Patent Publication Number: US-7905466-B2

Title: Ice tray

Description:
This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2007-0071152, filed in Korea on Jul. 16, 2007, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     This relates to an ice tray, and more particularly, to an ice tray that is capable of preventing the overflow or splashing of water or thin ice out of the ice tray during the supply of water or when the ice tray is shaken by an external force. 
     2. Background 
     An ice tray typically has a structure with an interior divided into a plurality of spaces into which water is supplied and in which the water is frozen into ice. Ice trays may be mounted in an ice maker of a refrigerator or the like. 
     Ice trays may be classified as a heating type ice tray or as a twist type ice tray based on how the ice is separated from the ice tray. In a heating type ice tray, a heater heats the ice tray such that the outer surface of the ice in the ice tray melts and separates from the ice tray. In a twist type ice tray, the ice tray is twisted, and the ice is separated from the ice tray without the use of a heater. An ice separating system which minimizes or eliminates the flow of water and/or partially frozen, thin pieces of ice, out of the ice tray is desirable. 
    
    
     
       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 tray according to an embodiment as broadly described herein; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an ice tray according to another embodiment as broadly described herein; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of an ice tray including a water overflow preventing member as embodied and broadly described herein; 
         FIG. 4  is an assembled perspective view of the water overflow preventing member and receiving parts of the ice tray shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is bottom perspective view of the ice tray shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ; and 
         FIG. 6  is a partial perspective view of an ice tray as embodied and broadly described herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
     An ice separating system may include an ice tray made of a conductive material. A pulse may be applied to the ice tray for a short period of time to melt the ice. The relatively short heating period may minimize water generation during melting, and may maintain the ice in a desired shape. 
     However, water or thin ice may splash out of or overflow from the ice tray during the supply of water into the ice tray or during the production of ice. More specifically, water may splash as it is supplied to the ice tray, or an ice maker in which the ice tray is mounted may be shaken by an external force during the production of ice, and water or thin ice may overflow from the ice tray. Consequently, this water and/or thin ice may be introduced into an ice storage box and then re-frozen into ice. This causes ice pieces stored in the storage box to stick to each other, causing difficulty in removal and use. Also, water may infiltrate and be frozen in/on peripheral components adjacent to the ice maker, thus degrading the freezing efficiency of the ice maker and the overall reliability of the system. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an ice tray  110  as embodied and broadly described herein may include at least one receiving part  112  that receives water to produce ice. The at least one receiving part  112  may have an opening at an upper portion thereof through which water may be supplied and the ice may be discharged. A water overflow preventing member  120  may be provided to prevent the overflow or otherwise unintentional discharge of water from the at least one receiving part  112 . 
     In certain embodiments, the ice tray  110  may include a plurality of receiving parts  112  as an assembly, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The ice tray  110  may be constructed such that the receiving parts  112  are arranged in a line, or in a plurality of receiving part lines, each of the receiving part lines including a plurality of receiving parts  112  arranged in a line, the receiving part lines being arranged parallel to each other. Other arrangements may also be appropriate. 
     The receiving parts  112  may be formed in various different shapes. For example, the receiving parts  112  may be formed in the shape of a hemisphere or a cube. The ice tray  110  may include receiving parts  112  formed in other shapes, including more complicated shapes, such as, for example, a star, a heart, or other shapes desired by a user. For ease of discussion and illustration, the receiving parts  112  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  are formed in the shape of a hemisphere, although as discussed above, an ice tray  110  as embodied and broadly described herein may have receiving parts  112  formed in various other shapes as appropriate. 
     An ice tray  110  as embodied and broadly described herein may be made of a conductive material such that, when a pulse is applied to the ice tray  110 , the ice is separated from the ice tray  110 . In such an embodiment, the ice tray  110  may be made of a material having a high electrical conductivity, such as, for example, copper (Cu), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), a stainless steel alloy, an aluminum alloy, or other material as appropriate. When electrodes (not shown) are connected to the ice tray  110  to construct an electric circuit, and a pulse is applied to the ice tray  110 , the ice tray  110  may be uniformly heated in a short period of time. 
