     While the ice  1  is pushed up by the ejector fin  122 , when a lower surface center portion of the ice  1  is in contact with an upper surface of the rear end  112   b,  since the rear end  112   b  protrudes a predetermined height or more from the rear end of the inner surface of the ice tray  110 , the ice  1  may be pushed up while inclined toward a forward end direction of the ice tray  110 . 
     Embodiments disclosed herein provide an ice maker, which may effectively discharge ice out of the ice maker. An ice maker according to embodiments disclosed herein may include a tray or an ice tray configured to provide space for ice to be made, an ejector that rotates to separate the ice from the tray; and an ice separation motor connected to a side of the ejector and configured to provide power to rotate the ejector. The tray may include at least one space in which the ice is made having an inner surface with a curvature, and at least one projection that protrudes from the inner surface of the space so that a portion of the ice is spaced apart from the inner surface of the space during rotation of the ejector. 
     A refrigerator according to embodiments disclosed herein may include at least one door, an ice chamber that provides space for ice to be made, the ice chamber being provided on the at least one door or in a compartment of the refrigerator, an ice maker provided inside of the ice chamber and in which the ice is made, and a dispenser that communicates with the ice chamber at a front surface of the at least one door and dispenses the ice made out of the at least one door. The ice maker may include a tray that provides one or more spaces for ice to be made, an ejector that rotates to separate the ice from the tray, and an ice separation motor connected to a side of the ejector and configured to provide power to rotate the ejector. The tray may includes at least one space in which the ice is made having an inner surface with a curvature and at least one projection that protrudes from the inner surface of the at least one space so that the ice is spaced apart from the inner surface of the at least one space during rotation of the ejector. 
     Terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b) or the like may be used herein when describing components of the embodiments. Each of these terminologies is not used to define an essence, order or sequence of a corresponding component but used merely to distinguish the corresponding component from other component(s). If it is described in the specification that one component is “connected,” “coupled” or “joined” to another component, the former may be directly “connected,” “coupled,” and “joined” to the latter or “connected”, “coupled”, and “joined” to the latter via another component. 
     Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments. 
     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.