     When such a pulse is applied to the ice tray  110 , the ice tray  110  is heated, the ice at an interface between the receiving parts  112  of the ice tray  110  and an outer surface of the ice is melted. As a result, a bond at the interface between the ice and the receiving part  112  is released, allowing the ice to be separated from the receiving parts  112 . At this point, the ice tray  110  has already been rotated from an upright position to a downward facing position, and therefore, upon release, the ice falls from the ice tray  110  into the storage box by virtue of its own weight. 
     To this end, a moving part (not shown) may be provided to move the ice tray  110  to an ice separation position after the water in the ice tray  110  is frozen into ice. The moving may part rotate the ice tray  110  about a central axis that extends along a longitudinal direction of the ice tray  110  (in the direction in which the receiving parts  112  are arranged) such that the open top of each receiving part  112  of the ice tray  110  is directed downward to facilitate discharge of the ice from the receiving parts  112 . 
     The amount of heat generated in the ice tray  110  may be controlled based on the magnitude of current supplied from a power supply (not shown) in the form of a pulse by an input controller (not shown). The input controller may include a resistance circuit, a triac circuit, a coil circuit, or other type of circuit as appropriate. In alternative embodiments, the ice tray  110  may have a twist type structure or a heating type structure including a sheath type heater, or other structure as appropriate. 
     As set forth above, an ice tray  110  as embodied and broadly described herein may also include a water overflow preventing member  120 . The water overflow preventing member  120  may be formed in the shape of a partition wall that prevents the overflow of water (or thin ice) out of the ice tray  110  as water is supplied to the ice tray  110  or during the production of ice. The water overflow preventing member  120  may be formed integrally with the receiving parts  112 , and may protrude a predetermined length above the receiving parts  112 , from the upper edge of the openings. 
     The length of the water overflow preventing member  120 , i.e., the height of the water overflow preventing member  120 , may be experimentally or experientially established to prevent water overflow from the ice tray  110 . For example, the height of the water overflow preventing member  120  may be between 0.5 and 3 times the height of the ice tray  110 . When establishing a height of the overflow preventing member  120 , a spatial restriction when the produced ice is separated from the ice tray  110  should also be considered. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the water overflow preventing member  120  may protrude upward and substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the openings. Essentially, the water overflow preventing member  120  may protrude upward by a predetermined length from the edges of the openings of the respective receiving parts. A water overflow preventing member  120  constructed as described above may improve accessibility to a water supply unit (not shown) during the supply of water, and may reduce any catching or interference when the ice is separated from the ice tray  110 . 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the water overflow preventing member  120  may protrude upward from the upper edge of the at least one receiving part  112  in the shape of an arc by a predetermined length such that the water overflow preventing member  120  forms a curve directed toward the inside of each receiving part  112  from the edge of the opening of each receiving part  112 . In particular, when the receiving parts  112  are formed in the shape of a hemisphere, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the water overflow preventing member  120  may be formed in the shape of a partial sphere together with the receiving parts  112 . 
     When the water overflow preventing member  120  is constructed as described above, the ends of the water overflow preventing member  120  may be curved such that the ends of the water overflow preventing member  120  are directed toward the inside. This allows the water overflow preventing member  120  to effectively prevent the splashing or overflow of the water from the ice tray  110 . 
     In alternative embodiments, a first portion of the water overflow preventing member  120  may protrude upward, from a first upper edge portion of the at least one receiving part  112 , perpendicular to the plane defined by the openings, from one of the side edges of the openings, and a second portion may protrude upward in the shape of an arc from a second portion of the at least one receiving part  112  at the other side edges of the openings, by combining the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     When the ice tray  110  is made of a conductive material and a pulse is applied to the ice tray  110  to separate the ice from the ice tray  110 , the water overflow preventing member  120  may be made of a nonconductive material. Consequently, when a pulse is applied to the receiving parts  112 , the current flowing through the conductive receiving parts  112  the ice tray  110  is not transferred to the non-conductive water overflow preventing member  120 . Therefore, heat is supplied only to the receiving parts  112 , in which the ice is received, while reducing power consumption. 
     In this case, the water overflow preventing member  120  may be made of a high heat-resistant material such that the receiving parts  112  are not deformed or damaged, even when the receiving parts  112  are heated. Also, the water overflow preventing member  120  may be molded together with the receiving parts  112  by double injection, or may be integrally attached to the receiving parts  112  by bonding or welding, depending upon the material selected for the water overflow preventing member  120  and the receiving parts  112 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 to 6 , the water overflow preventing member  120  of the ice tray  110  shown in  FIG. 3  may be manufactured separately from the receiving parts  112 , and then coupled to the receiving parts  112 . Thus, it is possible to prevent the overflow or splashing of water from the receiving parts  112  to the outside by coupling the receiving parts  112 , which may be constructed in a general shape, to a water overflow preventing member  120  manufactured separately from the receiving parts  112 . 
     The water overflow preventing member  120  shown in  FIG. 3  may include location parts  122  that support corresponding receiving parts  112 , and waterproofing walls  124  that extend upward from the location parts  122  by a predetermined length and are substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the openings when the receiving parts  112  are located in the corresponding location parts  122 . In this manner, the receiving parts  112  may be supported by the corresponding location parts  122 . 
     The location parts  122  may be constructed in a shape similar to that of the receiving parts  112 . The location parts  122  may have a size slightly greater than the external shape of the receiving parts  112 , such that the receiving parts  112  may be tightly inserted into the corresponding location parts  122  as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     As shown in particular in  FIG. 5 , a bottom portion of each location part  122  may be opened such that the bottom of each receiving part  112  protrudes downward through the opening of the corresponding location part  122 . Thus, the location parts  122  do not necessarily cover entirely the outer surfaces of the corresponding receiving parts  112 , but may cover predetermined upper parts of the outer surfaces of the corresponding receiving parts  112 , to support the corresponding receiving parts  112  such that the receiving parts  112  do not fall. 
     When the ice tray  110  is made of a conductive material and a pulse is applied to the ice tray  110  to separate ice from the ice tray  110 , the location parts  122  may be made of a nonconductive material. Consequently, when a pulse is applied to the conductive receiving parts  112 , introduction of current to the non-conductive location parts  122  may be prevented, thereby providing uniform heat only in the receiving parts  112 , in which the ice is received, while reducing power consumption. In this case, the water overflow preventing member  120  may be made of a high heat-resistant material such that the receiving parts  112  are not deformed or damaged even when the receiving parts  112  are heated, because the location parts are in contact with the corresponding receiving parts  112 . 
     The waterproofing walls  124  may protrude upward and substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the openings of the receiving parts  112 . In certain embodiments, the waterproofing walls  124  may protrude upward from the location part  122  in the shape of an arc, curving inward toward the inside of the at least one receiving part from the corresponding location parts  122 . Alternatively, one side of each waterproofing wall  124  adjacent to a first side of the opening in the at least one receiving part  112  may protrude upward from the location part  122  in a substantially straight line, and the other side of each waterproofing wall  124  adjacent to a second side of the opening in the at least one receiving part  112  may protrude upward from the location part  122  in the shape of an arc. 
     The location parts  122  may be made of a flexible material so that the receiving parts  112  may be brought into tight contact with the corresponding location parts  122 , thereby preventing movement of the receiving parts  112  in the corresponding location parts  122 . Also, the waterproofing walls  124  may be molded together with the receiving parts  112  by double injection, or may be integrally attached to the location parts  122  by bonding or welding, depending upon the material of the waterproofing walls  124  and the receiving parts  112 . 
     Such a water overflow preventing member  120  may be coupled to the receiving parts  112  by fitting the receiving parts  112  into the water overflow preventing member  120  from above. In this case, the ice tray  110  may also include protrusions  126  provided with the location parts  122 to prevent movement of the receiving parts  112  in the location parts  122 , or to prevent separation of the receiving parts  112  from the location parts  122 , and to support the receiving parts  112  in the corresponding location parts  122 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the protrusions  126  may be provided at the borders between the respective receiving parts  112 . The protrusions  126  may be made of a flexible material. Consequently, when the receiving parts  112  are coupled to the water overflow preventing member  120 , the protrusions  126  may be deformed, and therefore, the coupling between the receiving parts  112  and the water overflow preventing member  120  is not disturbed by the protrusions  126 . Also, the protrusions  126  may tend to press the receiving parts  112  downward, such that the receiving parts  112  may be fixed in and supported by the corresponding location parts  122 . 
     As the location parts  122  may be made of a flexible material, the location parts  122  may be in tight contact with the corresponding receiving parts  112 , and the receiving parts  112  may be fixed in the location parts  122  by the protrusions  126 . Consequently, even when the ice tray  110  is rotated to separate ice from the ice tray  110 , the receiving parts  112  remain fixed to the water overflow preventing member  120 . Thus, separation of the receiving parts  112  from the water overflow preventing member  120 , or movement of the receiving parts  112  in the water overflow preventing member  120  may be prevented. 
     A water overflow preventing member  120  having the above-stated construction effectively prevents the overflow or splashing of water out of the ice tray  110  during the supply of water to the ice tray  110 , or when the ice tray  110  is shaken by an external force during the production of ice. 
     An ice tray as embodied and broadly described herein may prevent the overflow of water or thin ice from the ice tray even when water splashes during the supply of water to the ice tray, or when the ice maker in which the ice tray is mounted is shaken by an external force during the production of ice. 
     An ice maker as embodied and broadly described herein may prevent ice pieces from sticking to each other, thus preventing degradation in the freezing efficiency of the ice maker, overall reliability of the system. This allows a user to easily extract and use ice pieces, thereby improving the convenience of use to the user. 
     An ice tray is provided that is capable of preventing the overflow or splashing of water or thin ice to the outside during the supply of water or when the ice tray is shaken by an external force. 
     An ice tray as embodied and broadly described herein may include at least one receiving part for receiving water necessary to produce ice, the at least one receiving part being provided at the top thereof with an opening, through which the water is supplied and the ice is separated, and a water overflow preventing member for preventing the overflow or splashing of water or thin ice from the at least one receiving part. 
     The at least one receiving part may be formed in the shape of a hemisphere or a cube. 
     The water overflow preventing member may be integrally formed with the at least one receiving part, and the water overflow preventing member may protrude upward by a predetermined length from the edge of the opening. 
     The water overflow preventing member may protrude upward such that the water overflow preventing member is perpendicular to the plane defined by the opening, or the water overflow preventing member may protrude upward in the shape of an arc. Alternatively, the water overflow preventing member may protrude upward such that the water overflow preventing member is perpendicular to the plane defined by the opening from one-side edge of the opening, and the water overflow preventing member may protrude upward such that the water overflow preventing member is formed in the shape of an arc from the other-side edge of the opening. 
     The water overflow preventing member may be manufactured separately from the at least one receiving part, and may then coupled to the at least one receiving part. 
     The water overflow preventing member may include a location part for supporting the at least one receiving part, and a waterproofing wall connected to the location part and protruding upward by a predetermined length such that the waterproofing wall is perpendicular to the plane defined by the opening adjacent to the edge of the opening when the at least one receiving part is located in the location part such that the at least one receiving part is supported by the location part. 
     The ice tray may also include a protrusion mounted at the location part for preventing the movement of the least one receiving part in the location part or the separation of the least one receiving part from the location part when the at least one receiving part is located in the location part such that the at least one receiving part is supported by the location part. 
     The location part is made of a flexible material, whereby the location part is in tight contact with the at least one receiving part to support the at least one receiving part. 
     A ice tray as embodied and broadly described herein may include at least one receiving part for receiving water necessary to produce ice, the at least one receiving part being provided at the top thereof with an opening, through which the water is supplied and the ice is separated, a location part for supporting the at least one receiving part, and a waterproofing wall connected to the location part and protruding upward by a predetermined length such that the waterproofing wall is perpendicular to the plane defined by the opening adjacent to the edge of the opening when the at least one receiving part is located in the location part such that the at least one receiving part is supported by the location part. 
     Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” “certain embodiment,” “alternative embodiment,” etc., means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment as broadly described herein. 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 affect 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.